The Righteous (Righteous Series Book 1)

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For years Jacob Christianson struggled to reconcile his faith with his skepticism about the fundamentalist practices of his polygamous community. Nevertheless, whenever his family and neighbors in Blister Creek were threatened, Jacob always stepped up to join the fight against those who would destroy them.

Now Jacob is facing his greatest challenge yet. To protect his family and neighbors, Jacob forms a tenuous alliance with his father - the reigning prophet - and the FBI. After the death of his father, Dr. Jacob Christianson takes reluctant leadership of the community as enemies gather against their desert sanctuary, threatening another murderous attack. An isolated religious sect in the desert confronts the collapse of civilization. Jacob Christiansen begins to embrace his role as leader of the polygamist community of Blister Creek.

Then the world around them falls apart, plagued by international crop failures and global starvation, fuel and medicine shortages, and looming war. Environmental disaster, war, and government dissolution have plunged the outside world into chaos, leaving the embattled polygamist community of Blister Creek facing a host of dire challenges as their lifesaving resources grow treacherously low.

When one of their beloved members gets lost in the desert, Dr. Jacob Christianson agrees to send out an expedition that includes his sister, Eliza. But danger follows the search group, literally. Now that their latest battle is over, the religious residents of Blister Creek are dealing with their losses and trying to heal - physically and spiritually. Their leader, Jacob Christianson, now feels the full burden of the responsibility and finds himself at a crossroads: The Righteous 8 books in series.

Michael Wallace Narrated by: It also makes him a perfect fit to track down a killer whose grisly crimes threaten Jacob's community, family, and soon, his very life. Inside we find a riveting thriller that recaptures everything lost from the original American religion. Jacob Christianson , Eliza Christianson. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Righteous , please sign up. Lists with This Book. May 19, Al rated it it was amazing Shelves: Most people will find the setting for "The Righteous" will feel foreign, even if they live in the US.

The residents of the town in the novel are practitioners of a fictional religion that is a fundamentalist offshoot of the Mormon Church; also, the same as on the HBO show. The part of the story that makes it a th Most people will find the setting for "The Righteous" will feel foreign, even if they live in the US. The part of the story that makes it a thriller is unique. Although the concept behind the thriller portion of the plot could work anywhere where a group of people feel they are God's chosen or better in some way than everyone else, this setting works especially well.

Some of the beliefs of the fictional religion based on actual Mormon beliefs and practices from the past are integral to the story. I'm hesitant to say anything more specific about the plot lest I let a spoiler slip. I'll say that as a fan of thrillers I found that portion of the story more than satisfying.

However, what sets "The Righteous" apart is the accuracy of the depiction of both the Mormon Fundamentalist culture and beliefs.

The Righteous

Since religion, along with politics and sex, are the touchiest subjects there are, I should give a few more disclaimers before proceeding. Mormon fundamentalist sects are not Mormons anymore than Lutherans are Catholics. The relationship between the two and the formation of the fundamentalist churches are much the same as in Protestant religions. The fictional religion depicted here has beliefs that are very much like the mainstream Mormon Church, with a few noteworthy exceptions.

The most significant difference is the acceptance of polygamy and the beliefs of the fictional church that are in place to support and reinforce this practice arranged marriages and pushing single males of a certain age out of the community. It has been more than a hundred years since the mainstream church abandoned the practice of polygamy. I believe a few other beliefs and practices depicted in the novel are no longer the official policy of the mainstream church.

The mainstream church has changed over time, albeit extremely slowly -- the fundamentalist sects, not so much. That is what makes them "fundamentalist. I'm knowledgeable enough to evaluate the accuracy of what is depicted, while hopefully far enough removed to not be overly sensitive to areas where the religious practices might come off as strange or backward.

Finally, I've covered my rear and can return to discussion of the book, "The Righteous," by Michael Wallace for those who have forgotten. Often Mormons and Mormon fundamentalists as they appear in fiction or non-fiction books, movies, or TV shows are caricatures, accurate as far as it goes, but mainly making an appearance to get a laugh.

Where a character is more complex writers often get something significantly wrong, whether on purpose taking literary license for a better story , or ignorance. Wallace gets everything right.

His characters are realistic. They talk the way a devout Mormon or Mormon fundamentalist would talk.

They think how they should think. With the exception of those actions directly related to the plot discussed in the description, they act the way they would act.

I could even imagine someone from this environment straying from the actual beliefs of their religion in the way those involved in this storyline do. When Jacob Christianson is questioning some of the practices of his religion, it is very much like what others raised in this environment commonly go through. The issues raised with regard to who and what is righteous and where does religious authority come from are interesting enough.

Jacob, off at medical school, is recalled by his father, an elder in the Blister Creek Church. He, a skeptic or rationalist of sorts, refuses to be buffaloed by the mythic traditions of his church but retains allegiance to his family, a connection which would lost should he abandon the church entirely. Had Wallace pursued these threads, I think the book would have been stronger and more interesting. He handles some of the issues quite sensitively but then goes off on this ridiculous plot twist that remains unresolved in the end, awaiting book 2 in the series, which I will probably read, if for no other reason than morbid curiosity into the religious silliness.

Jan 14, Dorothy rated it liked it. Typically, I check nightly for any free Kindle books that seem interesting, so when I saw the word "polygamous" in the description, I downloaded it without reading too many of the reviews. I'm not a fan of spoilers, so I didn't want to read too much about it. I'm not an expert on the polygamous lifestyle, nor am I obsessed with it. For me, I find it curiously interesting. When I picked up this book, my only expectation of it, having not read anything else by the author previously, was that it would be interesting.

The story starts off with a brutal murder. At that point, I was not certain as to whether I wanted to read on or stop. If the murder was an isolated event, I certainly wanted to continue in order to find out who did it, why, and what will happen to them. If the murder was just an example of many more to come, I really wasn't interested in reading a gore-filled story, at least not that night.

I chose to continue reading, and I'm glad that I did. There are other scenes of violence but nothing too graphic or disturbing, for those who may be concerned. A young mother finds out that she is marked for death. She attempts to seek help from the Prophet. Her efforts are futile, and her blood is shed for the atonement of her sins. The Prophet calls a respected family and seeks their help.

The son is a medical student and agrees to examine the body to determine what may have been the cause. A false story, involving farm workers, is the first cause of death given; however, after examining the body, the medical student, Jacob, does not believe the story. It is apparent that the girl was murdered according to the method stated in one of their Temple ceremonies. The murder was done by a church member. Jacob, along with his sister, Eliza, begin an investigation into the murder. While investigating the murder, Eliza is faced with the dilemma of being forced to marry one of three men.

Neither of these men suit her, and in a couple cases the thought appalls her. Jacob does his best to help her and is often her voice when trying to reason with their father. Throughout the investigation, many more shocking things develop, and the story goes in many different directions. Some of it is pretty over-the-top and challenging to believe; however, it makes for interesting reading.

After all this is fiction, so I tend to give authors some leeway when it comes to the unbelievable, as long as it doesn't get too ridiculous. The author does a decent job of defining the two main characters, Jacob and Eliza. They are easy to like and support. The villains are also easy to not like. Some characters were lacking development, but considering there are more books in this series, I'm assuming they will have their day.

Overall, the story is interesting for those who enjoy a mystery or are interested in polygamous sects. If one liked Big Love and its over-the-top story lines, I'm sure this will be a favorite. There are more books in the series, and at this time I am trying to decide whether or not to read them. I'm quite fond of the characters Eliza and Jacob, but I'm not certain if I'm ready to devout time into the series. Also, I have to determine if I liked it enough to pay for it. I probably won't rush out to read the other books but maybe one day.

Mar 25, Tanja Berg rated it it was ok Shelves: The premise is promising: Mormon medical student Jacob travels from Canada to a little Mormon town called Blister Creek in some United State desert to investigate the murder of a young woman called Amanda. Jacob brings his bright young sister Eliza with him, to introduce her to potential husband candidates.

Jacob is deeply concerned about the manner of Amanda's death as it clearly indicates an "inside" job and cannot be blamed on the Mexican labourers as the community presumed. The polygamist Mormons and their habits are strange. I have no idea how accurately they are described in this work of fiction, but it is an alien and surreal world that I found difficult to navigate in.

That women should be married off as teenagers and have little say in their choice of husbands is bizarre and demeaning. The book explores this theme exhaustively and at some point in the book the polotics of marriage, child rearing and eugenics become all-consuming. I found it hard to swallow, to say the least.

This writer is not without talent though and this isn't entirey bad. I liked strong, intelligent Jacob who would for most part, not be bullied into what his betters thought was right. His curious little sister Eliza is endearing and a vital part of the plot. Poor Amanda though, she gets lost. Finding her murderer ceases to be the point at about two thirds through the book - there is too much else going on and she was such a small brick. It's ashame, because the conspiracy plot of which her death is but a small part, is wholly unbelieveable.

Jul 07, M. Comley rated it it was amazing. To be honest as a Brit I approached this book with trepidation. As far as religion is concerned I have splinters from sitting on the fence for too long on this subject. Therefore to read a book about a religious sect turned out to be a real eye-opener for me.

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I'm in awe of the amount of research it must've taken to write such a novel, unless the author is writing from experience. A terrific mystery that centres around two main characters Jacob and Eliza, that is full of twists and Incredible read. A terrific mystery that centres around two main characters Jacob and Eliza, that is full of twists and turns.

As a strong independent woman, I found myself bubbling with anger at the way woman are treated in these sects, it had me rooting for Eliza through her many difficulties. A couple of people have said the ending was intentionally left up in the air to force people to buy the sequel, I'm sorry but I don't agree with that.

An incredible read and I have no hesitation in purchasing more of Michael's books. View all 4 comments. Jun 19, J. A gripping mystery and a peek into the dangers of fundamentalism in religion. Those are two reasons for reading this book. If they were the only two, it would be sufficient. But Michael Wallace has added good characterization, an intriguing plot and the promise of more to come in a series of books. Since so many others have commented on the plot, let me say I was most impressed by his aptly named character Jacob Christianson and his sister, Eliza, who rather than act like the puppets many assume A gripping mystery and a peek into the dangers of fundamentalism in religion.

Though his focus is on a spinoff polygamous Mormon group, the situation could be applicable to many of the fundamentalist sects spawned by most any of the major modern religions and raises many timely questions. Mar 19, Shari Larsen rated it liked it. I don't usually read thrillers, but this one intrigued me because of the storyline, it was set in a polygamist community, and it was also a Kindle freebie.

Jacob is medical student in Calgary, specializing in forensic medicine. His father is a church leader, and also a polygamist. When another church member's wife is brutally murdered in the polygamist community of Blister Creek, Utah, they naturally want to keep the police out of it, so Jacob is sent down by his father to investigate, along with I don't usually read thrillers, but this one intrigued me because of the storyline, it was set in a polygamist community, and it was also a Kindle freebie.

When another church member's wife is brutally murdered in the polygamist community of Blister Creek, Utah, they naturally want to keep the police out of it, so Jacob is sent down by his father to investigate, along with his 17 year old sister Eliza, because according to her father, it's "time to find a husband for her", and Jacob's other mission is to help his father find a husband for her. Now, these polygamist are not the nice, welcoming people like the family on TLC's "Sister Wives", they are the more old fashioned kind, not wanting to mix with outsiders, which the call "Gentiles", and the woman wear the "Little House on the Prairie" style dresses and the fathers marry off their teenagers daughters to old men.

Jacob has a good sense of right and wrong, but does not seem totally committed to the church, for which I don't blame him. At 26, he is still unmarried, and he wants to do right by Eliza, and does not want to be the one to help force her into an unhappy marriage. Eliza is a little more committed to the beliefs of the church, but she is highly intelligent, and has dreams of someday going to college.

It's hard to review this book without giving away the plot, but as Jacob gets deeper into the murder investigation, he uncovers other crimes too, including more murders and fraud against the government. This was a good story, and while there is a sequel, it's also a stand alone book. Oct 03, Lorraine Versini rated it it was amazing. I don't know how to qualify the experience I've had with this book. To me it was a totally emotional read. It is beautifully written. The sentences are short and clear, and the book was really easy to read I am not a native. One would find it difficult to read a book about a religion that they've never really heard of before, but Michael explained everything clearly and it was really easy to imagine what life was like for the characters, and to understand the religion, its politics, the communit I don't know how to qualify the experience I've had with this book.

One would find it difficult to read a book about a religion that they've never really heard of before, but Michael explained everything clearly and it was really easy to imagine what life was like for the characters, and to understand the religion, its politics, the community, the life As a woman, I could identify myself with the female characters, imagining what I would feel if I was in their position. And while polygamy is often frowned upon and not accepted in the "world" I live in, and I've been raised with the belief that marriage is only between two people and two people only, I kept finding myself in total awe of the women's courage, loyalty, love, compassion and resilience.

The book kept me captivated, not because it was written in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat, but because it was a very interesting read as well as a book with a plot that was suspenseful. I still have a lump in my throat when I think about the book, it's how deeply it's touched me. The story is about a polygamist sect in Utah, mired in internal scandals of fraud and murder.

Reading through the story, two bits of wise advices came to mind: These days, there is a much wider acceptance of the differences among people, be it lifestyle, race, creed, politics. Friendships, and even marriage is not limited to those who are in the same sp The story is about a polygamist sect in Utah, mired in internal scandals of fraud and murder. Friendships, and even marriage is not limited to those who are in the same spectrum. Up until this point, I am only talking about people with open affiliations, and are in the mainstream. What about those in closed groups?

So long as the peace is kept, we live with each other's differences.

The Righteous

But we all know that the peace is not entirely kept Abuse, greed and vengeance disturb it. When people start wanting and exactingly more than what is right, things go wrong. This is an interesting story by an author who himself grew up in a religious community in the desert. This is the first time I've read a story set among people belonging to a religious sect. It is different, and different is always fascinating. Mar 27, Anne Cargile rated it really liked it. I just finished reading the entire Righteous series. I guess that means that I liked them, at least they sure kept me hooked all the way through!

It was a tough subject that Mr.

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Wallace tackled, namely the followers of polygamy and the fundamentalist Christian groups in Utah. I give him credit that he really brought out many of the positives of the people themselves and took them out of the realm of "kooks" and into real people who struggle with the same questions, doubts and instilled belief sy I just finished reading the entire Righteous series. I give him credit that he really brought out many of the positives of the people themselves and took them out of the realm of "kooks" and into real people who struggle with the same questions, doubts and instilled belief systems we all have.

I had a bit of a hard time following the religious doctrines and sometimes got a bit confused by the references that the author used throughout the series, especially those relating to Joseph Smith and the Angel Moroni. Some readers might get put off by this. One of the more fascinating aspects that Mr. Wallace tackled was the difference between religious belief and cultism. Besides the story plots being fast paced and well written, I felt that this was a honest and in depth look at how belief systems are cultivated and why a person can fall prey to some of the more disturbing practices of some religions, nicely couched in fiction.

Mar 24, Sarah Asp rated it did not like it. It's not often that I give a book one star but this one was pretty awful. I can honestly say that I love literature, I love books and I love reading. I believe that fiction should be uplifting, inspiring and at the very least a little bit enjoyable.

It was obvious to me that the author of this book had some sort of motive in writing this book. He cannot be anything but a disgruntled ex member of a polygamous sect eager to expound upon his opinion of those kinds of religious organizations. Whilst It's not often that I give a book one star but this one was pretty awful.

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