Brooding: The Heartland Chronicles Book 1

by Andy Williamson

Nicholas Goodfellow is not the Devil – but he knows him. When the high-ranking, aristocratic demon first spies his new mission – a five-year-old orphan named Tyler Davis – he is insulted. But when he sees that his former friend, General Valiant, one of Heaven's mightiest warriors, has been charged with the boy's keep, he knows that something is afoot. Tyler knows nothing of these spiritual beings. As the tenderhearted lad grows up under the twisted rule of his dictatorial grandmother – experiencing physical, emotional, and religious abuse – he runs away at the age of sixteen, collapses on the highway, and is adopted by a benevolent gang of Colorado bikers known as THE BROOD. Within this family, made up of wounded souls like himself, Tyler first begins to trust, falls in love, and learns some very effective ways of shutting out the past. But running from demons, psychological or otherwise, is a tricky business – sooner or later they must be faced. As Tyler does so, he becomes aware of the spiritual battle going on around him – a bloody war for his soul which will leave none of THE BROOD unchanged. This very human story is about forgiveness, redemption, letting go of the past, and how God can offer beauty for ashes to the most brokenhearted soul. It is a story for the walking wounded. It is a story for us all.

664 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2010

Reviews

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you like to be reminded that God can make anything into something good. Do you love to read of the power of redemption and God's grace. Then this is a book you should visit. Y'all know that I do not give 5 star ratings lightly, but this book touched my soul. I cannot recommend it highly enough. (In fact, I am purchasing two additional copies tonight to lend because I need to discuss this book with people and I want to get this new, talented author out there as much as possible. Let me know if you are interested in borrowing a copy.) This is not a light read. Let me make that clear. It has highly religious overtones and may make some people uncomfortable. That is one of the things that I love best about it. This books makes me think in the similar fashion to the way that C.S. Lewis makes me think. In fact, I would call this novel what would happen if C.S. Lewis, Stephen King, Plato and Tolstoy all got locked up together and had to write a novel...or better yet, all of those aforementioned got locked in the same body. Perhaps Mr. Williamson is channeling...hmmmm...he will probably not appreciate that last statment...

Anyway, those of you who know me also know that I will never be a spoiler. But I will tell you that this book is about a young man's journey into his mission to change a great many lives. And it is also the story of the angel and the demon assigned to either aid or thwart that mission. The characters in this book are real and that is the greatest compliment that I can offer. I am missing them terribly tonight. I have a number of quotes that I love from this novel, but I will just offer you my favorite line. "All of my life I have searched desperately for love. For something to heal the hurts and fill the empty places in my heart. But I've come to the conclusion that...it's not something you can get from another person...I think God creates us with God-shaped holes in our hearts that only He can fill. We spend our days and our days and our fortunes trying to fill those holes with everything under the sun, bot only one thing will work. After He fills it, only then do I think we're capable of loving someone else completely, with the grace and strength adn meaning and purpose that He gives us. Without it, you'll suck someone dry trying to get something only God can provide."

Please give this book a try!

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down and am going to start it again!