BOOKWORLD INCWADI YELIZWE

Texan as hoofseun en Vaselinetjie as prefek het nie, verbreek hy die verhouding en Bell, Randy Singer and Robert Whitlow. verkies. Vaselinetjie voltooi haar skoolloopbaan met Could I have this dance? by Harry Kraus is Met haar tweede besoek aan haar ouma ’n gebroke hart sonder Texan. Sy ontvang a medical thriller. Some other thrillers are en oupa, gaan dit baie beter. In haar Bybel wel later ’n brief waarin hy om verskoning Ted Dekker’s Thr3e and Thunder of heaven, skryf sy dan ook: Haar hare is weer lank; vra vir sy gedrag. Angela Hunt’s The justice, Rumors of peace sy’t ’n kêrel; sy’t graad 10 deurgekom en is Terug by die huis moet Vaselinetjie oor by Gary E Parker, Frank Simon’s The gather- prefek; sy’t ’n ouma en oupa wat lief is vir haar toekoms besluit. Haar oupa kom egter ing storm, The oracle by Ellen Gunderson haar; sy’t pêlle; sy glo God is haar Hemelse met die nuus dat hy gaste vir middagete Traylor, and Bloody Point by Linda J White. Vader en sy is nie meer ’n slapgat nie, al voel genooi het. Hy het die seun gehelp om Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series features sy soms nog bang en onseker. Sy is dus ’n werk te kry op Upington. Hy wil spaar om seven people who have adopted one anoth- Vaselinetjie met selfvertroue en nie een wat verder te gaan studeer - Texan Kirby en sy er as siblings and taken the same surname. haarself bejammer nie. ma! ‘Vaselinetjie voel hoe die son se helder The plots are in the crime and thriller mould, Met die kinderhuis se fondsinsamelingsete lig haar lyf volmaak asof die Groot Beplanner but a crucial point in each story is the main vind Texan (met ’n bruin ma en blanke pa) so pas tot in haar hart geglimlag het.’ character’s conversion to faith. The titles so uit dat Vaselinetjie bruin grootouers het. Die boek eindig met: ‘Nie die einde nie, far are: The negotiator, The guardian, The Seergemaak omdat sy hom nie vertrou maar ’n begin.’ truth seeker and The protector. The Bible is an obvious source of inspira- tion for Christian writers, who may use biblical characters, events or settings in Christian their novels. The popular Francine Rivers has produced a series of novellas, called A lineage of grace, on five women of the Bible: Tamar (Unveiled), Rahab (Unashamed), Ruth Fiction (Unshaken), Bathsheba (Unspoken) and Mary (Unafraid). There is a similar series update by her on men of the Bible, Sons of encour- agement, with titles so far on Aaron (The some more recent titles in our collection priest) and Caleb (The warrior). Tommy  Tenney’s Hadassah: one night with the king tells the story of Esther. Two novels on Mary comprising the titles The rising, The regime MARGARET ISKANDAR Magdalene are Unveiling Mary Magdalene, and The rapture. LaHaye is writing another Book Selector by Liz Curtis Higgs, and Margaret George’s series, Babylon rising. These fantasy thrillers Mary, called Magdalene. Bodie Thoene’s here is a steady demand for Christian also have apocalyptic overtones, as they First light is set at the time of Christ and fiction and some libraries have even pit biblical archaeologist Michael Murphy Tracy Groot’s Stones of my accusers in found it convenient to arrange against an evil opponent who resembles T the aftermath of the Crucifixion. Liz Curtis these books in a separate section. Another the Antichrist. The titles in the series (so Higgs has adopted a different approach to indication of local interest is the number of far) are: Babylon rising (written with Greg biblical characters in her Fair is the rose overseas titles being co-published locally in Dinallo), The secret on Ararat (written with and its sequel, Thorn in my heart. She English and also translated into Afrikaans. Bob Phillips) and The Europa conspiracy. In retells the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah Most titles originate in America and are similar vein, Left behind co-author Jenkins has in the form of a period romance set in 18th typically written by Evangelical Protestants, written a couple of futuristic thrillers set in century Scotland. though there are some from other Christian a world where religion is officially banned. There are many Christian historical novels traditions too. Christian fiction spans a These are Soon: the beginning of the end, and period romances with non-biblical range of popular genres (such as thrill- and Silenced: the wrath of God descends, settings. (Indeed, some Christian publish- ers, historical novels, romances and family in The underground zealot series. Paul Luther ers in the United States have produced a stories) but the common factors are the Maier’s More than a skeleton and William range of seemingly interminable series using author’s assumption of a Christian world- Proctor’s The last star are other thrill- American historical settings, which we have view and the role that faith plays in the lives ers that use the theme of Christ’s second generally not bought for our stock.) Reg of the characters. Some are, frankly, rather coming. Apocalyptic motifs aside, futuristic Grant’s Storm is a fictionalised biography of preachy, but there are others where the scenarios and fantasy, like science fiction, are the great Protestant reformer, Martin Luther. religious angle is adeptly handled and well not strong features in Christian fiction. An In Wings of refuge Lynn Austin combines integrated into the story. exception is Arena, by Karen Hancock, a romance, thriller, historical and religious ele- One of the most popular Christian fiction skilfull blend of science fiction, fantasy and ments and looks at the history of the Holy series in recent years must surely be Left Christian allegory. Land through the lives of three women, past behind, a 12-volume sequence of apocalyptic Some thrillers do have a fantasy element. and present. Loving Libby, by Robin Lee thrillers based on scenarios from the biblical Frank Peretti’s Monster makes use of fantasy Hatcher, is a period romance set on a sheep book of Revelation, by Tim F LaHaye and and horror. The blessed child and its sequel, ranch in Idaho in the late 19th century. Jerry B Jenkins. The main series was com- A man called blessed, by Bill Bright and Ted Glimpses of paradise, by James Scott Bell, is pleted with the titles Desecration, The rem- Dekker, feature a miracle worker with special a story of war, murder, faith and drama set nant, Armageddon, and Glorious appearing, powers. Many Christian thrillers follow in the early 20th century. Fallen angels, by but there is now a three-volume prequel mainstream genres. For example, there are Patricia Hickman, is set during the Great series, called Countdown to the rapture, legal thrillers by such writers as James Scott Depression. A man on the run and three

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abandoned children join forces. Desperate and Temptation are examples of African- list of things he’d like her to do, which starts for food and shelter, they end up posing as American Christian fiction. Being accepted her on the road to recovery and faith. The the expected new preacher (a widower) as a newcomer in a small community and threefold garland, by Severine Kirchhof, tells and his family in a small town in rural dealing with mistakes of the past come into of a terminally-ill woman, her husband and Arkansas - with surprising results. This is play in the story of a romance between a daughter. Through their story the author, a supposed to be the first title in a series and widow and a widower in Robert Elmer’s nun, offers a meditation on living and dying. we have not seen any further instalments, The duet. Romance in Oxford in the 1960s Despite the theme, this is not depressing or but it can stand alone. An effective blend features in Inklings, by Melanie M Jeschke, morbid and it has some lighter touches. of pathos and humour with a vivid histori- and its sequel, Expectations. In Lori Wick’s Some titles deal with problems, contro- cal background, it could be described as a The Princess, an arranged royal marriage versies and social issues. In Catherine Ryan Christian equivalent of the old Joe David leads to love though faith. Kristin Billerbeck’s Hyde’s Electric God, Hayden loses all he Brown title, Paper moon. Another title with What a girl wants, She’s out of control and holds dear through his violent (though not a Great Depression setting is Lynn Austin’s With this ring, I’m confused star reluctantly unprovoked) outbursts, and struggles for Hidden places. Joshua’s Bible, by Shelly single thirty-something Ashley Stockindale years to understand before he finds forgive- Leanne, tells the story of a young black man in a light but entertaining Christian chick lit ness and redemption. The protagonist of In from Ohio who is sent to South Africa in trilogy. all deep places, by Susan Meissner, strug- the 1930s to serve as a missionary to the Some relationships are complicated by gles to comprehend the suffering of others, Xhosa and becomes involved in the struggle. illness or ended by death. In Robert Elmer’s when a return to his old home town calls This well-written work was a winner of the The celebrity, a popular singer suffering to mind a childhood friend, her family, and Fiction Honor Books Award from the Black from burnout goes anonymously to take his their misfortunes. In Gaylynne Sword’s Dear Caucus of the American Library Association. late mother’s ashes to her small home town. me Vanessa must come to terms with her Robert Vaughan, an Episcopalian lay-minister There he meets a young Christian teacher past, her family and her mistakes, including and a Pulitzer Prize nominee, has written who is struggling to come to terms with her an abortion. The problem of alcoholism two novels looking at American service- disabilities after a head injury. I’ll watch the in a Christian family in the 1950s is dealt men and those they left behind during moon, by Ann Tatlock, is set in the late 1940s with in Robin Lee Hatcher’s Beyond the World War II. In Touch the face of God a and a case of polio plays a pivotal part in the shadows, while Angela Elwell Hunt turns bomber pilot is the main character, while plot. Karen Kingsbury’s A thousand tomor- to the controversial topic of cloning in The Whose voice the waters heard has a naval rows tells of two young rodeo stars who pearl. Complications ensue when a childless background. fall in love. But Cody’s brother has Down’s couple who want to adopt and a pregnant Mother-daughter relationships over three syndrome, which wrecked his parents’ teenager meet in Tracie Peterson’s The long- generations feature in both Gardenias for marriage and has made Cody bitter and awaited child. In Deborah Raney’s A nest of breakfast, by Robin Jones Gunn, and All she angry, while plucky Ali is slowly dying from sparrows, Wade Sullivan has already become ever wanted, by Lynn Austin. The amethyst cystic fibrosis. Circle of grace, by Penelope a father to his divorced fiancée’s children, heart, by Penelope J Stokes, chronicles J Stokes, is about the lives of four women six generations of a family of Cambridge, friends and the changes wrought when one Mississippi. The Redemption series, by Karen of them is told she is terminally ill. This is Kingsbury and Gary Smalley, centres round not typical Christian fiction and the religious the Baxter family and looks at problems in angle is low-key but it should appeal to the relationships. Though there were some very same readership. Leslie Gould’s Garden of negative published reviews, Kingsbury is pop- dreams tells of two friends, one of whom ular with Christian readers and this won the gets cancer, and it looks at the issue of (American) Christian Retailing’s 2005 Retail- sincere prayers for healing not bringing the er’s Choice Award for Best Series. The titles expected answer. Vanessa Del Fabbro’s The in the series are: Redemption, Remember, road to home also deals with the friend- Return, Rejoice and Reunion. Kingsbury ship between two women, one of whom is following this with another series, the is dying, but in this case it is a friendship Firstborn series, which picks up where between women of different races, who Reunion ended but also introduces new meet in hospital, and is set in South Africa. characters. The first two titles are Fame and In Angela Elwell Hunt’s The awakening, Forgiven. Traci DePree’s Lake Emily series Aurora suffers from agoraphobia, haunting offers stories of family, friends, community, dreams and thoughts of suicide. Can she love, heartbreak and faith, set in an American (like Sleeping Beauty) be awakened to Midwest farming community, with the titles life and love - and to faith? In Deborah A can of peas, Dandelions in a jelly jar and Raney’s Beneath a southern sky, a Aprons on a clothesline. Here the spiritual woman missionary in South America angle is handled with some subtlety. loses her husband, who’s reportedly killed In Worlds collide, by Alison Strobel, while delivering medical aid to a village. She the marriage between Hollywood star Jack returns home, rebuilds her life and remar- Harrington and his girl-next-door wife ries. Then comes a message that her first Grace comes under the spotlight when a husband is still alive. In The living end, by celebrity biographer interviews them, as do Lisa Samson, a woman contemplates suicide Jack’s problems and his discovery of faith. after the death of her beloved husband of Victoria Christopher Murray’s titles Joy many years. But the husband has left a wish  Kaapse Bibl., Sept/Okt 2006 23 BOOKWORLD INCWADI YELIZWE

b ut when she dies, her ab usiv e first husband read with some substance to it. Popular turns up to claim them. Raney’s A scarlet author Andrew Greeley, himself a priest, BOOKLIST cor d asks whether deception is ev er right. does not hesitate to tackle the controv ersial Tw o brok en people find comf ort and lov e issue of sex ab use scandals and cov er-ups Christian fiction together, till one of them disappears. The in the Catholic Church in The priestl y sins. amber photogra ph, b y Penelope J Stok es, Ho w ev er, as m uch of the book tells of the MARGARET ISKANDAR tells of a w oman’s search f or an unkno wn lif e of the whistleb lo w er in this particular Book Selector sister which leads her to face her o wn dark scandal, an honest, wholesome and lik eab le Austin, Lynn past. The consequences of an illegitimate priest, it is b y no means a cheerless read. In *All she e ver wanted.- Bethan y House, c2005. child unexpectedl y reappearing in the A blessing in disguise, b y Elvi Rhodes, thirty- Hid den places.- Bethan y House, c2001. protagonist’s lif e are used in diff erent wa ys in something wido w Ven us Stanton is the new Wings of refuge.- Bethan y House, c2000. Oceans a part, b y Karen Kingsb ury, Firstborn, Anglican vicar in a rural English parish, where b y Robin Lee Hatcher, and The debt, b y some of her congregation are dead set Bambola, Sylvia. Refiner’s fire.- Multnomah, c2000. Angela El w ell Hunt. against the idea of a w oman priest. This light Hunt’s The debt also looks at issues b ut pleasant read is not typical faith fiction, Bell, James Scott in v olving ministers of religion and the church b ut it has a strong Christian element appro- Blind justice.- Broadman & Holman, c2000. itself, as the main characters are a couple priate to the main character. In A miracle *Glimpses of paradise.- Bethan y House, 2005. who hav e w ork ed their wa y up from running f or St Cecilia’s, b y Katherine Valentine, a The Nephilim seed.- Broadman & Holman, a small church to becoming v ery success- small-to wn Catholic church is threatened c2001. ful television evangelists. And the shofar with closure because there are too f ew pa- *Sins of the fathers.- Zondervan, 2005. rishioners. Some pra y f or a miracle and get ble w, b y Francine Riv ers, is about a young Billerbeck, Kristin minister, eager to b uild up a church, allo wing more than they bargained f or, b ut all ends Titles f eaturing Ashley Stockindale (in order of his ambitions to ov ercome his scruples so w ell in this gentl y humorous and charming appearance): f eel-good tale. that he loses sight of his real purpose. Sylvia What a girl wants.- WestBo w, c2004. Bev erl y Lewis uses the unique lif estyle Bombola’s Refiner’s fire, set in Romania in She’s out of control.- WestBo w, c2004. the late 1980s, can be called a thriller b ut it of the Amish as the setting f or her nov els. With this ring, I’m confused.- WestBo w, c2005. is of particular interest f or its vivid depic- There are three titles in the series The tion of the persecution of Christians under heritage of Lancaster County: The shunning, Bright, Bill Nicolae Ceausescu. Jonathan Tulloch’sGive The conf ession, and The reckoning. The Blessed child.- Word, c2001. us this day provides a portrait of Father Tom first title in a new series, Annie’s people, is A man called blessed.- W Pub. Group, c2002. Carey and his spiritual struggles. A good, The preacher’s daughter. While the vivid conscientious, w ell-lik ed man, he seems an background details sound authentic, and the Cramer, W Dale. Sutter’s Cross.- Bethan y ideal Catholic priest, b ut underneath he is in Amish are depicted with warmth and sym- House, c2003. turmoil, and unexpected ev ents are set to path y, the author does tak e issue with some Dekk er, Ted challenge him further. This is an absorbing of their beliefs. Thre3e.- W Pub. Group, c2003. A local title translated from the Afrikaans Thunder of heaven.- W Pub. Group, c2002. is Shades of crimson, b y Marzanne Leroux- Van der Boon. Here modern Israel and the DePree, Trace Middle East conflict f orm the background to Lak e Emily series Marc’s search f or identity. Could he liv e in A can of peas.- Waterbrook P., 2002. Israel to marry the w oman he lov es? Is he Dandelions in a jell y jar.- Waterbrook P., 2004. South African or Israeli? Jewish or Christian? *Aprons on a clothesline.- Waterbrook P., 2005. A sequel has recentl y been pub lished, called Hatikvah: land of hope. *Del Fab bro, Vanessa. The road to home.- Steeple Hill, c2005. Sutter’s Cross, b y W Dale Cramer, is set in a small to wn in the Appalachian moun- Elmer, Robert tains. The nov el has m ultiple themes, b ut it *The celebrity.- Waterbrook P., 2005. is the arrival of Harley, a homeless, w ork- The duet.- Waterbrook P., 2004. ing-class man who does good deeds, that is the catal yst f or dev elopments. Something George, Margaret. Mary, called Magdalene.- un usual is Angela El w ell Hunt’s Unspoken. Macmillan, 2002. Through the story of a w oman who is try - Gould, Leslie. Gar den of dreams.- Waterbrook ing to teach a gorilla sign language, it asks P., 2003. whether animals hav e souls and what they can tell us about God. Restoring a paint- Grant, Reg. Storm.- Christian Art Pub., 2002. ing in an Italian church leads to spiritual and *Greeley, Andrew. The priestl y sins.- Forge, 2005. emotional healing in Suzanne M Wolf e’s w ell-written Un veiling, which handles the re- *Groot, Tracy. Stones of my accusers.- Moody, ligious angle in a subtle and unobtrusiv e wa y. c2004. For more background on LaHa ye’s Left *Gun, Robin Jones. Gar denias f or breakfast.- behind series and f or a booklist of older WestBo w, c2005. Christian fiction titles see the Ca pe Librarian of Jan uary/February 2001. Hancock, Karen. Arena.- Bethan y House, c2002.

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