Another super good book by Randy Alcorn. I cannot wait to read the last one, and look forward to when I can get it out from the library. I couldn’t read it at all the past 6 days because I was at camp, but was itching to get back and finish it. I was so very shocked with the men’s drama, surprised with the confrontation itself and when it was only an act. Highly recommend this one as well. It was very interesting to see the world from Clarence’s point of view, seeing racism through the eyes of a black character. Super good book, I loved it a lot.

Okay. So, if you feel like reading a lot of ranting, I guess this is the review for you. While this was a great book that held my attention and kept me on the edge, there were two big turn-aways that you might consider before picking it up:
1. Racial Obsession-
Alcorn is a great guy, I think. He is pro-life and often brings that viewpoint into his books. However, I think when writers write novels they shouldn't make characters that they can not relate to. A fifty-year-old white male in America might have trouble truly representing the way an Asian twelve-year-old girl might feel. Similarly, Alcorn might have trouble as a white man truly representing the way Clarence Abernathy, a black man, would feel. EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE. had Clarence thinking about race. I'm not exaggerating. Anything at all happened, and Clarence would gripe and whine about how everyone was out to get him because he was black. I mean a waitress would say: "What would you like?" at a restaurant and Clarence would see red because she apparently had a lot of pent-up racial-based hate. It was sickening and I am surprised I finished the book (I only stomached it because I was super involved in the detective's investigation)
2. Heaven Scenes- Alcorn has evidently spent a lot of time studying heaven and spiritual beings and has come to his own conclusions that I do not share. He had mini-chapters dedicated to the viewpoint of characters in a strange heaven that I repeatedly skipped. His idea of guardian angels in sword-to sword combat with demons right next to us as we go about our daily lives is not a viewpoint I share. It weirded me out and probably will do the same with the average reader.

What would you do if your sister and niece were murdered in a drive-by shooting? This book explores pride, revenge, fatherhood, gangs, abortion, racial prejudice and stereotypes, forgiveness, and God's justice through a broad view of eternity. I think I liked it better than the first in the series, as I've often been interested in cultures and "races" (I believe there's really only one race, as the author does), and it helped me see both sides of the issues blacks and whites (and others) have today, without excusing either side's wrongs. I didn't always like the way Clarence and Ollie ferreted out information, and I'm not sure about all the pastor's conclusions about biblical men's lineage, but I liked the whole story.

Quotes I liked:

"Now, what all this prosperity teaching shows me is that many people today care less about God than they do the benefit package. My daddy always said, 'He that serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages.'"

"I say when we tell God he has to take away this illness or handicap or financial hardship, we may be tellin' him to remove the very things he put into our lives to conform us to the image of Christ!"

"If these were animals or subhuman, they couldn't breed together. You can only have children with your own kind, and though there are many kinds of animals, there's only one kind of human. The fact that blacks bore the children of whites proved they were the same kind. And therefore equal."

"It takes two parents to raise a child. It takes a village to get out of the way and quit trying to take over Dad and Mom's child-raising authority and responsibility."

"Truth is, black people have had freedom such a short time, we haven't gotten real experienced at using it."

"She thought further, wondering what would happen if but one Wilberforce rose up in American politics today. What would happen if one representative or one senator would introduce over and over again measures and reminders of the reality that unborn babies were being killed by the millions? What if only one man or woman would pull out pictures of the unborn from under his congressional chair, would endure the ridicule and opposition, would tirelessly stand for justice, would speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, refusing to be silent? What if just one person, relentless, would live out his convictions not for the applause of his colleagues nor the approval of his generation but for the audience of One?"

"Deprived of joy, they reduce life to the pursuit of pleasures. But without Elyon [God] there are no pleasures. The pursuit of pleasures without the giver of pleasure can never end in heaven, only hell. Refusing to anchor their lives in the bright sacred mysteries, they turn instead to the dark evil mysteries. Denying Elyon, they turn to the demon Moloch, for man is made to worship, and if he will not worship the true, he will worship the false. Hence a generation that prides itself on uplifting peace and caring for the earth and rising above barbarity daily offers its children in sacrifice to Moloch."

"Bitterness never relieves suffering, it only causes it. I used to pray for the overseers and masters who beat me. I knew they wasn't beyond God's grace because I wasn't. One of the slaves, ol' Elmo, he used to say the massas didn't deserve forgiveness. I said, ''Course they doesn't deserve forgiveness, Elmo. No man does. If you deserved forgiveness, you wouldn't need it.'"

"Breaks this old man's heart what happened that day. No excuse for it. But it wasn't the spirit of Jesus you saw, it was the spirit of the devil, and he can get admitted to any college."

Product Description

Sweet Revenge?

When two senseless killings hit close to home, columnist Clarence Abernathy seeks revenge for the murders—and, ultimately, answers to his own struggles regarding race and faith. After being dragged into the world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict, Clarence is encouraged by fellow columnist Jake Woods to forge an unlikely partnership with a redneck homicide detective. Soon the two find themselves facing dark forces, while unseen eyes watch from above. This re-release of Randy Alcorn’s powerful bestseller spins off from Deadline and offers a fascinating glimpse inside heaven.

_Can One Man’s Search for Justice Stand Up to the Forces of Evil Threatening to Destroy Him? _

A shocking murder drags black newspaper columnist Clarence Abernathy into the disorienting world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict. In a desperate hunt for answers to the violence (and to his own struggles with race and faith), Clarence forges an unlikely partnership with redneck detective Ollie Chandler. Despite their differences, Clarence and Ollie soon find themselves sharing the same mission: victory over the forces of darkness vying for dominion.

Filled with insight—and with characters so real you’ll never forget them—_Dominion _is a dramatic story of spiritual searching, racial reconciliation, and hope.

I don’t know when I have read a novel that affected me so profoundly. Randy Alcorn has combined a superb mystery/detective story with a lesson in racial relations in America, gang dynamics and symbols, Christian values, and spiritual warfare.

—Dave Kirby, Troy (Alabama) Broadcasting Corporation

Even better than its predecessor…Alcorn’s writing remains top-notch.

—Sean Taylor, CBA Marketplace

READER’S GUIDE INCLUDED

Story Behind the Book

Randy Alcorn thoroughly researched his characters, spending time in the inner city with homicide and gang detectives to better create the scenes for this bestselling novel. He set the story in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, and the main character, Clarence Abernathy, is a black journalist whose unforgettable father played baseball in the old Negro Leagues. Randy has received many letters from readers who assume he is African American due to his accurate portrayals of racial issues.

About the Author

Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries. His novels include Deadline, Dominion, Edge of Eternity, Lord Foulgrin’s Letters, The Ishbane Conspiracy, and Safely Home. He has written fourteen nonfiction books as well, including Heaven, The Treasure Principle, The Purity Principle, and The Grace and Truth Paradox. Randy and his wife, Nanci, live in Gresham, Oregon. They have two married daughters, Karina and Angela, and three grandchildren.

Not sure if the intent of the author was to write a Christian novel, a mystery, or use the book as a platform about racism. I loved the 1st book in this series, but found this one difficult to finish. In the 1st book, there was a fresh approach to looking at what eternal life in heaven could be coupled with a fast moving murder mystery. The second in the series, in my opinion, was too much detail about racism that interfered with the main plot of the story.

Columnist Clarence Abernathy's sister, Dani is killed, his niece, Felicia is badly injured. He wants revenge.

Meeting with Detective Ollie Chandler, Clarence finds out there is, "no word on the street." That's strange because gangs like to take credit for what they do. Also, it was a targeted determined hit on Dani and Felicia.

Dani gets a glimpse inside heaven.
Someone gets a glimpse inside hell.

What a contrast. The book went from earth to heaven, sometimes hell. I found myself wanting to get back to the heaven scenes. This read gave the reader a look into the African American world. Dominion is a very good read.

Acorn is a good writer with real substance. I hadn’t read one of his fiction books so I wasn’t sure how he would make the jump. He did great.

The characters are well developed and engaging. The plot holds you.

Some may find his portrayal of Heaven and the dialog surrounding this didactic but if you continue through I think you will be intrigued. For a deeper look read his book “Heaven”.

Great Story. Shows racism between white and blacks very well. It help me understand it a lot better and what my role is in resolving this ugly thing.

This was a tedious read. But I still gave it four stars as it was an interesting story and it was the first book that made me more aware of what the world may be like for someone different than me.

This series definitely requires a physical or e-book read—skip the audiobooks; they’re abridged and leave out way too much. Otherwise, this was a fantastic reread for me. Looking forward to rereading the final book of the series.

This is a crime thriller, involving senseless murders that police and reporters work together to solve. There are racist threads, balanced with sudden thought-provoking self-awareness of one’s own racial prejudices, leading to the desire for both confession and forgiveness. Inner city gang influences play a strong role in the story, as well as arrogant justifications for disposing of innocent lives who get in the way of others plans. There are intriguing glimpses into Heaven, along with a strong spiritual influence throughout. It is well written, with likable main characters.

Дуже глибоко піднята тема расизму в США, війни банд, та корупції в поліції.
Але зачепила мене ця книга іншим, якщо у своїй попередній робіті паралельно основному сюжету, автор зміг показати пекло так що воно в перше у моему житті було страшне. То в цій книзі він робить акцент на Небесах, і робить це настільки вправно, що тобі справді хочется пережити цей досвід.

Я можу описати це лише як цілющий досвід. Переосмислення досвіду життя на Землі, горя та болі, житеві страждання відкриваються під іншим кутом коли ти дивишся на них кріз призму Небес. Книга залишає відчуття туги за цим місцем, враховуючи що ти там ніколи не був. Як поклик Моря у ельфів Толкіена.