The Rock - Morgan
I don't have the book with me (and my home computer is dead) so you'll have to wait for me to remember the author (I can't even find the book on amazon. Not a good sign.)
The Rock is a Christian novel, but not strikingly so. The characters had questionable morals (something I actually enjoy in Christian fiction) and make some realistically bad choices. The novel is about a family, primarily two brothers, growing up during Prohibition. While the book isn't centered on alcohol, it certainly plays a part. In a bit too-typical of a fashion, one son is dedicated to his family, rising to the occasion after his father (and elder sister) die. The other brother is lazy, mean spirited and spiteful. The opening scene tells as much as you ever need to know to understand the relationship between the two when one spends days building a very rough church in the woods and the other sets fire to it.
The novel primarily traces the path of the good son. Following the convictions of his heart, the way he hears God in his life and his desire to be on his own and yet faithful to his family and his calling. Ultimately, he decides that his life's passion is to build a real church on top of the mountain.
I never felt as though this character was truly hearing God, as he declared, more than that he was just jumping from idea to idea without thinking it through. He seemed impulsive to me, quick to leave home or return with little effort given to see his dreams through. Even the eventual building of the church, while seeming to require immense effort, thought and calculation, proved to be lacking in a variety of ways, a fact he only realized when he received help.
Perhaps it is indicative of our own selfish desires, of our own blindness towards God's greater plan. Perhaps it was simply an example of a weak character (a category I can easily relate to). Whatever the purpose or intention of the author, I wasn't captivated by this novel. Even the conclusion seems to fall short of being a resounding declaration as the characters once again abandon the original plan and simply go on with their lives as if nothing ever changed.
Not a bad read, but I wouldn't pay much for the book. Luckily, I picked this one up on a clearance rack. Even so, I think I still paid too much for the experience.
The Rock is a Christian novel, but not strikingly so. The characters had questionable morals (something I actually enjoy in Christian fiction) and make some realistically bad choices. The novel is about a family, primarily two brothers, growing up during Prohibition. While the book isn't centered on alcohol, it certainly plays a part. In a bit too-typical of a fashion, one son is dedicated to his family, rising to the occasion after his father (and elder sister) die. The other brother is lazy, mean spirited and spiteful. The opening scene tells as much as you ever need to know to understand the relationship between the two when one spends days building a very rough church in the woods and the other sets fire to it.
The novel primarily traces the path of the good son. Following the convictions of his heart, the way he hears God in his life and his desire to be on his own and yet faithful to his family and his calling. Ultimately, he decides that his life's passion is to build a real church on top of the mountain.
I never felt as though this character was truly hearing God, as he declared, more than that he was just jumping from idea to idea without thinking it through. He seemed impulsive to me, quick to leave home or return with little effort given to see his dreams through. Even the eventual building of the church, while seeming to require immense effort, thought and calculation, proved to be lacking in a variety of ways, a fact he only realized when he received help.
Perhaps it is indicative of our own selfish desires, of our own blindness towards God's greater plan. Perhaps it was simply an example of a weak character (a category I can easily relate to). Whatever the purpose or intention of the author, I wasn't captivated by this novel. Even the conclusion seems to fall short of being a resounding declaration as the characters once again abandon the original plan and simply go on with their lives as if nothing ever changed.
Not a bad read, but I wouldn't pay much for the book. Luckily, I picked this one up on a clearance rack. Even so, I think I still paid too much for the experience.
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