CFBA Tour - Blood Ransom

The CFBA is featuring the new book Blood Ransom by Lisa Harris. She lives in Mozambique where her family works as missionaries, so this story set in the fictional African country of Dhambizao has a real authenticity to it.

Natalie Sinclair is an American working with the health ministry to encourage vaccinations, wellness, and tracking of tribal groups to monitor their health programs. The country is on edge due to an impending election, and even though the UN is monitoring this one, the history of violence in past voting has left its scars.

When young Joseph Komboli escapes from his village with a tale of "Ghost Soldiers" taking all the people, including his family, Natalie is not sure how to get involved. However, Joseph's explosive pictures force her to find help from Dr. Chad Talcott, another American expatriot who is volunteering at a nearby clinic.

As Natalie, Chad, and Joseph try to get their information into the right hands, there are others in power who will stop at nothing to bury the truth that could change the whole country. Will they succeed in saving Joseph's family, or will they share a tragic fate as well?

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There's a lot to like about this book. It can be classified as a "romantic suspense," and Lisa's knowledge of Africa adds a certain flavor to it. There is plenty of action, and there are a lot of surprises for the main characters. It is easy to get into the story and root for Natalie and Chad.

The plot hinges on the idea of human trafficking, the modern day slave trade. Many people don't realize there are more slaves in the world RIGHT NOW than at the height of the African slavery during colonial times. This is an issue that is dear to my heart, and I am excited to see entertaining fiction that can also educate about an important issue of justice in our world today.

Blood Ransom has some flaws as well. I never felt that the characters had a distinctive voice - Chad and Natalie act and think alike, as well as other secondary characters. Some of the plot points get a little muddled, as the scope of the book switches from Joseph's home village to the whole country and an international shadowy corrupt tycoon. It does all tie together in the end, but the premise gets a little strained.

Overall, Blood Ransom is obviously a work of love by Lisa Harris for a continent and people she loves, and issues she is passionate about. It is an enjoyable story that should satisfy fans of romance with suspense or action thrown in. I'll be interested to see what comes in the future from this author.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of Blood Ransom, go HERE.

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Sanitized Characters

Heya!

If you missed it or didn't find it interesting, I encourage you to check out last week's posts on the book Lost Mission. At least for those of us on the blog tour, there was a lot of deep discussion over themes brought up from the book.

A couple of posts got me thinking about our characters when writing fiction. One reviewer didn't like the book because they thought some characters were promoting paganism. Now, this is more of a thematic issue they had with the book, but I commented on their post that the book wasn't promoting paganism, but that the characters were acting according to who they were. The blogger didn't agree with my assessment, and we agreed to disagree.

Another blogger wanted a character to turn to her Bible to get guidance and figure out what should be done. Certainly it would be ideal if everyone did that, and it would have made sense since the character was devout. I know I dive deeper into my Bible when in trouble, but it may not have served the story and the climiax that was building.

After these two comments came up, it got me thinking that perhaps in Christian fiction we subconsciously want the characters we read about to be "sanitized". I'm not saying these two commenters wanted this specifically, but my impression was maybe we do want this a little more than we realize.

Of course the type of book is going to drive what type of characters populate it. Lost Mission focused on five characters, four of whom would be considered devout, so I wouldn't expect rough behavior or language. Still, I think authors can struggle with making a character authentic due to a fear of offending a CBA reader.

There's also been some blog discussion about the homogenized Christianity seen in a lot of Christian fiction. The believers tend to be from a Protestant, non-denominational "Bible" type church, without distinctive doctrines such as speaking in tongues, high liturgical services, or other significant identifiers (that don't break the core orthodoxy of the Trinity, the Bible, salvation, etc.). Catholics or people who may be a little less mainstream don't make it as the examples of a Christian character.

I think this goes back to market forces. The CBA market (it used to stand for Christian Booksellers Association, but now is a term for the specific niche fiction one typically finds in an Evangelical bookstore) is particular and doesn't like certain feathers ruffled. We can have serial killers in CBA fiction, as long as they don't cuss and sleep around. We also don't want the Pew Wars extend into our fiction.

Now the clean-mouthed assassin is a blatant example, but I wonder if we expect too much from our CBA characters. Authors know they have a certain audience to please, and perhaps the edges are knocked off a bit. As I flail away at my work in progress, I did a character bio sheet to help me know my heroine better. One questioned asked about sexual experience. My first instinct is to say, "No, she has been chaste." Unfortunately, in our modern world it would be unrealistic to have an attractive, secular college student be a virgin, so I have to concede that she has had premarital sex. It likely won't come up in the story, so I get a dodge there, but I think my initial reaction is telling.

What say you?
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CSFF Tour - Lost Mission Day 3

We haven't had a tour like this for a while!

The CSFF Tour is finishing up discussing the new book Lost Mission by Athol Dickson. It has provoked a wide range of responses, from praise to "couldn't get into it" to "can't recommend it." The writing is almost universally praised, but the style sometimes threw people off. Others had some questions about issues raised in the book, or agendas being promoted. There's a lot to consider, and I can't sum it all up. Be sure to go to Becky Miller's page where she keeps track of all who have posted.

I've even had a hard time narrowing down what I want to discuss, but beforewarned:

THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD!

One of the issues brought up very prominently is immigration. Two of the characters are from Mexico, and they cross over illegally. One of them comes feeling a holy call to preach, and the other needs work to save up so his family can buy a little restaurant so they can support themselves in their own village. Both of them have noble reasons to come, but they do it by following a coyote across the desert. Another character is a pastor who opens a ministry to the Hispanic immigrants in the city, without differentiating between legal and illegal immigrants.

Athol Dickson gets a little comment in about the "artificiality" of borders, and he may be more sympathetic to one side over the other, but on the whole, I thought he showed issues as they are. Some illegal immigrants go about their business to support themselves or their family. Some get drunk and cause significant problems and suffering. And the rich businessman who rails against illegal immigrants has a Mexican servant for his house for years.

Some of the debate on the tour has been whether it is okay for Christians to do something good by breaking the law - the old "ends justifying the means" argument. I don't want to be a relativist or utilitarian in my thinking, but I can't help but think of missionaries who work in closed countries as "tentmakers", working in their trade so they can share the gospel unofficially, or those who smuggle Bibles into lands where it is forbidden. Certainly there are people who shouldn't be here, and I'm not equating coming for work to gospel work. I just can't seem to think of it as a purely black and white issue.

I always end up thinking of this:
" 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'" Leviticus 19:33-34

Others on the tour have noted that if one really feels called to preach in America, they could work on getting here by the "proper channels", and that certainly is true. No denying that, but waiting 7 years for red tape makes for a poor novel!

Another interesting issue is the contrast in faith. In Alejandro's time he works with two fellow friars. The head abbott is very legalistic, doesn't show grace to the Indians they're trying to reach, and seems to horde worldly goods. The other friar is well-received by the Indians for the way he integrates with them, but ends up leaving his heritage to "cross over." Then Athol cleverly duplicates this in two of his modern day characters, the wealthy Delano and poor preacher Tucker.

At first glance Delano is the obvious self-righteous character, as he sits in his mansion looking down on those "illegals" and other immoral elements that he feels the church needs protection from. Yet Tucker has his own brand of self-righteousness, as he becomes hard to the wealthy gringo churches that won't help him reach out to the downtrodden. Both become examples of what we should avoid on either side of the spectrum.

A self-described "prophet" once told a group I was in that the Lord doesn't believe in "balance." There is the Kingdom way, and the devil's way, and that balance was a Greek or Eastern ideal that shouldn't be in the church. Certainly he is right in that I always want to walk in God's ways. However, I am a fallen sinner that routinely screws up, and sometimes the balance in tension that Christianity has developed over time (free will vs. sovereignty, grace vs. law, love vs. justice) is the only way we can keep from getting too off track. If anyone knows how to perfectly stay in His will, let me know - I'll be the first to sign up!

Well, if you couldn't tell, Lost Mission was a provocative book! I will go on record as saying it is in a good way, making people think about a variety of issues. I could go into more, but who's going to read this as long as it is anyway! If it intrigues you, check it out. I think you'll be glad you did.
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CSFF Tour - Lost Mission Day 2

There is a lot to ponder in Lost Mission. I'm sure there will be some interesting discussion, and you'll be able to find all of the posts from the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy tour at Becky Miller's blog.

Yesterday I gave an introduction, so check that out for an overview of the plot. Today I will give my thoughts on the book as a review, and then I'll follow up with thoughts on various plot points and themes.

First things first: isn't that a great cover? It captures quite nicely the mood of the book. The story is told from the past flowing into the present time. The author chooses an interesting "omniscient" point of view, where he interjects his interpretation on the narrative from time to time. Nowadays writing teachers frown on this, but it was a useful literary tool in the past, and it is used to good effect here (although it takes a little getting used to).

Each chapter starts in the late 1700's, talking about Fray Alejandro and his fellow priests as they establish a mission in the Southwestern desert to reach a tribe of indigenous people, but it slides thematically into the present time. There are four main characters followed: Lupe is a Mexican of Mayan descent who feels a supernatural call to preach to the Americanos, and crosses the border to follow her mission. Delano Wright is a very wealthy man with lots of land, a devout person who loses his unfaithful wife at the start of the book, and is left raising his precious teen daughter Harmony. Tucker is a fresh seminary graduate who goes to the desert to find his calling, and discovers it in an unexpected encounter. Finally, Ramon Rodriguez is also drawn to the USA from Mexico in order to save enough that his family can buy a small restaurant and he can return home.

The story starts slowly as we are introduced to each character over the course of several chapters. Honestly, the book was a bit of a drag initially, as I contended with the different writing style and the various people. Soon, the tendrils of each storyline start to cross and interweave until a rich tapestry develops. John Otte stated it well, that he started the book and read it as a duty, then he grew to want to, and finally he had to read to finish it. I can totally identify with that.

There is a satisfaction seeing the different points intersect, but it also a book that raises some thoughts that should make us consider carefully our own viewpoints. Can faith be flexible, or is in intransient? Where does righteousness cancel out mercy, if ever? Can we break a law to do the right thing? Some books are only meant to entertain. Lost Mission is certainly entertaining, but it is a thought-provoking book, one of the deepest I've read in a while.

The characters certainly drive the story, as their experiences are key to developing the plot. Each one is created with laudable and lamentable characteristics, and their flawed response to life is the key to the suspense in the book. Even finishing the book over a week ago, they have stayed with me.

The book has a few flaws, as any work. There is a major plot development that disappears as ash after a fire, and I thought it needed more than a casual dismissal at the end. There was a mention of us being aware or having some form of consciousness prior to our birth (page 68). I live in an area with a high concentration of LDS followers, and this idea of a spiritual existence prior to birth is a key point for them, one that I don't believe is Biblical. I was dismayed to see it passed off in this book. It isn't a major point at all - I think he was trying to be poetic, but my context affects how I see it, and I can't let it pass without comment.

Overall, I can highly recommend reading Lost Mission for anyone who wants to be challenged in their thinking and wants a rich tale to chew on for a while. It isn't the easiest to enter into, but it is a destination that will enrich and potentially prick you as well.

As I said, check back tomorrow for final thoughts on some themes from the book, and check out my tourmates at the link above!
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CSFF Tour - Lost Mission Day 1

Are you ready to get Lost?
This month the CSFF Tour is featuring an intriguing book, Lost Mission. It is the latest book by Athol Dickson, who has written some memorable books in the CBA market over the last few years. I recall on the old blog faith*in*fiction that his book River Rising was highly touted. I read his last book, Winter Haven in '09, and came away feeling that it was a good enough book, but it didn't really live up to my expectations from prior publicity.

Does Lost Mission rise to the level of his reputation?

Before I answer that, I need to address some context...

What would a Mexican housekeeper, a minister running a shelter ministry, a grief-stricken billionaire, and an illegal immigrant working in construction have in common with an ugly Franscican friar from the 1700's? As smoke from different little conflagurations can swirl together before it becomes a gigantic flame, so these disparate people are drawn together in a dramatic repeat of the doom of the Mission de Santa Dolores, the Spanish mission where Fray Alejandro met the flames so many years ago. Will they succumb to the same evil, or will faith rise above the fire?

Lost Mission is being marketed as "magical realism", as smoke from a fire in the 1700's helps guide one of the main characters, Lupe de la Garza even in the present time. There's a lot to dig into with this book - enough that it deserves a couple more posts to delve into the mysteries.

But if you can't wait, check out my compatriots below or visit Athol Dickson's blog. Just be sure to follow the smoke back here tomorrow, winds permitting...


Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
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CFBA Tour - She Walks in Beauty

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

She Walks in BeautyBethany House (April 2010)by

Siri Mitchell

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

ABOUT THE BOOK

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor.

Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries.

When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

If you would like to read the first chapter of She Walks in Beauty, go HERE.
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CSFF Tour - Faery Rebels Wrap-up

I wanted to get a few more words in about this month's CSFF Tour feature - Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R. J. Anderson.

The tours can be interesting. Sometimes we have a book that has a mixed reception. Some of the members like it, and others don't. We have had occasions where the book had lukewarm reception across the board. We've had good debates about all of this.

And sometimes we have consensus that a book is pretty doggone good.

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter seems to be the latter. I missed out on it somehow, but I've watched the other tour members because I was intrigued about this when it was brought up as a possibility for the tour. I especially watched for the reaction of some of our "manly men".

Everyone has had positive reviews of it. The story and characters have been consistently praised. The themes are also noted, although a few folks have wondered where this book comes under a "Christian" label. The consensus appears to be that it is not overtly Christian, but that there are themes of self-sacrifice, especially for those with eyes to see.

I am interested in picking this one up and catching up with what I missed! If you want more about the book from people who actually read the thing, check out this post, as it lists all the participants in one spot.

I'll catch up on the next tour!
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CSFF Tour - Faery Rebels

After an unusual month hiatus (in which the secret Narnian overlords of Zeta Prime gave a conference to our members), the Christian Sci-fi/Fantasy (CSFF) tour returns with our latest feature book: Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter. The book is sold as Knife in the UK.

The book talks about a young faery Bryony who is altogether too curious about the dangerous world away from the faery folk. Especially those most risky creatures - humans!

When the faery colony is under risk of extinction due to the sickness called The Silence, Bryony ends up building a relationship with one of the very creatures blamed for the cursed illness, a boy named Paul.

Somehow I didn't end up getting a review copy, and I didn't realize it in time to pick up a copy and review it myself. I may have to get it still. So far some of the manly men of the CSFF (John, Fred, Stacey Dale's husband) are coming out saying they really enjoyed it. So a real man can enjoy a faery book now and again. The book also has mostly positive reviews at Amazon, with many 5 stars, some 4 stars, and only a few 3 stars with nothing lower. That's usually a sign of a good story!

Unfortunately I don't have much more insight at this point. I'll see if I can find something useful to contribute further to the tour. Or even non-useful but fun and distracting. Either way, you can find out more at the author's website, blog, or by twittering with her on Twitter.

And of course there are my intrepid tourmates below, some of them with actual constructive things to say! Be sure to say Jason sent you, that way I get a little credit! Becky Miller always keeps track of those who post through the tour, so she is always a good place to stop.

Sally Apokedak
Brandon Barr
Amy Browning
Melissa Carswell
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
Nissa
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher
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"Mass"-ive Storytelling

In my last post I gave a couple of highlights from a podcast featuring author Dick Staub and film producer Ralph Winter. They talked about a world shown in film (but applicable to novels) that draws in the viewer so much that they would want to live in and explore it. That was a quality of a great movie.

Storytelling has evolved from fire-side epics, to the written word, to immersive 3-D visual films. But what if you could watch AND interact in the story?

An example of a new possibility in storytelling is in the world of video games. I don't think Pong had much of a backstory, but all games nowadays do. However, few offer the type of experience that comes from Mass Effect 2, from BioWare.

Obviously video games have an aspect of interactivity, since the gamer controls the main character. There are also limitations, as the gamer can only do things that are within the parameters of programming.

BioWare has been known for producing some of the highest quality role-playing games (RPG's) in the last decade, including the award-winning Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR). They have been able to evolve the storytelling mechanism to new heights with Mass Effect 2.

The game is a science fiction story where humanity has just recently joined the galactic community by discovering old technology called Mass Relays created by an ancient race. You control Commander Shepard, a human (either male or female) who is Earth's finest soldier, and the first human inductee into the special unit of Spectres, a group that is the Galactic Council's personal force to deal with situations.

The storyline through the first two games is epic, and isn't necessarily the scope of this post. I also don't intend this as a review. The game is listed as Mature, and it definitely has areas that people need to use discernment concerning violence, morality, and how it is played.

My point is the excellent use of storytelling to elevate the game from an exciting action-based shooter (which it is) or a standard RPG where one builds a character up throughout the game (which it is as well, perhaps more so in ME1 compared to the second). The point is that the developers have enabled the gamer to feel like they fully own what Shepard does throughout the series.

BioWare has long tried to explore choices and their consequences, back to KotOR where a player's choices would push the main Jedi character either to the Light or Dark Side of the Force. They've managed a new level in Mass Effect. The gamer can choose to have their Shepard to be a Paragon of virtue, a Renegade willing to do whatever it takes to achieve a goal, or somewhere in between.

In the midst of these choices, it drives how the story unfolds. The supporting characters, especially in ME2, are well-written and rounded personalities with their own strengths and hang-ups. Shepard's interactions drive how they respond, whether they are loyal to the player or not. If a character dies, there are consequences. If you were kind or mean to a secondary character, that can come back to haunt or help. The plot of the game can be altered, up to a certain framework, depending on choices made.

Overall, the settings, missions, and characters make it a unique universe that is immersive and very enjoyable. The alien scientist Mordin became my favorite. He was involved with a very questionable moral decision in his past, and Shepard has to work with him to deal with it. As Shepard I can support it or condemn it, and Mordin wrestles with his decision in such a way that I felt it. He didn't make a giant, easy flip to my point of view, but there was nuance in how he reacted.

The biggest development can be in how Shepard develops, if the player so chooses (definitely players can be calloused and just be in it for the blasting). It makes the story immersive. It creates an intriguing world. I have always been a Star Wars fan, since my childhood. I think the Mass Effect universe has actually supplanted the galaxy far, far away as my favorite sci-fi destination.

I'm not trying to just blow sunshine and rainbows at BioWare. I have a few issues with how some things are handled. Still, the game is an example of what quality writing can do for any medium, be it film, novels, television, or games.
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Art of Storytelling

I've mentioned Dick Staub and his podcasts on Kindlings Muse - a discussion of art and faith. He had a recent interview with Ralph Winter, who is a Hollywood producer. He's worked on several highly successful films, such as X-Men 1 and 2. He is also a Christian who has managed to have a long career in Hollywood though the ups and downs of the "culture war".

You can listen to the whole interview here. I just wanted to pull out a couple of points they talk about regarding the art of storytelling.

Ralph is talking about screenplays in particular, but he talks about the importance of knowing who the hero is, and how the most powerful moment in the movie is when the main character reveals "something about themselves they didn't know at the beginning of the journey." He feels this is when the reader or viewer is going to get emotionally involved.

Staub and Winter go on to discuss C.S. Lewis and his statement about a great book being one you want to read over and over. Winter relates this to movies, and talks about some of his favorites, like Ben Hur and Gladiator. He loves the journey, the choices the leads make, and he ultimately says he wants to live in that world.

So, how do we create a world that is engrossing enough we want to live there? How do we make our protagonists engaging enought that the reader is taken along the journey and experiences something when the protagonist has their "revelation?"

I think these are good points to ponder, but they also help me segue into the next topic I wanted to talk about...next time...
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File Under "Ironic"

I have to give a belated thanks to my blogging buddy Becky Miller. She nominated me for a "Prolific Blogger" Award back on 2/15. The criteria is: here’s what the award stands for: “A prolific blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.”

Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling especially prolific at the time, and I didn't feel I deserved the award!

Ah well. I am going on four years of posting regularly, so I guess I have met that criteria. The blog has had ups and downs, and lately I haven't had a lot of original ideas to talk about. Still, I'm grateful that Becky nominated me.


I also put off talking about it as I couldn't really meet the criteria for passing it on. It asks to refer this award to seven other bloggers. Yikes. I don't have time to read that many blogs anymore, and Becky already took a couple of people I would nominate!

Here are the rules:

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog (A Christian Worldview of Fiction) from which he/she has received the award.

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to This Post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, so that we all can get to know the other winners.


So the people that I can say that I read regularly and enjoy, other than Becky Miller's blog, are:


Mike Duran - Decompose

Brandilyn Collins - Forensics and Faith

Jenny Simmons (lead singer for Addison Road) - Jenny's Blog

Check them out if you are so inclined, for each posts regularly with insightful stuff!
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Are You Listening?

Are you ready to Listen?

I don't usually burn through a book in a day. I'm too busy, and I'm ADD enough to get tired of reading all day, unless it is really good.

Listen is one of those books.

This is the latest book from Rene Gutteridge, who writes both comedic and suspenseful novels. After finishing her Occupational Hazards series (hopefully not forever!) and releasing a humerous book with a co-author last year, she has turned her attention back to suspense. This is a good thing.

Marlo seems like the perfect little town. Nothing bad happens, and it is a picturesque example of what America should be. Until private conversations start ending up on an anonymous website entitled Listen to Yourself. Now people are finding out what is really said behind their backs, and it isn't pretty.

As paranoid citizens start fighting each other, Damien Underwood and his wife Kay are dealing with the disconnect they feel from their teenage kids, Jenna and Hunter. As a newspaperman, Damien believes strongly in the power of words. He may be proved right, as life in Marlo unravels from the power of the tongue to hurt people. It may get very personal for the Underwoods before it is all over.

As I thought about this book, I realized comedy and suspense are not far apart. Both rely on setting the proper mood to be able to unleash a surprise. The difference is whether the surprise causes laughter and smiles, or goosebumps and shock. Rene has a wonderful gift in setting the mood and plot in such a way to unleash either effect. This book has humor interlaced with a twisting, suspenseful storyline that kept me hooked early on.

She sets sympathetic characters up throughout town, but they aren't always clearly marked at first. One character may be disliked at first, only to turn out to be one of the "good guys" later on. The trouble with the Underwoods seems believable and drives the story. You care about them even as you see trouble coming, and you want to see how they will make it.

However, the book is more than an entertaining read. The theme of the power of words is well-crafted, and it invites anyone to take a thoughtful look at their own use of language to hurt or heal. Some books try to beat you over the head with a message - this story takes you along for the ride but leaves you pondering it afterwards. It is not preachy, but it is a valuable part of the whole message.

No book is perfect, and to me the ending was so twisty-turvy that I got a little lost at the end. There were also some consequences that seemed a little too convenient as well. Still, it was like an exciting amusement park ride with a little bumpy landing at the last.

Rene Gutteridge is one of CBA's best authors, and I encourage any fan of suspense or clever writing to check out her work. You can also find out more at her website for the book, Listen to Yourself. Also, at her blog she's doing a video blog explaining the process of writing the book, for those who have already read it - interesting!

Do yourself a favor, and Listen...
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Book Review - The Book that Transforms Nations

My friends and regular readers of this blog believe that the Bible is a special book.

If we only knew how much...

I recently finished The Book That Transforms Nations, the latest book by Loren Cunningham. He is the founder of Youth With a Mission, and if there's anyone who is qualified to write this book, it is him. He has ministered in EVERY country on Earth, as well as numerous territories that don't count as countries but are distinct areas nonetheless (how many of you have been to Pitcairn Island?).

The book has a straightforward structure. The first part of the book explains the problem, especially in the West, of our turning away as a society in general from God's Word. He then spends a majority of the book describing ways the Bible has been used to transform cultures, from whole countries like Norway and South Korea to Calvin's Geneva and yes, Pitcairn Island. Third, he describes how what we believe about God affects how we act in life, and shows how exceptions to the rule actually prove his point, with examples such as Japan and Latin America. Finally, he casts a vision on how we can get the Word out there.

We don't hear stories anymore of the way God has transformed societies. I was impressed by Hans Nielsen Hauge, the Norwegian who skied to much of Norway spreading the Word, and the difference it made in that land. We may know a little about William Carey and his ministry in India, but I didn't realize the extent of work done there.

Some of this information isn't all that new. The idea that how we believe about God affects our culture comes admittedly from Francis Schaeffer (and it isn't necessarily original with him). Loren touches on the various areas of culture that shape it, the Seven Spheres of Influence, which I have blogged about (after learning them from YWAM). There could be more practical information about how to do what the book is trying to promote: getting the Word out to people and let it transform hearts.

Still, Loren (and his sister Janice Rogers, who has written other books with him) has an easy style to read, and he excels at getting the reader excited about the proposition in the book. I finished and was immediately ready to start tossing Bibles on co-workers' desks (however, I believe I would better serve the Lord by staying employed for a longer term basis).

What really challenged me was page 198, where he talks about how easy we have it to finish the job, as previous generations had to hand copy the Bible, and travel by foot or animal to get it anywhere. Modern technology puts reaching the whole world with the gospel as a doable goal in our lifetime! His challenge is that "our willingness to obey the Lord and move out is the only real limitation" (p 198).

I encourage anyone who has a love for Jesus and His Word, and a desire to see our country and the other nations changed to check out this book.

CFBA Tour - Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon

Summerside Press (January 1, 2010)by

Miralee Ferrell

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.

In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press

And Finding Jeena will release in April 2010 from Kregel Publications.

Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Against a backdrop of thievery and murder in Bridal Veil Falls, Oregon, a historic logging community, a schoolteacher is torn between the memories of a distant love and the man who could be her future.

Sixteen-year-old Margaret Garvey had given her heart to Nathaniel Cooper the night he disappeared from town. Four years later, just as she's giving love a second chance with Andrew, a handsome logger, Nathaniel suddenly returns. He steams back into Bridal Veil on a riverboat to work at the nearby sawmill to town with a devastating secret.

While grappling with the betrayal of those she trusted most, Margaret risks her reputation and position by harboring two troubled runaways who might be involved in the murder of a local man.

When disaster strikes the town and threatens the welfare of its citizens, Margaret will be faced with the most important choice of her life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon, go HERE

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Trials into Gold

Super Bowl XLIV had a thrilling finish, a victorious underdog, and a great backstory, with the trials that the city of New Orleans and the Gulf Region have endured. This helped it to be the most watched TV program ever.

At the heart of this was New Orleans QB Drew Brees. He had his own hard-luck tale. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers, but struggled his first few years. The Chargers grew frustrated and drafted a replacement, Philip Rivers. Just as they did this, Brees became a good quarterback. He was undersized, but his intelligence, mobility, and competitive nature helped him keep his understudy on the bench.

The last game of the 2005 season was momentous for Brees. The Chargers were out of the playoffs, but he fought hard in the game. He lost a fumble in the end zone, and rather than staying out of the fray, he dove to try and save his mistake. Instead of getting the ball, his right throwing arm was crushed under huge bodies, and he had a terrible tear in his shoulder.

The Chargers were considering what to do with him, so the injury made it easy to say goodbye. Brees had surgery, but was looking for a team to pick him up. The Dolphins sorely needed one, but they felt he was too risky.

This opened the doors for him to become a Saint.

He spoke in interviews leading up to the Super Bowl that he and his wife felt like coming to New Orleans was "a calling." The team was displaced during Katrina, and the owner thought about moving his team elsewhere, perhaps San Antonio. It was a risky place for players to go, but New Orleans took a chance on several people discarded by their prior teams.

Four years later, Drew Brees is a champion QB and MVP of the Super Bowl. It was hard to miss his teary eyed celebration with his young son after the game. I hadn't heard whether Brees was a Christian or not prior to the game, but he started using the platform he won to give glory to God. As he says in the interview before (which was before the Super Bowl, but I hadn't seen it), what was the worst thing that could happen to him actually turned out to be a huge blessing, considering it brought him to New Orleans. He is more than just an athelete. He and his wife are spearheading charity work to help rebuild a city that still needs lots to recover.

This made me think of a trial of my own. When I first started blogging in 2006, a couple of months into it I lost my job for fluke circumstances. The funny thing was, God set everything up. It was a hard time to be unemployed even though my bosses had said they liked me and couldn't fault my work. I knew God would see things through, as He promises in the Word, but it wasn't easy.

I don't have a Super Bowl ring (and never will, unless I buy the Cowboys from Jerry Jones), but looking back, I am in a much better situation. I have a good, secure job with a great schedule for my family. Since then I have a new house and a wonderful daughter. I will soon have some financial flexibility, and I hope to be able to do some things for the Lord through this.

Trials will come. People who claim Bible promises don't usually turn to the passage that talks about there *will* be suffering, but it happens to the best of God's people. Hopefully, stories like mine and like Drew Brees can be an encouragement that God truly does work all things good to those He loves and has called according to His purpose.

Check out the interview with Drew Brees below for more insight. He's a cool guy, and one of my new favorite NFL players.

CFBA Tour - Harvest Moon

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing
Hunter's Moon
Bethany House (February 1, 2010)byDon Hoesel
Jason says: I'm reading this book. It is much slower paced than his first novel, so I didn't have time to finish. I'm pushing through and hope to have a fuller review later. Until then, check this out:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





Don Hoesel was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, TN home. He works as a Communications Department supervisor for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal.



Don and hopes to one day sell enough books to just say that he's a writer. You can help with that by buying whatever his newest novel happens to be.



He lives in Spring Hill with his wife and two children.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money. There are wounds even time cannot heal.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hunter's Moon, go HERE

CFBA Tour - Beguiled

My wife was "Beguiled," will you be?

In the shadows of Charleston, someone is watching her...

Rylee Monroe, a dogwalker in Charleston's wealthiest neighborhood, never feared the streets at night. But now a thief is terrorizing the area and worse, someone seems to be targeting her.

Reporter Logan Woods is covering the break-ins with the hope of publishing them as a true-crime book. The more he digs, the more he realizes this beguiling dogwalker seems to be at the center of everything.

As danger draws ever closer, Logan must choose: Chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villain who threatens everything?

---
I have Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand to thank for taking my wife away for a day. I "met" both of these authors when the faith*in*fiction blog and forums were active. Deeanne was the first acquistion from that eclectic group, and Mark was the philosophical heart.

When Deeanne's first books came out, I bought them for my wife (I've actually ALWAYS wanted to read them too, but I forget to grab them in my large stack of to-be-read books). She became an instant fan. When I saw that she teamed up with Mr. Bertrand, I knew I couldn't resist.

I wondered how my wife would like this blending of the styles (since Mark fancies crime/mystery novels).

She loved it.

She finished it in one day. I have to get up quite early to get to work, but she wouldn't come to be with me ("I only have 30 pages left!"). And before I could get my hands on it, she lent it out to a friend.

Thus, I don't have my own opinions on the book yet, but she shared her thoughts. She loved the characterization, feeling that she really knew the characters in the pages. The suspense really drove her to stay up late and finish, as the twists and turns had her hooked. She especially enjoyed the hook at the end. Her final words to Deeanne and Mark: write another one!

Deeanne Gist, the bestselling author of A Bride Most Begrudging and The Measure of a Lady, has a background in education and journalism. Her credits include People magazine, Parents, and Parenting. With a line of parenting products called "I Did It!® Productions" and a degree from Texas A&M, she continues her writing and speaking. She and her family live in Houston, Texas.

J. Mark Bertrand has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. After one hurricane too many, he left Houston and relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Beguiled, go HERE

---

CSFF Tour - North! or Be Eaten Day 3

On the 600th post of this blog (whoa), I'm happy to finish off this CSFF Tour with my review of our feature book North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson.

The last two days have been my take on a whimsical overview of North! and the previous book On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Whimsical, because that's the tone that Peterson has used for this series. You can tell he has a lot of fun writing these books.

North! is actually a lot more intense than the first book. It is a little dark at times. In Dark Sea, he probably had fun setting up the fictional world of Aerwiar, while the second book takes on the tone of an Empire Strikes Back. The Igibys are forever being chased, hiding, or escaping some impossible situation. The short, punchy chapters keep the action going, and the almost non-stop cliffhangers always leave my boys howling for more (as we have been reading it at night the last couple of months).

Peterson has a wonderful imagination, and it shows in his characters. They are deep characters for a young adult novel. Most of the viewpoint is from 12 year old Janner, who feels a burdening responsibility for his family, in the midst of all the peril. He is a noble young man who has faults, loses his temper, and makes mistakes.

Also, Peterson is a noted songwriter/singer, so there is a lyrical nature to his prose. You can tell he takes care with the words he uses. The result is a finely crafted book that is entertaining and offers some deep insight into the human nature, sin, forgiveness, and rising up to your potential.

As I said, I'm reading it to my boys, ages 9 and 8. My eight year-old thinks it's the best book he's ever read, and he's a good reader. I think it is a great book for reading out loud, because it's fun enough to really get dramatic with it. It is well-written enough for adults to really enjoy it as well.

If you're wondering if there is quality Christian fiction out there for your children, then this would be the first place I would recommend. And if you want more information, go to the bottom of Becky Miller's first post, where she has a list of all those who have posted for the tour.
---

CSFF Tour - North! or Be Eaten Day 2

On day 2 of our tour supporting the latest book from Andrew Peterson, North! or Be Eaten, you may wonder "Why North?" and "Why would they be eaten?" or perhaps even "Who's eating who?"

Never fear, for your questions will be answered.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post about the first book in the series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, the Igibys are running from the only home the children have known to avoid the dastardly Fangs of Dang. Janner Igiby now knows he is the Throne Warden of Anniera, charged with protecting the king, his younger and impulsive brother Tink. Along with his sister Leeli (the first Song Maiden in generations), his ex-pirate grandfather Podo (complete with peg leg and bushy eyebrows), mom Nia, and family friend Oskar N. Reteep, they are fleeing the grasp of the Nameless Evil that drives the Fangs (known as Gnag the Nameless).

Since the Fangs of Dang are green, scaly, and resemble walking lizards, the Ice Prairies in the North would be the ideal place to hide from them. That is where the Skreean resistance, lead by the mysterious Gammon, hides. Biding their time, they wait to find the key to rid their land of the terrible invaders.

Unfortunately, they have to survive the terrors of Glipwood Forest, make it past the thieving, murderous lot of Stranders of the East Bend, and even face the dark bowels of the Fork Factory.

Will the children, heirs of a lost kingdom, and their family make it past these woes and travails? Will Janner find what it takes to fulfill his position as Throne Warden? Will Oskar again be able to be the Appreciator of the Strange, the Neat, and/or the Yummy? And what of the new and terrible Grey Fangs? The Florid Sword? Bomnubbles?!

As you can see, there are many more questions about this young adult fantasy. Questions that may not be answered here, but you can be sure will be stoked as much as possible as I give my review of the book tomorrow, the penultimate day of the tour!

Oh, and see my pals on the tour for further strange and neat posts (doubt they will be particularly yummy...)
---

CSFF Tour - North! Or Be Eaten Day 1

Ah, the CSFF Tour is back again! And we have an excellent book to discuss, the latest in the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, North! or Be Eaten. (Please note the exclamation point is part of the title...)

I featured this book in 2009 for another book tour (for which I did receive a review copy of the book, for disclosure purposes, see addendum on page 39084 subsection HK-47).


For those who missed out, let me explain the first book, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness.

Wait, there is too much. Let me sum up:
- Fangs (they're bad) invaded Skree -
- The Igibys include Grandpa Podo, Mother Nia, boys Janner and Tink, and the youngest Leeli
- Nobody likes the Fangs
- The Fangs don't like nobody either
- Peet the Sock Man is strange, but he seems to watch over the Igibys
- Nia makes great maggotloaf
- The Fangs are looking for the Jewels of Anniera, a far away land no one believes in anymore
- The Igiby kids don't know what the Jewels of Anniera are...

(Spoiler for the first book)
- The Igiby kids are the Jewels of Anniera

- Watch out for toothy cows
- Finally, the Igibys are on the run from the Fangs

If you kept up with that, then you will be ready for more silliness tomorrow! Until then, enjoy my fellow tourmates, who should be able to provide some more useful information, and perhaps more silliness...

(P.S. I love ellipses...)


Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Amy Browning
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
Nissa
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Steve and Andrew
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Elizabeth Williams
KM Wilsher

Bible Study Resources

The best 9 month investment of my life was spent reading a book 5 times.

Back in 1995 (getting farther all the time...) I was privileged to go to the School of Biblical Studies through Youth With a Mission in Canberra, Australia. Yes, we basically read the Bible five times through those nine months.

We learned the Inductive Bible Study method, which places an emphasis on learning the literary and historical context for the book of the Bible one studies, and reading the text and listening to what it says. It is contrasted with Deductive Bible Study, where one goes to the text with a preconceived idea and tries to find support for it in the Bible.

Those nine months did more for me in grounding me in the Word, and was invaluable to this day. Now I have found that it can be a resource for anyone.

There is a website entitled "The SBS Podcast" that gives downloadable teachings from some of the key leaders in the SBS system. You can download them directly from the site, and you can also subscribe to it through iTunes.

I highly recommend this resource for foundational Biblical study. There are topics from the Trinity, to Israel in New Testament times, to specific teachings on books of the Bible. I have a longtime personal friend as one of the teachers, and Ron Smith, who runs the SBS program within YWAM, has been a Bible teacher and author for years.

Oh, and the best thing: it's free.

I encourage anyone interested to check out this great free resource for the Body of Christ. YWAM's motto is, "Know Him and make Him known." One of our best ways of knowing God is through His Word.
---

Is Avatar Eden?

Is he still talking about the movie Avatar?

Yeah, one more time. Sorry.

I posted a couple of times about it last week. It's a fertile topic on the blogosphere. I didn't think about writing on it until I saw the CNN article that described how some fans of the movie were depressed that life on Earth wasn't as good as on the alien planet Pandora, and angry at our own race for ruining our planet.

It seems people are considering Pandora as equivalent to the Garden of Eden, or even heaven. A new CNN article talks about the eruption of new fan sites related to Avatar. A member on one forum encouraged people to get over their "Avatar blues" with this advice: "'Start living like Neytiri: in touch with nature, the environment, and not being greedy and wasteful.'"

I think God's creation is wonderful. Watching the clouds envelope a snow covered butte in the desert sun this afternoon was breathtaking. I get mad when I am hiking and find garbage in streams (and I'm known to carry a bag to pick up trash). So I'm not against caring for creation and enjoying its simplicity.

Fiction and stories exist to light our imagination about other places, ways to live, viewpoints, and experiences. I can't fault people for taking in Avatar and making fan forums and such. I've always enjoyed the Star Wars universe, and have been involved in similar internet activities.

Still, when people idealize the Na'vi and Pandora, and call it the new Eden, I think there's some faulty thinking there.

The Na'vi are shown as warriors, but at peace with their environment, even one with it through the goddess All Mother, or Eywa. Pandora is a beautiful sight to behold, with the colors and luminescence shown throughout the film. Still, where did they develop their fighting skills, and why do they need them? Neytiri mourned the alien 6-legged canine-like creatures she killed, but she sure knew how to deal damage. We miss out on a lot of context - the movie is cut and edited in such a way that the Na'vi are shown in the best light compared to (most of) the humans. They sure exhibited human-like emotions like jealousy, aggression, and contempt. If those behaviors are present, then how can we expect that the Na'vi won't mess things up like we have.

Becky Miller had a good insight into the artificiality of the movie when she commented on my first Avatar post. She said:

The article also made me think more about the Eden-like world of James Cameron.
Since we weren't actually there, we experienced it as free of insects, snakes and spiders, though it was dense jungle. The temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees (or whatever the theater folks set it at), so Pandora never got too hot, or too cold, no matter how high in the clouds they went.

We were programmed to have an optimal experience, from comfortable chairs, ambient temperatures, and probably fattening snacks. How well would we enjoy Pandora with some of those critters after us?

Finally, there seems to be an inclination that we need to "return to Eden," i.e., return to a simpler time. Native tribes that are still left are also idealized, although they may commit acts that the rest of the world finds barbarous, like the Amazon tribe that leaves any suspect baby out in the elements to die, considering it unfit.

We think pristine wilderness is ideal. It is beautiful, but also, by definition, WILD. There's a reason we call it that. It is hard to survive nature in comfy chairs and soft pillows padding us.

Christians should understand that we are not actually heading back to an Eden-type lifestyle. The book Revelation tells us that God is preparing a New Jerusalem for us. We are moving into a grand city, a heavenly community, that is our final destination for those who trust in Jesus. We are not going back to a primitive state. We are moving into a new ideal, where we join together like we were always meant to be, with trees whose leaves provide healing for the nations (Revelation 22:2).

I have no problem with people enjoying a movie and a created universe so much that they bond together in forums and groups to kindle their shared interest. I just think Avatar is not the high and holy standard that some are making it out to be.
---

Where Do You Avatar?

Avatar.

It is a recent movie you may have heard about. It is a popular term on the internet and in gaming, speaking of a representation of the person interacting via techonology. This meaning comes from the descent and incarnation of a diety in earthly form, associated with the Hindu god Vishnu (from m-w.com).


James Cameron made this recent film, another blockbuster movie. The term used for the title may be more appropriate than he realized. In the film, humans take on avatars, forms of the alien Na'vi people, to interact with them. According to CNN, people are dealing with depression because they want to live in a paradise as beautiful and spiritual as Pandora, the alien planet depicted in the movie.

This is a sad story. I feel bad for people who feel they don't have anything more worthwhile in their life than a fictional visual presentation. One could almost laugh about it, but there is a definite lack of community in the modern world. Where did we lose track of being a part of something?

People in the article saw the interconnectedness of the Na'vi with their planet and felt a longing for such connection in their own lives. There's been a lot written about technology destroying meaningful relationships, replacing them instead with status updates and tweets. This problem started before Facebook and company ever sprang up on the interwebs anyway.

In the past, there was much more need for villages and communities to work together to survive. Now we don't know who is across the street from us, and we are too independent to declare our need for each other (unless it is the barista handing us our caffeinated nourishment - some people REALLY need that).

As my friend Nicole said in her comment to my Monday post on Avatar, people long for community and belonging because that's how they were designed. We were meant to be part of a body, part of a kingdom. Jesus came to tell us that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

If you're not a believer, this may seem like a strange concept. If we realize that we are God-breathed, we all have value, and it elevates our relationships because we realize everyone from our best friends to our family to the people we don't like at work (or church) are made in the image of God, and He said this was very good. It puts a import on each human, that there is intrinsic value and dignity in everyone. If everyone has a design, a purpose, then that makes community important, because we are the threads that God wants to weave into a majestic tapestry.

For my Christian friends, we need to work on our relationships. If we can't model real community to the world, then they may see their only hope in a fictional world.

A few more thought on this new "Eden" before I'm done blabbing on Avatar.
---

Help for Haiti

I know there are lots of ways to help in Haiti, with the large earthquake that has devastated Port-au-Prince. We donated through World Vision, which is a well-respected charity with people already on the ground.

Air 1 has a list of other reliable organizations on this web page.

Every little bit helps, but most of all prayer. Someone on KLove radio this morning who has been to Haiti and sponsors a child there shared this:
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
---

A Depressed "Avatar"

I've seen Avatar.

So have approximately 10 billion people.

Or so it seems.

I don't always make it to the "big" movies, unless there are talking animals or race cars involved. When I first heard about Avatar, I wasn't all that interested in it either. Over time, the previews and early reviews changed my mind, and once it became a phenomenom, I was ready to go.

I enjoyed the movie a lot. The visuals were striking and immersive. It certainly was memorable. The story in my opinion, as many others, was recycled and preachy in a not so subtle (or accurate) way. Still, I appreciated my time in Pandora.

Apparently not as much as the people in this CNN article. The title for the article is "Audiences Experience 'Avatar' Blues." It quotes people as saying they so longed to live like the Na'vi (the tall blue skinned aliens in the movie, if you weren't one of the 10 billion) or in a beautiful place like Pandora (their Eden-like planet) that it depressed them.

Some thought there was no reason to go on, since humans have pretty much trashed Earth at this point, and there's no way to reverse things. A couple of the people contemplated suicide, as everything seemed "meaningless" since watching Avatar. One wanted to "escape reality." Another thought if he killed himself, he'd be "rebirthed" in a place similar to Pandora.

Thankfully those quoted have seemed to find a little comfort in online fan communities for Avatar. I was surprised by the depth of feeling that people had in the article.

Perhaps according to my friend Becky Miller, I shouldn't have.

She's been posting for over a week on the movie. She enjoyed the movie as well, but had concerns that Christians weren't showing discernment over the worldview espoused in the movie (panentheism, slightly different from pantheism).

I certainly agreed with her over the need for discernment. Nothing comes from a vacuum - James Cameron has a certain worldview, and whether he is actively promoting it or thinks he isn't, it is still going to come out. Christians (and everyone really) should realize this and use a little analysis when doing anything from voting to watching movies. You won't convince me that is "is just entertainment."

Still, she and I debated somewhat in the comments of one post. I suggested that Christians take the movie as a "Mars Hill" moment (the time when Paul, visiting Athens, used the idol to the "Unknown God" to explain Christianity to the pagan philosophers). There are certainly some aspects of the movie that can be used as conversation starters, even if the thrust of the movie is contrary to a Christian world view.

After reading this CNN article, I'm a little more disturbed. I don't think James Cameron's intent was having people take his movie quite so seriously, but Holy Unobtanium, Batman!

I think I'll take up some of these thoughts in the next post or two...

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Tim Downs - Head Game

A day late and a dollar...

So I said on Monday I'd be posting about my favorite book of the year (that wasn't published in '09), and my favorite author.

Head Game by Tim Downs was published in 2006. Right before that, I became a fan of Tim Downs after reading his book Plague Maker, a taut thriller about biological warfare, revenge, and forgiveness. I kept my eye out on his books even as I missed reading Head Game. Last year one of the blog tours I participate in offered his latest book Less Than Dead , which continued with his famous "Bug Man" character, forensic entomologist Nick Polchak. That book ended up my favorite for 2008. I also really enjoyed the follow up book to it, Ends of the Earth just recently.

Head Game is a different book from his previous tales. It starts with an unusual twist - a suicide note in the form of a comic book (drawn by Downs himself, who was a former cartoonist!). It then follows Cale Caldwell, a member of a 3 person PsyOps (psychological operations) unit from Desert Storm. He had recently moved to Charlotte, NC, with his beloved wife and 13 year old daughter. A drunk driver tragically took his wife, and now a grieving Cale is struggling to connect with his depressed teenager.

Soon he finds obstacles that he can't believe - his daughter is turned against him, his new job is in jeopardy, and he finds secrets about people in his past that shake him to the core. He doesn't realize that someone has learned the game of psy-ops, and now he is the target.

Downs is very, VERY good at his research and weaving it in seamlessly into his novel. Even though we see some events from the perspective of the bad guy, and we think we know what is going to happen, he plays out the suspense skillfully. The thrills build up until a dramatic final conflict that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and their heads spinning with twists and turns.

The only thing that lacks is some of the great humor he writes for Nick Polchak, but the book really doesn't lend itself to that. Still, his wit is clear at times.

Tim Downs is probably my favorite author right now. Between the way he writes with humor and intelligence, with great suspense and rich characters, I am really trying to take in his writing style and understand his craft. He also manages to pluck the heart strings with themes of hope, forgiveness, fear, and love. He is never overt in his spirituality, but he always manages to apply subtle tones of God in there. I've seen critiques of his work that he really doesn't put Christianity in his books. I disagree. It is there, but his books are not meant to be a neon sign to follow, but gentle hints and teases that make us long for the destination. He's not going to spell it out, but he'll carefully and cleverly reveal a Hand at work.

I don't hear a lot about Tim Downs within the CBA community. Like Tom Morrisey, Downs seems to operate under the radar, without the fanfare of a Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti. This is too bad, because between the thrillers Head Game and Plague Maker, and the Bug Man books, Tim Downs is one of the best authors out there. Check him out!

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