The Resurrection by Mike Duran

Stonetree was named after the petrified oak that sits on a nearby hillside. It was an apt name for the town – once a lively community but now as spiritually dead as its namesake.

And then a miracle happens. A boy, dead and being remembered at his funeral, comes alive again. The one whose touch brought him back to life is Ruby, a working mother and patient wife of her cynic husband Jack.
The resurrection creates excitement in the town. Some are convinced Ruby is a godsend and come to her with their healing needs. Others are convinced she is a witch.
Ruby is torn. She does not want the publicity but has a tender heart toward the desperate who come to her for help. She knows she is part of something bigger than herself. Could it be that it is finally time for the breaking of the curse over the valley? What is to be her role in the spiritual warfare surrounding the community?
Her pastor, Rev. Clark, really doesn't believe in much of anything. He struggles with believing in a God who would let his sister die while doing good work in Africa. And how could he trust a God who let his own marriage fall apart? He reconnects with his old professor, Keen, a writer about the myths of religion. Keen subtly pulls Clark toward participation in worshiping the ancient gods ruling the area.
Ruby finds out that there had been a similar resurrection in the town about 90 years ago. What did that have to do with the spiritual oppression that now lays over the town? As she continues to make attempts at understanding her role, she is gunned down by a distraught husband who had demanded Ruby heal his wife before she died.
Clark is inspired to confront Keen and his ungodly circle of cohorts. But the confrontation turns deadly as Clark learns of the evil Pantheons, the ancient gods in control of various cities. With subjects like Keen, the Pantheons plan to cover the entire nation with their evil. Clark has been groomed by Keen to be the next human sacrifice the Pantheon periodically requires.
Is it possible? Will the town be saved from the evil that has suppressed it for so long?

Duran has written an excellent spiritual thriller. The reader certainly experiences the serious warfare going on between oppressive evil and the emerging spiritual life from God. We also sense the deadly control the Pantheon has over the town and the local church. Spiritual warfare becomes very real and a matter of life and death.
Duran has added a “ghost” to the characters in the novel. I would encourage you to read his afterward about ghosts if the concept troubles you. Christians, in general, do not believe in ghosts but Duran gives a plausible biblical argument for the possibility of their existence.

 In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

You can find out more about Mike Duran at http://www.mikeduran.com/.

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I am participating in the CSFF Blog Tour.  If you would like to see the reviews posted by others on the Tour, see the links below:


http://noahsreads.blogspot.com/"> Noah Arsenault
http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com/"> Brandon Barr
http://tessbissell.wordpress.com/"> Red Bissell
http://reviewsbymolly.blogspot.com/"> Book Reviews By Molly
http://www.AdventuresInFiction.blogspot.com/"> Keanan Brand
http://hobbiton-hill.blogspot.com/"> Kathy Brasby
http://www.splashdownreviews.blogspot.com/"> Grace Bridges
http://rbclibrary.wordpress.com/"> Beckie Burnham
http://www.hiddenvalleysimplicity.com/"> Melissa Carswell
http://jeffchapmanwriter.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Chapman
http://www.christianfictionbookreviews.com/"> Christian Fiction Book Reviews
http://carolcollett.wordpress.com/"> Carol Bruce Collett
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com/"> Karri Compton
http://campcostinak.wordpress.com/"> Wanda Costinak
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://janey-demeo.blogspot.com/"> Janey DeMeo
http://in--and--out.blogspot.com/"> Cynthia Dyer
http://going-greene.blogspot.com/%22%3ETori Greene
http://www.thehahnhuntinglodge.com/"> Nikole Hahn
http://cloakanddaggerfiction.blogspot.com/"> Katie Hart
http://www.faithfiction.blogspot.com/"> Joleen Howell
http://www.613media.com/"> Bruce Hennigan
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com/"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://southernfiberreads.com/"> Emily LaVigne
http://shenandoahdawn.blogspot.com/"> Shannon McNear
http://mikalatos.blogspot.com/"> Matt Mikalatos
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://gavinpatchett.blogspot.com/"> Gavin Patchett
http://www.sarahsawyer.com/blog"> Sarah Sawyer
http://andrealschultz.blogspot.com/"> Andrea Schultz
http://www.bluerosesheart.blogspot.com/"> Tammy Shelnut
http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/"> Kathleen Smith
http://www.mindsinger.com/"> Donna Swanson
http://jessicathomasink.com/blog/"> Jessica Thomas
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com/"> Fred Warren
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com/"> Dona Watson
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler
http://www.theravenquill.blogspot.com/"> Nicole White
http://facesoflions.wordpress.com/"> Dave Wilson