It all started one bright and sunny morning at Greensborough Community Church in upstate New York. Maxwell Sherman (Max to his friends) was sitting next to his girlfriend Mary Sue waiting for the service to begin, when an insert in the bulletin caught his eye. It was the latest update from the Blake family, missionaries to Cabrito. The Blakes were praying for experienced construction workers to visit Cabrito and help put up a new church building. Now this was something Max could do! Before Pastor Dave even began his sermon, Max was planning out the trip to Cabrito in his head.
Fast forward three months later and Max is sitting in the Santo Expedito airport wondering why Mr. Blake is forty-five minutes late. Much to Max’s surprise, when the Blakes do arrive, they are actually on their way out of the country. Without any other options, Max makes his way to the Blake’s hastily abandoned home, intending to wait out the weekend, so he can book the first flight back to the states on Monday. As Max begins to explore the city, making both friends and enemies, he quickly finds out that life in Cabrito doesn’t always go as smoothly as one might have planned.
Throw in a mysterious taxi driver, a beautiful woman, a corrupt local government, a leaderless church, and a fledgling “Missionary Max” and you have a recipe for adventure. As the story unfolds, readers will learn more about Max’s past and begin to understand the many ways God has gifted and prepared him for such a time as this. I couldn’t help but relate to many of the struggles Max faces as the Blake’s former church calls him to step up and fill the vacancy left by the retreating Blake family. While Max was at first put off by the name “Missionary Max” bestowed on him by the local congregation, he eventually warms to the name, seeing it as a calling God has placed on him.
The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max is a fun-filled adventure story with enough peril and intrigue to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Once I got into the story, I simply couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting. As far as the content of the story goes, there isn’t anything here that would prevent me from heartily recommending the book to readers ranging from ages 13 to adult. I was surprised to see such a strong story coming from a first-time author. I’m hopeful that the book receives enough of a following to encourage the author and publisher to bless readers with additional installments in the Missionary Max series.
About the Author:
Born in Ithaca, New York, Andrew Comings visited Brazil for the first time when he was seventeen. He currently serves as a missionary in São Luís, Brazil, with his wife, Itacyara, and their two children, Michael and Nathanael.
Where to Buy:
Related Media:
- Andrew Comings Blog
- Review of The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max at Fundamentally Reformed
- Review of The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max at Divine Satisfaction!
- Review of The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max at Words With Books
Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the author for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
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2 users responded in this post
Nice review, Shaun. I totally agree with your comments about having to read it all in one sitting. I don’t think I was able to do it in one sitting due to other commitments but I literally devoured the book. Excellent plot and I too hope to read more adventures of Missionary Max in the future!
[...] Praise For The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max: “In a fast-paced, engaging manner, Comings masterfully weaves his tale set on the fictional island of Cabrito. Political intrigue, a mysterious past, shady villains and maniacal kingpins — the story doesn’t follow the script one imagines for a typical missionary adventure tale. And Max is no missionary-want-to-be, he comes across as a man’s man who is forced into staying on Cabrito to make a difference.” -Bob Hayton (FundamentallyReformed.com) “The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max is a fun-filled adventure story with enough peril and intrigue to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Once I got into the story, I simply couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting. As far as the content of the story goes, there isn’t anything here that would prevent me from heartily recommending the book to readers ranging from ages 13 to adult. I was surprised to see such a strong story coming from a first-time author. I’m hopeful that the book receives enough of a following to encourage the author and publisher to bless readers with additional installments in the Missionary Max series.” -Shaun Tabatt (BibleGeekGoneWild.com) [...]
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