Recommendation : The Kingstone Bible : Volume 7 : The Exiles

The Kingstone Bible : Volume 7 : The Exiles

From Kingstone Media

*PLEASE NOTE: I received a hardcopy of this book to review for the publisher.

Kingstone Media has given comics readers another portion of the Old Testament in graphic novel form thanks to The Kingstone Bible: Volume 7: The Exiles. This interesting view into the plight of Israel is not only full of powerful storytelling but dynamic art, making it yet another valuable addition to the ongoing anthology (Volumes 1, 3, and 4, I have already reviewed). By collecting the stories of Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, the Kingstone Bible gives an impression of life for the Jewish people following their being taken to Babylon, while also highlighting some fantastic moments of this Biblical era.

Daniel provides the reader with the life story of one of the most beloved prophets. From Nebuchadnezzar through Belshazzar, this retelling shows the anti-Semetism of the times as well as the Lord’s ongoing faithfulness over the course of several decades. While some of the art could have gone further in detail (say, with Nebuchadnezzar’s going insane), the book is vibrant and moves at a relatively smooth pace.

Ezra follows Daniel and proves to be the weakest (and shortest) chapter in the volume.  I applaud  Kingstone for their attempt to capture Ezra’s plight, but I do not recall the thrust of the story at all, which is saying something given that I am writing this only two days after having reading it. That's just the truth. While I plan to revisit this piece of the volume, this interpretation of Ezra did not affect me on my initial reading.

Perhaps that is because it is overshadowed by Nehemiah, which is another wonderful segment of the volume, particularly because it highlights the difficulty of the prophet’s role in not only rebuilding the walls but also defending and governing the people. Nehemiah was a far more charismatic figure than I had previously considered, and the role his integrity played in his success is communicated beautifully. The best praise I can give Kingstone is that this volume made me want to revisit the text in a traditional Bible and see how it describes what Kingstone so vividly shows. This is some of my favorite work in The Kingstone Bible.

The book closes with Esther, and one could argue that Kingstone saved the best portion of the volume for last. While I enjoyed Nehemiah more, I think Esther is the best piece in The Exiles. Thanks to Beautiful art by Javier Salteres, the story of this Hebrew maiden turned Persian Queen is the quintessential tale of elegance and humility bringing honor and opportunity. I have never been so captivated by Esther’s story, and Kingstone’s telling allows it to move gracefully, like a fairy tale or modern princess film.

Noticeable by its absence is the voice of the Lord (except in the book of Daniel). It’s an interesting development considering the prior volumes that included the presence of God so overtly; however, in this portion of Israel’s story, it makes complete sense—and even benefits the narrative in providing context to just how far Israel as a nation had wandered. God did not speak to the Hebrews directly at this time; he used the prophets (and I think they are covered in another volume). His lack of direct, divine intervention is felt, but his ongoing faithfulness and mercy is as well.

Overall, The Exiles is a dense and moving tome. I hate to be hard on the book of Ezra, but it is a weak link in an otherwise fantastic chain of stories. The Kingstone Bible continues to surprise and delight with another great volume. Frankly, I wish I had a few million to toss their way to commission a full, chronological tale of the Scriptures, as they have the talent pool to create a vibrant and spiritually satisfying version.  Until that day, however (ha, ha), their present anthology will suffice as a wonderful version of The Bible in the comics medium.

The Kingstone Bible, Volume 7: The Exiles is available at The Kingstone Media Group site, as well as Amazon.

Recommendation: "All My Love" by Trip Lee and "Dead Preacher" by Jackie Hill Perry

If you've been at the blog for any amount of time, you know I like hip-hop. Just recently I wrote a recommendation for LeCrae's Anomaly, and I have previously also praised the work of Beautiful Eulogy.

Two recent songs have caught my attention, and I thought it worth my time to commend them to you, alongside some honorable mentions. The tracks I'll be sharing today are especially beautiful due to their overall theme of redemption overcoming depravity and brokenness. A great many hip-hop songs focus on the latter, but few end with the hopeful outlook of the below ballads.

Recommendation: The Kingstone Bible: Volume 3 : The Ten Commandments

The Kingstone Bible: Volume 3: The Ten Commandments
From Kingstone Media

*Please be advised that I received a review hardcopy of this book directly from Kingstone Media.

Art Ayris and Company at Kingstone have created another compelling adaptation of the Holy Scriptures in The Kingstone Bible Volume 3 : The Ten Commandments. Tracing from Moses’ birth through Joshua’s death, this volume in the ongoing The Kingstone Bible Anthology provides a fine overview of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, complete with the nation's failures, hardships, and successes.

Recommendation : The Bible: Volume 1 : The Beginning : From Kingstone Media

The Bible: Volume 1: The Beginning

By Kingstone Media

The Bible: Volume 1: The Beginning is the first work in a graphic novel anthology from Kingstone Media, who is adapting the entire Holy Bible into a 12-volume set. This  first piece—and I assume the others—will contain some of the standalone issues already released by Art Ayris and his team, but the stories will now be contextualized into the overarching narrative of Scripture.

This first entry shows the creative license necessary in adaption while maintaining the attention to interpretation and contextual detail that one can expect from Kingstone’s work. This first volume contains the stories of Creation, The Fall, The Flood, Babel, and Job (the last of these I recommended, here).

Recommendation: Anomaly by LeCrae

I am picky when it comes to music. The last full album I purchased was Hans Zimmer's extraordinary Man of Steel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, but that was in summer 2013. So, it's been a minute.

Then I heard that Christian rapper Lecrae was number #1 on Billboard last week--a fact I could not fathom. I knew of LeCrae, and I had a few of his singles--I got love for "Background" and "Hands High"--but even with Christian rappers, I get singles, not albums.

But I wanted to see what cause the fuss, and I listened to the album preview on iTunes. The 90-second glimpses were hit and miss, but I added a few songs to my wishlist. I later discovered that  Reach Records' Youtube Page has lyric videos for each song, allowing a person to legally sample the entire album if they chose. And I did.

Within two passes, I was sold. 

Recommendation: Book of God by Kingstone Media

Book of God is my second review for Kingstone Media, whose comics, Jonah and Job, I recently recommended. I was provided a free e-book version of this graphic novel for the purpose of this article. 

If you know me personally, you know I have a few eclectic tastes--one of which is films that eschew standard narrative storytelling to provide a different viewing experience (Koyaaniquatsi and Slacker being the two best examples I can offer off the top of my head). Well, I would place Book of God in a similar vein.

The graphic novel is unlike any other I've encountered to date (though I'm hesitant to claim it's the only one of its kind). It's almost a docucomic--a seeming shot-for-shot storyboard outline for an interesting 4-part documentary series on Biblical historicity. And it works. The panel-to-panel movement creates an easy read, and the insert drawings of historical persons and events serve as perfect cutaways while narration continues.

Recommendation: Deliver Us from Evil

Deliver Us From Evil is the new film from writer/director Scott Derrickson, who continues to establish himself as a unique voice in the horror genre thanks in part to his ability to blend familiar tropes into fresh filmgoing experiences. In 2005, Derrickson became a known Hollywood presence with The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a motion picture that fused a supernatural thriller with a courtroom drama to great effect. With his latest film, Derrickson successfully blends the gore of an occult horror picture with the pace of a redemptive police procedural to create a new type of cop movie, even if it covers territory tread by other, lesser films (I enjoyed this far more than the arguably similar Fallen, despite that movie's inclusion of John Goodman, who is kind of a trump card).

Recommendations: Jonah and Job by Kingstone Media

Kingstone Media has been on my radar for some time. The company advertises in some of the newsletters I receive, and the available bits and pieces of content provided always impress me. When they recently made one of their books available for free in digital form, I downloaded it without hesitation. Once I read the piece, I was intrigued; the comic seemed tailor-made to people like me--folks who value worthwhile storytelling as well as media that speaks to their faith. 

Courtesy of Kingstone's PR department, I have several of their books to review over the next few months (Hooray!), but today I’ll start with two single issues from the Old Testament: Jonah and Job.

Still Recommending SPEED RACER (2008)

Humans beings have been given a wonderful gift. I believe that this gift comes from a Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ; others disagree--that's their choice. But I think that regardless of our opinions of the source, we can all agree that the gift has been given to us. The gift is this: we humans get to do something that no other species gets to experience. We connect to art.

We experience catharsis, emotionally connecting with another person's creative work. They produce, but we feel. We react. We experience. It's a breathtaking privilege we have to do this.

Like most of our blessings, we take it for granted. We digest media like snacks; we think little of any particular bite and forget the event before we're done digesting what we ate. People spend two years of their lives creating a novel, five years of their lives creating a film, or ten years creating an album--they strive to put their vision to canvas or medium, and we give it a viewing and move forward. 

iGods by Craig Detweiler: A Recommendation

iGods
by Craig Detweiler

NOTE: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

Christians are called to be sober-minded and intentional. The Bible’s writers exhort us to put aside childish ways of thinking and “old practices” of immorality and apathy in pursuit of a life that brings glory to God through all facets of our being—heart, soul, and mind.  This is a high calling, to be sure; but for the Christian who desires Christ’s honor and the Lord’s will above all else, the challenge is welcome.

As are works and books that aid us along our path.

iGods by Craig Detweiler is one such tool. Part philosophical tome, part historical narrative, the book outlines concerns for the mindful person in the digital age, cautioning the reader against pure consumerism regarding the behemoths of the online landscape. This is a warning worth our attention, for the perceived demands of online media (like the very blog your reading, likely linked through a social networking site) tend to be making us less engaged but more entertained, living lives of increased information but diminished experience.

RAIL MAIL: A RECOMMENDATION (or, "a letter of love to my eldest sibling")

In 2004, my eldest brother Geoff Stunkard wrote a book, and I never read it. I even got an autographed copy, but I didn't give it a chance. I should have. Regardless of subject matter or interest, he's my brother, and I should have supported him. Being a struggling writer myself, I see that now.

Gift Recommendations from 3LC

Hi All,

It's not too late to get some great Christmas gifts for readers and enjoyers of fine music!
Plus, Amazon Prime still offers 2-day shipping.

My Book Recommendations:

Chasing Shadows: Back to Barterra - John Mark Reynolds

JLA: A League of One - Christopher Moehler

Called To Stay - Caleb Breakey

Earthen Vessels - Matthew Lee Anderson

The End of Our Exploring - Matthew Lee Anderson

The Preacher's Bride - Jody Hedlund

Sola Scripture - Keith Buhler 

and...because I'm me, I gotta include it...

Stronghold - C.J. Stunkard

My Music Recommendations:

Satellite Kite:

The Music of Matty Rineer

Chasing Shadows: Back to Barterra: A Recommendation

Author John Mark Reynolds and I have something of a strange history. At the age of 17, I was invited to join the Torrey Honors Institute that Dr. Reynolds had begun at Biola University. I declined the offer, because at the time I did not want to spend my entire college life reading (I know, I was an idiot). Later, during my senior year at university, one of his students asked me to adapt a play Dr. Reynolds had written into a script for a senior project. And I did. Very poorly. The doctor made that known to my friend rather than me, and he was right to do so (I was, after all, not really his student). After this, Dr. Reynolds and I saw each other very little and years later crossed paths when we I was working at Biola. We chatted briefly, and that was that.

More Reviews for Called to Stay

A month ago, I reviewed Caleb Breakey's wonderful book, Called To Stay. But I'm not the only one. If you want some varied perspectives on the text, just click on any of the well-written reviews below:

Satellite Kite: A Recommendation

Approximately one year ago, I discovered a link to Beautiful Euloogy's debut album, Satellite Kite, by happenstance. I have no idea how I found it, and I would not have gotten it were it not free.

How fortunate I was on both counts.

The Music Of Matty Rineer: A Recommendation

I met Matty Rineer in the fall of 2012, and I was quite taken with his friendliness. He is one charismatic cat. Of course, anyone can make a great first impression. My respect for Matty and appreciation of his character grew as I ran into him on more occasions, during which he consistently made an effort to connect. He has a great heart that he wears on his sleeve.

And puts into his music.

The Preacher's Bride: A Recommendation

Where do I begin with Jody Hedlund's The Preacher's Bride? I find myself conflicted. On the one hand Jody's is the first romance novel I have ever read outside of Jane Austen; ergo I find it difficult to call her an exemplary of that genre. However, books are books, and The Preacher's Bride is an excellent one regardless of genre. Given modern romance's reputation for being less than literary, I can only assume that this fine work is the best that genre has to offer. But as I've said, I do not know if that is where I'd like to start. 


A better place, perhaps a more appropriate place for one author to recommend another's, is to speak of execution, plain and simple.  The highest compliment that I can give Jody is that she makes it seem so easy, not unlike George Lucas and Steven Spielberg made it seem with their blockbuster hits of this late 70s and early 80s. In some ways, I feel like The Preacher's Bride is to romance novels as Indiana Jones and Star Wars are to pop culture film, in that all of these projects make good storytelling look effortless. Hedlund's composition as well as her structure and design are such that they feel organic and natural, plucked from the memory of a person present at the events as they unfolded. The fine-tuned story and rounded characters in The Preacher's Bride are unmistakably well-written and carefully developed; and the levels on which the book works are numerous. The pleasure one gets in reading it, is well, the stuff of which "good reading" is made. Being a writer I know that such execution is difficult, and I also realize that making one's craft seem natural and easy is perhaps the best writing of all. 

JLA: A League of One: A Recommendation

Wonder Woman is something of an interesting icon in American comic history. Oft referred to as one of three members of DC universe's "trinity" (a gross misuse of the word, by the way), Wonder Woman has had one animated film, a short lived television program, and numerous supporting roles in cartoons such as the JLA. However, unlike the other members and the trinity, Batman and Superman, she has not been given a full treatment on the silver screen nor has she struck a chord with the American cultural vernacular in the same way. This is a great loss, for Wonder Woman is perhaps the most noble of three. 

I did not always believe this, but Christopher Moeller, with his graphic novel JLA: A League of One, has changed my mind. After reading this book I would certainly put Wonder Woman into my Top 10 Comic Book Heroes Of All Time, and I look forward to seeking out more of her adventures (though I think all will pale in comparison to this initial one that made me value her so).

The End of Our Questioning: A Recommendation

About three months ago I reviewed Matthew Lee Anderson's first book, Earthen Vessels, which I wanted to read mainly because Matthew is a fellow Biola alumnus who experienced that beloved university at the same time I did, 2000-04. We ran in different circles, and I knew of him only in passing (I am unaware if he knew of me, and I am sure if he did, the knowledge was less than flattering. See a possible reason why in the first paragraph of this post). Regardless, I take great pride in the university's producing writers like Matthew (other Biola Authors from the class of '04 include Keith Buhler and Nathan Shane Miller, both of whose books I have also read, though I have only reviewed that of the former). I caught Earthen Vessels a few years late, but now that I follow Matthew's exploits and articles regularly at Mere-Orthodoxy, I have the privilege of reviewing his second book, The End of Our Exploring, in a much more timely fashion.

The book opens very well, with Matthew taking the lecture approach of first asserting the value of questions themselves then providing a preview of all that he intends to tell us about them, chapter by chapter. This section is immensely strong, and I am including the following quote not merely to give you an idea of his language but also to show why I kind of fell in love with the ideas in this book: 

Sola Scriptura: A Recommendation

[I've spent a good deal of time and energy promoting my own book recently, so I decided to end the week by focusing on someone else's]. 

Keith Buhler was a student with me at Biola University about whom I can say three things. First, I owe Keith a debt of gratitude for introducing me to David Gray’s White Ladder, an album that was integral to my college experience and has stood the test of time and remains in my collection (even as I type this, I am listening to it). Second, Keith Buhler is a good man, and I can attest to this due to my most vivid memory of him, one which is highly embarrassing to me (so I will share it with you). He and I were invited to accompany two young women on a day-long, dorm-floor-event during which all the young women and their dates were to perform a scavenger hunt in Hollywood, followed by dinner at a restaurant where each group would share its findings. Well, long story short, I fell asleep during the day’s events, and Keith was not only a wonderful companion to his date but also the young lady that I treated so poorly—I recall his either doing impressions of me sleeping or taking pictures to that affect in order to cheer up my rightfully-disheartened date (Rachel, I am still sorry for my behavior). Third, years after this when he and I reconnected, Keith not only treated me as a friend but also did not bring up the embarrassing affair, an act which confirms that he is a genuinely gracious person.

That being said, buy his book.

Just kidding (sort of); I am actually going to discourage some of you from buying his book, not for lack of its merit but for its intentional niche appeal. You see, Sola Scriptura is not for everyone. I wish it were, as it is an engaging and, at times, riveting read full of vibrant ideas and wonderful truths; however, its format is also direct to such a degree that some readers will have neither the desire to engage it nor sensibility to enjoy it.