"The Road to Unafraid" by Capt. Jeff Struecker

 Captain Jeff Struecker is well-known for two reasons: #1 - Winning the Best Ranger competition in 1996, and #2 - leading part of the rescue effort in Somalia during the Black Hawk Down incident (yes, the same incident featured in the book and movie of the same name).

I believe he should be well-known for two other reasons. #1 - His outstanding Christian testimony, and #2 - his skill at writing. I previously reviewed the first novel that he co-authored with Alton Gansky (see here); and I was overwhelmingly impressed at the action, the story-line, the depth of the characters, and the Christian emphasis in that book... I'm planning on reading the next several books that this duo has written - they are on my list, but so are a couple hundred others, so it may take a while to get to them!

In this book, Capt. Struecker chronicles his early life and what led him to join the Army in the first place. He also details the personal love of pushing himself to the limits, which is the reason he became a Ranger. He pushed himself always to do his very best and to BE the very best - an ethic that stuck with him after he became a dedicated Christian. Struecker saw action in Panama, Kuwait, and of course Somalia; and he details some of the challenges and horrors of war that he faced in those situations. He writes with gut-wrenching emotion, holding nothing back. He probes the deepest parts of his own mind and spirit to give his readers the clearest picture. The result is truly captivating.

But the most captivating part of the book, at least to me, was how he faced the challenge of deciding to follow Christ. And I'm not just talking about getting saved - I'm talking about his change of lifestyle to stop smoking, drinking, swearing, and listening to rock music (while already a Ranger - imagine the pressure!). I'm also talking about his decision to go to seminary and enter the ministry (he became a chaplain). These stories are highly inspirational. I wish every man could read this book to see that being a Christ-follower is not a sign of weakness.

The book ends with a lengthy pep-talk for the reader - and a clear sign pointing to Christ as the only hope for mankind for eternity. If you want to read a book that will challenge you to push yourself to the limits for Christ, then read this one. If you have a loved one who is in the military, and is facing the questions of life and eternity, give them a copy of this book. Struecker handles these issues in a way that no one else but a combat veteran and committed Christian could present them. And most importantly, Jesus Christ shines through this story as the true Hero and Savior.

"Soul's Gate: Well Spring, Book 1" by James Rubart

This is the third book by James Rubart that I've read, and all of them are impressive and stimulating. The man can write some great stories - and his books are some of the most spiritually challenging and uplifting that you will find.
This book revolves around a prophecy concerning four people that will do great spiritual battle. This is the beginning of a series, but it also stands nicely on its own. While I am not a believer that God gives prophecies anymore (since the completion of the perfect Word of God), the themes and topics covered in the book greatly challenged my thinking concerning the power of prayer and the power of Christ in the Christian life.
So far, all of Rubart's books I've read have a Yoda-type character. This guy is always wiser than you think he is - staying one step ahead of the game. The book is full of redemption, forgiveness, and victory.
But with all that said, there are two big negatives. The author makes use of a cuss word.... Why, WHY do these authors feel it is necessary? Now, I will give him a little slack that a demon was the character who said the word - and the word was "hell", but it was obviously a cuss word and not a reference to the place. Big no-no.
The second was that, at one point, the characters shared champagne in celebration. I am of the conviction that Christians should not drink. Ever. Period. But that's a topic for later.
The characters are real, but not terribly deep. The scenes are powerful, but sometimes predictable. And the dialogue was sometimes a little cheesy. But not a bad book. "Rooms" is still way better.
I received this book free from the publishers in exchange for my honest review.