List Price: $24.99 Binding: Hardcover Page Count: 544 Trim Size: 6 x 9
ISBN: 978-1-4143-0904-0 CPC Sub Category: Contemporary Release Date: July 2008
When a condemned man with nothing to lose meets one with nothing to gain, everyone washed by the endless ripples of that encounter will forever recall the day a little bit of heaven invaded a whole lot of hell. Brady Wayne Darby and Thomas Carey could hardly have been more disparate individuals. Yet when Darby, a no-account loser raised in a dingy suburban trailer park, encounters Carey, a weary man of God, an entire--state indeed, a nation--is affected. Embark on a wondrous journey where death, guilt, and despair are unfathomably trumped by rebirth, forgiveness, and hope.
Author Jerry Jenkins says: "This is the novel I have always wanted to write. I determine whether a fiction idea has merit by how long it stays with me. Does it rattle in my brain, and do I find myself telling it to my wife and other confidants? Is it the type of a tale that will draw me back to the keyboard every day? Two-thirds of my published books have been novels, and only three have had that effect on me. I give my all to every one, but special joy and anticipation attend those that genuinely feel like the best ideas. Riven is my fourth such labor of love. The two main characters have remained in my memory since high school 40 years ago. The story idea is perhaps 20 years old. And those mystical, interweaving elements I hope make it all work have been tugging at me for more than a decade. If a novelist has a life's work, this is mine. I hope in the end you agree and that Riven stays with you long after the final page."
Jerry B. Jenkins, former vice president for publishing at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago and currently chairman of the board of trustees, is the author of more than 175 books, including the best-selling Left Behind series. Twenty of his books have reached the New York Times Best Sellers List (seven in the number-one spot) and have also appeared on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal best-...
“Thoroughly moving, RIVEN leaves an indelible impression on the reader. Its characters and message stay with you long after the final chapter. For me, it is also a deeply personal reminder of why God called me to prison ministry so many years ago.” Chuck Colson – Founder - Prison Fellowship
“Jerry Jenkins sets the standard for creative stories and compelling novels. Any bookshelf that is lacking his writing is missing a treasure. Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author
“Jerry Jenkins writes from his heart a unique and engaging story. RIVEN is touching and unforgettable.” Randy Alcorn, best-selling author of Heaven
“This novel will stay with you long after the final page. RIVEN’S complex characters will keep you riding an emotional wave until you are washed ashore in an astonishing conclusion. Read RIVEN at your own risk. It might unsettle the way you live.” Dr. Michael and Cindy Easley - Moody Bible Institute, President
“Some books are fun to read; other books testify to real life transformation. RIVEN does both. You’ll recognize yourself in the character – the weary man of God, the rebel without cause, the searching 20-something. Find in their stories the place where real life begins – on level ground at the foot of the cross. Jenkins gives hope to anyone thinking that they’ve run too far from God. RIVEN pictures God’s relentless pursuit of each of us. RIVEN is a testimony to God’s power to transform any and every repentant person.” James MacDonald, pastor and Bible teacher, Walk in the Word
"In RIVEN Jerry Jenkins has literally cast a "good spell." I was captured from the beginning and found myself becoming so absorbed in the characters I felt like I could call them by phone! The story takes you on a journey of emotions that leaves you breathless in the end. The word awe comes to mind, and any book that takes you to such a place in your heart is priceless indeed! I highly recommend it to all!" Ray Bentley, pastor, Maranatha Chapel, San Diego, California
Reviews: CBA Retailers and Resources Magazine
“Jenkins’ RIVEN leaves a lasting impression long after the final page is read.”
Christian Retailing
“New York Times best-selling author Jenkins said RIVEN is the novel he’s always wanted to write, perhaps because of its story of redemption. It may also prove to be the book the average bibliophile has always wanted to read.
With RIVEN, Jenkins has delivered a gripping, page-turning inspirational novel about redemption and a life changed. The easily accessible story is poised to appeal beyond the author’s “Left Behind” fans to a wider range of readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly
“Left Behind fans may be surprised by Jenkins’ versatility”
Harriet Klaussner – Amazon #1 reviewer
“Jerry B. Jenkins is one of the best Christian authors writing today. RIVEN is a memorable tale starring a man who feels he is a failure and another who only has death waiting for him in three years time. They met and both feel the Lord working through them giving each what they need. This book will move the audience in so many ways and make them feel so many things. This is a masterpiece”
Deanna Peterson at Deannasbooks.blogspot.com
“RIVEN” is unlike any book I’ve ever read. It’s also unlike any book Jerry B. Jenkins has ever written.” Is that a good thing? Absolutely!
By the end of this massive story, you will no longer be a mere observer. You will be woven into its fabric, and it will seep into your pores and become a piece of your existence. You will go places you never wanted to go, see things you may not want to see, and feel things that will be difficult to feel.
But you will never take another minister for granted, and you will never look at a lost soul the same way again.
Masterfully written, RIVEN will most definitely remain a part of who you are. And that’s a very good thing.
It’s that good.
Nancy Harris, KLTF Radio Reviewer
“I had a very cool privilege over the weekend – author Jerry Jenkins, whom you might know from the left behind series has a new book out that hits store shelves today, and I got to read it a bit early. It’s called RIVEN, and it tracks the lives of a career criminal and a prison chaplain whose paths eventually intersect when the criminal lands on death row. Now, was it a good read? Absolutely – Jenkins has a gift for rapid-fire chapters that alternate between parallel plot lines and cliff-hangers that pull the reader from one chapter to the next – it is one of those books you really don’t want to put down. But I will say, that if you were a juvenile delinquent in high school, like I was, it will make you remember things about your teenage years you would just assume forget…if you’re a pastor who has faced rejection from congregation after congregation over a lifetime of service, it will make you remember things you would just assume forget. But what I hope readers will gain from it is the ability to put themselves in others’ shoes; to judge less; forgive more. And know that no matter how we might view others, god loves us all, just the same, and his will is that none should be lost. Check it out…RIVEN…by Jerry Jenkins.
I mentioned earlier that I got to read a pre-release copy of Jerry Jenkins’ new book, RIVEN, over the weekend, and while it’s an excellent read, I’m still struggling with some of the emotions it dredged up. One of the main characters is a career criminal who really wants to make good decisions in life, but makes the wrong ones at every turn. Now obviously, I’m not a career criminal, but I so related to that character in Jenkins’ book, especially during his high school years…I was right back in the hallways of Lewis Palmer high school …getting bad grades, not fitting in, skipping school, hating my life, making bad decisions – and the most frustrating part was not even knowing why I made such bad decisions – it was like they were out of my control. If you’ve been there and done that, you know what it’s like to look back and examine that…it’s a desolate, depressing place to go mentally. And, you can imagine my peace now when I read Paul’s words in Romans, where he says, “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing!” Wow! I’m not the only one! And,
Paul cries for “rescue”… that’s exactly what I was crying for…back then, and at times, now. What I’ve discovered, is that there’s only one source of rescue…a relationship with Jesus…I wish I’d figured that out sooner…but I will say this…the dark times then make me that much more grateful for the peace he gives me now!”
Faithfulreader.com
“Jenkins succeeds in emotionally engaging readers through his two main characters”
Take the Challenge Blog
“I’m writing this review as the tears are just beginning to dry on my face. RIVEN by Jerry Jenkins is a powerful, life-changing/impacting novel. Read the unfolding story of these lives, how they affect each other, and ultimately how Truth revealed changes all their lives.
RIVEN is for the person who feels absolutely hopeless. RIVEN is for the person who has given and given in ministry yet feel their work has yielded now results. RIVEN is for the person who enjoys good reading. RIVEN is one of those rare books that’s for everyone. If you buy only one book this year, buy RIVEN.”
Greg Cantelmo – A Look at Books – KPXQ; Chandler, AZ
“I finished RIVEN this weekend and WOW! It moved my heart and brought tears to my eyes. That doesn't happen often.”
From the Publisher:
“Jerry Jenkins is one of the most entertaining novelists of our day and RIVEN does not disappoint. This book is special for two reasons. It’s message of grace is powerful and profound – this is the kind of book that you will want to pass on to others. In fact, even as an advance reader copy the book has been passing from person to person. Also, this is the book Jerry says he has been waiting to write for twenty years. He has labored over this novel like none other he has written. His passion for this book clearly shines through in every page. With Riven, Jenkins is at the top of his game. Ron Beers – Publisher, Tyndale House Publishers
“What an incredible story! I grabbed whatever time I could to keep learning about and learning from the characters in this story. I was moved to tears as I read about the revival in prison. As my wife said to me last night, “that book must have been good. You don’t usually read a book that fast.” I am so excited about the ministry potential of this book. I hope Jerry receives thousands of letters from people stating how their hearts were touched from the words you put together. It will be great to see how God uses this book in the months and years ahead. I think it has all the ingredients to become an instant classic. Jeff Johson – COO Tyndale House Publishers
“Riven is a phenomenal story. I found myself engrossed in it to the very last page.
I like Brady Darby, and I was rooting for him at every step of the way--although he makes bad decision after bad decision. I found myself saying, "Brady, don't do it!" He finally ends up in a maximum security prison. I've never visited such a facility, so I don't know how accurate Jenkins is in his descriptions, but it's certainly chilling.
I think Thomas Carey is all too typical of small-town pastors who struggle to find meaning in their calling. So I was fascinated by Thomas's transition to the role of prison chaplain. And of course his life finally intersects with Brady's deep in the bowels of the prison.
Jerry Jenkins says this is the novel he has always wanted to write. Well, I think he has hit a homerun. This is a novel people will think about long after they finish it--and they'll want to discuss it with friends.
There are a few elements that are unbelievable, but I didn't find that they detracted from the flow of the story. I recommend this book to anyone--Christian or non-Christian. Mark Taylor – President and CEO , Tyndale House Publishers
Personal Letters:
“I received an advance copy of RIVEN a few weeks ago. I took it to the beach with me last week and knocked it out in a couple of days. I can totally see why you are calling this book your life’s work. It is easy to see how you love both of these characters. The crucifixion aspect took me by surprise! I knew that when I finished the last page that it is a story that will stay with readers and hopefully have them reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice. That’s why I love Christian fiction! Sometimes a novel is the best way to present Biblical truths. I look forward to presenting it to our customers this summer. Rachel McRae, Lifeway Christian Stores
“I couldn’t put RIVEN down! I now have a new personal favorite book! I was blown away. For this reader and reviewer, I believe it will stay with me long, long, long, after the final page. What an awesome, awesome, heart-wrenching book! Thank you for writing it. Beth Anderson – Reviewer, Christian Retailing
“I started reading RIVEN on my way home from ICRS, I just finished it. Now I’m trying to think of superlatives I should use to describe it. I think I will settle on “it was a wonderful read! I was hooked from the very beginning and cried through the final chapters.” Kendra Smiley
“I was sent a copy of RIVEN a few weeks ago and I couldn’t put it down. I passed it on to a friend, who actually spent time in prison, and know he will enjoy it. It is a great story! Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I’m praying that God will continue to use the gifts and talents that you have dedicated to him for his glory until his final appearance. As we watch all of creation crying out for his return and we wait patiently in expectation I’m thankful for the books that will remain to give testimony of the fact that God’s Word is true. Kathie Kregal, Kregal Parable Christian Store, Grand Rapids, MI
“I loved RIVEN, as I read I felt your compassion for inmates and for correctional chaplains. This book was a real inspiration. Karen Swanson, Director of Institute for Prison Ministries
“Mr. Jenkins has given so much to us by his writing through the years. And I would agree that RIVEN is one of his best. I cannot say how many times parts of the story, the characters, have crossed my mind since finishing the book. I know I'll read it again. Like Mr. Jenkins said on the air, "Everyone has someone in their family whom they are praying for." Peg Jones; Jackson, TN
