A review by catrev
Vigilante by Robin Parrish

4.0

Vigilante by Robin Parrish is a thought-provoking look at just how far a man can be pushed. Nolan Gray earned a reputation as America's hero after his actions while a captured soldier helped bring his men home. It was Nolan's faith in God that carried him through the incredibly dark time, and in the end, he and friend Thornton Hastings made a vow to each other that when they got home they would try to fix what was broken in the world. In the years since they made that promise, Thornton has gone on to become president, but the American has continued to devolve into a violent, crime-ridden place. New York City is the epicenter of the violence, and it is there that Nolan has decided to take a stand. After faking his own death, Nolan has taken on the persona of a masked crime fighter, with the specialized tools of friend Arjay, he appears almost superhuman. The country becomes entranced by the Hand's fight against crime, but crime boss Yuri Vasko has marked the Hand as his nemesis when he believes that Nolan has murdered his wife and daughter. The stories of these two driven men: Nolan to bring justice to the world and Yuri to bring justice to the death of his family will bring the city of New York to its knees and maybe, just maybe, change it forever. Think Batman with his nifty gadgets and tortured personality against the Kingpin (yes, I know they are two different universes!) with his wealth, power over New York, and the fear he inspires. Nolan is a bit of an enigma with his brutal past and dark secrets, but Parrish has made him more than a cardboard cut-out tough guy. Nolan agonizes over whether his choices are right, and his relationship with Alice becomes an opportunity to peek at his soul. Parrish includes newspaper articles and transcripts of TV and radio conversations that bring up vital questions about how Christians are to respond to violence: with the OT view of an eye for an eye, or with the NT view of turn the other cheek. Parrish gives both arguments merit and allows readers to make their own decisions. Parrish's stories always begin with a "what if" premise that he carries out with a fresh and unique world view. His stories are never cliched or predictable. I do feel however, that this novel doesn't have the ending he originally wrote. The climactic scene is shocking in the questions it raises about whether the ends justify the means and how far can a good man go, but then he pulls back just a bit, and it feels awkward. I'm curious to see if a sequel is in the works, which would explain the strained resolution. I wouldn't mind a sequel to follow up on Coral, Nolan, Thornton and Arjay. I look forward to see whatever Parrish produces next; he's one of the freshest and brightest voices in Christian fiction today.