The Prodigy

Since Frank Peretti penned his groundbreaking Christian suspense novel This Present Darkness back in the '80s, he's been often emulated, usually without much success. Enter this supernatural page-turner, The Prodigy, which raises the bar for the genre. Gansky weaves theological questions about spiritual forces in contemporary culture into a thrilling saga that will keep the reader hooked from the first pages. Six-year-old Toby, a child prodigy from the backwoods of North Carolina, has strange powers. Toby walks through a hospital corridor, and patients with incurable illnesses are suddenly healed. Storms melt away at his words. He diagnoses and cures the innermost mental and physical afflictions of strangers. When Toby and his unusual gifts are noticed by those seeking money and power, disaster is inevitable.

Deeper questions underlie the text. Does God still perform wonders in today's world--and does he work through individuals, including children? Is there a dark side to the spiritual realm that can manifest itself? Although the ending is a bit of a shoot-em-up, good guys vs. bad guys- type of resolution, this novel provides a chilling look at greed, religion, and spiritual phenomena framed in fictional form. Expect some goose bumps. --Cindy Crosby