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I didn’t really know what to expect when I chose Invitation to read and review. Oh, I knew that the 4-novella collection was authored by some of the best authors in the field of Christian fiction, and that I have never been disappointed by anything they have written. I also knew that their writing style, characterization, and plot-development suited my reading tastes. But I didn’t know I would be led on a challenging and twisting journey that included mind-bending situations. Invitation is speculative fiction at its best. It has a unique format that suits the genre well — short, episodic novellas, changing points of view, and story lines which at first seem unrelated, but soon come together in a coherent manner. There is something weird going on, and this reader enjoyed every minute.

Each novella in the collection has a different author and the unique voice of one of the four main characters. Four very different people with strange gifts are brought together in what can only be called a supernatural way. And try as they might, they cannot keep from forming a team to investigate and somehow impact weird happenings. I loved how the authors’ collaboration brought forth a cohesive whole. This cannot possibly be easy to achieve, but they somehow managed to achieve unique stories within a consistent framework.

Evil seems to be having its way in Invitation, but there is a sense that God is at work in big ways in the world and in the lives of the main characters. I think the spiritual journey each character embarks on is my favorite part. As each challenge is met, the characters learn more about themselves and their place within a spiritual world. Each novella is wrapped up in Invitation, but the story is far from over. Invitation is just the first novella collection in this series.

Invitation is gritty and edgy; not your typical CF. So don’t be surprised if this book takes you places you didn’t expect with characters that don’t often show up in normal novels. You just need to do what I did — sit back and let the authors take you on a trip you won’t forget.

Recommended for fans of speculative fiction.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

I was intrigued by the concept of four well-known, talented, and unique authors writing a series of short stories together. In the introduction, the authors explain that the stories were written independently yet joined together with an overarching storyline in a manner similar to a tv series. I have read novels by all four of the authors and their writing styles are quite distinct. I had no idea that they were friends… fun. With the combined creativity of these authors, it is no surprise to me that they came up with such an ingenious concept.

So, while I found myself intrigued I was also dubious. Could the series be cohesive with the distinct writing styles of four different authors? Would it be confusing?

I found Invitation to be quite an experience. The story arc is cohesive, flowing naturally from one short story to the next. The reason that it works so well is twofold.

First, each author is writing from the point of view (POV) of one character. Each author's personality, creativity, and style shine when you have one character highlighted by one author All good authors can write distinct characters in their novels. This game just took the experience one step further, allowing a more diverse look into a character.

Second, just as the characters are given a unique POV, so are the events that occurred in each story. Each authors style and strengths are portrayed, but they play nicely together.
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The Call by Bill Myers

Myers is known for pushing past boundaries, bringing the reader into a deeper understanding of the mysteries of God. Myers doesn't disappoint in The Call. He quickly amps up the intrigue and delves you into a supernatural and mysterious view of the world. The action moved so quickly yet I found it to be entirely satiating.

spiritual nugget - The security field at the Institute for Advanced Psychic Studies attacks the fears of the unfortunate person caught in its field. It is a quasi-mechanical creation that highlights the snares that Satan sets for us. The Call reminded me that we are often ruled by our fears instead of our faith.
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The Haunted by Frank Peretti

I believe that anyone familiar with Frank Peretti’s novels understands his particular brand of uniqueness. His stories are always a bit spooky and are imbued with the supernatural. If Stephen King were saved he would likely write books that would appeal to Peretti’s fans. Could there be a better name for his short story?

spiritual nugget - This is one scary haunted house! The House required me to look at what I value… who I worship.
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The Sentinels by Angela Hunt

Angela Hunt has an encouraging style. In many ways, she seems to have a teachers soul. In The Sentinels, courage and strength are discovered by the main characters. Their need for faith is explored.

spiritual nugget - Faith is required!

“The impossible began with a single step toward the possible.” Andi quoting her Sabba
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The Girl by Alton Gansky

Gansky delves further into my favorite character, Tank. Tank doesn’t seem very nuanced until Gansky gets his hands on him. Tank represents the characteristics that I want to have. He is smart in all the important ways, kind, and fully dependent and in love with God.

spiritual nugget - God is truth!

“Truth is truth, and it remains that even if I’m the last one alive to believe it.” Tank

This game was well-played!

As a reviewer for Bethany House Bloggers, I received a review copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. My thanks to Bethany House Publishers and the authors.

For all of my reviews visit my blog at https://www.blessedandbewildered.com ( )

http://thrivinghope.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-book-review-invitation.html ( )

Like the one hours television shows that flash the forensics and solve the mystery, this book builds on a common supernatural theme. The novella format allows for only superficial character development. The stories, like many TV season finales, leave many issues unresolved. While it is not a satisfying beginning, middle, end story, it is worth reading just to see how the unique format could work.

LibraryThing Member Giveaway randomly chose me to receive this book free from the publisher. I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )