Review of The Cynical Prophet
Posted: 24 Feb 2024, 22:34
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Cynical Prophet" by Denis Joseph Stemmle.]
The Cynical Prophet is a fictional novel written by Denis Joseph Stemmle. The book follows Don Steiner, an eighty-year-old widower of the Catholic faith with a cynical outlook who has a strange encounter similar to that of St. Bernadette.
While on a pilgrimage with his current romantic interest, Joelle, in Stonehenge, Ireland, Don encounters an apparition of a strange woman. He engages with her, discussing his life, relationship, faith, and choices. The encounter leads to several more apparitions, including some with Seamus, his Guardian Angel. Eventually, he is given a task: to rewrite the parables of Jesus in the context of modern times. This proves more challenging than expected, as the response is not all positive. What impact will Don's cynicism have on his life and his relationship? How will Don handle the situation when faced with the backlash that results from this endeavor? Find out in this engaging book.
The book has quite a lot to like about it, the first among them being its message on the importance of empathy. I found myself questioning my life decisions as I read Don's versions of the parable of the good Samaritan, particularly the third version. One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to mirror real life with regard to Christians's reactions to the rewriting of these parables. I also appreciated the book's handling of issues such as intimacy in marriage, which, in my opinion, was excellently executed. The writing style was simple and easy to understand. The dialogue was always engaging, and I particularly liked the debate featured in Chapter 26.
I did not have any negative issues with the book. It forced me to have a lot of introspection about my faith. Ultimately, it was an excellently written book.
I did not find any errors in this book. It was well edited. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. It was an interesting read with an important message. I recommend it to lovers of fictional novels with themes of spirituality.
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The Cynical Prophet
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cynical Prophet is a fictional novel written by Denis Joseph Stemmle. The book follows Don Steiner, an eighty-year-old widower of the Catholic faith with a cynical outlook who has a strange encounter similar to that of St. Bernadette.
While on a pilgrimage with his current romantic interest, Joelle, in Stonehenge, Ireland, Don encounters an apparition of a strange woman. He engages with her, discussing his life, relationship, faith, and choices. The encounter leads to several more apparitions, including some with Seamus, his Guardian Angel. Eventually, he is given a task: to rewrite the parables of Jesus in the context of modern times. This proves more challenging than expected, as the response is not all positive. What impact will Don's cynicism have on his life and his relationship? How will Don handle the situation when faced with the backlash that results from this endeavor? Find out in this engaging book.
The book has quite a lot to like about it, the first among them being its message on the importance of empathy. I found myself questioning my life decisions as I read Don's versions of the parable of the good Samaritan, particularly the third version. One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to mirror real life with regard to Christians's reactions to the rewriting of these parables. I also appreciated the book's handling of issues such as intimacy in marriage, which, in my opinion, was excellently executed. The writing style was simple and easy to understand. The dialogue was always engaging, and I particularly liked the debate featured in Chapter 26.
I did not have any negative issues with the book. It forced me to have a lot of introspection about my faith. Ultimately, it was an excellently written book.
I did not find any errors in this book. It was well edited. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. It was an interesting read with an important message. I recommend it to lovers of fictional novels with themes of spirituality.
******
The Cynical Prophet
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon