Awards
A BookSense 76 Pick in hardcover
2002 Fiction Book of the Year Independent Publisher Book Awards
Synopses & Reviews
Gabriel Black finds himself sentenced to prison for life without the possibility of parole for a murder he did not commit. In a twisted sense of honor he takes responsibility for the action of a woman he loves and pays for it with his freedom.
While in the penitentiary Gabriel opens himself up to the world of books and reads about a man cured of cancer, with a wonderful family and a successful career, cured of cancer and freedom. Maybe the truer test of God's existence would be finding evidence and proof in a disgusting corner of the world like prison, without hope, surrounded by violence, hatred, and indifference.
So Gabriel sets out on a journey, keeping a file, "The God File," through the years searching through the details of his days to prove to himself whether or not God exists. The file is full of little files with titles like "Suicide," "Fear," and "Letters to Janie." His language is sometimes brutal as he takes the time to uncover himself and the world while surviving in a Godless hole, swimming in anger and memories, and eventually reaching an understanding he never knew existed.
Review
"It is refreshing to read a novel that is as pure, as clean, and as direct in style and content as The God File....Hollon writes in sparse, lean prose within the framework of a highly original and compelling story line." The Sun Herald (Biloxi)
Review
"This novel is so thought provoking and real and beautiful that I believe it has changed me forever." Silas House, author of Clay's Quilt and A Parchment of Leaves
Review
"Not for the faint of heart, this is an outstanding example of the continuing exploration of gritty reality in spiritual fiction." Library Journal
Review
"A strong portrait of a man of nobility at odds with circumstances..." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The God File is an extraordinary book. You'll marvel at the precise observation, the insight and the humor of this canny little novel, and you'll tell your friends." Tom Franklin, author of Poachers and Hell at the Breech