Book Review

I've reviewed a couple books for Bethany House Publishers. Here's the latest review (I probably won't be recommending this one for any book clubs) that I also posted on Amazon . . . 

Relentless Pursuit by Ken Gire

I wanted to like this book. The title/subject was intriguing to me. Yet I've been sitting in front of my computer for the last 20 minutes struggling to find something positive to say about it. And I suppose that's just what this book was for me, a struggle: a struggle to get through, a struggle in nearly every page to keep to the point, a struggle in the very art of writing, etc.

This was the first book I've read by the author, Ken Gire. Unfortunately, after this book it will probably be my last. Overall, it wasn't well-written. If I hadn't known Gire had authored nearly two dozen other books, it would have been obvious it was written by someone who had never written before but wanted to give it a go anyway. It seemed disjointed, didn't hold my interest, and at times seemed to go off on a tangent about other subjects entirely.

It wasn't until the fifth chapter that Gire even discussed "who is the outsider?" Then in chapter eight he seems to say if you are the slightest bit wealthy or successful (or anything other than destitute), than you are an "insider" and lose touch with the "outsider." The truth is that anyone, anyone at all, can feel like/be an outsider. Socioeconomic class alone cannot dictate it and in that sense Gire's premise falls apart.

Ironically, the book finally began to shine in chapter 9, the book's concluding chapter. Gire's description and thoughts on the movie "Never Let Me Go" (although perhaps unrelated to the "outsiders" theme) and subsequent conversations with his sister and friend finally gave me a real glimpse into his thoughts, was somewhat well constructed and thought out, and gave me substance I could relate to.

I'll end with where I began: I wanted to like this book but despite the author's good intentions, the struggle to get through it was too much to overcome.

This book was provided as a review copy by Bethany House Publishers.