Saturday, February 28, 2009

BOOK REVIEW The Great and the Terrible

I love to read and my favorite thing to read is LDS Fiction. I usually don't review the books I read, it reminds me too much of the much hated grade school book reports, but I have decided to try and do a few more.
My favorite book store is Deseret Book. There is one one the west side of the valley, closer to us and they price match Seagulls Prices.
The book I decided to review today is actually a series of 6 books. The 1st 3 I read a few years ago, so I am going to borrow the summery from http://www.deseretbook.com/ for them.
As Peter read the charges against Lucifer, the enormous chamber remained deadly still. Everyone knew what the charges would be, for there were no more secrets among the children of God, and the evidence was damning, entirely whole, and complete.
Satan was indeed in open rebellion. He was seeking not only to destroy the souls of all who would follow, but to bring down and destroy the society of the Father, to take His kingdom and power and glory and claim it all for his own.
And because it was evident, and because he no longer denied it, there was no doubt of the outcome of the Council of God.
Lucifer had to be defeated, his rebellion disbanded or crushed. He could not he reasoned with. There was no common ground. His followers had to give up their sedition and quit converting God's children to their dark paths or be cast out and expelled from the presence of God.
Ammon shivered as he listened to the words Jehovah read. Damned for eternity. Denied their second estate. Cast out, never to be with the Father again.
And so it was that the battle with Satan began.
This volume is a little bizarre, but if you decide to read the series, it is necessary, to define the characters in the rest of the books.
"Destroy an entire nation!" protested the American. "How would you suggest we manipulate the political consequences of that?"
"We won't destroy them," replied the Saudi prince. "We will move them. There is an enormous difference, my friend."
"But they will not be moved"

"That is their choice. If they stay, they will die, but I cannot choose for them. We can't make them be reasonable, though Allah knows we have tried."

The war that began before we entered mortality is escalating into the final battle for freedom, liberty and the hearts and souls of all men. Into this world filled with turmoil, our Father will send some of his most valiant servants. A child is born who may have the power to change the course of history. But will Elizabeth remember the covenants she made in the pre-mortal world? Will she and her brothers have the strength to withstand the terrible forces of evil that will reign in the Last Days? Against the backdrop of Middle Eastern conflict, this story of war and intrigue will have you riveted.
"The old king struggled, lifting his hand again. The prince smiled at the motion and placed his mouth to the old man's ear, feeling the heat of his skin on his lips. As he spoke his voice changed, as if another man were there. "It has started, my father," he whispered in a soft, evil hiss. "There is no turning back. You might as well lift your hand to stop the sunrise as to bring an end to this plan. Like your own death, it is inevitable. A new day is dawning, a day of secret alliances and powerful men, an age of dark miracles, dreadful rumors and a red, sinking moon, a day of a bright flash on the horizon that does not come from the sun. It will be an age of power and oppression far greater than has ever fallen on the earth. Even as I whisper to you, Father, even as my breath touches your ears, the great battle has started. The sun is setting on the frail world you have known. It is passing, and with its passing, the greater kingdom shall come." A world poised at the brink of a disastrous war is unaware of the evil forces that will stop at nothing to achieve their aims. But in the midst of turmoil and impending doom, some of the Father's most valiant servants are in place-sons and daughters who may have the power to change the course of history. The third volume in The Great and Terrible series, The Second Sun, is a fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed story of war and intrigue by nationally bestselling author Chris Stewart.
The world waits in suspense as America struggles to survive following the attack on Washington, D.C., but who remains to run the government? Who will make the world-changing decisions that must be made? As King Abdullah prepares for the final attack that will bring America to its knees, the characters are trapped in a desperate fight for their lives. Sara Brighton and her sons, Luke and Ammon, head west in a doomed attempt to reach Salt Lake City. Sam returns to the States in anticipation of a U. S. retaliatory strike, but finds his home abandoned, with no trace of his family there. In Chicago, Azadeh Pahlavi meets her adopted mother and little sister, who are enmeshed in their own crisis with life-or-death consequences. The end is near now.
"What happens when the world goes dark?
The battle of good against evil intensifies in the darkness of an EMP-devastated America. The electromagnetic pulses that wiped out the country's entire electrical grid have reduced people to an almost animal existence. While those with good hearts pull together to help each other, those inclined to evil find free reign for the rage that Satan and his minions are stirring up in their hearts.
For Sara Brighton, the time is fast approaching when she must face the frightening realities her husband, Neil, warned her about before his death. Sam's problem is more immediate: How can he get his family to a safe place? Bono is still trying to get to his family, and Azadeh is struggling to find her role in the family that has reached out to welcome her in. Meanwhile, the followers of Satan plot to take over the government of the United States and remake it to fulfill their own greed and lust for power.
The situation for all of these people is desperate, but even in a world gone mad, there are moments of hope, the possibility of miracles, and help from the other side of the veil. Discover the truth: The last days are terrible, but they are also great. Don't miss the next gripping volume in this landmark series!
What readers are saying about The Great and Terrible:
"It isn't often that a book — let alone a series comes along that has the power to move, inspire, and thrill in a page-turning adventure that leaves the reader wishing the story wouldn't end. Yet, this is precisely what Chris Stewart achieves."
"To have my fascination for military techno-thrillers reinforced with the real-life practice of my religion is a literary dream come true!"
"Chris Stewart is brilliant in providing us with a realistic story that makes us think about our own preparedness, both temporal and spiritual. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book."

THE EXCITING CONCLUSION TO THE EPIC LAST DAYS SERIES
"We have this one chance," Brucius told Sam. "If you can get him, if you can locate and extricate King Abdullah, then we can punish him. Justice will be served. We could stop the final world war. Find him, we'll try him and hang him. Don't, and we'll have to retaliate."
The United States, stunned by the nuclear detonation in Washington, D.C., and further crippled by the EMP attack on the whole country, is on the brink of destruction. The unscrupulous leaders who have banded together to toss out the Constitution and divide the ruling of the world between themselves have all but achieved their objective.
But they haven't factored in one thing. They haven't considered the chance, however slight, that good people remain who will continue standing up for what they believe in. A daring plot to reinstate Brucius Marino to his rightful position as president of the United States, with an even more audacious plan to bring King Abdullah to justice--everything hinges on the courage and skill of Sara and Sam Brighton and their friends. The thrilling conclusion to The Great and Terrible series will keep you riveted to the very end!

This series is published by Deseret Book. It is a techno thriller that is not all that far fetched. It was almost frightening in the fact that it could easily happen in today's world. Some things I have thought about after reading volumes 4 & 5 especially. We need to be aware of world events, as well as what is happening in our own country. We also need to make sure we have our food & water storage up to date, as well as matches and candles, wood to burn for heat and cooking, plenty of the medications we need to take daily.
I highly recommend this series. It is nothing like other last days series' out there. It is entertaining, suspenseful, and thought provoking.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow... we don't have any of those church bookstores near us--I haven't even heard of these. You gave a great 'meaty' review.