by Jason Joyner | Nov 21, 2007 | Blog, fiction, reviews
I promised a review of the book To Dance in the Desert by Kathleen Popa. It was part of the CFBA Tour at the end of July, and my wife gave me her thoughts on it. I don’t typically read this type of book, but I’d had contact with Katy through the forum at Faith in Fiction, and wanted to check it out for myself.
Reviewing this book makes me want to pull out all the pretty adjectives I know! The book is sparkling, airy, and heartfelt all at the same time. The writing was a real treat away from the suspense and mayhem I usually read.
Dara is a young woman who has moved to the desert to get away from the world. She thought that no one would interfere in her life, and she could have security. Like her late father always said, “It’s not a safe world.”
However, her seclusion is shattered when a mysterious older woman named Jane dances out in the desert and shocks Dara out of her cocoon. The two unlikely friends develop a friendship and move to a small town to help revive Jane’s brother’s struggling restaurant. All this time Dara is fighting against the call to join in with life rather than running away from it.
Ms. Popa’s prose truly is sparkling and inventive. She has a way with words to catch beauty in mundane things, and to make the remarkable even more poingnant. She keeps the pace moving along nicely – none of the literary belly-button contemplation that can be found in some books. Smaller points like scrambled eggs and a furry cat become significant in her hands.
The book struggles a little toward the end. It’s almost like the author only had so much room to put things in, and the lyrical pace gets hurried with rapid plot developments and resolution. As this is her first book, that this is the only significant complaint actually speaks a lot about her talent. I’m sure that there will be a lot more beauty coming from the pen (or keyboard) of Kathleen Popa, and for those who like contemporary women’s fiction will not want to miss out.
by Jason Joyner | Nov 19, 2007 | arts, Blog, movies, reviews, social justice
Last Tuesday the movie Amazing Grace came out on DVD. I saw this movie in the theatres in March. Below I have posted my review of the movie. This would be a wonderful gift for anyone on your Christmas list (Christian or no, it is not preachy to turn off people). It is a very entertaining movie that touches the heart with the plight of the slaves and the performances given by the actors. To me it hearkens to Schindler’s List, a movie that is quality art and also moves.
Also see John C. Wright’s intelligent (as always) discussion about the DVD.
From March ’07:
This weekend I saw the movie Amazing Grace, dealing with the story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade in the British Parliment. Because England was the world power, especially on the seas, it could single-handedly end the slave trade from Africa by virtue of its naval might.
It was not a popular cause, because of the economic impact it would have on the country (sugar prices would go up – how would they enjoy tea!). Wilberforce was called a firebrand and even had it insinuated that he was a trator to the throne, due to the political turbulence of the American and French revolutions that affected England’s affairs at the time. His health was not good, and he battled his body as well as powerful lords in Parliment.
The story of William Wilberforce is underappreciated in our modern world. Here was a man who lived to the highest Christian standards as well as fighting against the greatest human injustice of his day. His life truly deserves to be told to be an example for us today.
Thankfully, the movie is a highly entertaining vehicle for this! It starts out a little discombobulated, as we catch Wilberforce mid-life, fighting sickness and despair for not prevailing in the battle already. Soon the flashback/modern settings are clear, and it is exciting to see the development of events that lead to the ultimate victory.
Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower, Reed Richards in Fantastic Four) does a masterful job both in Wilberforce’s youthful exuberance and his measured responses as he matures and wises to the nature of the battle he is in. He brings a strength to the character, and he is a very admirable hero. Albert Finney gives an emotional performance as John Newton, the former slave ship captain who turned away from that evil and penned the immortal hymn, Amazing Grace (hence the title). I was near tears at one point when Newton and Wilberforce interact.
So? GO and buy the movie! Then, check out
The Amazing Change site. This is a great movie that is worth seeing on its cinematic value alone. However, the people behind it have a greater goal: to inspire people to take action themselves. The Amazing Change is one opportunity to follow through in Wilberforce’s legacy.
Enjoy the show. Impact the world.
by Jason Joyner | Nov 19, 2007 | arts, Blog, movies, reviews, social justice
Last Tuesday the movie Amazing Grace came out on DVD. I saw this movie in the theatres in March. Below I have posted my review of the movie. This would be a wonderful gift for anyone on your Christmas list (Christian or no, it is not preachy to turn off people). It is a very entertaining movie that touches the heart with the plight of the slaves and the performances given by the actors. To me it hearkens to Schindler’s List, a movie that is quality art and also moves.
Also see John C. Wright’s intelligent (as always) discussion about the DVD.
From March ’07:
This weekend I saw the movie Amazing Grace, dealing with the story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade in the British Parliment. Because England was the world power, especially on the seas, it could single-handedly end the slave trade from Africa by virtue of its naval might.
It was not a popular cause, because of the economic impact it would have on the country (sugar prices would go up – how would they enjoy tea!). Wilberforce was called a firebrand and even had it insinuated that he was a trator to the throne, due to the political turbulence of the American and French revolutions that affected England’s affairs at the time. His health was not good, and he battled his body as well as powerful lords in Parliment.
The story of William Wilberforce is underappreciated in our modern world. Here was a man who lived to the highest Christian standards as well as fighting against the greatest human injustice of his day. His life truly deserves to be told to be an example for us today.
Thankfully, the movie is a highly entertaining vehicle for this! It starts out a little discombobulated, as we catch Wilberforce mid-life, fighting sickness and despair for not prevailing in the battle already. Soon the flashback/modern settings are clear, and it is exciting to see the development of events that lead to the ultimate victory.
Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower, Reed Richards in Fantastic Four) does a masterful job both in Wilberforce’s youthful exuberance and his measured responses as he matures and wises to the nature of the battle he is in. He brings a strength to the character, and he is a very admirable hero. Albert Finney gives an emotional performance as John Newton, the former slave ship captain who turned away from that evil and penned the immortal hymn, Amazing Grace (hence the title). I was near tears at one point when Newton and Wilberforce interact.
So? GO and buy the movie! Then, check out
The Amazing Change site. This is a great movie that is worth seeing on its cinematic value alone. However, the people behind it have a greater goal: to inspire people to take action themselves. The Amazing Change is one opportunity to follow through in Wilberforce’s legacy.
Enjoy the show. Impact the world.
by Jason Joyner | Nov 16, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reviews
This week’s CFBA Tour features the book Try Dying by James Scott Bell. It is the first book of his that I’ve read. I’ve always heard glowing things about his writing. He is also a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine, so my impression was that he must know his craft.
And how.
Try Dying is a great tale of suspense. Bell’s past experience as a lawyer gives this legal thriller the type of authenticity that immerses the reader in the story. The opening chapter fully captures your attention, and the plot rarely gives you time to put the book down for mildly important things, such as sleep, work, and eating.
The story is told in first person view, from the perspective of Ty Buchanan, an up-and-coming lawyer in Los Angeles. The tragic loss of his fiancee in a freak accident sets his world on its edge. Then a startling revelation from a stranger loitering at the graveside service puts his life in a tailspin that will envelope the high-profile case he’s working on, a prominent service organization, and the gang scene in Southern California.
The characterization of Buchanan and the people he encounters are tremendous. The motivations and actions make sense and drive the thrilling tale along. There are surprises along the way that have you second-guessing the plot and where it seems to be going the whole time.
This book has moved Bell into an author that I definitely want to check out more. So far Try Dying has moved into position as one of my favorite books of the year.
See Bell’s bio and teaser below for more information. Also, Brandilyn Collins had an interview with him recently on her blog, so be sure to check it out.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
James Scott Bell is a former trial lawyer who now writes full time. He is also the fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine and adjunct professor of writing at Pepperdine University.
His book on writing, Plot and Structure is one of the most popular writing books available today. The national bestselling author of several novels of suspense, he grew up and still lives in Los Angeles, where he is at work on his next Buchanan thriller.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
On a wet Tuesday morning in December, Ernesto Bonilla, twenty-eight, shot his twenty-three-year-old wife, Alejandra, in the backyard of their West 45th Street home in South Los Angeles. As Alejandra lay bleeding to death, Ernesto drove their Ford Explorer to the westbound Century Freeway connector where it crossed over the Harbor Freeway and pulled to a stop on the shoulder.
Bonilla stepped around the back of the SUV, ignoring the rain and the afternoon drivers on their way to LAX and the west side, placed the barrel of his .38 caliber pistol into his mouth, and fired.
His body fell over the shoulder and plunged one hundred feet, hitting the roof of a Toyota Camry heading northbound on the harbor Freeway. The impact crushed the roof of the Camry. The driver, Jacqueline Dwyer, twenty-seven, an elementary schoolteacher from Reseda, died at the scene.
This would have been simply another dark and strange coincidence, the sort of thing that shows up for a two-minute report on the local news–with live remote from the scene–and maybe gets a follow-up the next day. Eventually the story would go away, fading from the city’s collective memory.
But this story did not go away. Not for me. Because Jacqueline Dwyer was the woman I was going to marry.
In Try Dying, this fast-paced thriller, lawyer Ty Buchanan must enter a world of evil to uncover the cause of his fiancee’s death–even if he has to kill for the truth.
“Bell is one of the best writers out there…he creates characters readers care about…a story worth telling.”
~Library Review~
by Jason Joyner | Nov 16, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reviews
This week’s CFBA Tour features the book Try Dying by James Scott Bell. It is the first book of his that I’ve read. I’ve always heard glowing things about his writing. He is also a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine, so my impression was that he must know his craft.
And how.
Try Dying is a great tale of suspense. Bell’s past experience as a lawyer gives this legal thriller the type of authenticity that immerses the reader in the story. The opening chapter fully captures your attention, and the plot rarely gives you time to put the book down for mildly important things, such as sleep, work, and eating.
The story is told in first person view, from the perspective of Ty Buchanan, an up-and-coming lawyer in Los Angeles. The tragic loss of his fiancee in a freak accident sets his world on its edge. Then a startling revelation from a stranger loitering at the graveside service puts his life in a tailspin that will envelope the high-profile case he’s working on, a prominent service organization, and the gang scene in Southern California.
The characterization of Buchanan and the people he encounters are tremendous. The motivations and actions make sense and drive the thrilling tale along. There are surprises along the way that have you second-guessing the plot and where it seems to be going the whole time.
This book has moved Bell into an author that I definitely want to check out more. So far Try Dying has moved into position as one of my favorite books of the year.
See Bell’s bio and teaser below for more information. Also, Brandilyn Collins had an interview with him recently on her blog, so be sure to check it out.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
James Scott Bell is a former trial lawyer who now writes full time. He is also the fiction columnist for Writers Digest magazine and adjunct professor of writing at Pepperdine University.
His book on writing, Plot and Structure is one of the most popular writing books available today. The national bestselling author of several novels of suspense, he grew up and still lives in Los Angeles, where he is at work on his next Buchanan thriller.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
On a wet Tuesday morning in December, Ernesto Bonilla, twenty-eight, shot his twenty-three-year-old wife, Alejandra, in the backyard of their West 45th Street home in South Los Angeles. As Alejandra lay bleeding to death, Ernesto drove their Ford Explorer to the westbound Century Freeway connector where it crossed over the Harbor Freeway and pulled to a stop on the shoulder.
Bonilla stepped around the back of the SUV, ignoring the rain and the afternoon drivers on their way to LAX and the west side, placed the barrel of his .38 caliber pistol into his mouth, and fired.
His body fell over the shoulder and plunged one hundred feet, hitting the roof of a Toyota Camry heading northbound on the harbor Freeway. The impact crushed the roof of the Camry. The driver, Jacqueline Dwyer, twenty-seven, an elementary schoolteacher from Reseda, died at the scene.
This would have been simply another dark and strange coincidence, the sort of thing that shows up for a two-minute report on the local news–with live remote from the scene–and maybe gets a follow-up the next day. Eventually the story would go away, fading from the city’s collective memory.
But this story did not go away. Not for me. Because Jacqueline Dwyer was the woman I was going to marry.
In Try Dying, this fast-paced thriller, lawyer Ty Buchanan must enter a world of evil to uncover the cause of his fiancee’s death–even if he has to kill for the truth.
“Bell is one of the best writers out there…he creates characters readers care about…a story worth telling.”
~Library Review~
by Jason Joyner | Oct 24, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reviews, violence, writing craft
Illuminated is the first book from Matt Bronleewe. This guy is amazing. He helped found the band Jars of Clay. He currently writes songs and is a very sought-after producer by artists such as such as Michael W. Smith, international pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere. To think that he has added a new career in writing is pretty remarkable. And an added bonus: Matt composed a soundtrack for the book that is available for free download at his website. How cool is that?
Illuminated tells the story of book specialist August Adams returning from a successful trip acquiring a rare copy of a Gutenberg Bible. Little does he know that he holds the key to a secret spanning hundreds of years, and there are people dedicated to getting that secret – at any cost. All August holds dear is at stake in this thriller.
I admire Matt a lot, reading his posts on Infuze and seeing the type of culture-impacting work he’s done. His new novel has several strengths to it. The plotting is very suspenseful. You can’t end a chapter without catching your breath and wondering where he’s going next. The plot was intriguing, with nice insights into history. As mentioned in marketing for the book, it can appeal to those who liked The DaVinci Code or the movie National Treasure. It was hard to tell at times who the protaganists could trust, and this kept me constantly guessing. Overall it is an easy read.
There were some weaknesses as well – many of which I think are the mark of a first novel and should clear up down the road. The writing sometimes didn’t hold up the circumstances of a scene. Whenever a book tackles a historical topic, it is hard not to have a passage of “info dump”, where the narrative slows to catch us up on context. This book is not exempt, although it is not near the problem this was in DaVinci Code. The ending seemed to wrap up quickly with some contrived situations. Finally, sometimes a character does some things that are highly improbable for their situation (an eight year old boy with an incredible amount of fortitude for his age.)
There is one issue in this book that makes me want to discuss it further. It is pertinent to bring it up in a review, and I’m going to spin it off into a discussion on this blog. The issue is violence, specifically the level of violence in Christian fiction. In Illuminated, it is a suspense with secret orders, chases, and narrow escapes. There has to be danger and violence to make it realistic. Yet there is a level of violence and gore in a couple of sections that seem extreme. Body parts are carted around. A rival agent is tortured, killed, and sawed apart to dissolve in acid. Another aspect that made me uncomfortable was violence around Charlie, the 8 year old son of August. He wasn’t harmed, but his frequent association with it made me cringe.
Overall, I think Matt Bronleewe has crafted a unique book for the CBA world, a book with some flaws of style that should improve with experience, and some plot choices that may push some boundaries in the Christian fiction field. It wasn’t my favorite read this year, but it is not a bad thriller for fans of those books. People with a queasy factor may want to give it a pass.
Like I said, this book made me ponder the issue of violence within Christian fiction. If you’re interested, please join me for subsequent posts discussing the topic.
