An atheist journalist. A North Korean prison camp. An inspiring novel you won’t soon forget. “My favorite Christian fiction book of all time … and I’ve read many.” ~ L.D. *** A single photograph could cost his life … Ian has searched the world over, hunting for a perfect photograph. He finds it in North Korea when he stumbles upon a young street kid foraging for roots. Unaware that this … he stumbles upon a young street kid foraging for roots.
Unaware that this single act will cost his freedom, Ian takes the shot.
Now he must pay the penalty.
A true-to-life novel about an American imprisoned behind North Korea’s closed borders. A gripping tale of courage, faith, and hope.
Read Out of North Korea and be inspired today.
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If you can only read one Christian Fiction book in 2018, it should be this one. Alana Terry blows it out of the water with this one.
Out of Korea
This was a book that left me thinking about it when had to quit reading for a little bit during the book. I enjoyed Ian sense of humor. It was one of those subjects that was hard to read about but kept my attention to see how it was going to turn out. Ian was in China but was ended up in jail in North Korea. He didn’t know why he was there.
Ian’s Grandma was a big part of his life, he is atheist but his grandma is praying for him to be saved. He got so sick from being malnourished and being in the cold so much. He ends up in the hospital there twice, the first time there was a stray dog that really gave him emotional support. The dog brought so much to the story, they can be such inspiration.
I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, I was not required to write an positive review.
What I like most about this author is her ability to take subjects that are difficult to talk about and put them in a story that is intriguing and realistic. She has never been one to hold back and always writes with confidence. Her stories are gripping and powerful. This story started off with an image we see in movies and I gasped as the drama played out. I always walk away from her books with a better understanding of how much God loves us.
Ian is in way over his head and I’m not sure he will be able to talk his way out of this mess he is in. How intimidating would it be if you were in a foreign country being questioned by people who want the truth ? You can feel your life hanging by a thread and any hope of some special force team rushing in to save you is just a dream. Ian is not having a good day when he is locked up in a North Korean prison. Day after day, he is starved, uncomfortable and asked repeatedly to write down the reason he is in their country. I could feel the frustration as each time he writes, they reject his confession. Ian at some point will have to find strength in order to survive.
I loved reading how Ian found a sense of humor during his captivity. When he decides to write a confession he is sure his captors will think is a joke , the real terror begins. He has made a huge miscalculation and his time is about to get down right uncomfortable. One picture taken to capture the true essence of how the people are treated there will forever haunt him. It made me think of all the homeless people we have right here in our own country. We walk around them as they beg for help. We turn the other way, when we should be reaching out to help them. Ian talks about the injustice we Americans are guilty of in our own backyard. I can see why some people may be turned off by Christianity. We have a bible that tells us how to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but are we following His example? The author really speaks truth through Ian as the story reflects how Christians are judgmental and at times unforgiving.
Ian being a prisoner in North Korea has really opened his eyes to the injustice of the world. We condemn a country for mistreatment of people, yet we do the same thing in our own country. Ian is really a reflection of many of us. As he sits as a prisoner, he sees how little he has done for others. The time Ian spends in prison is heartbreaking. His time there is everything I imagined of a place that is surrounded by torture and death. The story brought tears to my eyes as Ian tries to hang on to hope that someday he will be released. I have to say that this story will stay with me forever. It is a story that reaches deep into your soul and pulls the ugliness out. I wish I has a grandma Lucy praying for me. She is the example of someone that never gives up praying. Will her steadfast faith keep Ian’s hope alive? Can he find a way to endure his plight and find his way to Jesus? If you have doubts about your faith, struggling with circumstances, then this book is written just for you.
” I see hope where before there was only despair.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
The author made this story feel so real, I felt like I was picking up rocks from the river bed, and a story that could be on the news tonight.
This book has a lot going on, and the way Ian ends up there is totally believable, but so many surprises here, and before I knew it I was at the end of the book.
The power of prayer, yes, we experience this first hand, and then there are surprises. Wow! With my heart in my throat, I soon was wondering if he was going to survive, and you will need to read to the end to find out.
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is a story of a journalists’ capture and stay in North Korea. It was interesting to read how he survives capture, interrogation, and containment in a prison through his eyes. Faith, courage and hope was certainly what this man would cling to. Not a lot of action, but interesting journalism.
I was gifted a copy to participate in a Celebrate Lit book tour and the author. My review was voluntary.
This book was a very realistic look at what it’s like being in prison in another country. I was drawn in immediately by the huge fight for Ian to try to find out what the reason was for his imprisonment with the language barrier. The way the faith of his childhood & huge influence of his Grandma came to play in such a real way was so easy to believe and nothing short of heartwarming!! I would recommend anyone read this but for those of us who have turned our back on God at some point in our lives this book holds even more of a pull!! Thanks Alana-another awesome book!!! 🙂
This is an amazing story of Ian who I admire for his humanism for all races. He starts out as selfish although there is always an undercurrent of who he really is beneath the facade. This story although fiction is given an insite also into how beleivers can miss the mark of who they are called to be! Our judgmental attitudes turn more people off than anything else & are addressed in this book. We need to pray for all those under these kind of extreme conditions. I cried when the steak incident happended although I had been waiting for it! I love the last few paragraphs of the book where Ian talks about the freedom GOD will give freedom to the captives & release from darkness to the prisoners. And The GOD who can redeem even the most opressive evils & work them together for His good & glorious purpose! We can couunt on the promise as Jesus says I AM the Way, the Truth, & the Life! He never lies!
Intrigue, danger, suspicion, national complications, faith, hope and more take the reader on a fast paced journey through the life of an American held in a prison camp. This story made me think about headlines in the news. Interesting read. I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my personal honest opinion. No review was required.