Meet Brian Ericson, a young man whose life seems perfect in every way. He is handsome and successful, and everything is going his way with the possible exception of his relationship with Kristen, the perfect woman he just broke up with.
On a Beautiful November day, Brian sets out for a three-day weekend in the mountains. Taking what he believes will be a shortcut, things suddenly take a turn for the worse. Lost and disoriented, Brian gets some help from a host of surprising characters, and must grapple with the foolish choices of his life.
J. Stephen Lang is a contributor to The Christian Reader and Discipleship Journal. His list of published works includes books on Bible facts and U.S. trivia. He makes his home in Seminole, FL.
My Impressions:
Foolish and perplexing! Those are the watch words for J. Stephen Lang’s novel The Perfect Fool. On my shelf for a looong time, I decided it was time to get it read. Not an easy read, it is more allegory and morality tale than anything else. The Perfect Fool is for the reader willing to suspend disbelief and listen with both the mind and heart.
Brian Sean Ericson is a perfect man — just ask his parents, his colleagues, former lovers, and of course himself. Good looking, successful, intelligent, sensitive, spiritually aware — I could go on and on about his virtues. Yet beneath that perfect veneer, there is, well not much. Brian is about as deep as a wading pool. Encouraged to vacation, because he deserves it rather than needs it, Brian finds himself lost. Stumbling upon a group of odd characters celebrating a feast, Brian finds himself in the midst of fools. He is made to endure unintelligible conversation and non-sensical stories before the fools will give him directions to escape his predicament. Yet as the reader discovers, not all fools are what they seem and perfect men are often fools themselves.
As I said, it is not an easy read. There is no real resolution at the end. The reader is left to decided who the fool really is. But it is a book that will have you questioning whether you have been foolish as well.
Content warning: mild profanity and breaking of the 3rd commandment
(This book came off my shelf. I have read and reviewed it just for me and whoever wants to read this review.)
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