DOMINION

I don't do a lot of book reviews but I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the book I most recently finished reading. For starters, let me say I came across Randy Alcorn quite by accident. I was searching our very limited church library for something, anything, that wasn't the Christian version of a Harlequin Romance when I stumbled upon a book titled, Safely Home. The back cover synopsis intrigued me so I took it home. I read that book in two days and found myself completely engrossed in the story and often in tears. I tried to read it in public once and found it too difficult because I couldn't keep my emotions in check. But I am getting off course since this isn't about that particular book. However, since reading that book I have purchased and read every fictional work published by Randy Alcorn. The last book I read, Dominion, is amazing and thought-provoking on so many different levels. Where do I begin?

Well, here's the basics of the story as written on the back cover:

A shocking murder drags black newspaper columnist Clarence Abernathy into the disorienting world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict. In a desperate hunt for answers to the violence (and to his own struggles with race and faith), Clarence forges an unlikely partnership with detective Ollie Chandler. Despite their differences, Clarence and Ollie soon find themselves sharing the same mission: victory over the forces of darkness vying for dominion. Filled with insight - and with characters so real you'll never forget them - Dominion is a dramatic story of spiritual searching, racial reconciliation, and hope.

All of Alcorn's novels have affected me in many ways. However, Safely Home and Dominion have had such profound affects on me that I find myself thinking in radically different ways than ever before. Dominion is a superbly written mystery/detective story containing lessons in racial relations in America, gang dynamics, Christian values, spiritual warfare and even angels. I see these issues in a new light and I will never see them the same way again. The story is written in a way that literally brought these characters into "being" for me. There are uncomfortable moments in this book, but they are real and thought-provoking. After all, sometimes it takes an uncomfortable moment in life for us to really "get it."

Alcorn's portrayals of heaven and hell are, in my opinion, biblically based but also use imagination and imagery to bring the ideas to life for the reader. Those are images I will not soon forget, nor do I want to. I must admit that I sometimes got bogged down during those times in the book when he broke away to the story that was playing out in heaven, but I think that is because I was so caught up in the story that was playing out in the Shadowlands. What can I say? I am still human and I have my faults.

My favorite character in this story was Obadiah Abernathy, Clarence's father. His character taught me that God's love is best and that forgiveness is not something any of us deserve but that we MUST extend to all regardless of the wrong that has been committed. His character is the epitome of what it means to be a true follower of Christ.

There was also a subtle but very important lesson about angels. The book's surprise ending clearly shows that a fascination with angels without a belief in Christ has the potential to be spiritually deadly. Had Alcorn's characters simply talked about the danger of angelic preoccupation, his words would have lacked force. But here, using action rather than words, albeit very little action, Alcorn gave us an unforgettable lesson.

This book is long - over 600 pages - but worth the time it takes to read it. I found myself not wanting to put it down no matter how late it was or how early I needed to get up in the morning. I highly recommend this book to everyone. In fact, I almost think it should be required reading in our high schools simply for the understanding it could bring about race relations and gang dynamics.