I don't usually read religious themed books but just recently read two books which both had at their center, thoughts on Christianity. One was very much set in the past. "A. D. 30" by Ted Dekker and the other one is set in the not so distant future, " The Book of Strange New Things" by Michael Faber.
A. D. 30 was very different from the other previous books by Ted Dekker who writes mostly science fiction books and fantasy type novels. This book was in part a historical novel , with an action story of Bedouin tribes,war and stories from the New Testament with actual passages quoting Jesus. It is an interesting book to read as it gives you insight into the way the people who met Jesus might have thought about this mystical young man spreading a new faith and way of thinking. It also holds your interest as it moves along well and tell an adventure story of a beautiful young princess and a handsome slave and how both saw Jesus.
The 2nd book " The Book of Strange New Things" tells of a pastor whose job and calling it is ,to bring Christianity to a strange new world set millions of miles away from planet earth. So in some way you have the science fiction aspect in the book with all the specifics of travel and settling of a strange new world mixed with the concern of a very caring religious man. Peter's main aim is to do his best to let the strange inhabitants of this new world hear the good news that is the story of the Bible and Jesus Christ, , except these friendly but very different alien creatures call the Bible, the book of Strange New things, hence the title.
IT is a deep and emotional book to read as Peter the pastor is torn between full filling his mission and feeling responsible for his loving wife and all the problems she is dealing with back on earth which is rapidly deteriorating .
Both great books to read and they certainly give you lots to consider and think about beside the story line.
This book was the second book I took on vacation to read and it is also the one I did not enjoy very much. I have read many books by James Patterson and usually enjoy them but not this one.
This book appears to be a book that is the first of a series about a company called "Private" run by Jack Morgan an ex marine who also suffers from flashbacks of a helicoper crash during his sevice in the war. Private is a company that does difficult investigation with discretion and doesn't care it seems much for the rule of law.
Jack and his employees take on cases that need to be solved and cleared up secretly or quickly.
Three cases that the company are involved in are being dealt with all at the same time I found this made for confusing reading. One of the cases is about a serial killer that is killing young girls picked up off the streets of L A. The case has already become too much for the police department and so Jack and his company are called in to help. Then there is the case of mobsters, betting on NFL gambling and then to top it all off, Jack's friend Andy needs help because his wife Shelby has been murdered.
I found it all too much to read. It was like one of those fast-moving noisy TV episodes with sex, racing cars and aggression with little description and also little appeal especially to me.
Not one I would recommend.
Catching Up on the Books I have read.
I realized while I was in the library looking for some new books to read today that I hadn't kept up writing about the books I have been reading over the last couple of months. I try to do this mostly for my own benefit to remind myself of the ones I have enjoyed or found interesting. If I don't do that I occasionally will select a book that I have read before. It's a sign of old age I guess.
Here are 3 books I enjoyed ; one a mystery, one an "end of the world" story and the third , a historical novel.
Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker is the mystery that is set in the mountains of New Hampshire in a failing paper Mill town. It is a small close-knit community where everyone knows everyone else and control is still kept by the MIll owner and his wife . In this town one family "The Snows", a vagrant poor family of a brother and 2 sisters almost like gypsies are not welcome even though their parents has owned property at the edge of town and they are living there in a ramshackle RV. A bad accident involving children on a bus happens and Mercy Snow's brother is blamed for the accident but she sets about to prove he did not do it. It kept my interest and is a well written book.
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller is an "end of the world" type story. ( seems like there are lots of those around these days). The main character in the book is Hig a young man living with his old dog, Jasper on an airport in the prairie close to the Colorado mountains. Most people have died due to a virus epidemic and those left are barbaric and will try to take anything they want or steal it or kill to get it. Hig and his crusty, unsociable neighbor Bangley , an expert on all kinds of guns and defense have carved out a home for themselves but spend most of the time defending it. Hig with Jasper have one relief, they fly out in his old 58 Cessna and all the time Hig is looking for something better. This is especially true when old Jasper dies and Hig goes off to see if he can find better company and a life than he presently has.
It is written in a very strange style. Short clipped sentences and most peculiar punctuation but once you get into the flow of reading it keeps you interested right up to the very end.The part where old Jasper dies is especially touching.
The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Epstein is a historical novel set in America and Japan in time before, during and shortly after World War II.
It tells the story of a group of people from both countries and the way the war influenced and basically destroyed their lives. It is sometimes hard to read as the details of the war, especially the firebombing of Tokyo are well described . It made me realize just how little I know about those times but also gives you the realization that basically all people want the same out of life-love and happiness wherever they live. A gripping story.
