Kite Runner proved to be one of those books I just could not put down. I read it in about 4 days. Hosseini is a gifted writer and has the ability to capture the reader and hold him in sway until the finish. Kite Runner is a novel that transcends the history of Afghanistan from before the Russian takeover until it landed under Taliban control. The storyline itself is about two boys that grow up together as friends, yet live very different lives. Hosseini's telling of how these boys grow up is a powerful and compelling drama of the human heart.

The boys, Amir and Hassan, are actually half-brothers, but they do not know this. Hassan is the servant to Amir and his father. Amir lives in luxury, Hassan lives in a hut behind Amir's house. Amir takes everything and everyone for granted, including Hassan. Hassan loves Amir as his greatest friend and is willing to undergo anything to be faithful to him.

What drew me to this volume is my desire to learn as much as I can about the world of Islam. It is the challenge and opposition for the cause of Christ in our generation. Countries opposed to and closed to the Gospel are mostly Muslim. Some of the harshest tales of persecution against Christians are coming out of Muslim countries. I want to know how Muslims in these nations live and how they think. Kite Runner was an excellent introduction. Not only did it bring out daily life as a Muslim in a Muslim community, but it also vividly describes the racism within the Muslim world, and the horror and evil of the Taliban regime.

Along the way though, Kite Runner has much to teach about loyalty. Hassan tells Amir before he runs a kite for him, "For you, a thousand times over." Hassan's lifelong faithfulness to his friend (brother) is a heart-wrenching, soul-searching drama.

Just as strong as Hassan's loyalty is to Amir, is Amir's shame. It takes Amir a long journey of guilt, sleeplessness, and pain before he comes to terms with how wrongfully he treated the greatest friend he would ever know. When you read this book, you will find yourself wanting to emulate the servant and guard against falling prey to the error of Amir.

From a Christian's perspective, one of the key phrases of the novel also reveals the emptiness of man's attempt to be good. Rahim, a friend of Amir's father, tells Amir, "There is a way to be good again." Amir ends up performing a daring and honorable task to try and somehow "atone" for his actions against Hassan. It does provide him with some relief from his tortured soul, but in the end, it does not rectify the pain he caused his dearest friend. He will always live with that demon.

The fact is there is NO WAY for us to ever be good on our own! The only way to be good is to be in Christ! "In Him, we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Eph 1:7)!"