MY REVIEW:
I believe every life has hidden songs that hang by twin threads of music and memory. I believe in the songs that have never been played for another soul. I believe they run between the rocks and along the creekbeds of our lives. These are songs that cannot be heard by anything but the soul. They sometimes run dry or spill over the banks until we find ourselves wading through them.
Excerpt from Chapter 1
Although the prologue didn’t particularly capture my attention, the second paragraph (above) of the first chapter of Almost Heaven did the trick. This book is so riddled with lyrical prose that I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite paragraph to quote. Not only does Chris Fabry tell a good story but he does it so beautifully. The music lover in me truly appreciated it.
Almost Heaven is the story of Billy Allman that is told both from his point of view and that of his guardian angel Malachi. As Billy chronicles his life as seen through his own eyes, Malachi provides a view of the same events that were invisible to the human eye. Even Billy had no idea of behind the scenes efforts that affected his life. Like many people, Billy had what seemed to be more than his share of tragedy and hardship, but through it all, he remained dedicated to God .
One event that stood out to me was Billy’s encounter with Rev. Adrian Rogers, long time pastor of the largest church in my area and well known in Baptist circles. The way Dr. Rogers took time out of his busy life to spend it counseling with a total stranger rings so true. I have heard numerous similar stories from everyday people that were blessed by his caring spirit.
Almost Heaven is a realistic tale about the faithfulness of God and what one man dedicated to him can do. It relates the importance of dealing with buried secrets by letting the Lord bring them to light so that healing can take place. It should also be an encouragement to anyone who feels that he has nothing to offer.
There are a few places that the narrative gets a little slow but overall the plot moves at a good pace with enough action to keep it interesting. It is well worth the effort and I definitely recommend it.
This book was provided for review by LeAnn Hamby with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Billy Allman barely survived the flash flood that swept through his holler, taking many a life. Truth be told, it took his daddy’s life, too. Daddy’s body kept living after the flood, but his mind never left the waters that snatched two little girls from his arms and held them until they were in the loving arms of Jesus.
The only thing Billy saved was his daddy’s mandolin and it is his ability to make that instrument sing that God allows to bring about Billy’s destruction…and his ultimate redemption.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Chris Fabry is the host of Chris Fabry Live!, an hour of spiritual encouragement from his backyard radio fence. The program challenges listeners to think biblically about their spiritual journeys. Chris is also the author of the Christy Award-winning novel Dogwood, and his latest fiction release, June Bug. He and his family live near Tucson, Arizona. You can learn more about Chris at www.chrisfabry.com
