Rating: 
Summary: Suspense, Spiritual Growth, and some Kicking Stones!
Review: Early this morning--around 5 am--I finished reading THE FACE OF GOD, after letting it sit in one of my TBR piles for months. I'm sorry I waited so long! :)What do we have in this Christian fiction thriller? A pastor who outwardly seems like the perfect servant of God, but who, through tragedy and visions, sees that he's lost his first love, not just the literal one--his wife, but the Biblical idea of what this means. This, and the possession of an unusual green gemstone with Hebraic inscription, sets off a chain of breathless events, some exhilirating and some tragic, that all lead our main character to experience transformation, find illumination (in more ways than one), and see the God whose face is...well, read the book. :) The pace is unrelenting. You will not be bored. The characters include all three major monotheistic religions--Judaism, Islamic and Christian. The setting moves from the middle east to Europe to Africa to the US. It's all over the map, but not haphazardly. The story is totally focused on the external journey (finding the 12 stones of the Levitical high priest's breastplate, plus the Urim and Thummin) which parallels the internal journey (from legalism to satisfying relationship). The ending is realistic, with some matters satisfyingly closed, and others interestingly open-ended. Muslim characters are treated with respect--not simply painted as all malicious, wild-eyed, bomb-carrying killers. In this current tense environment, that alone gets Mr. Myers a thumbs up. The first novel of Mr. Myers that I read, BLOOD OF HEAVEN, was exciting, but it didn't have the heart, the really moving moments, that THE FACE OF GOD provides. I felt my own moments of real conviction about my own legalistic tendencies while reading this book. Im now on my own journey to recapture my first love and see the face of the Beloved more clearly, and reflect it better. Thank you, Mr. Myers. I recommend this book to all believers--and not just Christian ones. :) Mir
Rating:
Summary: Suspense, Spiritual Growth, and some Kicking Stones!
Review: I didn't dream that I would like this book as much as I did. I'm a non-fundamentalist-Catholic woman and this book was so interesting. It's an action-packed adventure as well as an educational journey without being "preachy" or trite. It's really great---highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Great even for the non-fundamental!
Review: I didn't dream that I would like this book as much as I did. I'm a non-fundamentalist-Catholic woman and this book was so interesting. It's an action-packed adventure as well as an educational journey without being "preachy" or trite. It's really great---highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Good Book - Enuff Said!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first one that I read by Bill Myers. After reading it, I immediately went out and got more. I don't know if any of the other books that I have finished so far have been quite as satisfying (although most were quite good). This one is a definite read, but if you are thinking of becoming a devotee, save this one for last.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book - Enuff Said!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first one that I read by Bill Myers. After reading it, I immediately went out and got more. I don't know if any of the other books that I have finished so far have been quite as satisfying (although most were quite good). This one is a definite read, but if you are thinking of becoming a devotee, save this one for last.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for the most part
Review: I'm a fan of Bill Myers work and have been since "Blood of Heaven". This one slipped by me somehow and when I saw it I immediately got it. While the plot is somewhat tight for the most part, I do have some problems with parts of it. For one thing, the thought of a terrorist who will kill someone very close to him (read the book to find out) shouldn't have any qualms about killing millions of others. So why is he so intent on the stones? But the most annoying part of the book is the fact that people call each other by their names so much that it gets old. The minute anything happens, they're all screaming each other's names in the midst of the chaos until you finally just want them to shut up and get on with it. For the first-time emergency, we can live with it...but when something happens every few chapters, you've got to have a break! "Daniel!" "Tyler!" "Helen!" "Tyler!" "Daniel!" "Dad!" "Helen!" "Tyler!" Give me a break! Otherwise, a good story...though not up to the same level as "Threshold" or "Blood of Heaven" (definitely better than "Eli" though). Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 Stars...Myers' Best Novel Yet!
Review: I've read all of Myers' adult fiction, and this book outshines his others in a number of ways. The editing and writing are tighter than most of his previous efforts, and the subject of terrorism and religious extremists (both Christian and Muslim!) is particularly timely. This is a novel of suspense. The story follows retired Pastor Daniel Lawson and his questioning college-age son, Tyler, as they traverse the Middle East and Africa in search of religious artifacts. One such artifact leads to Mrs. Lawson's death early on, providing strong motivation for her men to carry out their mission. If, indeed, they can locate the remaining artifacts, they will have a complete high priest's breastplate from the era of Moses. With it, they believe they will be able to hear God's voice in audible form. The problem is, Islamic terrorists are on the brink of unleashing a worldwide plague, and they too want the breastplate to better understand Allah's plan for their attack. Myers is careful to paint his Middle Easterners as real people with real motivations and sincere faith. He contrasts many of their beliefs with the teachings of the Bible in thought-provoking ways. This is one of the book's greatest achievements. But it's a thriller, don't forget. To help the terrorist efforts, their leader enlists two women who will follow the Lawson men on their quest. Inevitably, the women develop feelings for Daniel and Tyler Lawson. Betrayals and love, murder and kidnapping all come into the equation. With occasional scenes of violence, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Myers brings it all together in a satisfying and spiritually enlightening climax. The only factor that kept me from giving this a 5 star rating is that I had a hard time believing the terrorists would revere a Jewish artifact as highly as the Lawson family. Perhaps, the high priest's ephod holds great value in the Qu'ran, but this seeming glitch made it difficult for me to buy thoroughly into the premise. Also, "The Face of God" is a fitting title, but the cover is rather generic and fails to specify even if this is fiction or not. Nonetheless, I trust many will find this great novel and be challenged by Myers' call to Christians to return to our first love with God. To see God's face is to know and to love him. That's the beauty of this captivating tale.
Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 Stars...Myers' Best Novel Yet!
Review: I've read all of Myers' adult fiction, and this book outshines his others in a number of ways. The editing and writing are tighter than most of his previous efforts, and the subject of terrorism and religious extremists (both Christian and Muslim!) is particularly timely. This is a novel of suspense. The story follows retired Pastor Daniel Lawson and his questioning college-age son, Tyler, as they traverse the Middle East and Africa in search of religious artifacts. One such artifact leads to Mrs. Lawson's death early on, providing strong motivation for her men to carry out their mission. If, indeed, they can locate the remaining artifacts, they will have a complete high priest's breastplate from the era of Moses. With it, they believe they will be able to hear God's voice in audible form. The problem is, Islamic terrorists are on the brink of unleashing a worldwide plague, and they too want the breastplate to better understand Allah's plan for their attack. Myers is careful to paint his Middle Easterners as real people with real motivations and sincere faith. He contrasts many of their beliefs with the teachings of the Bible in thought-provoking ways. This is one of the book's greatest achievements. But it's a thriller, don't forget. To help the terrorist efforts, their leader enlists two women who will follow the Lawson men on their quest. Inevitably, the women develop feelings for Daniel and Tyler Lawson. Betrayals and love, murder and kidnapping all come into the equation. With occasional scenes of violence, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Myers brings it all together in a satisfying and spiritually enlightening climax. The only factor that kept me from giving this a 5 star rating is that I had a hard time believing the terrorists would revere a Jewish artifact as highly as the Lawson family. Perhaps, the high priest's ephod holds great value in the Qu'ran, but this seeming glitch made it difficult for me to buy thoroughly into the premise. Also, "The Face of God" is a fitting title, but the cover is rather generic and fails to specify even if this is fiction or not. Nonetheless, I trust many will find this great novel and be challenged by Myers' call to Christians to return to our first love with God. To see God's face is to know and to love him. That's the beauty of this captivating tale.
Rating:
Summary: Empathy and Truth
Review: The Face of God is a gripping look into grief, fatherhood, and the synergies/differences between Christianity and Islam, all masterfully rendered by an author who has learned to distinguish shades of gray. Bill Myers is not a writer who leans on the supernatural. Rather, he is one of those rare individuals who understands that everything is spiritual, and that the physical universe enveloping us is actually the waiting-room for Eternity. If you're fond of story, fine writing, well-told relationships, and writers who get the facts straight (and who is not fond of those things?) then you absolutely have to buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding advenure in the Christian tradition
Review: This book arrived with the publisher's sticker on it stating: "We guarantee you'll love the book, or it's FREE." It's a no-risk guarantee, because I can't imagine anyone's not loving this great adventure story written from a Christian perspective. The plot is complex and very well executed. The characters come alive--it's very easy to identify with them. It's just a tad far-fetched, but hey--it's FICTION. If you have a modicum of imagination and a love for adventure, this is for you. One more thing...as a Catholic I enjoy Myers' Christian slant, but I truly believe this books transcends the Christian fiction genre and can appeal to anyone and everyone. Also, I noticed some reviewers referred to the violent content. For anyone who reads adventure stories, this book is pretty gentle in my view when it comes to violence. I heartily recommend it as one of Myers' best!
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