As a member of the CFBA (Christian Fiction Blog Alliance) shown in the sidebar of this blog, I receive a selection of books in galley form to read. When I choose a book, the only requirement is for me to participate on my blog during the dates allotted for the specific blog tour with information or a review or an author interview of that particular book. It’s great! So, the CFBA blog tour for February 23rd through the 25th is Matthew Raley’s first novel entitled Fallen, and my review of it follows.
The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance tour for January gives us Kregel Publications’ presentation of Matthew Raley’s first novel Fallen. I should state right up front that I would not have been the target audience for this book, and the reason for that is not the subject matter which I found engaging but the length of the story. The pre-release galley shows the page count at 240, qualifying it as more of a novella to me, and anything resembling short stories is just not my first love.
Quickly establishing his voice in this first person account of a church board chairman (Jim), a banker who happens to glimpse his pastor exiting a Mercedes driven by an attractive woman who is not his wife, Mr. Raley immediately delves into the awkward and somewhat troubled reaction of his chairman as he ventures through the gamut of emotions concerning the young pastor’s careless protocol. Although the pastor sees the board chairman and waves from the nearby coffee shop, for the rest of the day Jim is concerned about the smirking looks the pastor receives from the shop’s employees when he leaves the vehicle as well as the abnormally dressed up attire he is wearing.
The entire story takes place in a matter of two days, but in that time period we learn of the ongoing years of conflict surrounding this church, the history of Jim’s father waging war against the practices of a previous pastor and board members due to their total lack of integrity in both spiritual and practical matters, and the ill-fated and undesired walk in his deceased father’s shoes as the ugly facts become apparent about the present corruption within the same church’s pastorate and board.
The writing is good—the main character’s voice is strong, conflicted, and displays the antagonism of confronting someone who is manipulative and about to get the best of him. In the process of this confrontation and the ensuing pursuit of discipline and justice, Jim learns more about himself than he really cares to know, including the basis for his past dormant but now simmering anger, and the realization of just how equivalent sin can be. The personal character studies of a man who thinks he knows God and the young pastor who maneuvers his way through the scriptures to serve his errant desires is handled effectively with a satisfying but too abrupt conclusion.
There is an occasional indulgence in the exaggerated thought patterns of the protagonist, but I think overall they help to define who he is, how he perceives and reacts to different stimuli. The story is interesting and honest but much too brief for me.
Father, thank you for Matthew Raley’s efforts to tackle this difficult subject and expose sin in all its far reaching ways. He did it skillfully. Please lead and guide him in his writing efforts, giving him direction and wisdom. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
(I would just like to say that writer Bonnie Calhoun is a wonderful, astute, and very helpful director of this organization, having “inherited” the leadership from author Tony Hines. If you’re thinking of joining, she’ll welcome you and guide you through the process in spite of her very busy life and schedule.)
Bonnie Calhoun
Dir.- CFBA
http://christianfictionblogalliance.com – CFBA Website
http://christianfictionblogalliance.blogspot.com – CFBA Blog
*Please continue to pray for Kristy Dykes.*
Into the Fire 
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