PDF - Christian Library Journal

ADULT
FICTION
and Melvin Hoddle, takes readers directly into
the Knolls Community Hospital emergency
room. Dr. Lukas Bower, the unwilling
temporary director, and Dr. Mercy Richmond,
who maintains a private practice, treat the
wounded.
Abner and Delphi Bell, Clarence Knight and his
sister Darlene, the Cuendet family, and teenager,
Shannon Becker bring various troubles to
emergency. Their problems intertwine with a
hospital investigation launched by Bailey Little,
a bitter and guilty man. Ups and downs of the
personal lives of Dr. Lukas and Dr. Mercy add
another dimension, especially when Dr .Mercy’s
husband, Theodore, shows up after his release
from detox. His presence affects her and their
daughter, eleven-year-old Tedi. Dr. Lukas helps
Theodore find his way to faith in Christ. But
what about Dr. Mercy’s faith?
A strong attraction between the two doctors puts
each in personal turmoil as multiple fires make
folks wonder if the Knolls community has an
arsonist on its hands. Then, because of a major
disaster at the hospital, many questions suddenly
have answers.
Cheryl and Melvin Hoddle have fashioned a
fast-paced story with one emergency after
another, both inside the hospital and elsewhere.
Since Melvin Hoddle practices emergency
medicine, descriptions of injuries, illnesses, and
medical procedures hold an aura of real-life.
Several plots successfully woven together create
the theme: compassion costs, but it’s worth it.
A large number of characters, primary and
secondary, with others who make only a minor
appearance, add to the hustle and bustle of A
Solemn Oath. The writer rounds them out into
real people who create in readers disgust,
sympathy, and love, along with chuckles. The
medical setting makes a welcome change in
current fiction.
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,
Oregon
Suncatchers, by Jamie Langston Turner.
LCCN 00009991. Minneapolis: Bethany
House, 2000. ISBN 0754224158, PAP,
$10.00.
F. South Carolina--Fiction; Separated people--Fiction;
Evangelicalism--Fiction; Journalists--Fiction;
Christian fiction. 389 p. Adult.
Suncatchers could carry the subtitle, The
Revitalization of Perry Warren. What starts out
as an assignment to write a book about “fire and
brimstone fanatics” ends up as a life-changing
year for Perry.
When cracks in his marriage to Dinah open
wide, Perry leaves her and their son Troy behind
and goes to Derby, South Carolina. He moves
into his sister’s empty house; immediately his
next-door neighbors, Eldeen, Jewel, and Joe
Leonard, befriend him.
Eldeen, elderly, dressed in odd clothes and
talking constantly but at times eloquently,
amazes Perry. He finds Jewel and her teen-aged
son, Joe Leonard, who plays the tuba, intriguing.
Under the guise of studying them, he goes along
to the Church of the Open Door. Folks there
also welcome him, but he resolves not to
become involved. Concerns for Dinah and Troy
continually pierce his mind.
Sunday services, weekly prayer meetings, the
Fourth of July celebration, Wilderness Gospel
Camp, a wedding, youth activities, and Joe
Leonard’s injury, melt Perry’s resolve like snow
in the sun. He sometimes feels preached at and
at other times wonders about authenticity of all
Eldeen and others say about God and answers to
prayer. He surprises himself with certain
spontaneous reactions.
Turner has created a character-driven story that
moves slowly, even sometimes tediously, yet
steadily to accomplish her goal. No real twists
and turns of plot to keep readers going, but the
characters do that themselves. She reveals a
master-hand at describing details and showing
characters rather than merely telling about them.
Eldeen, believable, humorous, and always
replete with something to say, bears well the
weight of spiritual admonisher. Her words spin
out naturally, full of advice, Scriptures, love, and
understanding. Well-crafted flashbacks, Perry’s
remembrances, reveal much about him and
Dinah.
In Suncatchers, Turner avoids a preachy tone
while speaking to many real-life situations. She
expertly presents a message of encouragement
to believers and invitation to non-believers. The
book’s title is a metaphor for this message.
Readers will find at the end of the book sixteen
questions intended as discussion helps for
reading groups.
Betty M. Hockett, Freelance Writer, Teacher, Speaker, Newberg,
Oregon
Tidings of peace, by Tracie Peterson.
LCCN 00010525. Minneapolis: Bethany
House, 2000. ISBN 0764222910, PAP,
$9.99.
F. World War, 1939-1945--Fiction; Christian fiction;
War stories, American. 299 p. Adult (High school).
Tidings of Peace is four novellas of love during
World War II. The author writes of four
different, unrelated couples, and their individual
journeys to love. David is a young man who
escaped death aboard the USS Arizona because
he was AWOL. Fulfilling a promise given to his
deceased captain, Kenny, David travels to
Washington State to visit Kenny’s family.
David is determined to end his life through
suicide immediately following the visit. But,
when David arrives, he finds a family ready to
welcome him as if he was their own. David is
sure that if they knew his past, especially
Kenny’s beautiful sister Rachel, they would
reject him, as so many had in the past.
In the South Pacific, Erik bails out of his
burning plane and finds himself on an island that
is either deserted or, worse yet, full of cannibals.
Erik had not been receiving mail from his
fiancee nor his family back home and has been
filled with fear and rejection. Now, he is
convinced he will never leave this island alive,
because God must have rejected him, too.
Melody is facing the birth of her first child, and
her husband is fighting in Europe. When her
parents discovered she was pregnant prior to her
marriage, they threw her out of their house. Will
Melody find reconciliation with her family?
Will she be able to face this pregnancy and
delivery feeling so alone?
Clara is excited, because she has just discovered
she will be stationed with the Red Cross in the
same location as her fiancee in Europe. But,
rumors circle around that his company will be
moving out on the eve of their wedding day.
Clara is determined that she will be married in a
real white wedding dress. Now, she is not even
sure it the wedding will take place.
The author, Tracie Peterson, writes these
novellas in the style of Grace Livingston Hill.
The similarities are in the content and also the
settings/era of the stories. Having read other
works by Tracie Peterson and enjoying them
immensely, I found these stories to be lacking in
depth and found my interest steadily decreasing.
Tammy Williams, Freelance Writer, Social Worker, Port Orchard,
Washington
Ties that bind, by Judith Pella and Tracie
Peterson. (Ribbons west; 3.) LCCN
99050592. Minneapolis: Bethany House,
2000. ISBN 076422073X, PAP, $10.99.
F. Railroads--West (U.S.)--History--19th century--
Fiction; Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.)--
Fiction; Women journalists--West (U.S.)--Fiction. 285
p. Adult.
Those who have read the first two books in the
Ribbons West series, will be delighted to
continue following the life of the Baldwin
children as they move west to Sacramento and
become part of the building of the
Transcontinental Railroad. Jordana Baldwin,
feeling out of sorts living with her brother and
his new wife, decides to embark on a career of
her own, writing stories for New York
newspapers about the building of the Central
Pacific Railroad. At the same time she forms an
alliance with Charles Crocker, head of that
railroad, to serve as a spy for him in trying to
finger those responsible for the theft and
sabotage which has been plaguing the railroad’s
progress. Against her family’s wishes, she
disguises herself as young male reporter Joe
Baldwin, and lives in the railroad camps in order
to be accepted by the rough railroad workers.
Across the continent, Jordana’s long time friend
Captain Rich O’Brian leaves the army and
(unbeknownst to her) is hired by the Union
Pacific Railroad as their spy. The intrigue builds
when their paths cross and they become
involved in each other’s missions. The two
young adventurers not only manage to solve the
mysteries they face on the railroad, but at the
same time explore and solve some of the
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