A few years ago, I participated in a Saturday morning men’s group over coffee and Panera pastries. Mike Allen was another participant. Recently, he responded to my request for an early review and quickly downloaded a digital copy, and he has now sent me his review.

First, he contrasts light Christian fiction with heavy theological books, and he says,

The first is hardly worth reading.  The second can be difficult, filled with arcane vocabulary and requiring mastery of languages not used for over 1,500 years. Obie Holmen’s book is neither of those two types, thankfully.  Wormwood and Gall: the Destruction of Jerusalem and the First Gospel, focuses on the search for meaning in a time of destruction. Although the history, clothing, food, economy and the politics are accurately captured by Holmen, his focus is on existential meaning, the question whether creation is good or evil, the meaning of one’s death, and overarching all questions, does my existence simply end with my life?

What carries Holmen’s book is the power of his character development along with his sure grasp of history. Holmen has written a novel based on very real events at a critical point in human history, incorporating human questions.  Its Christian context is clear but Holmen skillfully avoids overwhelming the reader with false religiosity.  He places us in the midst of theology’s core: all theology starts from human experience, each individual must start with his or her own story.  Holmen’s Wormwood and Gall manages to suggest answers in a subtle ways.  This is a book that is both readable as well as worth the reading.

In Mike’s cover emails to me, he adds,

Your novel deserves a review of depth and consideration.  The poetry of your text demands a solid review. It’s obvious I liked the book.  I liked it for its character development and plot.

Once I moved into your book I had no doubts about it.  Initially I wondered if this was going to be another of those “religious books” plaguing all of us. But it turned out to be nothing of the kind and that was the reason for my pleasure in reading it.  It asks questions that I ask myself.  It incorporates some of my experiences, and it captures some of my questions and answers. 

Thank you for the honor of writing a review.  Your book is just simply that good.

Thank you, Mike. You honor me with your kind and generous comments.