Book Review: DARK LIAISON, A Christian Suspense Novel by D.I. Telbat

DARK LIAISON, A Christian Suspense Novel by D.I. Telbat

About the book:

In DARK LIAISON, Book One in the COIL Series, we meet protagonist Corban Dowler.

It is an age of prophetic strife when spiritual darkness collides with servants of the Cross. Christians worldwide are persecuted on a heightened level, and while no safety seems to exist, one man steps forward to lend a hand to the defenseless laborers.

Corban Dowler is an old-school spy. Six years ago, he accepted Christ's gift of salvation and then resigned from the morally compromising C.I.A. As Corban desires to fulfill God's Great Commission, he builds an organization called the Commission of International Laborers, (COIL), where he devotes his skills and resources to assist persecuted or kidnapped Christian servants in the most dangerous environments worldwide. 

There are times in this age when Corban Dowler must hastily extract missionary families and Christian workers from danger zones before death steals them from their righteous work. For these operations, Corban has developed commando-style teams using non-lethal weapons to extract the threatened or persecuted servants of the Lord. 

These covert multiethnic teams are ex-military or ex-CIA, and all believers in Christ. 

Satan is every bit the adversary as he operates through his demonic workers of iniquity. They are set on claiming the lives of the righteous that stand for Truth. While COIL is working tirelessly to rescue Christians in need, Satan's followers are placing roadblocks, destroying, and kidnapping believers in Christ to thwart the efforts of COIL. The operatives find themselves prey to the very wickedness that they are committed to fight, and a battle between good and evil emerges. 

Dark Liaison, written by D.I. Telbat, cover art by Carrie E. Smith, is an 83,000-word Christian action-suspense novel of espionage and spiritual warfare. This Book One in the COIL Series contrasts the lives of satanic antagonists bent on hatred with the COIL laborers who protect the Christian men and women servants standing for righteousness. And we learn that… there is no redemption without sacrifice.

My rating: 

My thoughts:

Dark Liaison, while a great suspense novel, also made me think about all of the Christians who, for their faith, suffer persecution, torture, and even death in foreign countries. They know the risks, yet they still go to share the Gospel.

I think Dark Liaison's story was very entertaining and it kept my attention throughout. I love how Corban had so many identities and that COIL didn't kill people - even when someone was trying to kill them.

There was a lot more substance to Dark Liaison than normal books - which I liked. Many times I found myself thinking about things mentioned in this book and how true they are.

The good vs. evil message was very well written - in the end Light will overcome darkness, Good will overcome evil, God will defeat Satan.

Overall, I loved Dark Liaison and definitely recommend it - I'm looking forward to the next book in the COIL series!!!

* I received a complimentary eBook copy for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. *

A CONTEST to celebrate the 100^th Post on the Telbat's Tablet site!

December is a special month for Christian Author David Telbat and he'd like to celebrate his mile marker by giving away a copy of Dark Liaison, A Christian Suspense Novel by D.I. Telbat in a random drawing. LEAVE A COMMENT on the Telbat's Tablet site and your name will be put into the "bucket" to be drawn after December! The book is available as a PDF and a Kindle version at this time (more formats available soon!). This contest is ONLY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER so be sure to go check out the free stories on the site and leave your comment! He will announce the winner on his site January 3^rd. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

AND D.I. Telbat says he would like to create a CUSTOM ADVENTURE STORY for the winner as well! You, the winner, will be the protagonist involved in a true-to-life covert mission in a custom short story. Many of D.I. Telbat's free weekly short stories on his site are about the rescue of persecuted Christians. Check them out and leave your comment! Looking forward to "seeing" you! Please spread the word!

Because of D.I. Telbat's concern for persecuted Christians worldwide, he has committed to donating a portion of the sales of his COIL Novel Series to two ministries that come alongside suffering Christians: Samaritan's Purse and Voice of the Martyrs. (There are also links on his Telbat's Tablet website if you'd like to check out these very worthy ministries.)

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Weekend Report (#7)

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Weekend Report is a weekly meme hosted here - Christian Bookshelf Reviews!

The rules to participate are simple:

1. Create a post about what you've accomplished the previous week (i.e. books read, reviews posted, awards received, current giveaways, etc.) - feel free to use the button above.

2. Add the URL to your post in a comment below - if you don't have a blog, you can leave your responses in a comment.

That's it. If you would like to follow my blog, that's appreciated, but not required.

Here's my 'Weekend Report'!

What I've read this week:

Reviews posted:

Shadows From the Past by Ashley Dawn
Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie

Giveaways:

'Shadows From The Past' by Ashley Dawn (eBook) ~ Giveaway ends 12/13 
'My Favorite Bible' ~ Giveaway ends 12/15

Author Interview:

Irene Hannon

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'My Favorite Bible' Giveaway!!!

About 'My Favorite Bible':

With the vibrant illustrations and engaging text in this Bible storybook, you can enjoy sharing the best-loved stories of the Bible with the children in your life and encourage a life-long love for the Word of God. My Favorite Bible is a book of exciting Bible stories and activity pages that guide children through the foundational truths of Scripture.


Each story is fully illustrated and includes a simple narrative full of things kids love: repetition, rhythm, and energy, along with a key biblical theme, a key Bible verse, and discussion questions to help adults introduce children to the Bible.


The colorful illustrations will capture the imaginations of children ages 4–8, and the stories will help adults to pass along the most important truth in life—the Gospel. Families will cherish this time as they read, listen, learn, and love, growing closer to one another even as they grow closer to God.

Giveaway!


Revell has generously offered to give one person a copy of 'My Favorite Bible'! The giveaway is open internationally!

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Author Interview: Irene Hannon!

I'm super excited to have Irene Hannon here! She's the author of 'Deadly Pursuit' (which I loved) and many other books! Have you read any of her books? If not, why not?


Here's the interview I had with Irene

~

Would you tell us a little about yourself?


Hmm…where to begin? I could tell you some of the fun stuff I’ve done—like attending the monkey dance in the moonlit jungle on Bali, or gliding over the Alaskan glaciers in a float plane at sunset, or winging down to the Caribbean for lunch on a cruise ship with the CEO and chairman of the board of a Fortune 500 company—but I’ll stick to the basics. I have a B.A. in psychology and a master’s in journalism. I worked for the aforementioned Fortune 500 company for 20+ years in corporate communications, writing fiction on the side. After rising to the executive ranks…and finding myself on call 24/7…I left the corporate world a few years ago to write full time—and never looked back!. I’m also married to my very own romantic hero!


When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?


I can’t remember ever not writing. I really believe people are born writers. It’s a gift, just like any other talent. I did toy with the idea of becoming a psychologist, but in the end, writing won out. However, my psychology degree is a great background for writing about relationships—a key ingredient in romantic fiction!


What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?


Okay…deep dark secret here, because this is going to sound compulsive. But a few years ago, one of my editors alerted me to the fact that I was using a particular word too often. Once I was aware of that, I found other words that were being overused, too, so I started a list. Now I search every chapter for every word on that list before I move it into my master document. It’s time consuming (because the list keeps getting longer!), but I do think it’s made me a better writer.


What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?


That I find new ways to improve with every book. That’s why I sometimes cringe when readers pick up my older romance titles. I still love those stories, but I do such a better job with them technically now. I always hope readers check copyrights when they read my older books and cut me some slack! But based on the heartwarming letters I still get about my vintage titles, I’m much more critical of my work than my readers are!


How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?


My most recent book, Deadly Pursuit, is my 37th published novel. As for which is my favorite—that’s like asking a mother to name her favorite child! There’s something about every book I’ve written that endears it to me in a different way—though I must admit that In Harm’s Way, my recent RITA winner, is special. But I’m also LOVING my current Guardians of Justice series!


What do you like to do when you're not writing?


I love to sing, and I enjoy performing in community musical theater productions. I’ve been lucky enough to be cast in many fabulous roles; some of my favorites include Fiona in Brigadoon, Nellie in South Pacific, Anna in The King and I, and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. I also like to steal away whenever possible for an hour or two with my husband to our favorite coffee shop. We enjoy traveling, too—like Provence last summer, just as the lavender fields were beginning to turn purple in the south of France. But even quick three-day camping trips are fun. Spending time with family is near the top of my list, and I also like to garden, take long walks and cook (I especially like to bake fattening desserts!).


Do you read books, if so, what is your favorite genre to read?


I love to read, and I read a lot—but not as often for pleasure anymore. More and more I’m being asked to read books pre-publication for endorsement, and I also judge at least one contest a year. When I do read for pleasure, my taste is pretty eclectic…but I do tend to gravitate toward books that have at least a touch of romance—and a happy ending!


Do you have any pets?


No pets, but we had a wonderful dog when I was growing up. She showed up one Christmas eve as a puppy, abandoned by her mom at our garbage can, and she never left.


Is there a place you'd like to visit, but haven't yet?


I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to travel widely, and I have to admit I’ve seen my top-ten wish-list places. But I’m always open to a new adventure!


Do you have a favorite Bible verse?


Matthew 6:21—“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” This verse always helps me keep my priorities straight.


Are you currently working on any new novels?


Of course! The final book in my Guardians of Justice series, Lethal Legacy, has been turned in to my publisher and is in production. I just posted the cover and a blurb in the News section of my website. I’m now at work on a new suspense series that features three college buddies, all former law enforcement operatives, who join forces to open a private investigation agency. I also have a new series (Starfish Bay) beginning in January with my other publisher, Harlequin Love Inspired. These are contemporary romances set on the northern California coast. Seaside Reunion is the first book—with two more to follow.


Where can we find you on the web?


My website is www.irenehannon.com. I update the News section regularly, so please visit often! I’m also on Twitter. And speaking of news…I’d like to share a breaking story! Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, has just named my latest book, Deadly Pursuit, one of the top 10 inspirational fiction titles for 2011! I’m absolutely thrilled!

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