Unleashed [book review]

Originally released as The Barbarian Way, this book was unintentionally viewed as a book written for men. Erwin McManus shares in the Introduction to this new release (Unleashed: Release the Untamed Faith Within) that he wrote the book because of his fearless daughter, who personifies the barbarian way for him. So he changed the name, in an attempt to reach a broader audience.

I have to say that I was not impressed. It’s a quick read, but with the exception of a sentence here and there, it was not a book that I would recommend to anyone.

I typically am a big McManus fan. I don’t always agree with his theology, but he makes me think in ways I am not used to thinking – and for that, I am grateful.

This book, however, was shallow. I wanted it to inspire me to go out and live my life differently. Instead, I felt like I was reading an extended definition for the word “barbarian.” The re-release under a new name is misleading. For me, this book didn’t dig deep enough.

Now, perhaps if I were a new follower of Christ I might be more inclined to be moved by his words. But it really did nothing for me in my stage of life right now. Sorry Erwin – you only get 1 star for this one.

★★★★★