Don't Bother Reading This Book

I recently visited our local Christian bookstore. As I always do when I go there I checked out the bookcase featuring local authors. 

I spotted Seaside Journey's of Faith by Jay Diedreck. I had read and enjoyed (though with reservations) his first book, Klem Watercrest, The Lighthouse Keeper, so I thought I'd give this one a try.

This book offered more of the same in terms of nice characters trying to live as faithful people. The plot was okay, though predictable.  

But, alas, the flaws of the first book were even more pronounced in this self-publishing effort.

The paragraph indents were weird, as if he put in the wrong coding or kept hitting Tab. He repeatedly used the wrong/misspelled names and words - "Santa and Mrs. Clause" when it should have been "Claus," naming a girl "Francis" instead of the feminine form "Frances," referring to Charles Dickens as "Dickinson," multiple instances of "addenda" used for "agenda," "instances of "complements" used when he meant "compliments," talking about a store "isle" when he meant "aisle,." he repeatedly used "neckless" when he meant "necklace," a groom was described as wearing a "cumber bum" instead of a "cummerbund," etc. Sadly, there are many additional examples. The more I read, the more the former editor in me began to develop a nervous tic.

Those flaws might have been overcome if the writing had been better. Alas, it was not. It was decidedly amateurish, consistently stiff and awkward. And the dialogue was more often than not unnatural and frequently unintentionally laughable. 

Sigh.

Many well-meaning Christian movies are flawed. Ditto for many well-meaning Christian novels. 

But this book did not rise to even their flawed level. 

Diedreck may be a wonderful human being, a nice, faith-filled person like some of his characters. But as a writer he needed a good editor! 

I do not recommend this novel, and I no longer feel tempted to read any of his other books.

Pax et bonum