There are some interesting ideas presented regarding mysticism, vocation, and pride. However, the main character in this context is truly unlikable. He is so extremely arrogant and self-absorbed that it becomes nearly impossible to feel any sympathy for him. His attitude towards women is also highly critical, which further alienates the reader. It's as if he views himself as superior in every way and looks down upon others, especially women. This kind of behavior and mindset not only makes him a less-than-ideal protagonist but also makes it difficult for the audience to engage with his story on a deeper level. Despite the interesting themes at play, the main character's flaws overshadow much of the potential interest and connection that could have been established.

**Title: 2nd in the Series**

This is the second installment in our series.

We are excited to bring you more in-depth exploration and analysis on the given topic.

In this article, we will delve deeper into the details and uncover some new aspects that were not covered in the first part.

The series aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, and this second piece is no exception.

We will examine different perspectives, present relevant examples, and offer valuable insights that will help you gain a better appreciation for the complexity and significance of the topic.

Stay tuned as we continue to unfold the story and take you on this journey of discovery.

Whether you are a newcomer to the subject or a seasoned enthusiast, there is something for everyone in this series.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the read as we present the 2nd in the series.

Susan Howatch has been a beloved author for over 30 years.

I took a hiatus from her fiction for many years but have once again delved into it with her Starbridge series, which consists of six books and fictionalizes the Church of England.

I believe she has a unique talent for intertwining fiction and non-fiction.

For reasons that I haven't been able to discover, few of the books in this series are available in audio format.

The ones that I've managed to find are priced between $60 and $150 or more.

I'm completely perplexed by the high cost and the difficulty in locating them.

The local libraries here only had the first book in the series, and even then, it was a well-used set of cassettes rather than CDs.

Even first edition hardback copies are priced higher than their original cost.

It's truly a mystery why these books are so hard to come by and so expensive in certain formats.

Perhaps there is a limited demand for the audio versions, or maybe the rights to produce them are more costly.

Whatever the reason, it's a shame that such great books are not more accessible in audio for those who prefer to listen.

Another outstanding read from Susan Howatch.

I was in need of a book that would have me constantly eager to return to its pages, and this one truly fit the bill. It's a bit less astonishing than the first novel, yet it plunges you into the drama at a much faster pace.

Just like in Glittering Images, Howatch zeroes in on the emotional concerns of her characters. She explores how these issues influence their life decisions, how they can lead to self-destruction, and ultimately, how healing occurs.

That might sound rather dull, but remarkably, she manages to generate a great deal of tension and intrigue throughout the entire book.

Of course, she also incorporates psychic powers and exorcism, which gives it an extra touch of something special.

I also found it extremely fascinating to be inside the mind of a former monk who is transitioning back to normal life.

I'm really looking forward to delving into novel #3!

I read the first book and was interested enough to read the second.

As I delved into the second book, I discovered that it was even more captivating than the first.

The storylines were more intricate, the characters more developed, and the writing style was engaging.

I found myself completely immersed in the world created by the author, unable to tear myself away from the pages.

Every time I thought I had guessed what was going to happen next, there would be a new twist or turn that would keep me on the edge of my seat.

Before I knew it, I had read the entire book and was left longing for more.

This second book truly lived up to my expectations and then some, and I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

Original Article: The movie was really good. The story was interesting and the acting was great.

Expanded Article: The movie that I watched recently was truly wonderful.
The story it presented was not only interesting but also engaging from start to finish. It had a unique plot that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
The acting in the movie was outstanding. The actors brought the characters to life with their精湛的表演 skills. Their expressions, gestures, and dialogues were so natural that it felt as if I was actually a part of the story.
Overall, this movie was a great experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves good movies.

I'm approximately halfway through this remarkable book. I'm truly enjoying it to an extreme extent. I'm constantly on the lookout for spiritual revelations, and this book is brimming with them. Each page seems to offer a new nugget of wisdom that makes me reflect on my life and my relationships. I'm filled with anticipation, hoping that I'll enjoy the second half just as much.

Now that I've completed it, I can firmly state that I was not let down. It's astonishing to realize how little we actually know about our closest connections and even about our own selves. This book has opened my eyes to many aspects that I had previously overlooked. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who desires to establish a more enhanced and realistic equilibrium in their life. It's not only a source of profound insights but also just plain enjoyable reading. It keeps you engaged from start to finish, and you'll find yourself reflecting on its teachings long after you've turned the last page.

Oh, dear me. What on earth should I say? Well, it's quite evident that I liked this book as I devoured it with such rapidity. I am truly and deeply impressed with Howatch's remarkable ability. She manages to let her characters engage in such a fierce struggle with their inner turmoil, yet without transforming the entire tale into a soul-crushing and depressing cry fest.

Moreover, I can profoundly appreciate her talent for making her characters brilliantly self-aware in one instant and then horribly self-deceiving in the very next. It's delightfully human, although it can be rather frustrating to read at times.

Howatch's approach to writing about the mystical side of Christianity is utterly fascinating. The way she unapologetically presents what I would term "holy weirdness" as a natural occurrence and actually makes it work is a testament to her outstanding skill. I do find myself wondering what the Church of England truly espouses when it comes to Darrow's particular psychic giftings.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars. The melodrama can be a bit excessive at times, but that's to be expected in Howatch's body of work. It's a small price to pay for the engaging and thought-provoking story she has crafted.

I didn't have an aversion to it. Even though the storyline incorporated a great deal of soul-searching and psychological jargon. The characterisation was robust, and I believe that's what prevented the book from becoming tiresome.

It's not a book that I would suggest unless you have a specific interest in religious mysticism or monastic routine.

The soul-searching aspect added a layer of depth to the story, making the characters more complex and relatable. However, the excessive use of psychological mumbo-jumbo might have been off-putting for some readers.

Despite this, the strong characterisation managed to hold the book together and keep the reader engaged. Each character had their own unique personality and motives, which made them come alive on the page.

In conclusion, while the book had its flaws, it also had its strengths. If you're willing to overlook the psychological jargon and are interested in religious mysticism or monastic procedure, then this book might be worth a read.

The second novel in the author's Starbridge series is truly a remarkable piece of work.

It delves into the life of an Anglo-Catholic monk who possesses psychic powers. This monk, driven by his deep faith and a desire to serve God in a more profound way, makes the bold decision to leave the confines of his monastery and venture out into the world.

The story unfolds around his journey of self-discovery and his growing understanding of how his unique psychic abilities can be integrated into his service to God.

The author has masterfully crafted a narrative that is not only well-written but also highly thought-provoking. It challenges the reader to consider the intersection of faith, the supernatural, and one's purpose in life.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring these themes and being captivated by a compelling story.

Third Reading Summary: Jon Darrow, a spiritual director and mystic, feels a calling to leave his role as an Anglican monk and return to the world.

I am revisiting the Starbridge series a decade after my initial read. I have some relevant notes about the series in the review of Glittering Images (the first book) that pertain to Glamorous Powers. However, I am striving to avoid revealing too much of the story as I revisit the series, so that those who have not read it can read these posts without major spoilers.

Jon Darrow is present throughout the series, but in Glamorous Powers, he is the narrator and the focus of the story. Darrow, the oldest recurring character in the series, was born in 1880. He married young as a Navy chaplain, but unfortunately, his wife passed away at a young age. His mother-in-law helped raise their two children. After WWI, Darrow became a prison chaplain, mainly on death row (as he opposed the death penalty) until his children grew up. Once the children left home, he became an Anglican Monk. Eventually, he rose to become the Abbot of the Granchester Abbey, which offers spiritual direction and retreats for clergy and theology students from Cambridge.

From his position as abbot, Darrow has a vision that he believes is calling him to leave the cloister and re-enter the world. This book departs from the pattern of crisis followed by spiritual direction and instead begins early with spiritual direction. One aspect I appreciate about the series is the variety of spiritual directors. In this case, the spiritual director is the Abbot General of the order, Francis Ingram, who is in many ways the opposite of Darrow. Ingram is upper-class, highly rational, and enjoys the finer things in life. He helps Darrow explore the vision and determine if it is a call from God. Although not explicitly discussed in these terms, this is a spiritual direction of discernment.

Darrow does leave the order, and following the pattern of the series, he gets himself into a mess due to his pride, background, and false sense of trying to bring about God's will in his own way. However, God redeems his sin and graciously works all things together for good. But Darrow is broken, which allows him to confront his past, upbringing, early marriage, and children in ways he couldn't before.

Each book in the series uses quotes from real theology books as epigraphs for the chapters as it explores a different theological topic. Glamorous Powers delves into mysticism. Darrow is roughly based on a real person, just as Alex Jardine in the previous book was based on a real Bishop. While I am interested in the discussion of mysticism in Glamorous Powers, there is some unhelpful mixing of mysticism and miracles. It wasn't until I reached the fifth book of the series, about Jon Darrow's son Nicholas, that I realized the psychic gifting that both Darrows have in the book is a type of Continuationism. There are different understandings of continuationism and cessationism, and the terms need to be defined before I can discuss them with others in real life. But at least some cessationists do not argue that all miracles have ceased, but rather that God no longer gifts people to perform miracles apart from the Holy Spirit. I think this understanding of cessationism is problematic and part of why I believe the whole discussion is more about modernism than miracles, theology, or ecclesiology. But Darrow's use of psychic powers is a type of gifting that cessationists do not believe continues to exist.

Once again, Darrow needs to seek healing for his past before living out the calling God has given him to serve. There is an embrace of pop psychology and family systems theory with some value in spiritual direction, but it can go too far. In his memoir The Pastor, Eugene Peterson discusses his pastoral care training by a psychologist that tempted him to move out of his pastoral role into a counseling role. In the end, Peterson saw his role as a pastor as primarily calling people to worship, although he thought there was real value in using the tools of psychology as one aspect of pastoral counseling. (Thomas Oden also explores a similar idea in his memoir, but for the role of a theologian.)

There is also value in the book in showing the characters as being healed enough to serve but not becoming unrealistically perfect. For example, in the later books, Darrow still has significant issues with pride. Even though he has confronted the ways his father tried to mold him into his own image and he did the same with his son Martin, book five explores how he still did the same with his much younger son Nicholas.

There is also real value in the role of forgiveness in the series. For example, spouses are often shown to be inclined towards forgiveness, even if they don't fundamentally change their personalities.

_______

Short review: I have now read this twice, approximately 2 years apart. I liked it much better this time. The first time I enjoyed it, but it didn't grip me as much as the other books in the series. This time, I really appreciated the subtle critique of pietist Christians (although without actually condemning those who are serious about their Christian work).

Many of the main plot points are fairly similar to the first book, such as a bad previous marriage and father issues. But this time, it was not so much about how sin keeps us from God, but rather how our prideful pursuit of what we think God's will is can prevent us from properly caring for our family and those around us and violate some of the basic principles of loving those around us. The I Cor 13 passage comes to mind. The main character, Jon Darrow, may have 'glamorous powers' to serve God, but if he can't love his wife and pay attention to those around him (and seriously listen to their advice), then his own powers are not worth much in the end.

First reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers/

Second reading review on my blog http://bookwi.se/glamorous-powers-2/

I think these "glamorous" powers would have not been such a problem if the author had proposed the use of feline hair ball remedies!

It appears to me that the source of all the mishaps of hubris described stem from the unfortunate and untimely demise of Whitby, that cat up at Ruydale!

Personally, I particularly appreciate and cherish both my hounds and house cat!

I am acquainted with "The Cloud of Unknowing", an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. However, I am unfamiliar with Dame Julian of Norwich, the anchoress who is regarded as an important Christian mystic. She is venerated in the Anglican and Lutheran churches. Her work, written around 1395, advocates that "all is well...".

This is a remarkable novel that develops and reveals the source of the flaws in the principal character in an enlightening and interesting manner!

It keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, as we follow the protagonist's journey and watch as their flaws gradually unfold. The author does an excellent job of creating a complex and believable character, and the story is full of twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seats. Overall, this is a must-read novel for anyone who enjoys a good story with a deep and meaningful message.