Review: Other People by George Fithen

Title: Other People

Author: George Fithen

Publication Date: February 5th, 2013

Publisher: Westbow Press

Genre: Christian Fiction

Pages: 172

ISBN: 1449782302

Source: Paperback from Author

Rating:

Synopsis (from Publisher): 
When the best day of their young lives goes horribly wrong, John, Chris, and their friends have only each other to lean on. But what about Kate? Can her God really offer them the peace and comfort they need?

Only God can offer the other people of this lost world everything they need. They will never know this truth, though, unless Christians take the time to understand their hurt and shine the light into their dark world.

A | B&N | Gr

George Fithen grew up in St. Louis and currently resides in Springfield, Mo. He teaches GED classes at the nearby Ozark Correctional Center in Fordland and volunteers with Living Free Ministries for Life-Controlling Issues. In 2011, he was named the Ozark Correctional Center Educator of the Year. Fithen is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserves with an English degree from Southwest Missouri State University.

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      I had the opportunity to meet George Fithen in an elevator on the way out of a Christian Writers Guild meeting. He handed me his book to review and I was impressed within the first few pages. Not just by the realness of the story, but also his sophisticated style of writing.

I love stories that can easily be non-fiction. George Fithen creates in Other People a dynamic journey that pulls readers into the clutches of life that they otherwise may never see or experience. He puts it perfectly in his Author's Note, "...the most important element of writing fiction is telling the truth." This is how the story felt, real.

Other People is a story of broken people. Lost people. Hopeless people. It tells many intertwining stories that the reader is likely able to relate to in some aspect or another. Fithen does such a fine job of creating round characters that you feel like you are present with them and a part of their own personal story. You feel their struggles and their victories. There's a point where the story shifts from a sense of loss and slavery to hope and freedom. It's a beautiful voyage that offers the reader a sense of enlightenment and perspective on otherwise hopeless situations. But it is caused by a very important element that can change the entirety of a person's life: walking in the light of Christ.

In terms of technicalities, Fithen's writing is smooth flowing and easy to read. The book is less than 200 pages so it can be read quickly, but the richness of the text does not leave anything lacking. There may have been a few points where there was some wordiness and excessive commas, but technically they were used correctly so I won't complain too much about that!

I would recommend this book for anyone to read at least once in their lives. It gives a fresh perspective and shines light on the dark areas of life. You will identify with these characters. You will feel the freedom of knowing and living in Truth, and you will be left inspired.