Deadfall, by Robet Liparulo (Thomas Nelson)

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Don’t start this book unless you’ve got plenty of time on your hands, ‘cuz you won’t be putting it down any time soon.

In Deadfall, Mr. Liparulo delivers an intense, captivating thriller that nails you to your seat from the first chapter all the way until you come to a screeching halt at the back cover. Indeed, after the first couple of chapters, I seriously wondered if I would continue or set it aside. I’m glad I continued.

Set in the far northern reaches of the Northwest Territories, Deadfall drops an unsuspecting foursome of friends out for ten days of stress-free camping and male bonding directly into the middle of a hotbed of evil intrigue. A gang of brigands has taken the remote town of Fiddler Falls hostage and uses the town as an experimental base for testing and refining a fearsome new weapon—but with a terribly twisted purpose you’d never suspect. The two groups collide and the race for survival and dominance is on. The camping party, armed with only a bow and arrows, pits its skill and mettle against an unknown deadly technology driven by a cold malevolence that is all but beyond comprehension by the rational mind.

This story is not for the faint of heart. It’s raw and reveals an ugly side of human nature that decent folk wish really wasn’t there. But it is. The reader can take heart, though, that the counterbalance of decency and all the virtues we like to think we possess are also evident. It’s this virtue and the unpredictability of decency that comes into play at the most crucial point.

Well written and meticulously researched, Deadfall doesn’t describe the Canadian wilderness to you, it pulls you in. You can smell it, see it, and feel it. You can also smell, see and feel the fear, grit and determination of those who will not see evil triumph.

Great read. Gird your heart; you’re in for a ride!

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Hungry River, by Millie Samuelson

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If you're looking for an inspiring, thought-provoking story that's so closely written from the author's heart it almost has its own pulse, Hungry River is a must read.

Ms. Samuelson has crafted a wonderful story based upon real characters and events from her own family's past—missionaries in China at the turn of the 20th century and the years following. History buffs will recall that tumultuous era as the setting for the bloody Boxer rebellion during which thousands of Chinese Christians and missionaries were slaughtered. Millie touches on these events through the eyes of those who endured them in the pages of Hungry River. But mostly you'll read of the missionaries' quiet work in China's back villages, as well as her large cities, and of the steadfast faith that sustained them through tribulations and victories.
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Millie does a remarkable job of setting the stage of each chapter by interweaving and counterbalancing excerpts of two sets of journals. The first is a contemporary diary by Abbie, the storyteller. The second comprises letters, journals and other memorabilia of her father and her grandparents, who are the main characters of the novel. Abbie is reading through the family records and, in addition to telling their story, records her impressions of their significance not only to her own heritage, but to the larger cause of worldwide missions.
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Self-published novels carry an all-too-often well deserved stigma of poor quality. Hungry River shatters that stigma. The word that kept creeping into my mind as I absorbed Millie's writing style was "gentle"—but don't confuse "gentle" with "boring"; nothing could be farther from the truth. The great writer and writing teacher, Cecil Murphey, commented that one of the best compliments he had received was when a publisher told him his writing was so very easy to read. Reading Ms. Samuelson's prose is effortless. You never trip over awkward phrasing or burdened vocabulary in Hungry River. The story is authentic and captivating, the reading experience a joy. This book is a treasure.

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Bad news and good news. First the bad news. Ms. Samuelson has discontinued printing Hungry River in its current form. Now the good news. She still has copies available through Amazon.com, and would also be pleased to send an autographed copy by contacting her here. More good news. Millie has expanded Hungry River by nine chapters and is seeking traditional publishing through the Hartline Literary Agency for the book under the new name Dragon River.

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If you're an editor who has stumbled upon this review, take this as a good lead on a winner. If you're a reader who loves excellent writing and engaging storytelling, you can take the same lead.

Check Out the Web Site!

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At long last, my Web site has been updated. Still waiting for a cover design on The Word Fulfilled to post, but there's now a home page that links to separate pages for each book--including Katia.
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Especially check out the Katia page. There's a synopsis of the story and a photo gallery of pictures in Berlin before, during, and after the Wall fell.
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Witness, by E.G. Lewis (Cape Arago Press)

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"An Old Story told in a New Way--" goes the tagline on the back cover of E.G. Lewis's Witness. The only thing that description leaves out is "--and told really well." I had the pleasure of reading the manuscript of Witness during its development. I then had the pleasure then of reading the final product. The Law of Diminshing Returns suspended itself in this case. The second read was as enjoyable--if not more so--than the first.

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Ed Lewis has crafted an wonderfully entertaining, thought-provoking, and deeply informative novel of a young Jewish shepherdess, Rikvah, who witnesses the angelic announcement of Christ's birth. As the only female among the shepherds who go to see "this which has happened, which the Lord has told us about," she becomes the first human being after Mary and Joseph to cuddle the Infant. This would not be the last event Rikvah witnesses in the life of the Christ.

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Witness follows Rikvah's life in the years following the Incarnation, and that of Shemuel, a childhood friend and, she hopes, someday her betrothed. A catastrophe at the Temple yanks Shemuel from Rikvah's life, but not from her heart. What follows is a poignant tale of faith, loyalty, and finally redemption in more ways than just one.

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A friend once told me, "When I read historical fiction, I want to learn something." If you share that viewpoint, this is the book for you. Witness immerses you in Judean village life in the 1st-century AD where you learn everything from spinning yarn and making cheese to coming of age under the yoke of Roman oppression. But the storyline never disappears behind the education. Mr. Lewis weaves the lore seamlessly into the adventure, blending meticulous research and practiced storytelling into a delightfully statisfying tale that you won't soon forget.

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Great read, Ed! Thanks.

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