Category Archives: Reviews

Review: Breach of Trust, by DiAnn Mills

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Breach of Trust, by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House, 2009)

Paige Rogers is an ex-CIA operative forced undercover in the small town of Split Creek, Oklahoma. Her last mission nearly killed her. It did kill the rest of her team—except for the man who betrayed them, Daniel Keary.

Now Keary is poised to win state governorship, and his ambitions don’t stop there. Will Paige put her loved ones in danger for one last chance to expose him…for the good of her country?

Miles Laird is the high school football coach, and it takes all Paige’s self-control not to return the affection he can’t hide. But if he knew who she really was, what she’d done in the line of duty, she’d lose him.

After quitting the CIA Paige became a Christian. Even as she considers reactivating, she wrestles with the morality of her past actions in the line of duty. How can deceit and righteous living co-exist?

I took a while to get into the novel. It flows nicely in third-person past-tense, but Keary’s brief sections are first-person present-tense. It may underscore Keary’s sense of ruthless power, but I always find these shifts throw me out of the story. Once I got used to it, the novel was hard to put down.

Breach of Trust is book one in the Call of Duty series, and winner of both a 2010 Christy Award winner and a 2010 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Book two, Breach of Security, released in the spring of 2010. On the Breach of Trust page on DiAnn Mills’ site you’ll find links to the video trailer and to an excerpt of the novel. Click here for discussion questions.

DiAnn Mills is an award-winning author of more than 15 novels. Visit her website to learn more about DiAnn and her books: historical fiction, contemporary fiction and non-fiction.

[review copy from my personal library]

Review: Sailing Between the Stars, by Steven James

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Sailing Between the Stars: Musings on the Mysteries of Faith, by Steven James (Revell, 2006)

Sailing Between the Stars is the best book I’ve read in 2010. And I’m writing this in December, not January. I felt safe, understood, reading Steven James’ musings. Not that it’s comfortable reading, but that he talks honestly about many of the same questions I have. He affirms the value of asking the questions, of not trying to pretend we know all the answers correctly and absolutely.

I may have finished the book with more questions than when I started, but that’s okay. It means a lot to know I’m not the only one who has them, and I’ve learned that honest questions don’t cause us to vanish in a puff of confusion. If anything, they let us be more real. And they point us to the Source of all answers, the God who is bigger than our comprehension.

Steven James puts it this way:

“The questions, not the explanations, are what draw me deeper into the wonder of the dance.” p. 164

His writing is gentle and lyrical. If you like Mark Buchanan’s books, you’ll like this. It’s poignant at times, whimsical at others, and there are a few places that had me laughing out loud.

And while the topics aren’t easy to nail down with a “definitive” answer, there’s no philosophical mumbo-jumbo to exclude the average reader. There is one heavy-duty word, agathokakological (follow link for definition), but it’s introduced naturally through an anecdote about a child’s spelling bee and since it describes us, I think it makes the point that we’re more complex than we can understand.

You can read an excerpt of Sailing Between the Stars here.  Here’s a quote from the beginning of the book to set the tone:

“Imagination dwells at the heart of Christianity. It’s a worldview of wonder. …And it’s packed full of paradox…which makes many believers today uncomfortable.” p.19

If the mystery and paradox of faith threaten you, you’ll want to give the book a miss. I don’t know what I’d have thought if I’d read it in my younger days, when I “knew” more of the answers. Now that I’ve begun to be more sure of God and less sure of myself, I found a lot of truth in this book.

In prose and occasional poetry, the author ponders some deep topics: the good and evil in each of us, joy and pain, love and failing, humility, free will, doubt, unanswered prayer. In voicing our common weaknesses, he points to the mystery of Jesus, who alone lived life to the fullest and who came to point us to the Father.

None of these topics are addressed with an “I’ll tell you what to believe” agenda. He just explores them and leaves us to explore too… and to trust the God who actually sees the full picture.

Right now, Sailing Between the Stars is featured at Christianbook.com for $1.99 USD. It’s worth full cover price, but at this price why not buy in bulk for your spiritually-musing friends? It’s also available through amazon.ca. Amazon.com and chapters-indigo.ca are both sold out, and I can’t find it on the publisher’s site. So glad I found a copy when I did. This is a definite keeper and re-reader.

Steven James blogs occasionally on writing, faith or life, at Musings and Meanderings. His website showcases his intense thriller series, The Patrick Bowers Files. I’ve reviewed book one, The Pawn, and I’d love to know what happens next in Patrick Bowers’ life. Still working up my nerve….

[review copy from my personal library]

Review: Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart, by Karen M. Conrad

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Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart, by Karen M. Conrad (2010, ISBN: 978-0-9865779-0-1)

Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart is a collection of short stories that Karen M. Conrad has written each year for the ladies in her Sunday school class. They’re designed to be read aloud, and sure to bring good feelings and a few chuckles.

The book is available in paperback, but also can be purchased as a series of three audio cds. With the strong narrator feel, I think listening to the stories would be a lot of fun.

I really enjoyed this book. Any tears it prompted were the “touching” kind and not from sadness. The stories lifted my spirits and helped ease me into the Christmas season.

An extra delight for me is that most of the 14 stories are set in my own Canadian province, Nova Scotia. One is set in Newfoundland and one farther afield. They’re mostly rural or small-town, peopled with believable and mostly lovable characters.

The stories can be about the young, the in-between or the old, about family dynamics, loneliness, good deeds or good old-fashioned shenanigans. They’re teaching-oriented, but they’re real enough to support the lesson. I liked them all, but my favourite is the final story, “The Blessing”.

I’d be remiss not to point out that Christmas Stories to Warm Your Heart could have used more editing for punctuation. If you can’t stand seeing an apostrophe out of place, you’d get a lot more out of the audio version. The layout is nice, though, and easy to read.

All proceeds from sales of the book will go to Camp Peniel, a Christian camp and retreat centre in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. Camp Peniel began in the early 1960’s.

You can order books or cds directly from the camp. It’s also available through Miracles Christian Store and Noah’s Ark Christian Bookstore.

[review copy from my personal library]

Review: What Rough Beast, by Shawn J. Pollett

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What Rough Beast, by Shawn J. Pollett (Word Alive Press, 2010)

It’s 253 AD, two years after the events of Christianus Sum. The evil Valerianus is back, and now he’s Emperor of Rome. He establishes his son, Gallienus, as co-emperor, and plans to manipulate him into annihilating the Christians.

Valerianus schemes to eradicate the Christians. But will internal strife destroy them first?

Many of those who denied the Christos under Emperor Decius’ persecution are truly repentant and desperate for forgiveness.

Some church leaders offer certificates of peace, affirming their reinstatement in the body. Others refuse. And understandably, these lapsi have great trouble forgiving themselves.

Damarra’s and Valens’ past suffering at Valerianus’ hands gives them high status among other Christians, and many lapsi come to beg for certificates of peace. Damarra writes them, Valens will not. He, who passed the test in the first book, can’t understand how another could falter—until he reaches his own breaking point.

Before that happens, a stranger comes from one of the Germanic tribes, with a message from the Christos: Valens is to evade the emperor’s clutches and lead a “clan” of 13 to an unknown event at an unspecified time and place outside of the Roman Empire.

The novel follows the assembly and journey of the clan, along with the military and political struggles of each of the co-emperors. The empire is under attack from many sides, including King Kniva from Christianus Sum.

The characters are well-developed, and their relationships add richness to the story. When good characters make bad choices, the reader sees it coming and understands why. Reader tension increases as we keep hoping the individuals will see the truth and turn back in time.

The lapsi make an interesting subplot. This is a new aspect of church history to me, and I can relate to both sides of the issue. Canadian author Shawn J. Pollett has done his research, and he brings the early Christians’ surroundings and issues to life.

The novel’s title comes from William Butler Yeats’ poem, “The Second Coming,” which trembles at the horrors that precede Jesus’ return.

What Rough Beast is book 2 of the Cry of the Martyrs trilogy, and a worthy successor to Christianus Sum. Watch for it in next year’s Canadian Christian Writing Awards.

Both novels are available through local bookstores and online, in print and eBook versions. You can find an interesting introduction to the “Cry of the Martyrs” series at Shawn J. Pollett’s website.

[Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair review. A shorter version of this review appeared in Faith Today, Sept/Oct. 2010]

Review: InScribed, an anthology of Canadian Christian writing

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InScribed, an anthology from InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship (Forever Books, 2010)

To celebrate 30 years of encouraging and inspiring Canadian writers, InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship has released the anthology, InScribed. The 40+ contributors are current or former members, ranging from career journalists and published novelists to the newly-published, and geographically spanning the country from west to east coasts. The anthology comes recommended by well-known writers Phil Callaway, Linda Hall and Sigmumd Brouwer.

InScribed has a good mix of personal experience, teaching/inspirational, poetry and fiction. There’s happy, sad and thoughtful, with a touch of the whimsical for good measure. Most of the articles are very well-written. A few needed further editing, but the passion and promise is enough that they’re still worth reading.

I’ve been a member of InScribe since the days when it was known as Alberta Christian Writers’ Fellowship—Canada-Wide, and the online connection it provided with my writing friends was a great encouragement in my early writing days.

InScribed gave me the chance to read work from old friends (even some I’d lost touch with) and new friends. But its appeal isn’t limited to InScribe members, nor to writers in general. Anyone who appreciates short work from Canadian Christians will find plenty of good reading in this slender book.

Until an online store is set up, copies may be ordered by email. Within Canada the cost is $15.00 CAD plus $2.89 shipping per book. Orders outside of Canada will require more postage.

[Book source: my personal library. And no, I’m not one of the contributors although I’m a member of InScribe.]

Review: Fit to Be Tied, by Robin Lee Hatcher

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Fit to Be Tied, by Robin Lee Hatcher (Zondervan, 2009)

It’s 1916, and Cleo Arlington is not your typical Idaho rancher’s daughter. She’s a better wrangler than the hired men, and it takes church on Sundays to get her into a skirt. Cleo’s hardly a conventional woman, but she hopes one day she’ll find a cowboy who’ll love her as she is.

Lord Sherwood Stratham is the fourth son of a British Duke, and a constant disappointment to his father. Wild living is his way of coping with the pain of his war injuries—and his memories. His punishment? A year working on an American ranch, isolated from his friends and diversions.

Cleo is not happy to have the job of turning him into a ranch hand. Sherwood feels the same about taking orders from this testy female who dresses like a man—and who insists on calling him “Woody”.

Cleo and Woody are surprised to discover the things they do have in common, and Woody makes the further discovery that faith can be more than church attendance. Working together might not be such a hardship after all.

But Woody—Lord Sherwood—must return to England when his year’s banishment ends. Will either of their hearts be unbroken?

Fit to Be Tied is a gentle love story of opposites who attract. The characters have depth, and I enjoyed the contrast between Cleo’s and Woody’s voices.

Cleo’s story is book two in the Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series, and while you don’t need to have read A Vote of Confidence first, this is very much a sequel. I doubt there’d be many surprises now if I went back to book one. Book three, A Matter of Character, released in 2010. It’s Cleo’s relative Daphne’s story, and I liked Daphne from this book.

Robin Lee Hatcher is an award-winning author of over 60 novels. Fit to Be Tied is the first one I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. Click here to read an excerpt from Fit to Be Tied. If you’ve already read the novel, you might be interested in the discussion guide.

Review: Conquerors’ Legacy, by Timothy Zahn

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Conquerors’ Legacy, by Timothy Zahn (Bantam Spectra, 1996)

Conquerors’ Pride left us wondering about the fate of the Human Cavanagh family, with some facing court-martial and/or treason charges and one trapped in a war zone.

Conquerors’ Heritage left us in a very tight spot on one of the Zhirrzh worlds and with concerns about all four members of the Thrr family. Plus, Thrr-gilag’s out-of-clan bond engagement was in danger of being revoked. And there was Zhirrzh Elder Prr’t-zevisti’s chilling discovery.

Conquerors’ Legacy, book three, weaves all these and more into a satisfying and fast-paced read. A significant chunk of the action takes place on the planet Dorcas, as the rival commanders try to find holes in each other’s strategy.

Castor Holloway (Human) and Thrr-mezaz (Zhirrzh) are both strong tacticians, committed to the best course for their people. The war has taught each to fear the other side as ruthless “Conquerors Without Reason”. Through their conflict, each begins to respect the other’s strategy and to realize there’s more to his opponent than he first thought—and much more he needs to learn.

Other plot threads involve both Humans and Zhirrzh dealing with the manipulative Mrachani race on planet Mra, and an intense space battle near the alien Yycroman world of Phormbi. And of course the big questions: will anyone on either side believe Prr’t-zevisti’s revelation? If so, will they act?

Prr’t-zevisti, bless his Zhirrzh heart, has a moment that made me misty both times I read it (this is my second read through this series).

The saga comes together in a suitably grand finale involving a desperate attempt to save one race’s home planet. The only thing I’d like to have seen resolved in a throwaway comment near the end is the fate of the other alien worlds under Zhirrzh domination.

The Conquerors series was published in the 1990’s and the only thing that stands out as dated is the scarcity of Human females in combat roles—and the distress their presence causes some of the men.

A new viewpoint character in this book is Max, the para-sentient, highly intelligent computer from book one. He’s dry, observant, and we don’t spend long enough in his “thoughts” to get intimidated by his superior brain.

I always enjoy Timothy Zahn’s novels, for their fast pace, clever plotting and occasional humour. Oh, yes, and the frequent plot twists at the end that set me looking back at the story in a different light.

I also appreciate what I do not find: graphic or gratuitous sex or brutality or excessive profanity. (Some characters will use “minor” swear words at times.)

One of Timothy Zahn’s strengths that shows prominently in the Conquerors trilogy is tactics: both military and political. I like how he’s not afraid to give readers good role models in military/political leadership as well as among the common folk. He also gives characters who are self-serving, manipulative, or occasionally just plain evil. The latter are surprisingly rare, but it’s probably a more accurate rendering of Human-kind and any other races out there.

He’s one of the few authors whose work I’ve started buying at the exorbitant hard-cover prices because it’s just too long to wait for the more affordable mass-market paperbacks to release a year later.

[Note: Most books I review are written with a Christian worldview. Timothy Zahn’s novels are mainstream science fiction (or speculative) and seem to match the basics of Judeo-Christian morals.]
[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Conquerors’ Heritage, by Timothy Zahn

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Conquerors’ Heritage, by Timothy Zahn (Bantam Spectra, 1995)

They say there are three sides to any conflict: yours, mine and the truth. In Conquerors’ Pride the Humans met the aliens they call the Conquerors, and interstellar war began.

Conquerors’ Heritage, the second novel in the trilogy, unfolds from the perspective of the aliens, who call themselves the Zhirrzh—and who refer to their new enemies as the “Human-Conquerors”.

It’s a fascinating look at a believable alien culture. The Zhirrzh are clan-based and tradition-bound, controlling 18 worlds to the Humans’ and allies’ much larger commonwealth.

Zhirrzh are bipedal, with two opposable thumbs per hand, beaks and poisonous tongues that can stiffen enough to slice an enemy’s throat. They also have tails which circle perpetually to disperse their body heat;  the faster the spin, the hotter—or more upset—the individual.

One of the main viewpoint characters is Thrr-gilag, who’s been demoted for his handling of the Human prisoner, Pheylan Cavanagh, in book one. At least he’s still part of the team to contact a race claiming to be unwilling subjects of the Human-Conquerors’ rule. But the Elders’ reaction to his disgrace may bring the end of his bond-engagement to a young Zhirrzh scientist.

Meanwhile on one of the Zhirrzh beachhead worlds in Human-Conqueror space, his brother Thrr-mezaz commands the occupation force and tries to outmanoeuvre the Human-Conqueror commander. Thrr-mezaz is under pressure too after a decision that cost the group one of its Elders. He and Thrr-gilag hatch an outlandish scheme to make things right—unless they’re caught.

Then there’s Prr’t-zevisti, a Zhirrzh Elder. At first I wondered why the narrative kept returning to this peripheral individual who was accomplishing nothing, but it’s so the readers will know he’s in position when his moment of insight comes.

Discovering the truth about the war rocks his worldview. Should he tell the others? Could it make a difference? After so many deaths, they can’t simply call off the fighting.

Zhirrzh don’t often die as we know death, but live in a non-corporeal state when their bodies die. The presence of generations of observers, busybodies and advisors makes an interesting dimension of their society, giving tradition a weight greater than on earth.

One of the subplots in Conquerors’ Heritage is perhaps the Zhirrzh equivalent of euthanasia: should a citizen have the right to choose not to continue outside the physical body? The issue threatens the stability of the entire Zhirrzh culture and causes almost as much fear in government circles as the rumour of an unstoppable Human weapon: CIRCE.

Readers wondering how the Cavanagh family is dealing with the fallout from book one need to hold on for  book three, Conquerors’ Legacy. Given the suspenseful ending to Conquerors’ Heritage, I strongly suggest picking up a copy of book three before finishing book two so you can keep reading.

Timothy Zahn’s current novels are the Cobra War series and Terminator Salvation: Trial by Fire. I’m excited to see a new Star Wars novel coming from him next year too. The Conquerors series is still available through online bookstores, as well as through used bookstores.

[Note: Most books I review are written with a Christian worldview. Timothy Zahn’s novels are mainstream science fiction (or speculative) and seem to match the basics of Judeo-Christian morals.]
[Review copy from my personal library.]

Review: Conquerors’ Pride, by Timothy Zahn

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Conquerors’ Pride, by Timothy Zahn (Bantam Spectra, 1994)

Humans have conquered interstellar travel and forged political alliances with other star-faring races. Now, a Commonwealth Peacekeeper task force’s encounter with a new race ends in just six minutes—and that includes the strangers’ systematic targeting of individual life pods after the battle.

Pheylan Cavanagh is the lone human survivor of the disastrous first contact, and the aliens take him prisoner. With the entire Commonwealth mobilizing defences against the “Conquerors Without Reason,” Peacekeeper Command decides the needs of the many outweigh those of the one. They leave Pheylan on his own.

His father, wealthy industrialist Lord Stewart Cavanagh, mounts a rescue mission of his own, using “borrowed” military fighters and pilots. If they come back, they face a pile of trouble—even if they rescue Pheylan from the Conquerors.

One minor character in Conquerors’ Pride is a Sanduul artist who does threadings: pictures made of spiderlike silk. Her finished images reveal two different moods depending on the angle of view: the same subject, two separate effects.

This was my second reading of Conquerors’ Pride, and I enjoyed watching Timothy Zahn do his own “threading” of the story. In true Zahn style, the picture as viewed from the end of the book has a different feel from what you see while you’re reading. Re-reading, I could see more of the setup, like watching a magician in slow motion to see how he does the trick.

It was good to be back with the Cavanagh family and their allies, and to encounter other friends who’ll play key parts in the series. Revelations near the end of the novel contain some interesting social commentary that’s as applicable now as it was when the novel was first published. They’ll probably still be relevant when I read the series a third time.

Timothy Zahn is a master at creating alien races, environments and cultures as well as fast-paced, intricate plots. He’s a Hugo Award-winning author of over 40 novels and multiple short stories. His Star Wars novels are among fans’ favourites. Curiously enough, they’ve been among the final books I’ve read from him. (Still haven’t read the Terminator novels.)

Conquerors’ Pride was my first taste of Mr. Zahn’s writing, and I’ve bought every book I could get my hands on since then. And in an age where authors must maintain a web presence, he’s succeeding quite nicely without one, thank you.

[Note: Most books I review are written with a Christian worldview. Timothy Zahn’s novels are mainstream science fiction (or speculative) and seem to match the basics of Judeo-Christian morals. Conquerors’ Pride contains occasional very minor profanity. Just so you know.]
[Book source: my own library.]

Review: Deceit, by Brandilyn Collins

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Deceit, by Brandilyn Collins (Zondervan, 2010)

Some evil shouts from rooftops, some scuttles in the dark. The greatest evil tips its face toward light with shining innocence.

Baxter Jackson shone with the worst of them. (p. 15)

Brilliant opening words for a suspense novel! These are the angry thoughts of Joanne Weeks, whose best friend Linda was Baxter’s first wife. Now his second wife is dead too, and Joanne believes he killed them both.

Problem is, Baxter is larger than life in the small California town of Vonita. He’s rich, successful, admired by all except Joanne. He’s even head elder of their church.

But Joanne knows Baxter abused Linda, even if the rest of the town—chief of police included—thinks he’s a model citizen.

A frightening encounter with a hooded man (see the book cover) gives Joanne a new mission: find Melissa, the teenaged foster child who was living with the Jacksons at the time of Linda’s death. “HM,” as Joanne calls the man, says Melissa knows where Baxter buried the body.

Joanne is a professional skip tracer, making her living by finding people who don’t want to be found. But can she find Melissa and convince her to talk before Baxter learns what Joanne’s up to—and stops her permanently?

Joanne’s part of the story is told in first person and alternates with Melissa’s from six years earlier. Melissa’s scenes are told in the third person.

The first-/third-person switch works for me in the novel because it makes a clear break between present and past. As the two plots play out, with occasional third-person scenes from an unidentified man who’s keeping tabs on Joanne, there are some unexpected twists along the way.

In her typical Seatbelt Suspense® style, Brandilyn Collins gives us a wild ride from the opening pages. I’ve read enough of her novels now to trust her delivery: she may scare me, but she won’t traumatize me with explicit scenes.

A big part of what makes her novels bestsellers is the characters: they’re real, with thoughts, experiences and motivations that make sense—and that drive the plot to come out the way it does.

Brandilyn explains some of how she does this in her non-fiction book for writers, Getting Into Character. It’s harder than it looks!

Deceit is the perfect name for this book. It seems like everyone’s lying, even Joanne, whose job sometimes involves gaining information under false pretences. She hasn’t thought anything of it until Melissa demands, “Is that what the Bible says—don’t lie except when you ‘have to’?” (p.186)

If she can stay alive long enough to see Baxter behind bars, Joanne knows she needs to think about Melissa’s accusation. For readers interested in this and other thought-provoking questions, see the discussion guide for Deceit.

You can read an excerpt from Deceit and learn more about the author and her other books at the Brandilyn Collins website. Brandilyn also blogs at Forensics and Faith.

Her next suspense novel, Over the Edge, releases May 2011. You can read a teaser for Over the Edge here. The plot is based on Lyme Disease, and Brandilyn says it’s the novel she was “made to write”. (Her Lyme-Over the Edge blog says, “Brandilyn was struck with Lyme in 2002. She was miraculously healed in 2003 and was completely well for six years. The year 2009 brought a reinfection, which she is managing to keep under control.”) Lyme-Over the Edge is a place for people to share their own experiences with Lyme Disease.

[Book from my own collection.]