If you sit down and read through the Gospels, you will find several examples of Jesus teaching through the use of parables. Now there is a novel out to start a series that seeks to be a parable for the modern day reader to learn more about God and our relationship with Him.
About the Book~
A meteor strike plunges the world into darkness. A stranger to the village of Brigos Glen restores power and light, supplied by three businesses, known as “The Company,” located beyond the forbidden mountains. The stranger reveals a plan so the Brigons can maintain the power and share the light with outlying territories, which remain shrouded in darkness.
Now, seventy years later, The Company summons six Brigons, including the young engineer Sam Mitchell, to attend a conference in the mountains of the forbidden Outlands.
Responsible for compiling a report about Brigos Glen from his five companions, Sam learns how managers and villagers largely ignored the plan or compromised it to self-interest, forsaking their duty to share the light. They also took for granted The Company responsible for generating and transmitting the power.
In an ordeal fraught with failure, revelations, and judgment, Sam discovers the true identity behind The Company and learns the fate that may befall Brigos Glen . . . that is, unless he can stop it.
About the Author~
Chuck Graham’s legal career as an attorney in private practice spanned more than thirty-one years. He represented many local, national, and international clients, acquiring intricate knowledge about the often-overlapping structures of the corporate world. He also worked against those seeking to create racial division, including the Ku Klux Klan. He has served as a member of the state bar of Georgia since 1979 and an instructor to attorneys and judges through the Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE). He received the Medallion of Appreciation from ICLE.
Chuck is also a speaker and the author of Take the Stand (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996) and the compilations, A Year of Encouragement (Xulon Press).
In 1997 he founded Ciloa (Christ Is Lord Of All), a ministry devoted to sharing God’s encouragement with the world and teaching those who follow Him how to encourage others. Today Chuck serves as executive director and principal author of A Note of Encouragement, a weekly e-zine reaching 175 countries.
He and Beverly, his wife of thirty-four years, have lived in Lawrenceville, a suburb of Atlanta, for fourteen years. God has blessed them with three children. In his free time, Chuck enjoys backpacking and hiking (especially on the Appalachian Trail), playing the guitar, dabbling in photography, and reading extensively about the Christian faith.
My Thoughts ~
I have to admit that it took me a little while to get sucked into the story. Not a long time, but just a short enough lag that without a deadline to read the novel I might have set it down in search of some ‘brain candy’ for a summer night’s read. Thankfully, I made the push to get into the story a bit more and become drawn into the story.
As I mentioned above, this story is basically a parable to help the modern day reader better grasp the idea of Who God Is (three persons in one) and how He relates to us. I really liked the manner in which the story is told. I was initially drawn to this particular review as dystopian literature is finding a place in my reading lately. And, in some ways this novel does reflect that particular genre. But, it is so much more with the tenets of Christianity making their way into the story line. The reader can see how being an employee (e.g. attending a church) does not make a person part of The Company (a Christian), but rather what our actions towards other people are determines that relationship with God.
While he might not have intended it, I had a nagging thought in the back of my mind as I read the novel. The three different branches of “the Company” showed how differently people can interpret what was given to them. Today, the Christian Church is so splintered with numerous denominations out there. While we might have all started with the same Bible and early teachings of the Church, the factions all seem to latch onto different interpretations.
The back of the book had the first chapter for the next installment in the series. I’m now eager for it to be out and continue reading more about the journey ahead for Sam and others in Brigos Glen.
Buy the book. at Amazon, $7.99 for Kindle or $18.42 for paperback.
Visit the LitFuse tour page for The Company to see what others have to say about this title.
Disclaimer ~ I was sent a copy of this title to facilitate a review through LitFuse. No monetary compensation occurred and all opinions are my own.
