Fatherless

Fatherless

by Dr. James Dobson & Kurt Bruner

About the book (from the publisher):

The year is 2042, and a long-predicted tipping point has arrived. For the first time in human history, the economic pyramid has flipped: The feeble old now outnumber the vigorous young, and this untenable situation is intensifying a battle between competing cultural agendas. Reporter Julia Davidson - a formerly award-winning journalist seeking to revive a flagging career - is investigating the growing crisis, unaware that her activity makes her a pawn in a ominous conspiracy. Plagued by nightmares about her absent father, Julia finds herself drawn to the quiet strength of a man she meets at a friend's church. As the engrossing plot of 
Fatherless enfolds, Julia will face choices that pit professional success against personal survival in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world. In the dystopian tradition of books like 1984, Brave New World, and The Hunger Games, Fatherless vividly imagines a future in which present-day trends come to sinister fruition. 

My take:

Insert huge white space representing the inability to express exactly how I feel after reading this book. Does "horrified" cover it? Not really, because I feel that is speaking too lightly. Does "outraged" explain my feelings? It may, but it still seems to barely cover the surface of the reaction I had up on reading the last page. "Speechless" is what I was for a good 5 minutes, I suppose. I grieved for the fictional families in the book who may someday be real. As soon as I said to myself,"What a relief this isn't a true story," I knew that with the direction this country is headed, especially with the daily unrepentant murders of unborn babies, it could very well be a true story in the future. Our country very well could encourage the elderly and those with disabilities - those who some consider "debits," as the book states - to end their lives. As I went to turn the last page on my Kindle after reading the last sentence, I figured the story would continue for a few more pages. It ended very abruptly, opening the doorway for another book. Then I saw that the next book, Childless, comes out in the Fall of 2013 and the third book, Godless, comes out in May 2014.

I am very eager to read the next books in this series. Even though I have been aware of the downward turn our country has been taking, I feel this book helped open my eyes to the incredible evil of which we are capable. It will help me to be able to pray against these things more clearly. Thank you, Dr. Dobson and Kurt Bruner, for writing this series. 

I give this book a "5." I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about the direction our country is taking, and also to those who would like to know how to pray more directly about these issues.

About the authors:

Dr. James Dobson is the Founder and President of Family Talk, a non-profit organization that produces his radio program, "Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson." He is the author of more than 30 books dedicated to the preservation of the family. He has been active in governmental affairs and has advised three U.S. presidents on family matters. Dr. Dobson is married to Shirley and they have two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and two grandchildren. The Dobsons reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Kurt Bruner serves as Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Lake Pointe Church and on the adjunct faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary. A graduate of Talbot Seminary and former Vice President with Focus on the Family, Kurt led the teams creating films, magazines, books, and radio drama. As President of HomePointe, Inc., he helps local church leaders create an ongoing culture of intentional families. Kurt is the best-selling author of more than a dozen books. Kurt and his wife Olivia have four children and live in Rockwall, Texas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Hachette Book Group/Faith Words through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising