I really enjoyed this book, Sol was really a guy you loved to hate, until he saw the light.
It shows the overwhelming redeeming power of my awesome God. How he can and will forgive you.

As long as movies have been made adaptations of those films have been written and placed on sale in bookstores and now online. It provides an extra money stream for the producers and writers of the films and also a secondary outlet for those interested in the movie who might not have access to a way of seeing it. Such was the case with me when it came to LET THERE BE LIGHT. At the time I was unable to go to the nearest theater to see it but I was able to get a copy to read.

Written by Dan Gordon and Sam Sorbo, the pair who wrote the screenplay, the book tells the story of Dr. Sol Harkens, an outspoken atheists who’s made a career of demolishing believers in live debates while taking a certain amount of joy in doing so. The only thing is that it’s left him empty inside. Prone to over drinking, partying and running with a fast crowd.

One night after his agent tells him he’s booked him on another series of talks as they party to celebrate the release of his new book, Sol drives home after having had far too much to drink. The end result is a car crash. While he’s out Sol sees a tunnel of light and at the end of the tunnel he sees David, his young son who died of cancer. David tells his father he’s all right and that he should embrace God while proclaiming "Let there be light!"

Recovering in the hospital Sol isn’t quite sure of what to make of what took place. As a man of science he can find all sorts of logical reasons why he saw and experienced what he did. But there is a nagging part of him, a part that hasn’t lost all of the faith he once had in spite of his public views and debates. As he struggles with just what to believe and where he wants to take it those around him who have made money off of him and his books and appearances begin to fall away. They’re replaced by those who actually do care about him, including the wife he divorced after the death of David and his loss of faith. Will it be enough to bring him back to God?

The story here is solid. The telling of it honestly is a little lacking but not enough to steer clear of the book. At times it feels repetitive and my guess is that watching the movie would make that less so. Reading about it does slow things down.

I have no doubt that some will poo poo the book finding it too fairy tale like for them. Those that do so tend to be lacking in faith themselves while making fun of those who choose to believe. It’s not enough to make the choice not to they somehow feel compelled to ridicule those who do as if that raises them onto a higher pedestal. The truth is it shows a petty belief system and one that cannot raise unless it is at the expense of others.

For those who believe this book will provide a nice diversion and help to provide inspiration. That’s the audience it was intended for as well as those with a nagging feeling that they are missing out on something. With any luck it will direct them towards finding that faith they lack.

I liked this Christian novel and hope to see the movie. My rating 4.0.

Sol Harkens makes a living as a bold, brash Athiest. He not only enjoys his debates he enjoys annihilating and humiliating his Christian opponents with mocking and derision. He struts for the TV to promote his anti-God books. He lives large partying with the publicists and escorting model girlfriends. And when he’s not partying in public, he’s drowning his grief at home with alcohol and opioids.

Sol lost his first born son to a rare illness and has resented God ever since. He is estranged from his ex-wife who is a believer and his two younger sons who are being raised with her faith. They can rarely find common ground.

Driving drunk after a party, Sol is in a near death car crash. While clinically dead, Sol encounters his dead son who entreats him; “Daddy, let there be light.” Now Sol must face the biggest conflict and decision of his life. If he admits he had a vision in death, he could lose his entire career and reputation. But what could happen if he doesn’t admit it? And what did his beloved son mean by the cryptic message?

As I started reading this I felt there were similarities with God’s Not Dead, which my husband and I had just watched the week before. (Not a coincidence for me but rather a God incidence.) When I picked this book in my December NetGalley selections I didn’t realize it was a movie. Kevin Sorbo is the star of both movies and the director of Let There be Light. The storyline was the dream child of his wife, Sam Sorbo.

There is an interesting forward telling how the story and movie came about. The story is written for an “everyman” audience and not as a literary classic. There were scenes that made me cringe at the crude, self-destructive life style of the main character. But this set the scene for the faith revelations and the contrastingly strong faith foundation of his ex-wife and sons. I liked Pastor Vinny’s character and the hope message that is shared. I found this entertaining and recommend it to readers who enjoy faith based fiction…and especially those who support the message: Let there be light!

This was a super read! It's the story of love, real love, shown through a man who starts off as a real biblical "Saul". He hates God, and everything connected to him because his son died of cancer. His wife knows who God is, so when Sol *dies*, his life is changed. This book is based on a true story and I absolutely loved it! I highly recommend this one.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

Tragedy changes a person’s life. Some lives change for the better; others change in not so great a way. Some are pulled closer to God during times of pain and grief; others push God as far away as they can. Sol Harkens pushed God away.

Let There Be Light is a love story. It is about love lost and regained in a marriage. It is about the love a wife has for her husband. It is about the love between a parent and child. It is about the love God has for a person, even if that person habitually bad-mouths him.

Sol Harkens’s wife was a Christian. When they lost a son to cancer, especially after Sol heard his wife pleading with God for her son to live, his nonexistent faith that Sol had plunged even deeper into denial. How could a loving God allow his son, his innocent son, to be ravaged by cancer?

Sol sets out to convince all that God is a myth by debating those with a different opinion—Sol Harkens thought of himself as the Muhammed Ali of atheist debaters. His career to convince others to abort God is highly successful, but his ex-wife is one whose opinion he cannot sway.

Sol’s journey away from God is not a pretty one. To outsiders, it looked as though he had it all: money, possessions, women, whatever he desired. But those looking in from the outside didn’t see what he was experiencing on the inside. They couldn’t see the pain he felt, experience the major loss of sleep, or see the memories that haunted him.

His destructive habits lead to a car crash and a brush with death. Four minutes of death changes Sol’s outlook on everything to the point where he internally debates himself. He becomes a man torn between atheism and Christianity.

In Let There Be Light, you get to see inside of a man who has rejected God and his love because of anger. He experiences all the pleasures this world has to offer, yet they only give him momentary happiness, nothing that lasts. Travel with Sol Harkens on the road that leads him to true and lasting happiness.

After reading the book, I had to see the movie, so I rented Let There Light from Amazon.

Kevin Sorbo plays Sol Harkens in the movie. I must say that he plays a convincing atheist. I also saw him as the atheist professor in God’s Not Dead.

His facial expressions, his tone of voice, and his gestures during his debate with Dr. Reinhardt Fournier towards the beginning of the movie are extremely convincing and show Sol to be a smartass. During debates, he is on top of the world. When home by himself, he is on a diet of drugs and booze. He is about as low and depressed as one can be.

A humorous part of the book and the movie is Sol’s addiction to home shopping. And he doesn’t buy just one of each item he orders; he orders cases of them. He has to do something with all the money he is making, right?

And there is one point where he and his wife walk into the apartment where his is living. On the wall behind him is a poster of Kevin Sorbo as Hercules.

After the car crash, during the four minutes that he is dead, he wakes in the afterlife, surrounded by memories of his son, Davey. He is happy there and wants nothing more than to stay, but Davey tells him that he must return because it isn’t his time yet. And he has one more message for his dad: let there be light.

This powerful movie allows you to see that there are times when the death of someone works a miracle for those who are left behind. Our God is alive and at work, and he knows just what he is doing.

In a way, this movie could be called a family affair. Sam Sorbo plays Sol Harkens’ wife, Katie, in this powerful movie. Braedon Sorbo and Shane Sorbo, the sons of Kevin and Sam, also star in the movie, playing the sons of Sol and Katie. The movie is also directed by Kevin and Sam Sorbo, and its executive producer is Sean Hannity.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. The writing style was different from most Christian novels that I’ve read and it kept my interest all the way through the book. I loved the humor scattered through the story and it added a nice balance to the deeper struggles the characters were experiencing. As a believer in Jesus Christ, it was an encouragement to read a book defending our faith in Him. A good book to share with someone who is searching for the Truth as a way to begin a discussion.

Since I haven’t as yet seen the movie, I’m not able to make those comparisons, but very much look forward to seeing it after reading the book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Let There Be Light Is a story of redemption, pure love, forgiveness, searching for the truth and the WAY. What does Sol expect to find when he begins his journey to find out what there is to, "Daddy let there be light". When he was dead that is all he heard. This atheist well known atheist was slowly seeing the LORD because of a child - "Amen." ? "suffer the little children to come unto me." need I say more?

This is a book that I was very anxious to read. However, it was a bit difficult to get into. The build-up of the plot seemed to go very slowly. It's a book with a good message - grieving man becomes a bitter, angry atheist only to experience the power and redemption of God`s love. How that occurs is a powerful part of the story.
I received an Advance Reviewer Copy from netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a stand alone book and is based on the movie. I haven’t seen the movie, but have heard about it, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat that all of that info here. Beware there are strong religious themes in this story and some people will not enjoy this. I found it well written. Now I want to see the film version.

This is a moving book about a renowned author/atheist named Sol Harkens who is at the zenith of his career. He debates the existence of God with preachers in stadiums while selling pre-autographed books after each show. He eats at the best restaurants in NYC, lives in a swanky apartment, all while enjoying a string of romantic entanglements with models and the like. Sol has trouble sleeping at night. During these nights of insomnia, he swigs alcohol and pops pills while binge ordering products hawked on cable shopping programs. He's always been an atheist, but became even more bitter and hardened following the death of his firstborn son Davey. He died at the age of eight from an aggressive brain tumor, leaving Sol, his wife Katy and two younger sons Gus and Connor heartbroken and devastated. While Sol is an atheist, wife Katy is a faithful Christian. This fact never caused friction in the marriage before, but their separate ways of dealing with their son's death drives an insurmountable divide between the couple. They soon divorce.

One fateful evening, Sol is drunk driving and has an accident, leaving him clinically dead for four minutes. What Sol experiences during that time is the most beautiful moment in the book and is sure to move one to tears (if you look closely at the cover of the book, you'll understand what I mean). It shatters all Sol's previous beliefs and sets the stage for a positive turnaround in his life, and that of his family.

I came to know about this story on Sean Hannity's TV and radio shows. He has befriended actor Kevin Sorbo and his wife actress/author Sam Sorbo in recent years. Sean told Kevin and Sam that if they ever had a project that was positive and gave hope, he would be interested in getting involved. A short time later, they approached Sean with this screenplay. Within a half hour of being pitched the idea, Sean agreed to finance the movie. As Sean says, so many movies today are remakes of superhero movies, etc., and he wanted to make a movie that was inspirational and uplifting. Dan Gordon, an accomplished screenwriter for decades with many credits to his name (such as head writer on Michael Landon's "Highway to Heaven") authored the book based on an idea from Sam Sorbo. He did a very good job. It was a quick and satisfying read. I didn't get a chance yet to see the movie, but I'm glad I got to read the book in the meantime.

I had heard a lot about the movie that was released...which I haven't seen...so really wanted to read the book. The story centers around Sol Harkens who is the world's most famous atheist. He was married to a Christian woman and had started the American dream of life together when his oldest son, whom he loved with all his being, dies from a brain tumor. This is too much for Sol, who can't understand how a God...if there is one which he doesn't believe there is, could let an innocent child be taken from his life. He then goes on a downward spiral in his life. Divorced, drinking, drugs...anything to forget the pain. He lives on the edge...and then something happens that changes his life totally. I liked the book and the message of "let there be light". We can all be a light to others in our lives. I received a kindle copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A compellingly told story.
Written with solemn ceremony for the people involved in this heartfelt book.
Sad, yet full of strength and hope.
5 Stars

Rated PG because of subject matter.

I have the highest respect for Sean Hannity, Kevin Sorbo, and the movies that the Christian actor has made. I believe strongly there just are not enough Christian movies that have a good Faith message.

That said, I don't highly recommend this book. I can definitely see how this story makes a terrific movie. While Dan Gordon has written some amazing scripts for movies, his forte is not novel writing. Somewhere in the beginning of the book in all that "boring" pre-novel information you find out that Dan made a deal with Sam Sorbo (Kevin Sorbo's wife) that he would collaborate with her only if she would write the book and give it to him for rewriting and she wouldn't complain or insist on any changes. How sad--and arrogant.

I would love to have read Sam's story before Dan rewrote it.

The premise of this story is absolutely wonderful! Character development is quite good for the main character, Sol, but leaves a lot to be desired in his wife and children. Although, the other characters are developed fairly well.

You find yourself tisk-tisking when Sol does some very stupid things. But novels are not like movies. Plot development is different. Character development is different. There are some words and phrases used over and over that give this narrative a hollow tone. I think too much time is spent on the stupid things Sol does before the big event happens that turns the plot corner. It's a bit heavy handed because it stands out like a sore thumb. Gordon may as well have put a neon sign at the top of the page that says "Here is the beginning of Sol's turnaround." Okay, maybe that is going a tad too far.

You are rooting for Sol to turn his life around. After all, it's Kevin Sorbo, so you know he will turn it around as soon as he sees the Light (by the way, there are way too many books with this title).The plot depends upon Sol not seeing the light right away. Perhaps this journey in his darkness goes on a bit long. Readers get that he's off the deep end after the first couple of incidents.

Then Sol has a near-death experience, and you find out (not a spoiler) the reason why Sol is so desperately trying to fill the hole in his soul with drugs and alcohol and all manner of worldly things. But you have to go through a lot with Sol to get to that point. Don't give up, it does get better.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

This review has been posted to Facebook and Tweeted.

Sol Harkens has it all. He has a new best seller and a model girlfriend. He’s the most famous of all atheists, around the world. Ever since his son died of cancer, he’s been channeling his anger at God into writing books that attack faith and Christianity. It’s how he’s made his fortune. Unfortunately, his lifestyle and resentment of the faith of his wife and sons has alienated him from his family. He also resents Katy’s prayers for his salvation. When Sol’s destructive choices lead to a bad car accident, he wakes up to find out that he was clinically dead for four minutes. It’s not having been dead that upsets him but the fact that he saw his son and hearing him say, “Daddy, let there be light.”

When I saw Hannity promoting the Let There Be Light movie, I really wanted to see it and was disappointed not to be able to because of health issues. I had no idea there was a book until I received it to review. I’m so thankful that I did. It’s an amazing story and so incredibly written. I’ll admit that I thought Sol was kind of a jerk, at the beginning. I loved reading his transformation. Honestly, I loved every minute of this sweet, uplifting story. I hope everyone reads it because I can see how it will really touch hearts.

Let There Be Light
by Dan Gordon and Sam Sorbo
Izzard Ink Publishing
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
Christian , Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 17 Oct 2017
I am reviewing a copy of Let There Be Light Through Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Netgalley:
Sol Harkens has all a man can dream of, A bestseller, a model girlfriend and a great deal of success. He's an outspoken atheist celebrity. But despite all his success not everything is not perfect in Sol's life. Loosing his son to cancer he dedicated his life to turning his attacks on Christianity into a lucrative business. Sol is empty inside. His party lifestyle isolated him from his ex-wife and their two sons. He resents there unrelenting faith as Katy prays for his soul.
When Sol's destructive ways land him in the hospital and he learns he was clinically dead for four minutes but it wasn't being dead that changed his heart it was the words he heard his son said "Let There Be Light."
I give Let There Be Light five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!

I really liked this book; as I was reading, it was easy to picture it in movie format. In fact, it's one of the few books that I wish I had seen the movie first.

The writing is very light and easy to read while the story is engaging. It's easy to get a grasp of the character of Sol Harkens and the journey he takes to redemption is full of hope.