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Summary: This book moved me
Review: I had enjoyed reading Bill Myers "Blood of Heaven" trilogy and was eager to read "Eli". I was prepared to enjoy it....but my experience went beyond that. This book truly moved me. It deepened my understanding, and yes, my love for Jesus. You can quibble with technicalities in this book. Even the author admits his limitations in his preface. Yet it deeply touched my heart. Read it and you will see.
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Summary: Explore This Parallel Universe!
Review: Reading a Bill Myers novel is like wading into a pond that's deeper than you expect. His writing, though simple, is fast-paced and effective. So long as I set aside my "Elements of Grammar" book, I'm able to enjoy his creative premises and engaging plots. In this, his fourth adult novel and my favorite to date, Myers explores the idea of a parallel universe very like our own society where Jesus/Eli has just arrived on the scene. A media man, Conrad Ellis, is thrust into this parallel universe by a life-threatening car accident. As his family gathers in one universe and weighs important issues, Conrad lives life in the parallel universe as a follower of Eli. Eli is a noncompromising person who shows love and grace and a leaning toward humor. He leads a group of followers across the America, preaching and teaching his gospel message. Of course, he is not without detractors, particularly the religious leaders of the day. Eli is a threat to their status quo. Myers cleverly works in Biblical parables and miracles. Eli's dialogue directly parallels Jesus's words at times without sounding outdated. I was mildly disappointed by the depiction of Jake/Peter's denial, and I would've liked more of Eli's personal interaction after his resurrection, but overall Myer's captures the gist of the Gospels in a powerful way. "Eli" works on most levels and definitely made me consider what our collective reaction would've been if Jesus had arrived in our present culture. Although some reviewers have noted the discrepancies with A.D. (anno domino) dating, Myers never actually dates anything in the parallel universe; at only one time does Conrad assign a date in his own mind to the clothing and styles of the hippie generation. Yes, Conrad is slow to recognize certain parallels, but for the story's sake he advances slowly. In this manner, Myers is able to take the reader through a similar heart change--and therein lies this novel's power.
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Summary: Amazing Book!!!
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read!!!! Bill Myers is a wonderful Christian author who truly puts his heart into his books. I loved this book so much that I emailed the author to thank him for writing it which is something I have never done before.You can't read about Eli without it touching your heart profoundly! I highly recommend this book to everyone and when your finished you will want to read his other books as well!!!
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Summary: Fictionilized Gospels
Review: This book's plot is not all that original. It is a fictionalized version of the gospels after all written nearly two thousand years ago. However Meyers writes this "novelization" with admirable zest and imagination. His premise even of having the messiah born at a Motel 6 by itself is interesting, let alone some of the scenes of Eli's travels with his colorful disciples.
I am man enough to admit that tears glistened in my eyes reading some passages of this book. Meyers parallels the gospels setting it in modern times with no loss of power. In fact my masculinity can even bear my confessing I was outright crying by this novel's conclussions.
Meyer's style is not preachy, well not preachy considering this is a Christian novel. His writing is more a parable of Christs life and I would venture even to the none Christian the story itself is a worth-while read.
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Summary: An Easy & Eye Opening Read, I'm A Better Person For It...
Review: First, forget the overblown, wordy, and tedious "Left Behind" series. If you want inspiration in print, look no further than this book (or any by Myers for that matter). The character development is excellent. By the end of the books, you feel like you know the characters personally. The messages presented here are clear and not preachy like the "Left Behind" books. Very inspirational and wonderful at putting old religious ideas in a modern context.
A must read.
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Summary: Jesus in our time?
Review: The premise behind this book was excellent, but I found the writing a little weak. The book is still worth reading, but there are many inconsistencies. For example, although I can't recall the churches ever being described as Christian, how could there be churches that follow the Christian faith and beliefs if Jesus wasn't born until the 1960's. Wouldn't the primary churches be Judaism and other old religions. The concept is good, but the background material needs more thought.
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Summary: Pretty good.
Review: It is a shame that Myers doesn't write fiction as well as he does screenplays (notably the wonderful McGee and Me series.) This book was more disappointing than even his religious sci fi. Conrad Davis slips into a parallel universe where Christianity hasn't happened yet and a new messiah named Eli is born in a laundry room in Santa Monica. Somehow the world had evolved as if Christianity had occurred however: hotel rooms have Bibles including only the Old Testament, not Talmudic tracts, the non-Jewish characters do not worship Greek gods but are monotheists, there are crystal cathedrals and evangelical theme parks celebrating Old Testament figures and a monotheist God- but they are certainly not Jewish. Did the Reformation happen anyway? While the idea of a Messiah ploped down in contemporary life has potential, this book doesn't achieve it. The concept is half-baked and the interspersing between realities and memories is confusing. None of the characters is fleshed out- maybe Myers is better when he writes for actors who can add personality. It's a shame. In religious fiction Myers is certainly no Madelline L'Engle and not even a C.S. Lewis.
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Summary: What is the real Jesus really like?
Review: Do you want to find out what the real Jesus is like? Do you have trouble relating to external trappings that have been placed around the person of Jesus? Do you want to know what it would have been like to be with him and be his friend? What would it be like if he visited 21st century America? What would he say to you if you could walk and talk with him? Do you want to know what it would be like for Jesus to come to earth today? Then this book is FOR YOU!!!
For me, this novel captures more of the heart, love and character of Jesus than any other fictional book I have ever read or movie I have ever seen. The book expressed Jesus' story in a very real way which I could understand and relate to. So much so, that I wept when I read it, even though it is fiction. If you want to learn about Jesus without having to wade through man-made religious trappings, this book will help you understand what his life on earth was really like by translating his story and circumstances into modern terms and settings. I give this book my very highest recommendation.
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Summary: Not Bad for Religious Fiction
Review: Conrad Davis is a TV journalist whose life appears to be good on the outside. Still, the competitive nature of his profession and his own internal drive had him continuously pushing for the next and best assignment. However, this also led to some problems in his past that he never really dealt with: divorce from his wife, Suzanne, and estrangement from his daughter, Julia. The latest assignment he hoped to pursue involved allegations by a scientist that he could prove the existence of parallel universes. However, on the way back from an interview of the scientist, he was involved in a fiery car crash . . . . From which he woke in a completely different life. He caught a ride with a couple young kids who looked like the jumped out of the 60's, and ended up at a cheap motel where he witnessed the birth of a newborn child, Eli. Years later he runs into Eli again, and witnesses many miracles that push him beyond all his former beliefs. Mr. Myers really did a fantastic job of taking Jesus' miracles and stories from the New Testament, and setting them in present day. (FYI, the crux of the story is that in this alternate universe, Jesus was never born, and "Eli" is born in the 20th Century.) For example, the men that Eli chose to be his 12 disciples closely mirrored the diversity in the men Jesus chose, including ones with whom most people would never wish to associate. The only real "problem" I saw in the story was the overriding fact that today's society has clearly been influenced by Christianity. And it was difficult for me to see how a parallel universe/world could have developed so similarly if that belief system had never existed before. Additionally, it appears that even in fiction, the questions that many of us face regarding faith and belief in God still cannot be answered easily.
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