Book Review- The Believer

I’m so excited to be talking about this book, The Believer by Stephanie Black.

From the blurb:
There is a place where the threat of foreign terrorism is nonexistent, where there are no arguments about religion, and no battles over politics. Welcome to New America—a place where reading the wrong book can cost you your life!
Ian Roshek finally believes in something. The young history professor has studied a contraband copy of the Book of Mormon—and he knows what it says is true. But now his newfound convictions will be put to the test as he struggles to listen to the still, small voice, while society screams in his ear.
Ian’s sister Jill and her influential boyfriend only see Ian as a man with religious delusions–a man who needs help. And though her facade of brutality hides it, police interrogator Alisa Kent feels a trace of compassion toward this flawed, but courageous man who stays true to his faith–despite the fact that it’s contrary to both logic and public opinion. If only for selfish reasons, she wants to know more. But soon Ian’s choices will ignite a chain of events that he, and those around him, cannot escape.
A taut, must-read thriller, The Believer will cast a lingering shadow and leave you asking what you would give up in order to feel “safe.”

 

And here’s the review I posted on Amazon and Goodreads:

I’m going to brag about having a signed first edition of this book, that’s how much I love it.
I purchased the paperback when it came out in 2005. I usually read romance, but something in the blurb caught my attention, and I had to get it.
I remember how impressed I was with it when I finished reading, and I even read it a few more times after that. Last year, I gave it to my 15 y.o. son to read, since he’s an avid reader of sci-fi and dystopians, and he loved it too.
It’s been a few years since I read it, so I recently got the Kindle version and read it again, in anticipation of the sequel. Since it had been a while, I was able to read with almost fresh eyes, and it was an exciting read.
The plot and story are brilliant, that’s the only word I can use. Even though it takes place in an alternative setting in a not-so distant future, the realism of it is, at times, frightening, and most definitely disturbing, because religious persecution *has* happened in the past and still goes on in some parts of the world. I couldn’t help but draw parallels, and think how easy it would be for something like this to happen.Ian Roshek is a compelling protagonist, one with whom I could only empathize. He wants to do what is right, and he’s trying to find the courage to do it. As the story develops, Ian finds more and more of that courage, as he learns to follow the promptings of the Spirit. I saw him grow from an insecure, unsure character who didn’t want to assert himself, to one who is willing to lose everything to save those he loves, and to protect the truth.
Jill (Ian’s sister), Daniel (her boyfriend), and Alisa (the police interrogator) are secondary characters who also grow through the story, and who win my respect by the end of it. Like I mentioned, it is a dystopian novel, but it’s also Christian fiction, and a futuristic thriller full of suspense and action. It even has a touch of romance for those die-hard romance readers like me. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s unlike anything else I’ve read in the LDS fiction market, and totally worth the time investment.And can I just say how excited I am for the upcoming sequel, The Witnesses. So looking forward to it.
The sequel for The Believer, The Witnesses, will be out in October. I advise you read The Believer first. Happy reading!
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