International Acclaim for Prisoners of Hope

International Acclaim for Prisoners of Hope

In this well-crafted novella, minister and teacher Fortune E.C. Nwaiwu tells of the last days of respected Elder Levi, a man whose faith inspired many of his fellow church-goers, a man doomed to a premature death due to lung cancer and pneumonia, likely caused by his smoking habits. Fortune Nwaiwu writes easily, clearly, wisely, and prolifically.─ Dr. Douglas Winslow Cooper, USA

The author has really put a lot of effort into this piece of work. There seems to be a really multi-layered world developing here with unique characters and a hint of mystery to the plot. The text is quite moving and engaging. Such a moving piece of work, very scary! Well done.─ Lee Ann, USA.

Fortune has great passion, and he is a good story-teller.─ Sherry Terry

Fortune E.C. Nwaiwu has an interesting story to tell with some incredibly compelling characters.
Adanta and Mildred have a lot of potential as characters.  Levi is also interesting, and his illness/near death state provides a solid foundation for the story – and is an ideal springboard to let the other characters shine/tell their stories.
Ingrid Hall, Newcastle Upon Tyne UK.

The author's passion for the Christian doctrine, which shines so wonderfully throughout his text, provides the reader with a comforting balm against Levi's many earthly trials. It truly speaks to the fortitude of both Levi's character and faith that he can endure so much, yet ultimately declare in his sermon in Chapter 7, "Within this period of my suffering, I have learnt a lesson that sickness and pains are very significant in human existence for men to turn to God for salvation."

The elevated tone of the dialogue fits Levi's sermon so well. For instance, during the raid on Levi's house in the beginning of Chapter Seven, one of the hoodlums orders the wrongful murder of Rodwell by saying, "See the father of the bridegroom." A bit later, when Bianca is being stabbed to death, she shouts, "You are a cursed beast!" before dying. Readers are taken along the chaos of the attack when the characters are speaking so eloquently. The hoodlum may be more likely to just say, "Kill him," and Bianca would perhaps be more likely to be screaming in pain at the knife in her body. In this way, the tone matches the brutality of the scene, drawing the readers in more easily. The more emotional investment the readers have in the scenes, and thus in Levi's story overall, the more powerfully they can be inspired by the strength of Levi's faith in the face of adversity.

This novel is therefore full of lucid, eloquent prose that bolsters its well-conceived plot. What’s most compelling is the colorful imagery the author incorporated. “At times, Levi would drink to such an extent that his eyeballs would turn red like those of a hen laying eggs.” This language adds a tremendous amount to the overall artfulness of the book.

A number of novels about alcoholism have found success in recent years, including Paula Hawkens’ The Girl on the Train.  Fortune Nwaiwu's book holds a tremendous amount of potential.─ Erin McKnight, USA

Let me begin by saying that in terms of narrative, the chapters 1, 2 and 3, provide a solid introduction to this book. One of the things that the author does quite well in these initial chapters is to set the stage for the reader both in terms of the characters and setting. The narrative voice also fits the subject matter quite well—there’s a direct intensity that matches the religious surroundings of the characters-- a lyrical smoothness that matches the spiritual soul searching, as well as an underling darkness (such as the incident with the mortician) that gives the tone complexity. The author has a great story here, and is told powerfully! ─Jefferson, UK

I like what a clear sense we get of the narrator in the novel. He seems like a true man of God: pious, humble, and forgiving. Likewise, he addresses the reader in a convincingly Biblical style, with references to classic Christian ideas like the vision from God and the divine revival. Writing about religious matter can be tricky, but in the opening chapters of the narrative, I think the author demonstrates good familiarity with the source material, that the story’s narrator seems like a convincing member of this historical and legendary era.─ Max Van Zile.

Fortune Nwaiwu's story really starts off with a good burst of action, and I found myself very intrigued by his narrator’s ability to resurrect Levi. It’s a very good representation of the healing power of religion, and his sentence structure and grammar are in quite a good place. ─ Tylor S.

The author, Fortune Nwaiwu has really worked hard to add an elegant and somber tone to his writing that makes it stand out from the crowd. Nice work! ─ Scribendi