Feast for Thieves Review!!!

Feast for Thieves by Marcus Brotherton

Book Description:
Sergeant Rowdy Slater is the most skilled-and most incorrigible-soldier in Dog Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, an elite group of paratroopers fighting for the world's freedom in World War II.

Through a bizarre set of circumstances, Rowdy returns to the States after the war, turns his life around, and falls into the only job he can find-preacher at the sparsely populated community church in Cut Eye, Texas, a dusty highway town situated at the midpoint of nowhere and emptiness.

The town's lawman, suspicious that Rowdy has changed his ways only as a cover up, gives an ultimatum: Rowdy must survive one complete year as Cut Eye's new minister or end up in jail.

At first Rowdy thinks the job will be easy, particularly because he's taking over for a young female missionary who's held the church together while the men were at war. But when a dark-hearted acquaintance from Rowdy's past shows up with a plan to make some quick cash, Rowdy becomes ensnared due to an irrevocable favor, and life turns decidedly difficult.

Rowdy's a man used to solving problems one of two ways: with his rifle or with his fists. Will he be able to thwart his old friend's evil schemes while remaining true to his new higher calling?

This is a wild ride of a book bursting with a bank robbery, kidnapping, desperate prayers, and barroom brawls. Before the smoke clears, all sides just might end up getting exactly what they want.

My Opinion:
I'm a little torn with this one.  On the one hand I really enjoyed parts of this book and I especially like the way Marcus writes.  As his first fiction novel I think it has great potential and I hope he continues in fiction if he is inspired to do so.  The whole concept is great and the pace of the story is nice.  I really love how there are many layers to this story and they are unwrapped nicely which keeps you wrapped in the story and involved with these characters.  Oh these characters!  That's exactly what they are, characters! LOL!  I love them in their quirkiness, and they portray the type of people who aren't perfect, nor do they claim to be, but some try and try to do right.  There were a few things that I'm not sure about though.  One being the title and the whole metaphor of finding the good meal and eating your fill wasn't driven home enough I don't think, unless I missed the actual meaning of it.  Or maybe for me I would have preferred it if it was really spelled out.  There were also some other things, especially pertaining to scripture, that I wish were more clear, really spelled out plainly, or wrapped up.  Overall the plot of the story and the characters really made this book for me although I was personally disappointed with different things in the ending.  I do wish there had been a little more prayer, but that may just be my personal preference.  Overall I was really intrigued by the book description and I'm not disappointed I took the time to read this well crafted story with, great characters, and fantastic scenes.  I just wanted a little more of certain things and a little less of others.  I have mixed feelings with the great twist in the story also.  I think it was executed beautifully and I really liked the way it happened, but I'm torn with the outcome.  I really enjoyed the authors note with the story behind the story! :)  Learning about the man that inspired Rowdy's character was just as fascinating and enjoyable as the book itself!

Songs: "Shall We Gather At The River?" by Randy Travis, "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing (Album Version)" by Chris Rice, and "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" by The Chancellors Quartet (I'm not sure if this is the version I want for this selection but I linked this one until I can maybe find something I like better.)
Songs etc. May be changed and/or added in the future. ~ASC

John 4:14

~ASC

Thank you Debbie for contacting me and for the review copy! :)

*I received this book for the purpose of giving and honest review.  This in no way affected my opinion, and the above are my true thoughts and feelings about Feast for Thieves. ~ASC