Thank you for the opportunity to read They Turned the World Upside Down. Unfortunately, I did not download the book before it was archived in July 2014. I do not plan to finish the book.

Classic Charles Martin. Thought-provoking. Raw. Real. Excellent writing. Intriguing. Authentic. Five stars.

Wow! This book is nothing like what I was expecting! Aptly named, They Turned the World Upside Down is an incredible guide, shining a light on the apostles, and the radical transformation in each of their lives once Jesus was raised again, and the Holy Spirit entered their hearts. It is a battle cry for you to check your faith, ask yourself the tough questions (if you are a believer, where is the fruit?) and a reminder of the importance to live your faith!

This text is so rich that I plan on delving deeper and really grasping what the author is saying. I found myself highlighting so many passages that it ended up being redundant, almost every sentence provoking reflective thoughts and tugging at my heartstrings. I'm not going to lie, it's was a challenge read, even just breezing through, but only because of the conviction I felt when I compared my life to the lives of the apostles and others that lived radically for Christ.

They Turned the World Upside Down comes at a pivotal time in our world, and it is a message that needs to be heard by every listening ear. I can already feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit in my heart, and I know anyone that picks up this book will feel the same. It's time we all question what we really believe, light that fire within, and be the light in this dark world.

I'm in the minority on this one. I didn't love it. I liked the idea that the disciples were flawed and so are we, which means we can and are disciples. But somewhere along the way the book got overly long and started dragging. I got bored in places. I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to read it. Was it a book to read, a study to do nightly with prayers at the end of something else?
I love Charles Martin's fiction books and think I will stick to them in the future.
Thank you netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would label this book as a mixture of nonfiction and Biblical fiction. Beginning with the crucifixion and resurrection, Charles Martin puts readers in the shoes (sandals?) of the followers of Jesus.

Martin has researched the passages well and then speculates on what the disciples must have seen and thought and how they might have reacted. It definitely brings their interactions and sacrifices to life, though.

They Turned the World Upside Down is a book you’ll want to savor as there is a lot to digest throughout. Martin is a storyteller and it show within these pages, but he is also an encourager and offers a challenge to live like the early church. And couldn’t our world use more of that?


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

For the most part, I'm finding this book very doctrinally sound. The author challenges all of us to live sold out to Jesus. He points out the way the disciples' lives were radically changed when the Holy Spirit fell on them, and challenges us to allow God to change us in the same way. I am quite challenged with this book. I do have one quibble with it, though. If I read it right, which I may not have, but I think I did, he seems to say that there needs to be a dramatic proof of receiving the Holy Spirit. He points out that when the Holy Spirit fell on people in the book of Acts, they spoke with new tongues and prophesied, and believes that the same thing should happen to us. I've been mulling this over for the last few days, and I believe that speaking with new tongues might not always be speaking an unknown language, but, possibly, no longer swearing, etc. Prophecy is not necessarily foretelling the future, but preaching Jesus. Taken that way, I wholeheartedly agree that those signs will follow the coming of the Spirit—but that's not what I read in this book. On the other hand, the chapter about the Kingdom of God is great stuff. Here are a couple of quotes I highlighted: My question for you is, while you are willing to be saved, are you prepared to be goverened? and When you come to Jesus, you give up your rights. These are teachings that are not very popular today, and I applaud Mr. Martin for writing about this.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

If you prefer a faith that is comfortable ...
If you prefer for your life to stay the same ...
This is probably not the book for you.
But if you are up for challenge and conviction, this could be exactly the book that you need to read.

The book starts at the ascension. Jesus is leaving to go back to heaven. His disciples are left behind and are commissioned to go into the world. Anyone looking in from the outside would have doubted their ability to live out the call. After all, they had failed him before. But instead they take the challenge and go on to transform civilization. This was the start of what is considered Christianity today. Definitely a strong start.

But this book is not about the disciples. Instead it is really about the choices that they made that would transform their lives. Repentance. Belief. Faith. Following the example set before them of Jesus.

This book is exploding with Scripture. Verse after verse tell truths that match with the actions of the disciples. They also challenge the reader to examine their own lives to see if they are making choices that will also make a difference.

I did not agree with absolutely everything the author said. Certain small sections did not ring true. To be honest, I think he would be fine with that. Because one point that he hammer home is this - check out what the Bible says for yourself. As I was reading the book, I bookmarked so many pages with sections that I want to look at again. I will examine and try to determine for myself what the Scriptures say.

This is not an easy read. The chapters are longer. There is so much to ponder. And only if a person reads it carefully will he/she be able to really digest what is being said.

I heard Charles Martin talk on Annie F. Down's podcast, "That Sounds Fun." I took notice of his familiarity with the Bible and his dedication to want to proclaim its truths. At that point, I preordered his first non-fiction book, "What If It's True." Then when I heard he wrote another nonfiction title about the disciples, I preordered that as well. I have listened to part of it, and I really like the fact that the author is the narrator. The author does an excellent job of refuting potential objections and also in making it quite clear that he does not have all of the answers on his own.

I did receive an e-copy of the book as a part of a book tour - I ended up reading that to finish the book. At some point, I am certain that I will buy the hardcover book. I want to be able to take notes. I want to remember the verses that were quoted. This review is my idea as I definitely believe in this book's message and think that those who are pondering faith in Jesus should read this one. I know that this book has changed me for the better, and one reason is the fact that it makes me want to keep reading the Bible for myself to understand what I believe to be true.

I've been privileged to read several (fiction) books written by Charles Martin, and have greatly enjoyed them. I've appreciated his style of writing, and knew I'd be in for a treat if I'd read this book.
But I did not realize the full extent of it.
Charles Martin takes the old familiar stories in the New Testament and brings them to life before your our very eyes. He paints word pictures with such clarity, such beauty, as to absolutely take your breath away.
This book is about Jesus death. His Resurrection. His disciples. Their lives, and how they turned the world upside down.
I found this book to be extremely relevant in my life today, and I believe it tells us a message that is needed for all believes to hear. We need to be more than just 'saying' that we are following Jesus. We need to be living it in such a way that there is no question. We need to be people that turn the world upside down. This book gives off such passion, such zeal, that really makes me want to do just that!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I enjoyed this exploration of the biblical principles believers in Jesus should follow. Martin is a gifted writer, able to create vivid scenes of the way some things might have happened. He backs up all of his ideas with scripture with the encouragement to the reader of exploring it and praying about it yourself. While I may not agree with all of his theology, he is never pushy, again encouraging the reader to put aside tradition and read it for yourself.

If you are a believer in Jesus, this is a great book to refresh your walk and maybe dig a little deeper into some practices you may have slid away from.

If you are not a Christian or you aren't sure, this is a great book to understand who Jesus is and why He came. Some of the ideas may seem strange, but make a note to research it later and then take the time to really research it using multiple sources.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest feedback.

This book brought to mind the tradition of an oral history. Charles Martin is a masterful storyteller, and in my minds eye I imagined sitting around a fire while the magnificent true story of Jesus unfolded. The tone that he sets is something between conversational, informative, and storyteller, this book is smooth reading, written in a flowing prose that sifts through the words evoking emotion and new insights into the culture they were living in.

The author doesn't claim to be a great Bible scholar, but shares what he knows while using his gift for storytelling to put you right there with Jesus and his followers. The author does a great job of showing how the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ inspired followers of Christ to do things far beyond anything that anyone had ever done, giving their lives, material possessions, everything to follow him and spread the Gospel.

Overall, an enjoyable read, familiar, comforting and encouraging. Meant for slower savory reading, to be read in smaller pieces. A thoughtful read, that would make a great gift of encouragement.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Charles Martin maybe best known for The Mountain Between Us, a story of survival and romance that got turned into a movie with Kate Winslet and Idris Elba in the starring roles. For his whole career, Martin has teetered on the edge of Christian fiction. His novels are relatively clean, convey strong values, and tick every box the Evangelical Christian Publication Association has to qualify Christian fiction—except that he had a “secular” publisher.

Well, contracts end, and while most authors would be pushing for the wider audience of a “secular” publisher, Martin has now found a home firmly in the Christian publishing industry. As part of that, Martin has branched out from fiction into non-fiction (of sorts), first with What If It’s True? and now with They Turned the World Upside Down. Both of these books are billed as a storyteller’s journey, and what Martin means that he will take readers on a sometimes speculative, sometimes reflective journey through Scripture to help readers engage with the biblical text.

They Turned the World Upside Down primarily focuses on the early church and its formation after the ascension of Jesus. At times, the book seems devotional. For instance, Martin chooses to end each chapter with a prayer. But there are too few chapters and the chapters are too long for this to really work with the confines of a typical devotional reading.

At other times, Martin seems intent on writing biblical fiction, using his storyteller mind to opine on the thoughts and motivations of the disciples. This could have been—and should have been—the book’s highlight, but Martin inevitably breaks into the narrative with an apology for his speculation, reminding readers of the liberties he is taking. This lack of full commitment draws the reader away, making them second-guess what they’ve read. The job of an author is to immerse the audience in the story and make them believe. It’s something Martin has built a career doing. But here, he seems unable to convince even himself, so the effect on the reader falls flat.

Martin’s theology is heartfelt and sound, though he does stumble on a few details. Overall, Martin reads Scripture like a layperson, which is fine, but doesn’t come across as an authoritative teacher on the subject. In one example, he explicitly states that Moses and Aaron are the great-great grandchildren of Levi. If you only look at genealogical rolls in Exodus 6, you can understand why—sort of. Amram is listed as the grandson of Levi and the father of Moses, which would be one great, and not two. But even more critical thought would show that there have to be more generations than that. Abraham lived ca. 2000 BC. Moses lived in 1400 BC. Even if you don’t agree with the dates, remember that God told Abraham his descendants would be 400 years in slavery (Gen. 15:13). A good, critical read of the texts in context show that genealogical roles have to be using “beget” (Hebrew yalad) in a generational, not paternal sense. A scholar, or even a critical reader, would have to acknowledge this. Martin misses it.

The concept for They Turned the World Upside Down is good enough, but Martin’s attempt to play biblical scholar over storyteller leads to poor scholarship and clunky storytelling. Because Martin sticks pretty much to Scripture, with only occasional deviations into personal or present-day stories, the narrative ends up with Martin speculating on Scripture in fiction, exegeting it to middling ability in non-fiction, then apologizing for his speculation. Obviously, the first book (which I’ve not read) sold well enough that a sequel was in order, so maybe I’m just not the target audience for the book. I came to this book because of Martin’s name and I wanted to see how he handled non-fiction. I love his fiction and will continue to read his future books, but I’ll leave his non-fiction offers to the side.

This is definitely a convicting, thought-provoking, challenging book. I really appreciate Charles Martin’s heavy use of Scripture throughout the book, and his encouragement to consider if what you believe is actually based on what the Bible says or traditions you’ve always been taught. It’s so important to read and study the Bible, to make sure your beliefs are based on it, and to always seek to know God and His word better. This book challenges the reader to “believe in,” not just “believe that;” to put faith into action; and to go to God’s word with your questions and doubts. It’s definitely worth reading and taking seriously for any Christian wanting to challenge and grow your faith.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a book that I needed to spend time with each day and digest the thoughts of the author. This is a non-fiction book that challenges its readers to turn the world upside down like the disciples did in the Bible as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. There were many things in this book that challenged me and encouraged me in my faith.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

Charles Martin has long been my favorite author. When I read What if it’s True it was different than his normal books but so soul stirring. I was so excited to be approved to review this second book.

Charles does not disappoint. This book made me breathless and brought me to tears. I immediately bought the audio so I could hear the whole book read by the author again.

I don’t even know how to thank the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

REVIEW: This is the authors second non-fiction book that helps bring the bible to life. This author encourages readers to go a little deeper in the word and imagine they were there witnessing the event. (It felt that way to me Grin).

I liked the imaginative re-telling of bible stories, how the author helps readers apply what they have read to their lives, and the beautiful, heartfelt, candid prayers at the end of each chapter. The author does this in a non-preach way, not claiming to be an expert but shares life experiences and what he has learned on his journey through scripture.

The author encourages readers to linger in sections that grab their attention and/or heart, (he suggests to) “read slowly, and write down in the margins of the book what has pierced their heart and mind, so that they can reflect on it later.” The author does an outstanding job of putting the reader there with Jesus and his disciples. The author writes as if you were hearing the bible dramatized. I’ll be reading this book again. You don’t want to miss this story it is a keeper.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
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