War Torn by Jeffrey Wilson

War Torn

Based on personal experiences by the Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 bestselling military thriller author Jeffrey Wilson, War Torn is an inspirational novel that details a young man's crisis of faith after a tour of combat duty in Afghanistan turns tragic.

Jake is a solid American, a young husband, a good friend, and a patriotic member of the National Guard. While his family and Christian values define who he is, he has never fully understood the passion for the faith that his wife, Rachel, and his best friend and fellow soldier, Cal, seem to share. But when Jake and Cal are deployed with their unit to Afghanistan, Jake depends heavily on the quiet but powerful faith of his best friend and embraces, finally, a relationship with God. Despite the horrors he experiences in war and the pain of his separation from Rachel, Jake has found his way for the first time—until a crippling loss shakes his newfound faith to the core and makes him question where God is in his struggles, or if God even exists at all.

Can a loving wife’s faith carry a broken man through the most difficult challenge of his life? Can a committed pastor put his own struggles and doubts aside to help heal a wounded marriage? Like so many combat veterans, Jake must find his way back to his family even after returning from Afghanistan, and learn to find God in the fog of war that follows him home.

The Guru's Review: 

I volunteered to review this new novel by Jeffrey Wilson and I am very glad I did. It is a very impressive novel, compelling and engrossing. Wilson has brought to life convincingly the reality of war, combat and strategy, the relationships between the soldiers of the unit. Very real are the emotions they go through on the day to day on either a raid or a show of force patrol. But where Wilson shines is showing the raw emotions they experience when one is injured or more importantly when one of them is killed. 

I was distraught when Pete could not come to terms with the death of one of his comrades and the emotions he expressed, raw and intense. You find yourself relating to these emotions but also with empathy and compassion. Then you relate to the attempts of Jake as he tries valiantly, but honestly, in answering the questions that Pete has in relation to this death, why it happened, how do you process this, how do you move on, how do you deal with all these emotions and more. I appreciated the fact that Jake could not help Pete at all and this was just as raw for him as it was for Pete not being able to deal with the reality of war.

And it only gets worse when Cal is killed and Jake's world is turned upside down and he feels he has reached a point of no return. I was on the train when I read all of this novel and it was hard to maintain control when I just wanted to let my emotions go as these characters did. Very hard to not cry on public transport when these emotions have been triggered! 

Wilson is very successful in integrating his experience in the military and his tours of duty into this novel. It forms a solid foundation upon which this novel is constructed and adds to the credibility of the plot, characters and its themes. His bio states that he, 

has at one time worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a jet pilot, a diving instructor, a Naval Officer, and a Vascular and Trauma Surgeon. He also served two tours in Iraq as a combat surgeon with both the Marines and with a Joint Special Operations Task Force.

Such a narrative is best when an author writes what they know compared to applying the research of an unknown topic or element into a novel. The latter is only successful in how it is applied to the plot, but this is not an issue when the author has first-hand experience. The genre of the military, special ops and the like shine when an author is writing from this personal knowledge base. Wilson is one of the masters here. I have no problem reading any of his other novels based on this fact alone. I know I am going to be in for a wild ride and be thoroughly entertained. 

Wilson has structured this novel on two levels. The home front where the wives, Kelly and Rachel, respectively, of the two main characters, Cal and Jake, cope with having their husbands on tour of duty and all that this entails. It is here that Wilson develops these two characters and endears the reader to them and their empathy for what they are going through is engaged. The second level, the war front, has the typical depiction of what this is like for these soldiers. Again, Wilson develops the characters, mainly Jake and Cal so that the reader is engaged and committed to them so that when both these two levels meet in the second half, this novel takes off. The former level sets the stage for what happens when Cal is killed and Jake returns home, broken, affected by PTSD and with no end in sight of the nightmare he has experienced. It is here that the fallout from the events of the other soldiers being killed, but especially that of Cal's death is explored in all its rawness, intensity, by Rachel, Kelly, Jake, their family members, Pastors Craig and Chris, TC Morrow, and Adrian.

Wilson shines in the spiritual aspects of this novel. He shows no hesitation or reticence in depicting Cal as living out his faith and it shows in all aspects of his life and relationships. This is one Christian who is not afraid of the gospel of Christ and in proclaiming it. But this is not done in some super-spiritual way where Christians and non-Christians have experienced these super-spiritual, overly zealous Christians where you cannot relate to them. Wilson has depicted Cal as one who knows what his relationship with Jesus is; relational, sincere, practical and where his hope lies. It is this tangible evidence in his life, that draws Jake to Cal and where he accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And one other aspect of this relationship Cal has with Jesus is he is not afraid to be real, to show emotion, doubt, but to submit to Jesus and let Him be in control and Sovereign.

Similarly, Wilson has depicted other Christian characters in a similar fashion. I loved Pastor Craig. I loved his vulnerability and admission that he did not have all the answers to help Jake, but it was his humility that grabbed me. He did not suffer from pride or an expectation that as a Pastor he had to know how to handle all situations, especially PTSD and what Jake was going through. This humility was also shown in his accepting counsel from his assistant Pastor, Chris. These two had a Paul and Barnabas relationship on one hand and a Paul and Timothy on the other. These two understood each other, accepted each other's flaw and strengths, were very comfortable with each other. 

I know Wilson has modelled Craig on his own Pastor as he states in the Acknowledgements. He seems to have quite a Shepherd in this Pastor and I can see from this depiction of Craig and also of Pastor Chris what a positive effect this has had on Wilson's life and spirituality and relationship with Christ. I have said in many reviews, that the Christian, Biblical and spiritual elements of a novel can also give a glimpse of the relationship the author has with Christ. I can see this through the characters of Pastor's Chris and Craig, Adrian, and Cal. I know what to expect if I ever met this author and others. This transparency is a wonderful characteristic and evidence of the Spirit's work in this author's life. 

Christian fiction is often criticised for being preachy in the gospel message, or for including the actual prayer from the Christian characters. Sometimes, I find this to be unfounded while at other times, it can stand out from the plot and appear as if it has been added for Christian content only or not an essential part of the plot. Not so with this novel. Wilson has avoided this by integrating the gospel message and the themes of forgiveness, redemption, submission, hope in Christ, the question of death, killing and grief as part of the plot structure and character development. It is more giving counsel than so-called "preaching" in dealing with the very real but raw emotions experienced by Jake over Cal's death, his guilt, anger, his PTSD, and the issues Rachel and Kelly had to deal with over their grief of Cal's death and Rachel's affected husband. This novel would fall flat and be very unsatisfying without the integration of these elements. Wilson has also been upfront with adding the biblical reference to these themes and accounts of counsel. Three specific accounts that impressed me greatly were the instruction and counsel from Cal to Jake about killing, Romans 8 between Kelly and Rachel but the one that really impacted me was the account when Craig was ministering to Jake about the Power of the Cross and what Jesus' death meant to us all in any situation we are in, in this case, PTSD, loss of a loved one/spouse/friend/soldier and discovering who you are in Christ. All three examples very powerful messages on their own but work seamlessly together. They definitely show the power of the Word of God. I found all these examples beautifully executed by Wilson. 

Wilson's method here just reinforces the tenet that we learn better when information in all its forms is delivered in an entertaining way. Fiction is well placed to do this and is very successful. Christian fiction fits in very well here. You do not feel as if you are being preached at when authors like Wilson integrate into the structure of the plot and its themes. It also adds depth and strength to the novel's structure. I state in the "Why Christian Fiction?" tab of this blog from reading Christian fiction I like to experience that, 

• it has entertained me immensely, 
• it has encouraged my walk with God, 
• it has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not lead a non-believer astray or promote false doctrine, 
• it honours God, 
• it does not encourage worship of the created (eg angels) instead of the Creator (God). 

Wilson has definitely achieved this for me. Fiction can be a very powerful platform when an author writes for God under His guidance/anointing. 

Another aspect of the spiritual in this novel is a touch of the supernatural. Both Rachel and Jake have dreams where they are visited by a messenger called Luke. It is very identifiable that this messenger is an angel (Mal'ak (also spelt as Malak or Melek and is the Semitic word for "angel" Hebrew מַלְאָךְ and means messenger). He tells each of them what they need to do and a heads up on what to expect when Jake comes home. In Jake's case, he has an opposing voice to what Luke says and at first, I wondered if it was demonic, but as this was not as obvious as who Luke is, it seems to be the negative talk from his brokenness, anger, guilt, shame. However, when Jake is care-fronted by Adrian and Craig with the Word of God and their counsel based on this, it is easy to see this negative but destructive self-talk is destroyed (excuse the play on words here!). Even Rachel is ashamed or embarrassed to discuss her dream and counsel from Luke with Pastor Craig.

It does make me wonder why Christians are so reticent to accept the supernatural in our lives even when it becomes obvious! It should go hand in hand with our conversion and experience of Jesus. I would have liked to have seen more of this supernatural element in this novel but it served its purpose.

This novel highlighted the need for more support by the government in reality to support veterans. I honestly do not know if the situation here in Australia is the same or similar to what you see in America, but I am shocked at the lack of care and support on every level of society for veterans! There needs to be more resources created, distributed and any existing ones expanded and improved to meet the needs of the armed forces members once they return home. It should also be for life as their needs are not temporary in the majority of cases. 

Wilson has tied up all the loose ends well by the end of the novel and while it has a happy and satisfying ending, how it does end and what Jake, Rachel, Kelly, Craig and Chris achieve in their lives, physically, mentally and emotionally is not just for the novel's ending but is what can be achieved by faith, by mentoring, by coming alongside those who are broken, despairing and at the end of themselves, by allowing the Spirit of God to minister through any willing Christian and in the broken who has a heart and mind that is receptive to the Spirit's healing. 

This is one very impressive novel. It is action packed, it hooks you and does not let go. It will tug at your emotions, it uplifts you and shows the power of the Cross and Jesus' victory over sin and death and His restorative and redemptive power. 

I look forward to more from this author. Jeffrey Wilson is one author to follow are support. 

Highly Recommended.

The three ratings below are based on my discernment:

World Building 5/5

Characters 5/5

Story 5/5

The two classifications below are based on the booklet, A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland:

Spiritual Level 4/5

Enemy Spiritual Level 3/5

Overall Rating: 4.3/5

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Spiritually, based on my review and on the following reference booklet,

A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland, and that War Torn contains elements of the criteria of what constitutes Christian Redemptive Fiction outlined in this booklet, (click on the title below to see what this is based on), I award Jeffrey Wilson with the

Reality Calling Christian Redemptive Fiction Award

 

Congratulations, Jeffrey!

To buy or preview this novel, click on the BUY/PREVIEW icon below:

Bruecke To Heaven: Children of the Light by Timothy Tron

I originally published this review on 09/05/14. I have read it again in preparation for the sequel, The Light in the Darkness, now released. On behalf of Reality Calling, I have bestowed upon Timothy a Spirit-filled Fiction Award as this novel now meets the criteria for Spirit-filled fiction as part of The Reality Calling Christian Fiction Awards. These were instigated since this review was published. The Award can be viewed at the end of this review. 

I appreciated this novel better the second time around.  

Again, it has challenged me to remain submitted to God in all things and to trust Him in the same. Reading this, I long to have more of the simple faith that Arktos, Jacob, and Jean Paul have just the way God intended. One of the lessons I have learned reading this novel and what maybe Tron wants readers to embrace is that this faith is attainable as we live out the Word of God in our lives and as we have a righteous relationship with God upon salvation, we have a bridge (bruecke) to Heaven. As John says in John 1:1, Jesus is the Word and therefore the Word is alive. 

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. (God's Word translation)

Not only is there power in the Blood of Christ, but there is power in the Word. Jakob showed this powerfully as he sang the Word of God with his gift from God and the power of the Spirit was very evident in signs and wonders in protecting Jakob and those in his company during physical and spiritual attack/warfare. I will not forget this novel. It holds a very special place in my heart and in my spiritual maturity.

I am looking forward to reading the sequel and being further spiritually uplifted, entertained, and challenged.

Below is my original review:

Bruecke to Heaven: Children of the Light

When two of Jesus' seventy disciples are sent into the wilderness, they find themselves in a remote Alpine valley delivering the Word of God to an ancient people. A miraculous event occurs and they realize they are not only to give them the Word but the abilities and gifts that go with it; one of which becomes memorization. Centuries later, when the people of the valley are asked to leave their homelands because of their known gift, their memorization of the entire Bible, a journey and adventure like none other begins. They quickly learn they had been imbued with more than just one ability, and soon, their bridge to Heaven becomes a race for their lives.

The Guru's Review:

I knew when I read the description of this book that I would be blessed and that this book is unique and special. This book has not let me down. I finished this speechless due to being in awe of everything related to it. Truly, this book is inspired by God and many times, I could feel His presence with me. I have had that with only a few books. I will never forget this book. It really does have a profound effect on how you see God and how you have experienced Him. It has made me want more of Him and a desire to increase my faith and always be in His will.

This is the first book I have read from Timothy Tron and it won't be the last if of course, he chooses to write more after the coming sequel, which is in the works at the moment. His writing style, command of the English language and imagination transport you to the 1100s AD, set in both the alpine area of France and also in Lyon. You are more than a spectator in this novel, you are there with all the characters as if you are part of the plot. I found it difficult coming back to reality every time I stopped reading. His characters are all very relational and three dimensional, well developed and believable whether they are protagonists or antagonists.

Tron has created some very admirable and loveable characters in the protagonists,  Arktos, elder of the Vaudois people, Jakob his grandson, Peter Waldo (real name Augustus Pizan but uses the name of Peter Waldo who existed years before him), Marik and Steffan who seek out the Apostle Speakers (the Vaudoisians who have been imbued with the gift of memorization of the entire Scriptures), Gabriel (Waldo's right-hand man and whom you are forever thinking is he really the angel Gabriel or not?), Jean Paul, Jakob's older brother, Julia, Jakob and Jean Paul's mother. There is an emotional investment in these characters as you read. Everything they go through you feel it with them, joy, grief, horror, sadness, stubborn faith, righteous indignation, victorious elation.

The same goes for the antagonists, the main two being General Lucier and Pope Lucias III. These two embody the evilness and corruptness of the Roman Catholic Church, both are power hungry, corrupt, manipulative and deceitful and deluded into thinking that they are doing the will of God by persecuting and eradicating anyone who defies the teachings of the Catholic Church. Both have no issue with murder, torture or persecution to achieve their aims: recant your faith and convert to Catholicism or die. You feel their hatred towards the Vaudosians, you recoil in horror at their persecution of those who defy them, and the methods of killing they employ, you can feel the evil oppression they exude, yet you feel pity for them for them when you see this evilness taking them over and blinding them from the Truth that is so ever before them.

Here is what Lucias considers of himself:

......for I am the embodiment of heaven on earth, and if it is my will, it shall be done!

He sees and hates the Vaudoisians and their gift as a threat to his papacy: 

Yet, there it was: the fact that they had preserved the Word of God of their own accord-a Word not compiled by mankind, but that was given to them reportedly from the sources themselves. What would it do to the power of the papacy should it become known? or worse yet, what if the unknown Word produced an entirely different view of the hereafter or the road to perdition?.....

Then there was the other, more-distressing side note: the fact that the books these people quoted were exactly as they had received them, unfiltered and encompassing all of the writing and teachings that followed the ministry of Jesus and his disciples. This Word they possessed gave a power that bound them to one ruler, but a ruler who was not of this earth. That in of itself sent a shiver of terror down the papal spine, causing him to shudder at the thought.

Tron's research into this era, the Vaudois people, the aforementioned corruptness of the Catholic Church and their politics add depth and credibility to the story. It is hard to believe that this is a novel and not the account of actual events as they happened, including the supernatural intervention of God in various ways as described that is just not commonplace in today's world.

I can see Tron's passion throughout as it is loosely based on his family genealogy from his paternal side. When I read this on his author page on Amazon, I was further intrigued and contacted him about this. He sent me an account of his discovery and it is very captivating.

Here it is, in part:

In 1995, my late Aunt June Tron gave us a one-of-a-kind housewarming gift; a genealogy binder including information about the town in Germany from whence we came along with our pedigree, all the way back to the founding father's of the little town, Walldorf Germany.

In 1998, we decided to take a trip to Germany.........We pulled up in front of the Heimat Museum........That was the next phase of my research as I began drinking from the proverbial fire hydrant of knowledge. I found that Tron's had existed as part of the Waldensians from the beginning and I then began to learn what it meant to be Waldensian. The people from the valleys had migrated to Germany in 1699 and built Walldorf from scratch. Two of the original families were my direct ancestors. The rest of the link and how they go back in time genealogically can be explained at a later time; suffice it to say, its a long, long tale.

The story and the tale of which you are reading are closely intertwined, but what made me begin writing the book was the conflict of how they received their iconic name versus how they actually became who they were; meaning, Peter Waldo did not cause Waldensians to exist, rather, he became famous because of who the Waldnesian people already were; thus, the impetus for starting to tell our side of the story. The more I thought about it, the more I questioned, "Why would these people struggle for over 600 years, fight in over 30 wars and face extinction of their kind all because of what they believed." Then I realized I had to tell the story from the perspective of "BEING" Waldensian. There had been many books written about Waldensians and their struggles, but none had been written from the point of view of what it was to be Waldensian and how that fact formulated who you were and how you faced adversity.

What Timothy means about "BEING" Waldensian is very aptly described and forms one of the main backbones of this novel. Peter Waldo, actually existed and the term Waldensian is based on his name.

I wondered about the name of the novel, what did Bruecke mean (bridge) and why have a German word in an English title? It was this strange looking title that drew me to this book in the first place. Timothy explains again:

In time, the meaning of some of what I have put down becomes clear; and so it was with the title, "Bruecke to Heaven". Initially, my timeline was going to extend through their migration to Germany, thus I decided to include that influence in the title. But later, when it became apparent that my 600 year timeline would only progress only about a year and a half in the first book, I questioned if I really should keep that working title. I felt compelled to keep the title foreign in language, but didn't know why. Recently, I was driving to work and was listening to a song on the radio when it hit me why the title fits. People who are not Christians, come into Christianity not knowing anything about it and with time, learn how and what it is to become a Christian. Then, like the obscure title, they realize the meaning and eventually accept Christ into their life, and as such, the title becomes clear.

I also questioned Timothy about the surname of Arktos, the main character, which was LeTron. Was this the original surname of his ancestry? Timothy had this covered too:

Like the title, I didn't realize why I felt compelled to use a form of my family name for the characters in the book either, but something said to me that it was important to do so. Last year, while attending a Waldensian Festival in Valdese NC., I learned from a young man who was from the Alpine valleys where the Waldnesians came, was there doing research and he explained to me what my name actually meant in the ancient language of the valleys; Tron meant "One with Strength" and that they often gave their warriors this title. Needless to say, I was once again blown away. Even though my book was already in print by then, I felt good about keeping the form of the name intact and that indeed it was an important part of the actual history.

Interestingly, Tron has portrayed the LeTron family (Julia, Mary, Arktos, Jakob, Jean Paul, Rebecca and Angela) as a very strong family by nature and by faith without knowing what his name meant. 

Faith is a strong feature in this novel. How I now long to have the faith of Arktos and Jakob! The author portrays the Vaudoisians living the Word so vividly and naturally, it is literally their first nature. And in this novel, these two and the Vaudoisians know no different as their ancestors have lived this way since two of the seventy disciples (Olympas and Herodian) delivered the Word of God to them. At this delivery, God imbues them with the ability to remember and quote the entire Word/Bible. So for generations over the centuries, until the time of the Crusades where this story is set, this closely knit community, almost cut off from the secular world, live and act out the Word; for them, it is a tangible experience, the Word being literally alive. Tron even mentions this in his Introduction: Author's Notes:

It had been memorized word for word and passed down from one generation to the next, preserving not only the mere lines of Scripture but the ultimate spiritual power it possessed in its infancy. Regarding this "Word," the Bible reads in John 1:1-5,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.

 Yet in truth, there were some who did not recognize the Word and the light, and this is their story.

The spiritual warfare aspects of this novel are very unique and different from any I have read in other biblical supernatural thrillers. In all the instances portrayed in the novel we see the power of the Word manifested through either chanting or singing Scripture: Arktos and his elders chanting Scripture as the papal army invade their village of Rora and the papal army is destroyed and at the end of the novel, Arktos chants Scripture when the papal army is about to capture them, defeating them. Jakob discovers that when he sings Scripture, the same happens; when he plays the lira the power of God either defeats their enemy or confuses them, in one instances him playing this lira disguises their compound as empty as the papal army invades and search it even when Arktos, Jacob, Peter, Gabriel and their staff are still present in the compound, another where the group he was in passes by in a mist, unheard of by the papal army, as they moved close by them on their journey homeward bound. I know these occurrences are due to the other gifts imbued by God when He delivered the Word via the disciples, but it does make me consider how it would be if Christians were able to do the same in the reality of our world in this 21st century?

All in all, this is one very memorable novel that has had a profound effect on me. It is has encouraged and strengthened my faith and relationship with Christ, witness to my family and community, inspired and challenged me to stand up for the Gospel and have a ready defence for the same just as 1 Peter 3:15 says:

....but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

It is one book that needs to be read again (and most likely again!).

Highly recommended.

World Building 5/5

Characters 5/5

Spiritual Level 5/5

Story 5/5

Enemy Spiritual Level 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

_______________________________________________

Spiritually, based on my review and on the following reference booklet,

A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland, and that Bruecke to Heaven 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 award Timothy Tron with the

Reality Calling Christian Spirit-Filled Fiction Award

Congratulations, Timothy!

To read a preview or buy this novel, click on the BUY/PREVIEW icon on the image below:

Marshall Texas Ranger: The Case of the Hidden Pasts by George H. McVey

Marshall Texas Ranger: The Case of the Hidden Pasts

Found beside a burnt out wagon, ten miles from the last battle of the civil war, in only his long-johns, with two Griswold pistols in his hands, he has no clue who he is. All he can do is try and find his past, his name, even his purpose in life.

With the help of some new friends and the ability to use deductive reasoning and techniques, much like the fictional Sherlock Holmes, the self-named Marshall Little sets out to find his past. During an encounter with Nugget Nate Ryder, Marshall saves the life of Texas Governor Andrew Hamilton, who then appoints him a captain of the Texas Rangers, in charge of a special company of rangers to solve unsolvable crimes. His first assignment: find out who wants the Governor dead.

Can Marshall find the criminal mastermind behind the attempted assignation of the Governor? Will he find out who he is, and why he was found where he was? Or is the past to remain hidden? 

With the help of a colorful cast of characters, who meet and travel along with Marshall, Texas Ranger, in his first assignment: The Case of the Hidden Pasts.

Release date: 17th February 2017

The Guru's Review: 

I stumbled upon this novel from seeing the cover preview by the author on a Facebook group we both belong to. When he posted the description I was interested. He sent me a review copy. I have read only one other Christian western novel so this was another reason to read another. Very different to the previous one. This is the first novel of McVey I have read and I am now a fan. This is one fun novel. McVey describes it as

Marshall is just my attempt at a fun, little pure western, no romance or second calling, just a guy doing what he's good at...

I could not agree more! I reckon McVey has a winner with this story line. I pray he writes more about Marshall and expands more of this premise. There seems to be unlimited scope for further storylines.

It does not take long to get hooked into the storyline. Marshall is introduced immediately in the mysterious circumstances that set the pace and flow for the rest of the novel. Apart from this, two things further hook your interest and keep you reading. The first, his superior deductive reasoning and techniques, very much like Sherlock Holmes. The second, the spiritual gift and mission revealed from God through Eva Little. I found these last two elements very intriguing. Makes it very speculative and that I love.

Once these three elements were established by the halfway mark, I found myself supportive and rooting for Marshall. I love the sense of mystery behind Marshall's past and the situation that first introduces him. Then seeing how this gift and mission from God plays out in Marshall's new life is enthralling and captivating. 

Sometimes a character sticks out more than others. Sometimes this is due to them being based on a real person while others are solely the author's vivid imagination. Could even be a combination of both. It no surprise that Eva Little is memorable as she is based on McVey's biggest fan; a dear lady who is 99 yrs old! I find this very heart warming! 

I have not read any of the Sherlock Holmes novels (only the movie/TV versions). If McVey has based the description of Marshall's deductive reasoning and techniques on Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes, then he has translated this effectively into Marshall's character. However, this in no way shape or form, comes across a clone of Holmes. Marshall is a very different than Holmes. I found the various descriptions/examples of Marshall's deductive reasoning a joy to read and keeps you reading more. I had similar reactions as the characters who witnessed these ("How could he know that?").

I appreciated the research of the era and the weaponry that McVey has conducted. I had not heard of some of these guns and again, it was a joy to read. This definitely gives the story an authentic feel and reflects the attitude and reliance on guns in this era as well. 

I loved the spiritual aspects of this novel. The prophet-like messages that Eva Little receives from God in relation to Marshall form a firm foundation for Marshall's new life and mission. Eva portrays a deep faith in God and is in full submission and obedience to Him. Seems to come naturally to her. What is McVey trying to convey to us here? For me, an obedient and submitted life to God becomes natural when we become disciplined in living out His Word in our lives. Eva was confident in this relationship as was shown by the many times she delivered these messages without doubt or alteration. She believes that every detail she received from God was the truth and would occur as He directed. Total vessel she was to be used by Him for His purposes only. It was all about God and not about her. I found this very encouraging. I even wondered if it was easier in that era to have this type of relationship with God compared to our modern era. Today's way of life and culture seems to offer too many distractions that blind us to the importance of placing God above all else and in all things.

McVey has portrayed Marshall as not knowing if he was Christian before his memory was erased by God. However, after coming out of his short coma, Marshall admits that Mrs Little's God is his God as well. He later submits a sincere prayer wanting to follow God. What follows for the rest of the novel is Marshall being obedient and submitted to whatever God wants of him in fulfilling His mission. 

I have not read any of McVey other works but I have checked out his biography. Nugget Nate is a character who in this novel as well as a previous novel. In this novel, Nate also has a type of hearing from God that he calls the "Callin' ". I wonder if this is explained in the previous novel? I might read this to find out. 

I have only one concern with this novel. It might be just me, but I found the second half has less of the deductive reasoning situations that sets Marshall apart from the rest of the Texas Rangers. This second half swings into more of a plot-based pace to find the perpetrators of the attempted assassination of the Governor. Yet, this half does set the stage for the further development of the Special Company of the Texas Rangers. It also lays the foundation for the next instalment in this series and that I am thankful for. McVey even hints at the title of this next instalment!

All in all a very enjoyable fun novella. It is strengthened with spiritual themes of salvation, faith, obedience and submission to God. I look forward to visiting the world of Marshall Texas Ranger in his next case.

Strongly Recommended. 4/5 

World Building 5/5 

Characters 5/5 

Spiritual Level 4/5 

Story 4/5 

Enemy Spiritual Level N/A

Overall Rating: 4/5

_______________________________________________

Spiritually, based on my review and on the following reference booklet,

A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland, and that Marshall Texas Ranger: The Case of the Hidden Pasts contains elements of the criteria of what constitutes Christian Redemptive Fiction outlined in this booklet, (click on the title below to see what this is based on), I award George H. McVey with 

The Reality Calling Christian Redemptive Fiction Award

Congratulations, George H. McVey!

Nasty Leftovers by Guy L. Pace

Nasty Leftovers

Reality is back on track, but the world is devastated with only a remnant of humanity left. On a mission to restore Washington, D.C., Paul Shannon and Amy Grossman must face a sinister presence left behind by Satan. 

In the ensuing battle, physical and spiritual warfare is waged against the possessed, hellhounds, and even the evil presence itself.

In this fast-paced sequel to Sudden Mission, can Paul, Amy, and their army of faithful triumph against such impossible odds? 

The Guru's Review:

I was asked by the author and given a pre-release electronic copy  free of charge to review before its release date on the 15th March, 2016. 

This is a great sequel to Sudden Mission. It follows very well from this first instalment on all levels, characters, plot, flow and spiritual themes and it really makes this instalment a worthy sequel. We all know of the rut that sequels of books and movies can fall into, but Pace has avoided this and this instalment should act as a good springboard for the furtherance of this series and his craft for that matter.

I said in my review of Sudden Mission that Pace seems to have found his niche in writing for the teen/young adult market and genre. Further proof is found in this instalment. The plot is tighter, characters further developed and more relational, especially Paul and Amy, not only as a spiritual warrior team established from the previous novel but as a deepening relationship as well. Pace has added a further layer of developing romance between Paul and Amy and this seems to add a stronger foundation for them as a spiritual warrior team fighting the satanic forces in this novel. It will be good to see how this develops in the next installment. 

It is the aftermath of the events at the end of Sudden Mission that forms the basis of this novel. The world has been devastated and decimated on every level and Paul and his church seek to help the survivors improve their situation. They travel to the capital and not only do they find survivors but these people have become demonically possessed and oppressed by a fallen angel still present from the satanic rising in Sudden Mission. It is here that this novel takes off, with a faster pace, suspense and spiritual warfare.

The rest of this story is all about caring for these survivors on every level especially the spiritual. Pace accounts very well how the Church group delivered these survivors from this demonic possession/oppression and it is very much spiritual warfare in the biblical sense. I really appreciated Pace not just depicting that they had become saved or delivered but actually showing the deliverance and the salvation account together with its prayer of repentance and follow up. This shows Pace is not just concerned with entertaining his readers but investing spiritual truths and showing the power of the Gospel and Jesus' victory over sin and death and all things demonic and satanic. This is especially important to have in such detail for the teen/young adult reader audience to know these truths and practices.

Pace outlines this in much more detail with the final spiritual warfare battle both in a physical sense and spiritual. Pace has accounted in more detail in this novel the final spiritual battle than he did in Sudden Mission and it is here that he shines again in both keeping true to biblical principles of spiritual warfare and in creating action and suspense. Young readers (and any that are older!) should see the encouragement that Pace has included here, that youth (or any age for that matter) does not mean an inability to use these biblical principles of spiritual warfare to confront the demonic/satanic or sinful influences/entities that we will encounter in our lives. Pace has depicted Paul as flawed but has a confidence through his faith and relationship in Christ to defeat not only the fallen angel but also the hellhounds that this fallen angel uses to entrap the survivors to hell using the power of Jesus' name and the authority given to him by being born again and having a relationship with Jesus.

I was curious why Pace used salt as a deterrent to the hellhounds and demonic influence. I wondered if there was any spiritual/biblical basis for this. I contacted the author and this is what he replied, 

Actually, I stole the idea from the TV series Supernatural. And, some of my research has salt used in protection from demons and evil. Mostly, I was grasping for some way to contain the hellhounds, since nothing else seems to be effective. Some folklore uses salt on thresholds and window frames to protect from evil spirits. I just took it a little further and hope it provides a symbolic barrier. It also can be blown away, rained away and disturbed by other animals, so it isn't perfect protection.

I googled this and came up with similar answers as well. Spiritual/biblical basis or not, this certainly added another layer of suspense to the battle that Paul and Amy had against the hellhounds and the rest of their Christian community, it also enhances the spiritual warfare aspects of this battle without detracting from the biblical principles and practice of spiritual warfare. Nice use of poetic license. 

As an adult, when I read such compelling, well written and constructed novels while not only entertaining but educating in biblical truths and application while also spiritually uplifting and improving my relationship with God, I really wish I had these type of novels when I accepted Christ at 19yrs of age. I applaud authors such as Pace for ministering to this age groups as these are our future and need to be prepared spiritually for the future. 

I look forward to more of this spirit-filled fiction from Guy L. Pace. His commitment to providing fiction that is bible based, honors God and leads his readers to the Gospel and Saviour.

Highly Recommended. 

World building 5/5

Characters 5/5

Story 5/5

Spiritual level 5/5

Spiritual Enemy Level 5/5

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The Kingdom by Guy Stanton III

The sands blow hollowly across the plains of time. Unseen by man an army was on the move, an army of darkness…….

Slowly over the course of centuries the truth has been eroded away within the courts of men, until few yet stand for the ways of El Elyon, the Creator of the beginning and He who foreknew that one day the end would come…….

Ayenathurim, a world poised on the edge of change. Chaos beckons as people fractured apart by ancient rivalries strive to hold on. The sounds of war echo on the wind, but who yet is able to stand in the gap for those who are blind to the signs of the times…………………the end, if so it must be, heralds the rise of heroes, even as monsters roar, and kings rise and fall. As Evil triumphs over the nations, even so it was foretold to come to pass and yet the end of darkness’s reign has already begun…….

The Guru's Review:

I am going to start this review with my comments for my Goodreads status when I finished this book: 

As usual, I am left on a high after finishing a Guy Stanton III novel. Epic fantasy, spiritual truths, highly entertained and my spirit edified. What more can I expect from a novel like this! Stanton always delivers! 

Yes, it took me a while to return to reality. All Stanton's novels are very positive, uplifting and action packed. His characters are memorable, admirable and relational. But it is the spiritual aspects where he as author shines and his books as well, this one included. He unashamedly presents the Gospel of the Bible, the supernatural, the attributes of God, the ministry of angels, many biblical doctrines, all interwoven into the plot and form the structure of the novel. He presents evil as it is, demonic and from the nature of sin, and his demons and fallen angels are as they are biblically and in reality, nothing withheld. When I look back on this novel, and the others that I have read, he seems to include certain elements in each one. A visit to his website showed me what they are: 

• Exciting action blended into both dystopian contemporary environments and the realms of antiquity's past.

• Romance that reflects the reality of life in all its glory, but in none of its over the top mainstream explicitness.

• Stories that feature characters who don't have it all together and who have to learn to mature in order to become the people that God has intended for them to be.

• Facts of history and future events weaved into a fast paced plot line with the use of vivid imagination that evokes the imagery of the setting at hand as if you were there actually living it.

• Fiction that is Christ honoring and glorifies God as the Creator of all and the Master of the hearts of mankind.

I never noticed this on his website before and I found myself saying Yes to each one of these as I remember the novels I have read. And saying Yes, to these criteria in The Kingdom was not hard, all very obvious. 

There is so much to like in this novel. I said that in my review of Fallen Ambitions as well, but this seems to be a characteristic of all Stanton's novels, from those I have read and from reading the reviews of those I have not yet. 

As usual, I am taken by the romance created by Stanton. It is honest, biblically based, it promotes healthy relationships and more importantly, it is based on what I was brought up to believe (and lived when I met my now wife) that the relationship needs to be based on God first and then He looks after your relationship. This is clearly shown in Benaiah being sold out for God, placing Him first and this then is the spark that ignites the desire of Susori for God as well for those reasons only and not primarily to be with Benaiah. This is the bible verse of Matthew 6:33 being lived out as we are instructed to do, 

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJ version

I loved the character of Benaiah. A relational man that has the heart of the Biblical David who is after God's own heart and a perfect example of what being a Godly man should be. This seems to be displayed in all of Stanton's main male protagonists and I pray that this will be an encouragement and inspiration to male readers who seek to see what a Christian, Godly man should be and what God can develop in them if only they will let Him. 

I found it very uplifting the relationship between Kuri and Benaiah. Amazing to see the transformation that Benaiah undertakes through the involvement of Kuri and who he is. Very much like what happens when one gives their heart to Jesus and becomes a new spiritual creation as outlined in 2 Corinthians 5: 17, 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

One thing I must mention is the world building Stanton has created. This world of Ayenathurim is made up of many nations, divided into two religious belief systems, those nations of the Kingdomer nations unified in the belief of the one God, El Elyon, while those of the Nicationer Nations as wide-ranging, from worshiping the gods of stone and wood to the darks arts of the fallen Malachim (Angels). The hatred of the Nicationer Nations towards the Kingdomer Nations forms the basis of the spiritual warfare that manifests itself in bitter, physical wars, and it is this that Benaiah goes willingly into empowered with the spirit of El Elyon and his new found faith. He definitely becomes the spiritual leader and warrior of the Kingdomer nations leading to the ultimate victory against the demonic, spiritual forces of the Nicationer nations. It is here against this backdrop, that Stanton brings all the other aspects, those mentioned above, and more not mentioned here, together to make for one epic fantasy and spirit filled fiction. It is one very believable world and the spiritual warfare aspects can encourage the reader to adopt in their own lives. It is in this world of Ayenathurim that Stanton has created one wonderful tale of eschatological fiction encompassing God's involvement with man and His plan for salvation, redemption and His return.

This is one very memorable stand-alone novel by the master of spirit-filled fiction in the Christian fantasy genre. 

Highly recommended. 5/5