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Eric Wilson I heard about Eric Wilson from the Ted Dekker forums. He's a very talented author. His stories have an edge to them with deep characters that most people can relate to on some level. I hesitate to compare him to any other author, because his books are unique. They have an imagination and complexity that seems to be lacking in many books. None of his books are simple and straight forward. That's not to say they are confusing, because they are anything but confusing. Simply they are deep in meaning and the various subplots highlight the main storyline. An additional bonus to Eric's books are his historical themes. Each book has a 'history lesson' that goes with the main plot. Check out his books. You won't be disappointed. UPDATE: I am currently reviewing books for The Christian Manifesto and am no longer updating the book review portion of this site. I enjoy working with them and it has given me a great opportunity to read a wider variety of books as well as chat with some of my favorite authors. TCM reviews a wide variety of material, not just fiction books. It's a great site and I'm enjoying working with them. Since a lot of work went into this portion of the site, it will stay up in its current state. Thanks for stopping and hope to see you at TCM.
Website Jerusalem's Undead promises to be a very exciting and intriguing series that merges vampires and Jewish myths with a Biblical backdrop. Using Matthew 27:52-53 and accounts of Judas' suicide opens a world of possibilities for this series to explore. The first book, Field of Blood will be released October 2008 with the next two coming out in 2009 and 2010. Keep a watch out for these books. They have the potential to reach a readership that thus far has been largely ignored. The official website for this series has some awesome background and excerpts as well as some interesting hidden features.
Dark to Mortal Eyes Josee Walker has had a rough life. As a newborn she was placed for adoption. Due to a rare blood disorder, she was passed from foster home to foster home. Eventually she was adopted, but by that point, she wasn't willing bonded with them. After 20 years, she's located her birth parents and is ready to meet her mom. Little does she know, she's the key to a stash of weapons locked safely away by her grandfather who decades well before her birth. This was the first book I read by Eric Wilson and was unprepared for its depth. From the opening scene, Dark to Mortal Eyes is more than meets the eye. It's loaded with symbolism and ideas embedded in the story. Additionally, there is an attention to detail that allows the reader to sink into the story and be lost in the lives of others. Established early in Wilson's career is a knack for great characters. Josee has a way of pulling the reader to her while Sergeant Turney melts the reader with his Hershey kiss eyes and unrelenting love. While most of the characters are what they appear to be, not all are. Some have a very surprising side that was great to discover in the end. Dark to Mortal Eyes really is a complex book. It has multiple plots revolving around a chess story line. It brings in the past and blends it with the events of the present to create a wonderfully intriguing plot. Also present are some great supernatural elements which I believe are connected to Wilson's current book, Field of Blood. There's no lack of visual descriptions that can certainly be challenging to some. Like all of Wilson's books, there's a wonderful historical subplot. This one involves the chemical weapons developed by the Nazis during World War II. I absolutely love WWII history, so needless to say, I greatly appreciated this aspect. Reading it two years
from the first time, my appreciation has grown dramatically for this book.
It is slow starting out, but I've come to enjoy how the story develops.
There are a lot of plots and different characters introduced in the first few
chapters and are well worth reading to get to the heart of the story.
Having read Field of Blood, also enhanced this book the second time around.
Some links are made and probable answers found to lingering questions.
It's disappointing that more people are not reading this and other original
books by Wilson. He's an amazing talent just waiting to be discovered.
Expiration Date Clay Ryker's life is falling apart. His marriage is failing, his finances are in shambles, and much to his embarrassment, he finds himself in the position of having to move back home to live with his parents. His pride is shot and his dreams shattered. The once celebrated basketball player, Clay is nothing more than a complete failure. Upon returning to Junction City, though, Clay discovers he has a unique gift. By touching people he can learn the day of their death with haunting accuracy. Is this a gift from God or demons at work? When I read Expiration Date the first time, I was still pretty new to finding authors that wrote what I liked to read. I enjoyed Expiration Date and thought it was infinitely better than a large majority of Christian books on the market. Hence my enthusiastic review. However, of all Wilson's books, it was my least favorite and still is. I did figure out some of what bothered me about it. I absolutely love the historical subplot in Wilson's books. They are marvelous and add a great deal to the story. In this case though, I really struggled to understand exactly what was going on. I'm not familiar at all with Russian history and as a result I had a hard time putting together a timeline for the events that happened in the past. I knew virtually nothing about Rasputin, the Tsars, or the Romanov family, which made this part of the story difficult to follow. Also, while I disagreed with Dmitri's tactics and he was obviously not suppose to be a 'good guy', I sympathized greatly with him. He was misguided, but sincere, which I found very likable. While I sympathized with Dmitri, I struggled with Clay. I liked him much better this time around than I did when I first read the book. I'm someone who enjoys listening to other people's complaints and problems. It's a type of therapy for me I guess. However, I do get annoyed by people who complain for the sake of complaining. Clay was grating in this way. He wasn't helpless, but he sure liked to act that way. He did reach a point to where he stopped behaving like a child and started acting like an adult. At that point, I could really start to pull for him. My last complaint is an issue I have never had with any other of Wilson's original works. It was preachy. I didn't realize how much so the first time, but this time it seemed forced and overt. Not at all like Wilson's other books. He usually does a much better job of weaving his points and revealing them through the characters than he did in Expiration Date. Now that I've complained, I'll compliment. I loved the way this story fit with Dark to Mortal Eyes and reading it after Field of Blood opens up a whole realm of possible connections. It is a stand alone book, but reading the other two books really brings this one to life. With the exception of Clay, the characters are yet again engaging and thought provoking. Wilson is a master at building characters with depth and life. They jump off the page and pull you into the story. Their lives are so real that even the supernatural is believable. Their struggles are what we all struggle with and their personalities very touching. I think Wilson also handled some difficult issues in a tactful manner. Coming from a small town I understand how interracial and homosexual relationships can be viewed. These were handled with the delicacy they deserved. Additionally, Clay's emotional instability was developed and nurtured in a loving manner. In a nation readily prescibing anti-depressants, Wilson handled the contemplation of suicide in a kind and gentle way. There was no judgment, simply understanding I'm glad I gave this book another try. It's not
Wilson's best, but it was better than most Christian books on the market.
At this time, the senses series is at a halt, which is very disappointing.
These books really deserve a larger audience and hopefully they will receive it
soon. In the meantime, I'll continue to look forward to the Jerusalem
Undead series as it does tie in with the senses books.
The Best of Evil
A Shred of Truth
Facing the Giants: novelization
Field of Blood—I’ve waited a long time to read this book.
From the first time I read the premise over a year ago, I wanted to read
it. The idea of a book’s foundation
rooted in the Akeldama and Matthew
27:52-53 (The tombs also
were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,
and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city
and appeared to many.) just seemed to be a powerful combination rich with themes
to explore. Wilson did not
disappointed. Field of Blood was
everything I hoped it would be and much more.
With a gentle touch, this dark and gripping story is written with the
conviction of an author with a story to tell that the world needs to hear. Consolidating Field of
Blood to a paragraph does little good.
There’s plenty of background on the book at
www.jerusalemsundead.com and it does a far better job than I could ever
begin to do. Also absent will be any true
critique of the author, style, or overall writing of this book (that's better
left in more capable hands anyway). Very quickly--it's well written, well
researched, and enjoyable to read. So with all that out of the way,
I'll get to the point. This is an
excellent book for a multitude of reasons.
First off, it’s different. It
offers a glimpse of what Christian fiction without pious constraints can be.
Christian fiction can be original and inventive and it can use elements
from secular entertainment to create a mind blowing spiritual novel.
It’s interesting how modern Christian fiction has really taken to demons
and serial killers, but has yet to embrace the use of vampires and other
mythological creatures. Admittedly
my knowledge of vampires and the legends surrounding them is scant at best.
However, one does not have to be a fan of vampire novels to love Field of
Blood. The vampires are a tool used
to paint a much larger picture.
There is no glorification of these undead nor is there any twisting of their
intent. Who and what they represent
is clear and that line is never blurred.
Simply put, they’re a very powerful weapon used to illuminate the
conflict between good and evil. The struggle between good and evil is at the heart of so many novels these days. However, often times the good and evil is generalized and the focus is not always clearly directed at the source. Field of Blood does not let anyone off the hook. It’s very convicting. The hidden sins, aka our thorn in the flesh, are not something to be ignored. To do so only leads to greater trauma. **SPOILER** As with our own lives, each character is faced with choices. A free will to determine the path we take. While many books devote a great deal of time to this subject, Wilson puts a face to it in a unique and effective way. Each has a choice to follow and each has a choice as to how committed that following is. Even a Collector’s host can choose whether or not to obey. None of us are forced to choose the path we do not want to walk. Not lost is the use of many Biblical passages. From Abraham’s conversation with God regarding Sodom and Gomorrah to Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are given a wonderful reminder of some of the Bible’s powerful stories and an awesome demonstration of God’s unfailing love. While many books get so tied up in teaching the Bible and specific lessons, they isolate people, Field of Blood takes a more subtle approach and draws the reader to the story, letting God open their heart to His word. We know there are wolves dressed as sheep and we know there are modern day Pharisees, but we also know there are devout followers of Christ who have no fear of Satan and his followers. While most of the characters in this book are deeply flawed and struggle with their beliefs, Wilson gives us a couple of awesome and beautiful examples of believers without fear--those who hold the knowledge of Christ and the power of His blood. They are bright and shining lights in an otherwise dark and frightening world. Couple of more thoughts and I’ll wrap up. I don’t think there is anyway to not mention the tenderness in this rather rough book. If you read some of Wilson’s interviews, you’ll see he has a heart for the hurt and rejected. This concern is clearly evident. The pain of those in a world that’s dying and suffering is often times overlooked in an effort to convince people to just believe. The problem is when we ignore their pain, why should they listen. With a market flooded with ‘perfect’ heroes and squeaky clean Christian characters, Wilson gives us a healthy dose of reality. We all struggle, we all hurt, we all cry, and we all need Jesus. **SPOILER** Lastly, for anyone who might question the appropriateness of a book which includes vampires and other lore, let me put your mind at ease. There is nothing unbiblical about Field of Blood. From the prologue to the last page, there is a depth to this book that goes well beyond the fictional story being told. There is truth to be seen and there are lessons to be learned. Field of Blood is Christian, but it’s not a 400 page sermon. It’s realistic and accurate where it should be and pure entertainment where it should be. It’s everything you could hope for in a Christian book—something for the lost to contemplate and for the believer to never forget. Haunt of Jackals—When I finished Field of Blood last year, I took a couple of weeks off from reading. It was a book to savor, not one to read and quickly move on to the next one. It was my favorite novel from 2008 and deserved the praise it received. Since finishing Field of Blood, I’ve looked forward to the next part of Gina’s story. When we last left her, she was bleeding profusely and separated from her allies. Though able to eliminate Ariston, she was still pursed. Escaping was first on her agenda and finding her friends was second. Haunt of Jackals picked up where Field of Blood ended. Hunted by the collector, Shalom, Gina begins her trek to Bukarest. Unsure who to trust, she turns to her childhood friend Teo. Meanwhile, Cal and Dov are pursued by another collector, Erota. Risking their lives, they decide to turn the tables on Erota and try to banish her to the dessert. With fast paced action, deep suspense, and mystery, the next part of Gina’s story unfolds. A review for Haunt of Jackals is pretty tough. It’s not a simple book by any means. If it was just a vampire story, it’d be easy to talk about. If it was a typical supernatural suspense, there might not be a lot to say. However, Haunt of Jackals is anything but typical and it’s certainly a far cry from simple. It’s deep, complex, thought provoking, and difficult to capture in a short review. I’ll in no way be able to do this book the justice it deserves, but here’s my best attempt. It’s always fun to read an author when it seems like the words and ideas are just pouring onto the page. There are parts of Haunt of Jackals that are some of the best I’ve read. Words that grab and leave an impact. Thoughts shared that keep you wanting more. I have loved Wilson’s prior books, but the first 180 pages of Haunt of Jackals are the best he’s ever written. They’re not only riveting on a purely entertaining level, they’re full of meaning and symbolism. The whole book is excellent, but those pages are masterful. The characters thus far have been superb, but Wilson did an exceptional job of molding Gina into a more likable, loving individual. No longer is she the abrasive, sarcastic, self-pitying, somewhat selfish child. After her battle at the cave, she’s a humble, seeking young woman, aware of her thorns and attempting to counter them. There are some awesome scenes involving Gina and her struggles to cope with her past as well as some spectacular dialogue between her and Cal. Anyone who’s fought psychological battles, inner turmoil and grief can easily identify with her journey. Wilson did a particularly good job of working Gina’s feelings toward Jed into the story. At the end of Field of Blood, she seemed so consumed by her own grief, her love for Jed seemed to be lost. It was nice to see the tenderness in her towards him. **SPOILER** Cal was probably my favorite character in Field of Blood. The overall mystery surrounding him really pulled me to his character. He was obviously hurt/hurting, but the reasons were not clear. Haunt of Jackals filled in a lot of his past, however, I didn’t care for his character as much. He seemed to lack the energy and attitude of the first book. He’s still a great character, but he didn’t seem to fit into his expanded role easily. **SPOILER** It’s been awhile since Field of Blood, so if struggling to remember exactly who all the collectors are and where they stand, page 67 gives the list and their present status. While the information isn’t needed earlier in the story, it was a nice addition. Given the number of characters, it can be hard remembering who all is left and what they are doing. Wilson once again includes some great historical background. Not having much knowledge of vampire lore, I thoroughly enjoyed the information regarding Vlad Tepes/ Dracula. It helped liven the story for someone who knew little about the area or the legends. The additional background for Rasputin was helpful and answered some questions left open in a previous book. As with Field of Blood, Wilson makes great use of Jewish myths and true Biblical accounts. An absolutely superb job of weaving them in and making them part of the overall story. Several commented on Field of Blood having a slow start. That is definitely not a problem with Haunt of Jackals. From page 1 to page 180, there is no slowing down. The action switches between Cal and Dov, Gina, and collectors. It moves fast and the changing of location and stories works great. There were times when I was disappointed to leave a character, just to realize I was moving to another part of the story I wanted to read as well. The suspense is divine in the opening chapters. It does lull for a few chapters here and there, but never for too long. **SPOILER** The introduction of the werewolf and the scenes
with him didn’t work well for me.
I love what Wilson has done with the vampires, but the werewolf
seemed out of place. I know
they fit with vampires, but he didn’t add anything, just a collector in
a different form. I didn’t
find the transformation interesting and as a werewolf, little was added
to Shabtai’s character. Around page 90, I was amazed (not surprised) at all the Christian symbolism and ideas Wilson had neatly tucked into Haunt of Jackals. Since I knew I’d never remember them all, I decided to start writing them down. I picked up 38 unique Christian ideas or biblical accounts, subtly mentioned and worked flawlessly into the story. I’ve read close to 200 Christian fiction novels in the last five years, no other author does as good a job infusing a book with Christian ideas, without preaching, and without repetition. Wilson knows his Bible and has a deep grasp of Christian life, which enriches his novels and contrasts the light of Christ with the darkness of sin. Not once did I feel lectured and not once did I feel as though he was annoyingly overt in his Christian themes--both features which irritate me about many Christian novels. However, given that some actually questioned the spiritual nature of Field of Blood, let me give you an idea of what’s in Haunt of Jackals. Page numbers available upon request. --Strength in numbers While Field of Blood and Haunt of Jackals are the first two books in the Jerusalem Undead series, they also tie into Wilson’s earlier books, in particularly Expiration Date. If you haven’t read Expiration Date, it’s not a problem, since it fills in events not specifically mentioned. At some point I have to wrap this up. There’s much more to say, but then again this isn’t an easy book to write a short review for. Couple of more thoughts. I missed Niki in this book. She was there, but I keep hoping for her and Gina to really patch things up. She’s an intriguing character and my heart breaks for her. Lastly, Wilson did a wonderful job of working Gina and Jed through their grief. It’s handled in a beautiful and tactful manner with just the right emotions at just the right time. No trite words of encouragement--simply open wounds healed the only way they can be. Wilson wrote some incredible lines and I’m going to list a few in closing. None will contain spoilers. This is from one of the many wonderful exchanges between Cal and his student. It makes you really wonder how you can stay faithful to God without support. Cal—How could
a man bearing the Letter, resurrected by the Nazarene. Lose sight of his
own commission? With fellow
sojourners at his side and the life force of Yeshua at his disposal, why
had he drifted into desperate solitude?..I guess as you get older the
infection spreads. You start
believing things that aren’t true and doubting things you once would
have died for. When I read pages 168 & 169, I was stunned. The scene leading up to it is a little gory, but what Wilson creates is riveting. The scriptural basis is Proverbs 6, related through Erota Erota—Haughty
eyes…These trophies of manhood and womanhood….memorializing those whose
bold eyes and smooth lips allured others into depravity…..dozens of
skulls, many capped in religious accoutrements—showed the cracks of
hubris and self-righteous duty….Hands that killed the innocent…a doctor
who stretched for a suction tube for the most innocent ones of all (Thank
You Eric for including that one)…Hearts
that plotted evil…From suicide bombers to back-alley muggers to
executives who skimmed from retirement funds, depravity was on
display…Those who sowed discord among brothers…a pair of half-dead
church goers were still frozen in the clench, hissing careless, cutting
words, while blinded by wooden staves through their eyes. Don’t want to spoil anything, so not going to give the background on these next two, but they’re from the same conversation between Cal and Gina. Cal—I…screamed
at God to do something. My
own choices had gotten me into this mess, but couldn’t He intervene? Gina—In her
mind, she could see the chess moves playing across the board’s
black-and-white squares—combinations and gambits, attacks and
sacrifices. Although the
pieces—her beloved piese de sah—where able to coordinate efforts, there
was no avoiding the fact that victory always came at a price. Another conversation between Gina and Cal. I’m telling you, some potent stuff. Cal—When
you’re young you imagine giving your life for a cause, or maybe throwing
yourself into the path of a bullet to save the one you love…We need
those kinds of people. The
real heroes…are those willing to die over the long haul—twenty years,
fifty, a hundred. When it
comes down to it...it’s a lot harder to give your life not just one
time, but every single day….and that’s what it means to have the
Nazarene Blood flowing through your veins.
It means letting go of your own selfish desires and giving into
the desires of your Maker.
It’s self-sacrifice. Day by
day by day. Fireproof by Eric Wilson— Of the three novels based on the Kendrick brother’s movies, this one is definitely the best. I have not watched Fireproof the movie, so I’m unsure of the differences between the two. I’m assuming, like Facing the Giants, it follows pretty closely to the movie with added descriptions and a filled out story line. The marriage between Caleb and Catherine Holt appears to be over. Dialogue turns to arguments, hurtful words are thrown about, and tempers run hot in their marriage. Long gone are the days of tenderness and pursuit. They’ve been replaced with accusations and temptations. When both decide it’s time to divorce, Caleb’s dad offers his son a challenge that changes not only his attitude, but his life. But is his change enough to win back the heart of his wife? I’ll admit, I haven’t been a big fan of the Kendrick brother’s movies. I can forgive low budget, but I’ve really struggled with their theology. It’s been way to close to the health and wealth gospel which I do not at all subscribe to. I’ve also found their previous works to bludgeon the audience with scripture, large sermons, and heavy Baptist teaching. After reading Flywheel this spring, I was more than a little skeptical about picking up another book based on their movies. But, I got it for free, so why not? There are some pretty good things about the story that I like, but some other aspects that weren’t that great. It’s still a little to close to the health and wealth teaching than I’m comfortable with, but at least it’s not from start to finish. I also found myself really not liking Catherine. While both Caleb and Catherine were victims, it almost felt like we should feel deeply for Catherine. Personally, I found her annoying, but it certainly brought out the need to love everyone regardless. Additionally, I felt like a little bit too much time was spent on Caleb’s short comings and not enough on Catherine’s faults. They were both human, and both deeply flawed. While I understand the main plot was about Caleb’s journey, I felt it was too one sided and almost unfair. I’m also a little confused as to why it was never outright stated that Caleb had a problem with internet pornography. At least that was the definitely impression I was left with. I don’t know why that issue was so tip toed around. Another annoying issue is the fact the relationship between Catherine and Dr. Keller was dropped. It disappeared and it seemed to be an situation that deserved some confrontation and resolution. There were some very good lessons taught concerning marriage and our views of marriage. Also present was the power of prayer and friendship. Unlike the previous two novels, there weren’t any highly questionable interpretations of scripture, which was a very nice change. I realize with the novels, Wilson is basing them on the movie script, so he doesn’t have a lot to work with as far as the over all story line is concerned. I think he nursed about as much as he could from a story whose ending is not particularly realistic. If you’re familiar with the Kendrick brother’s work, the ending follows the same pattern. There is some good drama, especially with the fire scenes, and I think Wilson does a great job of writing those. With the exception of Catherine, the characters are of the same high quality I’ve come to expect from Wilson’s writing. Overall, I have mixed feelings. The storyline itself is better than Facing the Giants and Flywheel and the theology is definitely better. However, there’s just an unsettling feeling when I read these books. They don’t portray the reality of a relationship with God very accurately. While Fireproof was better, it was still idealistic and somewhat fairtaleish. Unlike Facing the Giants, I did not watch the movie first, so this review is based solely on what I thought about the book as whole and is evaluated as I would any other Christian fiction novel.
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