23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Calvin Comes to Life, June 23, 2009
This review is from: The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin (Paperback)
I wonder what Calvin would have said, what he would have thought, if he could have peered five centuries into the future and seen how he would be honored on the five hundredth anniversary of his birth. Several new biographies; a long list of conferences; books discussing every aspect, every facet of his theology; a bobblehead; and now The Betrayal, a novel that recounts his life as historical fiction.
The Betrayal, published by P&R Publishing, comes from the pen of Douglas Bond who has written several historical fiction novels in the past. In this new book, he writes from the perspective of a lifelong sworn enemy of Calvin--a boy who grows up in the same town and who, as a man, remains involved with Calvin's life to the very end. As the publisher says, "This fast-paced biographical novel is a tale of envy that escalates to violent intrigue and shameless betrayal." I hesitate to say too much about the plot lest I inadvertently ruin it for those who would like to read the book. Perhaps there is value, then, in simply sharing a few of the endorsements for it.
Burk Parsons, editor of John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, Doxology says, "With masterful insight, Douglas Bond offers us an illuminating portrait of the life, ministry, and theology of John Calvin. For readers of all ages, this well-researched, historical fiction takes us back to the sixteenth-century Reformation as if we were eye-witnesses of all that God accomplished in and through the life of His humble servant John Calvin. If you enjoy reading the fictional works of C. S. Lewis, you will love this book."
Joel Beeke, who has written several books on Calvin and Calvinism writes, "Douglas Bond introduces John Calvin to us in a gripping way, colorfully taking us back to Geneva and its times, unveiling Calvin as the principled man of action, commitment, and love that he was. The Betrayal makes for an exciting read, showing the great Reformer's heart for theology, piety, and doxology, while almost effortlessly and implicitly undoing caricatures about Calvin along the way. If you want Calvin and his times brought to life in a page-turner, this is the book for you!"
And David Hall, who heads up Calvin500, writes "Douglas Bond's latest novel introduces many to a prejudicially ignored character: John Calvin. This historical fiction brings Calvin back from an unwarranted oblivion. Thanks to Bond's vivid writing style and thorough acquaintance with the period, readers now have a looking glass into the life and history of a great man. I am pleased to commend this fine book to readers, especially those who will meet Calvin in these pages just in time for the 500th anniversary of his birth."
As for me, well, I'll be honest and say that I read fiction only on rare occasions and my preference would always be to read a standard biography over a historical novel. However, I do know that a lot of readers prefer fiction and for these people, I think The Betrayal will be a great way of getting a useful overview of Calvin's life. I was sometimes amazed at just how much of Calvin's life is present in this book but never in such a way that the novel becomes bogged down in irrelevant details. Bond has done a great job of integrating reality with fiction so the reader will hardly know when one begins and the other ends.
If you are a fan of novels or of historical fiction, and if you are anxious to learn a little bit about John Calvin, this man who is so fondly remembered even five hundred years after his birth, you cannot go far wrong in reading The Betrayal.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Half Theology Book, Half Novel, March 30, 2010
This review is from: The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin (Paperback)
Released last year for the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth, Douglas Bond has written The Betrayal as a sort of novelized version of an introduction to Calvin. The story is not told through Calvin's eyes, but rather through the fictional character Jean-Louise, Calvin's personal servant. What makes the plot interesting is that Jean-Louise secretly works for the Crown, denouncing those fledgling Protestants who come and meet with Calvin. Many go to the stake through Jean-Louise's efforts, leaving him rejoicing and Calvin mourning as Calvin's friends are consumed.
In a lot of ways, this book doesn't know if it wants to be a novel or a theology manual. Bond undertook a difficult task in trying to novelize Calvin's life, as he is a man remembered not primarily remembered for some heroic deed, but rather for what he said and thought. Unlike figures such as Churchill, Washington or Patton who are remembered as great statesmen or military generals, Calvin's main impact on history was through his Institutes of the Christian Religion.
As a theology book, The Betrayal does serve to give the reader a broad overview of the issues surrounding the Reformation. The first half of the book spends a great deal of time illuminating the spiritual darkness and corruption that gripped the Roman Catholic Church. Bond chooses three doctrinal distinctives of the reformation (the sufficiency of Scripture, the sacraments, and predestination/free-will) and deeply explores Calvin's thoughts of the matter. Most of the words spoken by Calvin in the novel are drawn from his writing in the Institutes.
As a novel, this book is difficult to adjust to stylistically. Since most of Calvin's lines are drawn from the Institutes, the remainder of the book is written in rather formal language to match the tenor of Calvin's other words. For an uneducated servant, Jean-Louise seems to have a rather large vocabulary! The book is written as a deathbed confession, making everything past-tense. This serves to put some distance between the reader and the story. While I had a difficult time with the first half of the book, the book picks up speed once Calvin is betrayed.
Bond's book both succeeds and fails. Don't pick it up expecting a gripping novel set in the religious-political turmoil of 16th century France. The book moves slowly and is full of detailed theological arguments. However, that doesn't make it a book not worth reading. If you're looking for a broad overview of Calvin and the issues facing him and other leaders of the Reformation, this is probably the book for you.
Nate Brooks <[...]>
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Halfway through and stuck..., September 15, 2009
This review is from: The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin (Paperback)
Before you start booing me for writing a review before finishing the book please hear me out:
Ok, this year we celebrate John Calvin's 500th Birthday. Calvin was a pivotal person in the Protestant Reformation. He gave us the first body of Systematic Theology as well as many books, sermons and commentaries that continue to enrich the Church after all of these year. John Calvin was a man God greatly used.
The book is a about a fictional enemy that grew up with Calvin and hated him deeply. Calvin's enemy follows him around and eventually becomes his right hand man though he hates Calvin deeply. Calvin has no idea that this childhood "friend" turned companion is secretly trying to turn him in to the authorities. The book sticks to historical facts about Calvin's life and even has his sermons and writings woven into it. From my limited knowledge the book seems to be historically accurate with the settings and descriptions of France at that time.
Here's the problem...
I honestly don't care much about Calvin in the book. The villain steals the show. Its similar to The Dark Knight movie. The Joker stole the movie to the point where whenever a scene had Batman in it alone you were wondering what the Joker was up to. This is same thing. Calvin was a hero and changed history but I never found his life as intriguing as say Luther or Zwingli. The villain draws you in with his conflicted thoughts and behavior. One minute he's setting Calvin up to be captured and killed by the Inquisition and the next he's tipping Calvin off and helping him escape with his life. He has a love/hate relationship with Calvin that really had my interested peaked. Whenever Calvin takes center stage in a chapter I found myself bored. I think the book would have been better if Calvin had been taken completely out of it and focused on the villain who you can't help but identify with on some level.
Die hard Reformation fans may love or they may hate. Either way, it's worth a try. If you don't have a copy and you know someone who does, borrow it.
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