Brotherhood of Betrayal

Rating:
Summary: Engaged to the end!
Review: I have been a Randall Arthur fan for years. Since I saw that he had a "new" book coming out I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival. I exciteldly opened the package from Amazon only to find that "Brotherhood of Betrayal" is the exact same book as "Betrayal"! All they did was change the name. Nowhere in the advertisements was that explained. I don't know whether to be disappointed in Mr. Aruthur, Multnomah, or Amazon. Bottom line, it was a great book back when I first read it a couple of years ago and I'll get over this frustration, but Arthur fans beware before you spend your hard-earned money. Oh, one more thing, it's being advertised as a bargain at $9.59, but upon receiving the book the cover price says $7.99.

Well, that's off of my chest, so on to life's real issues.

Rating:
Summary: Betrayed by the Brotherhood of Betrayal
Review: I have been a Randall Arthur fan for years. Since I saw that he had a "new" book coming out I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival. I exciteldly opened the package from Amazon only to find that "Brotherhood of Betrayal" is the exact same book as "Betrayal"! All they did was change the name. Nowhere in the advertisements was that explained. I don't know whether to be disappointed in Mr. Aruthur, Multnomah, or Amazon. Bottom line, it was a great book back when I first read it a couple of years ago and I'll get over this frustration, but Arthur fans beware before you spend your hard-earned money. Oh, one more thing, it's being advertised as a bargain at $9.59, but upon receiving the book the cover price says $7.99.

Well, that's off of my chest, so on to life's real issues.

Rating:
Summary: Simply amazing
Review: I have read few authors that gripped me the way Randall Arthur has in his three stories (Brotherhood of Betrayal, Jordan's Crossing, and Wisdom Hunter). I could not put any of them down and lost a lot of sleep the week I read them. I cried and laughed and prayed my way through each of them. Randall, if you're reading this, thank you for letting God write through you. Though it has a been a good six months since I read them I am tearing up as I remember then now and how God used them in my life. Thank you for being honest about the good and the bad in the "church" and our lives, and about God's grace and His presence through both. I truly thank God for you, brother, I really do.

Rating:
Summary: Engaged to the end!
Review: I too, like the other reviewer, am a fan of Randall Arthur's books. One of the first "Christian" fiction books I read was his first book, Wisdom Hunter.

If you like 'prairie fiction' that always ends neatly and comfortably, then you'd best not read Randall Arthur. If you enjoy impactful books that tell it like it is, then you've found your author!

Brotherhood of Betrayal is a re-release of Betrayal and is the best book yet by Arthur to date. It deals with the extreme legalism found in some churches in America and the even more widespread issue I could identify with: how do I treat 'fallen' brothers/sisters in Christ who've made serious mistakes? Am I willing to forgive a repentant brother? Do I continue to withhold forgiveness even after the God has forgiven that person? Why?

If you've wrestled with these issues in some form, you'll find an excellent, Godly model for forgiveness and grace in this book. I was moved!

Rating:
Summary: touchy subjects
Review: Yes, the story does pack a punch, and it is one of those books you have to stay up half the night to finish. The last reviewer already covered the positive side, and I agree with most of it. On the other hand, I found this book to be a little heavy on stereotypes, particularly in its portrayal of Fundamentalist Christians. I would not describe myself as a Fundamentalist, but I know many people who would, and they would be absolutely appalled by the behavior of the Fundamentalists in this story. Still, if legalism like this does exist, this book does a good job of pointing to a clear alternative in the liberty of Christ. This is a book will stimulate serious thought, and make a deep impression on the reader. It would also be good material for a study group discussion.