Tom Farr Reviews

Review of TROY STETINA: THE SOUND AND THE STORY DVD

2013-05-22T11:12:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit: FRET12 Productions

When I started learning how to play guitar, I read a ton of guitar magazines. Every month I would grab the newest guitar magazine and start learning new techniques to play. This was essentially how I learned to play. As I look back I realize that probably 90% of my learning was from the teaching of guitar instructor Troy Stetina because many of the lessons I went through in those guitar magazines were written by him. I since learned that Stetina is one of the foremost guitar instructors in the world when it comes to learning how to play well with both speed and control.

I was really excited when I saw that FRET12 Productions released a guitar instructional video called TROY STETINA: THE SOUND AND THE STORY. This video truly shows how incredible of a guitar instructor Stetina is. I love how the DVD begins with different guitar players and instructors sharing their thoughts on Stetina. The video features Stetina in front of a stack of Marshall amps, holding a Paul Reed Smith guitar, with some really great lighting in the background, making the video itself very visually appealing.

Stetina gives some really helpful tips that are vital to beginning guitar players. He focuses on learning correctly. A lot of guitar players want to learn how to play fast, but as Stetina points out, they develop sloppy habits that they need to eliminate while playing slow that will only get worse when they speed up. He teaches how to develop control while playing slow and slowly speeding up. The goal, Stetina says, is effortlessness in your playing.

Stetina teaches many different concepts, such as picking techniques, trills, bending, not relying on mechanical shapes, using the metronome effectively, creativity and composing, and a ton of others. Throughout, you’ll learn how to isolate problem areas and create exercises to overcome those areas. You’ll be told to practice things slowly and accurately before building speed.

The Story part of the DVD focuses on some of the players who have learned from Stetina, as well as giving us an inside look at Stetina’s creative process in the studio. This makes this video a step above because you’re learning how to really make music and not just learning how to play guitar really well. Finally, the video closes out with some guest lessons from Michael Angelo Batio, Eric Friedman, Bill Peck, and my personal favorite, Mark Tremonti.

As you listen to and watch Troy Stetina play, you’ll be amazed and driven to learn more. THE SOUND AND THE STORY DVD gives you the great opportunity of learning guitar from one of the greatest instructors out there. I can’t recommend it enough.

Review copy of the DVD graciously provided by FRET12 Productions.

Check out the video at FRET12 PRODUCTIONS

Review of The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament on Colossians & Philemon

2013-05-22T08:42:00.001-05:00

I’ve really enjoyed the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series, and David W. Pao’s contribution on Colossians and Philemon is another great edition to the series. Colossians is an interesting letter that deals with a major error cropping up in the Colossian church and focuses a great deal on Christology. Pao looks at Paul’s authorship and handles the text in a way that draws out Paul’s Christological focus throughout the letter.

Colossians is one of my favorite books of the Bible to go to over and over again, and the part about faith, hope, and love near the beginning of the letter is one that I especially love. Pao shows how foundation hope is to love and faith. The commentary also handles Paul’s famous Christological hymn, describing what Christ as firstborn means. Pao’s handling of Philemon presents Paul’s letter as a lesson on how relationships change in light of the Gospel.

The layout of the series is helpful to each commentary, especially the theological applications after each section. If you’re working through either of these books, this commentary is a great place to get your questions answered.

Review copy provided by Zondervan Academic

Photo Credit: Zondervan

Review of THE GOD-SHAPED BRAIN by Timothy R. Jennings

2013-05-22T08:29:00.001-05:00

In THE GOD-SHAPED BRAIN author Timothy R. Jennings presents evidence that reveals how a person perceives God affects their brain in either constructive or destructive ways. Specifically, he looks at the effects of two models of how God is often perceived. Jennings presents a fear-based God who is constantly waiting for people to fail in order to punish them in his anger, and he rightly shows that viewing God this way is destructive to the part of the brain where our rational decision-making capabilities reside. On the other end of the spectrum, Jennings presents a God of love. This God loves people and wants to heal them from their destructive sinful nature. This God is never angry at people for the things they do because he understands that their sinful nature is beyond their control and he just wants to love them and help them. This perception of God helps the part of the brain where our decision-making capabilities reside. Jennings describes how the brain works, drawing on some incredible findings in the field of neuroscience. The brain’s plasticity and ability to be rewired by our behaviors is outstanding and a testament to God’s incredible creativity in designing the human brain. Jennings seeks to help people to have an accurate perception of God and shows how this rewires our brains for good.

I got really excited when I read the description of this book, so I wanted to read it as soon I could. By the end of the book, however, I was greatly disappointed. To be sure, Jennings presents a lot of helpful insights and his heart is clearly in helping people to get better. But the book seems to try to paint a God more in the image of the one in Jennings’ imagination than the one the Bible describes. Jennings shows that fear hurts the brain. It makes sense. And it would be easy to draw the conclusion that God wouldn’t do things that intentionally cause fear because he doesn’t want to harm our brains since he designed them to respond in that way. I get it. However, the Bible presents us with a God who is very often fear-inducing. Jacob in the Bible even once refers to God as the “Fear of Isaac.” The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Sure, we’re told time and again not to fear, but that is because if we trust in God he is for us. If we make God our enemy, we have much to fear.

Jennings resorts to reinterpreting countless passages of Scripture to say what he believes they say. For example, he repeatedly tries to explain away God’s anger by looking at passages where God says he’s angry and trying to show us why that doesn’t mean what we think it means. I think he’s right in some areas about the actions of God in anger because I don’t believe God is a divine thrower of temper tantrums. But I think if God says he’s angry, I think he means that he’s angry. Who are we to try to explain that away as if we think we’re God’s public relations agent?

Jennings wants to show that God doesn’t produce fear, but story after story in the Bible shows us a God who does things that produce fear in human beings. He tries to explain this away as well as God being so loving that he’s willing to be misunderstood. But according to Jenning’s research, God being misunderstood is very damaging to the brain.

Finally, because the traditional view of hell doesn’t fit the perception of God that Jennings is trying to present, he opts for a view of hell that’s as unclear as Rob Bell’s. He seems to be advocating a form of annihilationism, but it seems that he could possibly be supporting a form of universalism in which everyone’s sinful nature is eventually burned away. I wish I could believe in annihilationism, but the biblical evidence doesn’t seem to support it, and the biblical witness certainly leaves out the option of universalism.

I think Jennings is right to want to obliterate the view of God as an angry tyrannical hateful ruler of the universe because I believe God is ultimately loving. I also believe that God is misunderstood and that we have to use our minds to understand what he is saying to us. How do you explain the effects of fear on the brain? I’m not a scientist, so I can’t say, but I think there’s probably a lot more going on than scientists have currently discovered about the human brain. I support the heart behind THE GOD-SHAPED BRAIN, but I can’t support all of the theological conclusions of it. Being a book review, I can’t adequately wrestle with every issue in the book. That would require a book in itself. But readers should read with a critical mind.

Review copy provided by InterVarsity Press

Photo Credit: InterVarsity Press

Review of WHY CITIES MATTER by Justin Buzzard and Stephen Um

2013-05-17T06:56:00.001-05:00

WHY CITIES MATTER by Justin Buzzard and Stephen Um is an insightful, thought-provoking, and stirring book about the role of cities in God’s creation. Buzzard and Um are both pastors in major cities, so they speak as practicitioners and, as you’ll come to see throughout the book, men who love the cities and people they serve. The authors look at cities, what they are, why people flock to them, and what vital role they play in the world we live in. Then they look specifically at the role of the city in God’s redemptive plan for the world, and this part is incredibly enlightening.

I hadn’t thought much about cities before reading this book, but this book opened my eyes to the way culture is shaped both in and by cities which are made up of people. Cities present incredible opportunities for redemptive purposes, and the authors show how to contextualize the gospel in the midst of the city.

WHY CITIES MATTER is an important book, and I found it to also be a very exciting book. The authors paint an incredible picture of what God is doing through people gathered in cities, and it will likely make you want to be a part of what God is doing.

Review copy provided by Crossway Books

Photo Credit: Crossway Books

Review of REWRITE, Second Edition by Paul Chitlik

2013-05-09T02:45:00.001-05:00

Second Edition Coming November 2013

REWRITE by Paul Chitlik is a step-by-step guide for screenwriters to take the first draft of their screenplay and greatly improve it. Chitlik states that screenplays often go through several rewrites before a final draft is achieved. He gives some very practical tips on how to make this process effective.

Chitlik covers two types of story structure and what types of stories they fit best - 3-act structure and the mythic structure often associated with Joseph Campbell. He then outlines how to develop your story's characters. I loved the chapter on the emotional relationship in the story. There's a chapter on effectively eliminating pages from your script to tighten the story without losing any of the most vital parts. Each chapter has assignments for you to work on as you're reading so that ideally you're completing a rewrite of a script in the course of reading the book. There are ample examples from well-known movies throughout go illustrate Chitlik's points.

REWRITE is invaluable resource for writers to tighten their scripts and make them better.

Review copy provided by Michael Wiese Productions

Photo Credit: Michael Wiese Productions

Review: QUIET INFLUENCE by Jennifer Kahnweiler

2013-05-08T05:48:00.001-05:00

I’ve always been an introvert, and I’ve always been aware of it. It’s been a frustration because as an introvert I find it hard to be influential, and yet I have this driving need inside of me to do something that impacts people. On top of that, I’m raising a little girl who is also an introvert, and I want to help her avoid some of the frustrations I grew up with. It seems like in the last few years that the world has been realizing the presence and potential of people with introverted personalities. Susan Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking was a powerful book and easily my favorite of 2012. Jennifer Kahnweiler, an extrovert ironically, has contributed some important insights on the inherent influential strengths of introverts and how to hone them and use them to be influential without trying to be someone else. Her new book is QUIET INFLUENCE. Kahnweiler identifies the influential strengths of introverts as:

Taking Quiet Time
Preparation
Engaged Listening
Focused Conversations
Writing
Thoughtful Use of Social Media

She devotes a chapter to each one, but also does a great job of describing how the strengths work together. There’s an opportunity to measure the level of each of your strengths, and there are practical steps to take to help strengthen the ones that aren’t as strong as they should be. Each chapter has some helpful stories that illustrate introverts in influential action. As an introvert, I wouldn’t say that I was unaware of these six strengths, but I do believe the book to be helpful in encouraging introverts to be who they are and not feel the pressure to be an extrovert. QUIET INFLUENCE should help introverts communicate effectively and influentially.

Review copy provided by Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Photo Credit: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Review: CONTAGIOUS by Jonah Berger

2013-05-08T04:53:00.001-05:00

If you want to be a communicator of ideas that spread widely and quickly, there's no better book that I can think of to help you package your ideas for sharing than the aptly titled CONTAGIOUS by Jonah Berger. Berger is a marketing professor at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Using a lot of research about the spread of ideas, Berger uncovers six characteristics that are likely to contribute to an idea's spreadability. They are:

Social Currency
Triggers
Emotion
Public
Practical Value
Stories

Berger shares stories throughout the book that serve to validate the ideas he presents for contagious content. An idea or product doesn't have to have all the characteristics to be contagious, but the more it has, the more contagious it is likely to be.

Some of the stories in the beginning were really surprising about the decisions people make and why. You'll likely run into many concepts that seem counterintuitive, but the book definitely helps to understand how to tap into human nature to make ideas more contagious.

I think CONTAGIOUS could be a very contagious resource for communicators and marketers. It was definitely a book I learned much from and enjoyed reading as well.

Review copy provided by Simon and Schuster

Photo Credit: Simon and Schuster

Review: A CAST OF STONES by Patrick Carr

2013-05-07T23:08:00.001-05:00

Errol Stone is a drunk. Chased constantly by a tragic past, Errol lives each day to drown out his memories with ale. No one would ever suspect he would ever be someone important, but that’s all about to change. The kingdom he lives in is in trouble. The king is near death, and he has no heir. The implications of the king dying without someone to take his place are dire, threatening to unleash an ancient evil that will destroy everything. But there are some who have a plan. The new king will be chosen by a religious group known as the readers. The readers cast lots to tell the future, and they will reveal the kingdom’s new leader. But something mysterious is trying to stop them at all costs. When Errol discovers that he himself is a reader, it puts him on a path that will change him and the kingdom. Who will he become?

I decided to pick up A CAST OF STONES by Patrick Carr because it looked like an interesting fantasy novel from a Christian perspective. I didn’t know what to expect, but as I read, I grew to love this story. Errol’s character undergoes an incredible transformation throughout the story that really made this into a hero’s journey. The story is filled with action, as well as many suspenseful moments that kept me turning pages to find out what will happen next.

The stakes in this novel are great, and Carr does this brilliantly as he reveals his back story through dialogue as the story goes along. The descriptions helped me to imagine the world the story takes place in and the characters and creatures within it.

A CAST OF STONES is the first book in a trilogy, and as a story on its own, it is a brilliant redemptive story. But also as the first book in a trilogy, I’m left wanting more. I have a feeling this story is going to get better and better, and Patrick Carr will be an author I look forward to from now on.

Review copy provided by Bethany House Publishers

Photo Credit: Bethany House

Review: C.S. LEWIS: A LIFE by Alister McGrath

2013-05-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

If I were to write that C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors and that his writings have shaped my thinking about God and the nature of the world we live in, I wouldn't be saying anything that countless others haven't already said. But how did C.S. Lewis become so popular? How did he become a voice that speaks into the lives of so many people about the Christian faith for so many years after his death? This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis, and Alister McGrath has given us a compelling narrative and rare look into the life of Lewis in C.S. LEWIS: A LIFE.

My first introduction to C.S. Lewis was in college when I was required to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for a class I was taking. I enjoyed the story, but it would be a few more years before I really grew to appreciate the story and the series as a whole. Lewis became a favorite of mine when I decided to pick up Mere Christianity a few years ago. I love to think, and Lewis got me to thinking. The book made so much sense of so many things that I felt like I wanted to say myself. As I continued to read more and more of Lewis’ works, I always felt like I was reading the works of someone who understood the way my mind worked. I was intrigued when I heard that Lewis came to faith as a result of a conversation with J.R.R. Tolkien. All of this combined to make Lewis a compelling figure in my mind. Where did all this come from?

That’s where McGrath’s book comes in. McGrath takes us on a journey from Lewis’ early beginnings in Ireland, through his development as an Oxford scholar, to his embracing of theism and then Christianity, to his rise as an apologist and author of popular works, to his complicated relationship with Joy Davidman, and finally to his death. Throughout, McGrath carefully intersperses where Lewis’ major works fall into the timeline of his life, including the possible driving forces and the implications of each. The book almost reads like a novel, revealing the hinge moments in the life of Lewis that shaped him into the man who would write such great Christian works, such as The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, and The Ransom Trilogy.

One of the aspects of the book that I loved was the period of time focused on Lewis’ career at Oxford. I always knew that Lewis taught at Oxford, but McGrath’s book shows how foundational this was to Lewis’ life and thought. I also loved reading about Lewis’ relationship with Tolkien and his part in the success of Tolkien’s most famous work, The Lord of the Rings. I was left saddened however by the turn in Lewis’ and Tolkien’s relationship in the end.

McGrath’s book cleared up so much that I didn’t know or realize about Joy Davidman and Lewis’ complicated relationship with her. Joy Davidman was an interesting character in Lewis’ life, and I didn’t realize the impact she would have on him and the motivations that drove her in the beginning. I loved McGrath’s comparison between the similarities, yet different perspectives, of The Problem of Pain and A Grief of Observed.

McGrath clearly did an extensive amount of research to write this book, reading everything that Lewis had written, including all of his surviving letters, in chronological order. McGrath compiled a history of Lewis’ life based on all the evidence he could find, and one of the interesting aspects of the book is his critical look at the dating of Lewis’ conversion, challenging Lewis’ own dating for it. I have to say it seemed convincing.

C.S. LEWIS: A LIFE is without question the best book I’ve read so far this year, driving me to want to go back and read Lewis’ works, including the ones I haven’t read. If you read this book, I think you’ll be pulled that way as well. Throughout the narrative, we meet so many people who impacted Lewis’ life: his father, his brother Warnie, the mother of a childhood friend Mrs. Moore, Owen Barfield, Arthur Greeves, Tokien, Davidman, and so many others. Therefore, if I had to some up the impression that I came away with from the book, I would have to say McGrath’s book is about the relationships in Lewis’ life and how they shaped him for better or worse. I can’t recommend McGrath’s biography of C.S. Lewis enough.

Review copy provided by Tyndale House Publishers

Photo Credit: Tyndale House

Review of START by Jon Acuff

2013-04-16T07:06:00.001-05:00

In 2011 Jon Acuff released his book QUITTER, which was a book all about pursuing your dream. The trick was to not quit your day job, but to utilize your day job to fund the pursuit of your dream job, while also doing excellent work at your day job. Acuff’s new book START goes deeper into the process of actually pursuing your dream. For many people, there are plenty of excuses not to start pursuing their dream. We may be afraid, or we may fear we need a complete map for how things should go before we get started.

But Acuff says we just need to start. We’ll never get anywhere if we don’t start. Acuff says to punch fear in the face, abandon the path to average, and run hard on the path to awesome. So how do we do that? Acuff breaks down the process into five very practical phases:
1. Learning
2. Editing
3. Mastering
4. Harvesting
5. Guiding

The great thing about the process as Acuff outlines it is that it’s a very practical path of continual development. We all start with learning, and by learning we learn what we’re gifted for and what we’re not. By editing out what is clearly not for us, we can focus on mastering the thing that is for us. Then we can enjoy the harvest, even as we continue developing. Finally, we can guide others on their path to awesome.

I love this book for its practical wisdom and the humor with which Acuff communicates throughout. I’m currently “starting” down my own personal path to awesome by pursuing alternative certification to be a teacher. This book is going to be very beneficial as I go down this path. I can’t recommend this book enough if you really want to pursue your dream.

Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson Publishing

Photo Credit: Thomas Nelson

Review of DOMINATION by Jon S. Lewis

2013-04-15T19:31:00.001-05:00

Sixteen-year-old Colt McAlister may be humanity’s only hope against the ruthless alien race known as the Thule. A prophecy concerning him, a human boy with Thule blood running through his veins, foretells that he will be the one to stop the Thule from overtaking humanity. But Colt’s not so sure. He worries the blood might be changing him? What if he becomes one of the Thule? With some of his closest friends around him training for combat in a Thule invasion, Colt must rise to the occasion and become the hero he was destined to be.

DOMINATION is the final book in Jon S. Lewis’ young adult C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy, and like most epic trilogies, the stakes are raised and everything is up for grabs in this story. I’ve really enjoyed this story because it’s been a true hero’s journey throughout, especially with the feel of a comic book superhero origin story. It’s a book that will appeal to young adults, and it tells a great story of God using a human being to be a rescuer of humanity.

DOMINATION has some surprises in it concerning the Thule which raise some interesting questions about our view of others not like us. The story progresses quickly, and the only drawback to it is that I felt like the ending happened too quickly. However, taken together, I thought Lewis created a unique and compelling story through the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy.

Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze Reviewer Program

Photo Credit: Thomas Nelson

Review of THE INFINITY RING: DIVIDE AND CONQUER by Carrie Ryan

2013-04-11T06:17:00.001-05:00

In the first INFINITY RING book, pre-teens Dak, Sera, and Riq are sent on an important mission to travel to "breaks" in the world's history, using the Infinity Ring, and repairing the damage done by the SQ. Dak's parents went missing in the timeline along the way, and now they must heal the breaks on their own and hope they run into Dak's parents again to rescue them. In INFINITY RING: DIVIDE AND CONQUER, the second book in the series, the three kids are thrust into the middle of a war brewing between the Vikings and the Parisians. Even worse, Dak manages to get himself separated from the other two and fighting on the side of the Vikings to survive. The break must be fixed, but they seem to only be making it worse. As the SQ's time warden closes in on them, they must find a way back together and a way to undo the damage they've caused. The future of the world depends on these three fixing history's timeline.

Each book in the INFINITY RING series is written by a different author. I worried how well the authors would be able to stay in one voice for each of the books, but as I read book 2 I felt like I was reading a book by the same author of the first book, James Dashner. DIVIDE AND CONQUER is written by Carrie Ryan. It's a middle-grade novel, but it packs some very intense situations into the plot. There's very real danger for the characters and very real emotional stakes as well.

Dak is an interesting and somewhat frustrating character because he's always getting himself into trouble. And he never learns his lesson, which is very fitting for the age he's at. Sera's motivation to get rid of the painful remnants of her parents gives the story an added dimension of what's really at stake. The villain of the story, the organization known as SQ, is still a mystery I'm eager to learn more about as the story continues.

The INFINITY RING series is a unique approach to storytelling in bringing different authors together to each lend their hand to a chunk of the story. Carrie Ryan's contribution in the second book carried the story forward the story forward really well, and I'm eager to continue the journey with these three characters.

Review copy provided by Scholastic

Photo Credit: Scholastic

Review of CINEMATIC STORYTELLING by Jennifer Van Sijll

2013-04-05T18:11:00.001-05:00

In the earliest days of filmmaking filmmakers had to come up with ways to tell a story without the use of dialogue because the ability to sync sound to film was still a thing of the future. This limitation forced filmmakers to be creative in how they conveyed a story on screen, considering such things as camera movements and transitions between scenes. CINEMATIC STORYTELLING by Jennifer Van Sijll looks at 100 ways to tell a story visually using techniques like camera angles, lighting, editing, sound, etc.

While dialogue is an important part of storytelling, filmmaking is obviously a visual medium and the author teaches writers and other filmmakers to keep in mind the conventions that the visual medium naturally encourages. The book includes excerts from scripts and screen shots throughout to help illustrate the techniques.

CINEMATIC STORYTELLING will help screenwriters become better visual communicators and filmmakers as a whole tell better stories.

Review copy provided by Michael Wiese Peoductions

Photo Credit: Michael Wiese Productions

Review of THE RUNAWAY KING by Jennifer Nielsen

2013-03-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

Jaron is just a boy. His parents and brother are dead as the result of an assassination, and he must assume his rightful place as the new king of Carthya. Only a few weeks ago Jaron himself was thought to have been killed years ago by pirates, until it was discovered that his dad hid him away in a life on his own. Jaron has been a survivor, and he'll need the skills he learned all those years on his own now more than ever because many people want him dead, including the pirates he escaped years before. Jaron is forced to flea the castle and his homeland to keep Carthya from going to war. Jaron is unpredictible and irresponsible, and no one believes he has what it takes to be king. On the run, he makes what most will believe to be some of the most reckless actions of his life. Will he survive? Will he rise to the challenge of being king?

THE RUNAWAY KING by Jennifer Nielsen is the second book in her Ascendance Trilogy. I loved the first book for the incredible twist at the end. I loved this book even more because it delves so much deeper into the character of Jaron. He's had a rough life, and much of his life he's had to be unquestionably selfish in order to survive. Now he is Carthya's king, and a former friend is trying to kill him. His arrogance shines through on almost every page of the story, and you wonder if he'll ever get past this major flaw in his character. You even wonder if he even cares about the people of Carthya. But as the story goes along, and Jaron does things that seem really stupid and counterproductive, you begin to see a different side of him. It's the reason why he does what he does in this story that blew me away in the end.

THE RUNAWAY KING is a uniquely told hero's journey about a boy who seems destined to be a rescuer, even though everything about him would say otherwise. Nielsen kept me turning pages all the way to the end. It's action-packed, emotionally-stirring, and the end made me really wish I could go ahead and dive into the third book. I was quickly recommending this book to friends even as I read it, and Nielsen will be an author whose work I will continue to look forward to with an expectation that I'm about to read another great story.

Review copy provided by Scholastic

Photo Credit: Scholastic

Review of BASIC.TEACHING, a Video by Francis Chan

2013-03-28T10:04:00.001-05:00

In his video BASIC.TEACHING, Francis Chan pours his heart out on the Scriptures and how believers should be committed to learning from them and drawing close to God through them. Chan talks about the authority of the Bible and the need for authentic and faithful teaching. The first disciples taught what Jesus taught so that others could teach and Jesus' message would continue to spread.

Chan's heart in this video is clearly the idea of churches making disciples who make disciples. If we're believers in Jesus, then we're called to teach what Jesus taught. This includes measuring teaching against Scrpture so that we have accurate teaching. Another important idea Chan proposes is that reading the Bible should be something we want to do rather than feeling like a duty. The first disciples and those after them wanted to hear Jesus' teaching. How often do we pursue God's Word the wsy that they did.

The visual journey in the video really accentuates the ideas Chan is talking about. Chan is a passionate teacher, and we can learn some very foundational things through the BASIC.TEACHING video.

Review copy provided by David C. Cook

Photo Credit: David C. Cook

Review of EXTREME WORLDS by Francis Tsai

2013-03-28T09:57:00.001-05:00

If you're a drawing artist, you might come to a point where you want to draw something that doesn't really exist in our world. Something out of this world. EXTREME WORLDS: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DRAWING AND PAINTING SCI-FI ART by Francis Tsai gives artists the tools and knowledge to create fantastic sci-fi worlds, creatures, weapons, vehicles, and characters.

After covering some drawing basics, the book launches into the steps to drawing sci-fi art. The book doesn't stop with drawing but puts the techniques into practice by discussing some storytelling concepts in the genre of the space opera. The author covers creating your characters and world. The book includes numerous illustrations throughout that encourage the mind of images an artist can create.

EXTREME WORLDS is a great book for any artist interested specifically in creating sci-fi art.

Review copy provided by FW Media

Extreme Worlds
Amazon: amzn.to/WVgLgM
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/10nrq4y
North Light: bit.ly/Ub1tyg

Photo Credit: FW Media

Advanced Review of WRITER'S REHAB by D.B. Gilles

2013-03-27T21:51:00.001-05:00

COMING OCTOBER 2013

It's a common occurrence for writers to struggle with doing the very thing they feel they were made to do: write. There are a variety of different causes for a writer experiencing writer's block, but how to get past it? There are few things more frustrating than being a writer and not be producing something good that we want people to read. Screenwriter D.B. Gilles offers somewhat of a process of recovery for writers in his upcoming book WRITER'S REHAB. The book is written as a 12-step recovery program for writers "who can't get their acts together."

The 12 steps deal with issues such as perfectionism, being an 80 percent finisher, and coming up with high concept story ideas. The common denominator is that there is usually nothing stopping you from writing more than you are. Sometimes you just need to settle in and do the work. Gilles often encourages seeking therapy throughout the book to deal with serious issues, which wasn't really relevant to me, but I can see why it might be for some people. The book is aimed primarily to screenwriters, but all writers sometimes need a kick in the behind to do what they need to do, which is write.

WRITER'S REHAB is a compact little book that will help a writer explore the often unnecessary reasons for not writing and find useful exercises to get back to it.

Review copy provided by Michael Wiese Productions

Photo Credit: Michael Wiese Productions

Review of. WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT by Mary Kole

2013-03-27T18:31:00.001-05:00

WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT by Mary Kole explores the themes and techniques used that have made young adult stories like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games a success. Kole is a literary agent who knows the world of kidlit and writes with the goal of empowering writers with the skills to write captivating stories to reach a young audience. And, of course, some of the best kidlit works have crossed over to adult audiences as well.

The book of course features all the standard features of a book about writing fiction, such as plot, character, setting, etc. What makes Kole's book unique and especially helpful to writers interested in writing kidlit is her focus on getting into the minds of middle grade and young adult readers and understanding the themes that resonate with them most. There are even tips on starting your career in writing kidlit. Another helpful aspect to the book is Kole's explanations on the differences between middle grade and young adult stories.

WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT is a fantastic book for writers who want to break into the literary world carved out by J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, and many other lesser known authors.

Review copy provided by FW Media

Writing Irresistible Kid Lit
Amazon: amzn.to/12IhB0J
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/TljX1R
Writer’s Digest: bit.ly/Uopl4b

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Review of GOD AND EVIL edited by Chad Meister and James K. Dew Jr.

2013-03-23T13:32:00.001-05:00

The reality of evil and suffering in a world is a problem that everyone struggles with at some point, especially when it comes to believing in the existence of a good God who created the world we live in. If a good God created the world, why all this evil? GOD AND EVIL is a new book from InterVarsity Press edited by Chad Meister and James K. Dew Jr. The book is a collection of essays by scholars and Christian thinkers wrestling with the many different issues involved in the problem of evil. There's some interesting essays in this book, including possible reasons why God might allow evil, an essay on God's hiddenness, original sin and its origin, evil from the perspective of other religions, and of course hell. There are even essays on evolution and intelligent design.

I especially appreciate Bruce Little's contribution on gratuitous evil, Paul Copan's contributions on original sin, and William Craig's chapter on the doctrine of hell.

The only issue I had with the book, which could be a strength or a weakness to the book, is the differing and sometimes contradictory viewpoints taken up. For example, Craig argues for a particularist approach to hell which is followed by an essay by Kyle Blanchette and Jerry L. Walls arguing for more of a Rob Bell-like inclusivist approach. Someone reading this book hoping to come away with some solid answers may find themselves more frustrated by the end. Still, it was interesting to see some of these viewpoints side by side and would recommend it to someone who has already had some experience wrestling through the issues presented.

Review copy provided by InterVarsity Press

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Review of INCEPTION: SHOOTING SCRIPT by Christopher Nolan

2013-03-22T13:23:00.001-05:00

I became a Christopher Nolan fan after the first Batman movie, and INCEPTION quickly joined the ranks as one of my favorite movies. I love great movies, but I'm also a writer, so I was interested in Christopher Nolan as writer. I love the idea of the stunning visuals we see in movies beginning as words on a page. The INCEPTION SHOOTING SCRIPT gives me the opportunity to see Christopher Nolan the writer.

The book obviously contains the script of the movie, and it's a great journey through the story. It's amazing how you can see the movie playing in your mind. What I really love about this book is the interview at the beginning between Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan. It gives a lot of insight into how Nolan came up with the story idea for INCEPTION and gives you some idea of Nolan's creative process.

The INCEPTION SHOOTING SCRIPT will appeal to people interested in writing for movies. It will also appeal just to fans of INCEPTION.

Review copy provided by Insight Editions

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Review of COMPOSITION FOR COMPUTER MUSICIANS by Michael Hewitt

2013-03-22T13:14:00.001-05:00

Technology has given musical artists many creative opportunities. COMPOSITION FOR COMPUTER MUSICIANS by Michael Hewitt is aimed toward musicians who are interested in using computer technology to compose music.

The book covers computer programs you can use to score your music and what kind of equipment you'll need to be a computer musician. You'll learn important tips on writing for several different instruments and then focusing on layering the different parts in a recording. Use of effects, mixing, and mastering are covered as well.

There was a point in time when I was composing songs on a computer using Pro Tools and layering all the parts myself. This book surely would have been a great guide to help me make the most of my time during that period. COMPOSITION FOR COMPUTER MUSICIANS will give computer musicians some structure and parameters that will help drive their creativity.

Review copy provided by Course Technology PTR

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Review of LIVE SOUND FUNDAMENTALS by Bill Evans

2013-03-22T13:11:00.001-05:00

LIVE SOUND FUNDAMENTALS by Bill Evans is a book that covers the basics of engineering live audio. The first time I showed to do sound reinforcement when I was studying music and recording in college, I had no idea what I was doing and the process of learning was very frustrating. The textbook we had wasn't helpful, and I wish I had learned from a book like LIVE SOUND FUNDAMENTALS.

Evans' book is immediately helpful because it begins at the beginning of the signal chain and follows it all the way to the end of the chain. The book covers each of the points in the signal chain by devoting a chapter to each. Evans explains each of the concepts clearly, putting things in a way that beginners can understand. He even explains the etiquette an engineer should follow when doing a live audio event.

There are many books that cover sound engineering from a recording perspective, but this book is the best I've come across to cover live audio. It's a text I'll go back to over and over again.

Review copy provided by Course Technology PTR

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Review of TIME AND ETERNITY by Brian Leftow

2013-03-22T09:24:00.001-05:00

Is God timeless or temporal? Does he exist inside of time or outside of time? Why does it matter, and what are the implications of the view you hold? Theologians throughout history have wrestled with the relationship of God and time. Since time is a creation of God, it has often been assumed that God himself is timeless. But how does a timeless God interact with a creation that is in time? A philosophy of religion book by Brian Leftow called TIME AND ETERNITY wrestles with these questions and presents a view of God as timeless and seeks to show how this timeless God interacts with s temporal creation.

One of the strengths of this book is tracing the thoughts of important historical figures such as Augustine and Boethius on God's relation to time. He presents his own view while dealing with possible objections. He even tackles God's foreknowledge in a way that is similar to Molinism, which has been an interesting position in my mind for awhile.

The book is quite complex and I'll definitely have to go through it several times to grasp it, but it's a great treatment on God's relationship to time.

Review copy provided by Cornell University Press

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Review of IMAGINING THE KINGDOM by James K. A. Smith

2013-03-22T06:08:00.001-05:00

James K. A. Smith's book IMAGINING THE KINGDOM is an exploration of what it means and what it looks like to be a worshipping creature such as human beings. This book is a followup to his earlier book DESIRING THE KINGDOM. I haven't read the first book, but IMAGINING begins with an overview of the first book.

This book looks at worship and role of liturgies, both secular and Christian, in spiritual formation. The stories we tell and take in shape our imagination, and it is our imagination that fuels our formation. Smith looks both at the theory and practicality of our imagination in drawing closer to God and holiness.

The book is an exploration of the some greatest historical thinkers and many familiar stories. The book is weighty and therefore a somewhat difficult read, but it's an interesting exploration of the things that shape us as human beings.

Review copy provided by Baker Academic

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Review of THE MYSTERY OF GOD by Steven D. Boyer and Christopher A. Hall

2013-03-22T06:05:00.001-05:00

THE MYSTERY OF GOD by Steven D. Boyer and Christopher A. Hall explores the nature of God in that he cannot be completely known. He's a mystery, but not one that can be unraveled.

The authors recognize that God has revealed many things about himself to us, but at the same time, there is much about him that can't be knowable. And even what we know of God isn't knowledge in a way that we know other things. God is infinitely unique, and we must approach him with the humility that we are incredibly limited in our ability to understand him. This concept of mystery is then applied to some of the most difficult Scriptural concepts to understand. Mystery helps us to understand that concepts like the Trinity, the incarnation, and prayer don't have to be contradictory.

THE MYSTERY OF GOD is a call to pursue a God who is both transcendent and immanent, and it is the call to trust him as the one who knows all when we don't.

Review copy provided by Baker Academic

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