Fiction to Scare the Jesus Into You

Move over, Matrix, here comes the Underground. An explosive futuristic thriller infused with humor and spirituality, FLASHPOINT delivers the goods. Set in a dark future where technology has nearly usurped faith, FLASHPOINT grabs hold and launches the reader into a mind-bending race for survival, never letting go until the final breath-taking moments.

Already an award winning novel (Winner of the 2006 ELFIE for best sci-fi novel), Frank Creed’s FLASHPOINT should garner more attention in the months to come. Representing everything that’s good about fiction, FLASHPOINT draws the reader into an unfamiliar world and makes the unexpected familiar. The technology and social structures of this future world are explained without burdensome detail or distraction from the don’t-stop-or-they’ll-get-you action and suspense. The characters live and breathe, fail and succeed, stumble and triumph just the same as all of us—well, except for the part about being bulletproof, able to run with superhuman speed, fight with superhuman reflexes, etc.

FLASHPOINT’S author, Frank Creed, founded the Lost Genre Guild (www.lostgenreguild.com) because of the general lack of quality speculative fiction (an umbrella term used to identify genres dealing with supernatural, futuristic, fantastical, impossible, etc) on Christian bookstore shelves. Classified as cyberpunk, FLASHPOINT should certainly do its share to help fill that void. The thing I liked the least about the story: how long I’m going to have to wait for the sequel.

Of course, it would certainly be a calamity if I didn’t tell you a little more about the story, so here goes. FLASHPOINT follows two ostracized youths on their journey of faith. Living in a world that has banned their very belief system, Calamity Kid and e-girl (Dave and Jen Williams Reformed names) start their tale on the run. Peacekeepers (the bad guys…isn’t that the way it works? The bad guys always SOUND like the good guys) have raided and arrested their home-church. With everyone they know and love incarcerated, Dave and Jen join the Body of Christ Underground, hoping to find the means to save their friends and family.

Every good story has a Judas character, and FLASHPOINT is no different. I won’t give the surprise away, but let’s just say that Calamity Kid doesn’t have all the answers all the time…at least until he starts letting the Holy Spirit guide him. The betrayals and trickery in FLASHPOINT make for great plot twists and build the action to insane proportions.

The science engine used (thus the CYBER aspect of cyberpunk) for FLASHPOINT rivals the likes of the Matrix movies for both its WOW factor and originality. We end up with a band of almost super-human heroes coupling their faith with technology (in a world where faith seems at war with technology) and becoming weapons for God’s glory. Super human strength, speed, intuition, cognition, perception, etc. The stupefying arsenal of divine powers makes for an amazing ride. FLASHPOINT would make one heck of a movie!

Published by the Writer’s Café Press, FLASHPOINT will not only be available for sale this fall, but is also currently being transformed into an RPG video game and graphic novel. For more details, visit www.frankcreed.com or www.thewriterscafe.com

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

THE VOID

(Multnomah Fiction August 21, 2007)

by

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Mynheir is a cop writer. He has authored Rolling Thunder (The Truth Chasers Book One) and From the Belly of the Dragon (The Truth Chasers Book Two).

During his career as a police officer, Mark has worked as a narcotics agent, a S.W.A.T. team member, and a homicide detective. Mark and his wife, Lori, live with their three children in central Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Truth Chasers Book Three

Someone’s trying to play God…and he’s turning Palm Bay into hell.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent Robbie Sanchez devotes her life to crime prevention, and it shows: She has no personal life and doesn’t know the meaning of a day off. After all, someone has to be around to clean up the mess crime leaves behind.

So when Officer Brad Worthington is brutally murdered, Agent Sanchez is called to the scene along with Brad’s best friend, Detective Eric Casey. The two turn to Lifetex, the genetics lab near the scene, hoping their elaborate security system might have captured the crime outside.

But what’s going on inside the lab is far worse: a renegade scientist is cloning humans! As Robbie and Eric pursue clues–and a growing attraction–they are caught in a deadly battle as the clones begin to act on their own volition…but this battle threatens to claim more than human life; the clones are vying for human souls.

The Void is nothing short of a page-turner. Mynheir is truly hitting his stride as one of our industry's most notable Christian novelists. This latest book has it all: suspense, humor, intrigue, realistic police action, and one thought-provoking story line.

Creston Mapes
Author of Nobody

Buy your copy today: >Amazon

The Duke's Handmaid

by Caprice Hokstad

Would you sell yourself into slavery?

This week, the fine folks at the Christian Fiction Review Blog are featuring an otherworldly fantasy piece (and I suppose the fact that there are two suns and it's a different world will classify it as Sci-fi for some) focused around a young woman named Keedrina. In the opening chapter, we are introduced to a world with lush scenery, established customs, social inequalities, and nobility.

From the get-go, the story is a blend of character and action. Keedrina's character is very deeply portrayed in a way that will allow any reader to either empathize with her or decide this isn't the story for them. As the story progresses, we get to see all of Keedrina's struggles, longings, qualities, and shortcomings. We also get to see how those things effect and are effected by the world around her.

As with many great fantasies, the story starts off with a tragedy that allows a "simple" character (using that term more in a social sense than anything else) to leave a "simple" life. Keedrina shows the hunger for more out of her life that will resonate with many readers. The tragedy that befalls her is terrible and the catalyst for bringing Keedrina into this intriguing new world.

At it's core, much of The Duke's Handmaid reads like an impossible romance. There is a masculine hero so strong and enticing that legions of women gladly gather at his feet so he can pet their hair. I've personally never wanted to caress anyone's boots, but then again, Jesus died a long time ago, so I haven't had an opportunity to feel that way.

Which brings me to the "Christian" content. The CFRB is a Christian blog, right? So where is Christ in The Duke's Handmaid? Sorry, you won't find him. Like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien, Caprice has done a splendid job of hiding Christ in allegory. There are a lot of Biblical allegories in the story and several characters serve roles that could easily be compared to Biblical characters. Over at the official CFRB page, you can read an interesting comparative to several characters and Judas and Peter.

So, what sort of fantasy is this exactly, you might ask? Not having heard much about Caprice's story before setting out to read it, I really had no idea what to expect. This isn't the sort of piece a typical Sword and Sorcery Fantasy reader or a typical Sci-Fi reader would expect. There are no dragons or magicians or fantasy creatures. The people/creatures in Caprice's story are merely variations of human. No true fantasy element vibrates at the center of the story (there is no unique magical engine or supernatural element). In essence, this is a romantic adventure set on an alien world at about a medieval development (though with some technological/industrial advancements. Not scientific exactly--like spaceships or robots--but more than moats and battering rams).

The good:

Great characterization, Biblical allegory, and a well-presented world. The social structures, rituals, and geology are all vividly described. The writing is crisp and finely edited. I could find very little indication that this story hadn't come from a large traditional publisher. I'm surprised this wasn't traditionally published.

The bad:

Possibly some offensive content (depending on how picky you are). There is nothing blatant (like swearing, etc), but the violence is a little brutal if one spends any time trying to truly figure out the things that are being "not said" to avoid being offensive. (catch-22, right?) Long chapters. Every author has their preferences. I'm a bathroom reader most often and I found the chapters to be a bit lengthy for my tastes (certainly not a reason to avoid the story--that's what they make bookmarks for!). Not enough actual fantasy for my taste.

Overall: My take is that this is really just a historical romance with a very faint twinge of fantasy thrown in. This isn't my sort of read (as in I wouldn't normally go to a book store and buy this story if I knew enough about it), but it is a good read written by a solid author who promises much more with subsequent books. There will be sequels! I would recommend the story to anyone who like a splash of adventure and romance as well as anyone just looking for a quality escape from reality with positive, Christian allegories.

The best way to make a decision about anything, is to learn more about it and sample it for yourself. Below is a link to both the official website and 1st chapter! Go get it people!

THE DUKE'S HANDMAID is available at Amazon.com

Check out Caprice's website at Welcome to Latoph for even more information on her world (including a study guide, etc).

You can see what Caprice has to say about things at her blog: Queen of Convolution

And if you're so inclined, check out the first chapter of THE DUKE'S HANDMAID at THE DUKE'S HANDMAID – Chapter One

Karen and Beth are the winners of my SHRED OF TRUTH drawing! Look for an email requesting a mailing address ladies! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to toss their names in the hat. Keep checking back for future giveaways.

And if you didn't win, don't let that stop you from reading Eric's work. Go get your copy of SHRED OF TRUTH today!

READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF SHRED OF TRUTH!!!

Stop by Wednesday and Thursday (25th and 26th) and enter to win a copy of Eric Wilson's SHRED OF TRUTH! I will post a review of this novel and all you have to do is leave a comment with your email address. I'll randomly pick a winner and send someone a copy of this excellent novel. Please stop back tomorrow and Thursday for more information!

Well, today kicks off the CSFF tour of Robin Parrish's FEARLESS. In a most interesting turn of events, I received the book with little time to prepare for the CFBA's tour recently, but promised to work my best to review for the CSFF tour (though, it was still pretty short notice for my tastes as I'm not one of those folks with the luxury of taking a mini-vacation to read a book in one sitting). Today, I've received multiple comments on my PREVIOUS post without having even posted my CSFF review! Ha! Now that's funny.

For reference's sake, I'm including the previous post as part of this and simply adding my take. No need to duplicate efforts and rephrase something that's already been said well.

So, FEARLESS by Robin Parrish. I have to say, I enjoyed this work with mixed emotions. I'm a huge fan of superhero stories in general. I grew up loving Superman and Batman and I've probably seen every movie adaptation of a comic book you can imagine. I actually turn on the television two times a week and those times happen to be for Heroes and Smallville (both superhero shows). So, from the aspect of a typical man who loves his comics, FEARLESS was a great ride.

Robin writes well and weaves a captivating tale. I haven't read the first book in the series, so I had to play catch-up. Lucky for me, the publishers were kind enough to include a one page summary of the previous story's events. Does it get any better than that? Honestly, I didn't find it all that troublesome to piece together the previous story's events, which is a testament to a great sequel in any series.

So why the mixed emotion? I love superhero stories, right? Darn that Robin Parrish, he beat me to it. If you ever venture over to my website (http://www.danieliweaver.com/) and check out my works, you will find a story by the title WHEN NIGHTMARES WALK that happens to be the first of a proposed trilogy titled THE GIFTED. Want to take a stab at my idea? Yup, a series of stories about some ordinary folks with some not so ordinary abilities. Okay, it's absolutely nothing like FEARLESS (as in mine SHOULD actually be classified as suspense or supernatural thriller), but the sort of "genre" idea is the same. So, while I loved it, I loved it with a wishful tear in mine eye (dabs Kleenex...when will that agent of mine sell my novel?)

Anywho, enough lamenting. The story details and such are recapped below. But don't take only my word when I say "Buy this book! You'll love it." There are a lot of other folks with opinions of their own. Check out what they have to say!

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
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Jason Joyner
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Lyn Perry
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver

For probably the best review I've seen so far, check out: http://spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/
or any of the other CFBA reviewer sites on the blogroll at the bottom right of this page.

So, tune back in a few weeks for my official review, AFTER you've checked out the CFBA blog post below.

FEARLESS

(Bethany House, July 1, 2007)

by

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Parrish had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist.

In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract.

Born Michael Robin Parrish on October 13, 1975, Robin's earliest writing efforts took place on a plastic, toy typewriter, and resulted in several "books" (most between 10 and 30 pages long) and even a few magazines.

By the age of thirteen, he had begun winning local writing awards and became a regular in his high school's literary magazine. In college, he garnered acclaim from his English professors and fellow students while maturing and honing his skills.

After college, he entered the writing profession through a "side door" -- the Internet. More than ten years he spent writing for various websites, including About.com, CMCentral.com, and his current project Infuze Magazine, which is a unique intersection between art and faith which he also conceived of and created.

One of his more "high concept" ideas for Infuze was to return to his love for storytelling and create a serialized tale that would play out every two weeks, telling a complete, compelling story over the course of nine months. That serialized story eventually came to the attention of several publishers, who saw it as a potential debut novel for Robin Parrish.

In 2005, Bethany House Publishers brought Robin full circle by contracting him for the rights to not only that first book, Relentless -- but two sequels. A trilogy, to unfold in the consecutive summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008. One massive tale -- of which that first, original story would form only the foundational first volume of the three -- spread across three books.

Robin is the Editor in Chief and creator of Infuze Magazine. He and his wife Karen reside in High Point, North Carolina. Karen works for High Point's First Wesleyan Church, where Robin and Karen are members and Small Group leaders.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book Two of the Dominion Trilogy:

The world changed after that terrible day when the sky burned, and now every heart is gripped by fear...

Earthquakes, fire, disease, and floods pummel the earth, and its citizens watch in horror.

But in the darkness there is hope -- an anonymous but powerful hero whom the public dubs "Guardian." He is Grant Borrows, one of a chosen few who walk the earth with extraordinary powers. But while Grant enjoys this new life, signs of a dangerous ancient prophecy begin coming true, and those closest to Grant worry he may be hiding a terrible secret.

A search for answers brings Grant and his friends to London, where an extraordinary discovery awaits that will challenge everything they thought they knew. With a deadly new enemy dogging his steps, Grant realizes that the world's only hope may come from unraveling the truth about himself once and for all. But what he comes face-to-face with leaves even this most powerful of men shaken with fear.

Secrets will be revealed.

Friends will make the ultimate sacrifice.

And destiny will not be denied.

The story continues...