Mighty and Strong (Righteous Series #2) [Kindle Edition]

Michael Wallace (Author)

Book Description

For years Jacob Christianson struggled to reconcile his faith with his skepticism about the polygamous practices of his religious community. That doubt, combined with a sharp analytical mind, enabled him to solve the ritualistic murder of his cousin at the hands of bloodthirsty fundamentalists within their own church. Now, those experiences have captured the attention of the FBI, who come to Jacob with an unusual request: infiltrate a millennialist cult and extract the undercover agent who has fallen off the radar. Jacob reluctantly agrees, but it doesn’t take long to realize that his mission will be easier said than done. Impatient and unwilling to heed Jacob’s warnings, the FBI closes in, forcing a power play with the dangerous cultists—with Jacob and his family caught squarely in the middle. Tense and engaging, Mighty and Strong offers “an in-depth ride into a world few have entered,” a page-turning foray into the realm of religious extremists and the lengths to which they will go to defend their beliefs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This deeply intellectual thriller is the perfect slow burn that pays off in an explosive ending that I couldn’t turn away from.  It is the 1812 Overture of novels.  Steady, insistent pacing that ends in cymbal crashes and cannon fire.  Jacob is a fascinating and thought-provoking hero that is all too rare to find.  Wallace’s writing is brilliant and engrossing from the first page to the last.” -Crimespree Magazine

Praise for The Righteous:

"Deeply engrossing! Michael Wallace delivers the thinking man's thriller while establishing one of the freshest male leads in crime fiction--Jacob Christianson, an aspiring doctor and cult elder's favored son." -Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Live to Tell

From the Back Cover

Praise for Mighty and Strong:

"A chilling window into life in a polygamist Utah town, where prophets still walk and nobody sits and waits for the Second Coming. Wallace masterfully captures the desperation, hope, and triumph of the world of the Mighty and Strong."


Jeffrey Anderson, National bestselling, International Thriller Award nominated author of Sleeper Cell.

Praise for The Righteous:

"Deeply engrossing! Michael Wallace delivers the thinking man's thriller while establishing one of the freshest male leads in crime fiction--Jacob Christianson, an aspiring doctor and cult elder's favored son. Jacob's analytic nature has him questioning everything, including the nature of God and the sexist politics of polygamy."


Lisa Gardner, Multiple New York Times bestselling author of Live to Tell

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 461 KB
• Print Length: 341 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1612182194
• Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 21, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005J61E96
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,933 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #40 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Medical
  • #42 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Medical
  • #78 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Series

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Another page turner February 20, 2011

By Carol Donaho

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

One thing about Michael Wallace's books - reviewing them without giving away too much of the story is almost impossible.

This is the second book about millennialist cults and the Mormon Church starring Jacob, son of a polygamist leader, a doctor, and a questioning soul. Bless his heart, he is just a great guy who wants to do the right thing, doesn't really want to practice polygamy, and is thrust into these situations requiring a more firm belief than he has. This time, the FBI has him going undercover to find another FBI agent who hasn't been in contact for quite awhile.

While not as good as the first in the series, The Righteous, it is still a great read with wonderfully developed characters. The political characters in this story are scary - you don't want to believe that this could actually happen but you know it probably does.

From one page to the next, the plot thickens and you never really know what is going to happen next. It is a book that is hard to put down - in fact, I didn't. This is a good and unique suspense thriller. I highly recommend you read The Righteous first to get the full story although this book can stand alone easily.

Michael Wallace is for real. I waited impatiently for this book and am really excited about reading the 3rd in the series. You won't go wrong with this book or any of his others.

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, but it sure needed an editor March 28, 2011

By Sactomike

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love this author's exploration of religious and cultural themes. He is a great story teller with wonderful insight into how culture shapes people, religion shapes culture and how thinking people can be both observers and participants in both.

However, both books in The Righteous series provide a lesson in the importance of editing. I don't know if there is a hardcopy version of either. I read both on Kindle. They were packed with both missing and extra words, sometimes entire phrases. These errors were not of the type to suggest a poor writer. In fact, I find his writing exceptionally subtle, engaging and informed. But, there were so many of these problems that they became a significant distraction.

To a lesser extent, the books would have benefited from a story editor as well. There were a few lapses in each story that I'm sure a good editor would have insisted be repaired. While most of the story lines were plausible and consistent, in a few places I was left wondering how an event could have happened based on what had been presented. I should emphasize that there were not many of these plausibility problems and for the most part the books rang true.

I hope a major publisher picks up on Mr. Wallace and hooks him up with a top-flight editor. He is definitely, in my opinion, a potentially great author, with much to teach and in a very entertaining way. But, polish would do wonders for him.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm losing sleep and it's Michael Wallace's fault! February 20, 2011

By Kristie Leigh Maguire

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read The Righteous, loved it and wanted more. I one clicked Mighty and Strong as soon as it became available for download. I started reading it last night about 6 pm and finally put my Kindle and myself to sleep around 2 am after finishing Mighty and Strong. Michael, I'm losing sleep and it's all your fault! You are going to have to quit writing such page turning thrillers!

I highly recommend both The Righteous and Mighty and Strong. I'm anxiously awaiting the 3rd book in this series. Write fast, Michael!

More About the Author

I've trekked across the Sahara on a camel, ridden an elephant through a tiger preserve in Southeast Asia, eaten fried guinea pig, and been licked on the head by a skunk. In a previous stage of life I programmed nuclear war simulations, smuggled refugees out of a war zone, and milked cobras for their venom. I speak Spanish and French and grew up in a religious community in the desert.

Would you like an alert when the next book is published? Sign up for Michael's email list at michaelwallaceauthor.com and receive a free Kindle copy of The Righteous novella "Trial by Fury." This list is used to announce new releases and occasional offers of free advance copies, not for any other purpose.

I also welcome email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.