Christian Fiction Review Blog: FAITH AWAKENED, by Grace Bridges

FAITH AWAKENED, by Grace Bridges

Day 2 Monday

FAITH AWAKENED, by Grace Bridges, and FLASHPOINT, by Frank Creed, have 3 similarities. First, both books deal with end times scenarios. Second, both books point to the coming persecution of the Christian believers. Third, both books deal with advanced technology that may not really be that far from becoming a reality. Apart from these 3 things these two novels are vastly different.

Rather than deal with a group of underground believers who are actively engaging the beastly government, Grace Bridges begins her novel right at the end of that period, so the bulk of her work deals with what happens afterwards. This should not be seen as escaping the command of Christ to “Go and teach all nations, whatsoever things I have taught you.” For she begins her story at a point in time where the existence of the human race is at stake. This being the case she is able to give you the actual feel that these believers are the only ones left on the planet. She deals with each of them, although she mostly focuses on a young woman named Mariah. The ability to focus on so few a number of characters is an active ingredient, which I'm sure you will all enjoy, that makes this novel work.

What I found interesting is that you don't really meet the key character until the 2nd chapter. She sets up things with a prologue, then skips ahead to another character in the 1st chapter, and finally gets around to her main character in the 2nd chapter. This skipping around through time, at first, leaves you wondering what in the world is going on. She quickly helps you understand what is going on and why this story needs to be told this way, and the reader is drawn into a world where 2 realities seem to run side-by-side. It is an awesome undertaking that is done so smoothly you cannot imagine it being told any other way.