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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Little Lumpy, but Satisfying,
By
This review is from: The Prodigy (Paperback)
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,
This review is from: The Prodigy (Paperback)
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...,
By
This review is from: The Prodigy (Paperback)
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.
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