Review of Truth and Evil

[Heidi M Simone]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Truth and Evil" by G. Edward Martin.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Facing the truth, opening your eyes to the reality of your situation, and taking ownership of your actions are the concepts included in G. Edward Martin’s historical fiction novelette, Truth and Evil.

A young man during World War II had the illusion of what a German soldier under the reign of the Fuhrer would be. His desire for greed, inflicting pain, and basking in other’s misfortunes filled his ego. However, when his life ends, and he faces judgment by none other than the forgiving God, he must face his actions and choices made in life. Can this young man find wisdom and understanding of his actions? If so, how will he ever be able to rectify all the horrors he and his comrades induced?

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Though a novelette, the author packs a strong message and does not shy away from the tragedies people have faced. There was never a dull moment in Truth and Evil, and I found myself glued to its pages as the young soldier experienced and witnessed true horrors. The text expertly incorporates themes of judgment, redemption, truth, revelation, and bravery.

The character growth of this young soldier is profound and well-developed. He starts as mean-spirited, almost psychopathic, to a man who undergoes a journey of transformation to understand why his choices were not the correct ones. I felt for him in every part of his life and was rooting for this young man to make better choices. Although I usually prefer to know the protagonist's name in the books I read, not knowing the soldier's name worked very well in this book.

I loved the involvement of God within Truth and Evil. Even though I am a believer, I am not as devoted as some individuals. However, I appreciated how God was involved as the young soldier grew and learned with each new take on his life.

For the sensitive readers, there are a few disturbing scenes here. One sensitive scene is a raping one. Also, there is a scene where individuals are heavily mistreated. At one point, I considered not finishing the book due to a particular scene. However, I am happy I did because the book is worthwhile to read.

As far as an improvement, there is not much to consider. There were some minor errors. Aside from this small detail, I felt this book hit its mark, and the author accomplished what he intended for this historical fiction. Due to its themes, fast-paced storyline, character development, and overall message, I happily award Truth and Evil 5 out of 5 stars.

The best audience for this book is adults who are eighteen and older. The book is intended for a mature audience due to its dark themes. I recommend it to those who enjoy reading books that face the truth in one's actions and redemption. It would also suit those who have a belief in God.

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Truth and Evil
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[Carol McCoy Phelps]

I just finished this book. Your review is accurate and interesting. Like you, I loved the outcome of the story. The author’s warning caused me to hesitate about reading and reviewing the book. His descriptions weren’t as graphic as I feared, although the scenes were horrific enough. Thank you for a great review.

Do you think that this story would offend people who are agnostics or atheists? I would love to read how you feel about that.

[Carol McCoy Phelps]

I just finished this book. Your review is accurate and interesting. Like you, I loved the outcome of the story. The author’s warning caused me to hesitate about reading and reviewing the book. However, your review gave me the courage to go ahead with it. Martin’s descriptions weren’t as graphic as I feared, although some scenes were horrific enough. Thank you for a great review.

Do you think that this story would offend people who are agnostics or atheists? I would love to read how you feel about that.

[Stacy K]

Thank you for this thorough review. I also read the book and found it very captivating. I was eager to see the soldier's decisions each time God sent him back to Earth. It was very easy to read in one sitting. This book lingered with me well after I finished reading it. It was very thought-provoking. Even though it talks about God, I think it can reach a diverse group of readers.

[Cristiano Bellucci]

Thank you very much for your review. It is a passionate book. I will add it to my list.

[Alissa Nesson]

I just finished this book. Your review is accurate and interesting. Like you, I loved the outcome of the story. The author’s warning caused me to hesitate about reading and reviewing the book. His descriptions weren’t as graphic as I feared, although the scenes were horrific enough. Thank you for a great review.

Do you think that this story would offend people who are agnostics or atheists? I would love to read how you feel about that.

I also just read this book and I enjoyed it a lot, even though I’m not a Christian; I’m Jewish. I don’t think it would offend atheists or agnostics as much as just possibly not appeal to them. I was not drawn to the book because of its religious aspects. I thought it sounded interesting because of its mind-bending nature. I was worried that the religious aspects would be too much for me, but they weren’t. What do you think?

[Carol McCoy Phelps]

I just finished this book. Your review is accurate and interesting. Like you, I loved the outcome of the story. The author’s warning caused me to hesitate about reading and reviewing the book. His descriptions weren’t as graphic as I feared, although the scenes were horrific enough. Thank you for a great review.

Do you think that this story would offend people who are agnostics or atheists? I would love to read how you feel about that.

I also just read this book and I enjoyed it a lot, even though I’m not a Christian; I’m Jewish. I don’t think it would offend atheists or agnostics as much as just possibly not appeal to them. I was not drawn to the book because of its religious aspects. I thought it sounded interesting because of its mind-bending nature. I was worried that the religious aspects would be too much for me, but they weren’t. What do you think?

I agree with you about the religious aspects. I am a Christian, but that really didn’t affect my reading of the book that much. The thought processes the young man endured when he switched places with the victims were the defining moments for me. It appealed to me more on a science fiction level…may lightening not strike me for saying it aloud.