Lest you think that I only give good reviews, let me state here that I am pursuing many stories by Christian authors that I have been eager to read and have heard many good reviews about. My goal is to have read most of the Christian speculative fiction “classics” before reading lesser-known authors’ works.
Terri Blackstock’s Night Light July 19, 2009
Night Light by Terri Blackstock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really liked this sequel to Last Light. This book continues the story of the Branning family of Oak Hollow during the modern technology outage crisis. We discover what the American government postulates is the cause of the outage and get to know many more characters whom I grew to love. Blackstock does a brilliant job of fleshing out the characters and really developing a bond between them and the reader. Nine-year-old Aaron was one of my favorite characters–very well developed.
I have been wonderfully impressed with this series so far and can hardly wait to read the next two books that complete this story.
Ted Dekker’s Thr3e (with spoiler) July 17, 2009
Three by Ted Dekker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wow. What can I say? This book had me riveted. The storytelling was amazing, compelling. The characters were well fleshed out. The action was nonstop. I was imagining a movie playing out the entire time.
Basically, the story is about a man named Kevin Parsons who becomes the target of a demented, riddling tormenter–Slater. In all of the twists and turns, all law enforcement agencies are called into action.
Although I kept guessing what the next twist would be, I read too quickly to really make any real speculations. I will say that I was a bit disappointed by the ending. It seemed really Hollywood. Perhaps because it was reminiscent of Fight Club and The Sixth Sense. What I mean by that is that the end takes you on a psychological twist that just sneaks around that basic sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that we humans seek upon knowing that good has triumphed over evil in a very flesh-and-blood kind of way. If the twist had been left more in a spiritual sense rather than psychological, perhaps I would have been less . . . deflated.
Nevertheless, it did arouse in me a slight desire to go back and re-read it with my knowledge of the end in mind.
I had never read any of Dekker’s books before, so this was definitely an eye-opener. I think, however, that I will be more selective in which of his books I choose to read. Although suspense and thriller fiction is entertaining, I strongly prefer speculative fiction. I suppose this could fall under that category but not well enough for my taste.
C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters July 9, 2009
The Screwtape Letters: Also Includes “Screwtape Proposes a Toast” by C.S. Lewis
My review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
I will have to admit that I did not spend time reading this book as perhaps I should have. I raced through it, wanting to get a good overview of the book, rather than relishing its contents. In this manner of reading, I was not overly impressed with Screwtape’s letters, although the book was quite interesting. I imagine that if I were more informed on the history of this work and its impact on the culture of that time, perhaps I would appreciate it more.
I did like “Screwtape Proposes a Toast,” however. It addresses the sorry state of public education (even back in the late-1950s!), apparently aimed at the American education system of that time period. As a homeschooler, I was, of course, nodding my head in agreement for a good portion of said text.
All in all, I would say that I am very glad to have read this book and hope to read it again in the future so that I might better appreciate it and discover why so many book clubs and other groups choose this book for discussion.
C.S. Lewis’s Out of The Silent Planet July 7, 2009
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really liked this book. It is the first of a trilogy, and I am eager to read the rest of the story.
In this story, Dr. Ransom is on a “walking tour” of the countryside when he is kidnapped and taken into space to a planet called Malacandra. There he escapes and discovers many things about others, himself, and the parallels and differences between the alien planet and Earth.
Lewis does an amazing job keeping all of the elements of the storyline running smoothly along with his always spectacular descriptions that drop the reader into the story. I had heard about this book several times and am so glad to have it on my Read bookshelf!
Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog June 30, 2009
Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences by Kitty Burns Florey
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was surprised by the contents of this book. I had reserved it from the library via the internet while thinking that it was a “how-to” book, in order that I might improve my understanding of grammar and naming parts of sentences. In fact it is a history of sentence diagramming! Yes, it does state this in the subtitle, but in my hurry to find the “how-to” book, the aforementioned subtitle did not register in my conscious mind until I started reading.
Kitty Burns Florey writes a wonderfully easy-to-read and humorous history of a language arts exercise that has mostly gone by the wayside now. She introduces the very origins of diagramming and follows its journey in American culture, acknowledging it as a fun exploration but ultimately unable to fulfill the very purposes for which it had been birthed and taught–to better a person’s ability to write well and to speak well.
I am glad to have read it but must now wonder if I should pursue that elusive “how-to” book after all…
Terri Blackstock’s Last Light: a Restoration Novel June 29, 2009
Last Light by Terri Blackstock
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Terri Blackstock is a brilliant writer. In book one of her Restoration Series, Blackstock captured my attention and imagination, making it quite difficult to set a slow, steady pace to read it. I found myself like I was when a child, sneaking in little reading sessions whenever I could. Putting off other tasks in order to read. Bringing the book with me everywhere in case I had just five minutes in which I could read further in the story.
The story takes place in modern times and follows the lives of a wealthy family and neighborhood when a global event disables all technologically advanced machines. This includes all vehicles, cell phones, digital watches, plumbing systems, and telephone lines. In the midst of confusion, chaos, airplane crashes, and inability to communicate long distance, the characters in the main family find themselves launched into unexpected and unwanted journeys. To add to their worries and desperation, a killer makes him or herself known in their neighborhood and creates a tailspin in the lives of these well-crafted characters.
I am now a Terri Blackstock fan for life. I can hardly wait to get my hands on the sequel, Night Light.
My Review of Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual June 26, 2009
Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual, 16th Edition: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book by Dan Poynter
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, I didn’t read the whole book. I read eight chapters of a total of eleven. I skimmed the rest because I just wasn’t as interested in the topics covered in those chapters. The topics I read about was everything from the idea for a book to actually creating a book and up to promoting said book.
There is so much detail in Dan Poynter’s guide that I believe it is a must-have resource for writers that want options to sending in query after query to established publishers who just don’t see the value of their work.
Although I will probably never self-publish, I was fascinated by the process as well as reading Poynter’s portrayal of how the publishing industry works. It has really helped my understanding of the entire life cycle of a book. As a fledgling copyeditor, I need that perspective so that I can communicate effectively with authors who live and breathe their manuscripts and books for much longer periods than I experience with those same works.
All in all, I highly recommend this resource to writers who want to know more about the options that they have in publishing.
Review of C.S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold June 26, 2009
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. What a crazy story. Okay, it’s based on the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. But Lewis really turns the story on its head with the main character. You live in her head and read every thought that goes through her brain. She is very much fallible, yet passionate and strong.
I have to admit that, at first, I had a hard time getting into the story. A few reasons that that was true may have been that 1) I have only read the Narnia chronicles from Lewis’s works before, 2) I had just finished reading The Visitation by Frank Peretti, which takes place in modern times, and 3) I’ve been pressed for time in reading multiple books concurrently.
Once I got to the second chapter, I got in a rhythm with the book. The main character is a woman named Orual, first daughter to Trom, King of Glome. Her mentor is a Greek slave called the Fox, whom she calls “Grandfather.” Together they rear Orual’s younger half-sister Istra, whom they call “Psyche” between themselves.
Royalty, in this story, are considered to have divine blood in them, making them related to gods. In this strange and pain-filled tale, the heroine learns a great deal about life in a world entangled with mysterious and seemingly capricious gods as she ages and pens her history, what she calls her “complaint against the gods,” beginning with her mother’s death to when she herself dies.
This is definitely worth a read. Although it has a dark undercurrent throughout the whole story, Lewis weaves in bits of light and joy–just enough to brighten the story–and masterfully ties up all story elements by the end.
Love March 12, 2009
Exercise #2: Imagine that you are browsing through an old family album, looking at photographs, clippings, and other memorabilia. Suddenly you spot something that surprises you.
I dust off the box and cover my nose as the dust flies up into the air and spreads out like a tiny mushroom cloud. Opening it, I see its full contents of picture albums and little keepsake boxes. As I pull one out after another, I set them down on top of each other on the floor. I flip through one or two as I pull them out of the box, noting approximately 25 albums and boxes altogether. I can’t believe that all of these have been buried away up here.
I sit down and grab the most interesting looking album, one with a black leather cover and a picture of a beautiful young woman on the cover. As I open the cover, I see that it has few pictures. Only about half the album seems to be complete. As I look carefully, I realized that all of the pictures have the young woman that is on the cover included in the them. Some portray her as a baby, others as a girl, and yet more as a woman. Although a handful are of her only, the remainder include other people. Most frequently, another woman, older, who looks a lot like the younger one. I note a picture of them as girls wearing swimsuits on a beach. The sun is setting, and they look full of laughter with wet, tangled hair and bronzed skin. The older one is thin, while the younger is athletically built.
I see another picture of them in front of a birthday cake. Both of them seem to be blowing out the candles. Their birthdays must have been close together. I look up at the dusty attic as memories start to flow through my mind. I’ve seen these pictures before. I remember her. I remember them. I sit there, waiting for the memories to come. Lord Jesus, I pray that you would nudge my faulty mind. Let me remember.
And then it comes. Emotion overwhelms me as I remember with tears suddenly pouring down my face. How could I forget? My own sister. The thin one was me. The worst part of this awful disease was the way it stripped me of my dearest memories. Except for my Lord. I could rely on Him, no matter what hole my mind sank into.
I look back down at the open album on my lap, noticing that wet drops had fallen on the pages. Carefully I wipe them away with my sleeve. I turn the page. There is an envelope there. I pick it up and look inside. A letter addressed to me falls out. It’s from my deceased sister. I recognize its pink pages, but that is all. Opening up the letter, I begin to read:
Dearest sister,
I write you this letter hoping to encourage you in this time of despair in your life. Death is a difficult thing to grasp, and so I desperately want to tell you about my hope. The thing that makes my life worthwhile when everything else seems so bleak and useless. I’m so sorry about your friend’s death. I pray that you will read through all of this, so that you understand how much I love you and want to support you…
The letter is a total of six pages long, written on both front and back. She had implored me to further investigate her faith in who was to become my own Savior. Although this letter had not been the one to convince me of what was true, I had kept it. I subsequently made peace with God and gave my life to Him about a year before my sister died. After her death, this letter brought me comfort at those times when I missed her most. And here I sat, holding it in my hand, utterly grateful to my God for releasing my memory now to soak in the memory of her. How much I missed her! I sit crying for awhile, continuing to flip the pages in the album. Perhaps my disease is one of mercy. How many memories am I missing? How many people have gone from this earth that I would be grieving?
I know the memories will go once more, so I sit and think as much as I can while I still have time. What had brought me up here anyway? Had something called to me? How long had it been that I had been up here last? I take the letter and put it in my pocket. I will put it in my nightstand drawer. It will be safe there.
As I head down from the attic, I look forward to seeing her again one day.
