Archive for the ‘Christian Science Fiction’ Category
CSFF Blog Tour Day 3~The Enclave
Posted on: July 22, 2009
Well today my plan was to just highlight some of the other talented blog tour participants. My writing is not nearly as good and interesting as some of my fellow posters. That is until I read Becky Miller’s Day 2 post. Becky discussed how the protagonists’ faith is really a block to getting the things they want…a successful career in science, prestige, and honor instead of being the crutch that critics of Christianity try to make it out to be. She also reminds us that non-Christians, of course, do not run into this problem.
I’ve often thought that non-Christians must have a boring inner life. I know that’s not true, but I do know the wars that occur in my mind. God is always working on something in me and I’ve often had a difficult struggle. Maybe that’s something that only happens here in NJ. 🙂
There are times I want to tell off someone who is treating me wrong or want to act as nasty as they are acting towards me. But God is telling me to “Love your enemies, pray for those who spitefully use you.”
There are times I want to give in the the fear and despair of my circumstances but God says to fear not, do not worry, seek first His kingdom. Totally opposite of what my flesh and the world and the devil are telling me to do.
No, I haven’t been faced with a career killing choice of following God like Lacey and Cam have. But I have been faced with the same choice Joshua and the Israelites faced.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deut. 30:19-20
…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Josh. 25:15
And now back to my regularly scheduled blog post…
Today I want to highlight a few of the great blog posts on the tour for The Enclave by Karen Hancock.
Beth Goddard has a nice chatty review. I wish mine were as easy to write as she makes it look!
Elizabeth Williams has a detailed analysis of the book with both pros and cons. I think some of her criticisms have merit.
Karen Hancock has answers to some publicity questions, plus links to other excellent posts and an interview.
I’d like to highlight these other blogs out of the list because I think their posts are noteworthy:
Krystine Kercher ***spoiler warning***
The entire CSFF Blog Tour crew:
Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Canadianladybug
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Heather R. Hunt
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Mike Lynch
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Stephanie
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Elizabeth Williams
I waited until the last minute to post on this tour because I want to finish the book! LOL
This month’s featured book is The Return by Austin Boyd, the third book in the Mars Hill Classified series.
When I first received the review copy, I read the back of the book and just knew I HAD to read the first two books in the series. So as soon as I got some blow money in my virtual hot little hand, I ordered the first two (The Evidence & The Proof) from Buy.com. They arrived mid-week last week. I’ve been reading the entire series in my “spare” time.
At first I was a little disappointed because I felt the The Evidence was a little slow starting. It took a bit for me to get hooked.
Let me just tell you my belief about aliens. I subscribe to the Chuck Missler school of thought that aliens are really demons out there trying to deceive people. I mean if you look at the “fruit” from their “visits,” you’ll find people ending up with Post Tramautic Stress Disorder, nightmares, that the experiences were all horrific. I personally don’t believe that there is other intelligent life out there (at least on the level that man is) except for angels, demons, the devil, and of course God. The Bible doesn’t say either way, so I guess it could be a possibility, but I think probably not.
Anyway, back to the review. The book series main character is John Wells. He’s an astronaut and on the International Space Station when an alien probe launches from Mars and heads to earth. The three books unfold a very interesting, well-penned story based on this start. I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil it for you.
I apologize to those out there who read this and think it’s jumbled. I’ve been up since 3 am (I deliver newspapers now) and it’s like it’s super late at night for me. I don’t have time to check it before I hit the hay, but I’ll come back tomorrow morning and clean the post up a bit. And maybe I can sneak a chapter in before I go to sleep.
Other Blog Tour participants are listed below. Check out their sites. I’m sure there are great interviews with Austin Boyd, whose biography on the back of the book reads like the achievements of someone I’d want my kids to hang around.
Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Rachel Marks
Karen McSpadden
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise
Day 3 of the CSFF Blog Tour for Legend of the Firefish, book one of The Trophy Chase series (Harvest House), by George Bryan Polivka
Posted on: August 22, 2007
I am sorry I am just posting on Day 3. I have been sick since last Thursday and I’m finally feeling like part of the living. 🙂
Anyway, yesterday I went to read some reviews on the book, Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka. I read the book over a month ago and I have to say, at first I didn’t like it. It was hard for me to get into. I could not relate to Packer or Panna or even get into the world. I don’t know why…But since I knew I had to post on this, I continued to read. After half of the book, I couldn’t put it down. I HAD to see how it ended! LOL
As I reflecting this morning, I think that my dislike had nothing to do with the writing. It’s a great story told by a masterful writer. I just had a hard time with the characters themselves. They were definitely real to me! I think too real and that’s what bothered me.
Packer: I just couldn’t “get” his motivation for stowing away on the Trophy Chase. I mean it defied logic to me. But you know I’m a woman who likes safety and security.
Panna: I thought she was such a sissy (and in truth, she was at first). I had a hard time with some of the things she did.
In fact, I had a hard time with some of the choices both of them made. I had a hard time believing that a “Christian” would do some of those things. Actually the actions are probably what some Christians would do, it just bothered me that they would.
I was very bothered by Talon and Scat’s brutality. Her point of view was disturbing to my sensibilities. It bothered me more than any other book I’ve read (except maybe Arena where there was a passing mention of eating people).
But like I said in the beginning, I finally got over my difficulties and could not put it down. When I was finished, I knew I would have to buy the rest of the series to see what happens. 🙂
Check out Rebecca Luella Miller’s blog for a good summary of what else is happened on the blog tour…
Here’s a list of other participants:
Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Merrie Destefano
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Karen McSpadden
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver
Janey DeMeo
Blog Tour for The Restorer
Posted on: June 21, 2007
This is the third and final day of the blog tour for The Restorer. I intended to write blog posts all three days (because it really does deserve that much attention), but I recently took a job delivering newspapers. I have to get up between 2:00 and 2:30 am each morning and thus I go to bed between 7:00-8:00 pm. And I don’t have much time during the day.
Anyway, on to the book review. The Restorer is about a normal housewife, Susan Mitchell, who has the “blahs”. Everything is mundane and she’s lost enthusiasm for her role as wife and mother. She somehow gets sucked into another world where God has made her “The Restorer”. Figuring out what that means and what she’s supposed to do brings her closer to her Lord and helps her learn more about herself.
The book sucked me in right away. In fact, when I read the back cover and found that it was about a housewife, I immediately thought “COOL!!” and started reading right away. I couldn’t put it down.
Here are a few things I loved about the book:
Susan is a housewife (can you tell I can really relate to this heroine???)
The poison is actually “mind-poisoning” instead of physical poisoning (this relates to my life so much when I listen to the lies of the enemy!)
She continues to long for her husband throughout the book…she doesn’t even feel attraction for anyone else
She really struggles with her role and feeling like she can do what God has called her to do
If you want exciting, well-written summer reading, get this book! I can hardly wait for the sequel to come out in October!
Other Blog Tour Participants:
Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver
This is the first day of the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour (CSFF Blog Tour) and runs from today (April 16th to Wedenesday, April 18th). This is my first time participating and I’m excited about taking part. Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy is my favorite fiction genre. In my BC (before Christ) days, I spent hundreds of dollars per year on SF/Fantasy books, but I gave them up completely because most of them had occultic or sexual scenarios that made me feel like I needed a shower afterwards. They definitely did not enhance my relationship with the Lord.
I’m pleased to say that CSFF is growing. All the books I’ve read so far in the genre are decent reads, but a few authors really stand out. Karen Hancock is one. She’s a four-time Christy award winner and her novels go deep into her characters’ spirituality. I always walk away from her novels examining my walk with the Lord. I am still carrying around lessons from the first book I read of hers. Arena is about a woman who agrees to undergo a psychological experiment that ends up changing her life. This book has encouraged me to continually check my “mental link” to God to make sure I am hearing His instructions. Arena is officially out of print (what a sad thing!) but there are plenty of used copies for sale at Amazon for a good price.
Karen has just released the last book in the four novel series, Return of the Guardian King . I could not wait to get that book in my hands. When it came in the mail, I wanted to dance for joy (I didn’t though. My kids think I’m weird enough! LOL) You can find it at Amazon and many other booksellers across the country.
In tomorrow’s post, I’ll let you know what I thought of the book (besides go directly to Amazon and buy this book!). Meanwhile, check out the links to the other Blog Tour participants for interviews with Karen herself, book giveaways, commentary, and a lot of fun!. Also, be sure to read Karen Hancock’s blog, Writing From the Edge. I have been very blessed by Karen’s writing diary. In fact, I have a few posts printed out and stuck in my journal to remind myself of things I needed to hear.
Nissa Annakindt
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Grace Bridges
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 – The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Shannon McNear
Caleb Newell
Nicole
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Tsaba House Authors
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart
Live Like a King 