The Deliverer by Linda Rios Brook

The Deliverer by Linda Rios Brook
Series: Book Two of The Reluctant Demon Diaries
Publisher: Realms (August 29, 2011)

Review by Mae Clair

Let me start by saying I don’t usually buy books where Satan is a character, but I picked this one up for $2.97 at a book sale. I was intrigued because the bulk of the story is a retelling of the tale of Moses. As it turns out, I enjoyed The Deliverer so much, I bought the entire series on Kindle, and devoured it in days. The author is an ordained minister, speaker, and teacher who has also written nonfiction.

All four novels are funny (with a capital F) faith-filled, and suspenseful. I’m reviewing book two, The Deliverer, since it’s the one that introduced me to the other three. Each novel can be read as a standalone, but the overall arc plays better if you read all four.

Dr. Samantha Yale, an expert in translating cuneiform writing, receives several ancient scrolls from a mysterious stranger. Samantha’s part of the story amounts to a short chapter at the beginning and a closing chapter at the end. The rest of the book tells the tale of the scrolls, which is a diary from an unnamed demon.

Once an angel, he got caught on the wrong side when God threw Lucifer and his followers out of Heaven. He couldn’t decide where to stand when war broke out in the throne room. By the time he made up his mind and ran toward the Archangel Michael, it was too late, and he was booted along with the troublemakers.

Our guy is the fidgety, nervous sort. Definitely an underdog, and the butt of the other demons’ jokes. He smarter than the lot of them put together (even Satan), though none of them has a clue. Best of all, he has a good heart.

Satan assigns him the job of reporting on the Israelites. While each book in the series takes a different period in history (Book One: Creation through Joseph; Book Three: Judges through David; Book Four: Christ’s birth through His resurrection), this one focuses on the span from Moses’s birth through Joshua’s victory at Jericho. Along the way we get a firsthand look at Pharaoh’s hardheadedness, the plagues on Egypt, the Exodus, even Moses frustration in the wilderness. Our reluctant demon sees and experiences everything firsthand because he’s there as it unfurls. In the passage below, he’s been summoned with the other demons to report to Satan in his throne room.

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Soon it was my turn before the evil inquisitor.

“Now you tell me what God will do next.”

I thought he was serious until I realized that the rest of the demonic corps was snickering. They were waiting for me to become flustered and say something silly as I usually did when I was nervous, and I was always nervous when Satan spoke to me. I gave what I thought was a good answer.

“He will send Pharaoh another message.”

“Ooooh, so scary,” the horde began chiding me. “Big whoopee, a message to Pharaoh; we better worry now.”

They continued to make fun of me as if I were the village idiot whose sole purpose was to provide comic relief for their staff meeting.

The Deliverer, Linda Rios Brook

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Did I mention this book is filled with humor? It’s written in a chatty style (all are), while bringing the Bible to life in vibrant and unexpected ways. My heart went out for the reluctant demon who longs for Heaven, cheers for the Israelites, and tries to provide his own counsel to Moses, Aaron, and Joshua (though they can’t see or hear him), all the while trying not to get pummeled by his demon peers or Satan.

I smiled and chuckled from beginning to end. There were moments I wanted to pull him aside for a one-on-one, and other times I just wanted to hug him. And when he talks to God, my heart melted for him. My only regret is that after reading all four books, there are no others to be had. While the series wraps in a wholly satisfying manner, it also leaves the door open for more. One can only hope Ms. Brook will pick up her pen again.

Not only am I giving this book five fabulous fish, but I’m rating it as one of my favorite reads of 2023. If you enjoy Christian fiction that engages your heart and soul–and funny bone–I highly recommend The Deliverer, and all four novels of the Reluctant Demon Diaries.

I purchased the paperback and the Kindle version of The Deliverer