A Purpose Under Heaven: A Novel

By Derek V. Smith

In his new book, A Purpose Under Heaven, Derek V. Smith uses allegory to demonstrate the pivotal role church and family must play in anchoring a society in a risky world-a world in which technology is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874838533
• ISBN13: 9780874838534
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: August House Pub Inc
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

A Great Read

Technology--a force that defines our age. Alone, it is nothing. Just a tool, neither good nor bad. But as a tool, it can be used for great things or evil things depending on the hand that wields it. This is a truth that Derek V. Smith, CEO and chairman of a firm dealing in decision-making technology, is well acquainted with. In A Purpose Under Heaven, Smith sets out to tell a story that will hammer this point home. Told by an aging pastor, the book relates the goings-on in a small town called New Hope that is being turned upside-down by an influx of new people, ideas, and technology. The values that had bound the town together for so long are suddenly challenged by con-men and Internet predators. Most of the residents either refuse to believe or simply don't understand the changes creeping in. Some feel the evil forces at work but don't know what to do about it, and others are taken in by the deceptive faces those forces use. But wherever the darkness lurks, God will send light to the faithful, too. One woman, Nana Martin, finds herself at the crux of the battle. Her weapon? A computer named George who seems to have a mind of his own. Will they be a strong enough army to save her family and beloved town? I found A Purpose Under Heaven to be interesting simply because of what it is. It isn't a novel that I would recommend to everyone for its simple entertainment value. It is instead a fabulous alternative to a non-fiction approach on a topic that needs to be brought to the attention of today's parents and grandparents. More a parable or allegory than typical fiction, this book clearly demonstrates how technology needs to be monitored and understood so that our children and families don't become victims to those who would misuse it. This book is a must for a large chunk of today's generations--anyone who has retained a "healthy distance" from technology, who considers themselves "computer illiterate," who thinks many of the innovations are "too complicated" but who has family using it freely needs to spend a few hours with this book. Your eyes will be opened, not only to the evils that lurk in cyberspace, but also the life-saving technologies that are available to counteract it. Through suspense and storytelling, Smith makes it clear that ignorance and distance aren't going to accomplish anything in this battle--the only way we can keep our families safe is to know what we're fighting and the weapons available to us. This book challenges us all to be the hands wielding computers for good. Smith did an excellent job of putting a living face on a problem that could easily have become too technical and dull in explanation. He pulls away the mask of those with hidden agendas and also shines the light of recognition on those working night and day to fight them. A Purpose Under Heaven is a quick read whose lesson will not soon be forgotten. Pick up a copy for any parent or grandparent in need of an eye-opener!

A Great Read!

A Purpose Under Heaven is an intriguing and moving tale about contemporary life and the challenges we face in a world driven by technology. This is a great book for parents and grandparents who are struggling to connect with their loved ones in a world that seems overwhelmed by the advances of technology. I highly recommend this book!

A story about today's Good vs Evil.

"A Purpose Under Heaven" is a very powerful story about today's technology and the consequences when good intentioned people use it responsibly as well as the consequences when bad intentioned people use it to cause harm. This book shows you the real life devastating results of what could happen, if even for just a minute, you let your guard down or if you put your trust in the wrong people. On the other side, it shows you some of the amazing everyday positive uses. The characters are your neighbors, your friends, your parents and your kids and by being able to relate to them, you'll quickly get wrapped up in this book. You'll smile. You'll get angry. And it has a thrilling ending that will leave your heart pounding. This book would make a great movie.

An engrossing tale about the impact of technology on relationships

Derek Smith has written a wonderful book -- it is an inspiration for all parents and grandparents. He introduces a modern tale about love, loss, anger, frustration and the power of forgiveness. He shows us that technology can be used for good or evil, and it is up to all of us to rekindle the human spirit.

Absorbing and thought provoking: A real jewel.

There are very few books that may well grant you a sharper perspective of the world in which you live, but there are even fewer that do it in an entertaining and soulful way. A Purpose Under Heaven is such a rare gem. The author's vision of New Hope and its inhabitants is so vivid you are allowed to not simply understand the issues the characters confront but feel the powerful emotions these confrontations elicit. On its face,A Purpose Under Heaven depicts the damaging effects of technological adoption into our lives without thoughtful consideration of its effects on our social structure. On a deeper level the well-developed interplay of the town inhabitants reveals this fraying of our social construct to be a tool for the ever-lurking evil elements (the Devil)to advance their (his)destructive ambitions. How the players in this novel ultimately deal with this threat reflects the necessity for each generation to understand the problem, create social and tecnological counterbalances, and pass the torch of hope to the next generation. Expressed in the form of an allegory, this penetrating tale allows us to put a face on the enemy in a way a preachy non-fiction work could never achieve. All of us struggle with life-changing issues as do these characters. A Purpose Under Heaven clarifies how the social support mechanism that has sustained us for hundreds of generations can silently erode if we do not make its survival one of our priorities. I recommend this book as one that while entertaining will cause you to reflect upon your Purpose Under Heaven.