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Category Archives: Action & Adventure
The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osborne
As a reviewer I find that most of my reading time is spent on upcoming or recently published books. While new books hold the promise of undiscovered greatness, there are multuitudes of already published books that I miss out on. So from time to time I’ll read a published book and when I do I like to read (or listen via Librivox) classic books by well known authors. One of my favorite classical authors is Robert Louis Stevenson (see my review of Kidnapped.) One of my favorite Librivox readers is Mark F. Smith. So when I saw a Stevenson book read by Smith I had to read it.
The Ebb-Tide
A Trio and a Quartette
by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne
1894
As the story starts, we find Herrick, a failed English businessman, Davis, a disgraced American sea captain, and Huish, a dishonest Englishman, in the port of Papeete on Tahiti begging on the beach. At their limits and considering suicide, a smallpox ridden ship comes to port giving them new hope – and new employment. Being the degenerates that they seem to be, they decide that they can join the ship, filling the vacancies of Captain and First Mate left by their deaths, then steal the cargo and retire richly on another island.
As they set off on their deception (by consuming some of the champaign they are supposed to be either delivering to Sydney or stealing) they soon find that they aren’t the only ones who have deceit in their hearts – it turns out that the ship’s cargo isn’t what it was supposed to be and they soon find themselves on the way to Peru but without enough food to make it. To further complicate matters, Herrick finds that Huish and Davis are not living up to their agreement and instead drinking themselves stupid every day leaving only the crew to pilot the ship.
When they come upon land, just in time, they make for it only to find that it, too has been hit by smallpox but isn’t yet deserted. Attwater, a bear of a man with a certain form of militant Christianity soons affects the group in ways that they never foresaw.
Like many Stevenson books, this one is a morality tale (and a call to Christianity) where the three villians find their lifestyles leading very clearly to a moralistic end. Evil begets death. Moral shallowness begets remorse. Choosing Christ equates to redemption. While I agree with Stevenson’s message I found the ending clunky and too tidy.
Herrick’s atheism and Attwater’s Christianity offer the most interesting sections of the final act. Attwater is a fascinating character who at once calls the villians to repentance and preaches on forgiveness that is only found with Jesus and then is also so severe as to ultimately push Herrick away. How those two discuss faith and belief makes the final act worth reading.
An interesting read that starts with a great premise that soon finds itself adrift that ends too abruptly. The Ebb-Tide lacks the grandness and adventure of other Stevenson books, but is still an interesting look into the culture of 150 years ago.
Scott Asher is the Editor-in-Chief of BookGateway.com. His personal blog is AshertopiA – a land flowing with milk and honey… and a lot of sticky people where he turns real life into stupid cartoons, writes on Christianity, Zombies, and whatever else he wants and posts Bible studies from his classes at church.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Star Wars Annihilation by Karpyshyn
I was recently given a chance to review the audio book for Annihilation Star Wars: the Old Republic, something to which I could not refuse. There are a couple things I feel is important for anyone to disclose when reviewing anything Star Wars (or any beloved franchise). One is your personal knowledge of the Star War’s universe, and two your level of fanboy-dom for said universe. Like most males my age, I grew up loving Star Wars. I spent countless hours recounting every adventure from the original trilogy on the school playground. I was also at every midnight release of each of the new trilogies, and (thanks to Disney) I hopefully will be at the midnight release of the new-new trilogies. My knowledge of the universe, unfortunately, is limited to the six movies and a few console game storyline. With that said, I had the perfect opportunity to review the most recent audio book. I had a long twelve hour road trip from Nashville, TN to Oklahoma in which I had to drive all night. We were going home to see my family. This meant my 11 year old son (who is enthusiastic about all things Star Wars) and my wife (who patiently lets me and my son watch every episode of Clone Wars on Cartoon Network before flipping over to E-News) were also in the car. They had the chance to listen to the book as well.
Star Wars: Annihilation
by Drew Karpyshyn
LucasBooks / Random House Audio
November 2012
The story was a refreshing change of pace for me. Generally most Star War’s stories follow the adventures of a Jedi Master, but this is the story of Theron Shan. Theron is non-force wielding son of a Master Jedi Satele Shan (not spoiler alert since within the first ten minutes of the book) and another character that weaves his way into the plot. Because of her rank in the Jedi Counsel (and because being a Jedi forbids one to marry/love/kids/etc), she gives her son to Jedi Master Zho to raise.
Theron despite a lack of any force abilities still decides to serve the Republic. He becomes somewhat of a cross between super spy, intelligence officer, hacker, and rogue agent at times. The plot follows Theron as attempts take down the Ascendant Spear. The Ascendant Spear is a new super weapon ship that is turning the tides of war against the Republic. I personally really like the change of pace, and having the opportunity to see how a regular person can handle a situation without having fantastical force powers to magically resolve major issues.
The pacing of the book felt slow at first. After disc one my wife complained she was getting nerdier by the minute. She had to be out voted two to one to continue listening to book instead of just listening to radio. Although there was a lots of action and battle scenes, mainly what was going on was character development. Once we had finished the second CD, I felt bad for my wife. I told her we can listen to radio. She replied by putting in the 3rd CD to continue listening. She was hooked, and she quickly swapped out each of the remaining six disc as soon as they ended to hear the remaining chapters. Now to those of you more familiar with the Old Republic quite possibly could be more into those first couple disc. I am sure that the excitement of familiar characters and locations will draw more meaning for you.
For the production and audio of the book, I have mixed emotions. The score for the book was always impressive as any Star Wars fan will feel giddy at the initial scene. With every rifle fired and every ship that made the jump to hyper space the sounds painted a picture of the exact images I had heard and seen as a child. As for the voice acting, there was a nice variety between characters and species. My wife comment about how may Sean Connery accents are they going to try and squeeze in the book. The only thing that really bothered us was some of scenes we found the background noise a bit distracting. During one specific scene, my wife keep telling me to check my phone because it was beeping. After numerous phone checkings she realized it was some background computers on the soundtrack.
Of all the things I really liked about this book, my favorite was the characters. I love how you get to understand the decision Salete Shan makes when giving up Theron. It is a unique insight into the thoughts of a Jedi Master. You get to see Sith Politics and the Sith Empire inner workings. You get to see the cost of the war on ordinary people, and the weight and toll it brings to those in the highest command. You get a look at how the Hutts really do business. There is action straight to the end. Some of the writing is predictable and can be cliché. It is however a Star Wars adventure and not meant to be the next Tolstoy.
Some Star Wars has a chance to over use the “dues ex machina” force vision to tell the main character where to go next. I like the fact story is driven by a non-force wielder. Theron has to use logic and intel to drive where the story goes next. Once you understand his motives the story flows nicely.
We started the book somewhere around 10:30 PM and around 9:30 AM we found ourselves pulling into the drive at my parent’s house. There was still about fifteen minutes left on disc eight, so we sat there in the drive and finished out the epilogue. My son, who had been asleep since Memphis finally awoke in time to declare it a 10 out of 10. To be fair he decided it was a 10 after seeing the box artwork. My wife, who at the beginning of the trip couldn’t tell you the difference between a Wookie and a rancor, gave it a solid 5 out of 10. But she then proceeded to ask me to download another Old Republic book, preferably from same author, to listen to on the way home. I myself wished I had a better knowledge of the Old Republic, because it seems infinitely more intriguing then the Star Wars world I grew up watching.
To this book, I give it 7 out of 10. Had a deeper knowledge of TOR, I could see scoring higher. There was always this feeling with every character of wanting to know more. It was like observing the an iceberg just from the surface. For basic Star Wars fan this is a fun adventure, but in the end you probably need to start with other TOR books to set the stage for this book. But kudos to Drew Karpyshyn for taking on the task of making a book that will hit on some degree to all level of fanboy.
Brian Kindred lives in the country near Nashville, TN with his wife and son. He is a lover of music, movies, books, and Christ.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Escape to the Hiding Place by Hering and Younger
World War II has come to Holland. Patrick and Beth find themselves working with the Dutch Resistance to smuggle a Jewish baby back to her mother who is hiding in the home of Corrie Ten Boom in Haarlem, Holland.
Escape to the Hiding Place
The Imagination Station #9
By Marianne Hering and Marshall Younger
Tyndale House / Focus
September 2012
They take the baby by bicycle into the town trying to beat curfew. Avoiding the attention of German Nazi soldiers is proven harder the closer they get to the hiding place. The soldiers are everywhere and keeping the baby hidden and quiet is not an easy task.
Patrick and Beth see the sacrifice and bravery of those who are willing to lay down their own lives to help the Jewish people.
This is another wonderful book by the creators of Adventures in Odyssey. You will learn some history in these action packed stories.
ReneeK is a sweet tea addicted mamma who loves to cuddle up to a good book. She blogs at Little Homeschool on the Praire and writes about family, homeschooling, having a special needs child, and about whatever else tickles her fancy.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Battle for Cannibal Island by Hering and Batson
Beth and Patrick accidently end up on an adventure in the Imagination Station. When Patrick sees the tropical island he hopes for a fun vacation. Little do they know they are heading to the Fiji Islands with a bunch of cannibals who aren’t very happy about their fellow Fijians who are now believers in Jesus. Its 1852 and the British ship HMS Calliope under the command of Captain James E. Home. They are looking for an island to drop off prisoners. They are about to meet some interesting people.
Battle for Cannibal Island
The Imagination Station #8
By Marianne Hering and Wayne Batson
Tyndale House
October 2012
Missionary James Calvert is paving the way for peace with King Toki. Patrick and Beth are about to learn the true meaning of sacrificial living when they see the compassion James Calvert has for these dangerous natives. The love that he has for spreading the gospel to the point he is willing to risk his life for.
As always these are wonderful books that are packed with lots of adventure. The cousins always find themselves growing spiritually in the lessons they learn along the way.
ReneeK is a sweet tea addicted mamma who loves to cuddle up to a good book. She blogs at Little Homeschool on the Praire and writes about family, homeschooling, having a special needs child, and about whatever else tickles her fancy.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Viva Jacquelina! by Meyer
Mary Faber has been through a lot. First, when only 7 or 8 years old, her parents died of the plague in late 18th century London. Then as an orphan she joins a gang to survive but when the gang leader is killed she takes on the identity of a boy and goes to sea on a ship. There she distinguishes herself (himself, as her mates thought of her) and earns the moniker Bloody Jack. But then after battles with pirates and countless near death experiences and escapes she ends up back in a city, but this time in Boston, about to go to boarding school, in love with her sweetheart Jaime, and seemingly, finally about to live a normal life again. That was book one in the series, Bloody Jack, first published in 2002. Since then she has been through one adventure after another on both sea and land moving through some of history’s greatest events. After nine previous books, is there really any where else to take Jacky?
Viva Jacquilina!
Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Over the Hills and Far Away (Bloody Jack #10)
By L.A. Meyer
Harcourt Children’s Books
Septermber 2012
In book ten, Jacky Faber picks up right where Mark of the Golden Dragon left off. She sails her ship through history once again, this time through the Napoleonic Wars as a privateer and spy for the British, through mainland Spain and Portugal, gets caught up in the Inquisition, visits Gypsies and other historical characters. She gets herself in trouble then cleverly gets herself out of trouble. Again and again.
The series takes a time proven character type, Pippi Longstockings meets Tintin, using proven adventure series plot and adds humor and a little bit of flirting. And as much as I love certain characters it seems like after a decade of reading this series something more drastic has to change in order to move this character and the books forward. How many books will we have with very similar plots, adventures, and escapes (but with different names, settings) before we start to feel like we’ve been here before?
Long time fans of Jacky Faber will love this book – having grown up with her – but not in the cant-wait-to-visit-her-again sense. More like the reminiscing-about-my-past and I-remember-I-used-to-love-these-books ways. This is a children’s book series that has moved clearly in to the young adult realm (Jacky is now 17). But readers who started in their teens reading Jacky find themselves in the odd situation of being older than she is now that ten real world years have passed.
The book is well written, enjoyable escapism for teens. But nothing more. Meyer is – for me – the Clive Cussler of young adult – teen series’.
To sum up: fans will enjoy the book for nostalgia’s sake. New young readers will enjoy the book for the adventure and humor. But everyone else? We’ve been here before. Maybe too often.
Scott Asher is the Editor-in-Chief of BookGateway.com. His personal blog is AshertopiA – a land flowing with milk and honey… and a lot of sticky people where he turns real life into stupid cartoons, writes on Christianity, Zombies, and whatever else he wants and posts Bible studies from his classes at church.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Founders by Wesley, Rawles
In the near future the dollar will collapse as the world’s reserve currency, then hyper inflation will set in, people won’t have enough money to buy food, goods, and then the United States government itself will be paralyzed and finally shut down. The chaos, death and destruction that will ensue will cause the death of millions (possibly hundreds of millions) of Americans and lead to the destruction of society as we know it. Then the survivalists will rule.
Founders
A Novel of the Coming Collapse
by James Wesley, Rawles
Atria
September 2012
In this book, the third in his novels of the coming collapse, we find dozens of characters dealing with the collapse and their response to the chaos and attempted takeover of the former United States by a band of United Nations backed hooligans.
It’s tough to say where this book starts. Every chapter is headed by a date that is either before or after the Crunch, Wesley, Rawles’ term for the collapse. And the story is not linear, which makes it extremely hard to follow. Unlike other post-apocalyptic stories told from the vantage point at the end of the story that follows multiple character perspectives, like World War Z and Robopocalypse, Founders jumps around so much that it doesn’t build to anything. Early on in the book (not in the time line) we find out that the UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) fails to control the former United States and loses the battle with the militias. At that point in the story, we don’t even know much about that war so telling us who wins completely deflates the tension that should have built.
Character development is almost completely lacking. All the heroes are Christians (more on that later) and all of them have prepped for the apocalypse in advance or somehow pick it up and move from upset missionary father to the perfect assassin who kills people by stealth and stands out as one of the leaders of the militia. How did he gain these skills? The impetus to move from passive to aggressive is clearly defined and I won’t give it away. But just because you want to take action doesn’t mean you are capable of taking action or have the skills to do so.
This book is not about the characters or the story, but rather a vehicle to share the author’s knowledge of survivor training and military jargon. It is by and for survivalists and less for the average everyday reader who expects the story to go somewhere.
That said, I admit that I moved through this book rapidly and for the most part enjoyed reading it. Since this genre is a favorite of mine I found I could overlook the lack of depth and character development, the far Right Wing/ Libertarian views and glaring misuses of Christianity and go with the desire to see what happened. In that way, and that way alone, Wesley, Rawles is successful. In every other way, not so much.
If you are looking for a new book with a similar post-apocalyptic, survivor theme then go with the much better Cannibal Reign, Robopocalypse, or World War Z.
Wesley, Rawles is best known for his SurvivorBlog.com and his books on how to prep for and survive in a collapsed world. Previously, he wrote two books that are contemporary to this one, even though this is a sequel of sorts, which means that they all take place in the same world and story and even during the same time. Which makes a ton of sense since this book jumps around so much time-wise and character-wise that I can totally understand how his previous books left out large portions of the time line for many characters and would need additional books to flesh it out.
A final note about how Wesley, Rawles uses Christianity in the book: it is clear that the author has a favorable view of Christianity and probably practices a form of Baptist Christianity. I base this on the way he has his characters pray (thy, thee, etc) and the version of the Bible quoted (King James Version; not New KJV or other modern translations), and how he requires pretty much every character in the story to be a Christian. What is also clear is that he confuses Christianity with Nationalism and his personal perspectives on guns, retaliation, national pride and Constitutionalism. (For instance, after two characters – the most entertaining and interesting characters in the story by far – are ambushed and they lose their cars and supplies they escape only to turn around and take vengeance on the thieves – something that a Christian would not consider a priority at all. They were under no threat and there were no others in direct threat because of the group of thieves. This kind of retaliation and lethal action continues through the story and is considered by the characters to be a virtue.) I have a serious problem with my Christianity being used to justify these kinds of actions.
Scott Asher is the Editor-in-Chief of BookGateway.com. His personal blog is AshertopiA – a land flowing with milk and honey… and a lot of sticky people where he turns real life into stupid cartoons, writes on Christianity, Zombies, and whatever else he wants and posts Bible studies from his classes at church.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Crosscut by Harden
Nicholas Colt, star rock musician turned private investigator, is back to do basically the same exact thing he did in his previous adventure Pocket-47. If you like repetition, you’ll love this two. (Pun intended).
Crosscut
By Jude Harden
Thomas & Mercer
June 2012
Settled down and getting on with his life in Florida, Colt’s life is interrupted by an ex-girlfriend’s search for her missing brother in Tennessee. While he is being urged to leave the PI work, he decides to help out on one more case. It becomes the case of his life when he realizes that the fiends behind the missing brother are the same people who murdered his wife and daughter and friends in Pocket-47, the Harvest Angels – a cultic, neo-nazi, white supremacist, terrorist, brain washing, evil, take over the world… I could go on, but you could just pick all the bad guy descriptors from every book or movie ever made and put them all together and you have the Harvest Angels. Overkill? Yeah, like most of this book.
When his family is attacked in Florida Colt is all in. Then ensues as massive cycle of crazy situation, lots of blood, hurt and killing ending in wild, improbable escape that escalates as the book moves on. By the end you won’t believe what Colt gets into and out of.
And that’s exactly the problem. You won’t believe it because it’s completely unbelievable. I love a good fantasy and I’m willing to go with nearly any rules of a world that the author wants to impress on a book. But this book violates its own rules and moves from plausible-within-its-world to absolutely implausible. It’s like you get to the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones decides that not only is he going to open his eyes and look at the Ark of the Covenant but he is going to inhale all the spirits, ala Kirby, and spit them out in fireballs at the Nazis. That’s this book, plot-wise.
If you are looking for a messy, death-defying, way over the top novel and it doesn’t matter too much to you whether or not it makes any sense – kinda like a lot of action movies – then you’ll enjoy this book. It’s written well enough and the characters, especially Colt, can be fun.
For me, it just wasn’t a satisfying read.
Scott Asher is the Editor-in-Chief of BookGateway.com. His personal blog is AshertopiA – a land flowing with milk and honey… and a lot of sticky people where he turns real life into stupid cartoons, writes on Christianity, Zombies, and whatever else he wants and posts Bible studies from his classes at church.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Hide and Seek by Struecker and Gansky
In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan an American military Foreign Affairs officer Amelia Lennon has a meeting with Jildiz Oskonbaeva to negotiate a dispute with the Kyrgyzstan government to discuss the Manas airbase. America needs the military base in this region. The Chinese have offered 10 billion and the Russians 2 billion. Both offers are substantial compared to what the United States is offering.
Hide and Seek
by Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky
B&H Books
July 2012
Amelia follows Jildiz after the meeting only to witness an attempt to abduct her. Amelia thwarts the kidnapping, but now the two women are on the run fleeing those who are after them. At the same time as the attempted kidnapping escalating riots in the capital has just erupting.
Master Sergeant J.J. Bartley has been promoted to Special Operations team leader. The team is on an air base in Kyrgyzstan, just about to start training with two new members on their team, they are suddenly called upon to rescue two women. As they try to locate the women, they start to uncover a dangerous secret along the way.
My thoughts: Some of the characters are the same ones from Fallen Angel. I haven’t read the other book. This is a stand-alone book.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It has non-stop action, suspense, and a realistic thriller. The book is fast past when you get past the first few chapters. You will have a hard time putting it down. The characters are well developed It will also make you laugh at the sense of humor with in the unit. The spiritual theme is wonderful. If you want a little romance in a novel then this is not a book for you. I highly recommend this book.
ReneeK is a sweet tea addicted mamma who loves to cuddle up to a good book. She blogs at Little Homeschool on the Praire and writes about family, homeschooling, having a special needs child, and about whatever else tickles her fancy.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
How to Slay a Dragon by Allen
Greg Hart is a very small boy with a large imagination. He spends most of his time writing in his journal about fake adventures starring a much stronger, braver version of himself. But when he is brought face to face with the school bully, he is suddenly pulled into a different world by a group of wizards who declare him to be Greghart, a foretold slayer of dragons and the only person capable of defeating the great dragon Ruuan and rescuing the princess. Too bad Greg can’t even stand up to a bully, much less a dragon.
How to Slay a Dragon
By Bill Allen
Bell Bridge Books
January 2011
Most readers probably won’t be too surprised by how the story unfolds. The very concept of a boy ripped off to an imaginary world has been done so many times that it’s become a cliché. But ignoring the predictable storyline, there are still some issues with the book that I just couldn’t let slide.
To begin, the stories Greg writes in his journal are not only awful, but also completely out of sync with his character. Anyone who casts themselves as an invincible hero in all their own stories is going to have a bit of an ego. But the only thing Greg honestly believes he does well is run away.
The next problem is the populace of Myrth who unwaveringly believe that Greg is the hero foretold to slay Ruuan. Even when it becomes obvious that a mistake of some kind has been made, pretty much every single person sticks to the explanation that the prophecy says it, so it must be true.
It is also widely accepted that when something unseen rustles in the bushes it is a creature called a monkeydog, which no person alive has every actually seen but everyone agrees exists.
I honestly developed a headache from reading some of the conversations.
The final piece that just doesn’t work is the book’s rather infrequent use of puns. Early on, we’re introduced to a witch named Hazel and a prophet whose name is shortened to Simon Sez. And while these little bits of humor are cute on their own, they’re never really fleshed out or expanded on in the story.
In fact there’s quite a bit in the story that doesn’t make sense at best and is frustrating at worst.
So while younger readers may be able to forgive some of the obvious plot holes, older readers might want to steer clear in favor of avoiding migraines.
Matthew Scott is just another average reader who enjoys sharing his opinion on various books, authors, and whatever else may cross his path.
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
Flight of Shadows by Brouwer
Somewhere in the near-future the world had completely changed. It now consists of walled cities (like in Roman days), soovie parks (people living in hollowed out cars), death doctors and fear bombs. Poverty is everywhere – the people have been divided into groups – the Industrials, the Individuals, the Refuges and the lowest class the Illegals. Thus begins the story of Caitlyn Brown.
Flight of Shadows
by Sigmund Brouwer
Waterbrook
May 2010
Caitlyn is a test tube baby. Her father Jordan Brown is a scientist specializing in creating a new generation of babies. All of his experiments failed with the exception of Caitlyn. Her father and the woman he loved had agreed to drown Caitlyn when she was born. The woman died in childbirth and Howard just couldn’t destroy the baby. Caitlyn has a terrible hunch in the middle of her back. She is defective. Jordan wants out of the program as he sees what the experiments are doing. He takes Caitlyn and goes into hiding in the Appalachia ruled by a group of Preachers. Jordan has left Caitlyn on her own and with help she has escaped and is now working in the city. She tries to be indivisible and keeps her deformity hidden. Mason Lee is a bounty hunter working for the government in Appalachia. His job is to catch anyone trying to escape. However, his main assignment is to catch Caitlyn and return her to the lab. There is something in her DNA that can heal the sick.
With the twisted Lee in pursuit she teams up with Razor – a street-smart illusionist. She doesn’t really trust him, but he is all she has. Her only hope is to reach friends who have eluded the government. NI Agents Pierce, Holly and Jeremy are actively pursuing Razor and Caitlyn. They have planted a tracking device in Billy and Theo – Caitlyn’s friends. Cainlyn had been told by her father that she should contact a Doctor Hugh Swain – he had worked with her father – and he would perform surgery to make her normal. She is not sure she wants to have it done. She and her friends Billy and Theo have plans to meet and escape to Arizona where they would be safe.
One must read this amazing scientific thriller to follow Caitlyn’s inability to stay indivisible. Does she get caught by the government, who are the hybrids? Who betrays Pierce and why? How will Caitlyn choose between the two men she loves – will it be Billy or Razor – the fast and dangerous one? This book will keep you turning pages; Flight of Shadows is as haunting as it is intense. It paints a frightening picture of a near-future where boundaries are tested and broken.
Highly recommended. Sigmund Brouwer is the author of Broken Angel, as well as a number of other novels. You might want to check them out.
Mary Asher, the Golden Reviewer, is an 80 year old avid reader reviews the newest in Christian fiction and non-fiction with a sprinkle of the secular on top..
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
The Missionary by Carmichael and Lambert
Caracas Venezuela is home for the Ellers. Saving the orphaned children from the streets is their mission. Having left their families and familiar homes behind, they have followed God into a foreign land in hopes they might make a difference. And while they are faced with sadness and an oppressive government everyday, they are happy. At least on the outside. But David Eller finds himself wanting more. A chance to really feel important, to live up to assumed expectations.
The Missionary
by William Carmichael & David Lambert
Moody Publishers
March 2009
So when an opportunity arises for Eller to take part in a secret mission to over-throw the Venezuelan president, he takes it. Despite the still quiet voice trying to speak to him. Desperately wanting to believe he hasn’t endangered his family, friends and all he has worked for, he ignores the first signs of trouble t his new opportunity presents. But as events unfold, he realizes he has made a grave mistake. Everything he knew to be his life is at stake. Fervently he hopes he can rewind the hands of time before it’s too late.
When a manhunt is declared with his name on it, David suddenly finds himself running for his life. Not knowing how to clear his name, he tries frantically to get he and his family to safety by fleeing the country. Will he survive long enough to lay aside his desire to prove his worth, and if he does, will his wife ever forgive him for the mess he has made?
This book to me was just OK. While the authors did a good job writing the story, I found I just wasn’t very interested in it. I wouldn’t rule out reading another book of theirs, I just wouldn’t recommend it to my friends with extra zeal. I would however like to get my husband’s take on it, as a male may identify more with the story line.
Heather Ring says that books are her plane ticket into another world, “I’d feel lost with out them. Reading is a part of me. However I am also an avid lover of the outdoors and pouring into my creative outlets. But I think my biggest passion, is spending time with my family and friends.”
This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.
The Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games finale ends just as it began. An emotional roller coaster with twists and turns that inspire.
The Mockingjay
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic
August 2010
The main characters are divided between a surprisingly thriving District 13 and the Capitol. Peeta is used as a pawn during Capitol campaigns that are supposed to threaten the districts so they do not rebel. As much as the Capitol hopes that Peeta has the same motivational features as Katniss, he does not. However, he does still have an influence on Katniss.
Katniss agrees to be the Mockingjay, the face of the campaign that will encourage the other districts to rebel against the Capitol. She and several others begin training, debating, and executing plans to eventually take over the Capitol.
Katniss realizes more and more how she feels about the people around her, feelings her readers knew in books one and two. She comes to value the advice of those around her. She lets her guard down just enough to let what people say affect her. And when she least expects it, she realizes what they have been saying, how it directly relates to her, and how it fuels her to be the Mockingjay.
Katniss’s role as the Mockingjay is amplified and she finally realizes exactly how much her actions influence others. She visits other districts and tries to rally the people for the fight against the Captiol.
As the book races on the fight becomes more intense, more lives are lost, and the Mockingjay must overcome the one proposal that set all the wheels in motion. A fitting end to this amazing saga!
Ashleigh Taylor loves to travel and experience new cultures. She also loves food, friendship and a good laugh.
