Customer Reviews

They Shall See God (Moving Fiction)

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Although I'd never read an Athol Dickson novel before, the fantastic reviews and blurbs from other authors convinced me to give it a shot. Boy am I thankful! Otherwise I might've missed out on a great story. The title, though appropiate enough, is ambiguous and rather bland for a mystery thriller. The cover is equally so.

The writing, on the other hand, sparkles. Dickson tells a fascinating tale that incorporates murder, mystery, love, fanatical obsession, Jewish and Christian dialogue, and the depths of relationships. He opens with the release from prison of a man convicted of murder. The two girls who witnessed him over the body, Ruth and Kate, are now grown-up and emotionally disconnected from each other. Their religious differences and the pain of their past have pushed them apart. Ruth, single after the sudden death of her fiance, is a reform Rabbi. Kate, a widow with two kids, is an antique store owner. Neither of them are aware of the threats that have been unleashed with the prisoner's release, but the violence and suspense that soon surround them force them together in a fight for survival.

Dickson masterfully portrays his characters. His villians are wrought with real pain and motivations; his protagonists are fallible, likeable, and sometimes unpredictable. The dialogue rings true throughout. His setting of New Orleans, while never as palpable as in a James Lee Burke mystery, is believable. The only flaw, if it can be deemed so, is the multiple viewpoints that might be distracting to some. Though each character's thoughts are viable, not all of the minor ones are necessary to the overall story. I still enjoyed them for the added nuances they gave.

Without revealing the plot twists and surprises, I'll leave it to others to discover the lingering and powerful effects of this novel. Meet Ruth, Kate, Sol, Gabby, Jake, and Orvis--characters you won't soon forget. Don't let the title and cover fool you...it'll have you tightly in its grip until the final pages.

Let me start by saying I normally don't read suspense, but once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. "They Shall See God" is the story of two women whose lives are again thrown together when a murder they witnessed as young girls now threatens their future. The story has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, and the "ride" was just as appealing. Not to mention the excellent writing . . . I highly recommend this book. And I'm off to find more books by Athol Dickson! --Tricia Goyer, author of "From Dust and Ashes."

After telling a pretty good friend (and source) that I was reading this, he responded with an e-mail simply stating this... "Dickson is amazing." He was right! And, as a certain review title states, the cover and title do appear rather bland, don't they? HA! This was great.

This probably won't be for everyone. For some it will be a rather sensitive subject. Then for others, it will be just what they need, even though it comes in the form of a novel. A Jewish Rabbi and a Christian woman trying to sort out their differences in the midst of turmoil? Yep. Oh yeah, and in this case, they have to trust each other in order get through what's going on. But hey, a man who just served a 25 year sentence for murder has just been released. And wouldn't you know it, people are showing up dead. This is an awesome parable, so to speak. In a way, look at this as a love story, just add some good suspense to it. I think we have a winner with Rabbi Ruth Gold and Kate (Katy) Flint. This comes at a good pace, along with a quiet understanding. Beautiful!

Set aside you preconceptions about Jewish heritage and see if you learn something. Hey for those who don't know most of the terminology like myself, there's a glossary in the back. This even MAKES you (it did me) examine yourself in a way. See for yourself when you read this book, if you get a glimpse of God.

From the beginning of the book to it's amazing conclusion Dickson takes you on a ride you'll never forget. In a world of Christian fiction often cluttered by shallow characters and weak, pop theology, Dickson actually makes the reader think - what a pleasant surprise. This is an intelligent, well-written mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and not wanting to put it down. Caution - the faint of heart should not read this at night. Get this book and read it now, then you'll want to move on to Dickson's Gar Reed mysteries - and will be anxious for him to get his next novel written.

If you like chiller-diller horror stories with a powerful redeeming edge, this is for you! A kaleidoscope of clearly defined characters, hamstrung by issues of the heart, face resurfaced childhood friends, old friends dying, gentle men locked away in mental wards, a convicted murderer released from prison, and wild animals roaming their Louisiana city. And a chilling study inside the tortured reasoning of a religious, calculating, twisted mind that's convinced he's doing the holy will of God. Keenly written, but not easy, comfortable reading. Hang on to the end to find out what it all means.

To label this book as just a mystery novel greatly undervalues it's importance. To label it as a Christian Mystery novel further reduces this book into the mire of poorly written, mass-merchandised, sappy three-hundred page tracts that represent most novels occupying Christian bookshelvesthese days. To be sure, this is written to be a page-turner, but the dialog is crisp and believable, the plot (although it teeters on the brink ofunbelievability at times) is unexpected and fresh and Athol's writing style is as clever, concise and poetic as any book I have ever read. The
characters are revealed in a very interesting way (think Momento) which keeps the reader from getting too much of the story too soon. It's also very,very moving at times and I found myself reading through tears in my eyes. Any book that can do this, all while challenging the barriers that existbetween Jews and Christians elevates this book into a must read category for anyone who wants to know more about who and what God is. - Jeff Hopfer

This was my first book from this author. It was a great read from beginning to end. Interesting plot the author used. I rather let you find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. I will look forward reading his other books.

They Shall See God begins with one man breathing the air of freedom for the first time in 25 years as he walks away from Louisiana's infamous State Penitentiary at Angola. But from the moment we are introduced to Solomon Cantor it is obvious neither he nor any of those in the orbit of his life are truly free. Two girls, Katy and Ruth, though both reasonably successful, still live behind the invisible bars of fear and distrust. Sol's wife, now a prosperous real estate agent, is a virtual prisoner to the good name she has forged for herself in New Orleans' Garden District. And one twisted soul stalks them all; on a mission he believes to be from God. His goal, to exact retribution in a way that will shock a city that rarely notices anything.

At the center of this story are Katy O'Connor and Ruth Gold. Their childhood friendship was abruptly ended on the day their testimony helped send Sol Cantor away to Angola. Now, 25 years later, their lives are thrown back together by Sol's release and a spate of bizarre murders in the city they never left. So much has changed in that quarter century. Katy is now a lonely widow doing her best to raise two children and keep her late husband's business afloat. Ruth is a Reformed Jewish Rabbi with a simmering anger she does not understand. Together they have many lessons to learn about suspicion, prejudice, and the greatest enemy of all - the dark corners of their own hearts.

They Shall See God, like all of Dickson's works, has too many layers to allow it to be pigeonholed. It is suspense of the first-rate variety. The characters are three dimensional with both good and not-so-good qualities. The plot is superbly paced. The dialogue is crisp and believable. Beneath all of these layers is the foundation of a powerful parable. Just as you label the story's villain evil and pathetic, you realize there is some of that dark killer in all of us. And the villain's end should serve as a warning to all where the path of hatred ultimately leads.

I read River Rising and loved it so much I went back and purchased a used copy of They Shall See God. What can I say but it's really excellent. Well written, great plot and in-depth characters. One on the best books I've ever read. You must read it.