Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A heartwarming and intelligent novel, January 10, 2008
I am not a actively religious person, and neither is Paul Gold, the doctor who is the likable protagonist in this book. Yet both of us were drawn in to the wonderful and joyous side of religious experience in this book. This story starts with everyday events and leads us, through Dr. Gold, into an inviting exploration of who we are and why we are here.
This is both an adventure novel, and a novel of self discovery. It was a fast read as I could not stop turning pages. It is pleasantly not a long book, and is thus a good fit for the Kindle. I think Christians and non-Christians alike will love this book.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A simple, kind and special story. , January 15, 2008
To be honest, I only bought this book because of the suggestion from my Kindle Daily Post and the .99 price tag. But what a terrific bargain it turned out to be.
As I progressed along with the story of the young doctor who befriends a very unusual man named Joshua, I kept going back to another book which I had ironically just finished a few days ago called The Gift: A Novel, by Richard Paul Evans. Both of these stories follow along some similar plot points (which I do not wish to spoil for you at this time), so I was not expecting much of an emotional punch. Boy was I ever wrong.
While these books might be similar in their approach, I actually found myself tearing up at the end of "Believe" and thinking about the message in this story. I am not someone who reads spiritual books or quotes passages from the Bible (haven't even read it), and as I said it was more the price of the book that hooked me and not the subject. But this one really got to me. Maybe because I'm a bit of a cynic who is originally from New York (where this story takes place), maybe because I recently lost my mother, or maybe just because this is a well written, interesting and engaging tale - I couldn't say.
What I can tell anyone reading this review is that I don't think you'll be wasting your time (which is infinitely more precious than your money) in reading "Believe". If anything, you might find yourself actually smiling and feeling good at the end of this story. And it's not a bad thing if you find your eyes getting a little moist because someone manipulated your feelings in only the kindest way possible.
Hope you feel the same way, too.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyed it immensely, January 13, 2008
Forget the beta test, Mr. Oran. This book should be in bookstores tomorrow.
BELIEVE is a rare and remarkable achievement--spellbinding, thought-provoking, and beautifully written.
If a man with the capacity to work miracles suddenly appeared in our midst, how would people react? Would they open their minds to the impossible? Could they find it in their hearts to believe? Or would cynicism and exploitation turn hope to tragedy?
Daniel Oran's highly original novel, which transcends genres, should captivate readers of literary fiction, mysteries and suspense-thrillers, not to mention inspirational and spiritual works. It's also easy to envision it as a movie.
In BELIEVE, Mr. Oran creates deeply human characters who touch the soul. The enigmatic Joshua, a man without a past, must decide what to do with powers he barely understands--powers that have the potential to both help and harm. The physician Paul Gold, a man haunted by personal loss, must confront a mystery far beyond the powers of the medical profession. Both must decide how much to sacrifice in the ultimate test of courage and faith.
As parables go, BELIEVE is evocative of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. As a study of the human spirit, it calls to mind the writing of Mitch Albom. It should strike a chord with fans of a much older book, too--the All-Time Bestseller.
I admire Mr. Oran for inviting readers to comment on his manuscript. That takes guts. Every author runs an editorial gantlet, and there's no reason to think editors at publishing houses have a monopoly on wisdom. Ordinary readers have the potential to offer useful feedback, too, so I salute your experiment.
Of course, ordinary readers, just like professional editors, also have the potential to miss the mark.
Mr. Oran, I hope you have both the wisdom to separate sound suggestions from misguided ones and the discipline to follow your own compass in the end.
Bottom line: publish now. People shouldn't have to purchase a particular device or wait any longer to experience the magic of BELIEVE.
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