The Future of Christian Fiction

Thanks to a post by Mike Duran (Eric Wilson's Open Letter to Readers, Writers, and Publishers of Christian Fiction) at Novel Journey, I discovered this thought-provoking piece written by Eric Wilson, "Is it Time for Christian Fiction to Die?" As someone who continuously searches for Christian fiction that dares to get messy, I found many of Wilson's observations all too true. I'm not seeking the end of Christian fiction, but I do hope that it opens its doors to authors who dare to challenge readers and not just offer escape.

Back on Murder

(a Roland March Mystery)

by J. Mark Bertrand

Bethany House
384 pages

Crime Drama That Towers Above Others in Christian Market

Roland March is a Houston homicide detective who seems to be headed out of the force. He’s lost the respect of his fellow officers and doesn’t seem to care. But then he’s given one last opportunity to prove himself when an evangelist’s daughter goes missing. His gut tells him her disappearance is tied to recent multiple murders at a drug house, but the facts don’t point in that direction. The case becomes personal to him, and he won’t back down until he uncovers the truth, regardless of what it costs.


Review:

I love a good crime novel. Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch stories are among my favorites. But, in the world of Christian fiction, where Amish and romance stories reign, finding novels that even shadow Connelly’s quality are rare. J. Mark Bertrand, in his first solo effort (He wrote Bequiled with Deeanne Gist), has proven himself more than capable. He’s penned an intriguing mystery, one that keeps the reader guessing to the end. He layers it with details that show he understands not only police procedure, but how it affects their thought process and their home life.

Bertrand also uses a couple of literary devices that I typically don’t care for. Back on Murder is written in first person using present tense, which if not written very well, will draw the reader out of the story. More and more authors are attempting to write in present tense as it theoretically makes what happens more immediate, but what they succeed in doing is jarring the reader from the story. My internal editor can’t help but edit the story to the more common past tense. Not once did that happen in Back on Murder. Bertrand used the device with expertise so that the reader doesn’t automatically say to themselves, “This is present-tense.” You’re just reading his unique voice.

I look forward to reading more from J. Mark Bertrand.

Blaze of Glory

by Major Jeff Struecker
and Alton Gansky

B&H Books
400 pages

Page-Turning Military Suspense

A string of female suicide bombers sends Sergeant Eric Moyer and his Special Operations team overseas to stop the bombings and to thwart a possible attempt to assassinate several heads-of-state. Thus begins the non-stop action in Blaze of Glory by Major Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky.


In Struecker’s and Gansky’s sophomore effort together, they succeed in penning a book even better than their first (Certain Jeopardy). Not only does the reader experience continuous action, but the authors flesh out their characters more in this second novel. With Struecker’s experience as an Army Ranger, the reader knows the storyline is believable. The emotional tension is as intense as the firefights. You’ve got one soldier who proposed right before the team gets the call, and another soldier whose battle with post-traumatic stress disorder is more terrifying to him than a gun fight. His uncontrolled flashbacks may jeopardize the safety of the entire unit. This is more than page-turning adventure. You really care about the people involved.

If you’re looking for a great story, one that’s set apart from the majority of books on the Christian bookshelves, then pick up Blaze of Glory.

***

Major Jeff Struecker now serves as an Army Chaplain. He is probably best known for his role in what has become known as Black Hawk Down. Besides his novel collaborations with Gansky, Struecker penned a biography, The Road to Unafraid (review also posted on this blog), another very worthwhile read. http://www.jeffstruecker.com/

Alton Gasky is the author of thirty books, 24 of which are suspense or supernatural suspense novels. When he’s not writing, he provides writing services through his business, Gansky Communications, and he often speaks at writing conferences around the country. http://www.altongansky.com/

2010 Christy Award Winners

Christy Awards are given annually for books that achieve excellence in Christian fiction. The winners were announced last night in St. Louis, Missouri.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you for advancing Christian fiction.

Contemporary Romance
Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers)

Contemporary Series, Sequels & Novellas
Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson (Thomas Nelson)

Contemporary Standalone
The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson (Thomas Nelson)

First Novel
Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent (Tyndale House Publishers)

Historical
Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance
The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Bethany House Publishers: a Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Suspense
Lost Mission by Athol Dickson (Howard Books: a Division of Simon & Schuster)

Visionary
By Darkness  Hid by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press)

Young Adult
North! or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Enemies Among Us

by Bob Hamer

Fidelis Books
336 pages

Gritty and Fast-Paced Realism in Debut Action/Thriller

I love action/thriller novels. Vince Flynn and Michael Connelly are a few of the authors whose books I won't miss. But, while I love Flynn & Connelly, the problem is, they're not exactly suited for the church library shelves. While there are action/thrillers in Christian fiction, it's rare to find comparable works, books that will intrigue across the religious line. Steven James is probably the best at appealing cross-genre and Tim Downs takes a close second.

Enemies Among Us, by veteran undercover FBI Agent Bob Hamer, leaps that barrier, and the book's even endorsed by Vince Flynn. Enemies is the action-packed story of Matt Hogan, a "cowboy" undercover agent who is given the assignment of tracking a terrorist cell in Los Angeles. This adrenaline-laced novel is highly detailed and intricately woven together. Hamer takes the reader inside Matt Hogan's life and mind-set. We experience the job's lethal dangers, plus we see the difficult balance required to maintain a happy marriage.

Albeit, the novel wasn't perfect. Some of the dialogue was stodgy, and at times the description stalled the action, but all-in-all I was very pleased with the book and Bob Hamer has definitely been added to my list of must reads.

2010 Christy Award Finalists Announced

Each year, Christy Awards are given to writers whose novel has demonstrated excellence in Christian fiction. I look forward to reading this list every year, hoping to see my favorite books, and wondering which ones I've missed reading.

I'm pleased to see that the nominees include a number of books I reviewed over the past year, several of which are on my all-time favorite reads list. To revisit those reviews, just click on the title: Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth, The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson, The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry, Scared by Tom Davis. Two additional finalists, June Bug (a modern day retelling of Les Miserables) by Chris Fabry and Fireflies in December (poignantly portrays the horror of prejudice in the 1930's) by Jennifer Erin Valent are on my all-time favorite reads list. (see my Highly Recommend Reading list in the sidebar)

Of course, there are always a few additional titles I believe are worthy of a Christy: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner is a story that peeks beyond the pristine fences of a normal family and finds that fences only mask the truth, and The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz.

So, if you love to read and are looking for the novel that goes deeper, that's willing to challenge you and provoke thinking, then check out the Christy Awards.

For a complete list of finalists, visit Inkspirational Messages.

A Symphony of Words

As a reader, one element I continuously look for in a book is lyrical prose, where the words flow together creating a beautiful melody. Admittedly, such works are difficult to find. Athol Dickson is one such author whose stories transcend plot and character. When you read them, you feel like you've heard a Bach masterpiece.

In the Novel Journey blog, (Forgotten Beauty - March 4, 2010) Athol Dickson talks about beauty in writing, how that is rarely mentioned when discussing craftsmanship. If you, too, desire more from a story, if you seek prose that plays like a symphony, I recommend reading his eloquently said post. http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/2010/03/forgotten-beauty.html.