How Firm a Foundation

Rating:
Summary: Much more than just another page-turner...
Review: Marcus Grodi gives us a compelling novel -- one that draws us in, like the novels of Grisham and Turow. But there's much more here, an element of faith and struggle that is honestly and vividly drawn from life.

Mr. Grodi is himself a former Protestant minister who converted to the Catholic faith. Presumably, he knows the anguish and the turmoil of one who must choose between his livelihood on the one hand, and his intellectual and spiritual integrity on the other.

Those pressures are depicted in the characters of his novel -- in the main character, of course, but also in his friends, his family and his flock.

I recommend this book highly. It is more than merely diverting; it is highly instructive.

Rating:
Summary: Good and Heartfelt Read!
Review: Marcus Grodi has done a good job with his first novel. I enjoyed most learning about the stresses and tensions undergone by the typical Protestant pastor, his wife, and children. That part of the story is explained very well that the expectations demanded of the pastor's wife and children are high often causing unbearable tension in the family.

The plotline is also good, and the reader's attention is held until the satisfying climax.

My interest waned a bit when the story took a more theological turn, and the discussions about scripture and church history deepened.

Stephen LaPointe had only a love of Christ and a desire to preach the Gospel. He found out that life is not that simple. His search for the truth led him to Catholicism. It was not an easy journey.

Rating:
Summary: Grodi has nothing for which to apologize!
Review: Okay. Let's be quite clear here. Marcus Grodi is a noted ex-Evangelical currently-Catholic master apologist. Needless to say, this novel contains some of his concerns in explaining the Catholic faith (and for that matter clarifying some points of Evangelical Protestant belief for us cradle Catholics!) to the world. That doesn't stop Mr. Grodi from writing a very good novel. Be patient, though; Mr. Grodi takes over one quarter of the book setting up his characters and situations, and one begins to wonder, "That's all very nice, but when are things going to start happening?" The dominoes start dropping with lightning speed, and I was only able to accurately predict one outcome. (Well, two, but I'd taken the second one back and guessed wrong.) I read this in approximately 24 clock hours (probably about six or seven hours real-time). Once the dominoes hit the table I didn't want to put the book down.
As impressed as I am with Marcus Grodi's talents as an apologist (one whose profession is explaining the Faith), I can't wait to read his next novel!