Rescued by John Bevere and Mark Andrew Olsen is an interesting and creative novel, with a rough start. It takes several disjointed chapters to fully understand what is going on, but the persevering reader will discover a fascinating tale once the pace picks up, or at least when accustomed to the somewhat awkward assemblage of chapters.
The central characters are simple, yet complex enough to hold our interest. The major characters include Alan Rockaway, the pastor of a highly successful church, his son Jeff, and Alans second wife Jenny. Alan is a respectable, if arrogant, man who is enjoying a retreat in the Caribbean with his wife and a handful of couples from their church. Jeff is brought along to document the trip.
However, like in most fiction, everything goes wrong. The church couples are stranded in a submarine with a limited amount of time left to live, and Jeff is left on the dock, powerless to help them. The story chronicles the desperate ordeal of the trapped couples, and, through backstories and subplots, builds a story so intricate that it seems nearly impossible that the authors will be able to produce a satisfying ending. Thankfully, the ending is quite logical, and that, as much as anything, is what makes this convoluted plot worth following.
Even still, it is not simply the stunning descriptions or intense story that make this book a powerful tale, it is the clear message that is delivered during the story. Apart from being an interesting saga, it also makes the reader thinka rare commodity in many books today. There are issues related to ethics, salvation, personal life goals, and ones legacy that are examined intensely.
This book contains some potentially controversial theological ideas, and anyone who is disturbed by suspense or serious injuries may find some parts of this book to be a little extreme. I would very much recommend this book to anybody looking for an intriguing and potentially life-changing way to pass the time. Sarah Haines, Christian Book Previews.com