CFBA Presents EYE OF THE GOD by Ariel Allison

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing
eye of the god
(Abingdon Press - October 1, 2009)
by
Ariel Allison



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Allison is a published author who lives in a small Texas town with her husband and three young sons. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006). Justin Case, the first of three children’s books will be published by Harvest House in June 2009. Ariel is a weekly contributor to http://www.christiandevotions.us/ and has written for Today’s Christian Woman. She ponders on life as a mother of all boys at http://www.themoabclub.blogspot.com/ and on her thoughts as a redeemed dreamer at http://www.arielallison.blogspot.com/.


From Ariel:
I am the daughter of an acclaimed and eccentric artist, and given my “unconventional” childhood, had ample time to explore the intricacies of story telling. I was raised at the top of the Rocky Mountains with no running water or electricity (think Laura Ingles meets the Hippie Movement), and lived out the books I read while running barefoot through the sagebrush. My mother read to me by the light of a kerosene lantern for well over a decade, long after I could devour an entire novel in the course of a day. Authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, George MacDonald, and L.M. Montgomery were the first to capture my heart and I have
grown to love many others since.


ABOUT THE BOOK

eye of the god takes the fascinating history surrounding the Hope Diamond and weaves it together with a present-day plot to steal the jewel from the Smithsonian Institute.

We follow Alex and Isaac Weld, the most lucrative jewel thieves in the world, in their quest to steal the gem, which according to legend was once the eye of a Hindu idol named Rama Sita. When it was stolen in the 17th century, it is said that the idol cursed all those who would possess it. That won’t stop the brilliant and ruthless Weld brothers.

However, they are not prepared for Dr. Abigail Mitchell, the beautiful Smithsonian Director, who has her own connection to the Hope Diamond and a deadly secret to keep. Abby committed long ago that she would not serve a god made with human hands, and the “eye of the god” is no exception. Her desire is not for wealth, but for wisdom. She seeks not power, but restoration.

When the dust settles over the last great adventure of the Hope Diamond, readers will understand the “curse” that has haunted its legacy is nothing more than the greed of evil men who bring destruction upon themselves. No god chiseled from stone can direct the fates of humankind, nor can it change the course of God’s story.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of eye of the god, go HERE


JEN'S THOUGHTS

I've always been fascinated by the mystery surrounding the Hope Diamond, so I was especially excited to read eye of the god. I was expecting a good read. What I wasn't expecting was the effortless weaving of historical fact and modern-day thievery, both equally as thrilling.

Dr. Abigail Mitchell has father issues. She also knows more about the Hope Diamond than just about anybody in the world. Alex Weld is one of the world's most successful and cunning jewel thieves. When their paths cross, the sparks fly and suddenly, nothing is exactly as it seems.

It's hard to say too much about eye of the god without giving away the plot. Suffice it to say that zigs and zags abound. Author Ariel Allison deserves mad props for making the historical portion of this tale so compelling. From the time the diamond is procured in India in 1653, we follow the path of the diamond and the lives of the people it touches. Their stories, interspersed with the present day heist, underscore the fact that the real curse of the Hope Diamond may be the greed and lust it brings out in people who look to things for fulfillment.

eye of the god is a fast-paced, action packed book with a final twist that took me by surprise. If you're like me, you'll have a hard time putting this one down.