Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker

Miriam, a Saudi Arabian princess, flees to America to escape a forced marriage. Nothing could be more horrifying than such a living death.

Seth is a genius with an astounding IQ of 195. He receives a strange gift- to see not the future, but possible futures. The impacts any decision could have.

When their two paths are intertwined, the unlikely pair veer down the path of a wild goose chase in a desperate attempt to survive. America learns of a coup attempt in Saudi Arabia; one that could shift the balance of the entire Middle East. Possibilities ride so thin that the future of the characters and the entire Middle East could change in the blink of an eye.

I first read the original version of Blink of an Eye, titled Blink, several years ago. It was the second Dekker book I had read, and this was the point where he had me truly hooked. It was, and is, one of my favorite books of all time. The perfect balance of romance, suspense and humor all spun into life-changing novel. Peering deep inside the Middle East and arousing and answering thoughts from deep within, Blink of an Eye will pull you along for a wild ride.

A quick note on the two editions: Blink of an Eye was created as a more thematic edition in preparation for the movie, now at a standstill. The differences aren't substantial, only minor changes. Not even that noticeable unless you look for them. The one major change is that in the original book in a sort of search for faith, Seth prays to the Christian God and Muslim Allah separately in order to discover which, if either, are real. In this book, they only pray to one God, still in a search, and while the line as to which God it is less bold–you have to read it carefully.

As a precaution, this book can be mistaken as promoting Islam if you read it incorrectly. If something seems off, reread it. This book is Christian. Don't let that scare you off though, this is one unforgettable read!

The Final Hour by Andrew Klavan

For Charlie West, life has been far from simple or easy. It gets complicated even further when he learns that that the terrorist group, the Homelanders, is nearing their huge attack on America. And the more he discovers about the planned strike, the more he realizes that he is the only one who can stop it. Time is of the essence; it all comes down to the final hour.

I admit that between my reading the third and fourth books, I did not go back to read the first and second. And unfortunately, it now looks as if it is too late. Any further inquiries on Charlie West's past are answered.

While this book certainly does not make my list of favorites, I did enjoy it much more than The Truth of the Matter, the third book. While many plot secrets are unveiled, I did not feel like it was spewing facts. There is plenty of action in the midst. However, the book was way too short. Even for a YA novel. The action doesn't even truly begin until the second half. I felt myself wanting to get into the story, wanting to like it. But there was simply way too little material for that to happen.

Book of Days by James L. Rubart

The memories, they're slipping away. His wife, his past, and even the note he just wrote down- gone. As reality slips away, Cameron Vaux grasps desperately at his last hope: a legendary book that records the earth's days. On his search, he is pointed towards a small town. But at any mention of the book, the people shut up like he just showed off his suicide bombs. The memories may be dissolving, but the words haunt him still "You will lose your mind. When it starts happening . . . you must find the Book of Days"


I loved this book. The storyline was brilliant, and I love how realistic it was, rather than theatrical compliance. The reactions and dialogue seemed to be exact with the parallel if someone asked you about a Book of Days in 5 minutes. The writing flowed excellently, and I had a very hard timing setting the book down.


This book did have loose mutual themes with Rooms. As a vague summary, a search for purpose and hope. My personal opinion however, is that Book of Days is even better than Rooms. Excellent novel, James!

Here is the book trailer:


Here is James Rubart on Book of Days:

The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner

In 2012 they were broken. In 2048 the aftermath takes effect.

Historian Paul Binder receives a strange summoning to study the original Diatesseron. As he and Angela Krall, a manuscript specialist, study the text, they stumble upon a strange trail of clues. Disaster is rampant as the world breathes it's last breaths. Strange events lead the duo on an endless labyrinth across the globe as they try to uncover the mystery of the seraph seal.

When I started this book, it seemed pretty boring. Taking place 37 years in the future, I had a hard time adapting to this sci-fi earth. However, the further I got into this book, the more interesting and suspenseful it became. It got to a point where I loved the book, then suddenly, it left me off at a rather disappointing ending. One that was so different that it made me question what the authors hoped to accomplish with this.

On the matter of the literary blue prints of the book, it jumped around a lot. In a way, it was cool for this particular story, and focused more on the world and the story line more than completely on a set of characters. Yet I found myself being immersed into a character's portion of the story, then yanked out and thrown into the story of someone someone else.

Now, for the theological content. From the very beginning, the apocalyptic signs and puzzles seemed a bit off to me. And throughout the book, they skip several of the events in the book of Revelation. In fact, almost all of it. If you take this book lightly, and accept it as a nice novel with loose ties to the Christian end of the world, it can be enjoyable. If you try to soak it in or get a deeper understanding, turn away; this book will confuse you and possibly anger you.
  

The Endless Knot by Stephen R. Lawhead

A terrible thievery causes need for Llew and his most loyal subjects to travel to the Foul Land, Tir Aflan. There they must conquer countless beasts, ancient evils, old enemies, cursed lands, and the curse itself. On top of that, mysterious fires keep on appearing in Albion. Death is stared in the face when unraveling begins on the Endless Knot.

By far, the best of the series! This, is true fantasy. Mythical creatures, ancient curses, an impossible quest - this is what I'm talkin' 'bout! A great story with that eerie Lord of the Rings feel. While I love the story, and title it the highlight of The Song of Albion Trilogy, because it is so different from the others it almost feels separate. Same characters, but different atmosphere.

Semi-disappointed on the ending. I love the sad endings, strange as it sounds, but this one kind of ruined the whole love/sacrifice thing. In a way, similar to Ted Dekker's Green ending, but not quite as effective.

*Once again, I would like to note this review was written back in November of 2010.

The Silver Hand by Stephen R. Lawhead

Meldryn Mawr is dead, leaving the question of who will be his successor. Llew, his champion and traveler from between worlds, or Meldron, his son and the prince? Whoever the new king may be, the title will not come without a price. When Llew gets exiled, tension enough for a civil war breakout. And the only one who can bring peace to Albion is the Silver Hand.

This book is based on a story not quite unknown - it is repeated several times throughout history. It is sort of a retelling, though I will say a good one. It is a story of hope. There is always hope. Better than the first, though still no creatures and still occasionally failed to capture my attention. There are some really cool things in this book, but they are weighted towards the end instead of being evenly spread.

I might also add that switching to a different person's view in a first-person series is pretty confusing. The first half of the book I still thought it was Llew then, of course, in the third book I still thought it was Tegid. Interesting approach, and quite clever, but still a little difficult to make the switch between characters.

*Again, I would like to note that this review was written back in November 2010.

The Paradise War by Stephen R. Lawhead

Lewis Giles is a student at Oxford majoring in Celtic Studies, and living a pretty plain life. Funny how quickly things can change. Out of nowhere his roommate decides to go looking for an ancient creature that has extinct for thousands of years all the way in Scotland. Lewis finds himself being dragged along for the ride. But what seems like a foolish hunt turns out to push Lewis unknowingly into a whole different world and the Paradise War.

This fantasy world is somewhat different than other fantasy worlds. For one, it is somewhat based on old Celtic lore, but the main thing I noticed is that there are not many creatures. A very few here and there, but for the most part they play no major role. I enjoyed this book, finding it quite unique. Although I will admit it didn't completely capture me. A couple times I found myself struggling to focus on it, so that was a disappointment. However it did explore a subject personally unknown - the Celts.

*I would like to note that this review was written in October 2010. However it is just now being posted.