This Week in Reading

BOOKS:
The Transforming Path, by Terry Wardle, COMPLETED. Reviewed here.

Poirot Investigates, by Agatha Christie, pages 128 – 191.

The Paladin Prophecy, by Mark Frost, pages 1 – 214.

COMICS:

Batman: The Dark Knight 23.4

Catwoman 19 – 34, Annual 1

Catwoman: Future’s End 1

Constantine The Hellblazer 2

Liberty Vocational, volume 1

Shogun Warriors 19

Starfire 2

Review of Angelology

Book #28. Angelology, by Danielle Trussoni. Unabridged audio.   

For thousands of years, a war has been waging between the Society of Angelologists and the Nephilim. The Nephilim are the descendants of fallen angels as described in the mysterious Bible passage of Genesis 6. And they wish to overpower humanity and take their rightful place -- ruling humanity.

A young nun, Sister Evangeline of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in upstate New York, becomes aware of a connection between the convent and famed philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller. She also begins to notice the importance of angelic imagery in the convent, and before she knows it, she and her sisters are thrust into the middle of the battle.

At this point, the novel takes a distinct turn towards The DaVinci Code and/or National Treasure, as Danielle and her allies are faced with a quest to assemble a mystical angelic lyre that will halt the Nephilistic advance. And that is the fundamental difference between Brown’s novels and Angelology  – this one contains actual supernatural beings. If this concept doesn’t work for you, the novel won’t work for you.

There are two mysteries in the novel, and I was confident early on that I had one figured out. And I did. But then in the last chapter, a character reveal occurs that took my totally by surprise. But in looking back, this plot point made sense, and was even foreshadowed. This “twist” excited me enough to definitely want to read the follow-up novel.

The book is a little slow-going at first, as if Trussoni couldn’t decide if this novel would be an epic fantasy or an action novel. Some of the world-building is done literally via lecture or diary entry, and those moments take some wading to get through. But the final half of the novel moves at a much quicker pace, and I hope that this is the style that manifests in the sequels.

The audio production was fine, with one minor annoyance. The narrator regularly referred to one character’s Renault automobile as a “Reh-Nalt,” where I am much more used to the more traditional (and correct?) French pronunciation.

Source: public library

Review of The Transforming Path

Book #27. The Transforming Path, by Terry Wardle. Paperback.

Despite being a seminary professor (of spiritual formation) at Ashland Theological Seminary, Wardle writes with the heart of a pastor. This was quite a fast read, and for the most part that’s a good thing. I would have preferred a little more “meat” in the book, but that’s not the audience Wardle was writing for.

The organizing structure of the book is a series of steps on the path of life that most (if not all) Christians will face. And also like a pastor, he manages to begin each of these steps (and chapters) with the same letter: Conception, Community, Consecration, Confrontation, Construction, Commission, Credentialing, Conflict, Communication, Communion, Compassion, Cross & Crown.

There are a few chapters that were particularly strong. “Compassion” talks about the distance that middle-class American Christians (including the author) have managed to place between themselves and the poor, and the damage that does the Church’s witness in the world. He also talks about the priority of racial reconciliation in the Kingdom of God, as well as those who are physically, emotionally or mentally disabled.

Another chapter I got a lot out of was “Cross,” which uses the role of Simon of Cyrene as a model for Christian living. Wardle points out that little is known of Simon’s ultimate fate, although his children are mentioned in the Bible. But his example of carrying the cross is one that we can learn from. Wardle gives many examples of the sacrifices that believers are to make as part of their Christian walk.

Again, there are moments when the theology could have been pushed just a little further; adding another ten to fifteen pages would have still kept the book very accessible to laymen. But in terms of what is in the book, as opposed to what is NOT in the book, I find this a good entry-level discussion on the basics (and a few of the not-so-basics) of the walk of a modern-day Christian believer.

Source: I pulled this one off of our bookshelf. Based on when it written, I would guess it was purchased at the bookstore of this church.

This Week in Reading

BOOKS:
Angelology, by Danielle Trussoni, COMPLETED.
The Transforming Path, by Terry Wardle, pages 57 – 104.

Poirot Investigates, by Agatha Christie, pages 1 – 128.

COMICS:

All-Star Squadron 15                

Bugs Bunny 142

Fairest 15 – 20
Gotham Academy 1 – 6
Louis L’Amour’s Law of the Desert Born OGN
Question Annual 2

What If? 22

Review of The Queen of Katwe

Book #26. The Queen of Katwe, by Tim Crothers. 

Phiona Mutesi is one the world’s true underdogs. She is a dirt-poor girl from the Katwe slum of Uganda. Most girls her age in the slum have no bigger dream than simply surviving. But Robert Katende, a man with a similar backstory, from the Sports Outreach ministry, introduces her to the game of chess, and she flourishes. The game is so unknown in Uganda that there is no word for it in Phiona’s language. By the age of 15, she became her country’s champion. She is a true prodigy.

An editor at ESPN Magazine heard about Phiona’s victory in the Ugandan tournament, and dispatched veteran journalist Tim Crothers to write up the story. What was intended as two pages grew to seven, and eventually to this book. Phiona’s story was optioned by Disney, and the movie is scheduled for release in 2016 or 2017.

Crothers does a great job in this book portraying the harsh life in Uganda. As other African nations have begun the slow process towards modernity, Idi Amin’s legacy still haunts the nation. When Phiona first leaves Uganda for a tournament in Sudan, her mother honestly is unsure if her daughter will return. And the “fish out of water” aspects of attending a tournament in Siberia are beautifully captured, as well.

Despite Phiona’s success in chess, her future is still far from secure. Her goal is to become a Grand Master, but without the ability to move herself and her family to some level of physical and financial stability, her future is uncertain.

The book tells a wonderful, motivating story. But Crothers does a great job of reminding us that Phiona’s story has just begun. Phiona has faith in God, and in her own ability, but those may not be enough. Despite the upcoming Disney film, a happy ending is by no means guaranteed.

Source: Public library. I picked up this book after hearing an interview with Don Brenneman of Sports Outreach on the Catch Podcast, hosted by John Fischer. They spoke mostly about soccer, but Brenneman spoke also about Katende’s work with Phiona.