Inspired by a post I shared earlier this year regarding the ratio of male to female Christian authors, I was grateful that a male Christian author, Tim Bishop, reached out to me to see if I would be interested in reviewing his book called The Persistent Road. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to hear about this title as I wouldn't have come across it otherwise.
Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Book Synopsis
There’s always an escape. Sometimes you need to search long and hard for the right one.
After losing all he once cherished, Doug Zimmer follows his wife’s parting bread crumbs and rides up the Pacific coast—on a bicycle. Armed with a revolver and only a vague plan to get through the months ahead, he aims to end his depression one way or the other.
As spiritual forces wrangle for his soul, he pedals eastward across America. He meets Lauren Baumgartner—a younger adventurer with a vibrant spirit—and a band of zealots who confront his aversion to religion. Accompanying Doug are not only sunny days and the beauty of nature but also the perils of the road, fellow travelers with their own stories, and the hollow silence of solitary campsites playing host to unseen creatures of the night.
A jarring episode on a climb through a treacherous pass brings Doug face-to-face with life and death. Will Doug’s adventure deliver him from loneliness and lament . . . or hurtle him to an abrupt end?
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
What a ride this book took me on! I was impressed at the pacing where the first part of Doug's bicycling journey from Los Angeles up north and then east felt long and arduous; this helped me to relate to his trip through all the vivid descriptions of the wilderness. To say I was unprepared for the second part where non-stop action takes place is an understatement. It truly felt like biking uphill, only to see everything unfold at rapid speed. Though I'm not a cyclist, I appreciated all of the spiritual metaphors that Tim Bishop employs to show us what life looks like when we take on too heavy a load.
The themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and God's persistent love all tie together beautifully into this redemptive story. The characters are earnest in their Christian faith but also demonstrate it instead of only preaching it. I would say that this is not a breezy read, but that it is worthwhile to see how everything comes together. There are a few trigger warnings for content referencing drug addiction, depression and suicide attempts, and depictions of lust, but the message of the Gospel is solid and pivotal to the characters’ lives. If you have the opportunity to read The Persistent Road with a map, you can truly follow along for the adventure!
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📱
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
Thank you so much for the time you took to read my novel and review it and the thought you put into your review.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I enjoyed journeying with Doug and meeting all of the people around him :)
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