Mark B

A great story combining past and present storylines. If you like supernatural tales, you'll enjoy this read. I am not a fan of supernatural tales, but enjoyed this book, I recommend reading The Silver Witch.

Being a special needs person, this book spoke to me as it gave a glimmer of memory to what my parents went through in raising me. I found the book easy to read and could relate to the struggles of the parents in raising a special needs child. The book will tug at your heart-strings as well as cause you to look at your own prejudices when encountering special needs people. I highly recommend the book for those who live with a special needs child or for those looking for a heart-tugging read.

Set in a modern-day "cold war" Sentinel takes place in Russia and eastern Europe as CIA/MI6 agents rush to find who is killing their double agents -- a man who wants to start the nuclear war to end all wars. I am not a big fan of nuclear war novels, but found myself drawn into the single life of Will and his mission. A compassionate, yet well-trained MI6 agent, Will seeks out his captured friend to help resolve the impending war. Filled with travels throughout Europe and Russia, Sentinel is a good read for a long winter night. My one complaint with the author was his bouncing back and forth between metric and US scales, most particularly MPH/KPH. Being set in Eastern Europe and Russia, I would stick with the metric conversion. All in all, I recommend it if you don't mind a lot of killing and some visual gore.

Ken Budd's newest book, The Voluntourist, was an inspiring read about his many trips to serve the people of the world. For someone who does not travel much outside of the United States, it was wonderful reading about Mr. Budd's various experiences in Costa Rica, China, Ecuador; Palestine; Kenya; and my favorite, New Orleans. It was so much fun to hear about the interesting parts of the world, even as Budd and his wife ministered to the many people in need throughout the world. With his great guide to designing your own voluntourist adventure, I could see this being a great study adventure for a small group in almost any denomination, or just a group of friends who want to serve. As a clergy and worship musician, it will be a book I recommend for mission committees and those who like to travel and serve.