The Strange Man by Greg Mitchell (Book Review)

Title: The Strange Man (The Coming Evil Trilogy - Book 1)
Author: Greg Mitchell
Publisher: Realms


About the book:  Dras Weldon is the son and brother of pastors.  He has grown up believing in God, but at 22 is really not grown up at all.  He wastes his rent money on action figures, money he usually has to get from his parents, and spends his nights getting loaded at The Rave Scene.  Rosalyn, his best friend since they were kids, usually is the one who cleans up after him and makes sure he gets home okay.  They can usually be found together, and if not at The Rave Scene are watching movies together or on the phone.  Dras hasn't given it much thought, much like his faith, but really couldn't live without Rosalyn.

Rosalyn, however, has been accepted at a college out of state.  She is not sure she is going to be able to leave Dras, even though they are just friends. Then, one night at The Rave, she dances with a stranger, one that leaves her breathless and lingers in her mind.  Unfortunately, he is the devil in disguise, and he is both attracted to her and wants to kill her, as she reminds him of someone from his past.

This Strange Man - as the few who see him in his true form think of him, has not walked the streets of Greensboro for a long time. There are stories that have been passed down from generation to generation about the bogeyman that scratches on children's windows and if they are still awake he snatches them away.  Could this be the bogeyman?

The Strange Man realizes that he will not be able to have Rosalyn until Dras is out of the picture.  Their love and loyalty for each other is too pure, so he shows his true self to Dras.  He finds he cannot harm Dras as he is protected by God, so tells him to leave town or Rosalyn will pay.  Dras realizes he cannot leave Rosalyn to face the strange man alone and sets out to share with Rosalyn about God's love - but will it be too little too late?  Has the life he lived up to this point made too big of an impact on her already?

My thoughts:  This is one book that I could not put down!  I ended up staying up way later than I should have one night to finish it - and then remembered it was the first of a trilogy!!!  I can't wait for book 2 to go on with the story.  Where it was a good ending for book 1, there is still so much that can happen and so much that we don't know.  I really liked Dras.  He was very realistically portrayed as a young 20 something in today's world - someone who is searching for something, but at the same time not really looking. The book would be great for someone who is on the line about their faith or as a good jumping off point to introduce someone to Christ without overwhelming them at all.  I can't say it enough - terrific book and terrifying at the same time!

Find Greg Mitchell at his blog - The Official Home of The Coming Evil Trilogy

~Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva Publicity Coordinator, Book Group Strang Communications for sending me a review copy.~

Go here to read the first chapter of The Strange Man.The Strange Man: The Coming Evil, Book One
Publisher/Publication Date: Realms, Feb 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-61638-194-3
304 pages