The Book of the Shepherd by The Scribe
This book, advocating grace instead of the law is well suited to me as I need extra grace for submitting this review approximately 2 months late. Moving past that introduction, I have to give this book mixed reviews. While a quick and easy read, the book was engaging at the start but then my interest began to wane as the book seemed to lose it way. I loved the stories of the different characters and the messages they conveyed, which kept me engaged and looking for the wisdom in each story. The plot then becomes simplistic with the main characters suddenly “falling in love” and promising themselves to each other after Joshua ventures into the cave, if Joshua returns safely. This is seemingly a quick infatuation without substance or story to substantiate the relationship. And the discovery of the treasure is relatively easy so that it leaves one wondering why it had not been found earlier. Surely overcoming the pit in the cave and knowing when to enter could have been figured out by any astute observer. The ‘great treasure” found, the parchment with the Law of Substitution, seems anti-climatic after the characters undertake such a journey culminated by entering the dangerous cave. The messages of the story are a bit confusing, mixing biblical principle references to those of everyone having power. The book states that everyone has the potential to be the “one” that can make the difference, when biblically there is only “One”. This story lacks the depth and truth to have the powerful impact that a book like “The Shack” had.
