The Prodigy (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I didn't know what to do," Mary Matthews said..." (more)
Key Phrases: Shadow Man, Thomas York, Richard Wellman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Since Frank Peretti penned his groundbreaking Christian suspense novel This Present Darkness back in the '80s, he's been often emulated, usually without much success. Enter this supernatural page-turner, The Prodigy, which raises the bar for the genre. Gansky weaves theological questions about spiritual forces in contemporary culture into a thrilling saga that will keep the reader hooked from the first pages. Six-year-old Toby, a child prodigy from the backwoods of North Carolina, has strange powers. Toby walks through a hospital corridor, and patients with incurable illnesses are suddenly healed. Storms melt away at his words. He diagnoses and cures the innermost mental and physical afflictions of strangers. When Toby and his unusual gifts are noticed by those seeking money and power, disaster is inevitable.

Deeper questions underlie the text. Does God still perform wonders in today's world--and does he work through individuals, including children? Is there a dark side to the spiritual realm that can manifest itself? Although the ending is a bit of a shoot-em-up, good guys vs. bad guys- type of resolution, this novel provides a chilling look at greed, religion, and spiritual phenomena framed in fictional form. Expect some goose bumps. --Cindy Crosby

From Publishers Weekly

Demons, greed, and theological questions about wondrous healings and miracles intermingle in this chilling tale of suspense. Gansky, a clergyman who most recently wrote Distant Memory, combines a flair for atmosphere with supernatural events that will raise a few goose bumps for fanciers of Christian mystery and suspense. In a lonely cabin in the hills of North Carolina, an unwed teenage mother gives birth to a son, Toby. The tension builds as he evinces an unusual intelligence that belies his heredity and environment. Strange things occur when he is six years old, Toby walks down a hospital corridor, and patients are suddenly healed; he speaks to a tornado, which dissipates; he diagnoses physical and mental ailments with just a glance. It's not long before a popular radio talk-show host seizes on Toby as a potential gold mine, and things spin out of control as the boy is cast as a Messiah figure. Despite the intriguing story line, there are some glitches and occasional clich‚s. Toby's mother is transformed from hillbilly to polished sophisticate in only a year and a half, which is a bit of a stretch, although Gansky is careful to note that she still shows traces of her previous life. The novel disintegrates slightly in its second half, ending with a predictable showdown between the villains and the good guys. Despite these flaws, however, Gansky's credible thriller should gain him some new fans.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310235561
• ISBN-13: 978-0310235569
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #992,104 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Lumpy, but Satisfying, May 25, 2001

By	Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Let's put it this way...reading Gansky can be compared to going out to a buffet after a hard day's work. Gansky's books provide a variety of flavors--action, mystery, supernatural elements, even attempts at hinted romance--and are sure to have something for just about everyone.

In this, the fourth of Gansky's novels I've read ("A Ship Possessed" is still my favorite), the story centers around a young boy with supernatural abilities to see people's pain, emotional and physical, and to bring healing. Young Toby is a prodigy of sorts, sought after by the money-hungry and the disease-stricken. His mother is a simple, but honest woman, caught up in the flurry of activity around her son. Thomas York, a seminary student searching for truth in his relationship with God, meets up with Toby, awed by the supernatural power.

These characters have elements worth caring about, but Toby's basic invincibility and the criminals' basic stupidity (you know, the ones that always talk instead of shooting the hero) made it difficult for me to feel genuine concern for their well-being. Also, the radio-talk-show-host-turned-cult-leader was a bit of a stretch for me. That said, I think Gansky deftly handles some scenes, particularly a harrowing battle for survival in the ocean. He serves up a buffet and I closed the final pages feeling as though I'd been fed and generally satisfied. The message of seeking after a relationship with God over miracles was well-made without discounting God's power.

I read many books, particularly thrillers. Only on occasion do I get to enjoy the delectable home-made feasts of a Frank Peretti, John LeCarre, or James Lee Burke. Though this doesn't reach that level, it does make an entertaining and thought-provoking read. As long as Gansky keeps serving them up, I'll keep going through the line.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Paradigm Expander, June 26, 2001

By	Lisa Samson (MD USA) - See all my reviews

What struck me about The Prodigy were the three difficult questions Gansky posed. 1) Does God still work through "healers?" And I'm not talking Marcus Welby, MD. and 2) Would God use a non-believing little boy to heal? The Prodigy displays our preconceived notions, our quick answers, and then asks-- 3) Well why ever not? Fast paced and thrilling, yes, but The Prodigy doesn't deliver yet another plot filled with pat, easy theology. For this reason, I give it five stars. We need more books willing to ask hard questions and unwilling to give easy answers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down..., May 4, 2004

By	Dianna W. Hiltabidel "SadiesNCMummy" (Taylors, SC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Because I hoped it would get better....The story had potential. A little boy and his mother, trying to escape a hard-knock life in Appalachia, set sail for California (cause where else do people escape to?). Along the way they encounter people who Toby seems to know intimate details about. He can see inside them, know their suffering and heal them if the need is there. Toby is discovered by a man who doesn't have his best interests at heart, who then (of course) exploits Toby's gift for fame and profit. And there's a "Shadow Man" thrown in there for a supernatural twist. This is a typical protaganist vs. antagonist story. And of course, the protaganist overcomes. A boring and overdone theme. The writing in this book is painful to read. I can tell the author is trying to be creative and original in his descriptions but comes off painfully cliche and sounding like he's trying too hard. Also, the names of some of the characters are cringe-worthy. A name can define a character. It can sometimes stand alone in revealing the personality of a character. But, when it's obvious, like some of the character names in this book, it induces a groan. In the end, the story is wrapped up all too quickly and tidily. Honestly, I wouldn't waste any time reading this book.