Dominion

Dominion, by Christian author Randy Alcorn, is one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read in my life. After two extensive years of research, Randy Alcorn has masterfully put together a novel that even non-Christian readers will be clamoring to read. His knowledge of firearms and gangster related crimes is very realistic and his depiction of black people will leave you astonished at how truly he portrays them.

The novel’s main character is Clarence Abernathy, an Oregon columnist and suburban middle-class black. When two horrible gang-related shootings took the lives of his sister Dani and niece Felicia, Clarence was dragged into a world of inner-city gangs, drugs, and racial conflict. To solve the mystery behind the senseless murders, Clarence was forced to cooperate with white detective Ollie Chandler. In an emotional ride filled with spiritual reconciliation, grievous loss, and unexpected friendships, the reader himself will be changed by all the revelations in Dominion.

The most informative and striking aspect of the book for me was how the issue of racism was tackled. The author came up with some amazing backstories for Clarence Abernathy and his family. Readers travel through time to witness America when Clarence’s father had to work two different jobs to raise his family and relinquished his seat to white folks in restaurants. We see Clarence’s determination to succeed and be treated equally among whites which sometimes puts him at odds with his black companions. The book really opened my eyes as I witnessed racially charged America. Through his friendship with Jake (his colleague) and cooperation with Ollie, Clarence also came to terms with his own racism. This was a very powerful part of the book to me. When I scream at how unfair the world is to me, am I sure that I am not guilty of the things I accuse others of? Taiwan’s ethnic mix is more diverse than one would think. With the Taiwanese aborigines and immigrants from China and Southeast Asia, I often see people from different cultural backgrounds. The question is: Do I view these people in the same light as a fellow Han Chinese?

Another huge problem the book dealt with was gangs. Living in a comfortable suburban community for all my life, I have never had to deal with “street problems.” In the book, Clarence’s nephew Tyrone was sucked into the midst of a vicious gangster feud after the death of his mother Dani and sister Felicia. The entire neighborhood was very rundown and the inhabitants were too timid to stand up to teenage gangsters. Although Clarence was initially very indifferent towards Dani’s neighborhood, he became a strong voice in the community and worked with the local church in an attempt to redeem his nephew. I was very impressed at how unafraid Clarence was to stand up against ruthless teenage delinquents. He chastised teens selling dope and made offenders clean up their graffiti markings which inspired local adults to also stop tolerating inappropriate juvenile behavior.

The book’s main mystery was suspenseful and the ending was a big surprise. Randy Alcorn also weaved in many side stories into the narrative. Amazingly, they don’t cut into the main narrative but provide great insight to the nooks and crannies of inner-city life. This powerful book steered me through a mid-life crisis, fathership issues, discrimination, and a courageous stand against the unjust. After reading this book, I really sat down to think. What can I do in an unfair society? Do I stay marooned to my own world being in the pleasant company of my friends and family, coming out only when those I care about are endangered? Or do I actively reach out to those who need my help? Life isn’t just about my own dominion, but about how that small dominion becomes a part of the bigger picture.