Customer Reviews

To Whom Much Is Given

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At first glance of Maurice Gray's title; "To Whom Much Is Given," I was immediately prepared to read a "preachy-type" story carrying the banner of a Mystery. Nothing could be further from the truth.

From the onset I was hooked by the familiar and funny supermarket scene where Max awkwardly tries to gain the attention of his 'dream' girl. The play between the males and females as they play cat and mouse games was just a taste of what was to come. And, a taste was not enough....it awakened an appetite for more of these memorable characters.

I applaud the author for his use of prophetic dreams, contemporary dialogue and characters that give you everything you want in a mystery without the excess baggage of profanity, etc. The use of Bible-based scriptures are integrated in the story without interrupting the reading flow and the author took time to make sure of the correlation between the scenes, dialogues and verses.

In short, I love this first-time effort from Maurice Gray and look forward to reading more. I predict that this book will not only cross over to the secular market but be a silent best seller much the way, V.C. Murray's "Temptation" took the Christian Fiction market by surprise.

Maurice M. Gray has Given Us Much.

Spiritual gifts are sometimes looked upon as archaic in the modern church. Many Christians think the Holy Spirit only distributed gifts during the early days of the church. In To Whom Much is Given, the author provides the readers with a glimpse of how spiritual gifts can be used in a contemporary setting.

Gray uniquely creates characters that are very familiar in personality. Readers can immediately connect with the tight friendship between Donna and Yolanda and the silly male antics of Max and Fred. From the moment that Max and Donna have their chance meeting in the grocery store, it is non-stop action. These two fall into one adventure after the other---adventures that uncover profound discoveries about each other.

Readers will become intrigued with a fifth character in this novel, a disturbingly bitter woman who seems bent on destruction. Her thirst for destruction and the growing relationship between Max and Donna add up to one suspenseful and thought provoking read!

The characters of Donna and Max are very familiar in personality. Both are spirtual gifted by God. Through dreams Max and Donna become soulmates and were able solve a mystery.
Readers who enjoy Christian fiction will find this novel to be fast paced and inspirational. Maurice Gray has done an excellent job with his first release. I look forward to reading more by this new author. Keep the faith and stay blessed!

This was the first book I read by Maurice and I loved it. It is a must buy. I enjoyed the comparison that Maurice did in this book. Love with God and Love without God. I was on pins and needles thoughout the whole book. I loved Max and Donna...it was true love. By the way, I never thought about the spritual gift quite like this and I thought it was wonderful the way they were expressed with Max and Donna.

I can't wait until he puts out another book.

There's not a lot I can say about this book except that it was entertaining and carried a good message. I liked the balance it gave between the male and female characters and although some of the novel was hard to follow at times, the overall story was well stated and the author did a good job of telling it in a fashion that made it not be as preachy as some Christian fiction novels that I've read in the past. I liked almost everything about this book except the cover. Yuck! The cover almost made me not buy it and that's a shame because I would have missed out on a good read.

Kudos to Maurice Gray for writing this novel. I commend him for weaving his faith into this engaging story.

My favorite aspect of the book was the portrayal of a black male who is celebrate as a result of his faith and biblical obedience. He was a beautiful character to follow.

As creative feedback, the writing style really needed help. There was just WAY TOO MUCH going on in this story and much of it (including the characters) so unbelievable. The slang use was awkward and there were several grammatical errors. I read this book because my 20-year "little sister" told me it was "one of the best books she had ever read." I only finished it because I wanted to be able to discuss it with her. I have to admit, it was a really choppy read for me.

Maurice, my advice to you is to KEEP WRITING (and get a good editor!) The more you write, the better your writing will become. Obviously, a lot of people have really been touched by your novel. May God bless your efforts!

I just couldn't put this book down. I read mostly at night when I settle down from a long day. The book is very suspenseful. There's always some "cliffhanging" moment. The character tie-ins were very clever! I haven't finished the book yet and I know how much I'm enjoying it, it has replaced Nick at Nite! Maurice keep writing and I'll definitely keep reading. God bless you!

"To Whom Much Is Given" is a strong combination of romance and mystery, with a strong Christian message of salvation. Maurice Gray cleverly uses realistic dialogue without crossing the vulgar line. Centering around Max and Donna--two young, spiritually gifted characters--the story chronicles their divine hookup, giving the reader a strong dose of love. There are several commplimentary characters who are strong and impressionable enough to have their own novel, such as the hilarious Fred, the quick-witted Yolanda, and the cold-blooded Merry. The presence of God throughout the narrative is compelling, but not overwhelming, and seperates this novel from other contemporary works by African-Americans. Gray incorporates the scriptures without preaching at the reader, making the message very subtle, yet sure. To Whom Much Is Given is highly recommended.

Excellent book, very captivating storyline with characters that all of us can easily relate to. This author rises head and shoulders above his peers as this story is very gracefully and tastefully done. (If he had to stand before his Maker and give an account of the book he has authored ... i believe he would hear 'well done good and faithful servant'. i am eagerly awaiting the next book. vh

Praises unto God to instill the gift unto Maurice M. Gray Jr. to be fully aware and understanding of the gifts; prophecy and discernment. I was truly inspired of how the author was
relating and reflecting on the Holy Bible chapters and verses. This novel was so real to me because I'm equipped with the gift of discernment and there are so many people who don't believe these are gifts from the almighty. They don't understand the effectiveness of these (2) amazing gifts teaming up together. My Lord what POWER! Donna and Max were a great team studying and learning to listen to God for their insight and his guidance of what their gifts were given unto them for and the highlight of demonstrating openly and honestly of their usage for the glorification of God. It was so touching in the end of Merry salvation. This lets us know how every second, minute and hour is of great and vital importance to God! God loves us all and salvation is an invitation, not a mandate. This novel is a must read, I couldn't put it down.