The Queen - A Review

The fifth Patrick Bowers thriller, “The Queen”, by Steven James, careens through a Wisconsin winter like a snowmobile at full throttle.  James starts our protagonist on a case related to his old nemesis, Richard Basque, then changes gears as Pat Bowers is assigned to a seemingly unrelated side-case that acquaints him with a new conflicted  nemesis, Alexei Chekov.

For those who love high tech adventures and suspense, this book stands toe-to-toe with the best Clancy novels.  From Agent Bowers’ geospatial three dimensional profiling program, ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) transmission technology for submarine contact, to the behind-the-scenes experimental government technologies used by spy agencies and Eco Terrorism, this book has it all.

James does an excellent job at balancing the thrills with deep character development where we dig into Agent Bowers’ past with an introduction of his brother and sister-in-law, Sean and Amber.  Bower’s complicated relationship with his daughter Tessa creates a nice tension with an underlying question of what forgiveness and reconciliation mean.  Did Pat Bowers and his on-again, off-again love interest Lien-hua Jiang finally get around to tying the knot?  You’ll have to read the book to find out. 

Having read the past four Patrick Bowers novels, I am always expecting the unexpected twists at the end and “The Queen” didn’t disappoint.  This is required reading for adrenaline junkies!

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

The Knight by Steven James

The Knight is the third installment of the Patrick Bowers files by Steven James. The typical progression for a decent writer is having a hit, followed by a sophomore slump, and then a not-as-good-as-the-first-one third novel. That is why Steven James is not typical. He starts the series out with a slam dunk and consistently tops each story.

To say I couldn't put this book down is an understatement. My wife complained when I took it into the bathroom with me. I was torn between reading it slowly and soaking in every word and racing through it to find out what happens.

Patrick Bowers is on the hunt for a killer who uses an ancient book as a script to commit sick and twisted murders. Using his unorthodox methods, which would cause Sherlock Holmes to take notice, Patrick Bowers finds himself in the thick of the plot. The twist at the end was well worth the wait.

Steven James weaves a chilling tale rich in action, suspense, drama, and even some romance. The flow of his books makes the story play out like a movie in your head. I'm anxiously awaiting his next novel, The Bishop, due out in 2010.

The Knight is available August 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Shack

I heard some talk about The Shack and wanted to read it before any spoilers wormed their way into my head. Much like when The Golden Compass came out on film. I distrust the media, not so much because of how they portray (spin) art, but the condescension that comes from their need to explain to me what I should be feeling/thinking/seeing.

The revelation of God being portrayed as three separate entities with different human qualities is not news. Frankly, the God portrayed in the book is the one I currently have a relationship with. What really struck me about the book is the slow set up and then gut punch simplicity of God's love for ALL of His children.

I enjoyed the fact that laying out the basic tenets of Christian beliefs was done so in the guise of a parable and not from a soapbox. Most complaints I have heard since reading The Shack comes from either the portrayal of God as one or any of the three characters, or that non-Christians will think that God will send them a letter.

My response to both of these lines of thought are exactly what has been taught within the story of this book: Who are we to judge who God is, what He can do, and why He does anything? I thought that was the point of the Emergent Church. To break conventional thinking about God and his message within the organized, institutional church.

Christians, non-Christians, and those hurt by institutionalized religion that do not understand the relational aspect of being a Christ follower should read this book.

Summer Reading Club - Homestretch

This is part of Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club.

(1) The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch: Good book to read if you want to face the reality that the wages of sin is death. Makes you want to squeeze every ounce of goodness out of this life. The fact that Randy died earlier this week was what prompted me to pick this back up and finish it.

(2) The Freedom Manifesto, by Tom Hodgkinson: This dude is trying to resurrect the beatnik generation by rebelling against everything. A few good ideas about eschewing wealth and living a happy life. From my perspective, I didn't take it too literally...more as a satire. To each his own.

Summer Reading Club - Weeks 4 & 5

This is part of The Prophet, Dr. Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club.

(1) Everlost, by Neal Shusterman: Dark tale of a freak accident that causes two teens to not quite make it to where they were supposed to go in the afterlife. Quick, fun read with some interesting concepts (skinjacking, Afterlights, dead spots) about what happens after you die. The concepts could easily be turned into some cool special effects for a short film or made-for-TV movie. Worth a read for something summery.

(2) Strength for Life, by Shawn Phillips: Fundamentals for anyone wanting better health. PERIOD. This commonsense approach to understanding the need to build muscle in order to continually burn fat has changed how I exercise and eat. The first step is a two week process of resetting your body by doing very basic exercises and clearing all of the junk out of your diet. The real deal is a 12 week (just in time for a 20th year high school reunion) program of weight training with high intensity targeted cardio. Combine the the workouts with knowledge on how to eat AND in what order to eat your carbs, protein, fruits, and veggies for the maximum energy, and you've got yourself required reading for anyone who has failed at dieting programs. I've always had problems losing that last bit of fat on top of my abs, but with this change in lifestyle (not a diet) and exercise program, it's melting away.

(3) The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea, by Guy Billout: Yeah...I know it's a kids book, but I read it to my five year old son who is into frogs, turtles, any anything reptilian and he loved it. For anyone who has ever wanted to travel or move and once you finally got there, longed to be back home...only to want to go back after you were satisfied that home would always be there for you.

WEEK ONE UPDATE: Off to a great start but fell into old habit of reading several books at one time which means my list will EXPLODE here in a few weeks, but remain the same for a while until my book snowball gains momentum.


WEEK TWO UPDATE: Look to finish two books this week since my wife has a girls' night out.


WEEK THREE UPDATE: Got wrapped up in reading The Pawn and The Last Lecture. Decided to put them aside to read Everlost on a tip from Mark Lee for a quick read.

Summer Reading Club - My List: Week 2

This is part of Dr. Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club.

(1) Go With Me, by Castle Freeman: Grabs you from the beginning. Sharply written, dark, funny, keeps you guessing. Can see this being a short independent film.

(2) The Ezekiel Option, by Joel Rosenberg: Political thriller in the style of Tom Clancy injected with prophecy. Amazing in its parallel to what is happening today in the middle east and in the world. Ends each chapter with a hook to keep you reading this fast-paced, action packed summer gem.

(3) Napoleon's Pyramids, by William Dietrich: Historical fiction based around the time of the French Revolution about an American who finds an ancient trinket and tries to find its purpose (without being killed). Indiana Jones with a taste of The Mummy wrapped inside a history lesson about France and Egypt in the late 1700s.

WEEK ONE UPDATE: Off to a great start but fell into old habit of reading several books at one time which means my list will EXPLODE here in a few weeks, but remain the same for a while until my book snowball gains momentum.

WEEK TWO UPDATE: Look to finish two books this week since my wife has a girls' night out.