Book Tour - Tribulation House

I remember when Chris Well sold his first novel, Forgiving Solomon Long. We were both hanging out at the Faith in Fiction forums and I was eager to review his book when it came out. We've both been members of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance since its inception.

What I discovered was a whole new genre...and one I wasn't sure I was fond of. I posted my mixed feelings about Chris' first book here. When his second novel came out, the premise didn't grab me and I passed on receiving a copy. However, when I read the hook for his third book, Tribulation House, I decided to give Chris Well another try. And I'm very glad I did.

Tribulation House is an interesting blend of drama, comedy, pop culture, theology and gangsters. While Chris' basic style has not changed, may I dare suggest he's gotten better at it? 93 chapters in 253 pages in 6 (or so) points-of-view still seems over-the-top, but I convinced my brain to consider the chapters to be numbered scene breaks instead. Certainly the characters are all unique enough to keep separate.

While there is a lot of slap-stick style comedy and enough drama to become melodrama, the plot moves along with logical cause and effect. And in between, while you are thinking How could anyone be that stupid? you are catching glimpses of deeper nuggets of truth. Recommended.

IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM...

Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.

When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking place on October 17 at 5:51am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob.

Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him.

But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology...