The Last Reunion [Paperback]

E Daniel Nusbaum (Author), Mary Nusbaum (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2006

The Last Reunion is an intense drama of good vs evil, of lethal conflict between spirit-empowered Jim Hoeven and his immortal adversary. An unusual use of scripture frames this political and spiritual intrigue.

Jim is found on the steps of an Indiana orphanage during a December blizzard. His life leads him from the cornfields and forests of the American heartland into the halls of Congress and the international arena. Blessed with rare powers, he struggles to fulfill his mission against overwhelming odds.

Among the cast of characters: Sarah Rainey, bossy orphanage cook; Ann Feeney, Jim’s beloved Irish nanny; Russ Walker, Indiana governor and senator; Sapphira Duviere, the evil house-lady; beautiful Carolyn Kelley; surgeons Weber and Little; wise Pastor Alfred Dunlop; and satanic Wendell Anderson.

Romance, danger, escalating suspense, fears, sorrows, joys, and a surprise ending comprise this story.

Humanity’s destiny hangs on the outcome; and maybe, just maybe, it isn’t fiction.

What readers are saying:

“Fantastic! So well written. A modern-day fable.”—Laurie McKray, Real Estate agent, Salt Lake City, Utah

“An excellent read. Could hardly put it down, even to eat.”—Bob and Ann Wood, retired sailors, Savu Savu, Fiji

“Awesome, you guys. The hospital scenes were radical.”—Dannette Mainville, pre-med student and mother, Kokomo, Indiana

“One of the most intriguing and insightful books I’ve read in a long time.”—Scott Torrey, automobile salesman, Logansport, Indiana

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Daniel and Mary Ann Nusbaum, now residents of Indiana, wrote this book while living on their ketch in the Fiji Islands.

www.authorsnusbaum.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (October 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595396143
• ISBN-13: 978-0595396146
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,564,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a note from the author, November 13, 2009

By 

Edward D. Nusbaum "and Mary Ann Nusbaum" (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Reunion (Paperback)

We have just posted several readings of the first few chapters on youtube which you may enjoy watching. Couldn't put it down, said one. Had to pull my truck to the side of the road to see what happens next, said another. Loved the book but hated the cover, said a third. It's a Christian last days suspense novel we think, and as Karen said, it sends people back to the Bible with new questions in their minds. More than three have read it of course, but you get the idea. Check it out!

Mary Ann Nusbaum

5.0 out of 5 stars I lost sleep over this book...., November 14, 2009

By 

Becky S. Vladetich (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Reunion (Paperback)

i am a very busy woman...and I don't really consider myself much of a bookworm sort of person...but I can honestly say that The Last Reunion was so intriguing that it made me keep reading more and more and trying to figure out what was coming next...and hoping that my favorite characters would survive the suspenseful dangers that lurked around every corner. The readings by the authors got my curiosity going on youtube...but that was not enough! I actually lost sleep over this book because I HAD to find out what happened to Jim Hoeven and his family. The suspense and the impending doom that loomed around Jim was almost overbearing at times, and I found myself upset when this character and that character would be destroyed by Jim's evil foe and his accomplices...but driven by the hope that good was going to conquer evil in the end. This book keeps you guessing right up to the very last page...I may have lost some sleep over it, but I can honestly say it is one of the best books I have read in a while. The word illustrations are vivid and exciting! I think I am going to have to read it again, just talking about it now makes me want to revisit the suspense, the romance, the adventure of it...it is an awesome book!

4.0 out of 5 stars "Last Days" Novel Invokes Early Work, The Twinkling of an Eye, October 24, 2009

By 

Karen H., Phillips (North Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Reunion (Paperback)

Scanning the market for "Last Days" fiction, one might categorize that genre as oversaturated. However, The Last Reunion provides some twists different from recent forays into this genre. The beginning, set at an orphanage in rural Indiana, evokes the old-fashioned feel of the classic "Last Days" novel, The Twinkling of an Eye. During a blizzard, the custodian of the orphans' home discovers a basket containing a newborn baby. The first miracle of Jim Hoeven's life occurs in the next few minutes, and the reader senses, correctly, that little Jimmy is no ordinary baby. The opening chapters describe mysterious wolf-like creatures, which connect to the child's fate and fortune. These fearsome beasts appear more than once to threaten Jimmy and those he loves, and each encounter proves more dangerous.

The lack of details about Jim's mother's or father's origin, about which the writers make certain implications by referring to Scripture, will probably not deter the reader from focusing on the growth and adventures of the protagonist. An early blood test reveals his first anomaly to Jimmy's adoptive parents, foreshadowing his strange, often heroic feats. The child encounters leopards at the circus and confronts the wolf-like animals. He shows athletic prowess and intelligence beyond his years, swimming at a tender age and enrolling in college at age twelve. As Jim develops under the loving supervision of his parents, who oversee the orphanage, he seems a healthy, normal child, except for special strengths and gifts reminiscent of Samson.

The introduction of a sinister man, Wendell Anderson, alerts the reader to the presence of Jimmy's lifelong enemy and the threats this boy must constantly evade. At two different points in Jim's life, Anderson plants a different woman in Jim's home, attempting to destroy him. In the meantime, the Governor and his wife, who become close to Jim through their friendship with his adoptive parents, involve the young man in politics and diplomacy. The knowledge Jim gains over the years through this long-term internship will serve him in his ultimate calling and his final showdown with Anderson.

Scenes recounting medical and forensic detail come to life, as the research for this novel proves meticulous to the last detail. We know the authors aren't inventing medical and police procedures or terminology; instead, the vivid images come off the pages like an E.R. episode.

Taken strictly as fiction, and not as Bible prophecy explained in fiction, I enjoyed the book, especially the first half. The tension accelerated and the plot moved at a steady rate, holding my attention. I felt that the second half of The Last Reunion lost some of its momentum, though the plot and characters, especially Jim Hoeven, had already reeled me in so much that I had to see what happened next. The scattered implications from the villain of Jim's identity may mislead some readers, even though the novel's denouement clarifies the truth.

None of these flaws detracted from my enjoyment. As I questioned aspects of the implied "End Times" eschatology, I accepted the challenge to return to the pages of Bible prophecy to see for myself what Scripture says about the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. This story defies the reader to put down the book!

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