Massive Book Review Extravaganza

Work is slow right now, which means I have the unique opportunity to host the first annual Massive Book Review Extravaganza. Here goes nothing:


I'd describe this book as simple, relatively cheesy, and powerful. I may have just beens going through an interesting season with the Lord when I read this book, but it did minister to me greatly.

Rating: 7/10





One of the greatest books i've ever read...kinda. I only say "kinda" because I listened to it via audiobook on the many commutes between WV and Columbus. If you've never read or heard Piper before, this book will be a great intro into his heart and the theology that shapes his ministry and life.

Rating: 10/10


If you've read Keller before, you know he's a skilled writer, especially on the topic of apologetics. This book provides some money responses to objections to Christianity that I've heard from both educated and uneducated people at work. Bottom line, the world is believing that all paths to God are good, people are inherently righteous, and that there is no moral right and wrong. If you feel your answers to this are inadequate, check out the book.

Rating: 7/10


Written by a Navy Seal returned from Iraq, "Lone Survivor" takes the reader from Seal training (which is most of the book) to Iraq where a team of Seals are ambushed in a mission gone bad. Only the author survived. The book was longer than it needed to be, very average in the writing, and has several areas of pro-America propaganda. However, it's a true story, and it's crazy.

Rating: 5/10


Amazing account of WWII. With the Old Breed is written by a marine who left college to join the battle overseas and is one of the few who made it through both the campaigns of Peleliu and Okinawa alive. The horrors of this war are almost unbelievable. It is excellently written and very engaging. I STRONGLY suggest you read this.

Rating: 10/10



The author, a columnist for Christianity Today, traveled around the US to document the recent rise in Reformed doctrine. He stops at Mars Hill (Driscol), Southern Seminary (Mohler), and DG (Piper), soooooooooooo, I'm kinda biased in my review here. I liked the book, but I don't know if you'd enjoy it unless you love Reformed doctrine.

Rating: 6/10

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Not bad, but not necessarily good...

Let me be short and sweet here: I wouldn't read these books. They aren't heretical or unbiblical, but they also aren't very good.

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Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

Screw easing into this review. This book is the bomb diggity. It owns lives. It rocks worlds. It dominates. It's beasty like a lion. It's sweet like pixie sticks.

In Peace Like a River, Leif Enger tells the story of a family's search for their wayward brother who is wanted for murder. The narrator is an 11 year old boy named Rueben (known as Rube), who with his little sister, Swede, and his father Jeremiah, set out on a quest to track down the outlaw on the run. The plot is slow and awesome, but the real greatness of this book lies in the characters. I fell in love with both the kids and the Dad, all for different reasons. The author is unashamedly Christian- the text speaks for itself.

If you read this book, you will be encouraged to pursue Jesus. It's better than Twilight. (Which i've never read it, but it is...)

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Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley

Let me start this post off with a statement of obvious fact: you may like some books that I think are positively lame. Now with that in mind, let me tell you why I think you shouldn't buy this book.

I originally got this book to get some insight on God's call specifically to women. I've read a bunch of solid stuff on gender roles, but have always been primarily interested in the male side of things. After realizing I probably should be pretty confident on both sides if i'm ever going to lead a lady, I picked up this book which was highly recommended by a fellow blogger.

I later came to find out that this book HARDLY talks about radical womanhood at all. Basically, the entire book is an outline of feminism; its rise, the people behind it, and its effects. It reads more like a history book than anything else.

In my opinion, feminism is dumb for the same reasons chauvinism is dumb. Both theologies start off with "I deserve...." and therefore both do not line up with Christianity.

Frankly, feminism isn't that exciting to me, and I certainly don't need to read a 200 page book on its history. If you're not a recovered or recovering feminist turned christian, save your money and read something else.

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The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

Because of my book-review negligence, i'm going to attempt to summarize this trilogy with one post.  

As you may be able to derive from the series title, the book's fall into the Sci-Fi genre. Don't be too scared though, I would say its quite tame when compared to the stereotypical extra-terrestrial novel......not that i've read any of those.

I originally began reading the series because I heard that it was an allegory to Christianity.  This may be very true for "Perelandra" and "That Hideous Strength", the second and third books of the series, but is not necessarily the case for "Out of the Silent Planet".  Overall, i'd say that my favorite part of each book would be Lewis' portrayal of the devil's temptation of a believer which comprises the bulk of the second book where there are only three characters: Satan, Eve, and Dr.Ransom (the main character).

I'd normally attempt to summarize the plot, but it would be a very trying endeavour. Instead, i'd just tell ya that it's pretty crazy.  It is stock full of space ships, angelic creatures, weird languages, alien-like beings, and very angry satanic forces.  The wizard Merlin actually makes an appearance in the last book.  

If you don't like CS Lewis, and also don't enjoy the TV series Highlander, i'd say that this isn't the book series for you.  On the other hand, if you don't laugh at the previous paragraph, you probably should pick up the trilogy and get readin'. 

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When Sinners Say I Do, by Dave Harvey

You may be asking yourself, "Why the butt did Mark read a book about marriage?"

My response, "shutup."

So now that all your judgements on my motives are done with, lets get on with my first ever ibuildroads book review post.

Simply put, this book ROCKS.  In my 4 years of walking with Christ, I've read a few books on relationships and have on each occasion walked away thoroughly disappointed.  This book, however, is a diamond in the rough so-to-speak.

My problem with relationship books is the fact that they almost always talk about extra-biblical crap.  The topics here can range from whether you should kiss when dating to who should change the baby's diapers.  

Whats the problem with this?  I'm glad you asked...The problem with this is that it teaches a person to obey a set of rules of which they can't obey.  Love my wife, forgive her always, be patient with her, serve her with all my heart, be compassionate to her when shes upset, continually pursue her, etc etc etc.  Yeah, thats all good and stuff, but before i'm going to do all that jazz, tell me HOW?!

Well, this book-as you can tell from the title-is different than most.  The whole book tries to get across one point and one point only: you are a sinful person, and you have either already married, or will one day marry, a sinful person.  Dave Harvey speaks from experience on the difficulties of relationships and the BEAUTY that can be seen in a God glorifying, Grace-filled marriage. 

If you feel called to marriage, are in a dating relationship, are married, have friends, talk with people occasionally, or live in a box down by the river but somehow learned how to read, then i'd recommend this book to you.

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