Comes a Horseman

Author: Robert Liparulo

Westbow Press, ISBN: 0785261761

Synopsis: A recently widowed FBI agent and his tough-as-nails female partner are on the case of a serial murderer. The case turns ugly, though, when the agents themselves become targets of the killer. The resulting drama unfolds as the pair travels to the Middle East, following apocalyptic leads and shady characters through a network of deceit and megalomania, and, ultimately, to the man suspected to be the Anti-Christ.

To be honest, it is difficult to review this book in the “Pop Culture from a Spiritual Point of View� context of Hollywood Jesus. In this case, a more appropriate approach would be “Spiritual Culture from a Popular Point of View� (a great tagline for a different website). Unfortunately, Comes a Horseman reads like a strange Jenkins-LaHaye-Peretti-Oke hybrid—perhaps a Left Behind in This Present Darkness with a side order of romance. The novel is clearly written to a Christian audience, and will likely not be recognized beyond that scope.

I admit that I was somewhat disappointed in the book—not due to any deficiency in writing talent or plot development or characterization on Liparulo’s part, but because the book tries to be too many things to too many people. For those who enjoy crime thrillers, Liparulo’s general story may be intriguing—two FBI agents investigating a serial murder case, who end up as potential victims. Likewise, the apocalyptic bent of the storyline is engaging and rather on the creepy side. But other elements of the story dull the potential intensity of a crime thriller by detracting from the action with moments of religious introspection and transparent romance.

These literary distractions prevent the reader from thoroughly engaging in the spine-tingling thriller the story could be. Every time the drama takes the reader to the edge of his seat, the suspense is interrupted (and subsequently diminished) by a touchy-feely moment of Christian reflection or unfulfilled romance. The “spiritual� diversions include numerous “insider� references that only Christians would recognize—Christian song lyrics, biblical allusions, theological positions, and questions of sin and evil pervade the larger story arc in a rather obtrusive fashion. Similarly, the romance angle between the tragically-widowed-single-father and his career-addicted-but-oddly-feminine partner is predictable as an overused convention. What I found most disappointing is that the general plot of Horseman is most certainly strong enough to carry itself into the vast array of popular crime fiction; unfortunately, the heavy-handed Christian aspects and the out-of-place romance keep this novel from appealing to an audience beyond the conservative Christian who wants to feel like he’s reading a thriller without the associated guilt of enjoying “worldly� (and more believable) drama.

In short, Comes a Horseman is a well-written, engaging novel, with an unfortunately narrow audience. A bit more thrills (sans cheesy romance) and fewer overtly “Christian� references, and Liparulo would be in contention with the best “worldly� thrill writers of the day. Perhaps we can look forward to a broader focus in coming works.

Dreamer

LINKS
—Overview

It would be easy to think that Dreamer is your typical come-from-behind-and-beat-the-incredible-odds sports movie—a tale of harsh perseverance and wild dreams coming true. And it’s true that those aspects contribute to the setting of the film, but it doesn’t stop there. Through beautiful scenery, stunning camera work (sans overdone special effects), and a synergy among the cast members that rivals such great films as The Untouchables and Apollo 13, Dreamer knits together a warm story of brokenness and healing in which both children and adults can thoroughly lose themselves.

Soñador (Spanish for “Dreamer�) is a young thoroughbred, with winning in her blood. When a tragic injury during a race threatens to end her life, Cale Crane (Fanning) intercedes, and her father grants the racer a chance to mend in hopes of producing a winning foal. Cale’s determination to see the mare through provides the backbone of the narrative, but the injured horse is not the only spirit in need of healing.

Cale’s father Ben (Russell) harbors a bitter resentment toward his own father (Kristofferson)— a bitterness that threatens his own relationship with his Daddy’s-girl daughter. His escape into his racehorse-training business has also resulted in a significant strain on his marriage. When he abruptly loses his job, the entire family is thrust into an eddy of uncertainty, and their only hope is in a crippled horse.

But again, that is merely the background of the story. Throughout the journey of Cale’s determination to race Soña again, other, more significant breaks than the horse’s leg must be mended. Ben and his impenetrable Pop have a history of refusing to speak to each other beyond simple chit-chat, refusing to even try to understand each other. Pop’s former occupation as a successful racehorse trainer in his own right casts a lingering shadow over Ben’s ambitions, but Ben’s stubbornness prevails over asking his father for help—with the horse or anything else. Can this relationship be righted? Will Ben learn to trust his instincts, his father, his daughter, his wife? These are the foundational questions on which the movie is built—the remaking of a once all-but-dead racehorse merely parallels the remaking of a man.

The spiritual symbology of the film likewise surpasses the basic themes of hope and perseverance. Ben’s decision to grant Soña’s life later becomes a metaphor for Cale—she connects his act of grace with Soña’s own drive to become the winner she was born to be, presciently telling her father, “You saved her life; she’s just returning the favor.� Like another Savior whose business is healing the broken, Ben’s mercy results in Soña’s unmatchable gratefulness and desire to please her savior.

The film also delves a bit into God’s direct intervention and revelation in our lives, as Soña’s jockey, Manolin, is pressed into facing both his past and his future as a racer. The young man has already suffered severe injuries as a jockey—injuries that had been “revealed� to him in a dream prior to the fateful race, and have continued to haunt him since. When the dream became reality he stopped racing, believing God had told him it was time to stop. So when Cale chooses him to be Soña’s jockey, Manny is (not surprisingly) trepidatious, but the young girl’s determination is no match for his fear. Finally, the night before the Big Race, Manny has another dream—one which begins like the nightmare, but doesn’t finish. Later, he understands that God had again spoken to him, this time telling him it was time to race again.

While some aspects of Dreamer may seem predictable, there is precious little contrivance or pretense in director John Gatins’ vision of it. Fanning shines as a child comfortable in her own skin as well as in front of the camera with big-name actors. Kristofferson and Russell are wholly believable as father and son (beyond looking strikingly similar). And the story of a horse who was as good as dead being saved to a life of victory speaks loudly and clearly to those who are willing and ready to listen.

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin… But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:54-57

Continue:
—Overview