Feast For Thieves by Marcus Brotherton - REVEIWED

About the Book:  (from Moody Publishers)
Sergeant Rowdy Slater is the most skilled-and most incorrigible-soldier in Dog Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, an elite group of paratroopers fighting for the world's freedom in World War II. 

Through a bizarre set of circumstances, Rowdy returns to the States after the war, turns his life around, and falls into the only job he can find-preacher at the sparsely populated community church in Cut Eye, Texas, a dusty highway town situated at the midpoint of nowhere and emptiness.

The town's lawman, suspicious that Rowdy has changed his ways only as a cover up, gives an ultimatum: Rowdy must survive one complete year as Cut Eye's new minister or end up in jail. 

At first Rowdy thinks the job will be easy, particularly because he's taking over for a young female missionary who's held the church together while the men were at war. But when a dark-hearted acquaintance from Rowdy's past shows up with a plan to make some quick cash, Rowdy becomes ensnared due to an irrevocable favor, and life turns decidedly difficult.

Rowdy's a man used to solving problems one of two ways: with his rifle or with his fists. Will he be able to thwart his old friend's evil schemes while remaining true to his new higher calling? 

This is a wild ride of a book bursting with a bank robbery, kidnapping, desperate prayers, and barroom brawls. Before the smoke clears, all sides just might end up getting exactly what they want.

My Thoughts:

“With grace, there was nothing that came between him and God. It didn’t matter if the fella had a rough background.  It didn’t matter, even, if he’d once committed a crime.”  (p. 126)

By the time Rowdy Slater understood just a glimpse of grace, he had witnessed war, death and participated in depravity of all sorts!  God definitely worked in mysterious ways time and time again in order to reach Rowdy’s heart.  In the process of reaching Rowdy, God used him to reach others who felt their lives were generally meaningless and without hope.   Cut Eye, Texas was forever changed as Rowdy Slater’s life was transformed right before their eyes!

Sherriff Halligan Barker is probably the wisest, slickest man in all of Texas to rope Rowdy Slater into a role so diametrically opposed to every aspect of his life.  He took an almighty gamble when he made a deal with Rowdy!  In short order life begins to unfold beneath Rowdy’s feet, and he begins to know the people of Cut Eye in the most intimate way!  Deputy Roy, Augusta and Cisco, Myrtle and Clay, Sunny, and Reverend Bobbie are all brought to vivid life in the reader’s heart.  The entire town of Cut Eye becomes something you want to fiercely protect and become a part of.

I have a weakness for broken, brave and cutting edge characters like Rowdy Slater!  I am thrilled to learn that Marcus Brotherton is planning to create a series of books that feature Rowdy as the main character!  Feast For Thieves presents the truth of the gospel in the most exciting unusual way, and truly gives the reader countless examples of mercy and grace throughout the story. 

I can honestly say that I was sad to reach the end of this novel, but thrilled to learn that I can look forward to more from the pen of Marcus Brotherton! I highly recommend this book to everyone!!

About the Author:

MARCUS BROTHERTON is the author or coauthor of more than twenty-five nonfiction books. Notable works include Shifty's War, A Company of Heroes, and the oral history project, We Who Are Alive and Remain: untold stories from the Band of Brothers, a New York Times bestseller. This is his first novel. www.marcusbrotherton.com.