Customer Reviews

Storm: 1798-1800 (The Great Awakenings Series #3)

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In 1798, Yale freshman Asa Rush is not your typical hero. He's not handsome, well-spoken or popular, but he does find favor with Yale's President, Timothy Dwight. Dwight makes no secret that he would like to see God put back into the curriculum and the student's hearts.

Asa soon learns that sharing that vision with Dwight would not only involve a personal sacrifice that threatens everything he cares about, but could even cost him his life.

Dwight requests a favor from Asa. Asa eagerly agrees until he learns the enormity of the request. He has asked Asa to befriend his arch rival, Eli Cooper.

Not only is Eli pursuing the same woman Asa is in love with, but he tries to humiliate him every chance he gets. The hatred between the two men provides excellent conflict throughout this novel.

Asa's amazing journey takes him from learning to obey God, to trying to prevent an insurrection to a final call to sacrifice.

Through it all, Asa learns that revival must begin in his own heart.

This historical novel is fantastic! The characterization is the best I've seen. The story itself is engrossing. After reading this stellar work, I was left feeling entertained, convicted and inspired. If you enjoyed Randy Alcorn's Safely Home, I think this book will appeal to you.

Storm has made my top ten list.

Author Jack Cavanaugh, with help from the late Bill Bright, has added a third book to the popular Great Awakening" series. Storm is an historical novel set around the turn of the nineteenth century. Although darker in tone than its predecessors, Storm holds great Christian lessons and the familiar spirit of revival.

Asa Rush is a struggling freshman at Yale College, a school facing struggles of its own. This once-Christian stronghold has nearly lost its faith. The students are abandoning a life devoted to Christ in order to follow ideas of rebellion, imported from the French Revolution. Asa is one of the few Christians left, and must continually defend his beliefs to others. One student in particular who leads the charge against him is sophomore Eli Cooper. Asa and Eli are complete opposites, but the two seem to be drawn together. They are constantly stepping on each others' toes and their conversations often end with fists being thrown. Asa would love to get away from his nemesis, but God has other plans. He wants Asa to bring Eli to Christ. This is a task that is made even more difficult by the darkness and evil that is brewing on campus.

Cavanaugh's style of writing is easy going. He uses short chapters, action, and a quick pace. The novel has an intriguing plot that keeps the reader turning pages, enjoying likeable characters. Although likeable, they are a bit exaggerated.

Storm carries with it themes that most Christians can relate to, such as: being a believer among unbelievers; the struggle to follow God's will; and putting ultimate faith in the Creator. Asa embodies them all. He is in every respect a human, coming up short numerous times, but his drive and determine are inspiring, as is the novel. It is recommended for anyone who wants a powerful story about the strength of God. - Andrew Culbertson, Christian Book Previews.com

If you're interested at all in revival, historical novels, or either author's writings, you have to read this. Very well done.

I wouldn't curl up with a history book because history leaves me cold. I just don't need to have my memory bogged down with dates when I can type a key word into Google and get the facts delivered to my fingertips.

However, Bill Bright and Jack Cavanaugh have penned a fictional look at historical events in such a way that I was as intrigued with the truth behind the story as the story itself.

The difference is in the living, breathing characters. Compelling, passionate young men drive this book forward to an exciting climax. Danger, suspense and a hint of romance make this novel a fast and entertaining read. I also appreciated the break down of the historical facts and fictional characters. I recommend this book to any history-phobes and those who like a great story.

Not only is it all of the above, but it's well written, humorous and thought provoking. At some points poetic, other segments laugh out loud funny. I will never look at courtship quite the same way again.
Read it for escapism, or to make history come alive, or just because.

Pick up The Storm, and you will be instantly transported back to the turn of the nineteenth century. A time when the young United States was preparing for a presidential election that would mean the first change of parties. A time when our country had strayed from its founding faith roots. People were ready to create a second revolution because of politics. But revival threatens to spill across the country.

The author makes the revival (and the need for revival) leap off the pages by creating characters you care about. As you watch the characters evolve and react to challenges, revival comes to life. The portrait of revival in the hills of Kentucky challenged me to consider my own desire for revival and the need for revival to start with me. The characters were so real I was ready to google them and see what happened after the book closed. Fortunately, the author's end notes identify which characters are pure fiction and which are historical. Saved me a lot of fruitless time on the web.

Pick up THE STORM, and you won't be disappointed.

What a terrific book. I devoured it in one sitting. I love most anything that has to do with Bill Bright's work and Mr. Cavanaughs writing style is terrific. I just picked up Fire and am a quarter of the way done with that one too.

Also would recommend two books that Ted Dekker wrote, based on Bill Bright's notes and theology..."Blessed Child" and "A Man Called Blessed"

Asa Rush is a freshman and one of the few professing Christians at Yale College. President Timothy Dwight asks Asa to be a Christian witness to a fellow pro French revolution student named Eli Cooper. Only problem: Asa can't stanf Cooper because they are both in love with the same girl and Cooper does whatever he can to humiliate Asa publicly.

It's the work of the Spirit in Asa's life versus the revolutionary wrath working in the life of Eli Cooper. Later on, Asa follows Eli home to Kentucky and encounters the Kentucky revivals, being presided over by Eli's stepdad.

Asa also finds out that Eli is in close contact with a group that wants John Adams and Thomas Jefferson dead in order to jumpstart another American revolution, French style.

Watch the hand of God at work in the marvelous gripping story. Another winner from the pen of Jack Cavanaugh and the late Bill Bright!

I recently finished "Storm" by Jack Cavanaugh/Bill Bright, and was very pleased with the novel. It made me anxious to read the other books in the series, because I became so attatched to the characters in this series as much as I had to the ones in Cavanaugh's "Songs in the Night" series. The plot moved along quickly, with much suspense and surprising turns. Asa is the most believable character, he is the hero, yet he is depicted immediately in the beginning as having faults typical of a young college boy- he is socially awkward, jealous,takes everything as a personal slight, and focuses on the external attributes of others while blind to their internal motives. No better example is the way he relates to Annabelle. Her character, I feel, is rather weakly written, because she is the cliched spoiled flirty rich girl type, turning out to be a heartless Jezebel. This kind of character has been done to death in fiction! I wish she had been written a little more three-dimentional.
But in all, the book was thrilling, especially the last several chapters. Hard to put down! I also liked the notes at the end, that gave a little background on the real period and actual historical events. Well done!

I could not put down this book. I was caught up in the characters' lives and couldn't wait to see how everything turned out. Though there is deception and wickedness in the world, the Holy Spirit will stir up within evil men's hearts a storm that will cause they to acknowledge God. Great reading!

In 1798 Asa Rush is a socially backward Yale college student. He dreams of an oratory career, but is routed in his first disposition class by upper classman Eli Cooper. His classmates torment him the rest of the week; only on the weekend does he find relief.

He also finds the girl of his dreams, an old acquaintance from his hometown. Bright, beautiful and wealthy, she is also the girl of Eli Cooper's dreams and Asa finds himself competing with the good-looking and charismatic Eli for her hand.

Asa's only bright spot at Yale is in his position as Dr. Timothy Dwight's secretary. Dr. Dwight is president of the college. He is a gifted orator, spiritual leader and the primary reason Asa attends Yale.

So when Dr. Dwight asks a favor of Asa, he can't refuse. A young man has fallen in with the wrong crowd and needs a mentor. It isn't until Dr. Dwight prays over Asa and for this young man, Asa realizes what he's done.

The young man he's agreed to mentor is Eli Cooper, the bane of Asa's existence. Eli rewards Asa's mentoring efforts by beating him up every chance Eli gets. But Asa pushes on, and finds himself drawn into Eli's dangerous world.

Before story's end, one man holds the life, and the future of the young United States, in his hands.

The third book in the Great Awakening series, Storm is set during the political turmoil of 1798-1800. The upcoming presidential election is between incumbent John Adams and challenger Thomas Jefferson and the country teeters on the brink of another revolution. Even though the book is fiction, Mr. Cavanaugh incorporates enough historical detail to bring this time alive. A story of hope and renewal that resonates today.