Thursday 31 July 2014

The Vengeance Squad by Sidney W. Frost




The Vengeance Squad by Sidney W. Frost

When Chris McCowan's fiancée, 24-year-old Sarah Eason, is killed during a bizarre robbery near Austin, Texas, an unlikely trio teams up to find those responsible for her death. The trio, Chris, a 31-year-old computer science professor, Percy "Tex" Thompson, a 40-year-old wheelchair bound ex-con student of Chris', and 65-year-old head librarian Liz Siedo, pool their talents to find the criminals after local law enforcement agencies have given up.

Chris wants an eye for an eye even if it means giving up God and the church where he and Sarah were to be married. He sets out to learn the tricks of the trade from his ex-con student, all while continuing to teach and coming to terms with his grief. Angela, who claims to be an FBI agent, joins the Vengeance Squad to help the three find the killers.

The Guru's Review:

I had this book on my To Be Read shelf since April 2012. It was only earlier this year when the sequel, The Vengeance Squad Goes To England, became free on Amazon, that I felt it was about time I read this first one. Then, a few months later, the author discovered my blog and contacted me requesting me to review these two books. 

It was the cover that drew me to investigate what this book was about. The man in the wheelchair. I had not read a book with a character in a wheelchair and with my wife suddenly in a wheelchair herself due to a chronic disease, my interest was doubly piqued. I was intrigued how someone with a disability was going to be able to avoid the danger of finding these killers. At the end of the novel Frost more than satisfied my curiosity in this area. I am not a great fan of murder mysteries, but this plot was different to others whose blurbs I had read and I have been very pleasantly surprised. 

This is one very easy read and very entertaining. Frost says this about his novels, 
I would hope that readers would walk away with a feeling of joy in having read my books. After all, the main goal is entertainment. If some other meaning comes through, it is often unintended.
Having said that, there is also a message of dealing with grief and learning to trust God in such circumstances. From an interview involving this author, I discovered that Frost had experienced the loss of his wife to cancer. Frost says of this, 
My second novel, The Vengeance Squad, is about grieving. It was written after my wife died from pancreatic cancer. I experienced the same feelings the fictional character did when his fiancé was murdered during a robbery. Or, should I say he experienced my feelings.
I admire Frost for this, as it really does add credibility to this part of the plot. This would be the take home message in this novel and I pray that any reader who has had or having trouble dealing with grief will find comfort and hope that God is still with them and is there to comfort and restore them and be a stronger, wiser and better person for allowing them to come to terms and be healed from the tragedy of losing a loved one and become more like Him in the process. I must confess, I can identify with Chris' reactions having lost a loved one many years ago and I can say from this that Frost has dealt with this topic very well in this novel. 

From reading about Frost from another interview, I found it interesting Frosts' journey becoming an author resulting in his first book, Where Love Once Lived. I have not read this one yet, but reading The Vengeance Squad, I can see that the end result of his journey is one well written and constructed novel and he showcases his talent and creativity well as a new author. Just goes to show that it is never too late to follow one's dreams once God gets hold of it and it is left in His control. I encourage any reader to read this interview; it gives a good insight into this author and knowing some of any author's background enhances the reader's experience and appreciation of their novels.

Frost has created some very relational characters, from the lovable, grandmother type in Liz Siedo, head librarian, from the street smart ex-con, Percy "Tex" Thompson, to the tough and mysterious Angela, who claims to be an  FBI agent. Rather an eclectic group, but who work well together in searching for Sarah's killers. Each has different and diverse talents or occupational expertise that when combined, are very successful in not only finding the killers, but thwarting their end game to kill the POTUS. While their methods are not depicted as action packed or fast paced with unseen twists and turns that you expect from more involved and complex plot structure, the methods used by The Vengeance Squad reflect their individual expertise and fits in very well with the general pace and flavour of this novel with its sub-plots of Chris' grief and Tex's continued quest to better himself from his past and his estrangement from his parents. 

became very fond of all of these characters. Liz makes me laugh the way she wants to hug everyone whether they want it, need it or expect it. Tex is very enthusiastic about using his talents and darker side of his life experience on the streets as an ex-con to educate Chris and prepare him to avenge the death of Sarah. Angela adds an element of mystery while offering the Squad her expertise, but not confirming which side she is on or whether she is an FBI agent, but proves to be one very tough and reliable Squad member and invaluable to them at the end. And speaking of the end, there is evidence of an attraction between Chris and Angela and I rejoiced here as this showed that Chris was coming to terms with his grief and learning to live again.

I also loved the element of the supernatural with the visit of an angel in the guise of a prison chaplain that provided Chris with just what he needed to be reconciled to God and to get his grief in the correct perspective, so he could "let go and let God" to quote familiar Christian jargon. Although a very short account in this novel, it was very effective in adding a touch of tenderness to Chris realising his need for God and that he had been wrong in blaming God for Sarah's demise and abandoning his faith. From this point on, the novel is strengthened with Chris' newly restored relationship and forms a pivotal point in the action and pace of the novel increasing until the very satisfying end where all the loose ends are wrapped up, but with an obvious tie in to the sequel.

I
 am glad I discovered this novel and author Sidney W. Frost. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Vengeance Squad Goes To England. I have decided also to read his other two novels, and I very rarely read in the romance genre, Christian based or otherwise, but if I let the influence of the reviews from these two novels have their affect, I am in for a treat!

Highly Recommended


Sunday 27 July 2014

Mystic's Mayhem (Chadesh Chronicles Book 2) by David G Johnson



Mystic's Mayhem (Chadesh Chronicles Book 2) 

"The Blue Mystic is on the loose and the heroes are on the lam."

As angelic powers continue their celestial struggle for control of Chadash, the unlikely heroes have broken the blockade of Dragon Pass, only to find themselves fugitives and falsely accused of assault against the Cyrian royal family. Their investigations have discovered that a powerful magician called The Blue Mystic was the mastermind behind the blockade. Still remaining is the mystery of the Blue Mystic's identity and reasons for jeopardizing the peace between Parynland and Cyria. As the elusive Mystic remains determined to cause conflict in the region, the heroes must unmask the villain and see the enigmatic mage brought to justice while clearing their own names. Come along as the heroes seek to untangle the web of intrigue in Chadash Chronicles Book Two: Mystic's Mayhem.

The Guru's Review: 

After reading other reviews of this book, I agree with those who state that readers of Book 1, Fools Errand, need to have Book 2 to immediately read once they have finished Book 1. Fool's Errand leaves you hanging off the proverbial cliff. I immediately started Mystic's Mayhem as I desperately needed to have this saga continue to see what was going to happen next and loose ends tied up. Johnson does not disappoint here as the beginning of this second book is an immediate continuation from the first, and the transition is very smooth. 

Once this happens, the feeling is that it is so good to be back with the heroes of Dragons Pass, as they are called, and in their world. Feels like coming home. In this instalment, the plot is further developed and so are the all familiar characters; even the new ones. The pace is the same as in the first book and in places a bit faster. I would say that this second book is better than the first and it is great to see that this does not suffer from the traditional reputation that some second books have in that they are not as good as or better than the first and then let the first book down, and having read two novels and one short story of Johnson's, I cannot see that he could do that. His standard is very consistent in all his writing from character development, plot structure and pace. And that standard is a very high one and one that he does not have any trouble delivering. 

Part of this standard is to be thorough. Johnson is very comprehensive in all the elements and structure of his novels. He includes background information to his characters, their language, race, culture, spirituality, doctrines and beliefs, the same for the different geographical areas of Ya-Erets. This provision occurs as the scene or event happens or when something is specifically mentioned about a character, so you are in the know straight away. The result is a richness and depth to all these elements and the reader becomes endeared to the characters either affectionately or with disdain. Read the reviews on Amazon and you will see my point here, those mentioned are Melizar and Thatcher being well liked, and respect and admiration for Gideon. One does not need to go through 2 novels to get to this stage where the reader falls in either camp for the characters. The same happens in this novel with the introduction of new characters. In some other novels, the same timing of this information ends up being a distraction and disjointedness to the plot and pace and annoys the reader immensely, but in both the Chronicles, this actually unites the characters and plot while adding to the aforementioned depth and richness of the created world Johnson so masterfully creates. 

I loved this novel so much, I had trouble returning to the reality of life. When I sent David a message saying that I had this review half finished he was eager to know what I thought. I stated, 
I am in withdrawal now as I have to accept that I have to come back to the real world. I was so happy and at peace in the world of Chadash and Ya-Erets! You have to get Book 3 completed!
There are many reasons to why this was for me. Overall, I believe it is the richness and depth I have already mentioned. Next, it is those characters that are believers in the One Lord, they are all relational, they have depth, they have integrity, and as Johnson says, 
The believers in the story are not some ideal, story book impossibly perfect cardboard cutouts. They have flaws, they have prejudices, they have times when their words are grounded in the flesh rather than in the Spirit, but overall, their heart is in the right place, and when they are reminded of what they should be or where they have fallen short, the response is a humble heart and a repentant spirit, which should be the earmarks of a follower of Christ. 
Even some of other characters who follow the Ayabim, have many redeemable features. Good examples here (and there are more) are Thatcher, Melizar, Arreya, Jeslyn, and it is very easy to find yourself liking these characters despite knowing they worship the demonic angelic powers while others on this same side, such as those who are in cohorts with the Blue Mystic, are definitely not for any redeemable future, at least not any that is in shown in this instalment and of course, the reader finds they have a disdain, contempt and dislike for them and the evilness they exude and exact on the other characters especially the Heroes of Dragon's Pass.  

Sunday 20 July 2014

The Incubus and The Succubus by Len Du Randt


Reviews From December 2012 to Jan 2013



Something evil is brewing in the small town of Kelwick. Something malevolent stirs in the shadows.When Justin and Rebecca Greene fall pregnant; strange things begin to happen around the apartment. Subtle at first, the ghostly occurrences soon escalate to the point where Justin is forced to question his wife's mental state of mind, and the future of their marriage.

Unknown to the couple, a powerful demon, an Incubus, is sent to separate them and lay claim to their unborn child. If it is successful, the consequences could seal the fate for millions of people around the world.

The Incubus is a novel about Spiritual Warfare and things that go bump in the night.

Review: 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The author writes well, his plot flows well, the spiritual warfare aspects are good.

My only concern is that the two main characters, Rebecca and Justin are not well developed enough and I did not connect with them much. However, the character of Simon is cast well, developed better than the main characters and I like and connected with him, before and after I discovered who he really is.

The author seems to reveal more why Justin does not follow God than he does in portraying Rebecca's faith in God. Not once, while under spiritual attack or influence by the demon in her house or from Dominic, does she pray, seek help from her pastor or other Christians. Even when she considers talking to her pastor, she decides not to as she feels he will think she is loosing her mind. As a Christian, I don't believe she would have allowed this thought to dictate her behaviour. I believe that it is wise to check these feelings out and these strange occurrences to prove if they are of demonic origin or existing in one's mind only and to accomplish this, would seek assistance from within Christian circles, either their church/pastor or other Christians they know. It was also a worry that despite Rebecca not doing this, the author did not include whether Rebecca attended a church or had any affiliation with a church or other Christians other than the pastor that was mentioned. Adding this to the story would have added more depth and adherence to the reality of spiritual warfare that exists in the real world as outlined in Ephesians 6:12.

Despite this, this novel does portray spiritual warfare, demons and their evil purposes well. It just falls short on the Christian response to this warfare. Yes, God does send His angels in whatever form in our physical world in the midst of our spiritual fight against them but in this story, the fight is solely between an angel and the demon with no spiritual input from the Rebecca, the only Christian mentioned in the novel and who, between her and her husband are the object of their fight.

I am not deliberately being critical of this author's work. This is a good story. I believe this author is on the right track. Hopefully, his future works concerning spiritual warfare will portray it like it really is. He has made one very good start with this and The Succubus, the sequel. I would like to think that I could write like this author; it is easy being a reader and reviewer, much more difficult being the author and creator of the written word!!

I will still follow this author. He has great potential. God is not finished with him as an author yet!!

Strongly Recommended



=======================================================




Jared Greene will either lead millions to Jesus Christ, or to their slaughter. That much is certain. The deciding factor, the element that will determine humanity's future, is free will.



In an attempt to influence his destiny, a powerful demon--a Succubus--is summoned to seduce Jared and manipulate his choices. He succumbs to the clutches of the demon, and while under her spell, Jared soon becomes enticed by the idea of having ultimate power.


As time runs out, Jared is forced to choose between good or evil, a decision that will seal the fates for millions of people around the world.


Review: 

This was much better than its predecessor, The Incubus. The author has definitely improved in all areas. However, in one sense, I would have liked more character development of the main character's girlfriend but looking back, it may seem strange to say this, but the girlfriend really was a minor character and maybe did not need much character development as the plot was mainly concerned with the attempt of The Succubus to manipulate and destroy everything in Jared's life to achieve her demonic aims. But if the author wanted to develop the plot further, the girlfriend and her relationship with Jared would be beneficial here and more of the effects of The Succubus on this relationship.

The author has also increased the spiritual activity of the Christian characters, namely Jared's parents compared to this not evident in The Incubus. This definitely adds more credibility to the plot and the reality of spiritual warfare.

One of the highlights for me was the spiritual battle towards the end of the novel and the meeting of Jared and Jesus. Very tenderly done and very respectful of the character of Jesus and His attributes. That will stick with me when I remember this novel. The ending was also very moving and a great testimony to God turning anything around for His glory despite our failings and shortcomings.

Strongly Recommended

Monday 7 July 2014

Fool's Errand (Chadash Chronicles Book 1) by David G Johnson

Fool's Errand (Chadash Chronicles Book 1)

"Welcome to Chadash; where the lives and adventures of mortals are the weapons wielded by angels in a war for the souls of men." What was to be a simple job for the unlikely team of a teenage thief, a holy warrior, a barbarian prince, a priest and an outcast necromancer soon transforms into a much greater adventure.  These mismatched heroes find themselves caught up in a struggle threatening three decades of peace. The fate of nations is inseparably intertwined with the fate of this motley band of adventurers.  Yet even greater forces are afoot as unbeknownst to the heroes they are pawns in a celestial struggle between two factions of angels on a new world the One Lord has created at the end of the universe.  Come along to the world of Chadash where angels struggle for the souls of men in The Chadash Chronicles Book One: Fool's Errand.

The Guru's Review: 

I am glad I did three things before getting into this novel, the first, reading the short story, Saga of the Everking, which is the prequel to this series, the second, being the Foreword by the author, and third, the Prologue. All are interconnected and for the serious Christian fantasy buff or Christian who can only read fantasy based on a Christian worldview, this prequel and series will be one of great pleasure and reward. Don't get the impression I am in the latter category entirely! I do like my reading to be from a Christian worldview and applaud any Christian author who bases their work on such, but I am always open to the poetic licence that a Christian author takes to expound a "What if...." scenario that adds missing info (and not deliberately omitted, I believe, by God) in a bible story, theme or account without detracting or misleading the reader from the truth of the Word or from who God is. 

Johnson has done great justice to himself and to this series by including his Foreword. This gives a valuable insight into him as an author and why this series exists. Reading this showed me this author has great depth in his imagination and a great passion to bridge the void between those who love fantasy and Bible-believing Christians, 
Often, I found, not only during my own spiritual journey but during my time the last several years as a Christian and a minister, that a chasm existed between these two groups. Often, fantasy fans are not Christians, and their encounters with Christians were generally judgemental and negative experiences. The love of the fantasy genre is often misunderstood or condemned  by mainstream Christianity without taking the time to understand it or to get to know the people who love it....
.......Whatever other success comes from this work, if it can serve as a bridge of understanding and outreach between those who love fantasy fiction and those who love Christ, then in my mind, the book will an overwhelming success. If even one person finds an encounter with God....if even one Christian takes an honest look at themself.....and it changes their view and drive and approach to outreach to others, then this work will have served its purpose. 
The entire Foreword impresses me greatly but, I was taken by what Johnson says about where his worldview comes from and he is more than qualified to state this,
While I certainly openly present this work from a Christian worldview and perspective, I also incorporate aspects of various encounters I have had both as an unbeliever on a spiritual journey and now as a Christian, whose life focuses on outreach. I hope in this series to present, through the believing characters in the book, a perspective and encounter for fantasy genre fans with what a Christian should be like toward to those who do not believe. This life-witness is as important, or should say even more important, than anything we can say about our faith to those who don not believe. The Bible tells us that our actions need to match our  words, and I hope to portray in this series that while Christians have their own flaws and failings, overall, the experience of encountering a Christian should be a positive one. 
When I read this, my initial thought was that Johnson has integrity and a deep faith, a man after God's own heart and this should be reflected in this series. It should therefore be one that has a solid structure, detailed characters, as well as a detailed mythology and spirituality. And reading this novel, it definitely has this and more. However, Johnson is aware of this depth and the effect it might have on readers who just want to be entertained only and gives the option that they don't have to get involved with this if they don't want to, 
Should you choose not to engage with the particularly Christian back story upon which the fantasy-world setting rests, then skipping the prologue and moving straight into the story will not result in you losing any of the enjoyment or understanding of the overall storyline.
After reading this, I totally agree with him, and this shows how carefully constructed his novel is. If you wish to get the most  out of this novel, then you will need to pay attention to all the details in the prologue, and also while reading the rest of the details described about the characters, who they are, where they fit in with the different races and the relationship between these, their culture and how this ties back into the background outlined in the prologue. I found the Glossary/Table of Names at the back of the book invaluable and I bookmarked these pages in my Kindle for easy access. I also highlighted some passages that gave background to characters, events and physical locations to increase my understanding of this fantasy world. While this may sound like a distraction or detraction from the plot and its continuity, those readers who find all these details and depth of characters, plot, mythology and spirituality essential to fully appreciating a fantasy world of this depth and character and all it has to offer and the richness of the author's imagination will be in their element and very well rewarded. I found this to be true and worth all the highlighting and annotating I saved to my e-reader. 

I was very impressed with the Prologue. Reading this, I was stunned at the depth of imagination, detail and the imagery that Johnson has created. It is a very believable world you are transported to. It is a great piece of writing and could almost be a short story in itself. It makes a great backdrop that the rest of the novel is plotted against and is the backbone of the rest of the Chronicles. This is based on the rebellion of satan and his fallen angels against God and the challenge that God gives Mutazz, and Azadriel, both fallen angels, the former who is defiant and unrepentant in his rebellion against God and the latter who is repentant and desires to be forgiven and restored to his former relationship with God, 
Mutazz, if you and your forces, espousing greed, lust, hatred, and rebellion prove to be more alluring than the forces of good, then I will allow you nine to escape the Lake of Fire. You and your Malakim followers instead will live out your eternity in exile in the darkness of the Pit, cut off from Me forever. Mutazz will take over as ruler of the Pit as Abaddon is cast into the Lake of Fire.
Azadriel, if you and the other repentant ones truly show that your hearts have turned and remember the virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control and can use these alone to win the hearts of men and then not take their allegiance to yourselves but point them only to Me, then you will have shown the fruits of your repentance. If you remain fiathful but do not gather the majority of souls to me from the world of Chadash, you will be spared the Lake of Fire but will join Mutazz and the others in exile. Should you prove the superiority of goodness over evil and stay faithful while bringing the majority of men and the children of men of Chadash to Me, then your transgression will be forgiven, and you shall be restored to my service in heaven.  
You will each be given a created race without souls to govern and serve you on Chadash You have one week to bring to me the characteristics you would desire in your races. I will create the race of men. Men will be cross-fertile with each other of your races so that there is hope for the offspring of your races to be found through the union with men. Men and the sons and daughters of men both purebloods and half bloods will have freedom of will, and they will be given souls. It is for their souls that you will contend. You will each have greater powers than I have allowed you to wield on earth in order to carry out your struggle.  
It is against this that the rest of the novel unfolds. The characters are rich, believable, relational, three dimensional, and you find yourself stacking your chips against certain characters on both sides, those of races governed by Azadriel and his Malakim (Messengers) and those governed by Mutazz and his Ayabim (hostile ones). This novel has the richness and depth similar to the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit saga and this is another of its strengths. Johnson has included the background to the characters, their motivation for the attitude and behaviour and if necessary where this is part of the culture of their race.  I have not read many fantasies but this is the only one with such diverse creatures and who are of mixed breeds but when one reads the Glossary/Table of Names, one discovers why this is so and it is tied into the challenge that God has given Azadriel and Mutazz. To me this is another area where this novel is well constructed and has great depth. 

The two maps of Ya-Erets is another invaluable source while reading this novel and picturing the world that Johnson has created and also tracking the progress of group as progress in the various stages of their mission. Maps like this are essential in most fantasies, this being no exception. 

One last part of my review is to mention the Afterword. Here Johnson shows more of his motive for writing this series, 
For Christians, there are deeper elements of understanding Hebrew tradition, culture and language that can be gleaned from withing the story just as one might learn some truth about the French Revolution from reading a Tale of Two Cities. There is also, hopefully, modeled in the pages examples of Christian character by on of the protagonistes, Gideon, who hopefully exempliflies a human, flawed but deeply faithful Christian. I did not wish to write this character as flawless, but as a model of what a biblical Christian could be in hopes that believing readers may look to see more of themselves and how they interact with others within the personality of Gideon. 
Having traversed through the land of Ya-Erets on this mission with Gideon and Co, I believe Johnson has achieved this. I loved Gideon and could identity with his Christian character, attitude and behaviour. 

The rest of the Afterword is targeted at the secular reader, the main thrust is his testimony and how he went from a very successful career man and one very wealthy one to a man of faith fully realising his sin and need for a Saviour. I believe this testimony is written with a heart felt passion for those who are still where he was and his love for them, 
Know that I love and respect my readers whatever your worldview, and will always do my best to write stories that are interesting, enjoyable and not "preachy". In the Afterword, however, I feel the Lord has laid upon my heart to share my testimony of how I came to faith and to share the plan of salvation for any readers who may feel God has prepared your heart and drawn you to seek a deeper understanding of who He is and what faith in Him looks like. 
There is so much in this novel and in the fantasy world Johnson has created. It is very comprehensive, born of an inspired imagination and creativity gifted to him by his Creator and what a joy to read such and see him honour his Lord in these Chronicles.

I am glad Johnson contacted me with his request to review this novel. I have been very blessed, challenged and encouraged in my walk with God by reading this novel. I thank David Johnson for this. 


Highly Recommended. 

Saturday 5 July 2014

The Rise of Yorgensen (Silent Screamers, Book 3) by Dante Fortson

The Rise of Yorgensen (Silent Screamers Book 3)

Now that the alien invaders have disclosed their existence to the entire world on national TV, Yorgensen, a spiritual guru to the stars is attempting to put a positive spin on their arrival. As the world becomes infatuated with the fact that “we are not alone” in the universe, they began to hand over control of the entire planet to the Galactic Federation of Light. Millions of Fae wait for orders to march through the streets and enforce Yorgensen’s new Peace Plan. 


Unfortunately for the invaders, David and his crew aren’t ready to give up their guns or the fight just yet. As the invaders push forward with their plan to disarm the planet, David must decide if he’s going to sit back and watch it happen, or if he’s going to make a decision that could have global consequences. No matter how it turns out, things will never be the same again. 


The Guru"s Review: 


Dante Fortson again succeeds in developing this series, with the same "cannot put down" pace and suspense that is found in the previous 2 books. Despite the short length of these episodes, Fortson successfully drops you in the plot and you hit the road running. Despite the dire circumstances that exist in the post-invasion environment, I find that I am enjoying being there as the characters are very relational, the aliens even have a personality and there is the strength of the human spirit very much alive in the main characters as they struggle against all odds with their new found faith in some cases. 


The story line progresses and the influence and power of the Aliens over the affairs of man become more entrenched and this is aided by the emergence and influence of William Yorgensen, a New Age guru and spiritual advisor to many of the world's leaders. He achieves world peace but David and his company do not trust this man and even consider that he may be a hybrid. They formulate their most daring plan yet, to assassinate him. Ziek even believes that he is the Anti-Christ and therefore must be done away with! This part of the plot leaves the reader hanging on the end of their seat and leaves us waiting very impatiently for Book 4, which starts the next phase of this series: Saga II: Helel, and it will provide a deeper look into the origin of the invasion that took place during the David Saga (Books 1-3). 

If there is one thing that I love about this series is how effectively Fortson includes his research into the plot. There is not whole chunks of it as it is written, say, from his non-fiction books on the subject (As The Days of Noah Were: The Sons of God and The Coming Apocalypse and Beyond Flesh and Blood: The Ultimate Guide To Angels and Demons) but it is integrated as part of the plot and this is a very effective way of educating the reader and getting this author's point across. As Christians, we are instructed to wield the Word of God correctly and responsibility and Fortson does this well in this series and it would not just entertain a non-Christian but also, I believe get them thinking about these themes, especially if this person was to then investigate the aforementioned non-fiction books.

I would highly recommend the aforementioned books, especially if you wanted to read more into the background of this series and see where this author is coming from and to also see why he has written this series. On the website for this Silent Screamers series, Fortson has included many background snippets to the characters and plot, one such is David's Journal, and I would highly recommend that every reader investigate and read all these extra resources on the site. It is very effective in adding more depth to the characters, their background, and how this strengthens the plot and the overall effect on this series. David's Journal also helps you relate to David better and gets you on his side and that of his family and supporting characters. 

Fortson strongly encourages every reader to submit a review on Amazon. I also reinforce this. Doesn't have to be long, just a paragraph or two if you are not good at review writing. This helps him get this series more widely known and also it means that if he gets 10 reviews then he is willing to publish more of the novellas for free. And doesn't everyone love a free novel when we are enjoying the author's work immensely? 

Don't pass up on this series, even if you don't believe in the research by Fortson and the Biblical/Christian elements herein, it is a great escapist story and will keep you wanting to see what happens next. On a basic level, that is all the author wants to do, entertain and take the reader to a place we they allow the author to take them. This series does that and more! 

Highly Recommended.