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Christian Novel Review

Having always been an avid reader, since becoming a Christian I have found a wealth of reading material in Christian bookshops and in various second hand bookshops. I have found that in Christian novels one often finds truths that help in one’s Christian walk. I enjoy reading about how the various characters deal with life, and I also find I am the richer for reading a really good Christian novel. Certain authors, through their books, give you a real insight into their joys and struggles, which I find very interesting. The books which I am going to review are those which I have really enjoyed, and have read at least twice – some books, for example the “Mark of the Lion “ series by Francine Rivers, I have read at least five times each. The first books that I am going to talk about are the latest two novels by Francine Rivers,


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Sunday 21 July 2013

DON'T LEAVE ME BY JAMES SCOTT BELL

DON'T LEAVE ME by JAMES SCOTT BELL is a suspense novel that I found hard to put down!
Chuck Samson is trying to put his life back together after his horrific experiences in Afghanistan, where he served as navy chaplain, and the death of his wife, Julia, in a car accident.
Chuck has a job as a school teacher, which he finds most fulfilling, and he is responsible for his younger brother, Stan, who has special needs. 
Everything changes when a man Chuck calls the "Mad Russian" deliberately causes him to slam into his car and then pulls a knife on him.
His life gets really complicated when his house burns down and he is suspected, not only of of manufacturing amphetamines, but also of committing murder!
Things are not at all as they seem and Chuck is devastated when he finds out the truth behind all that he goes through. Chuck has always had to be the brave one, the one with the answers to life's problems for his brother, the children in his class and those he ministered to in the army, but he is at a total loss as to why all these things are happening to him. He is gradually drawn back to the God he hasn't spoken to since his wife's death seven months ago.
It is a story of betrayal, the unfairness of life, and greed, as opposed to simple trust and tremendous courage. For example, we see how Stan, the fearful one, overcomes fear when his brother's life is in danger. The relationships between the characters are convincing and the plot is well worked out. It is an excellent read and I can highly recommend it.




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Wednesday 17 July 2013

CONGO DAWN BY JEANETTE WINDLE

CONGO DAWN by JEANETTE WINDLE is a rivetting suspense novel which is set in the Congo in the Ituri rainforest area. We see unbridled horror, greed and corruption on the one hand, as opposed to Christian love, compassion and forgiveness on the other.
Trevor Mulroney is horrified to find that the interpreter he has hired as part of his security team, Chris R. Duncan, is in fact a woman. Robin, as she is called, is an ex marine who was deployed in Afghanistan. It is there that she knew Michael Stewart, who she is surprised to meet again in the Congo. Michael, who is now a qualified doctor, was a medical orderly in Afghanistan and she blames him for her brother's death. They haven't seen one another for five years, and whilst Michael is still a committed Christian who lives out his faith, Robin has lost her childhood faith and feels very far from God. It is Michael's sister Miriam, with her loving ministry, and the danger that Robin finds herself in, that cause her to draw close to the Lord once again.
While it doesn't take long for Michael and Robin to uncover the truth about what happened that dreadful day in Afghanistan, it takes longer for them to uncover the truth about what really is happening in the Ituri rainforest, what really happened to the local population and why the mine workers are being held as prisoners.
The Are Solutions operatives are going to be well paid for this mission which is very important for Mulroney, who stands to lose everything if it fails. The mine has been sabotaged by the man they call Jini, the ghost, and these soldiers, together with some of President Wamba's men, are hunting him like an animal.
Robin is a dedicated operative and does her job well, but this assignment is especially important to her as her sister's child of four needs expensive surgery in order to survive. Little Kristi is the only person that Robin has allowed herself to love and she wants to help by paying for her operation.
We see how Robin learns that God is able to supply His children's needs without her help, and we see her great bravery and compassion for others when put to the test.
The characters are well portrayed, the setting is beautifully described and the story is full of biblical truth. There is much food for thought in this novel and I can highly recommend it.


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Thursday 11 July 2013

THE MEETING PLACE BY JANETTE OKE & T. DAVIS BUNN

THE MEETING PLACE by JANETTE OKE and T. DAVIS BUNN is a story of reconciliation, forgiveness, and overcoming heartache through faith in God and His goodness.
Catherine Price and Louise Belleveau are two young girls from neighbouring villages in Acadia, one of them English and the other French, whose friendship and desire to study the Scriptures and have a living relationship with the Lord, not only affects their lives but the lives of their husbands, families and communities.
The French village of Minas consists of a community of Huguenots who left France due to religious persecution. They are hard working and have no desire to fight, either for France or for England. The English are afraid of the alarmingly large number of Frenchmen in Acadia, and have the misguided idea that they will join with the Indians to fight against them. This is why the French have been ordered by the British to sign a declaration of allegiance to the British throne, promising to fight on the British side in any war. This they refuse to do.
Catherine marries Andrew Harrow, a captain in the British regiment, and they live in the village of Fort Edward. On the same day Louise marries Henri Robichaud. The women's friendship grows in leaps and bounds and they meet regularly in a beautiful clearing. Catherine, who has learnt some French, takes out her grammar book and studies it throughout the winter in order to be able to better communicate with her friend. Both women are open with their husbands about their meetings and their friendships, not wanting to go against their husbands' wishes, and this leads to a strong bond between the two men as well.
In this novel we see two godly couples who dare to be friends, and who are literally prepared to lay down their lives for one another, in contrast to the bigotry and hatred shown by others towards those they consider a threat.
It is a well known fact that the two countries, England and France, have hated one another for a long time, and in this book we see how brave and godly people follow God's commandment to love one another, no matter the cost.
It is a beautifully written book in which the struggles and heartaches of the characters are well portrayed and the message of the Gospel shines through. I can highly recommend this novel.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad