Lost the Plot

In "The Sacred Chase," Heath Adamson takes a look at the story from Mark 5 when Jesus casts Legion out of the man in the graveyard. As he retells the story, Adamson weaves other Biblical tales, life stories, and spiritual truths in order to encourage readers to increase their intimacy with God. This book falls short in a few places. First, as it does reach the point of encouraging readers to grow in relationship with God, the process does not draw the reader in. Second, the book's message would have been stronger if Adamson had focused exclusively on the primary narrative from Mark 5. Interweaving other Biblical stories in weakens the narrative structure of the book. Going deeper into the story of the man possessed by Legion would have allowed Adamson to develop the points of the book more specifically. Finally, when Adamson discusses King David and the confrontation from the prophet regarding David's actions of Bathsheba, he identified the prophet incorrectly. As Adamson recounts the story he identifies the prophet who knocks as Samuel. If this was the case, David probably would have freaked out as Samuel had already passed away at this point. The prophet that comes and visits David is Nathan. While this seems minor in regards to the point that Adamson seeks to make in the book, it is very important to make sure the narratives you recount from Scripture tell the story as it is relayed. This small mistake causes distraction and breaks down the integrity of the text. Better editing/proofreading would have improved the text at this point.
While Adamson makes his point by the conclusion of "The Sacred Chase," the journey through the book lacks coherency and sound editing. Ultimately, the book felt like a collection of badly drawn together sermons.
I received this book as a review copy from Baker Books in return for an honest review.