Fatal Convictions by Randy Singer
Review by Benjamin and Angela Davenport
Fatal Convictions was a decent read and kept me on my toes until the very end. The “scenes” are very short, more like a modern television show or movie than a classical novel or play. It surprised me to be finishing chapters in only a few pages, but I imagine the short chapters were meant to set a quick pace and should be well received by a young, modern audience who is accustomed to the short scenes and used to obtaining information from quick moments.
The author also wrote from the vantage point of just about every character in the story. At times the perspective-changing felt a little tedious. It was not because they were poorly written, but because it often took a long time for these characters and their actions to connect and make sense in context of the larger plot. Nevertheless, nearing the end of the story there were several moments with huge payoffs and plot twists as pieces came together and I vividly remember squirming in my seat.
The main character, Alex Madison, is likeable but seems like the author is writing about his dream self rather than a real person. Although he is created as a well-rounded character, with multiple interests like a real human being, at times this doesn’t work towards his advantage. While it is believable that a person could balance the interests of surfing, law, and pastoring a church (and I‘m guessing that the author does so), for a literary character it doesn’t always come across as believable.
At the beginning I had a very hard time believing in Alex’s vocation as a pastor. It seemed like it was just tacked on for irony. Later the explanation about why he was a pastor helped only a little. The ending/epilogue felt very abrupt, and I didn’t feel that the reader was given enough reason throughout the book or the ending itself to believe it.
Perhaps my issues with Alex come from the fact that he acts sinfully and the author doesn’t seem to address any concern over Alex’s actions to the reader. Alex’s noncommittal, unequally-yoked relationship is something that I’ve seen friends struggle with and the author failed to Biblically address the problem. In fact, Alex was a pretty terrible excuse for a pastor with his lack of concern for sharing the gospel with the lost, and yet the author didn’t even seem to realize that there was a problem, let alone convey that message to his readers.
Aside from the watered-down Christianity this book portrays, it’s not a bad read and the nature of its content is appropriate for a Christian audience.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their blog review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
