Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

Reviewed by Dale Lewis

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"...an extremely quick yet enjoyable read."

Sam Hopkins, a pastor’s kid, is just trying to be a normal 16 year-old teenager and avoid being bullied at all costs. As a result of a bike ride in the woods gone bad, Sam finds himself bullied into hanging with a few thugs. He knows it’s not right and that sooner rather than later, he’ll regret hanging around Jeff, Ed and Harry.

A few weeks into his car theft training, Sam courageously thwarts Jeff and the boys’ efforts to intimidate Jennifer. He pays the price when he defends his eccentric classmate who seems to border on crazy. Battered, bloodied and bruised, Sam has now acquired a very strange new friend who begins to share her hallucinations with her “magic” Sam. Demons, devil and death appear to be the recurring themes. Could these nightly visions be prophesies of future events?

Finding no one who believes Jennifer or will help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time and an evil he doesn’t want to face by himself.

Crazy Dangerous is penned as a first person narrative with Sam’s life front and center. Sam seems to always be running . . . running away from something or towards somebody; most of the time he is motivated by a reluctant knowledge or fear of the unknown! His internal dialogues are light-hearted and engaging.

I was disappointed, to a degree, that there was not any dialogue between Sam and Jennifer in the epilogue. Although it is Sam’s story, she played an integral part in it, and I wanted to know more about them after the conclusion. I enjoyed their interactions, as quirky as they turned out to be. You can see the compassionate determination in Sam’s voice to help Jennifer even though he is unsure where to begin.
The background information bordered on too much at the beginning of Crazy Dangerous. After the climatic conclusion, the story ended too abruptly.

The reading group guide that follows the epilogue will provide insightful discussion questions to explore this contemporary rendition of the iconic good versus evil battle.

Crazy Dangerous is written for Generation Z, the Net Generation or as Thomas Nelson refers to it --- juvenile fiction. I requested a review copy because of the intriguing storyline painted on the back cover. It is an extremely quick yet enjoyable read. I wasn’t disappointed as a Baby Boomer and would read Andrew Klavan again.

Dale Lewis now mans the front desk at the EFCA (The Evangelical Free Church of America) National Office in Minneapolis, MN. He was the graphic designer/pre-press production artist for over twelve years before being asked to step into this new role. Prior to that, he was the publications manager at his alma mater, Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN in the public relations office as well as the adviser to the college’s yearbook. He's a director/actor/writer for the Hope Church (Oakdale, MN) adult drama worship team and was the senior editor of the church newsletter. He's also written two collections of poetry, “Whispers of Assurance” and “On Life: Constant Communion Without Ceasing” as well as a devotional entitled “Eternal Education.” He and his family live in Oakdale, Minnesota.