Firstly, let me address the issue of the genre that this book finds itself in, that of ‘Christian horror’, as I am not sure it is truly pitching it right. The book tells the story of a demonic cult who pitch themselves against a Christian church in a battle over the town. A brother goes against his twin, and the angels and demons take their sides.
So yes, it has content about the dark side of spirituality, in the same way that the books of Frank Peretti and Wendy Alec do. But in no way does it glorify that dark side, nor does it aim to entertain the reader with gore, haunting or shock. It uses the dark effectively to show the power of the light. To highlight the victory. It has none of the gratuitous content that one may associate with a “horror” story.
It is fast paced, full of suspense, maybe not a relaxing read but certainly entertaining in the same way that riding a roller-coaster is enormous fun. It is a powerful story of spiritual warfare, in the heart of a typical community that harbours both sides of the spiritual divide.
It is tense, scary, adrenalin inducing and the underlying message highlights the pull that the darker side of life can have, and the desperate lies that are presented to make it seem attractive, but despite the lies that our human nature is drawn to, there is a spiritual dimension that is more powerful.
Bound by Blood, by Shawn D Brink, is available here.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, but was under no pressure to provide a favourable review.
