In High Places
by Tom Morrisey
Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2007, 316 pp., hardcover.

I've never been a big fan of first person novels--you know the character will survive any danger, and you suspect that the account may be a tad self-serving at times. Nonetheless, from time to time I will actually read a first person book if it catches my interest early.

In High Places hooked me with its rock climbing subplot. While I never aspire to be a rock climber (I'd rather get knocked to the ice playing hockey than fall on a pile of rocks), I enjoyed learning about the sport. Each chapter begins with a quote about rock climbing equipment or technique. Another hook was the era--like me, the main character was a teen in the mid-70s, so I could relate to the cultural milieu.

Patrick Nolan is the teen character telling us this story of his youth from a perspective decades later. We see Patrick's world shaken by family tragedy and then rocked by young love. Along the way, his spiritual journey is documented with both ups and downs in a better-than-typical Christian "coming of age" tale. Morrisey paints a more realistic picture than many Christians novels, making it a more satisfying read even as some questions are left unanswered.

I recommend In High Places for teens and older.

Visit Tom Morrisey.

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