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This is the sixth book in The Truth Chronicles series. If you missed them, here are my reviews for Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, and Book 5. Keep reading after the review for an interview with author Joe Westbrook.
"The Chase" left us back in the past, with Jax, Izzy, JT, and Micky having made an amazing discovery. They've found Noah's Ark! Our friendly foursome spend the early chapters of the book exploring the Ark, hypothesizing on how Noah and his family cared for the animals and why modern searches haven't uncovered the Ark, and discussing theories about ice ages. The excellent focus on Biblical reasoning continues to be strong throughout their adventures.
Meanwhile, Pastor Rich's situation remains perilous in the Middle East. The authorities are willing to exact severe punishment on him and his friends for distributing Bibles to underground churches. Will Pastor Rich be required to give his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Our young friends come back to the present day in time for the annual science fair. The competition is stiff, with JT and Micky going for repeat wins and many other great entries as well, but Jax and Izzy are confident they will place first. It's after the winning project is announced and our group has gone out for their traditional post-fair dinner that they learn of Pastor Rich's arrest. Is it possible that they could plan their most daring trip through time and rescue their friend and mentor? Seeking prayer and parental counsel, the mission is deemed too dangerous for anyone except Jax and Dr. Thompson. The outcome is an exciting conclusion to this wonderful young adult series.
I received my copy of the book from the author in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.
I'm pleased to share with you this interview with author Joe Westbrook. He graciously agreed to answer the following questions:
ReviewsByErin: Are there going to be any more books in The Truth Chronicles series? Do you have any other writing projects coming up?
Joe: At this point, we don't have any more books planned for The Truth Chronicles series. As much as Tim and I loved writing these stories, they take a good bit of time, and Tim in particular is busy with several other projects. I myself am working on multiple ideas (I can't ever seem to be content with just one!), and am hoping to actually get one completed before the end of the year.
ReviewsByErin: How long have you been interested in writing?
Joe: I first got interested in writing when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I had read a book by fantasy author Terry Brooks, and was under the mistaken impression that the book I'd read had been published while he was still in high school. I got the idea, then, that I should be able to get published before I graduated, too. That didn't happen, but I did graduate with two ideas written out to about 50 pages each.
ReviewsByErin: If you had a time machine and could go to any point in the past to observe and/or explore, what are some of the things you would go back and see?
Joe: Because of my interest in theology, I would like to travel back and meet the New Testament authors, especially Paul, and get absolute clarification on some of the things that have caused Christians to be confused and divided over the centuries. I would also like to go back to the day of the first moon landing, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the day Babe Ruth famously called his home run to center field in the 5th inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series
ReviewsByErin: Do you think time travel will really be possible in the future?
Joe: I am not a physicist, so research and theory may have concluded that the maxim "Matter cannot be created nor destroyed" is not necessarily set in stone. However, based on that maxim, I would think that time travel would not be possible because you would have to pull matter from one time and add it to another time. Maybe (and I'm really reaching here) if time travel was conducted through some sort of wormhole that linked two periods of time in a way that matter/energy could travel back and forth as long as the wormhole was open, but I still have my doubts. However, time travel, wormholes, and other related phenomena make for fun writing.
ReviewsByErin: Which of the main characters of The Truth Chronicles do you relate to the most, from a spiritual perspective? Were you a believer from a young age like JT, convinced after a little searching like Jax and Izzy, or did you fight kicking and screaming all the way like Micky? Praise the Lord that He is able to work in all kinds of hearts and circumstances.
Joe: I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. My dad was a pastor until I was almost 8 years old, and I grew up attending church. I came to know Christ personally as a pre-teen. In that respect, I'm definitely more like JT (my first and middle initials, incidentally). I split my personality some with Izzy, too, in that I like to reason things out. And yes, God is great and merciful to work with so many different minds, hearts, and attitudes!
ReviewsByErin: Your co-author Tim Chaffey works for Answers in Genesis, which is a great resource for learning about Biblical creationism and history from a Biblical perspective. Are there other organizations, websites, or books on these topics that you would recommend for readers to check out?
Joe: When it comes to creation and science, I also recommend the Institute for Creation Research and Creation Ministries International. For resources pertaining to evangelism, Ray Comfort's ministry, Living Waters, has some excellent resources. And I have greatly benefited from John MacArthur's ministry, Grace to You, with his expositional preaching through the entire New Testament.
ReviewsByErin: Where can we follow you online and stay updated about future writing projects?
Joe: There are several ways readers can follow both Tim and me. My Facebook author page is www.facebook.com/joewestbrookauthor and Tim's is www.facebook.com/TimChaffeyAuthor. Fans of The Truth Chronicles can interact with us on that series specifically at www.facebook.com/TheTruthChronicles. Tim's website/blog is http://midwestapologetics.org/ and my website/blog is www.jwexperience.com.
