Suspenseful and meaningful, this story portrays real characters facing spiritual challenges with resolve and occasional beauty. However, it stumbles in the delivery, and a problematic premise robbed me of any real joy.
Author James Rubart is a capable wordsmith. Though some descriptions bordered on the cliche, he always delivered a fully realized, at times elegant vision. I became emotionally attached to the characters and their struggles. The final climax was appropriately built to and engaging, ending in a manner that was both conclusive but also a good hook for the next installment of the series.
While technically proficient, the narrative often leapt forward abruptly, sometimes by several days, with no real summary of what happened in-between. Inconsistencies in how special powers could be employed left me confused. The most compelling parts of the book were the spiritual struggles each of the four main characters faced; unfortunately, some of the characters' backstories became muddled, weakening their arcs. For example, one of the characters harbors two deep pains in her life: the death of her grandfather and the breakup of her engagement. But only the latter received any attention or level of catharsis. By the time her moment of spiritual discovery came, the grandfather subplot had faded to the point of meaninglessness.
Some might enjoy the frequent pop culture nods, but I found them annoying. Name dropping The Matrix within the first few chapters was a big cliche given the story's emphasis on a hidden reality only a few chosen could combat. Other references felt forced and were immediately explained, as if the author wasn't sure his readers would get the joke.
I freely admit the above complaints may be due more to my personal issues with the book's subject matter and the attitude with which it was presented. The book cover asks, "What if you could travel inside another person's soul?" The whole idea is suspect to me, but I'm willing to suspend my disbelief in lots of ways to enjoy a good story. Here's the part that really troubled me: this skill is preached as a spiritual discipline used by Christians to wage battle against the powers of darkness. One character described it as "true" intercessory prayer, leading the group to go inside another person to free him from past pain and hurt.
The idea is neat, though at times I felt like I was reading pages cut from Inception's screenplay. While that film toyed with the idea that such a behavior might produce beneficial results, it clearly articulated that entering into the subconscious of another was the work of criminals. I disagree with the idea that we as fellow fallen sinners can reach inside someone's heart and "fix" it. Using the name of Jesus instead of military hardware doesn't make the practice any less icky; if anything, it makes it more so.
I was also dismayed by the lack of respect the spiritual mentor character showed to his trainees. They're isolated, cut off from their coworkers, friends, and families, and put in embarrassing and painful situations solely for the purpose of "breaking" them. They are taught that all Christians who don't belong to this elite group are misguided and unwilling to embrace the full power of God. While I believe the author has good intentions, I can not endorse an approach that veers so dangerously close to the ones employed by countless cults to trap the vulnerable.
Many may be able to get past this idea and still embrace the redemptive aspects of the book, which were well handled when they came. They may like the idea of Christian super agents jumping in to battle demons with flame throwers and swords on a secret spiritual plane. I found it derivative and theologically flawed.
This review is also posted at Goodreads, Amazon, and Speculative Faith. I did not receive anything from the publisher or author for this review. The cover was designed by M80 Design, with an illustration by W. Youssi. The book is currently available from Thomas Nelson as a Paperback ($15.99) or eBook ($9.99 on Amazon).
