Amazing. Outstanding. For years, I have confined myself to a small subset of authors - and found myself in a bit of a rut. I feel like reading a thriller ... Okay, that means Ted Dekker, Dean Koontz, Robert Liparulo ... Those are excellent authors, but sometimes I need to stretch myself and look for something new. Well, in this case, I am very glad I did.
I stopped by the library the other day, perusing the 'Inspirational' section, and happened upon Vanish. I can't believe I've never read Tom Pawlik before! This author has a very natural and flowing style, and his sense of story is enthralling.
As I began reading this book, I wondered why it would be classified as inspirational. It didn't necessarily seem to have a 'Christian' message at first. Vanish starts out like a story of alien invasion, but it's nothing so simple as that. For those who have read The Taking by Dean Koontz, you'll remember how much of a twist that 'alien' story turned out to be. (By the way, I would highly recommend it as well.) This story is different, but the twist is just as unexpected. Maybe I'm not the best detective when it comes to figuring out a book, but this one kept me guessing most of the way through.
Tom Pawlik has that same gift for imagery that I've always enjoyed in Ted Dekker's books. Both authors do a great job illustrating various aspects of God's character through story.
I came away from Vanish with a sense of satisfaction. It made a lot of good points, without coming off preachy. And the ending was realistic and believable. The book is as good - and as believable - as anything out there. But it's also SAFE and worthwhile reading to recommend to your older kids. Now that I've finished, I'm passing this one to my teenager who enjoys thrillers, and I've already reserved Pawlik's next book at the library. Yea!
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