Customer Reviews

The Resurrection: A novel

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I can honestly say that it's been over a year and a half since I last read and enjoyed a Christian novel. Then I read this one after entering a drawing on the author's blog. And I am so glad I did! The novel focuses on a lady named Ruby who regularly prays for both her church's and her community's revival; this is a lady sold out to God, and he answers by using her in such a way as to lead to a pretty incredible ending! It was a very well written, well plotted story, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. My only gripe with the novel is EXTREMELY minor: proportion-wise, I'm not sure why Ruby would have noticed the clomping of her friend's boots. If they've been friends for a while, as it is implied they have been, I don't think she would have noticed it that much. But as I've already mentioned, this is a very minor detail. But I did appreciate what happened with Ruby's husband at the end; very refreshing for Christian fiction. I'll be looking forward to Mike's next book! If you haven't already, READ this one!

It has been a while since the description of a book has gotten my attention as much as the latest book I have read, `The Resurrection' by Mike Duran.

Here is the synopsis of this fascinating novel:

When the dead come back to life, someone must pay the price. When Ruby Case raises a boy from the dead, she creates an uproar in the quiet coastal town of Stonetree. Some brand her a witch; others, a godsend. But the controversy is just the beginning. For this resurrection has awakened more than just a dead boy...

Reverend Ian Clark does not believe the miracle. Haunted by demons, both past and present, he is resigning from the ministry and has no interest in the city's spiritual climate, much less its urban legends. But he is about to get a wake-up call...

Together, Ruby and Reverend Clark are thrust into a search for answers...and a collision with unspeakable darkness. For the forces unleashed by Ruby threaten to destroy them all. In the coming battle this unlikely duo is the town's only hope. But can they overcome their own brokenness in time to stop the evil, or will they be the next victim?

Here is the biography of this author:

Mike Duran is a freelance writer whose short stories, essays, and commentaries have appeared in Relief Journal, Relevant Online, Novel Journey, Rue Morgue magazine and other print and digital outlets. Duran is an ordained minister and lives with his wife and four grown children in Southern California. You can learn more about him, his writing projects, creative interests, and confessions at his website [...]

Reverend Clark is an interesting person who does not seem to be a good fit for this new congregation of his:

In his late twenties, Ian Clark was an odd match for the aging, listless congregation. His braided choker, with its ivory beads and rustic diamond-shaped pendant, peeked from beneath his collar. Affectionately labeled "Surfer Dude" by the youth group, the man had an affinity for peculiar jewelry - an observation that rarely went unnoticed when the critics raged. With his wire-rimmed glasses, youthful gait, and intellectual energy, he exuded collegiate airs. Still a year after Reverend Lawrence's abrupt resignation, Clark had yet to endear himself to the congregation. (p. 9)

The city of Stonetree had some spiritually questionable elements; Reverend Clark initially downplayed their impact:

Without a doubt the city attracted a diverse religious crowd. Crystal shops, aromatherapists, and avant-garde apothecaries sprinkled the downtown arts colony. People came great distances to purchase dragon's blood resin or rare white sage from some dude in sandals, frock, or tie-dyed regalia. But every city had its religious fringe. Even Windayven, with its well-to-do, white collar establishments, had its share of hole-in-the-wall psychics. Clark had prepared himself for the "fruits and nuts" of the West Coast, so Stonetree's occult underbelly was not a great surprise. Nevertheless, Mesoamerican death gods were a far cry from herbalists and astrologers. (p. 115)

I found the character of Professor Keen, who had been a seminary professor of Reverend Clark's, to be fascinating. He is a perfect example of someone who follows the Lord, then steps over to the dark side. He was perfectly portrayed. His character showed how people of renown can have a strong (and negative) impact on people over whom they have influence. It is a perfect example how we need to heed the Bible's admonition to `test the spirits' (1 John 4:1-6).

This is a really thought-provoking book! It seems to me that the fight between good and evil in the spiritual realm is downplayed or ignored in our world - and in our churches - today. I appreciate how Pastor Duran reminds us that there is a world/realm beyond our own in the here and now. It's not just heaven we need to be prepared for; we also need to be aware of what is happening in between the heavenly hosts and the powers of darkness.

This book also reminded me that I perhaps succumb to the dark things more than the Lord would like to see. There are good things and evil things - and some things that lean to one or the other of the extremes. I needed that reminder, and I thank Pastor Duran for writing such a tremendous book.

I read `This Present Darkness' by Frank Peretti when it was originally released in 1986, and `Piercing the Darkness' in 1989. Both are classics in the Christian Suspense genre. I would favorably compare `The Resurrection' - which happens to be Pastor Duran's debut novel - to those two books. That is high praise indeed!

I was excited to learn that there is another book coming from Pastor Duran's computer - `The Telling.' The first chapter is included at the end of this book. I look forward with great anticipation to the sophomore effort from this talented writer whose debut novel points its reader to the Savior whose power is mightier than those fighting for the deceiver of the brethren (Revelation 20:10).

This book was published by Realms and provided by them for review purposes. I am pleased to be participating in the CSFF Blog Tour for this book with these other bloggers [...]

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea blog - [...]

The Resurrection is an intriguing book. At times I was a little lost, but most of the time, it had me hanging onto the edge of my seat. You have some interesting and typical characters. A mom with a bad hip she's had since birth, who pretty much does what is expected, is involved with a prayer group, is married and has two sons. There is a minister who is just going through the motions, he lost his way years ago and can't seem to find his way back to God. There are two other women in the prayer group with the main woman, Ruby, and one is the church secretary and there are a lot of strange goings-on that no one seems to notice in the town of Stonetree.

Looking back and writing the review - there is nothing really big that happens, just a lot of little things that come together to make the book. And those things make it interesting. This is one of those books where you do have to believe in the supernatural in it's good and evil forms being at work in the world, which I do. I found the plot fascinating and love the type of stories where a small town is the battleground for good and evil and how everyday characters can make the difference with God's help. The Resurrection is this type of book.

Mr. Duran's writing is wonderful - his words flow from the page and I never found myself going back to a passage to read it again to figure out what it meant. He is able to put his words on the page in such a magical way that you don't even realize you have read 100 pages in one sitting.

I look forward to reading more of his works and thinking on the ending and the significance of The Resurrection for some time in the future. I like a book that does that, makes me think and The Resurrection definitely does.

Let me confess straight-off I'm not a fan of most of what's offered in today's Christian Fiction market. That I not only purchased Mike's book, but read it in it's entirety is testimony to the substance of the novel and the character of the author. Mike Duran's debut novel The Resurrection is a supernatural thriller centering around an ordinary woman named Ruby who raises a dead boy back to life, and the subsequent spiritual and physical consequences of that enormous incident.

Years ago, when Frank Peretti's "Darkness" books were sweeping through the church world, I have to say I wasn't nearly as impressed as most of my believing friends. Popular and ground-breaking for modern Christian fiction as they were, I found them cartoon-ish and contrived. Call me `crass', an `ingrate', a `philistine', but I was underwhelmed. I'll take something like Mark Frost's "List of Seven" if I'm in that kind of mood.

That said, while Christian supernatural fiction has expanded tremendously on Mr. Peretti's pioneer efforts, Mike Duran's novel definitely builds on that foundation. Applying the M. I. C. E. quotient (Milieu, Ideas, Characters, Events) it's my opinion The Resurrection is really a dramatization of a number of popular Christian-based ideas on spiritual warfare. Now that's not a necessarily a bad thing, it's just that I'm partial to sermons or personal testimonies if I'm considering a topic that serious.

Novel-wise, a number of the characters were quite engaging and well-developed. (Ruby, her husband, Vinyette...) Unfortunately others seemed little more than types constructed to dispense information in dialogue form. The neo-pagan (backslidden?) Professor Keen struck me as little more than an "evil liberal, anti-christ" trope, while Reverend Clark was about as sharp as a bowling ball, his lack of discernment and resolve going from baffling to painfully contrived. I wondered how he managed to graduate from high school, let alone finish Seminary or get selected for Pastoral office.

No doubt about it though, Mr. Duran can throw down some serious ninja skills when he wants: the Resurrection scene, the initial meeting with the Church Board, and several others were deftly written. The poignant struggles and sheer `ordinary-ness' of the protagonist were refreshing, as were the over-arching themes of contested faith, spiritual dominion, and ultimate victory.

All in all, Mike Duran's The Resurrection gets Three Stars for being a solidly written debut novel. I'd certainly recommend it to like-minded friends and family, and unequivocally label it safe for Christian family consumption. I'm looking forward to his next book.

This book is a thrill ride, to be sure. However, instead of a rushing wind-in-your-face type of ride, it builds up suspense for the final thrill. Then, at the finale, it takes you up at a steep pace through a tunnel. Then you exit the tunnel, and are suspended above the ride, showing you a full view of the whole story. Suddenly, you are on an unstoppable drop toward the climax, and you have no idea how it will end. It was a marvelous rush! I started to get bored with the book, but looking back, the dread and suspense it bestowed owed to the masterpiece plot a great deal.

I was able to connect with the characters a great deal. Reverend Ian Clark is living with his secrets, doubting his own sincerity, and searching for the answers. Ruby Case is a normal country woman suddenly pushed onto the stage when she unwittingly raises a boy from the dead. She must cope with the stress and also search for answers.

This is a worthy book to buy, if you are not uncomfortable with the unknown.

Some readers out there know who Mike Duran is, and they were eagerly anticipating his debut in "The Resurrection." I'd personally never heard of him until it was already released, but everything he was offering caught my attention. But as it goes with long anticipated debuts, would he actually deliver? Erin Healy endorses Mike on the front cover, but I wasn't overly impressed with her, DeKker-spoon-fed or not. But she wasn't the only one who had things to say. Mike Dellosso, Tosca Lee, and Sibella Giorello also had great things to say about Duran and what he's brought to the table. What matters to me though, is what I think of it. I think it was pretty darn good! And what better way to suck you in than by mentioning the name of Mr. Cellophane.

Mr. Cellophane bothers Reverend Ian Clark. And to put it quite easily, Clark feels worthless as a man, and as a messenger for God. He doesn't even believe in miracles in this stage of the game. But in his congregation, you have Ruby Case, a woman with a limp, and a heart for Christ. And to her surprise, she raises a boy from the dead! And people want answers. They want her prayers, they want her compassion, they want what the boy in the coffin got, because maybe she can do the same for them. Maybe she can give them miracles too!

What kick-starts on its own becomes a battle. Is spiritual warfare for real, and can God do what He says He can do within the pages of the Bible we read? Will big-time miracles hit a small-time town?

Duran does a great job of presenting truth, and doing a great job at letting it stick, while writing a great story all in one. Hints of Dean Koontz are interlaced through some parts of his work, and that makes it all the more worth the read. So is this a godsend? It just might be, and I enjoyed it. Is it a little wacko? For some, I suppose that may be the case. But I'd say it is the real deal, and I hope people are paying close attention to what Duran has to offer every time he offers it!

Ruby Case is a quiet, church-going mother whose world is turned upside down when she raises a young boy from the dead. People start coming from all over to see Ruby and she isn't sure what to do about it. Reverend Ian Clark, Ruby's pastor, is about to turn in his resignation when he hears about the resurrection. He now has a decision to make about what to do with this situation. The quiet town of Stonetree will never be the same... And this may be for the better.

While I did enjoy this debut novel by Mike Duran, I had a tough time getting into it. The characters are hard to relate to, and the dialogue often seems forced. It is a good story of redemption and hope, but it just wasn't that great. Mike Duran is a good storyteller who just needs to work more on his novel writing.

It's a Sunday that Ruby Case will never forget. During the morning prayer service she has with two other friends, she gets a vision that literally knocks her out. Then that evening, while at a funeral for a friend's son, she touches the corpse and the dead man sits up.

Meanwhile, Ruby's pastor is fighting battles of his own. Ian Clark has lost his faith and is just going through the motions. He can even get rid of the supernatural visitor in his office. But this resurrection shakes him to his core. As he and Ruby begin separate investigations into what happened that Sunday, they began to see that it is part of a spiritual battle for their town. Will Reverend Clark find his faith? Will it matter in this battle of good versus evil? Will either of them survive?

Christian supernatural suspense. Not my normal choice for reading material. But I stumbled on the author's blog several months ago and knew I had to give this book a try. I'm glad I did.

The story started quickly and I was drawn into the lives of the characters. Everyone I met was real, and I was rooting for them to survive the battle that was coming. The plot kept moving forward at a steady pace, and I always found the book hard to put down. The writing was polished; it felt like the work of a veteran, not a first time writer. And the story made me stop and think about things in a new way.

I'm glad I took this detour from my normal mystery diet to read this book. Anyone looking for a good read will enjoy this book.

One would normally never expect anyone to raise someone from the dead, let alone a woman born as a limping cripple, but that happens and, with a feel reminescent of Frank Peretti, one little thing brings to light a dangerous conspiracy dealing with various forms of satanism, including false pastors with deep pockets and long reaches. For an author's debut book, I was seriously impressed with his deep knowledge of ancient deities (and every name he used in the book is the actual name of a god/dess in select religions all over the world), I was surprised that any minister would know more than his own salt's worth of religiosity. And speaking of which, well more than once, there characters that said gruelling things about complacent Christianity being a major factor in the weakness of faith and gives practical evidence of such, the author doesn't shy away from it, which I appreciate, he isn't afraid to hurt and insult his audience, which I'm grateful for- that he isn't afraid to beat around the bush. There's even backslidden-from-the-faith characters that have hurtful things to say about why they don't want to believe. Lukewarm faith, the power dark religions have over apathetic Christianity, the role the least of God's servants can have when they use their faith in unexpected ways, massive conspiracies in tiny towns that can have a major impact on the rest of us, and more, I can NOT wait for Mike's next book. This was a much-needed wake-up call for me, I can't wait to see what he pulls off next.

Cyber friend and "new" author Mike Duran celebrates the release of his first novel, The Resurrection. Published by Strang Communications, the Realms division, and set for its in-store release on February 1st, this "haunting" story is sure to satisfy a variety of readers from the spiritually speculative fans to the suspense lovers. The cover and title are perfect for this story, making for an enticing come-on.

Intelligently written, Mike's research reminds me of that done by Robin Parrish for his novel Nightmare, and the "Afterword" included for readers takes a slightly similar tone and evaluation to that of Robin's. Readers of supernaturally speculative fiction will love The Resurrection.

Call me a sap but Mike's Dedication brought tears to my eyes, and his Acknowledgements page did the same.

Mike takes a calculated risk when he introduces us to the Reverend Ian Clark, making him a prominent character in this story. A spineless, faithless agnostic "pastor", he does little to gain our acceptance, and we're seriously hoping he gets out of the ministry when we learn that's his intention. When one of his faithful parishioners, Ruby Case, a handicapped housewife and mother, innocently touches a dead young man in his coffin resulting in his resurrection, all hell literally breaks loose. However, the power unleashed at that funeral sets the stage for Reverend Clark and the rest of the small town to take their stands and choose who it is they believe and ultimately who they will serve. The reactions to this startling miracle run the gamut from absolute denial to idolatrous worship of Ruby and most everything in between.

Spectral manifestations, visions, curses, resurrections, altars of adoration, unrealistic demands on Ruby from herself and the community, the bold adventures of her best friend and prayer partner Vinyette, an autistic child prophet, and a pantheistic professor, all make for a rollicking and escalating story which reveals a concise contrast of what the Christian church in their town (and perhaps universally) pretends to be to what it can and should be. Within this contrast we watch the antics of desperate people seeking healing from Ruby, Ruby's husband Jack, disgruntled with the church and pastor, trying to protect her, and the Reverend Ian Clark resurrecting some courage and even a hint of inspiration while opening himself up to and facing devilish opposition.

The scene at one of the local occult shops visited by Ruby, Vinyette, and their third prayer partner Marje is so well done and hilarious, adding a brief oasis of humor to the accelerating suspense.

If you've visited Mike's blog, you know he's like a street-wise intellectual and a stickler for details. We--or I should say I--expected a good first effort from him and got one. The man who says he wants to write about "mer-people" (mermaids, etc.) gives us an interesting and entertaining story. You might think it starts a bit slowly, but it's needed to establish the town history and work in the character backgrounds. The pace picks up steadily and intensifies toward the end. If you like speculative suspense with characters who come alive on the pages with their flaws and quirks, their strengths, their motivations, and their faith demonstrated no matter which side they're on, you'll enjoy The Resurrection by Mike Duran.