It may seem like an odd addition to the library of a former pastor, but it’s precisely because I’m a former pastor that I appreciate his stories and his perspective, or at least one aspect of it: humans have a unplumable capacity for evil, with an equal measure of longing for justice.
Intuitively, we know that things aren’t the way they are supposed to be, and we aren’t either; we’re bent as much as the world is broken. And we long for a fix to make things right. His Bill Hodges Triology is one of my favorites that fully explores this tension.
Now I add Holly to the list. And I explain why in this episode fit for Halloween.
What I appreciate about King and other horror writers is their honest interrogation of our relationship with monsters — both outside ourselves, the darkness we confront in life, and also those hiding within. Holly takes an especially hard look at an important theological insight into human nature:
Just when you think you’ve seen the worst human beings have to offer, you find out you’re wrong. There’s no end to evil. (p. 442)
Listen to the episode and don’t miss the last day to grab my own interrogation of the darkness with Rite of Darkness, the 7th book in my Order of Thaddeus series that leverages the occult supernatural suspense sub-genre to spin a spooky tale.
The novel is on sale for $2.99. OR...buy directly from my bookshop for $1 — PLUS get a FREE behind-the-scenes audio commentary + story concept outline.
Whispers of Stephen King and echoes of Frank Peretti haunt every page, crafting a soul-stirring collision between the diabolical and the divine that will keep you up at night! ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ "A great scary Religious thriller about Occult!!" ~ Reader Review
For a spooky thrill on the cheap, jump to your retailer of choice to start the page-turning, heart-thumping ride! But hurry: the sale ends when the candy's gone at the stroke of midnight today.
This frightening tale combines faith, fact, and fiction to weave an explosively inventive religious thriller steeped in occult suspense that raises the stakes for the Order of Thaddeus like never before — taking the series and its characters in a direction that will leave fans speechless.
J. A. Bouma believes nobody should have to read bad religious fiction—whether it’s cheesy plots with pat answers or misrepresentations of the Christian faith and the Bible. So he tells compelling, propulsive stories that thrill as much as inspire, while offering a dose of insight along the way. Available at most online retailers and direct: shop.jabouma.com.
R & F Podcast Ep. 023 | Stephen King is my theological hero. Here's why.