"Inside Threat" - Riley Covington series book #4 by Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

***SPOILER ALERT!!!!  This book is #4 in a series, and there are some major SPOILERS in this review!!!!***

As I was looking back at my blog, I can't believe I didn't write any reviews for the other three books in this series. They were all enjoyable, although some were better than others. The first book "Monday Night Jihad" may have been the best...

In this book, domestic terrorist attacks begin to intensify. The analysts in Riley's former counter-terrorism unit believe they are diversions for the "big event." They are correct. Terrorists take over 300 people hostage at a funeral - several of whom are congressmen and congresswomen (also taken captive are their security personnel, including Khadi, Riley's old romance flame).

This was my least favorite book of the series, for several reasons. Incidentally, I can't help but feel that I put Jason Elam and Steve Yohn at a disadvantage by reading this book immediately after "Blaze of Glory" - which is superior to this book in every way. But this book was just bad, so it may not have mattered.

Let's talk about what I hated:
1. Riley Covington was an out-of-control jerk in this book. That's what I got, anyway. He was rude, quick-tempered, selfish, and forced his friends into compromising positions because of his thoughtless actions. He totally lost his mind when he found out Khadi was held hostage. He coerced people into letting him have his way and get into the action. It seemed so out of character from the Riley I remember in the other three books...but it's okay, because:

2. The authors kill the main character at the end. Is there any better way to alert the readers that there will be no more books in the "Riley Covington" series than to kill off Riley Covington? He trades himself to the terrorists for Khadi, and they kill him before the good guys can diffuse the situation. The authors attempted to make his death look so noble - but because of his horrendous attitude and behavior in the first part of the book, his death didn't make me sad or even shocked. It was just STRANGE. (Not to mention that he broke all kinds of governmental agency protocols in order to get to the hostage site to begin with).  His death was not noble in my mind. There was no redemption, even though he gave his life for Khadi. Did the authors have a grudge against Riley when they set out to write this book?

3. The first half of the book seemed drawn out and full of unnecessary fluff. It really annoys me when a book that claims itself to be a "thriller" (and that also has a really cool cover photo) is SOOOO SLOOOW to get to the action. There was an inordinate amount of time given to the fact that Khadi and Riley still desired a relationship with each other, although they had agreed to part ways. Many of the scenes in the first half of the book involved them...simply... missing each other.

4. Humor is overused at a teeth-grindingly frustrating pace (okay, so I use made-up words occasionally). I am not an "operative" or an "operator" or a "spec-ops warrior" or a "CIA spook" or even a school crossing guard. But I can't imagine that average law enforcement/military professionals use so much cheesy humor, especially in tense situations. If they do, don't tell me. It would shatter my mental picture of them.....

5. In order to get to the hostage scene where he will eventually perish, Riley is held up by a young marine who is in charge of screening people through the security line... Riley doesn't have time to wait in the line like everybody else, so he CUTS in front of EVERYBODY, dials the PRESIDENT (!??!?!) on the president's private line, and the president (despite the intense hostage situation) happens to have time to tell the young marine to let Riley through....because he owes Riley a favor. Seriously. It would have been more believable and interesting if Riley had just shanked the marine with a broken spork.

What I liked about the book? Good guys win. Khadi starts to seek out the true God. It was less than 400 pages.... after that, I'm struggling.

I hate to say it, but I give this book 1 out of 5 stars. Fortunately, the other books in the series are better. Unfortunately, the authors won't have a chance to redeem themselves in the next book, because the series is over.

"Blaze of Glory" by Major Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky

*ALERT: SPOILERS BELOW*
In the second fiction offering from the combined talents of Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky, Sgt. Major Eric "Boss" Moyer and his Special Operations team are once again thrown into a desperate situation - this time, it is to prevent a suicide bomber from taking out 20 of the world's leaders. But that is not the only crisis they face... Their mission will take them to Mexico to face a ruthless drug lord.
A new character is introduced to the team to replace a man they lost in their last mission (read the first book). But the new guy, Jerry "Data" Zinsser, suffers from PTSD after his previous team was mostly wiped out - and his flashbacks may compromise this new mission and put his team at risk.

I absolutely loved their first book, "Certain Jeopardy," and the second book is just as good. The writing is well-done, the characters are real and believable, and the pace is perfect. The action scenes will keep your heart racing until the last page.

If I had a criticism (and this is entirely a matter of preference), the humorous lines may have been a tad too numerous - especially in the tense moments. But, at the very least, they helped to break up the drama, and give your nerves a second to ease up. And mostly, they seem to be in-character for the ones who are saying them.

Besides that one minor thing, the book is everything you want in a military fiction - without the swarms of swear words and the unnecessary sexual scenes you find in other works. The characters are so real, you feel sympathetic for them without even realizing it. Your heart pangs for the ones who lose loved ones and friends as they weep. When Zinsser contemplates suicide (multiple times), you want to reach into the pages and shake him back to reality. The authors do a great job of painting a picture of a man tormented by PTSD. This is an issue that is hard to grasp for those of us on the outside looking in. As in the first book, the character J.J. - who is the lone Christian on the team - has to wrestle with his own conscience when he takes the lives of his enemies.

I appreciate the authors for tackling difficult subjects with grace. After reading Struecker's autobiographical book, "The Road to Unafraid", I have a lot of respect for the man. And Alton Gansky has proven himself to be a talented writer who can weave a great story.

Get these books - you won't be disappointed at all.
5 out of 5 stars.

"The Witness" by Josh McDowell

Josh McDowell has a remarkable testimony. The books that he has written are powerful tools for the Christian who needs answers for skeptics.
I've had the privilege to hear Josh McDowell speak in person, and his winsomeness and speaking ability make it easy to see why his ministry has blossomed so much. He truly has impacted many people around the world for the sake of God's truth.

This is the first fiction book I've read by Josh McDowell (I'm not even sure if he has any others). And, I must say that he did a very good job putting together an enjoyable story.

The main character is Marwan Accad, owner of a Middle-Eastern security company that caters to the ultra-wealthy. When one of Marwan's clients is assassinated, Marwan is framed for the hit. He must find a way to clear his name while keeping one step ahead of those who are now trying to kill him.

Along the way, he is confronted with questions about death, God, and eternity. The answers to these questions remain elusive - until God brings a few unlikely people into his path (as you can probably tell from the silhouette on the cover, he falls in love with one of them).

I enjoyed the story. It was fast-paced and had a lot of action. There was also a very good Gospel message throughout the book, which I love. Even the graphic scenes (and there was some violence and death, as well as some drug usage and immoral encounters) were written very discreetly and tastefully. It is hard for a Christian author to write realistically about the sins of those without Christ and to remain tasteful and gracious, but the author managed to do so.

However, while Josh McDowell certainly is a skilled story-teller, this book was not quite as polished as some of my other favorite thrillers. Sometimes the conversations were a little forced. Sometimes the scene descriptions were over-the-top, and sometimes they were lacking. But all in all, the book was a good read. I would have no trouble recommending it. And the ending may or may not be satisfying to you. (I, personally, was a little bummed at the ending...)

I finished the book in a couple of sittings, so if you are looking for a quick, enjoyable, and Christian thriller - try this one out.

"The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn

"The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn is supposedly this shocking book revealing how America fits into Bible prophecy. At least, that's what most people who like the book will make you think. I will tell you up front that I did not enjoy the book, nor did I agree with the premise.

Let me begin with my literary criticisms, then I will move on to the Biblical and doctrinal criticisms.

To begin with, I believe Cahn's choice to write this book about his interpretations of Bible prophecy as a fiction narrative was a disaster waiting to happen. The book had no action in it at all (despite the back cover making a comparative reference to the plot being like "a Hollywood thriller"). It was entirely made up of dialogue. And of this dialogue, easily 40% of the sentences were questions.... not GOOD questions, but questions like: "What does that mean?"  "How?"  "They didn't know?"  This made the reading very boring.  The unnamed "prophet" character had an annoying habit of dropping uninformative sentences, to which the main character (a journalist named Nouriel) would ask a clarifying question. It was painfully boring writing.
Here's a made-up example of a conversation between the two, which will serve to illustrate:

Prophet: "They should have known..."
Nouriel: "Who?"
Prophet: "The Israelites. They should have known, but they forgot."
Nouriel: "Forgot what?"
Prophet: "The prophecy."
Nouriel: "What prophecy?"
Prophet: "The prophecy about the tree."
Nouriel: "What tree?"
Prophet: "The tree that fell."
Nouriel: "Fell where?"

This is only the slightest of exaggerations. Much of the book felt like that conversation to me. So it was boring. The characters weren't well developed, and there was very little emotion - really very few "human" elements to the book at all. The author should have either written a better novel, or written this as a non-fiction book on prophecy. This book is repetitive, shallow, anti-climactic, and boring. And that's just my LITERARY opinion!

The story basically revolves around the conversations between Nouriel and the Prophet. The Prophet gives Nouriel nine ancient clay seals with images on them, and he uses the seals and images, along with Isaiah 9:10, to explain how America is supposedly following the same pattern as the ancient Jews. This pattern includes vows, warnings, signs, and judgments.

When you take away the seals and images (which do not actually exist - they are a plot device in the book to introduce the author's points), and the repetition, and the pointless dialogue, the author could have easily made his claims in a 40-page booklet.

I won't take the time to go through all of the book's contents, nor will I dismantle the Biblical errors one-by-one. But I will say that the author goes beyond the bounds of any reasonable hermeneutical principles on several points. The first one being taking that which was prophesied for ISRAEL and applying it to the USA. There is simply no biblical reason to do that. The author says that the founders of America thought they were creating a nation dedicated to God's purpose. But this is in no way comparable to God's actual chosen people, the Jews - nor does it compare to the actual covenant relationship God has with them. (God has no covenant with America, or any other nation for that matter).

The book just did not ring true. The author kept speaking of "ancient mysteries" more than actual prophecies (maybe because he knows in his heart that the PROPHECY was for Israel, not the US?). He also kept speaking of the "vow" of Isaiah 9:10, and how America's political leaders repeated this "vow" - and therefore defied God and invited judgment. I do not believe in magic words. If God is going to judge America (and I think He is already doing that), then it will be because of their rejection of Him and His Christ and His Word - not because they said the magic words of a made-up "vow."

Furthermore, the author made some REALLY HUGE stretches of imagination in order to make his parallel between Isaiah 9:10-11, and America's 9/11 attacks and Wall Street collapse, fit the frame of what he was saying. When you have to twist and contort things in order to make them fit, then you are doing damage to the Word of God.

For example, the Isaiah 9:10 prophecy mentions that a sycamore tree has fallen. Then the author claims that a sycamore tree was destroyed near Ground Zero on 9/11. The problem is, we English speakers just CALL both of these trees sycamores. They are totally different trees! It is equivalent to saying that the ancient prophecy talked about a barracuda, and applying it to a goldfish - because they are both "fish". The author makes these kinds of creative contortions with semantics all throughout the book.

When you strip all of this away, you are left with.....not much, really. There are much better critiques of "The Harbinger" available on the internet. But, please, read things like this with discernment - don't accept everything just because they sell it in the Christian bookstore.

I would NOT recommend this book - either for entertainment reading, or for Bible prophecy study.

"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.

"The Ambition" by Lee Strobel

If you've never read the "Case for..." series of books by Lee Strobel, you are missing out on pages upon pages of excellent and worth-while apologetics reading. The interview-style writing of those books really helps keep your attention - and makes you feel like you are part of a conversation instead of just listening to a bunch of facts.

That being said, this debut novel by Lee Strobel had me anticipating great things. It failed to deliver....  The story centers around a megachurch pastor, Eric Snow, who has political aspirations. He is being pushed along on his journey by a member of his church leadership staff who (apparently) sees a jump-start for her own career. His co-pastor, however, feels like Snow is betraying his God and his church. His main rival for the political position has a few skeletons in his closet...  Following all of this action is a reporter, who also happens to be an atheist.

There's more to the story than that - but that's the main idea. I feel like Strobel really missed out on some great opportunities for suspenseful action. The ending was also very abrupt - which is dissatisfying when you've put so much time into reading a book.

On top of that, the story-line just wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped. Some of the plot twists were predictable (as was the resolution to the story). But the final straw was the totally unnecessary swear word that Strobel threw in. It doesn't matter that a "bad guy" said it, and he was really, really angry when he said it. There is no purpose or need for cursing in a book written by a Christian author and marketed to Christian audiences.

So, for the aforementioned reasons, I give this book a 2 out of 5 stars.

"A Ship Possessed" by Alton Gansky

Alton Gansky gets some serious respect for his creativity: a demon-possessed nazi in a raft gets picked up by an American submarine in World War II, then the sub disappears... over half a century later, the sub shows up at a San Diego beach. It's (supposedly) empty, but how did it get there?

A retired Navy officer is called back to investigate this mystery. But his assistant, a young female officer, is trying her best (unsuccessfully) to hide her paralyzing fear of the sub. What is it about the sub that is causing her terror?

Brilliantly weaving the two stories (the WWII story, and the investigation by the retired officer), Gansky did a great job of creating a "spooky" feeling that adds the thrills to the books that are supposed to be "thrillers." Some authors are not able to achieve this. Not only that, but Gansky also includes very vivid descriptions of the spiritual realm that help to visualize what the demon-possessed people are experiencing during a possession.

I'm personally not an expert on demons or demon possession. And I have no idea what the spiritual realm would look or feel like to a demon-possessed person. But, taking it from a purely literary standpoint, Gansky's version is quite terrifying. (Although I'm sure real demon possession is much worse)

I enjoyed the book (not as much as "Certain Jeopardy", co-written with Jeff Struecker). I especially liked the parts describing Navy and Coast Guard procedures, terminology, etc. Submarines have always fascinated me. How do those guys not go crazy in there for so long? Anyway, there are two other books in this series, so I hope to get to those soon.

"Book of Days" by James L. Rubart

This is the second novel from author James Rubart. In my opinion, it is not quite as good as "Rooms", which is one of my all-time favorite novels. However, "Book of Days" has several great things going for it.
First, it is a very unique story. The book centers around Cameron Vaux, who seems to be losing his mind - literally. Memories come and go as they please. Two years after his wife dies, Cameron begins to remember conversations he had with both his father (who died with the same mind-loss sickness that Cameron has contracted) and his wife regarding a Book written by God that contains the past, present, and future of every person who ever lived. According to the novel, the idea is also found in Scripture: Psalm 139:16 (although in the King James Version, the verse is translated with the word "members" instead of "days"). So, Cameron sets out to find this Book, hoping to cure his mind and preserve the memories of his dad and wife that he cherishes.
Second, Rubart has a talent for conveying strong emotion - I empathized with both Cameron and the character Taylor Stone, even though I've never suffered a loss as great as theirs. This empathy is what made "Rooms" so powerful, and "Book of Days" makes great use of it as well. To create characters so real that we feel their pain - that is GREAT writing.
Third, there were just enough twists to keep things interesting. It is not so much a mystery book, although Cameron is trying to unravel the "mystery" of the Book. So instead of being filled with nail-biting suspense and thrills (although there are a few thrilling scenes) it is a very easy and well-paced read. It never got boring, even though it might have been a little slow in some places.
Fourth, I LOVE it when a character in a Christian novel gets saved! I know they aren't real people - that's not the point. Talented writers like Rubart have a way of expressing and describing the intangible and invisible in some incredible ways. At the very least, these scenes in Christian books remind me of how wonderful it is that I have a Savior and God named Jesus Who loved me enough to die for me and pursue me with His great love and mercy.
There weren't any negative issues worth mentioning, so I will give this book 5 out of 5 stars. But, if you only read one James Rubart book, I'd still pick "Rooms" over this one.

"The Queen" by Steven James

Over 500 pages...but it flies by so quickly. VERY, very few authors write so addictively. My respect for Steven James continues to climb.

Agent Bowers is sent to Wisconsin to help investigate an apparent double murder: a man supposedly shoots his wife and daughter. But not everything is as it seems. The Navy is pressuring the FBI director to put their best people on this case. Why would the Navy be interested in the disappearance of a Wisconsin sawmill worker? Before the book is over, the facts of this case will reach all the way to the Middle East - to a top secret CIA detainment facility.

A couple of negative things about the book. Yet again, one of the villains turns out to be a friend of Bowers.... This has happened in two other books in this series, if my memory is right. Now, it makes for really good page-turning suspense, especially when you can't guess who it is - but at the same time, it is almost getting old. (I mean, does this happen in real life? Can every FBI agent name at least three former colleagues who wound up being serial killers? Maybe so... the nature of the field, I suppose.) I can easily forgive this small issue, however, since the quality of the book is beyond superb.

There were a couple of typos. Sometimes the technical explanations ran a little long. These are all VERY minor things. And, in the grand scheme of things, I'm embarrassed that I even bring them up.

On the positive side, there was less violence in this book. In fact, family and relational issues took up a greater portion of the story than in any of the previous books. That doesn't mean that the book isn't filled with great action and suspense - because it is. We learn a great deal about the backstory of Patrick and his brother Sean (and his brother's wife.....). Patrick is planning on asking a certain someone a certain important question.
Tessa struggles with some of her guilt, as well as the topic of forgiveness. In fact, the best scene of the book (to me) is when Tessa has a deep heart-to-heart with God. It's not a tremendously dramatic conversion, with a sinner's prayer - but Tessa tells Patrick that "something happened" to her in a hospital chapel. It was the closest thing to a salvation experience in the Bowers Files so far! Of all the characters that are in the series, I fully expected Tessa to be the first to take the small steps of faith. And I was right! She's a great character in these books.

According to the Wikipedia page, Steven James is writing a prequel to the series right now; then he will finish the series with "The King" and finally "Checkmate". Let's just say, I'm (not so) patiently waiting!

"Illusion" by Frank Peretti

There is no author of Christian fiction that I admire more than Frank Peretti. His book "The Visitation" is my all-time favorite Christian fiction novel (I've read it over a dozen times - I lost count). So many of his books are so good, I'm totally convinced that he is incapable of writing a bad book. He first captured my attention when I was a kid - I read the Cooper Kids series over and over and over again. I then determined to buy every single book that he would ever write. And I've never been disappointed. He writes stories that have wonderful spiritual significance.

Peretti takes a surprising turn with this novel - it is a love story and a time-travel story. As I mentioned in my review of "The Skin Map", time-travel books are very difficult. Some authors try too hard to explain the scientific concepts behind the traveling through time and, in the process, lose the power of the story itself. Peretti not only presents a fascinating description of the process of traveling through time, he ensures that the story itself is what keeps the pages turning. And what a superb story it is! Veteran magician Dane Collins loses his wife in an accident, but then he finds a young girl who is EXACTLY like his wife was - 40 years ago. Could it really be Mandy? It is, and she has somehow figured out a way to manipulate time and space. (By the way, every time I saw the phrase "Dane and Mandy" in the book, I couldn't help but think of my old Greek grammar textbook from Greek II in Bible college, which my professor referred to as "Dana and Mantey", after the authors of the grammar book!)
The love story is really tangible. It is refreshing to see an author write a love story that presents the mystery of true lasting love - no sexuality or youthful lusts necessary. Just love. Sacrificial, committed, never-ending, overcoming love. (Like God's love for us...) This gives me an idea of the character of the man who wrote the novel and what kind of husband he might be.
The ending was everything you could hope for a Peretti novel. There were some fantastic surprises that just blew my mind, and I'm still trying to figure out some of them. The last 100 pages of the book flew by so fast...
What great lessons Frank Peretti is trying to teach us! As Christians, we are living in 2 worlds simultaneously. But, we will never be at rest until we are united with the One we love more than anything!
If you have never read any of Peretti's books, I recommend you start with some of his earlier novels and read this one later. You can tell in this book that he is a veteran author who is very comfortable writing - but you have to read an early book to see how much he has grown as an author.
In short, I give this book an easy 5 out of 5 stars! Bravo, Mr. Peretti!
By the way, you can hear Frank Peretti read the first chapter and watch a video of him talking about recording the audiobook here.

"Going Deep" by Gordon MacDonald

My hopes for this book were fairly high, even though this is the first Gordon MacDonald book that I've read. And, to be fair, it wasn't a bad book. It just wasn't a terribly good book, either. Before I get too far, here's the main plot: a pastor is praying for a "great idea" to train future leaders and to grow some influential Christians in the church. The end result is "CDP: Cultivating Deep People." A few people from the church are selected to be a part of the CDP group, and they spend a year of discipleship with the pastor and his wife (meeting every Monday night for 40 weeks). The book follows the formulating of the plan and the first CDP group's experience.
Let me start with my criticisms so we can end on a positive note. To begin with, there were times when the conversations in the book seemed a little shallow and.... well, "cheesy" is about the best way to say it. This is merely a personal opinion and reflects my assessment of the author's writing style, so others may disagree. My second criticism involves the time frame. The book covers two years in 383 pages. Obviously, there are some pretty big gaps and jumps in time.
Third, and I hate to say this, but the characters seemed a little wooden (except for the pastor and his wife, Gordon and Gail MacDonald!). The characters are what either makes or breaks a book for me. This book was lacking in the character department.
Fourth...it was just too good to be true. There were no major conflicts (there were a couple of weak crisis points, but they were resolved). It's very hard to remain interested in a book with no climax. If you aren't building up to something, then you have the feeling that it's downhill all the way.
Fifth - and this was the biggie for me - you will read the words "CDP", "great idea", "this thing", or "deep" on average about 5 times on each page FOR ALMOST THE WHOLE BOOK. It got pretty annoying. I guess it was a necessary thing to do, but it made the book very monotonous to me.
Okay, now I can say some good things about the book! Any pastor would love to have an experience like this in his own church. I truly pray that our church will have disciples that are on fire like these disciples were.
Probably the best thing about the book was the information about Jesus as a Rabbi (from a Jewish perspective). It really opened my eyes to what Jesus was trying to accomplish with the 12 disciples. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to research how ancient Jewish rabbis selected and trained their followers. It will change the way you look at Jesus.
The "great idea" that Pastor Mac had in the book isn't a NEW idea at all. It's what Christians should have been doing for 2,000 years. But I'm glad there are 21st century pastors putting new emphasis on the Great Commission: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19) We need more disciples of Christ. In all, I'd probably give the book 2 out of 5 stars.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson publishers as part of the BookSneeze bloggers program. I was not required to make a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

"Certain Jeopardy" by Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky

This book delivers on so many levels - I was floored. The action was great, but the depth of the characters made the book exciting. The story is fairly simple: the U.S. sends a team of elite soldiers to do some reconnaissance in Venezuela. "They" believe that a terrorist group is training extremists there... In actuality, the Venezuelans have captured an American nuclear scientist and want to trade him to the terrorists to help them develop WMDs. The Special Ops team may have to kill the scientist to prevent his knowledge from being used by the wrong people. This creates quite a dilemma for a certain member of the Special Ops team who happens to be a strong Christian - and he is already reeling from the death of an innocent person at the hands of his team.

To put it bluntly, no non-Christian author can write this story because it deals with themes that are uniquely Christian (such as the scenario described above). When you have talented writers with real-life experience in the subject matter, who write for a bigger purpose than just to astound the readers with explosions and action, you cannot go wrong.

I was pleasantly surprised by the over-arching Christian elements to the story. There was at least one scene in the book where the Gospel was clearly presented - and the Christians in the story (with one back-slidden exception) wear the name of Christ well.

But, seriously, the most amazing thing about the book was the way that I immediately had a heart-connection with the characters. They felt like real people going through real problems and displaying real emotion. (Not all of the conflict happens with guns and gadgets... there are other problems - family problems, health problems, etc). I read a lot of books, and let me tell you that few authors have the ability to make characters this real.

In short, I cannot WAIT to start reading "Blaze of Glory"! Struecker and Gansky have made a fan out of me in a BIG way.

A rock-solid 10 out of 10 stars!

"The Knight" by Steven James

Okay, at this point I think it's safe to say that Steven James hasn't learned how to write a bad book. "The Knight" picks up nicely right where "The Rook" left off. In this book, Patrick Bowers deals with some new problems - family problems. He also is faced with evidence that seems to indicate someone very dear to him is the killer he's after.

There were a few minor criticisms. The identity of the killer was unexpected - but at the same time it was very similar to a previous Patrick Bowers story (I won't tell you which one). Also, again dealing with serial killers, there are some scenes in which violence is described. But it comes with the subject matter.

I love the references to Poe and other works of literature, as well as the "side-issues" that enter the books - usually in dialogue between Patrick and his step-daughter. In fact, the character of Tessa becomes even MORE complex in this book (if possible), but she is a fascinating person to read.

I still believe "The Pawn" is my favorite so far, but this story easily holds its own in the series.

I'd give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

"Through the Fire" by Shawn Grady

This is the debut novel from veteran fireman Shawn Grady, and it appears that the man has a talent for weaving an engaging story. The story centers around a fireman named Aidan who is still reeling from the accidental death of his father (who was also a fireman). As the book unfolds, Aidan passionately searches for answers regarding his father's death. He is so passionate, in fact, that it costs him his bride-to-be. With some help, Aidan begins to unravel the mystery around his father's death - while daily risking his own life. 

The story is solid and well-written. Shawn Grady also does a great job of letting an outsider like me peek into the daily life of those heroes who save lives every day. The details are not overwhelming - just enough to educate me on the ways of the firefighter. There is a back-story of Aidan's distance from the faith of his father, but I felt like it was a token nod to the target audience (mainly Christians). In fact, all of the scenes in the book that dealt with salvation or Christianity were EXTREMELY vague. So much so that the power of the Gospel is weakened to a degree. There is a difference between avoiding "preachiness" and muddying the water so much that it is no longer clear. I fear the author made the water just a tad too murky. In fact, the scenes of the character getting drunk were more clearly articulated than any of the Christian elements.

One other criticism that I have is the choice of adjectives and nouns used. I'm not talking about swear words. I'm talking about words I've never heard before. I like to think that I have a fairly decent vocabulary - but there were probably two dozen words in the book (maybe more) that were so uncommon that I had to break out the dictionary. This is not a bad thing, per se. Books SHOULD be educational! But it got wearisome. One could picture the author sitting at his writing desk with a fat thesaurus in hand, fervently flipping through the pages to locate the ideal word to use. Sometimes people just want to be moved by the story, not flabbergasted by the words.

All in all, I look forward to reading the next two books by Shawn Grady. I give "Through the Fire" 4 out of 5 stars.

"Swope's Ridge" by Ace Collins

The second book in the "Lije Evans Mysteries" series picks up easily where the last book left off. However, Ace Collins masterfully introduced a secondary plotline in such a way that you could read this book as a stand-alone novel. The talent required to pull this off is extraordinary!
Only a few minor items were negative to me. The first of which is the sheer complexity of the plot. I like twists and stories that bring it all together at the end, but I couldn't keep up with all the facts. (The characters in the novel could, though... and it kinda bothered me that they could but I couldn't....)
The next negative issue revolved around the fact that the protagonists too easily stumbled across necessary information at exactly the right time. Everything was WAY too neat and tidy. It was like one guy would say, "Hey, we need to find out if so-and-so ever had a condo in Miami." Then guy #2 would be like, "Let me check. (whips out cell phone for a brief conversation) Yep, between March and June of 1998."  Not all info was gathered so easily, however.
On a positive note, this book was a little more overtly Christian in content than the last one. And there was one pretty good twist at the end, even though you could see it coming for a little while. Many scenarios in the book were just too far-fetched, though. I'm fairly forgiving, but don't abuse my leniency.
I'd give this book an enjoyable 3.5 out of 5 stars.

"Strike the Dragon" by Charles Dyer and Mark Tobey

I hate to say this, but usually books are put on the "bargain buy" shelf for a reason. If you pay a buck for a brand new book in a bookstore, then don't expect it to be the best book you've ever read. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised though. This book falls somewhere in between. It was a decent (if unoriginal) concept, but the execution was lacking a little bit.... Let me start with the negatives so we can end on a good note.
There were typos scattered throughout, but I can forgive that. Really, my two biggest issues were these:
1) The authors frequently felt the need to describe in very minute detail things that had absolutely no bearing on the plot of the book. It got a little annoying as the book went on. Explanatory comments were inserted at times when they were not necessary at all.
2) Everyone talked like Christians. The cops, the CIA, the Mossad agents, the Muslim terrorists - all of them phrased things in ways that you only hear at church. Now, if you've read any of my other reviews, you know I appreciate CLEAN dialogue. I have little tolerance for Christian authors using curse words. But I mean, there were hardly any contractions used in the dialogue, no slang, no normal street language. (It's hard to explain, but just read about 25 pages from the middle of the book and you'll see what I'm talking about). And the CIA, Mossad, and Chicago Police apparently love to refer to terrorists as "bad guys" over their communication lines with each other. This made the dialogue unrealistic. In fact, more than once I almost gave up on reading the book at all.
Now for the good points. It was truly a Christian novel. In fact one character trusts Christ at the end of the book! The authors used a few opportunities to work in some apologetics, and I appreciated that (even though some would see that as a negative). The book also had some good action near the beginning and some more near the end (however, I feel the authors missed out on some GREAT opportunities for nail-biting suspense). In all, the story was weaved together fairly well.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5.

"Rooms" by James L. Rubart

This book was 100 times more than what I had hoped for. It is the exact kind of Christian Fiction novel I have been waiting for since Frank Peretti's "The Visitation." Rubart writes for more than just thrills; he writes to make a point and to help us grow as Christians.
There are too many lessons to be learned from this book than I could list here, but here's a short sample: the power of prayer, the lure of materialism, the deceit of our own heart, forgiveness, making the right choices, Godly friendship, true joy, and the amazing gift of salvation.
The story centers around a young software tycoon who inherits a house on the beach from his great uncle. But all is not what it seems....
This book impacted me so tremendously, I'm not even going to try to describe it or critique it. (Sure there were probably a few things I could pick out if I wanted to super-critical, but I refuse to focus on the minor negatives)
GO BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW. You need it. I know I sure did. I made an earlier reference to "The Visitation" by Frank Peretti. That book influenced my life so profoundly I read it over a dozen times.
I have no doubt that I will be reading "Rooms" again.
10 out of 5 stars!

"Farraday Road" by Ace Collins

A man with the name "Ace" should surely be able to write a decent thriller novel, right? Right! "Farraday Road" is the story of an attorney named Elijah Evans (shortened to "Lije" almost every time in the book....which actually drove me crazy after a while) whose wife was murdered on a rainy night. After the murder, it appears that the real target was Elijah, since several more attempts on his life are made. But who is after him, and why?
One of the best things about this book is the ending. It is truly a continuing story! Most books of series that I've read are written in a way that any book in the series can be read alone and still enjoyed. THIS book, however, ends with a true cliffhanger! Right in the middle of an intense scene, the book just ends with "To be continued...."  I love it! If the book had resolved in some way, I may not have been interested in picking up book #2, but now I have to find out what happens.
It is a very original story with some interesting twists, but there are a few negative issues. The characters are a bit wooden to me.... Their dialogue and actions are just a little stiff. I mean, some of the lines spoken in the book are phrased in ways that no one that I've ever met would actually phrase them. They work on paper, but you can't imagine anyone actually SAYING those lines.
There is one or two unnecessary expletives thrown in, which boggles my mind. My only question is, "why?" If you cuss in a book, and do it consistently, then I have the feeling that you talk that way and have no problem with it. If you don't cuss at all, I appreciate it and feel like you have a conviction about it (as I do - because I don't swear). But to use like 2 cuss words? It's almost like your publisher said, "Hey, man, throw some hard language in there to make it realistic!"... and you fight your hesitation and sprinkle a few in there to please someone. *Sigh*
The biggest problem with the book (in my mind) is a GLARING error. It's hard to explain without spoiling something, so let me just try it this way:
1. Characters A and B think character C might be a bad guy, so they hide their work from C.
2. Characters A and B get in a car wreck (a little more complicated than just a wreck, but I'm trying not to spoil anything)
3. Character C also gets in a car wreck. (all three survive)
4. Characters A and B go to see character C after C's wreck.
5. Characters A and B wonder how character C knew about THEIR wreck.........
But THE BOOK NEVER TELLS US THAT CHARACTER C DID KNOW ABOUT IT!!!!!
Nothing is said that implies character C knew about their accident. Suddenly, character A just wonders, "How did _________  know about our accident?"  This is unforgivable to me..... It bothered me SO MUCH! I don't know if it was just a mistake in the edition that I own.... Anyway, I got over it. But it still bothers me.

All in all, it is a mediocre book with mediocre characters, but the innumerable twists in the story make it interesting. I'd give it a three out of five stars.

"Homeland Insecurity" by Richard & Evangeline Abanes

Shaken. I was shaken after reading this book. I enjoy fiction novels involving terrorism, because I like to see the good guys winning. It helps me deal with my emotions regarding 9/11. But this book didn't HELP me with any emotions.... It created some new ones.
I had never really heard much about (or thought much about) white supremist groups in America. I knew they existed. I knew about the KKK, but I had no idea who they are and what they believe. The terrorists in this book are MUCH more frightening to me than the Islamists in Joel Rosenberg's books, mainly because I don't know any Muslims personally. I have no knowledge to compare them to. But as I met the characters in this book, I realized that I MIGHT know some people like this... People I grew up around, people I went to church with, people I went to school with. My neighbors. My friends. Is it possible? I suppose it is possible, and it scares me to death. I pray to God that none of my relatives, friends, or acquaintances have any beliefs that mirror the terrorists in this book - although racism is at least faintly present in some of the people I know. And to me, racism is one step toward the horrors of these terrorists. GOD CREATED ALL MEN OF ONE BLOOD, the Bible says! (Acts 17:24-27)  We are all humans, and we are all sinners, and we all need to be saved. We don't all need to be white. God offers salvation to WHOSOEVER will believe on Christ. This is the plain teaching of Scripture. Racism is an affront to the redemptive nature of God.
Now, for some plain facts. This book was not the greatest or best-written novel I have ever read. However, it was a good story, and very captivating. The ending was (in my opinion) a little obvious. But I still enjoyed it. ***NOTE: There are quotes by white supremists and terrorists in this book that contain racial and disturbing language. Please be advised before reading.
I am glad Richard and Evangeline Abanes had the guts to write this book. It was something that I needed to hear. So, from a pure thrilling-story fiction-loving side, this book is five out of five stars. But be warned: you cannot un-read what you have read. It may change the way you think.....

"Waking Lazarus" by T.L. Hines

I am really astounded.....   My first experience with T. L. Hines was "The Unseen," and I pretty much had to sludge through it, forcing myself to turn page after page. My second experience was "Faces in the Fire," which fell outside my tastes, so I stopped reading after about 50 pages. This book was a complete shocker! The characters were believable (some frighteningly so), the pacing was masterful, the storyline was just sensational enough to be enthralling and not ridiculous, and the ending was emotional.  OK, I didn't actually cry, but it was definitely heart-warming. And this is Hines' first novel???????  Sorry if I sound incredulous. Maybe I should re-try "Faces in the Fire" and see if I'm missing something.... Hines writes in "Waking Lazarus"  with the elegance of a master craftsman. He uses words and phrases like a magician uses handkerchiefs and cards. (Not to mention, one of my old slang phrases, "No big whoop," made an appearance!)

There are some minor criticisms. The author used one choice word that I felt was unnecessary, especially for a book marketed to a Christian audience. We expect swearing in non-Christian reading, but in a Christian book? It could have been easily removed, but he chose to put it in for some reason. The second criticism relates to the lack of Biblical redemption. There is definitely redemption of relationship and purpose of the main character, but no redemption of the soul-saving kind. On the positive note, there WAS plenty of talk about God, although mostly in a bitter way from the main character's point of view.

Some of you will be skeptical, but I knew fairly early on who the bad guy would be, and I also figured out Kristina almost immediately. But it was still a breath-taking read! I would definitely give the book a 5 out of 5 rating.