Charade

By Gilbert Morris

Book Overview

Moviemaker.com explodes onto the market, thrusting Ollie Benson into a world of glamour, fame and fortune. He's extravagantly rich. But he's still obese and desperately miserable - until he meets a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310247020
• ISBN13: 9780310247029
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

--

CHARADE By Gilbert Morris Review by Laura V. Hilton Price $12.99 Ollie Benson is a computer video repairman who loves to invent computer programs in his spare time. At the urging of a friend, he sends his latest program in to a company and, to his surprise, they want to buy it! Suddenly, Ollie is rich beyond belief and everyone wants to be his friend. Even as they are repulsed by his obesity, they are drawn by his wealth. Ollie is an innocent and not sure how to take his new-found popularity. He watches people and, if they seem repulsed by his hideous appearance, he stays away. But his agent, Dane, convinces him that he must move to California, and there Ollie finds love. Or so it seems. When the two people Ollie most trusts betray him, Ollie develops and carries out the most elaborate plan for revenge. It is truly spectacular, and leaves no room for error. Can Ollie carry it off? Or is it possible something or Someone will change his mind? I didn't want to like CHARADE. It just didn't sound like a very good book: an obese, computer geek hero suddenly thrust into the world of the rich and famous. Still, I picked it up and couldn't put it down. I read CHARADE through in one sitting. Ollie is real. He's lovable. He's the guy next door. I figured out where the story was going early on, but even so, it wasn't disappointing. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially once Ollie learned to stop reacting to other people's opinions and focus instead on his own individuality. That is when it really became interesting. Fantastic book. My only complaints were that some of the events seemed unrealistic and that the Californians Ollie came into contact with seemed very fascinated with all things Confederate. $12.99. 304 pages.

Revenge? Forgiveness?

This reminds me of one of my favorite books, The Count of Monte Cristo. The protagonist is duped in a scheme and plots revenge. You'll have to read this page-turner to find out if he goes through with it or not.

Wonderful Book

Story is about a very obese young man faced with societies rejections, lack of love, his struggle to confront his situation, and the pitfalls along the way. His few "friends" add to his difficulties until fate and a kindly "loner" set him on a corrective course. Book grabs you from the very beginning and is hard to put down. Highly recommended for adults young and old, of both sexes.

A fun Christian novel

Ollie Benson is an extremely overweight man who spends his days fixing computers in the back of a repair shop. He has no luck with women, and one blind date he goes on ends in an embarrassing manner. Ollie has no self esteem and no proper social skills. Ollie is also very smart and hits it big with a computer program that overnight makes him a millionaire. Dane Fetterman contacts Ollie with hopes of representing him in the fast paced software industry. While Ollie is rich he is still lonely. Then he meets Marlene, a beautiful woman who loves him for who he is. Soon tragedy strikes and Ollie is destroyed. Will Ollie choose the worldy way and seek vengeance on those who wronged him, or will God intervene with Ollie's soul and allow him to forgive those who wronged him? Charade is the fast paced new novel from Gilbert Morris. It is told in a quick, first-person point of view. The plot moves fast and never bogs down. It seems Morris knew the scenario he wanted to set up for the ending of his novel, so some of the plot devices he uses as part of Ollie's downfall seem a little farfetched, but it doesn't really detract from the story. Morris creates a world of people who have tons of money but lack in what really matters, God and morals. These people have everything but are always searching for more. I enjoyed his realist portrayal of sexuality in a Christian novel. Its nice to see an author acknowledge that sexual attract can exist in moral people. Morris' religious message is simple and isn't forced and the conclusion is quite predictable. I enjoyed this novel from beginning to end, in spite of Morris's implication the the Sierra Club is a worthwhile charity for Christians. In my opinion, while the Sierra Club might have lofty goals, they are in reality a left wing political organization that does more harm than good. Morris should leave politics out of future novels.

Sweet Revenge...with a Twist!!!

If you ever felt betrayed this book will captivate you. And revenge? Yes it's in here...but you won't believe how it unravels. Gilbert Morris is dynamite when he puts his mind to the pen and paper. What a classic, unique twist from all the other fiction books I have read out there. It was a page turner let me tell you, another book you won't be able to put down.