Official Review: The Freedom of Will by Ken Clatterbaugh

[Adedayo+23]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Freedom of Will" by Ken Clatterbaugh.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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When 19-year-old Will Tillit leaves home for the first time for a job at the Bible-inspired Galilee Theme Park in west Texas, little does he know that he is about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Abandoned as a baby by his mother, Will is raised by his loving aunt & uncle who are devout evangelical siblings. Will has a secret he hardly shares with anyone; he has conversations with God. However, Will's diety sounds nothing like that of his guardians. Will's god is somewhat sarcastic, a little irritable, but also insightful.

Will's passage to west Texas is far from a smooth trip. After saving a three-legged and possibly atheistic hamster he names Ham, Will encounters a tornado-riding woman he falls for almost instantly. He is further sidelined by a con artist "Reverend," kidnapped by a greedy dominionist, and helps to foil a bank robbery. Will finds his faith influenced by the colorful cast of characters he meets on his journey, from lesbian nuns committed to social justice to likable convicted felons. Amid this life-changing adventure, Will’s faith is challenged as he leaves the familiar behind to embrace the truth about who he is.

The Freedom of Will is not your regular coming of age tale. Will's journey leads him to explore the role of religion in American life and the long-lasting impact, for better or worse. In an absurdly comic fashion, the book delves into America's bizarre take on faith and Christianity. I was impressed with the clarity of the text, the realistic cast of characters, the memorable laugh out loud moments, and the exceptional character development.

This book had a lot of high points. One of my favorites was the banter between Will and God. I realize that Will is a very imaginative young man, and there's a simple explanation for these conversations he claims to have with God. Nevertheless, these talks were uniquely entertaining. In one instance, God declared that he might become an atheist while listening to a prosperity gospel sermon in a mega-church.

I could not find anything to dislike about this book. Without a doubt, it is one I intend to read again not just for the humor, but also the intelligent and fascinating arguments surrounding religion and belief systems. Ken Clatterbaugh is a fantastic storyteller, and with a debut novel as outstanding as this one, I cannot wait to see what else he has in store.

The book appeared professionally edited as I could find only two typographical errors. I am happy to rate The Freedom of Will 4 out of 4 stars. Reading the book certainly changed how I view religion. It also gave me a better understanding and deeper appreciation of how belief systems are formed. This book is highly recommended to anyone in the mood for an exceptionally well-written book and is not easily offended by intelligent and thought-provoking discussions surrounding religion.

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The Freedom of Will
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[LauraLeeWasHere]

Will's passage to west Texas is far from a smooth trip. After saving a three-legged and possibly atheistic hamster he names Ham, Will encounters a tornado-riding woman he falls for almost instantly. He is further sidelined by a con artist "Reverend," kidnapped by a greedy dominionist, and helps to foil a bank robbery. Will finds his faith influenced by the colorful cast of characters he meets on his journey, from lesbian nuns committed to social justice to likable convicted felons.

After reading this paragraph you wrote all I could think is, "It's good to see that OBC is an equal opportunities employer and don't shy away from hiring the insane!"

I can imagine that you gave more than a mere moment of thought before starting to write this review. But I think you did an admirable job of giving us the technical aspects of the book while showing us it's tone, purpose and whimsical aspects. Being a devout Christian, but one who walks around with her tongue frequently in her cheek, I'm not sure if this is something I'll be reading. But I do know this book is firmly in the middle of my reading radar. Just like its reviewer!

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

[Adedayo+23]

Will's passage to west Texas is far from a smooth trip. After saving a three-legged and possibly atheistic hamster he names Ham, Will encounters a tornado-riding woman he falls for almost instantly. He is further sidelined by a con artist "Reverend," kidnapped by a greedy dominionist, and helps to foil a bank robbery. Will finds his faith influenced by the colorful cast of characters he meets on his journey, from lesbian nuns committed to social justice to likable convicted felons.

After reading this paragraph you wrote all I could think is, "It's good to see that OBC is an equal opportunities employer and don't shy away from hiring the insane!"

I can imagine that you gave more than a mere moment of thought before starting to write this review. But I think you did an admirable job of giving us the technical aspects of the book while showing us it's tone, purpose and whimsical aspects. Being a devout Christian, but one who walks around with her tongue frequently in her cheek, I'm not sure if this is something I'll be reading. But I do know this book is firmly in the middle of my reading radar. Just like its reviewer!

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

LOL! The plot is undoubtedly provocative, and I appreciate your sincere feedback. Thank you so much for commenting.

[Nisha Ward]

A Galilee Theme Park, an atheistic hamster and lesbian nuns wigh a passion for social justice...


I'll admit, I'm having a hard time seeing how all these fit together. It certainly sounds bizarre and I don't know how exactly the author gets all of these elements to work.