The Survivors BY Gregg Luke

rating: 3 of 5 stars
David Kirkham knows his plants and their best medicinal uses...he knows his stuff! He works for a pharmeceutical company and is constantly being sent on trips out of the country spending less time with his wife and daughter. He is being sent to South America for his latest trip which causes him to miss yet another Thanksgiving with his family.

Melodee is a 12 yr old LDS girl who has just visited her grandpa for possibly the last time. She is extremely full of faith, patience and joy.

David and Melodee end up sitting next to each other on their flight. They share a brief discussion of niceties where Melodee quickly makes an overall good impression on David. Then, the unthinkable happens and their plane crashes in the rain forests of Mexico. Obviously, David and Melodee are the only survivors and start on an adventure that has it all, good bad and ugly.

Will they find their way home? and in time? What affect will the drug runners have on them and what secrets lie ahead of them in this strange place? What role will Melodee wonderfully strong faith play in all they endure? Will apathetic David help in any way?

I have now read two of his books and they are very different from each other and I like them both and would find it difficult to say which I liked better. You can read my review of Do No Harm by clicking on the title. I liked the overall storyline of The Survivors. I think I have to say that Ester is my favorite character, especially in the end...so sneaky, lol. I also believe that is about all I can say without giving away anything major in the storyline, which I really really don't like to do...

...on to the quotes, of which there are several:
pg 72: "Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is structurally related to caffeine in that they are both methylxanthenes and tehrefore have similar effects stimulation and euphoria." With this statement and a little more explanation, expert David assures Melodee that she perfectly fine eating chocolate. I am sure many of you reading this will be glad to know this, too, LOL!

pg 86: "Good morning...I'd say that statement is the most-often used oxymoron in the world...Oxy-mormon?...Oxymoron. When two contradictory words or ideas join to make a single phrase. You said, 'Good morning.' It's morning, all right. It's the good part I'm questioning." I just had to include this one, my husband always tells me to good morning and I often just shake my head no in response, so this part of the conversation made me out right laugh!

pg 200: "How are you feeling? Fine. You? Better than I deserve..." This one is strictly for all Dave Ramsey fans out there, I couldn't resist posting this one! Most ironically, I am listening to a Dave Ramsey podcast while I am typing this up, lol!

pg 226: "Faith must play a part in all things. Faith and trust....I did not say belief. I said faith." "Faith, belief--what's the difference." "You can believe anything you like, but until you act on that belief, it is nothing more than a wish. Faith requires a show of confidence, even in the misdt of sorrow and doubt." I really liked this explanation of the difference between these two words.

pg 227: "...you must give God a chance. We believe in miracles, but most miracles occur when we meet God halfway. Belief is required, but so is effort. Belief plus effort creates faith. We have done all we can. Now we must trust in God and let His will be done." Again, loved the explanation and it also goes right along with my focus on faith this year!

pg 237: "Alma said to plant the seed and allow it to grow. Don't kill it with unbelief but nourish it with hope; give it a chance. And when it begins to grow you will feel a swelling within you." So true regarding faith and testimony and most everything spiritual. If you ignore it or don't nourish it, it dies.

pg 238: "Faith wasn't the mindless wanderings of uneducated individuals. It wasn't the blind being led by the blind. It wasn't the scapegoat for things unproved. It was the doorway to greater understanding and knowledge and light. And I wanted to run through the doorway at full speed." As hard or scary it can be, for some, I hope we all can have this same desire to run through the doorway at full speed!

pg 255: "A testimony is not a one-time thing...A testimony grows line upon line, precept upon precept. It's something you have to work constantly to maintain or you'll lose it." 'nuff said.