Riven

by: Jerry B. Jenkins

I think I have to say this is one of the most intriguing books I have read in a long time. I really like Jerry Jenkins writing. I hadn't realized until half way through the book that Jerry Jenkins is co-author of The Left Behind series, which I really liked as well. There are only a few authors (or books) that I know that give you this kind of writing; Ted Dekker, Frank Perretti and a few of Francine Rivers books. They are more in depth and get you sucked into the story. I really like that kind of writing.

When I started the book I wasn't sure I would like it or even wanted to read it. One of the book groups that I joined on Goodreads was reading this for the month of August, so I decided to try it out. I like finding books I've never heard of.

Riven is about 2 main characters; Brady and Thomas. Brady is a teen who lives with his mother and brother. His mother is an alcoholic and doesn't take care of him and his brother. They live in a trailer park and Braden doesn't think much of himself. Thomas is a preacher. He is old fashioned and people/churches have used his good heart and work him hard but never appreciated him. He has been run out of many churches. Now Thomas is run down and looking for where God wants him to be.

Over the years Brady only gets worse, in and out of jail, becoming a criminal but in the back of his mind he is always wanting better he just doesn't know how to get it. In the mean time Thomas takes a job in prison ministry. When one day Braden and Thomas' lives meet.

This book is a big one, 526 pages! It took me a full week to read this one. Something about the story drew me in. The first half of the book you are following their lives as Brady is in school and Thomas is searching for a pastoral job. The 2nd part when Brady and Thomas' lives meet the story seems to fast forward.

At the end Brady has this idea that even when I read it almost made me not like the book anymore. But as the story played out you understood why he chose to do what he did. (Cannot tell you or it would spoil the entire story). Throughout the whole book I kept trying to figure out what the title Raven meant and it's not until the last few chapters you figure it out.

I would definitely recommend this book and I am going to definitely look up more books by this author.