Hallelujah

De: Kim Fielding, F.E. Feeley Jr.

Narrado por: Alan H. Staples

Can you hear it?

Whispering in the dark.

Secrets only the dark knows.

Joseph Moore, choir director for the First Baptist Church of Lenora, Nebraska, has secrets of his own. Terrible, lonely secrets. One that involves natural human desire. One that calls forth powers he cannot begin to understand. Both with the potential to destroy him and those he loves.

Now the world is changing. The darkness, the shadows, the ghosts, are closing in — and Joseph and his lover, Kevin, are being stalked by a merciless demon, hell-bent on possession.

Can you hear it now?

There in the dark.

It's whispering your name.

©2020 Frederick E Feeley Jr (P)2020 Frederick E Feeley Jr

Amazing Story, Alan H. Staples is Wonderful!

When Kim Fielding and F.E. Feeley Jr. bring their unique styles together the result is the complex, emotional, soul-searching tour-de-force Hallelujah. An extraordinary adventure, this is the story of one man’s journey as he strives toward his goal of peace and self-acceptance. His reward is a life filled with love, a revitalized commitment to his faith, and a deeper understanding of mankind.

If I thought Hallelujah was a moving, thought provoking book when I read it, following it up by listening to the audio version was a tremendous experience. I’m sure it’s a combination of knowing what’s coming and Alan H. Staples’ smooth and smokey delivery, but several scenes had chills running up my spine!

Returning home after college to help on the family farm, Joseph is also the choir director for the local Baptist church. A deeply spiritual man, and raised with those hellfire and brimstone values, Joseph is at an impasse. Convinced that God will keep him safe from the spirits he sees, he struggles with several fundamental aspects of his Church’s teachings and is questioning his relationship with God.

A tragic event has Joseph turning away from his faith, and it broke my heart to see the state Joseph’s in when the second part of the book starts off. Responsibilities to his family keep him stuck in his hometown for the next thirty years, and he’s closed himself off to all the things that brought him joy.

But changes are a-coming! With the entrance of his distant cousin, Francine, Joseph’s journey takes off full force and authors Fielding and Feeley pull out all the stops. The events which force Joseph to face his fears, find the courage to stand up for injustice, and create a future for himself are heartfelt and touching and incredibly exciting.

The writers warn us that Hallelujah is not a romance, though I found Joseph’s romantic relationships very moving. The love Joseph shares with Kevin is steamy-sweet, and filled with all the wonder and yearning of a new romance. Then, a mature Joseph finds a very different connection with Stormy. Pure and honest, with no way to conceal his thoughts from Stormy, Joseph truly opens up. The foundation these experiences provide give Joseph the strength he needs to proceed.

I want to reassure anyone on the fence about this one due to the “horror” tag. There is some violence, and the references to human injustices that truly are horrific, but the uplifting messages of hope, positive activism, and good-will far outweigh everything else.

New to me narrator, Alan H. Staples delivers a wonderful performance. With his subtle accents, strong emotion, and lovely singing voice, Mr. Staples has won himself a new fan. I was unfamiliar with much of the music in the novel, and the decision to have Mr. Staples sing the hymns adds so much to the overall effect.

The authors lay some very intriguing groundwork in Hallelujah, and I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a new series. I love Joseph and Stormy together, and watching as they ride off in a muscle car with the word “Prophet” on the vanity plate, opens up so many possibilities of the kinds of demon-hunting adventures they might have. I can hardly wait!

Awesome book

Seeing how this was a new narrator he did an amazing job. I laughed, I cried...I cried some more. It did freak me out a little bit but I did really like it. Alan H. Staples did very well and I hope to hear more from him down the road.

4.5 stars—A fantastic book with an amazing perform

Wow, talk about a profound story. Hallelujah is a standalone collaborative novel that mixes paranormal, some horror, and fantasy to deliver an inspirational story of a man fighting to stave off an evil entity and protect those he loves and the world around him. Hallelujah is a dual crossover. Fans of Mr. Feeley’s will recognize some characters from Memoirs of a Human Wraith and, though I haven’t read it, the novel also reportedly has a couple overlaps from Miss Fielding’s Motel.Pool. Even without the crossovers, Hallelujah is a story readers won’t soon forget.

I strongly feel some books are even more powerful when performed. It’s like extra life is breathed into the authors’ words. When I read the blurb for Hallelujah, I decided to wait on the audiobook release, and I’m incredibly glad I did. Mr. Staples did a phenomenal job at elevating the story using effects, inserting emotion, and simply getting me to feel the itchy suspense building before delivering a blow that left my heart racing.

Apart from a brilliant performance, the writing was smooth and descriptive with great characters who exhibited an admirable strength of will and faith. I loved that Hallelujah discussed religion and faith without feeling preachy or condemning. I also liked how pertinent some parts were, touching on current events in a way that increased the relevance of Joseph and his friends’ mission. I’d definitely recommend this audio for those who aren’t necessarily looking for a romance as much as they’re looking for a good story that makes you think and feel.

Thought provoking and fun

Listened to this while at the gym and on a car trip and it got me thinking a lot about things like why gay sex still embarrasses me and the gifts that gay ppl bring to the Church...and how loving oneself is hard but worth it as an LGBTQ person. Not for prepubescent audiences but a wonderful story of love and faith.

Song

Anyone would say Joseph's life seemed pretty normal from the outside. He had went to college to study music and then got a job as a choir director but when his brother left home Joseph returned to the farm and small town life to help his father. He got the job as choir director at his hometown church but this really wasn't the life Joseph wanted.

The truth is Joseph sees ghosts and he has since he was a boy. He's never told anyone but that doesn't stop it from being true. When things start looking darker and Joseph's visions get worse he is warned of a danger coming for him and asked to help protect the living and the ghosts that walk the earth.

This book was darker than I was expecting. It focused on situations that are happening in the world and there are some subject matter discussed that could be triggers for some people. Not everyone gets a happy ending so be warned.

I think a lot of people would enjoy the supernatural nature of the story and the characters that pull you along on their journey. I've never listened to this narrator before but I think he did a good job and I didn't have any trouble following the story or telling the characters apart.

I received a copy of this audiobook but this is my honest review.