“the battle is oriented around the seed” –from Seed of God, Jesus Christ, by Kenneth McRae

Seed of God, Jesus Christ is a well-researched summary that lays out the historical evidence for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It also takes an interesting angle: it begins with the premise that there were two “seeds” on different paths that unfolded (and continue to unfold) throughout human history: The first, Jesus Christ, results in “the redemption of man by the seed of the woman.” The second seed, opposes the first “seed or offspring [and] is an ungodly seed of the serpent.” Both seeds desire humanity to follow them, one offering redemption, the other desiring power. The seed analogy is fairly effective.

A common characteristic of non-Christians is that they haven’t been presented with the historical evidence of Christ. They haven’t followed the generational timeline and prophecies of his arrival; they haven’t reviewed the historical evidence of His life or they haven’t drawn the connection between the prophecies, the evidence of divinity, and the unwavering faith–even to the death—held by those who witnessed his miracles and resurrection. Seed of God, Jesus Christ is a well-researched summary that lays it all out. He also digs into some theology, such as the frequently asked question “Why would God allow this struggle to exist, for bad things to happen at all?” Finally, he offers the challenge: “it is not the knowledge of God [Christ] which saves—it is the acceptance of God [Christ] and His ways into our hearts and minds” — so how are you going to apply it to your life? I don’t read too many books on apologetics, but I enjoyed this by McRae. You can learn more about Kenneth McRae on his GoodReads page.

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The Storms of Eddie Greer (a review)

Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed reading novels by local authors more and more. William Kent Krueger remains my favorite modern Minnesota writer, but Mary Perrine captures our Midwestern state well.

The Storms of Eddie Greer is a detailed character study into what makes an old man grumpy.  It doesn’t justify his behavior, but it’s a long and descriptive look at why Eddie is alone and generally unlikeable.  Mary Perrine is a talented Minnesota author with several books to her name.  If you’re interested in stories steeped in detailed backstory, The Storms of Eddie Greer is a deep and thoughtful read.

I also had an opportunity to talk with Mary at a recent writer’s festival, and you couldn’t find a more thoughtful and genuine person. It’s good to support folks like that!

“…hawk-faced woman” from Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler

I’m a mix of Scandinavian, German, English, Irish, and South Dakotan:). Somehow my skin color turned out somewhere between peach, tan, and white, but I’m so much more than my skin color; so are you. I don’t want to be characterized by my skin color; neither do you. Yet those obsessed with race and skin color will do what Butler’s protagonist did: identify someone by their skin color first.

Butler’s following description tells us so much more. She was wiry and “all planes and angles.” That subsequent description is fantastic, and it tells us so much more about the human being. The character is malnourished, but with a strong and determined “hawk face.” Eventually we get to know these characters . . . but let’s start by looking deeper. As Morgan Freeman said, “I am going to stop calling you a white man and I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.”

As authors, let’s stop describing our characters that way, too.

Parable of the Sower is one of the more depressing and hopeless books I’ve read in a while. As many anti-Christian books do, it capitalizes on a Christian theme or passage, and twist it into a non-Christian tale. In the story, our protagonist leads a group of survivors through a desolate, dangerous, and dystopian modern day California. The world is Godless, and the characters double down on living the same way, while justifying it. “We only kill people who threaten us.” “We only steal from other people.” “God is Change”…and we “try to shape God.” While there is some creativity, sharing people’s pain, a pyro drug that makes people want to start fires, Butler avoids much descriptive language, writing as desolate as the premise itself. Nonetheless, there were a a handful of interesting lines that were worth posting about. Long to short, I don’t recommend the book, unless you’re after a depressing, soulless, dystopian novel. Equally depressing is the number of people who rated it highly in GoodReads. You can see some of those in GoodReads. I guess I prefer hope and faith.

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“Hands that…could crush bowling balls” from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (12)

Like Andre The Giant in The Princess Bride, who says “it’s not my fault I’m the biggest and the strongest; I don’t even exercise,” this character is incredibly intimidating to our protagonist . . . and yet even the biggest and the strongest have weaknesses. I love this character description by McCammon.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

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“…who would torture?” from Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler

One of the few creative aspects of Parable of the Sower, is that the protagonist feels the pain of those she sees in pain; this means she suffers, even becoming incapacitated, when she sees someone else badly injured. Imagine what she feels when she shoots and kills people: she experiences their death before falling unconscious. It leaves her vulnerable . . . though she recovers, and it doesn’t stop her from killing more people she believes are a threat to the small community she has sown, or gathered.

This is, perhaps an important thing for all of us to consider: What if we felt the pain of the sex-trafficked women and children being brought across our southern border? What if we felt the pain of a baby being cut apart by a curette during an abortion procedure? Would we do everything we could to defend the innocent who are experiencing this kind of torture? Some do. Others ignore it, shrug as if there is nothing they can do, or decide to only protect those closest to them.

The question Butler poses here is important: if everyone felt the pain of others, who would continue the barbaric practices we see in the world? Maybe pain sharing has some value. Whether or not you feel the pain of others, let us actively, and collectively, have empathy, and defend the innocent.

Parable of the Sower is one of the more depressing and hopeless books I’ve read in a while. As many anti-Christian books do, it capitalizes on a Christian theme or passage, and twist it into a non-Christian tale. In the story, our protagonist leads a group of survivors through a desolate, dangerous, and dystopian modern day California. The world is Godless, and the characters double down on living the same way, while justifying it. “We only kill people who threaten us.” “We only steal from other people.” “God is Change”…and we “try to shape God.” While there is some creativity, sharing people’s pain, a pyro drug that makes people want to start fires, Butler avoids much descriptive language, writing as desolate as the premise itself. Nonetheless, there were a a handful of interesting lines that were worth posting about. Long to short, I don’t recommend the book, unless you’re after a depressing, soulless, dystopian novel. Equally depressing is the number of people who rated it highly in GoodReads. You can see some of those in GoodReads. I guess I prefer hope and faith.

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“…as frail as young trees…” from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (11)

A coming of age novel often incorporates maturing realizations. In this one, our protagonist realizes that he and his home could both be blown or swept away–a shocking revelation for a kid.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“Vernon Thaxter” from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (10)

This character is a quirky as they come, and he’s allowed to participate in the community–even when he stands to give a speech without a stitch of clothing on. Hilarious…and while he’s an odd duck, he ends up being a good guy.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“Shape God” from Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler

There are lots of ways to deny the existence God. In this novel, Butler’s protagonist tries to convince those around her that God doesn’t exist, and their best option for survival is to impact or shape the one thing she sees as all powerful, “Change.” The antagonists in the story are, ironically, worshiping the same process, and attempting to shape Change for their own benefit, which leads to societal collapse . . . and yet that’s what Butler tries to convince us is the solution.

I’d propose the opposite. We must devote ourselves to study the living and loving God, so that He may shape us. Then, we are better positioned to impact the world for His will–not our own.

Parable of the Sower is one of the more depressing and hopeless books I’ve read in a while. As many anti-Christian books do, it capitalizes on a Christian theme or passage, and twist it into a non-Christian tale. In the story, our protagonist leads a group of survivors through a desolate, dangerous, and dystopian modern day California. The world is Godless, and the characters double down on living the same way, while justifying it. “We only kill people who threaten us.” “We only steal from other people.” “God is Change”…and we “try to shape God.” While there is some creativity, sharing people’s pain, a pyro drug that makes people want to start fires, Butler avoids much descriptive language, writing as desolate as the premise itself. Nonetheless, there were a a handful of interesting lines that were worth posting about. Long to short, I don’t recommend the book, unless you’re after a depressing, soulless, dystopian novel. Equally depressing is the number of people who rated it highly in GoodReads. You can see some of those in GoodReads. I guess I prefer hope and faith.

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“Squenched” from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (8)

As a reader, do you enjoy newly invented words? As an author, do you invent words? Squenched is a fun one. Apparently it comes from quenched, but means extinguished. Here, McCammon hits at it meaning squished. Wrenched. Crammed. Pinched. And many more. A group “squenched in” to a car was a fun choice.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“What do you pray to?” from Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler

The answer, “Ourselves” captures the hopelessness of Parable of the Sower. So many operate with out faith–perhaps a reason why fear crippled so many people (and was allowed to cripple the economy) when Covid spread and media and politicians fed the flames. If all you can pray to is yourself, what hope do you have as you age, face illness, or read the headlines? For Christians, we’re just passing through, and life gets better after this! It’s why the answer to “what do you pray to?” is striking. “Ourselves” is a real answer for many, and it’s an attitude that could certainly lead toward Butler’s dystopia.

Parable of the Sower is one of the more depressing and hopeless books I’ve read in a while. As many anti-Christian books do, it capitalizes on a Christian theme or passage, and twist it into a non-Christian tale. In the story, our protagonist leads a group of survivors through a desolate, dangerous, and dystopian modern day California. The world is Godless, and the characters double down on living the same way, while justifying it. “We only kill people who threaten us.” “We only steal from other people.” “God is Change”…and we “try to shape God.” While there is some creativity, sharing people’s pain, a pyro drug that makes people want to start fires, Butler avoids much descriptive language, writing as desolate as the premise itself. Nonetheless, there were a a handful of interesting lines that were worth posting about. Long to short, I don’t recommend the book, unless you’re after a depressing, soulless, dystopian novel. Equally depressing is the number of people who rated it highly in GoodReads. You can see some of those in GoodReads. I guess I prefer hope and faith.

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

“…eyebrows were as thick as caterpillars…” from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (9)

You’ve seen these eyebrows. The line immediately returns you to that oddity, that uniqueness. Coupled with a face hammered on by garden tools, this is a face to remember, and probably to stay away from. It’s another great description.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!

Curse a blue streak or offer an “explosion of vowels and consonants”? from Boys Life, by Robert McCammon (7)

Some characters are prone to swearing, but readers don’t need to see another F-Bomb. What is a clever way of describing it without using overly used phrases . . . or just using uncreative profanity in your writing? McCammon does it here by playing scrabble and exploding in vowels and consonants, an ingenious, and classy, choice.

It’s early in the year, but Boys Life will undoubtedly be one of my favorite 2024 reads–I’m surprised I hadn’t come across it before, as it was published in 1991. Robert McCammon weaves mystery, magic, and murder creatively in this 1960s era Americana novel. He also packs his imaginative tale with some fun descriptive language. If you’ve not read any Boys Life, or if you’ve got a teen or young adult who likes a surreal mystery with fun characters, I’d definitely recommend this novel Check it out in GoodReads!

I regularly share well-written lines and passages from the books I’m reading. If you’d like to receive them regularly, just enter your email below, and click subscribe!