Heaven Lake

I had just finished reading "The Kite Runner" when I turned around and picked up Heaven Lake. As usually happens when I finish a particularly good book, I was expecting a let down. Consequently I was very pleased to find myself shifting from one really excellent book to another. Heaven Lake is a story about an American "Jesus teacher," a missionary in Taiwan whose conviction about his religion, while sincere, is just a tad sanctimonious and disrespectful toward the "unsaved". His concern for their souls, while also sincere, is just a tad patronizing. His version of the truth must be spread. His certainty is a little shaken by the arrival of another missionary, whose conviction is belligerent and self-righteous and even borders on the psychotic. In watching this woman and feeling ashamed and embarrassed by their association, he begins to question the wisdom of forcing his beliefs on strangers. He's a genuinely good man with good intentions. Consequently, he is appalled by a local businessman's suggestion that he accept $10,000 to travel across mainland China in order to bring back a woman to be the businessman's bride. Because of the difficulty in obtaining a marriage license between the Taiwanese and the Chinese, the deal requires him to 1) marry the woman (the government is more lenient with marriages to foreigners), 2) establish her in Taiwan so she can more easily marry her intended husband, 3) divorce her and 4) turn her over to him. Like I said, he's initially appalled. Then an affair he has with a student and the subsequent beating her brother gives him make him question his faith, his safety in Taiwan, and his future. The businessman's proposition gives him an excuse to leave Taiwan and the angry brother. It also gives him an opportunity to break ties with the missionary, which he's grown to feel increasingly hypocritical being involved with. So he makes the arrangements and off he goes, traveling across China in what can only be described as a nightmare travelogue, to marry a woman he's never met. The book is filled with realism, very well-drawn characters, and a story that isn't predictable at all. It was a great story and very well-written. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it, and highly recommend it.

John Dalton rises quietly from his writing desk and demands, with grace and beauty, to be heard."Heaven Lake" is not only a wise and multi-dimensional study of the human character--in this case, a young man named Vincent--it is also a study of cultural differences and similarities. It parallels Vincent's initially shallow view of religion with his shallow accessment of women. As he goes through the crucible of his own sin and redemption, he gains a deeper understanding of life, relationships, and God's unfailing love.Having traveled in mainland China myself, I worried that the book would waver in its attention to realism, but Dalton parcels out his details with a steady hand. Although he writes with utmost respect for the Chinese culture, he never whitewashes its imperfections. He expects us to view his characters and cultures with the same grace and forgiveness that he expects young Vincent to learn. Along the way, we meet unforgettable souls, such as Alec and Jai-Ling. We experience beauty. We learn lessons for our hearts.For years, John Le Carre has told stories of espionage which are often studies of the lonely soul and the things that motivate it. Dalton does much the same thing in "Heaven Lake." He peels back the facades to reveal the intrigues of the heart. In so doing, he has created a masterpiece.

Exquisite; by far the best contemporary book I've read in quite a long time. Dalton's characters are vivid, his prose often poetic. The story is full of twists and turns that kept me turning pages. The details on Red Bud, Illinois, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China make this book a rich, satisfying and informative read. When I reached the end, I was truly sorry it all had to end.

This is a very impressive debut novel,wonderful to read and rich with new insights into China, spiritual longing and growth, and a young man's coming of age. It even has that very rare attribute of real suspense--I had no idea how it would end. What a treat.There is always that temptation to compare one writer to another, but I am going to avoid that. Because Vincent,the main character, speaks fluent Chinese, he is able to get inside the mainland and Taiwanese cultures in a way that is rare in books written by foreigners. Once that level of mystery is stripped away from a culture hidden for so long from Western eyes, China emerges even quirkier than we would imagine. Earnest Vincent from Red Bud, Illinois, makes an excellent guide into this world. His pragmatic nature cuts down on bouts of hysteria, yet he is a young guy and does make some surprising judgement calls.I will warn you that "Heaven Lake" does get off to a slowish start, but stick with it. Once Vincent begins to get his Taiwan ministry into action, you will not want to leave his side for long enough to eat breakfast. Your only regret in picking this book up is that it is not longer; although if it were, it might not be so perfect.--Candace Siegle

What a pleasurable experience, the best $26.00 I have spent on a book in a long time! Please read this book, but only if you like beautiful prose, a suspenseful plot with passion, love and redemption in a fascinating cultural setting, well delineated characters you will never forget, and don't mind never getting your copy of the book back after you loan it to your favorite fellow reader. You will enjoy every page, learn much and feel completely satisfied with Heaven Lake. This book is so indelibly engrained that I am still enjoying it a week after I read it--(I guess that's an extra bonus, proving I'm not losing my short memory yet!)--unlike other bestsellers that immediately fade away.