An imaginative and convincing account of God-fearing survivors in tumultuous times.
Tavella’s debut Christian novel tells the story of a Lutheran pastor who embarks on a mission from God in a future, dystopian Pennsylvania.
In the early 22nd century, the United States has fallen into a second Dark Age, with a ruined economy and a population diminished by disease. Pastor Jonathan Klug, the leader of the Lutheran congregation in the small town of Felderheim, Pennsylvania, has seen a decline in people’s faith in God. One day, he finds an old letter in an unused church room. Written in 2008, it offers an apocalyptic vision: In the near future, there will be a monumental local confrontation between good and evil. “You, the discoverer of this letter, have been selected as an instrument of God’s purpose in the dark time,” reads the missive. “You will seek and find a manuscript of great importance at the church in ruins.” Jonathan elects to establish a monastic retreat in an abandoned cave attraction outside town, encouraged by a disembodied voice that only he can hear, which says to “Build here, Jonathan.” An ancient manuscript discovered in the cave supports Jonathan’s intuition, and with the help of a local Roman Catholic priest and like-minded neighbors known as the Amici Christi, he sets about preparing for the coming storm. Evil is already upon them, however, in the form of roving bands called Goths—and a treacherous figure in their midst. Over the course of this novel, Tavella’s lean prose succeeds in conjuring the mysticism of Jonathan’s world: “The brazier fires were burning low. With startling abruptness, a flame shot into the air from the altar.” The future society intriguingly replicates a medieval setting, and the author seamlessly weaves religiosity into his characters’ daily lives. However, at the same time, the characters also have a certain pre-modern flatness, and readers may wish that Tavella had given them a bit more complexity. The distinctive dystopian environment, however, effectively combines the history of Pennsylvania with Christian monasticism, which sets this novel apart from typical genre fare.
An imaginative and convincing account of God-fearing survivors in tumultuous times.Pub Date: July 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-973626-59-6
Page Count: 424
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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