The Man He Never Was

*I would like to thank BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book.*

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. I loved the idea of a Jekyll and Hyde type character though.

Torren is a man who wakes up in a hotel room, not knowing how he got there. Turns out he has lost 8 months of his life. He then goes on a journey to find out what happened to him and why.

When he visits his wife and children to try to explain what happened, a type of anmesia, they didn't want him there. They were actually glad that he had been missing since he was such a horrible man with a bad temper. He was even kicked out of the NFL because of this temper.

Ultimately, this is the story of Torren's journey of what happened to him, why and his new faith and bringing his family back together.

I'm sure many will love this book.

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥

Rubari’s THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS claims to be a retelling of Stevenson’s DR. JEEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, a tale we all recognize, and it does have some qualities of the Stevenson tale. The main theme is humanity’s good side versus the evil side; even the most mild-mannered of us do have a dark side. This novel succeeds there.

So what’s the story? Toren Daniels is a former NFL football professional but was removed from the NFL because of his bad temper on the field. He has little outlet for his emotions, taking them out on his wife and children. He disappears for about nine months, living at a special center where he is supposed to learn to manage his anger. The world believes that Daniels must be dead.
But he isn’t. He returns home, pleading with his wife and children for forgiveness. His wife is reluctant; she has heard Daniels’s story too many times before. An old “frenemy” reappears into his life, and Daniels realizes that his anger – his dark side – is perhaps suppressed but not as conquered as it needs to be for him to earn redemption with his family and perhaps the NFL again.

Does Daniels learn to manage his dark side? Does he redeem himself? Read and see.

This novel does delve deeply into spiritual/Biblical matters; as a librarian, I would definitely give “Christian fiction” as one of its subject headings, and I saw what I believed to be an allegory, with the “frenemy” being Satan. Though I am the farthest possible from a football fan of any kind, I did want Daniels and his family to come together again and felt for Daniels as he learns what he needs to learn.

If you want to read about a battle of good versus evil within each person with a good sprinkling of what the Bible says about good versus evil, do try this novel.

Might want to lower the price of the paperback on this one to a buck as well.

Another great read in the Rubart fashion. HIs books always leave me thinking and reassessing my own life. I loved the characters, all but Letto. Letto was dark, evil and a side that exists in most of us. Through Christ the Letto's of our lives can be banished forever and only then can we become the awesome person that God intended us to be.

We all continue to fight the darkness daily, but through Christ, we can truly be victorious. The Man He Never Was was an enlightening and magical story seeped with insight, awakening, and the journey to our true Christian self. Loved it!

This book is under the science fiction section, yet it has nothing to do with it. At first it's intriguing, because you are just as confused as the main character is. But as you go through the story, you start to realize what kind of message the author is trying to get across. Honestly, you don't even have to read the entire novel to get the idea: Everything that happened to the main character was God's doing, showing the character how much he should appreciate and love what he has.
Waste of time and money. I don't recommend reading this novel (You're either going to love it or hate it).

Really enjoyed this book! I’m someone that tends to run hot and it spoke to me.
I listened to the audiobook. He reads too slow for me, but it’s perfect at 1.5 speed. :)
Chapter 31 begins the some funny narrative. It’s unedited and at one point the author says “these typos are driving me nuts nuts nuts nuts!” in a funny sing-song voice. It’s kinda annoying to know they released an unfinished/unedited version...but considering the topic of dealing with anger I’d say some grace is due ;) I bet they just uploaded the wrong chapters...I can’t imagine they really didn’t finish editing it since it’s seemless for the first 30. Anyways, I guess I counted it as a little treat to hear the real him come through.

If you enjoying reading Christian books then you will enjoy this reader I bought used and they were almost like new Recommend this seller

Toren Daniels was in the process of re-conditioning. He was experiencing peace again, which wasn't what others had been seeing before he left playing in the Pros with the Seahawks. It had been eight months since he had gone missing, eight months! Where had he been? What was the letter referring to? The way to freedom, who sent the package? In his search for answers, Toren goes home to his wife, Sloane. What must she be thinking? What note did he write? How could she start a new life? How can he regain everyone's trust? Before getting together with Quinn, Toren would spend the hours in silence, prayer, and pondering the way his soul had been transformed.

Once Sloane gets through the shock of Toren's sudden appearance, she knows to stay in the moment. A moment in which the children and her will need to trust in God's promises. After all of these months, she would have to deal with Toren's efforts to regain his way back into her life and the truth that her children deserved him in their lives.

Quinn was his workout partner, his best friend since sixth grade. "To find true freedom, you must find true forgiveness." Seeing is believing. For now, Toren appears to have lost all of the rage that began eating up his self-control. It was great on the field, but eventually it cost his friend his career and family. All of the signs of Toren's Hulk/Frankenstein alter ego had not yet resurfaced. Maybe Toren has changed. Where has he been all of these months?

Coach had always been a rock for Toren. Would he still be the one to help him regain his career? To help him navigate back to what was his best life on and off the field?

Eden is the private eye that Sloane had used to track down where Toren had gone. Now that he has reappeared, Eden will be the one helping him navigate the leads of where he had been. Could Toren had been one those clients who had decided to try re-consolidation? A process in which certain brain receptors are neutralized.

Dr. Ilsa Weber is the counselor who had helped Toren locate the center. Reconnecting with her should bring answers depending on how badly he will want to change. Yet, Toren must find his truth in order to defeat his deceivers. Could the truth be found on Friday Harbor?

When Toren enters the hallway...
Sorry, you must take the rest of this journey on your own...
MrsK

3.75 stars.
These books remind me of C.S. Lewis' 'Great Divorce' - fiction that are part parable and part speculative. I'm not sure 'like' is the right thing to say about them. They keep me reading, they make me think and I'm guessing they improve with every reading. This is my second of Rubart's books and it won't be the last. They are deeply philosophical and they linger, which precious few books do nowadays.

Rubarts books are incredible. I love a story that make me think and examine myself. Thoroughly enjoyed this book