Synopses & Reviews
John Hanson knows how to face the death of an aged Christian; celebrate it. After all, isn’t it selfish to grieve when the departed goes to a better place? Being in charge of the funeral for his grandmother, Nanna, John arranges for a happy atmosphere, but not everyone understands. Tabitha, his twelve-year-old daughter, who is attending her first funeral, perceives the conflict in a very personal way. During the days before Nanna’s death, Tabitha had been comforted by dreams of the lady’s glorious entrance into Heaven, but she truly misses Nanna’s presence and wonders if her inner yearnings are wrong.
Tabitha has also had dreams about her best friend, Rose Grayson, haunting dreams that showed her friend as lost and in terror in the afterworld. No, Rose is not a Christian. In fact, her father, Phil, is an atheist, a bold atheist. Phil and Rose attend Nanna’s funeral, and when Tabitha claims to see a vision of her departed great grandmother, Phil suggests to John that Tabitha should undergo therapeutic counseling. John decides on another path, but the conflict raises doubts about his daughter’s mental and spiritual stability.
Synopsis
I Know Why the Angels Dance contrasts John Hanson with Phil Grayson, an atheist pyschology professor. Phil loses his only child to disease, and is furious at John's attempts to consold based on the departed child's deathbed conversion of Christ.
Synopsis
I Know Why the Angels Dance is a contemporary novel that delves into one of the great struggles of our existence, the mystery of the afterlife. Without a doubt, the human concept of death remains a dark puzzle. The pieces can seem shapeless and nothing fits. The Bible tells us that death has no sting for the believer in Christ, but many people still fear the inevitable end of their lifelong march toward the unknown. And if they lack fear, they often prefer not to think about the end of their worldly existence even though the Bible has much to say about the confidence we have in Christ. Such is the greatest of mysteries.
For those who grieve, hope is the greatest salve for their wounds. Is there really a place of joy in the heavens? Oh, for a glimpse of that glorious hope!
Can a novel explore this dark mystery without being dark itself? What if a book could tell the story of God’s view of life and death, draw out the fears and hopes of a reader, and make him celebrate the strange combination of sadness and joy inherent in the death of a child of God? I Know Why the Angels Dance is such a book. It tells the story of two men who come from opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum regarding the afterlife. The story tells how they deal with grief when death calls a loved one away, and how a remarkable young girl brings them together. Combining an emotionally compelling appeal with a splash of the fantastic, this novel is sure to draw hearts closer to God.
Grief is a line in every life’s story. Will it make you weep, or dance? I Know Why the Angels Dance shows us how to see the dancing even through our curtain of tears.
About the Author
Bryan Davis is the author of the best-selling Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series, contemporary/fantasy blends for young people. His book Eye of the Oracle hit number one on the January 2007, Young Adult CBA best-seller list. His book The Bones of Makaidos won the 2010 Clive Staples Award, recognizing the best work in Christian worldview speculative fiction. With the September 2010 release of Masters & Slayers, Bryan has begun his first fantasy series for adults, Tales of Starlight. Bryan is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.S. in Industrial Engineering). From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor. Bryan continues to further his writing education by attending relevant writing conferences and conventions. Bryan is a craftsman with words and an excellent interviewee on various topics, including his books, young adult fantasy fiction, and creative writing in general. He makes appearances around the country for book signings and for special presentations to enthusiastic young readers and developing young authors in middle schools, high schools, and homeschool groups. Although he is now a full time writer, Bryan was a computer professional for over 20 years. Bryan and his wife, Susie, have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.