I reviewed this novel on 19/06/19 in another blog, now defunct.
The Final Stage
The Credit Chip revealing new and exciting freedoms daily, the president’s plan has come to fruition. As of January 1st, 2023, the Credit Chip will be the only form of currency accepted. As the deadline approaches, those who refuse the Chip are in danger of losing everything they have. Many believe it to be the mark of the beast warned about in the book of Revelation. Receive the Chip and be welcomed back into society; refuse and be left to the terrible things waiting in The Holding Zones. Resist at all cost! The cost though may very well be your life…
Perspective by Peter:
This is the long-awaited finale to this trilogy. Book 2, Better Things Ahead, finished on a cliff hanger and quite a dramatic one at that!
In this finale, Allen takes all the plot lines for the previous 2 and brings them together in a fast paced and dramatic conclusion.
In Better Things Ahead, Allen had set the stage for the deadline of accepting the Credit Chip and that readers would not know what this would mean until this final novel. I must confess that this build up did leave me anxious and wondering what this is going to be like in real life. Granted, Allen's depiction is only one interpretation as there are many out there both from Christian and non-Christian circles, but nonetheless, Allen has depicted through various characters both Christian and not, the reactions and even the preparation for the end of cash and the control of everyone through this Chip. This latter is promoted as freeing the population from their financial burdens and thus offering them a better life all round, no poverty, no individual wealth, no-one better off than the other and everything available to everyone.
However, like all things, even in the Christian life, there is a price to pay. In Christianity, we know up front what that price is, and it is one to live and die for with eternal rewards and restored relationship with Christ, but in a society that has rejected God until death, it is based on lies, manipulation, deception and eternal damnation. Allen depicts this through the demon-possessed POTUS who while promoting the Chip as mankind's saviour and him as well, he (or rather the demons behind it all) are based it solely on these nefarious means that date back to Satan's rebellion against God and Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden.
While Allen expands on all this in the novel, the suspense and thrilling aspects build and keep you riveted to reading. If any reader expected the Christian characters to be just doing nothing and feeling helpless, Allen has rightly pathed the way for them to be living out there faith and allowing the Spirit to move in their lives, getting them ready for the persecution to come, even to death upon them rejecting the Chip.
And in this, Allen shows the Spirit is more pronounced in their lives, especially in regards to Ken, Willow, Lily, Pastor John and son, John Jr, and Deb. In all these characters, the testing of their resolve resulted in them living out their faith and learning to trust and rely on God as the deadline for the Chip gets closer and especially when they are captured and sent to the Holding Zones. Allen depicts these characters experiencing the audible voice of the Spirit instructing them what to do or offering words of encouragement and reassurance.
It is this and their faith that sees them to the end. Just when you perceive they will all be tortured, the Spirit has other plans and they are delivered. I must confess, the depiction of a fellow Christian being burnt to death was graphic enough without it being too distressing. It showed the callousness, hardening of heart, totally uncaring of human life all for the sake of the cause those who have given themselves over to the deception of the demonic forces and their agenda to rid humanity of the final obstacle before Satan and his minions totally enslave and destroy spiritually the remaining human race.
It was powerful how Allen had shown Lily being used by the Spirit at the end to show the power of the Living God. Allen has depicted this showing that Lily would not have been able to stand up to the POTUS and the trap he set her, in her own strength, but only with the Spirit guiding her and her being in obedience to Him. How total was the possession of the POTUS by this evil spirit that despite the outcome of this confrontation being from God, the POTUS still exhibited its denial, deception and manipulation of the event being from "the Christian God" and the POTUS deceiving the world that it is an example of the enlightenment of their age and freedom of everything spiritually oppressive, namely the Christian God, the God of the Bible. And it is this ending that leaves you feeling satisfied but with something powerful to consider once you close the novel: is it worth being deceived and manipulated into a Christless eternity when God has given everyone an opportunity to be free from this spiritual bondage and separation from Him?
Allen has in all three novels showed the spiritual aspects of healing that is a consequence of demonic bondage and as I have stated above there is always a price. While healing by God leads to permanency and a witness to Who He is, healing by demonic forces leads to bondage and the healing is not permanent. This is just another example of how Satan imitates those features of who God to lead humanity away from Him and mock Him in the process, this being part of his sin and rebellion against God. Now, I am uncertain if this depiction by Allen is an actual practice (as outlined in Book 2 with Margaret and the healing of animals then her experimentation on humans through Ben) but this would not surprise me.
In my review of Better Things Ahead, I stated my concern about Ken's promiscuity after accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour,
Getting back to Ken in his flawed state, I was a little concerned as to why Allen had depicted him falling so easily into sexual sin when he seemed to be seeking God and even recognised Him as Lord and Saviour. I spoke to the author about this, as I could see that this could be a stumbling block for both Christian and non-Christian readers. Allen replied,
Even though he is technically saved, I tried to convey that it was more done out of obligation. His whole arc, along with Willow’s, is finding a point of entrance with Jesus. In many ways he was trying to return to the Ken before he came to Christ. I appreciate you pointing that out for me. I like writing characters that are flawed and I’ll keep that in mind when finishing off the series.
His spiritual growth has only just started……Do you think Ken’s situation, having lost three people pretty suddenly, will help readers understand his distraction with Katy? (into sexual sin?)
I also have found that we don’t always ask for forgiveness until convicted by the Holy Spirit. I will definitely address this in part three. The pacing didn’t really allow for it in book 2 (Better Things Ahead), considering how much information comes to light in Ken’s final part.
I can honestly say that Allen has shown Ken realising his sin and when he finally commits to Jesus and accepts Him for who He is and becomes truly born again, does he repent of his promiscuity and take a stand for Jesus. As Allen stated above, his spiritual growth had started but becoming a new creature in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) in this novel meant that he saw what was ahead of him if he followed the deception of President Pummel. This leads him to see Jesus for who He is and freedom and restoration were to be found in Him. I appreciated the situation that Allen depicted Ken in, sexual temptation leading to sexual sin. This can be a stronghold that can be difficult to deal with in reality, but when a Christian is totally obedient to the Spirit and repents of this sin, victory can be theirs due to what Jesus achieved on the Cross, victory over sin and death.
On a positive ending note, the short story at the end of this novel called, IRON, gives a thought-provoking account of why Satan rebelled against God as seen through the eyes of the angel Steven who rebelled with him and who is one of the fallen angels in this novel.
The Final Stage is a fitting and satisfying end to this trilogy. I am happy to leave this as it is, however, I can see where Allen could have a few spin-off novels or novellas to show what did happen after this ending if he wanted to. I would be happy with this but it is satisfying as it is.
Now, Nate Allen, what is next for us to be blessed with?
Highly Recommended.
The three ratings below are based on my discernment:
World Building 5/5
Characters 5/5
Story 5/5
Spiritual Level 5/5
Enemy Spiritual Level 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Spiritually, based on my review and on the aforementioned reference booklet, A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland (Radiqx Press) and that The Final Stage contains elements of the criteria of what constitutes Christian Spirit-Filled Fiction outlined in this booklet, (click on the title below to see what this is based on), I bestow to Nate Allen the
Congratulations, Nate!
To preview or buy The Final Stage, Book 3, click on the image below or The Faceless Future Trilogy can be bought in one volume:
Readers and reviews are an author’s best asset, so I encourage any reader, to consider reading The Faceless Future Trilogy and submit a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (or any other social media you subscribe to).
Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.
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