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Book Review Archives
Title: The Devil Never Walks Alone
Author: Harold A. Gram & James P. Gram
Publisher: Llumina Press
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1-59526-171-0
Copyright 2005
Pages: 196 pages
Format: Paperback or e-Book
Reviewer: Deborah Porter
Available From:
Llumina Press
FaithWriters e-Book Store
If the title of this book has left you expecting a novel in the style of Frank Peretti, then you've come to the wrong place. If, however, you are looking for a very down-to-earth, realistic portrait of the subtle ways and means the devil uses to undermine believers, then The Devil Never Walks Alone should fit the bill.
This novel is totally devoid of thrills, chills, and things that go bump in the night, and authors, Harold and James Gram, don't hide that fact. It is, quite simply, the story of a young Lutheran minister, Peter Bauer, in his first (and last) parish. The story revolves around a manuscript written by Bauer, detailing the events and opposition he faced during his three years in the northern Canadian town of Norberg.
When offered the post as minister for this troubled congregation, the brand new minister accepts-without considering any other options. His quick acceptance of the challenge is something he later regrets, particularly when he is immediately told to either grow the congregation or close it down. In the words of the Director of the Missions Board, "Our approach to congregations is that they either thrive or perish. That's it." At that point in time, the Norberg congregation was far from thriving.
Arriving at the dilapidated Messiah Lutheran Church, the new minister very quickly discovers that his first pastorate is going to be anything but a bed of roses. He meets opposition almost every step of the way-both inside and outside the church.
Later in the book, while reflecting back on the problems he had faced during his time at Norberg, Reverend Bauer acknowledges the fact that both "institutions and people seem ranged against him in ways he could only characterize as malevolent…or, was evil a better word? Were these signs of hate and opposition the work of The Devil? Does The Devil work by using otherwise good people to do his will?" This is the key question raised in The Devil Never Walks Alone.
Running behind this main story of Peter Bauer's experiences, is the present-day story of a growing friendship between another fresh-faced young minister, Frank Miller, and the slightly feisty, no-nonsense, Dr. Paul Jacobson.
Dr. Jacobson (a doctor of business) is in a home for the elderly when Miller first meets him on a pastoral visit. After surprising the young minister by asking, "Do you believe in The Devil," the older gentleman invites Miller to explore a manuscript written by his old friend, Peter Bauer. The manuscript had, apparently, been passed onto Jacobson after Bauer's death some two years earlier.
Miller accepts the invitation to meet with Jacobson regularly, and to use their visits to work through the manuscript together, with the goal of determining whether an active devil is at work in the world today, based on Bauer's theory.
So begins the parallel story of Bauer's less than easy first assignment many years before, and the growing friendship between Miller and Jacobson as they explore Bauer's story in the present day.
There are many parts of Bauer's story that catch the reader's attention and definitely communicate the authors' point. However, there are some other sections where the action becomes a little bogged down. Even so, the overall storyline is good.
In an effort to portray the grittiness of living in a northern mining town, the authors' have, on a couple of occasions, used earthy language that may be considered offensive to some Christian readers. The incidence of this is very minor, and certainly does show the nature of the characters using it. However, more sensitive readers should be aware of these very brief inclusions.
From a reader's perspective, there are also some problems within the telling of Peter Bauer's story, basically with regard to the point of view of the narrative. As the manuscript was supposedly written by Rev. Bauer, it would perhaps have been better if his story had been written in the first person, from Bauer's point of view only. It also became a little confusing when dialogue and incidents were included that Bauer was not a participant in and, therefore, could not have described in such detail in his "autobiography."
Having said that, though, the epilogue does actually provide some explanation as to why Bauer's manuscript may have been written in the third person. In fact, the last chapter and the epilogue provide a good sense of closure and make for a satisfying ending-particularly in the telling of Bauer's final service at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Norberg. The authors receive a big "thumbs up" from this reviewer for the way they concluded both stories.
Overall, The Devil Never Walks Alone is a book worth reading. It isn't shocking, but it may provide food for thought for those who either believe the devil doesn't exist, or have a story-book concept of his appearance and methods. It may also cause some to look at the structure of many organizations, and consider whether bureaucracy is often the perfect place for the devil's schemes.
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