A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5) by George R.R. Martin

5 of 5 stars  *****


In a book that one expects completion or, at least, closure, A Dance with Dragons, instead, ends with more expectation and desire for the tying of loose ends. The only finality in this book is the same as it is in all of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire books, the deaths of well developed characters and the demise of kingdoms. The multiple plots unfold simultaneously in different regions of Westeros: The North, The South, and beyond The Wall where it is always cold, frequently snowing, and domain of the Wildlings, the uncivilized Free Folk. 

The scope of this epic tale requires a time overlap between the fourth book, A Feast for Crows, and Martin's fifth book, A Dance with Dragons. Both books begin at the end of the third book, A Storm of Swords. The story is so vast that each book tells the tale of two geographical locations with all of its players and all of their intrigue. This parallel continues midway through A Dance with Dragons before the saga resumes with mention of characters from all regions. The maps in the beginning of this book give the mind's eye a reference to place readers into Martin's fantastic Medieval world. 

George R. R. Martin is a student of history and admits to using the Wars of the Roses, circa 5th century, as an inspiration for his A Song of Ice and Fire series. Certain characters and events are similar to the dynasties who battle one another during this time period. Those battles are historically won and lost between the Yorks and the Lancasters for the throne of England. 

A major and memorable event in the Game of Thrones is the Red Wedding which occurs in this author's imagination and resembles the blood bath that occurs in Scottish history under similar trusts and betrayals. Further connections to reality involve the Wildlings, who are examples of the Scots, the Gaelic people who migrated from Ireland to Scotland in the late 5th century. The Romans built Hadrian's Wall to keep the uncivilized people in the north from coming south. That wall represents the huge wall of ice guarded by the Night's Watch at Castle Black to prevent the Wildlings from migrating south. The Queen across the Water, Daenerys Targaryen, Khaleesi, Daenerys Stormborn, the Unburnt Mother of Dragons, among other names, is said to be a cross between Joan of Arc and Cleopatra.

A Dance with Dragons releases in 2011 with a promise from its author for an additional book in this series, The Winds of Winter.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

4 of 5 stars ****

 The story is a flooding flashback of earlier times an adult has when he returns to the neighborhood in which he grew up. These memories emerge around a tragic suicide that release negative, unknown energy into the location in which it occurs. 

The foreshadow of suppressed dark, fearful threats challenge the young boy who needs the comfort and reassurance of a remarkable little girl, Lettie Hempstock. She guides him through crossed boundaries he has yet to imagine.

The marvelous imagination of Neil Gaiman displays in The Ocean at the End of the Lane, a novel that starts, originally, as a short story. Fantasy abounds in the boyhood roots of this author as a pond becomes an ocean and characters are full of magic. The rules of the universe become tools of fiction with extraordinary twists that stretch one's interpretation during this glorious adventure where even time is questionable.

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R.R. Martin

5 of 5 Stars  *****

Book Four: A Feast for Crows takes the reader on an incredible adventure in many parts of the Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire world. The book differs in that all of the characters who die in the TV series do not die in this book. The HBO series, on Netflix DVD, exaggerates the relationships between characters in the book making one's demise more dramatic for the television audience. Whether it is the book or the series, the epic tale is fabulous and keeps this fan anticipating every twist and turn in the dynamic plots ongoing in incredible realms. New characters come while beloved characters die. Magic creates an incredible pool of imagination from which to draw. It is not overused. Instead, the deaths of key characters alarm in resolving some issues but expand other adventures for those who are left playing the Game of Thrones.

Explore the Bible: Personal Study Guide: Acts 1-12: Spring 2016 by Vance H. Pitman (Editor), Dean Register

5 of 5 stars  *****

Reading the Bible is profound.  Studying sections of its contents with a group of Christians is eye-opening.  A deeper, fuller understanding of events during a time approximately 1500 years ago shed light on today's issues.

Acts is written, most likely, by the physician Luke, author of the third Gospel.  Acts is also evidently written as a sequel to the third Gospel.  The Gospels tell the story of Jesus's life and death.  Acts picks up where Christ ascends on the third day and includes the 40 days He spends with many people, most significantly, the apostles.  This time period also includes His ascension to heaven while leaving the Holy Spirit in His disciples and for all men and women who accept Jesus as Christ.

The purpose of Acts is to inform mankind about the beginning of God's mission, to spread His word to all corners of the world.  This starts with the Holy Spirit in the apostles who form the foundation of His church spreading far and wide - the church being the congregation, not the building.  Paul's story resides in Acts as well.  As a matter of fact, Luke writes in the first person plural when he joins Paul on his mission trips; I becomes we.

The story of the church is not relegated to that era of time.  The story of the people, places, persecutions, and persistence is being written today as it was then.  The Book of Acts: 1-12, ends with the two year imprisonment of the apostle Peter in Rome and his release by an angel right under the noses of the guards stationed there to assure his imprisonment.  Peter responds to the call from God and is guided to safety to influence many more before he meets his eventual earthly demise.  Peter's faith and obedience to God demonstrates a common thread that others show in this New Testament book, Acts.

A Call to Christian Patriotism: A Weekly Devotional Essay Series by Howard A. Eyrich

5 of 5 stars  *****


I finish this year-long project a better person, a true Christian, Conservative Patriot.  The format of this devotional series is weekly readings of patriotic, scriptural, and conservative text with an added task.  Every week, I apply myself to the lesson so that my involvement impresses me in a more visceral way.  The book offers suggestions on what to do for my personal tasks.  Many take me out of my comfort zone but I find that necessary for personal growth.  Several times I read the prayer that Dr. Howard A. Eyrich has at the end of his short chapters.  In the beginning, I talk to my state's Representative about the theme of this book, preparing individuals to be educated, involved, citizens of the government and devout, humble followers of Jesus Christ.  This book also teaches the importance of connectedness.  I share this devotional with a 9/12 group that meets monthly and a Christian Men's Ministry that meets weekly. 

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

5 of 5 stars  *****

The Game of Thrones continues on several storylines with a relentless pulse and vigor rarely maintained in an epic that reads so well. The vast scale of events occurring simultaneously in various parts of this fictional world keep this reader busy checking the appendix for the characters and their loyalties. Suspense builds momentum toward some destined clash of families and doom from an undead legend. 

The clashes are not all military. Most of the devious plots occur in the royal courts of kingdoms while surviving members of the honorable Starks are scattered throughout the land. Much of the adventure stems from simple encounters with people. Revealing too much information about oneself too early can mean death, so stealth and resilience encourage the persistent to pursue an eventual reunion with family. This far into the tale, the protagonists seem to be losing the battles as they fall prey to shrewd betrayals which diminish their number. 

A Storm of Swords keeps the reader riveted from one scenario to another. Martin's mastery of character development affects those who gaze upon his prose by involving them in the story, hoping that beloved characters fair well in the dark times of his third book. Shock can occur at any time from any place with any number of players. The intensity in previous chapters continue to create apprehension with every turn of the page. These books never disappoint and leave one hungry to delve into the next thrilling adventure.

What Is a Healthy Church? by Mark Dever

5 of 5 stars  *****

Mark Dever defines the church, congregation, evangelism, deacons, elders, and the Word of God in the best way for his audience to understand what constitutes a healthy church. He highlights three key principles upon which a healthy church exists: expositional preaching, biblical theology, and a right understanding of the gospel. Beyond those three essential attributes of a healthy church, Dever asserts that a biblical view of Conversion, Evangelism, Membership, Discipline, Discipleship, and Leadership are important parts of the body of Christ, the living Word, Himself.

There is one passage that is particularly compelling to this reader. It is about Evangelism:

Evangelism, in other words, is not about doing everything we can to get a person to make a decision for Jesus, much less about imposing our views. Attempting to force a spiritual birth will prove to be as effective as Ezekiel trying to stitch dead, dry bones together to make a person (Ezekiel 37), ...

-Dever, p. 91

The message is that conversion is by the Holy Spirit and not a man, congregation, or church. The duty of the evangelist is to bring the Word of God to others without attachment to the outcome. The healthy church is a body of believers who act as much like Jesus Christ as possible, speak with the Holy Spirit within them, nonjudgmental and humble in their walk and talk that praises our Father in whose image we are all made.