Working through 'the Truth' ...

Lovett Memorial Library of Pampa, Texas, currently sponsors a Christian-fiction book group at Hampton Village in Pampa. This group is presently working its way through "The Whole Truth," a legal mystery/thriller by James Scott Bell. The next title slated on the inspirational group's reading list is "In the Presence of My Enemies" by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merrill.

Past reads for the group -- in no particular order -- include "The God Hater" by Bill Myers; "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom; "Bookends" by Liz Curtis Higgs; "Fatal Deduction" by Gayle Roper; "Comes a Horseman" by Robert Liparulo; and, last but not least, "Light of Eidon" by Karen Hancock. The Hancock book is the first in a four-part series. Each of these inspirational titles, by the way, are available at Lovett Memorial.

I plan to use this blog to discuss the aforementioned titles as well as any future titles deemed worthy of selection by the Hampton group. For those series-lovers, I highly recommend the Hancock series, so let's start there.

"Light of Eidon" is not typical of what I have thus far read in Christian-fiction. The debut novel in Hancock's "Legends of the Guardian-King" series, "Light" mainly serves as an introduction to an imaginary world crafted by Hancock in classic fantasy-fiction. Though the story is primarily told through the perspective of the Guardian-King, Hancock sprinkles the secondary characters' points-of-view throughout the series in unexpected intervals for a nice change of pace and action.

"Light" can be confusing as Hancock guides the reader through the basic construction of the Guardian-King's world. Consequently, this first book is not to be embarked upon by the easily discouraged. It requires the reader to stay dedicated through the first sixty- to seventy percent of the book. For the reader who perseveres though, "Light" is a fun and exciting adventure.

Hancock holds degrees in biology and wildlife biology. She is the award-winning author of "Arena" which I also highly recommend. Alack and alas, however, "Arena" is not present in our library. I must confess that I am NOT a series person, but once I'd knocked back "Light" I devoured, literally devoured, the remaining three "Legends of the Guardian-King" novels. "Light" and the Guardian-King series are not without imperfections, but Hancock gives the reader a break from the norm, an escape that is hard to put down.

On a scale of one to ten, I give the Guardian-King series a six. "Arena" earns a ten, a rare perfect rating from me. Other book groups hosted by Pampa's Lovett Memorial Library include a regular fiction/non-fiction adult book group and a couple of juvenile book groups.

The regular, adult book group meets once a month year-round at the library and is open to both men and women. New members are cordially invited to attend and check out the group's latest selection. For more information, contact the library at 669-5780. Additional information can often be found at the library's Web site at www.pampalovettmemorial.org.

Reading groups challenge us not only to read, but to read that which is not necessarily within our comfort zone and thus serve to expand our horizons. Join a book group today!