Slingshot (David Shepherd Thrillers #1)

taking an unexpected journey, and finding himself in the middle of a political battle is not what one man expected when he acted on his beliefs in a turned dangerous situation.

this series puts faith and action together, and plays out what can happen when opposition becomes fanaticism.

Fast paced action and suspense with thought food for faith and family.

This is the first book in a christian thriller which is jam packed with action and the protagonist is an army veteran called David Sheperd who has returned from Iraq a broken man. He suffered from PTSD, he became an alcoholic and consequently lost the only woman he ever loved. He sought help and through his faith he gained redemption and a chance to start anew. He became a chaplain looking out for the homeless and the voiceless, and was well loved bringing succour to those who crossed his path, however it seemed his God had a bigger plan for him. David was persuaded to run for election to become a state senator, however little was he prepared for the cutthroat world he was getting into. David was adamant he would never forsake his morals and his religious belief is what he based his campaign on, and this triggered ghastly consequences from those who feared change and what David stood for. His fiery speeches were he spoke from the heart, were not what certain factions were ready to accept, the battle was full on when he and his people were attacked in a terror attack where some even lost their lives. The various issues the different factions had with David are the same I have, so though I enjoyed the thriller had he been representing my constituency I definitely would never vote for him but saying this I still look forward to reading book 2 to see where he is going with his faith!

I knew I would be glad I stuck with it.

This is the first book of Judah's David Shepherd series. Like a modern Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, David Shepherd is an outsider, tagged to run for Senate. His opponent –an entrenched incumbent and seasoned political manipulator (not unlike most of our national level politicians today).
David is flawed. Deep in his faith, but an Iraqi war vet with PTSD, and a recovering alcoholic. He turned to faith, which makes him a great counter-candidate, but also a target in our current, polarized world.
I'll start out with a few cons: it is big on theology and faith. Today, that turns many people off. But the “religious talk” is about love and faith—not weaponized to condemn non-believers. Also, not sure how realistic it is, in our world of big money supporting politicians, that a newcomer would get a chance to seriously run for Congress.
I felt it started a bit slow but love how it picked up as the story progressed. While many will want to brand it as good versus evil, David, as a trained theologian, takes the perspective that you should love everyone, not just those who think like you do. That is a universal in our current world, where culture says you have to hate those who don't agree with you. And while everyone has “their truth”, what that really means is someone is an enemy if they don't see and support your side.
David is compelling: not a hero per se (he wouldn't say he is) but rather every man just wanting to live his personal views and faith. Refreshing, and so timely for the climate we currently live in.

David Shepherd is an ex soldier. After what he's seen, what he's endured, he turns his trauma into a positive, he dedicates himself to do God's work, to help whomever he can, in whichever way he can. A man of great faith. And now was his time to challenge Goliath, to expose the corruption of politics and those who manipulate and lie. Together with Sam and Alexandra, he navigates the shark infested waters of politics, and boy does it get hairy!

There is a saying that politics and religion don't mix but they are intricately intertwined and not always for the good but for personal gain. This author hits hard with his prose, he weaves a magnificent story of hope, of faith of love. As he did with the Sebastian Winter books, he inspired me. He inspires me to try harder. He inspires me to be better. He inspires me to remember what really matters. He inspires me to relinquish guilt and shame, and let's face it, who of us doesn't have a noose of guilt around our necks, at times squeezing so tightly it's difficult to breathe. This excellent author gives us characters we can relate to, characters we all know, their realism seeping from their pores, true, real.

I really enjoyed getting to know David, the chapters dedicated to his past, the ensuing spiral he found himself in and how, when he was rock bottom, he found the light, he found his path through faith, all capture the fullness of his character, set up the story magnificently. His truth resonates with me, his humility, his conviction in his faith and his uncompromising position of his beliefs, show a character of immense strength, flawed, redeemed but strong. As did Alex, her character is another that's pure and strong, although not through her faith in God but her faith in truth, in justice. I loved how easily the author delineated them, gave them a distinct voice, at times opposing, but always with the same aim. So too do the well crafted Everest, Pastor Francis, Michal, Jonathan and a host of others, give substance. And there's even a, maybe, romance brewing.

Even this is a story of unbridled faith, drawing heavily on Christianity, and the nasty truth of politics, it's so much more. It's a political thriller akin to David Brown or David Baldacci, just one filled with a resonating message of faith. This quote stood out for me "sometimes our greatest struggles become our greatest strength" A fabulous story, yes, rich in religion, based on faith, gave me a fast paced, excellent thrilling read, one hard to put down. Now I have an urgent need to know what's next in this politically charged series...