The End is Now by Rob Stennett

Reviewed by Dale Lewis

"Stennett's sarcastic wit is intertwined with another great story..."

According to Emily Henderson (16), nothing new or exciting ever happens in Goodland, Kansas. Her greatest concern is she won't be nominated homecoming queen due to her younger brother Will's encounter with the Face in the cornfields. Their unhappy parents, Jeff and Amy, are divided as to the truth of Will's prophesying the coming arrival of the rapture or apocalypse in Goodland.

Could the recent "unexplainable" happenings and catastrophic weather be mere coincidence or just a foretaste of the impending finale? The small Midwest town residents spiral into city wide chaos and clouded confusion as they discover the end is no longer near . . . it is now!

His fresh voice and satirical style in The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher is once again evident in this new title. Stennett's sarcastic wit is intertwined with another great story in The End Is Now. It is penned from a unique angle and overflows with endearing characters. You can't help but smile and attempt to control the laughter given its outrageous humor.

The phrase that kept popping up in my head while reading The End is Now was "Christians are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good," or something to that effect. I don't know if that was the author's intention but I couldn't shake it no matter how hard I tried. It has a cutting edge, satirical bite to it and I liked the author’s approach!

The End Is Now is more than a thrilling story based around the apocalypse. It is an unorthodox exploration of the two thousand-year-old Christian tradition of looking to the sky and longing for the eternal home promised so long ago. Blend in an abundant dose of family, community, belief, unbelief, and fear -- and you have a story worth reading.

This was my first Rob Stennett title. He has gained a new fan of his brand of fiction! I look forward to his next project.

Dale Lewis is the graphic designer/pre-press production artist at the EFCA (The Evangelical Free Church of America) National Office in Minneapolis, MN. Prior to that, he was the publications manager at his alma mater, Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN in the public relations office as well as the adviser to the college’s yearbook. He's directed the Hope Church (Oakdale, MN) adult drama worship team and was the senior editor of the church newsletter. He's also written two collections of poetry, “Whispers of Assurance” and “On Life: Constant Communion Without Ceasing” as well as a devotional entitled “Eternal Education.” He and his family live in Oakdale, Minnesota.