My rating: 4/5
In the small town of Ponderosa, Montana trouble arises. There is growing pressure to get inserted with the I.D, known to believers as the Mark of the Beast. Many people have willingly obtained the I.D., however there are those who remain resistive to the mandate. In turn, the local authorities have begun to take a more hostile and aggressive approach to enforcing the I.D. Yet, there remains a small group of believers in Jesus, whose refusal of the insertion of the I.D. causes them to flee the unjust treatment. Dissent by Jamie Lee Grey is an action packed, fast paced novel, that shows the resiliency of a group of believers as they navigate surviving a life as fugitives in the terrains of a dense forest. While maintaining their survival within the confines of the forest, they soon become aware that they are being targeted and hunted by the local authorities for their rebellion. Their faith and trust in the Lord will be their anchor to survival.
Luke 12:8-9 (ESV) “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
Dissent is an engrossing tale with memorable characters. There are two protagonists that yield the engaging plot. Raven Deepwater is a loyal follower of Christ, who receives a warning that the urgence of the acceptance of the I.D. will soon increase. She warns other believers and contacts several surrounding churches to warn fellow Christians of the impending threat. Willow Archer is a fellow loyal follower of Christ, who heeds Raven’s warning. She and her brother escape with Raven to the forest. Enduring feelings of grief, when a surprising newcomer shortly joins the group, Willow is faced with extending the grace of forgiveness despite her loss.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, as well as the skillful writing of author Jamie Lee Grey. Dissent is book one in a four-book series entitled ‘Band of Believers’. I am eager to read the other books in the series. Containing wise Christian faith content, I was encouraged by the resiliency that the believers upheld in the face of strong opposition. While reading this novel a question arose, what would one do if confronted with a life-threatening situation for refusing to deny Jesus Christ? I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrilling, faith filled novels, based on the tribulation.
