Dissent (Band of Believers #1) by Jamie Lee Grey

Dissent (Band of Believers #1) Reviews

• 
  Carina Shephard

  Recommended for: fans of apocalyptic action/adventure
  
  Thoughts:
  
  -Overall, enjoyed it. Scarily realistic, considering the subject matter. Thought provoking.
  
  -I wish the author would've omitted/condensed the lists of what the characters brought on their journey; I really don't need to know every single thing they brought with them. However, it did feel well-researched from a prepping/survival standpoint.
  
  -The tiny mentions of different Montana things like huckleberries and the picture of Willow's family at Flathead Lake... :)
  
  -Some reviews I read beforehand mentioned iffy theology. Obviously I'm not an eschatological expert and everyone has different views of the end times, but nothing I read was anti-Biblical in any way.
  
  Content: None/Mild.
  
  Will I read the sequel? If it becomes available for free, yes. However, I'm not invested enough to continue otherwise. From the snippet at the end, I can definitely anticipate things that might happen concerning Matt's mom, and none of them beneficial for our band of believers....
• 
  Hattie Montague

  Inspirational
  
  It held my interest even when l wasn't reading the book. I couldn't wait to get back to it. And the prayers expressed are those that l have asked of our LORD...and HE came through everytime.
• 
  Susan

  This is an interesting and thought provoking book. Great start to the series.
• 
  Joleen

  4.5⭐️ (Down 1/2 star because the book didn’t really have an ending.) This is like one long book split into four stories. The true ending happens in book 4. Since I enjoyed the story and writing I rounded this up to 5⭐️.
  
  While visiting her sister, Willow's mother was picked up in a raid against Christian’s who refused to have the federal I.D. placed under their skin — what many Christians claimed is the mark of the Beast. So Willow (17), along with 4 other Christians and one child, decided to head for the hills (literally) and hopefully escape local and federal law enforcement hunting them.
  
  Whew. What a thrill ride this was. I don’t have number two in the series, but I’d like to read it eventually. I so enjoy Jamie Lee Grey's writing. Different from my normal historical fiction genre.
  
  Futuristic, but believable!
• 
  Bonnye Reed

  EReaderCafe
• 
  Cindy

  Very good book! It's not pretrib, but still is a great read. I really enjoyed it.
• 
  Jana Smith

  Excellent on the edge of your seat faith filled read
  
  The author presents an interesting futuristic option... The mark of the beast assigned to the global population prior to the rapture and tribulation. What do Christians do? What if you are forced, could you withstand the pressure? What about feeding your family? The story follows a small hours of six people, aged 2years of age to 18 or 20 and their determination to not receive the mark, and God's provision and protection.
• 
  Donna

  Great book
  
  I loved this book! The author kept the story moving forward at just the right pace. The story line about the end times is so interesting. I had a hard time putting this book down! I bought the other books in this series because I liked this one so much!
• 
  She Reads for Jesus

  In the small town of Ponderosa, Montana trouble arises. There is growing pressure to get inserted with the I.D, known to believers as the Mark of the Beast. Many people have willingly obtained the I.D., however there are those who remain resistive to the mandate. In turn, the local authorities have begun to take a more hostile and aggressive approach to enforcing the I.D. Yet, there remains a small group of believers in Jesus, whose refusal of the insertion of the I.D. causes them to flee the unjust treatment. Dissent by Jamie Lee Grey is an action packed, fast paced novel, that shows the resiliency of a group of believers as they navigate surviving a life as fugitives in the terrains of a dense forest. While maintaining their survival within the confines of the forest, they soon become aware that they are being targeted and hunted by the local authorities for their rebellion. Their faith and trust in the Lord will be their anchor to survival.
  
  Luke 12:8-9 (ESV) “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
  
  Dissent is an engrossing tale with memorable characters. There are two protagonists that yield the engaging plot. Raven Deepwater is a loyal follower of Christ, who receives a warning that the urgence of the acceptance of the I.D. will soon increase. She warns other believers and contacts several surrounding churches to warn fellow Christians of the impending threat. Willow Archer is a fellow loyal follower of Christ, who heeds Raven’s warning. She and her brother escape with Raven to the forest. Enduring feelings of grief, when a surprising newcomer shortly joins the group, Willow is faced with extending the grace of forgiveness despite her loss.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, as well as the skillful writing of author Jamie Lee Grey. Dissent is book one in a four-book series entitled ‘Band of Believers’. I am eager to read the other books in the series. Containing wise Christian faith content, I was encouraged by the resiliency that the believers upheld in the face of strong opposition. While reading this novel a question arose, what would one do if confronted with a life-threatening situation for refusing to deny Jesus Christ? I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrilling, faith filled novels, based on the tribulation.
  
• 
  Sandra Barker

  This was an easy read. As you can see, I actually read it in a day and half. It's book 1, but can be read alone. I liked it. I like to read books with Christian elements to it and this one was definitely in that category. It's about a time when Christians are outwardly and fully persecuted. The writer has set it before the Rapture, but after the mark of the beast (666) is being forced as an ID on everyone. Although, I don't consider that timeline to be Biblically correct because I don't believe that will happen until after the Rapture, that didn't bother me from enjoying the story and getting important truths from it. It could just as easily have been after the Rapture with a band of people who had become Christians after the Rapture. This group of people who refused to get the mark of the beast chose to run away into a vast forest in Montana, where they lived. It's a good story of courage, caring, forgiveness, and how dangerous it will be when such a time comes upon the world.
• 
  Raena

  I read this book in two days. That's very fast for me, as I'm a notoriously slow reader. But once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. This story follows a group of Christians who go into hiding in the wilderness after the government starts arresting people who don't accept "the mark of the beast." This group--which includes several teenagers and a young child--must deal with the dangers lurking in the wilderness, as well as the local law enforcement officers who are relentlessly pursuing them. The chapters are short (I love short chapters!!) and the author deftly moves the story along at a rapid pace. This is also a timely book, as we are already seeing the control some local governments have tried to enact over the churches in the wake of the lockdowns. It makes you question what you would do, as a Christian, if you were faced the same impossible choices these characters must face. The story left me wanting more, and I'm very excited to read the rest of the series!
• 
  Karen

  Markers
  
  This tribulation/post apocalyptic series opener is set in a small town in Montana, where the local police have been ordered to round up Christians who haven't accepted the subdermal chip that will allow them to buy or sell. Raven has warned everyone she can that the police will soon be arresting those who continue to resist, then she packs up her go bag and heads out to the National Forest entrance nearby, hoping to meet up with some of them there. The group ends up being small, mostly young but resilient believers, who will soon be tested on their novice survival skills and their faith.
  
  I've been on a postapocalyptic marathon and found this book to be one of the better ones for "I can see that happening", especially after the insanity of the past year. The author makes very good points for Christians banding together for survival and praying without ceasing. I'm looking forward to book two.
• 
  Teresa Booth

  I would like to have seen more character and storyline development. Everything seemed abrupt including the ending, but I promptly started book 2 in the series (a girl’s gotta know what happens next)..... :) ..... It’s an easy read. I finished it in 2 sittings.
  My favorite thing is watching the spiritual growth of a character through prayer and increasing obedience to Scripture even when it’s hard. I’m glad that character isn’t written as “perfect”. None of us are. Yet.
  Another aspect of the book is very timely. While taking the Mark isn’t upon us, the persecutions are. The Eastern hemisphere has been suffering for decades and it’s starting here in the West. While we aren’t being imprisoned, tortured and killed, we are being ridiculed and discriminated against. Oh it’s slight now, but growing.
  
• 
  Katherine Mali

  Overall: It was hard to not compare to similar End Times series, like Left Behind (the Kids). But this is a fast-paced read (and captivating enough because I finished it in 2.5 hours) that definitely got me thinking about preparedness for the future. Feels a bit Hunger Games-esque.
  Likes: Thought-provoking, End Times fiction
  Dislikes: Some of the dialogue and descriptions felt a bit generic and not very realistic.
  Recommend? I would, but I'd also say to filter it through your faith as you read. There were a few sentences where I had to sit with their interpretations of how God is and reflect on them in comparison to biblical truths. It also may cause distress for those who find End Times to be an anxiety-inducing topic.
• 
  Ami

  Unusual apocalyptic thriller!
  
  This book has the usual cast of characters I’ve come to expect from apoc/dystopian novels, which I love reading. But, this one has a very different plot, it’s based on the beginning of the end of days as foretold in the Bible. I’ve only read one other series like it and it certainly makes me think about my plans to read Revelations again later this year. The characters are interesting and realistic and their circumstances are action packed and tension-filled. The world of this series is well described so the reader can easily visualize the area. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
  
  Read via Kindle Unlimited
• 
  Helen

  Fast-paced, inspirational, and thought-provoking tribulation narrative. I enjoyed the survival aspect of the story and the female lead characters who showed strong faith. Others, who were weak in their faith, were upheld and encouraged. The ending wasn't ideal because it seemed setup to make the reader buy the next book. Overall, I thought this was a good Christian story geared to young adults.
  
  Her stomach growled, and she longed for a drink of water. She tried swallowing her spit, but there was barely enough to moisten her tongue.
  
• 
  Barbara F Dowden

  Amazing
  
  I actually choose this book because of the title, the information sounded interesting and it was free! I had never read anything by Jamie Lee Grey. I am always happy to find new Christian authors. I told my sister about it and she read it first and was very excited about it and she is in a second series. I put an article on Facebook saying all Christians should read it. The I called a friend from my hometown and told her about the book. Yes I encourage everyone to read this book! God bless!
• 
  Allan Weaver

  Great End Times Story
  
  I'm enjoying these end times series, but in this particular book, I was disappointed in some very wrong Theology. I don't believe people can be forced to take the ' Mark.'
  Taking the Mark of the beast is an act that must be chosen as an act of worship and loyalty to the beast.
  The rest of the story ( book one of Band of Believers), is pretty good.
  Again, using the word 'Ugh' for so many different characters is very odd. ( Apparently she does this in all of her books- at least in all those I've read, so far.)