Rabbi Robert Marx presents an intricate picture of the variety of Jewish identities and addresses the question of what Judaism becomes without the challenge of social marginalization. Rabbi Robert Marx, founder of Chicago’s Jewish... Read More

The line between good and evil blurs in this fascinating story of revenge and wilderness survival. In "Shadow of Turning" by Clayton Carpenter, evil is shown at its most extreme, while goodness remains just this side of evil. The... Read More

Near-ecstatic prose and a complicated subject matter make for challenging and timely reading. In "Crimes of Faith", Anah Jochebed employs visionary prose that seems to have been crafted while in an ecstatic state to give voice to her... Read More

Often-affecting moments of poetry are "Carry the Sky"’s most defining, unique characteristic. "Carry the Sky", the first novel by award-winning poet Kate Gray, reads a bit like a quiet song. The refrain of repeated imagery deliberately... Read More

Goldsborough excels in describing the excessive behavior of his characters and the intoxicating ambiance of Parisian life. Fictional characters interact seamlessly with actual people and events in James Oliver Goldsborough’s "The Paris... Read More

Quick-change settings in this international thriller have the good guys and bad guys code-breaking around Europe. When artifacts that appear to identify the tribes of Israel are stolen, Jim Stillwater, a contractor working for the US... Read More

Nuanced characters add depth to this dazzling first in a series set in a political dystopia in 2016. Set in a not-too-distant future where the United States is on the verge of financial ruin and complete collapse, Jeffrey D. Schlaman’s... Read More

Fantasy readers have a great deal to be excited about in this seamless and well-thought-out world. Sleight of Hand, by Jennifer Fales, is a complex and intelligent fantasy novel. Set in a world dealing with a high level of political... Read More