Revival by Stephen King

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Reviewer: Jag

JAGS: 8

Cliche as it sounds when reviewing any novels by Stephen King, the two words most commonly used, “Classic King” should, at this point be inducted into the lexicon of language. Classic King best describes the theme of most of King’s work, and Revival is no exception.

This is a story about a young boy named Jamie Morton and the new young preacher of Harlow, Maine. What seems like a neighborly visit from the Preacher and his family, sets Jamie and Reverend Charles Jacobs down a path that unfolds over decades.

After a terrible accident that leaves the Reverend Jacobs questioning his faith in God, the Preacher leaves Harlow and Jamie thinks that is that last he will ever see of Charles Jacobs.

Jamie’s interest in the guitar leads him down a path of drug addiction that spans three decades, and his off chance meetings with the Preacher seem more than just coincidences. Fate seems to have a hand in their shared destiny, and with that, a Revival both men do not see coming. A shared secret so deep, it could destroy them both.

Revival is exactly what you can expect from King when you pick up one of his novels. He is a master of storytelling. He can weave the most chilling and compelling story from almost any obscurity, and still, keep you at the edge of your seat. Like almost all Stephen King novels, you are over faster than you realize and are secretly wishing you had at least one more chapter to read.

My Life with Megadeth by David Ellefson

Genre: Biography/Autobiography

Pages: Hard Cover

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Reviewer:  Jean Eastwood

JAGS: 7

 

 

This is a true story written by David Ellefson about his life as a musician. He grew up in the Midwest (Minnesota) as a son of a farmer who had no interest in learning the family trade. His goal was only to be a great musician. At a young age he taught himself bass guitar which proved to be very beneficial.

As all “rock-n-roll” bands experience a period of drug abuse, David and his band Megadeth were no different. Essentially David was homeless for several years because he spent all of his money on cocaine and heroin. David has a revelation with G.O.D. which he defined as “good, orderly direction” and his life changed 180 degrees. He got married, had children and became a great dad.  After heavy metal music lost its lure, he left the band to work for the Peavey Corporation for 7 years selling musical equipment to bands.

He moves to Scottsdale, AZ and joins the local church. He starts a counseling group for drug rehabilitation called “MegaLife.” The group would initially meet in the evenings, but then moved to Sunday mornings. He became a minister and felt this was his calling in life. He got joy from sharing his stories and experiences with younger “up and coming” rock stars. He felt that G.O.D.  had chosen him to mentor those who now needed his help.

The book was a good weekend read. Anyone can learn from his story about the dangers of drug addiction and faith in a higher power.

“We received a free copy of this book from Howard Books, for our honest review. The opinions expressed here are our own.” –The Jag Review