This book is from the Quantum Leap series, but don’t let that scare you off if you weren’t a fan. I was looking for a fun book to read and found this one. I actually read it in the bookstore (I read fast.) and purchased it after I finished it.

The story is about a girl whose boyfriend has gotten in with the wrong crowd and a priest-professor who isn’t thinking about others as much as he should be. The main character, Sam, ends up in a priest’s body at a retreat run by nuns. Al is mistaken for an angel. People see miracles. And good wins the day. Within the book all kinds of theology are discussed, but as part of the story line. And the storyline is great.

I enjoyed this book. The theology is very Catholic, which I am not, but the story is very good. It isn’t great literature, but it is a good read.

Angles Unaware by L. Elizabeth Storm

This review by me off a disappearing site.

Review from a disappearing site:

“Mariel thought she was the guardian angel of an ordinary boy–until the night an army of fallen angels took an unholy interest in her charge. Overcome by an angel prince of awesome power, Mariel can only watch as an even greater terror descends upon Christopher’s home, then vanishes with him.

Christopher had never believed in angels, or even in God, Heaven, or Hell. But he had never imagined an angel like Kaym, whith his hard-core style, terrible beauty, and distinctly unangelic disposition. Kaym has important friends and incredible power of his own–power that Christopher can share, if he’ll join their fellowship and take up their crusade.”

This is the story of Christopher Lewis, an agnostic sixteen year old, a sophomore in high school, who has been humiliated and taunted; the first day of the book his face was smashed in the snow while classmates watched. When the demons come and offer him power, he accepts. Through him the War in Heaven begins, with Lucifer using Christopher to access the power Jesus gave all humanity to call on his name.

It is also partly the story of his twin sisters Jami and Holli. They have some faith between them. But Jami is a little freaked out when angels appear and prayer impacts the spiritual warfare that is close to engulfing her. Holli knows God and isn’t upset by the fact that angels and demons exist. Together they go to save a world they never knew existed and a brother who has turned against all good without even recognizing it. They are given gifts to discern and command spirits and learn forgiveness.

These three are the main characters, but they are mostly the vehicle of the story. This, without pseudonyms, almost without allegory, is the story of God and Jesus and the angels who worship them and Lucifer and his angels, who have rebelled against God. It isn’t an accurate presentation, that I know of, since I doubt Theodore Beale was an eye witness to the fall of Satan. But it is a believable presentation.

The story is engaging and told well. It is clear why some angels choose Lucifer over God and why others would choose personal destruction over deserting God. The death and resurrection of martyrs is a glorious picture, not a horrific one. One thing this book makes clear is that no matter how beautiful or bright evil seems, God has more power and strength in an empty-handed gesture than the strongest sword ever brought against him.

This story is fascinating. It is well written, drawing me in from the back cover and never letting go of me. I read quickly, so I read the whole book in a bit less than four hours, even though I did have to go make dinner and eat it, in the middle. It all makes sense, how a sixteen year old boy can lose a faith that he never had and turn to darkness and how two fifteen year old girls can learn a faith more deeply and truly than many adults.

Eternal Warriors by Theodore Beale

My brother has recommended many books, most of which I don’t want to read. I am presently, however, reading Planets of Adventure by Murry Leinster.

Lost on a planet that was ecologically prepared with fungus and insects 2000+ years ago, the descendants of a spaceship are dying out. The insects are huge, monstrous, terrifying. The plants are sometimes edible, sometimes deadly. The people don’t think, but run and hide all night.

Until, almost accidentally, one of the tribe of twenty, who is just as fearful and flighty as the rest, sees a struggle and puts together the parts which created the winner- weapons. Using his newfound knowledge, he sets out to secure food for his Saya, a girl with whom he is falling in love.

… Mostly the adventure is composed of details of giant moths, bees, wasps, ants, beetles, spiders, and their varying techniques of living, eating, and dying. But there is just enough personality in Burl, the man character, to keep you interesting in continuing to read.

Plastic today had an article asking what you intend to be reading that you aren’t yet.

It also starts with the premise that # of bks read per year x # of years in life expectancy = depressing.

E reads 6 books a week x 52 weeks x 70 years = 21, 840 more books.

I read differently. Some weeks I read as few as one. Some weeks I read as many as 120. I’d say I probably average two of those really high weeks a year. Twelve of the really low weeks a year. The rest I’d average between 3 and 10. So at 3 books a week x 52 weeks x 45 years = 7020. I’ll only read 7020 more books in my lifetime. Okay, that is depressing.

If I put it at the 6 it is still only 14,000 books.

I may have to start reading more books.

However, I think that you could easily say that I have read a minimum of 3 books a week all my life. That’s averaging them out and including the weeks I couldn’t read in reality.

3 x 52 x 42.5 = 6630.

That says I’ve only read 6,630 books in my lifetime. Wow. I would have thought I’d read lots more than that.

Updated 7/17/05: I’ve been keeping a list of books I read this year. I am reading an average of 2 books a day. Since I know there have been times when I have read much more than that (ages 7-9 when Dad would take us to the library every day) I think that I can safely say 2 books a day. Starting at age 6.

So 14 x 52 x 36 = 26,208

Okay, that’s a lot more reasonable. Since I own about 5000 books, and I don’t keep every book I read, that sounds much more accurate.