Also by this author: Airborne, Fatal Strike, Deadly Encounter, High Treason, Deep Extraction, Long Walk Home, Trace of Doubt, Trace of Doubt, Concrete Evidence, Facing the Enemy
Series: Hope of Sudan #2
Published by Tyndale on June 9, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Christian, General
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Once a member of the royal family in Sudan, Paul Farid now carries a price on his head for becoming a Christian. Called to aid his persecuted countrymen, Paul risks his life nearly daily but worries that his sometimes-reckless actions may bring harm to his wife, Larson. This war-torn country is certainly no place to raise a family...but that’s little comfort when Larson realizes she’s pregnant.
After fighting more than two decades against the Sudanese government’s mandates, Colonel Ben Alier is wary of the fledgling peace treaty meant to unite the north and south again. Ben vows not to give up the fight, but a pressing health concern turns his thoughts toward securing his legacy and finally acknowledging his son.
The days ahead hold no promise of peace, so Paul, Larson, and Ben must learn to trust God in all things, no matter where tomorrow leads.
Where Tomorrow Leads by DiAnn Mills picks up where its prequel, Long Walk Home, ends. A couple years have passed, and the population of southern Sudan is hesitantly hopeful for peace. Authorities have negotiated a new peace treaty, and things seem to be better. Larson and Paul are still committed to serving the people, in whatever way fate requires of them. Paul risks his life on outlandish missions, and Larson fears one day, he won’t make it home. His whole family wants to kill him for betraying their Muslim faith. Colonel Ben Alier is still fighting in the bush, although his constant fatigue and back pain are beginning to worry him…as well as the fact that his son doesn’t know he’s alive. He wants to change that.
I was so excited to read this book, as I loved the first one. DiAnn Mills still provided a very good story with Where Tomorrow Leads; however, I left it slightly…unfulfilled. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this one didn’t do it for me. Mills developed a very clear plot; I almost wish I could take a class from her in storytelling. Each aspect of the novel was thought out and well presented. Gunfire blazed, and lives passed in violent skirmishes. Mills kept my attention the entire book, but something about this one felt…flat. Ben, Larson, and Paul all became better, more mature individuals by the novel’s conclusion. How Mills presented everything, though, made me feel like I wasn’t “in the trenches” with the characters. Instead, I soared above them all in Paul’s plane.
I read words; I didn’t experience them. Where Tomorrow Leads by DiAnn Mills also had some loose ends that were not addressed. Without spoiling major plot points, I can’t really go into them. But I will say this: I like to understand motives behind actions. It bothers me when a character does something, and I don’t understand why. Just telling me, “Their beliefs led them to do this,” isn’t a strong enough explanation for me. That’s almost like a kid on the playground, telling me “Because I said so.” I love books with excitement, with lives on the line. Where Tomorrow Leads definitely has that in abundance. But…the why! I crave it, and DiAnn Mills didn’t satisfy my hunger enough with this novel.
Where Tomorrow Leads is still a very good book that speaks to second chances. It talks of how God never gives up on us, and it does a good job of portraying one of the hardest aspects of the Christian faith: trust. God doesn’t always give a clear answer, and sometimes, we are required to step out in faith and believe God will eventually show the way. It addresses forgiveness; and instead of the prodigal son, it’s the prodigal father, returning home. I liked reading the novel, and overall, DiAnn Mills didn’t disappoint. For me, though, Where Tomorrow Leads just lacked some of the spark and warmth I’ve come to expect from Mills. If you read Long Walk Home, I highly recommend reading this one, too. Like a lot of movie sequels, though, this one just can’t match up to the original.