Uncharted

February 13, 2006
Hunt, the author of more than 70 books, departs from her usual fare with this competent, if spooky, faith-based novel. The plot line is a blend of the movies Castaway
and The Big Chill
, with a touch of the television series Lost
, creatively thrown together with the biblical story of the beggar Lazarus and C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce
. Six college pals gather for the funeral of their friend and end up being "guilted" by the widow into taking a trip halfway across the world to help build a Christian school. When a shipwreck leaves them washed up on a deserted island, they discover everything is not as it seems: all of their inner sins and crimes are literally on display. As the story unfolds, some readers may be turned off by a truly gruesome serial killer, although it helps Hunt make her ultimate point. Hunt excels at reminding Christian readers that God judges petty sins the same as heinous ones, and that being a "good person" outwardly often hides an interior life that is far from pure. Her theology of hell will be a good discussion point for book groups (a guide is included). General market readers, however, may find the serious faith themes more than they want to contemplate.