Shade is one of the more unconventional Christian novels I have had the privilege to read. From the very first scene until the conclusion, the reader is challenged right along with the characters to decide what is really the truth. Is the ominous dark shadow that stalks Hailey real or is it just a figment of her imagination or even schizophrenia? Are the warnings from the homeless giant Melchi valid or is he also delusional? Shade is a tale that will keep the reader engaged until the very end in order to uncover the answers.
John Olson has set the stage perfectly for the horror filled narrative. Fog laced San Francisco is the ideal backdrop and the goth culture of young vampire wannabees adds another dimension to the story. Incorporating the legends about the gypsy vampire Mulo (the undead) adds even more suspense. But the faith based motivation of the primary characters is what sets Shade apart from other books in this genre.
I would highly recommend Shade to all fans of horror fiction, especially to those who are tired of the blood, gore, and negative message found in many books of this type.
Today I’m posting an introduction to Shade that includes the description from Amazon.com as well as what others are saying about the book. Also included are the video book trailer and a brief bio of the author John Olson. Check back tomorrow to find out what I thought about Shade.
THE BOOK:
Book Description (from Amazon.com)
“You will not fear the terror of the night.” —Psalm 91
A monstrous waking nightmare is pursuing graduate student Hailey Maniates across San Francisco to Golden Gate Park where she is rescued by a towering homeless man. She seems able to read her rescuer’s mind, but is it just a delusion? Doctors diagnose her as a paranoid schizophrenic and attempt to prescribe away her alleged hallucinations. But too many questions remain around Hailey and the man who saved her. He appears to suffer from her same mental condition and is convinced that some type of Gypsy vampire is trying to kill them both.
Against reason, Hailey finds herself more and more attracted to this strange man. But what if he is a fantasy? What if he is the monster?
Endorsements:
“From its stunning first scene to its heartwarming last, Shade is a striking tale of mystery and danger that kept me hooked. This is Olson’s finest work yet, and reading it, one gets the feeling he’s just getting warmed up.”
Robin Parrish, author of Relentless and Merciless
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“Unseen enemies. Questioned sanity. The weighing of reality. All the things I like in a book! The shadows are not silent. I lost sleep over this book. I got goose bumps from this book. The kind of scary that you crave and cringe at, Shade offers up a monster made more frightening by its originality. Thanks a lot, John Olson–because of you, I will not walk alone at night for a long time to come.”
— Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve
“John B. Olson is a seasoned storyteller, and Shade is quite a story! As the heat turns up, and as menacing tones and brooding characters abound, the theme of God’s grace boils to the surface. A few years back, Olson gave us a new twist on Jekyll & Hyde; now he puts his own fast-paced spin on the Dracula story. I can only hope there’s a sequel in the works!”
Eric Wilson, author of Field of Blood and A Shred of Truth
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“Shade is a smart, gripping thriller. John B. Olson whips you along in a breakneck odyssey through a hellish paradise lost–and keeps you up all night doing it.”
Melanie Wells, author of My Soul to Keep and When the Day of Evil Comes —
“Things that go bump in the night are not all figments of overwrought imaginations or evidence of mental illness. As our heroine discovers, evil personified preys on the ignorance of its victims. Lock your doors and windows, leave the lights on, and hunker down for a splendid, spine-chilling read.”
Donita K. Paul, author of the DragonKeeper Chronicles
SHADE TRAILER:
JOHN OLSON:
John Olson is an award-winning novelist and speaker who lives with his wife Amy and two children in San Leandro, CA. John earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and did postdoctoral research at the University of California at San Francisco. After eight years as a director and principal scientist at a major scientific software company, John has quit his day job to devote himself full-time to a ministry of writing and speaking. He has won several awards for his writing, including a Christy Award, a Christy finalist, a Silver Angel award, and placement on the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age.
Learn more about John Olson and his books at his web site.
Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Ph.D., is professor of New Testament at Vanguard University, in Costa Mesa, California. A professional storyteller, he is the author of the highly-acclaimed Christmas stories When Mother Was Eleven-Foot-Four (in trade adult and children’s picture book editions) and Givers of Gifts; plus Irony in Mark’s Gospeland Grapevine: A Spirituality of Gossip. His passion is theology and storytelling, which he believes are meant to go together. Jerry and his wife, Shaleen, are the parents of three children.
BOOK SUMMARY:
A grandfather’s song turns a diner into hallowed ground, like a church. A contrary girl with a gypsy heart feels the tug of home. A mother, far away, confronts impossible expectations. And a truck driver named Jedidiah keeps his foot on the gas to sweep you into an unforgettable story of belonging and grace.
Readers looking for a meaningful, powerful read on a winter’s evening or with the family will love the rich 1960s nostalgia captured in the Midwest of Jedidiah’s and Ellee’s story; the peace found when family strife boils over, and the gentle reminders of the influence and effect every life has on another.
My Mother’s Wish is an unforgettable, powerful tale that ends on a memorable Christmastime note, but will be cherished and reread year-round for its bold message of grand hopes, impossible expectations, and the gift of grace that comes in between.
You can purchase a copy of My Mother’s Wish at: Amazon.com
My Mother’s Wish is the story of Elee McKutcheon, a young midwestern girl who has always walked to the beat of a different drummer. The only thing she has ever wanted was to be recognized for who she really is rather than who her mother wants her to be or a duplicate of her older sister.
The story is both humorous and compassionate as it highlights people and incidents that shape Elee’s life. Elee’s climactic experience at the Comeback Cafe and with Jedidiah opens her spirit to true acceptance and grace.
My Mother’s Wish is a short but profound look at the importance of love and acceptance. It will probably take more than one read to really plumb the depths of all the treasures this little book has to offer.
Fascinated by the Amish people during the years of visiting her husband’s family in Pennsylvania, WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER combined her interest with her writing and now has eleven novels about the Amish in print, along with numerous other stories and ministry booklets. She lives in Washington State, where her husband is a pastor, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish settlements throughout the states.
Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance. Here you’ll meet Will Henderson, a young man tortured by his past, and Karen Yoder, a young woman looking for answers. Add a desperate father searching for his son, and you have all the ingredients for a first-class romance that will inspire and enthrall.
Abandoned by his father, Will Henderson was raised by an Amish couple. Now he’s about to marry Karen Yoder but is having second thoughts. Can Will overcome the bitterness of his past in order to secure his future? Karen cannot break through the barrier her fiance has suddenly constructed around his heart. When she seeks the advice of an old boyfriend, Will begins to see green. Has he already lost his chance for happiness?
When an accident threatens Will’s life, the strength of blood ties is tested. Will a recipe for White Christmas pie contain the ingredients for a happily-ever-after?
Travis Thrasher, suspense, adventure and drama novelist, shares thoughts about his new supernatural thriller, “Isolation.” With the dream of being a writer since the third grade, his first novel, “The Promise Remains,” was published in 1998 and received accolades from Publisher’s Weekly, which said it was “one of the nicest surprises in CBA fiction.” Now, with nine additional published books, Thrasher is known as a writer who remains ever-changing, tackling and succeeding in various genres. His newest novel, “Isolation,” is masterfully written and will keep readers on edge until the chilling end.
WHAT:
“Authors at Abunga” Weekly Online Chat with Travis Thrasher at Abunga.com, an online bookstore offering family-friendly materials.
“Isolation” is a thrilling mystery about a missionary family that moves into a secluded mansion in the mountains of North Carolina, thinking they are escaping their nightmares. But when a snowstorm hits and they are trapped inside their new home, their worst fears become reality. As they fight to stay alive, they will be tested in ways they never imagined – spiritually and physically. Thrasher weaves suspense and drama into this gripping story centered around fear and faith.
Abunga.com is an online bookstore founded to provide families a protected shopping environment. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Abunga.com offers safety with more than 2 million family-friendly titles; savings through distributor-direct prices and support to nonprofit organizations by donating 5 percent of each transaction to a customer-selected charity. For more information, visit www.Abunga.com.
J. M. Hochstetler writes stories that always involve some element of the past and of finding home. Born in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic languages. She was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years and has published three novels.
One Holy Night, a contemporary miracle story for all seasons, released in April 2008. Daughter of Liberty (2004) and Native Son (2005), books 1 and 2 of the American Patriot Series are set during the American Revolution. Book 3, Wind of the Spirit, is scheduled for release in March 2009. Hochstetler is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, and Historical Novels Society.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In 1967 the military build-up in Viet Nam is undergoing a dramatic surge. The resulting explosion of anti-war sentiment tears the country apart, slicing through generations and shattering families. In the quiet bedroom community of Shepherdsville, Minnesota, the war comes home to Frank and Maggie McRae, whose only son, Mike, is serving as a grunt in Viet Nam.
Frank despises all Asians because of what he witnessed as a young soldier fighting the Japanese in the south Pacific during WWII. The news that his son has fallen in love with and married Thi Nhuong, a young Vietnamese woman, shocks him. To Frank all Asians are enemies of his country, his family, and himself. A Buddhist, Thi Nhuong represents everything he despises. So he cuts Mike out of his life despite the pleas of his wife, Maggie; daughter, Julie; and Julie s husband, Dan, the pastor of a growing congregation.
Maggie is fighting her own battle–against cancer. Convinced that God is going to heal her, Frank plays the part of a model Christian. Her death on Thanksgiving Day devastates him. Worse, as they arrive home from the gravesite, the family receives news of Mike s death in battle. Embittered, Frank stops attending church and cuts off family and friends.
By the time a very pregnant Thi Nhuong arrives on his doorstep on a stormy Christmas Eve, Frank is so filled with hate that he slams the door in her face, shutting her out in the bitter cold. Finally, overcome by guilt, he tries to go after her, but driving wind and snow force him back inside. With the storm rising to blizzard strength, he confronts the wrenching truth that what hate has driven him to do is as evil as what the Japanese did all those years earlier, and that he needs forgiveness as desperately as they did …
Frank doesn’t know that what God has in mind this night is a miracle. As on that holy night so many years ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger–a baby who will bring forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.
Learn more about Joan and her books on her Website.
MY REVIEW:
I had mixed feelings about One Holy Night the entire time I was reading it, probably because it dredged up uncomfortable memories of a devastating time of our history. As I read I also knew that tragedy, pain and grief was inevitable in the lives of the characters and I really didn’t want to go there. Needless to say, when that time came I was glad to have a box of tissues near.
The reader is given a view of the Vietnam era through the eyes of several different characters – a pacifist pastor, a recently returned veteran who experiences nightmares about his experiences there, letters from a soldier in the midst of the conflict, a father who still has his own unresolved pain and prejudices from World War II.
Emotions are highly charged as the McRae family deals with Maggie’s terminal cancer and Mike’s deployment to Vietnam. Mike’s subsequent marriage to a Vietnamese girl further incites Frank’s rage and the deaths of both Maggie and Mike send him into a tailspin. What happens on Christmas Eve brings Frank to face the ugly truth about himself and is the beginning of his restoration.
One Holy Night is a story of God’s grace and forgiveness at a time when life has reached its darkest moment. It is more than just a Christmas story but a look into the human soul and the love God has for each one.
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Shade is one of the more unconventional Christian novels I have had the privilege to read. From the very first scene until the conclusion, the reader is challenged right along with the characters to decide what is really the truth. Is the ominous dark shadow that stalks Hailey real or is it just a figment of her imagination or even schizophrenia? Are the warnings from the homeless giant Melchi valid or is he also delusional? Shade is a tale that will keep the reader engaged until the very end in order to uncover the answers.
