3 out of 4 stars
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The Evangelist, by William R. King, is about faith, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening. Philip Ashby, a Pastor, is married with two children. During a preaching rally, he is attacked by Tracy, a brainwashed woman whom he can't recall seeing somewhere before. Miraculously, he survives the assault, and as soon as he is well enough to leave the hospital for his home, news gets out that he had a secret love affair with Tracy. Immediately his wife, Jessica, hears the accusation, she flares up and confronts him.
Being falsely accused, Philip is dejected, and instead of going home, his daughter, Claire, arranges for him to be transferred to the psych ward so that Dr. Ethan Pitney, a psychiatrist, can help him deal with the stressful events in his life. Dr. Ethan doesn't believe in God and blames God and every Christian for the loss of his wife. Having his own demons, can he help Philip through this difficult time? Is Pastor Philip a godsend for him and other patients in the ward? In a fascinating manner, this story comprises a debate about Christianity, and it shows how some of its characters are quick to blame God for allowing unpleasant things happen to Christians.
In addition, the narration proves that sometimes, God makes his children go through tough times for a good purpose. Featuring crime, characters with personal struggles, exorcism, epiphanies, and prayers, this life-changing novel is engaging, inspiring, and occasionally, hilarious. It encourages forgiveness and discourages selfishness. Impressively, it's character-driven, thought-provoking, and interesting. It has a solid, suspenseful, and fast-paced plot. Again, it shows that everyone has a right to form their own opinions, but they should be convinced and strong enough to welcome criticism. Since this book defends Christianity, some atheists may not want to read it.
The personae are well developed and relatable. Most of them are weird and difficult, and I'm pleased that, at the end of the tale, some changed their beliefs and underwent personality transformation. My favorite characters are Philip, the protagonist, and Naomi, his daughter. They are strong and have steadfast faith in God in the face of overwhelming challenges. I enjoyed reading this narrative and obtained some spiritual lessons from it, such as praying always and appreciating God's love for me. However, I saw several grammatical errors and typos. For example, "How can play a game on your phone at a time like this?" and "Naomi wryly smiled and a replied." The book needs another round of proofreading.
Lastly, this narration is a guide, and it's entertaining, enlightening, and fascinating. It ended satisfactorily, and hence, I rate 3 out of 4 stars. I couldn't rank it more because of the errors I encountered and recommend it for readers who enjoy reading fictional books with Christian themes.
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The Evangelist
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