PDF - Christian Library Journal

ADULT
FICTION
America’s history without zeroing in on violent
details, but does include the use of an occasional
ethnic slur in common usage at that time. The
conclusion is a cliff hanger and fails to resolve
the various characters’ dilemmas creating
anticipation for the next volume in this series.
Debbie Lindsay, Homeschool Parent, Eatonville, Washington
The divine symphony, by Calvin Miller.
LCCN 00008166. Minneapolis: Bethany
House, 2000. ISBN 0764221701, PAP,
$12.99.
F. Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint--Fiction; Christian
women saints--Palestine--Fiction; Creation--Fiction;
Palestine--Fiction; Allegories. 290 p. Adult.
In The Divine Symphony, Calvin Miller
combines his previously published A Requiem
for Love, and A Symphony in Sand.
The story of Earthmaker, Regis, and Regina, in
A Requiem for Love, parallels God, Adam, and
Eve. Regis and Regina experience total
happiness with themselves and Earthmaker until
she becomes curious about her Father’s enemy.
Soon Regina sees a handsome youth, but draws
away “feeling both fear and enticement.” He
says, “I am Slithe, no enemy but friend. I’m
ready now to serve your curiosity and answer all
your wonder.” Slithe appears often, sometimes
man, sometimes serpent, always contradicting
Earthmaker. At last Regina yields to his lure.
Then Earthmaker must force his people out the
Sanctuary gates to the desert beyond.
A Symphony in Sand details the story of a maid,
Trouvere, and her betrothed, The Artisan,
recognizable as Mary and Joseph. An intruder
enters their lives, sometimes as a serpent. He
unsettles The Artisan with untruths and heaps
doubts upon Trouvere. Victory finally comes
when Trouvere gathers unknown strength to
grab “the heavy thing of hate” and “..with her
bare foot crushed the ugly reptile’s head.” Then
comes the birth of Trouvere’s child, welcomed
by Melek and Imperious, two ancient men, who
acknowledge Him as the Savior.
The imaginative retelling of these two
foundational Bible stories portrays Satan’s everpresent
strategy and God’s faithfulness. Slithe’s
words echo today’s new-age thought and
theology, but one of his statements reminds, “..I
do not barge into any soul unwelcomed by the
heart.” Miller fills his poetry with proverbs that
bear reading more than once, even underlining
in one’s own copy. Most chapters end with a
rhyming couplet, otherwise Miller writes in free
verse. Simple pen and ink drawings as well as
special sayings serve as chapter dividers.
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,
Oregon
☛
Everything I long for, by Melody Carlson.
(Whispering pines series; 1.) LCCN
99014914. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House,
2000. ISBN 0736900624, PAP, $9.99.
F. Oregon--Fiction; Christian fiction. 268 p.
A place to come home to, by Melody
Carlson. (Whispering pines series; 2.)
LCCN 99014245. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest
House, 1999. ISBN 0736900535, PAP,
$9.99.
F. Oregon--Fiction; Christian fiction. 262 p.
Adult (High school).
Seasoned writer Melody Carlson brings to
readers more satisfying stories that deal with
hopeful dreams, grating reality, and complex
relationships in her Whispering Pines series. In
the first book, A Place To Come Home To,
Maggie Carpenter answers an enticing Internet
ad to be the editor of a small town newspaper.
Leaving her life as an award-winning journalist
at the L.A. Times she packs her belongings and
her unwilling fourteen year old son and heads
off to Whispering Pines, Oregon. Her dreams of
living a simplistic, uncluttered life become
mired in the discovery that the town is slowly
dying after the new highway bypassed it. Her
reception is mixed between high expectations
she will turn the town around, and open hostility
since she is an outsider. Maggie also finds
herself the focus between two very different
men. Reconciling her mourning for her
husband, and her attraction to these possible
suitors, amidst all the other adjustments in her
new life, keeps Maggie relying on the Lord all
the more.
The second book in the series, Everything I
Long For, jumps right in where the first book
leaves off. Maggie’s rocky start in Whispering
Pines settles down with the success of receiving
a grant she wrote to help make some very much
needed improvements and repairs to the town.
Unfortunately, her personal life hits some
serious potholes making Maggie wonder if
Whispering Pines is really what she had longed
for after all.
What could have been yet another formula
romance takes some interesting plot turns. The
author has a touch for writing about realistic
situations and giving dimension to the many
characters involved. Maggie’s plucky
enthusiasm, combined with her vulnerability
make her quite a likable heroine. Her reliance
on the Lord is ever-present without being
overbearing. These books could be a cross-over
novel much like Jan Karon’s books which
centered on small-town life, and had the thread
of God’s grace running through them.
Pam Webb, Library Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho
★
Fireside stories of love, life and laughter,
written and compiled by Mary
Hollingsworth. Nashville: Word
Publishing, Thomas Nelson, 2000. ISBN
0849937825, PAP, $12.99.
F. Short stories; Christian fiction. 203 p. Adult.
Fireside Stories is a collection of short stories
based on real life situations and fictional tales.
A number of the stories are Christian based, but
not all. All have a message that brings laughter
or sometimes a tear. Authors range from Mark
Twain to Max Lucado, offering a variety that
would appeal to a broad audience. Mary
Hollingsworth has carefully selected stories that
can be used as references or just to be enjoyed
by a reader on a rainy day.
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,
Washington
For such a time, by Elyse Larson.
(Women of valor; 1.) LCCN 00008270.
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN
0764223550, PAP, $9.99.
F. World War, 1939-1945--France--Fiction; World
War, 1939-1945--Women--Fiction; Americans--
France--Fiction; Women--France--Fiction; France--
Fiction. 351 p. Adult (High school).
In December 1943, life in Lyon, France,
becomes even more difficult for Giselle and
Claude Munier, members of the French
Resistance. Giselle takes their daughters,
Jacquie and Angie, to live in a safe place, but
when she returns home she finds Claude gone.
She wonders if informers betrayed them.
Jean Thornton, Giselle’s American cousin and a
Red Cross worker, arrives for duty in Wales with
two concerns: whereabouts of Tom, the
Japanese man she loves, but who no longer
loves her, and safety of Giselle. When she hears
the Nazis have captured Giselle, Jean finagles
and receives permission to rescue her. She
practices the intricacies of parachute jumping,
gun handling, and daily life in France before
launching into the dangerous mission.
For Such A Time, by Elyse Larson, takes the
reader through agonizing twists and turns that
lead Jean, Giselle, Jacquie, and Angie back to
Wales. But even there the road goes bumpy
before they feel safe. All the while, Jean longs
for Tom and Giselle worries about Claude.
Fearsome complications mount, despite all
precautions. One night when an informer
threatens them as well as Jacquie, Angie, and
Tom, Jean uses her gun to save the lives of those
she loves. Although the plot dictates that Jean
shoot a man, Larson emphasizes in the final
pages the need to love and forgive everyone,
even our enemies. She does this naturally,
honestly, and convincingly through story.
Larson grabs the reader’s attention from the first
paragraph, and does not let go until the final
word. Her in-depth research of time and places
carries the reader into the scenes all the way
through the story. This, along with a skillful use
of words and plot, bring alive the physical
deprivation, pain, and emotional stress common
for many during that time. She writes in a way
that makes plausible her large cast of
characters—a good balance of hateful people
and delightful, caring folks.
The last sentence points to more about Jean and
Giselle. For the story preceding For Such A
Time, read Dawn’s Early Light, by Elsie J.
Larson.
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,
Oregon
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