Review and Giveaway: An Open Heart by Harry Kraus

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
An Open Heart
David C. Cook (June 1, 2013)
by
Harry Kraus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from Harry:

I started writing my first novel during my last year of surgery training at UK. I was a chief resident, and started writing Stainless Steal Hearts in a call room at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Lexington. It was a crazy time to write! I had a very demanding schedule, often spending days and nights in the hospital. I had two sons at that time, and I recognized the wisdom in my wife’s urging: “Now doesn’t seem the right time for this dream.”

My experience as a writer is far from typical. Having received my formal training in biology and chemistry and medicine, my only preparation for a writing career was a love for reading. The longest thing I’d written before my first novel was a term paper in undergraduate school. My first novel was accepted by Crossway Books and published in 1994, and it wasn’t until after I had FOUR published novels that I even opened a book of instruction about the craft of writing fiction. This is not what I recommend to others! Yes, I was successful, but I was bending the “rules” without knowing it. I had a natural talent for plotting, but I realize my initial success may have stunted my growth as a writer. I’d have made faster progress if I’d have gone to the fiction teachers sooner.

I have three sons: Joel, Evan, and Samuel. Look closely in all of my books and you’ll see them there. My lovely wife, Kris, provides the basic composition for all those beautiful, athletic, dedicated women in my novels.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Their Messages—From Beyond the Grave—Might Destroy Him …

They hover between life and death, their hearts stopped on the surgery table. And the messages Dr. Jace Rawlings’ open-heart surgery patients bring back from beyond the grave cannot be ignored. For they predict the deaths of people around him, and point a finger of suspicion straight at him.

It thrusts Jace into a firestorm of controversy and danger. A maeltsrom blown by the darker winds of political intrigue and spiritual warfare. And the forces working against him will do anything to stop him from uncovering a truth they will kill to hide. He’d come to Kenya to establish a heart-surgery program for the poor. But what he will find in that place where he grew up will put everything at risk–his marriage, his career . . . his life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of An Open Heart, go HERE.

My thoughts and giveaway:

I couldn’t read this book fast enough to discover all the mysteries within the story. As the reader you will pick up on things that will make you want to reach into the book and say to the characters, “Put this together. Don’t you see the connections?”

From the back cover blurb I thought the book would be a bit different, but still it was a great read. It didn’t move as fast at times as I wanted it to. A lot of backstory, but it is needed, so I see why the author slipped it in there and in small chunks. It kept me flipping the pages so I could see the big picture by the end.

Most of the story takes place in Kenya and the author gives you a wonderful glimpse into it’s beauty, poverty, corruption and customs.

Jace is like many of us — his faith has been shaken and he doesn’t even know if he believes in God anymore, even though he was a missionary kid. Things have happened in his life that make him question what is real and what does he believe? Can’t we all relate, haven’t we all been there at one time or another? I know I have.

Jace is struggling to discover who he really is. But maybe the more important question is….who does God say he is?

Of course I spotted some Genesis 5020’s in the book, can you?

Pick a copy up at your local book store, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Christianbook.com.

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment by June 17th at 5:00 PM (US residents only).

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.