Some really good books

I just finished two great books this past week.

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card is a science fiction book, which I listened to on cd. More well known by Card is Ender's Game, a book that I read (or rather listened to) last year. In the author's introduction to ES he calls this book a "paradoxical" to EG in that it is a stand-alone book that is also a sequel. It tells the same story as EG, but from the point of view of a different character. The story is about children who go to Battle School to learn the art and techniques of intergalactic warfare in order to defend Earth from invasion by the Buggers. You get to see into the minds of the children in the story, which helps to make this interesting even for those who are not usually fans of science fiction (or so I have been told). I highly recommend both Ender books (and from some research I have found that there are many others which I will be looking into reading in the coming months!). These books are really good to listen to because they have such vivid images and characters. Card talks about a possible film adaptation for these books in his comments following the story, but adds that he thinks the best way to enjoy the Ender story is an audio performance.

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller is a short (130 pages) book written by a pastor in New York city about the parable of the Prodigal Son (which he says should really be the Two Lost Sons). Since this was such a short book, I knew I would be inclined to breeze through it quickly, so I forced myself to read a chapter at a time, then re-read and digest what was being said.

In seven concise chapters Keller explains the message of the gospel in easy to understand language through the characters in Jesus's parable. He calls God "prodigal" because the definition of prodigal is "recklessly extravagant"; God is recklessly extravagant in showing His love, mercy, and forgiveness to sinful people. Keller redefines sin by pointing out that there is obvious sin (like that of the wayward younger son) and less obvious sin (like that of the proud and arrogant older son). He redefines lostness by contrasting those who know that they are lost (and perhaps believe that God will not forgive them) and those who do not know that they are lost (and often believe that they have no need for God's forgiveness because of their good works). He redefines the elder brother in the story to show that Jesus Christ is our perfect brother (since Christians are co-heirs with Christ) and that He did what the older brother in this story would not -- He came to seek and save the lost. Keller also redefines hope; our hope in home will always disappoint here on earth because our ultimate home is heaven. Only there will our hope be made complete.

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

C.S. Lewis