Review of Covenant
By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
Daniel Martin, former advertising manager for the Independent, is back from Florida for two book signings in Belleville for his newly released novel “Covenant”.
This is his first book and it was released March 19 by Energion Publications in Gonzalez, FL. Many of the scenes in the book are set in Belleville and nearby locations, including the Wayne County Jail and Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
On Sunday, April 1, Martin will speak during the worship service at Great Lakes Assembly, 105 N. Liberty Street, Belleville, and then sign books after the service. April 1 is his 50th birthday and he will speak what this his Jubilee means to him.
Church begins at 1 p.m. and everyone is invited. The book signing follows at 3 p.m.
At 7 p.m., Thursday, April 5, Martin will be featured at a book signing at the Belleville Charhouse restaurant, 524 Main Street.
Those who can’t make it to the book signings can order the novel at http://energionpubs.com/books/covenant/ and scroll down to Energion Direct. Price is $17.99.
“Covenant” is the story of a man named Samuel who skids into alcoholism, his return to the faith, and then an automobile accident on Bemis Road, where he hits and injures his guardian angel, who then is healed and disappears.
Samuel is pursued by Van Buren Township police and other agencies down I-94 after an elderly neighbor to the Bemis Road accident tells police she saw him hit a person and then flee the accident.
Martin, who left his job at the Independent to pursue God’s work, has plenty of time to preach in his novel, but it’s in brief, enjoyable bites.
The angels in his novel are playful, the dark forces powerful and ugly, and the people trying to survive and lead Christian lives are human and likeable – except for a snarling wife-beater.
God, Himself, listens to prayers and looks through portals in Heaven to see what’s happening and then sends his messengers to wield his power to enforce his promise to his children – his covenant. But, the angels cannot interfere with free will.
Unforgettable characters in the novel include the irrepressible Large Marge, a pushy television reporter, and a Belleville congregation that keeps the prayers and good works coming. Then, there’s the defense attorney who struggles with narcolepsy and falls asleep during trial.
The story leads up to a courtroom climax where the guardian angel testifies (and refuses to do tricks or miracles, but disappears a lot) while the world of skeptics and believers watches on television.
It’s a fun book, with lots of twists and turns and, of course, The Message.
It’s easy to imagine “Covenant” as a family movie – with lots of angels in the air riding motorcycles and then later sliding down George Washington’s nose at Mount Rushmore before appearing to comfort a little girl in a red hat.
The Message? The most important thing to do in your life is to form a relationship with God the Father and His Son, which brings with it the help of the heavenly host. It’s a promise.