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juliebihn's review
4.0
From the description, I'd expected that Crusader would see Isolda, he'd know he can't kill her, and he'd devote all his energy to rescuing her from whoever wanted her dead. I did not at all expect this story to be full of twists and betrayals and political intrigue and mysteries and supporting characters. I found it a good read with a lot to think about, and I enjoyed it. It just wasn't really at all what I'd expected based on the promotion I saw.
Full review will be at http://kinynchronicles.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-numb-john-w-otte-csff-blog-tour.html
(In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book.)
Full review will be at http://kinynchronicles.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-numb-john-w-otte-csff-blog-tour.html
(In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book.)
orangesloth1's review
5.0
My first step into Christian sci-fi was amazing. It's wonderful to see God's message combined with a genre I love.
marhill31's review
3.0
What if you are numb to pain and feelings for a good portion of your life? And all of sudden you begin to feel again and are not numb anymore?
Those two questions were answered in Numb by John W. Otte. Numb is the story of Crusader, an assassin trained by the Ministrix to kill heretics and others who come against the church and Isolda Westin, a woman whom the Ministrix wants dead.
It was considered an easy job for Crusader to hunt down Isolda and fulfill his duty for the church. However, when he saw her face-to-face for the first time everything changed. I will not give away anymore than that. I liked how the author developed these two characters and stayed away from becoming too sentimental and stereotypical in a science-fiction thriller like this one.
The author did a soild job in showing the uneasy truce between the two societies that are a part of the world of the novel. The aforementioned Ministrix and the atheist society of the Praesidium both were vying for power in order to get the people of this world under control. Otte gave an honest portrayal of how religion and ideology can corrupt both societies whether you believed in a higher power or not.
It seemed that the author wanted to highlight the theme of grace in the novel. While reading Numb, I thought of these words by Paul: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.” {1 Corinthians 15:10} This first sentence of that verse of scripture from 1 Corinthians in the New Testament was something that both Crusader and Isolda would have to face in the story.
Do you give grace to those who have hurt you? Do you give grace to those who have gained power and manipulated those underneath them? The author answered those questions in Numb and revealed the need for grace in our lives.
Numb is a Christian Science Fiction novel and it doesn’t shy away from that worldview in the story. However, I would recommend it to science fiction fans who wants to read a solid, page-turning novel.
Those two questions were answered in Numb by John W. Otte. Numb is the story of Crusader, an assassin trained by the Ministrix to kill heretics and others who come against the church and Isolda Westin, a woman whom the Ministrix wants dead.
It was considered an easy job for Crusader to hunt down Isolda and fulfill his duty for the church. However, when he saw her face-to-face for the first time everything changed. I will not give away anymore than that. I liked how the author developed these two characters and stayed away from becoming too sentimental and stereotypical in a science-fiction thriller like this one.
The author did a soild job in showing the uneasy truce between the two societies that are a part of the world of the novel. The aforementioned Ministrix and the atheist society of the Praesidium both were vying for power in order to get the people of this world under control. Otte gave an honest portrayal of how religion and ideology can corrupt both societies whether you believed in a higher power or not.
It seemed that the author wanted to highlight the theme of grace in the novel. While reading Numb, I thought of these words by Paul: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.” {1 Corinthians 15:10} This first sentence of that verse of scripture from 1 Corinthians in the New Testament was something that both Crusader and Isolda would have to face in the story.
Do you give grace to those who have hurt you? Do you give grace to those who have gained power and manipulated those underneath them? The author answered those questions in Numb and revealed the need for grace in our lives.
Numb is a Christian Science Fiction novel and it doesn’t shy away from that worldview in the story. However, I would recommend it to science fiction fans who wants to read a solid, page-turning novel.
jasoncjoyner's review
4.0
I would rather give this book 4.5 stars. Numb is an inventive science fiction book that doesn't have a similar comparison to any book I know of.
Crusader is an assassin, but he is the instrument of the Ministrix, the religious institution that controls Earth and splits territory in space with the godless Praesidium. Crusader carries out God's will as directed by the Reverand Hand to execute divine judgment in establishing God's Kingdom. He does so with his divine gift, that makes him Numb to emotions and feeling pain.
However, when he is tasked with killing Isolda Westin, his gift fails and he can't complete the mission. Now he has failed and won't be able to rid his guilt, unless he can figure out the mystery behind Isolda and return to the good graces of the Ministrix. But other forces are intervening as well, and it will take all his skills to survive the space between two colliding worlds.
I can't think of another story that attempts such a set-up. And Otte pulls it off with thought-provoking ideas, an explosive plot, and twists that keep coming until the final chapter. It's a great read and establishes Otte as a daring voice in science fiction.
Crusader is an assassin, but he is the instrument of the Ministrix, the religious institution that controls Earth and splits territory in space with the godless Praesidium. Crusader carries out God's will as directed by the Reverand Hand to execute divine judgment in establishing God's Kingdom. He does so with his divine gift, that makes him Numb to emotions and feeling pain.
However, when he is tasked with killing Isolda Westin, his gift fails and he can't complete the mission. Now he has failed and won't be able to rid his guilt, unless he can figure out the mystery behind Isolda and return to the good graces of the Ministrix. But other forces are intervening as well, and it will take all his skills to survive the space between two colliding worlds.
I can't think of another story that attempts such a set-up. And Otte pulls it off with thought-provoking ideas, an explosive plot, and twists that keep coming until the final chapter. It's a great read and establishes Otte as a daring voice in science fiction.
rebekahloper's review
4.0
Overall, an excellent enjoyable story that caused me to get my first sunburn of the year because I lost track of time reading it out in the hammock.
Full review is here.
Full review is here.
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