Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Hand of God #1

The Hand of God

Rate this book
Charlie Sims is the pastor of a small church. However, he's thinks he's on a special mission from God to rid the world of sinners. As he brutally carries out his work, a mysterious man delivers a message that will change his life forever. A battle ensues for the fate of mankind.

Charlie finds himself in a struggle with the spiritual realm only to learn that nothing is what it seems. He must choose between accepting his own identity or realizing his own beliefs have been wrong his whole life. Whichever he chooses, nothing will ever be the same, and no one is safe.

235 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2012

6 people are currently reading
287 people want to read

About the author

Tim Miller

96 books594 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
39 (45%)
4 stars
26 (30%)
3 stars
15 (17%)
2 stars
5 (5%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie Adkins.
802 reviews24 followers
April 28, 2012
From the age of twelve, Charlie Sims knew he was different. He knew he had a higher calling. At seventeen, Charlie had his first human kill. It was pretty much a given at that point, Charlie was not of this world. Pastor Charlie Sims had been doing the Lord's work for years. In his heart he believes he is The Hand of God. His chapel? An old barn on the family property. God spoke to Charlie about his missions. He leads Charlie where he needed to be. Along comes Bishop Hoover. Bishop Hoover seemed to be able to perform miracles and smite people at will. Charlie had to know more about Bishop Hoover. There was something just not right here. Together the two battle back and forth for the folks of San Antonio, Texas. Who are they exactly? What is their real mission? Read and find out.


WOW! This book will have you looking over your shoulder and watching people at church more closely! Would you know Christ if he were in a group of people? Don't be too sure. The writing in this book is phenomenal! While weaving the tale of a small church Pastor, Tim Miller is also weaving a thriller. This is a hang-on-tight-you-never-know-what's-coming book! I really enjoyed this book. I did find it a bit ironic that the Baptist were the abstaining group ( I was raised in the Baptist church). Tim Miller went above and beyond with this book and I recommend you read it with an open mind.


I didn't find any issues.


I gave this one 5 out of 5 books cause it really slammed home a message.
Profile Image for Katrina Berry.
1,017 reviews4 followers
February 8, 2013
Absolutely enjoyed this book. I’ll admit though that it’s not one that I would have picked out for myself. Had I started this on my own, I probably would have put it back down with how it jumped right in with the religion part. Since I was doing this as a review though I pushed forward with the book as I was requested and within just a few pages of reading I got a much better picture and understanding of how it was all worked together. I must say that without the religion equation it just wouldn't have worked...it would have been just another end of days, watered down to nothing read. It gave it the kick it needed, tied it up beautifully, and Charlie being a serial killer thinking that his whole life he was working for God when in fact he was not, was a nice little touch. It has paranormal, suspense, mystery and some gore...but not much gore in my opinion...just the perfect balance considering the books direction.

The author did an excellent job in constructing his world and putting it all together. From beginning to end it all is complete and flows well. Good descriptions, excellent reasons and explanations for each of the charries and done in a way that it works and is totally understandable, relateable, and reasonable...probable even. He tied everything up nicely to work with the religious and non religious aspects of it all. I'd highly recommend the book and if religion is an issue for you or turn off, I ask that you give it a chance because it really does make sense as you start going through the book and delve further into Tim's world.
Profile Image for Paranormal Reads.
137 reviews132 followers
June 1, 2012
This is not my typical book I usually read but with saying that I did enjoy the book. Tim writes a new spin on Nephilim that I have yet to encounter in other book. Even though I had a hard time connecting to the main character the story line kept me hooked and turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Charlie is a pastor who believes God is giving him visions of sinners to kill. He calls himself the Hand of God. But he soon finds out from another that he is not all human and his visions don’t come from God. Charlie doesn’t know what to think about his calling anymore. Then he meets the second coming of Jesus and Lucifer and has to make a choice. Will he stand by and watch Jesus sacrifice humans or help Lucifer send Jesus back to Heaven?

All though I had a hard time connecting to Charlie I could not put the book down. Tim’s writing is so descriptive and had me feeling Charlie’s confusion, anger, and satisfaction for doing God’s work. Some of the scenes where Charlie is killing the sinners are so descriptive that I felt like I was the one being killed. Even though they are gruesome and hard to read I still could not put this book down.

I am looking forward to reading more by Tim. If you want a new spin on Nephilim and are not scared by gruesome deaths then this book is for you. Due to the content of this book I recommend that only 18 and over should read it. I give this book 3 in a half bats.
Profile Image for Sabrina.
556 reviews27 followers
June 1, 2012
This is not my typical book I usually read but with saying that I did enjoy the book. Tim writes a new spin on Nephilim that I have yet to encounter in other book. Even though I had a hard time connecting to the main character the story line kept me hooked and turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Charlie is a pastor who believes God is giving him visions of sinners to kill. He calls himself the Hand of God. But he soon finds out from another that he is not all human and his visions don’t come from God. Charlie doesn’t know what to think about his calling anymore. Then he meets the second coming of Jesus and Lucifer and has to make a choice. Will he stand by and watch Jesus sacrifice humans or help Lucifer send Jesus back to Heaven?

All though I had a hard time connecting to Charlie I could not put the book down. Tim’s writing is so descriptive and had me feeling Charlie’s confusion, anger, and satisfaction for doing God’s work. Some of the scenes where Charlie is killing the sinners are so descriptive that I felt like I was the one being killed. Even though they are gruesome and hard to read I still could not put this book down.

I am looking forward to reading more by Tim. If you want a new spin on Nephilim and are not scared by gruesome deaths then this book is for you. Due to the content of this book I recommend that only 18 and over should read it. I give this book 3 in a half bats.
Profile Image for Julianne Snow.
Author 39 books86 followers
February 14, 2013
I received this book from the author as a gift. Thank you Tim! There was no mention of a review, but I’m giving you an honest one regardless.

The Hand of God by Tim Miller was somewhat of a surprise to me. I have read quite a few books with religious undertones in the past and Frank E. Peretti is one of my favourite authors among the hundred or so that I say that about. Ideally, in its most simplest form The Hand of God is a story of good and evil, but what sets the book apart from others that tackle the same theme is it’s not quite clear who is good and who is evil. Read the book and you’ll completely understand what I’m talking about.

The pacing was excellent and the characters are drawn in an incredibly believable way, despite the fact that many of them are religious icons. With giving away too much, Pastor Charlie and the Bishop were among my favourites and I loved the subtle way that Miller tinged each of them with bits of good and bad.

The Hand of God will make you think about what you know of religion and Miller’s own study of the biblical realm is evident and very much appreciated. His advanced study in the subject was definitely an asset in how many of the situations were explored and ultimately explained.

If you’re looking for a great allegorical read with a dose of religion mixed into the fray, The Hand of God is a book you will likely enjoy. Personally, I cannot wait for the sequel.
Profile Image for Kami.
Author 2 books71 followers
February 11, 2013
This book was gifted to me from the author for an honest review. Thank You!

God save me from a righteous man. Pastor Charlie is doing God's work by killing sinners. I personally don't approve with the amount of murder that has been done in the world in God's name. Pastor Charlie meets a man, David Davidson, who tells him that God told David to tell Pastor Charlie to look out for someone who will need to be dealt with. Bishop Hoover shows up and apparently brings a woman back from the dead. Pastor Charlie gets visions of people sinning which he takes to mean God is talking to him. Pastor Charlie then kills the people who he saw sin in his vision. Bishop Hoover and David Davidson both tell Charlie that he doesn't know who he is and that there is more to his visions then what he thinks. “We Protestants are usually rather conservative when it comes to the supernatural.” David Davidson is not exactly a normal human being but then neither is Charlie or Bishop Hoover. I wasn't sure how I felt about this book at first. A pastor who thinks he is doing God's work by killing people? Not really my idea of a sympathetic character. I thought it was very well written and a quick read but I didn't feel like I was liking it. But then 100 pages into the book plot twists abound and the story started getting really interesting. “Life was so much easier when I was just preaching on Sundays and killing sinners on the side.” By the end of the book my only thought was 'Wow'!
Profile Image for Beth.
25 reviews150 followers
June 16, 2012
Pastor Charlie is frightening from the first page of Hand of God, more so due to his assertion that he is performing his violent deeds because he is working in tandem with God. His calm and cynical narration of the acts, often laced with twisted humor, lends credence to the point that he feels he is doing what he truly believes is right and just. The fact that he is a man of the cloth compounds the possibility that Pastor Charlie could be in any town, any church, watching our misdeeds and exacting a punishment at the perceived direction from God.

However, it turns out that Pastor Charlie’s mission is not as simple as he thinks.... this is a stunning and captivating novel about the human struggle with spirituality and belief that is certain to be controversial in its content.

Author Tim Miller presents us with a book that is reminiscent of Stephen King’s earlier excellent writings: The Stand, The Shining, Carrie, Salem’s Lot, before King became a victim of his own market saturation (and became a joke on “Family Guy”).

Miller delivers to us a portrait of evil versus good, yet it is unclear up to the last page (and beyond) which is which. Even further, this author is fearless in presenting an alternate view to what many believe to be absolute truth. Hand of God is a fascinating and thought-provoking read and a page turner from start to finish.
Profile Image for Nicole Hill.
Author 22 books323 followers
May 14, 2012
This book was totally different from what I thought. Pastor Charlie simms Is the hero. He " Thinks " he is " The Hand Of God. " but discovers that in reality, he is a serial Killer who is also part of an old, thought to be extinct race of half humans/ half angels. Throughout the book it turns out that he's not really been getting orders from god. It also turns out that god tried to wipe out his race hundreds of years before because he deemed them an abomination. Even though he is a serial Killer, You can't really hate him because he is killing bad people. Right? He also has some pretty nifty powers. It also turns out that Jesus is back for his second coming. And all of us who have read our bible know what that means. He learns that The savior isn't exactly what they teach in church. He is really kind of a prick. He also finds that Lucifer might have gotten a really bad rap. Charlie has to team up with Lucifer in order to stop the end of days. I'm telling you, This script is totally flipped. By the end, I was rooting for " The Bad Guys" Imagine! The fate of the world resting on Charlie the serial killer and his pal, The Devil!

Profile Image for Helen White.
37 reviews7 followers
May 25, 2012
This is a ripper of a book. I just couldn't stop reading after I had started. The tone is morally ambiguous and you should find yourself at the end of the book still unsure who is right and who is wrong. It looks at religion, God, Jesus and the Devil, and starts to question and upset conventional notions about morality, right and wrong. There is some excellent detail that gives the book tone, biblical quotes, references to real life TV Evangalists for example. The book could be classified as horror in some ways, but I found the implied and non-explicit violence and actions to be somehow more frightening than explicit descriptions of torture. Not a book for you if you are really squeamish, but enjoyable adult fare. Although late teens could also read this book, I think it would have more resonance with people with life experience who can relate to the fact that things are not always black and white.
Profile Image for Terri Baldwin.
72 reviews11 followers
July 9, 2013
I'm not a religious person, so I doubt I'd even think about reading this book if I hadn't known the author on Facebook and completely enjoyed the banter there. It also helped that my boyfriend's mother read it and called me, just describing the book as "Oh My God, not what you expect!". That piqued my interest!

Pastor Charlie isn't your everyday normal pastor... he has a side job enforcing the biblical rules. In essence, this makes him a serial killer, and it's a job he thoroughly enjoys. Charlie thinks he's doing God's work, according to God's plans; things aren't always what they seem!

This book was an easy read for me. The characters were easy to picture in my mind's eye, and the story was fast paced and action packed. This book really made me think, cringe, and I even found myself cheering this homicidal pastor on!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror and intelligent books that make you think!
Profile Image for Daniel.
132 reviews9 followers
August 26, 2012
Charlie Sims is no ordinary preacher, on the side he carries out God's orders by torturing and killing sinners. When a new preacher comes to town, his faith is shaken and the line between good and evil is shattered.

Pastor Charlie is such an interesting character. Throughout the book my feelings for him varied, I'd hate him one moment and then I would urge him on to continue. He is both the antagonist and protagonist, which works well. The arrival of Bishop, changes the scope of the book and the pastor must make a choice one that could decide the fate of humanity. Miller has an associates degree in Bible and Ministry and his knowledge of the bible adds credence to the story.

There are a few spelling errors with the book but it was easy to overlook with a great plot and interesting characters. I'll be keeping a close out for more Pastor Charlie books from author Tim Miller.
Profile Image for Brian Mcclain.
354 reviews10 followers
October 23, 2014
So this story is a great example of why I should research my buys more. For a while I had wanted to read something by Tim Miller and saw that this was one of his earlier works. It was nothing like what I expected and yet his writing was so smooth and flowed so well that wasn't a problem. I honestly read this so fast its hard for me to comprehend and yet I caught each and everything. I guess it might be considered a minimalistic style, but for someone as imaginative as I am it allows me to fill in the gaps.

So yeah, its called the Hand of God, there's a lot of religion in it. If going past any preconceived notions you might have for a good story is something you'd be willing to do I'd highly recommend it. I might honestly read the sequel at some point as well and if someone would've told me when I got this what it was about I would've never thought I'd be buying it.
Profile Image for Tammy.
380 reviews4 followers
December 15, 2015
I've read several of Tim's books and I haven't been disappointed yet and these books are no exception. I really enjoyed reading Tim's version of God and Lucifer and the trinity and religion as a whole, he gave me a whole new perspective!! These are definitely scary because you get lost in the story and it's terrifying to think of things happening the way they are described in these books!! I whole-heartedly recommend these books!! I love when a series is sold all together it's so much easier and you can move on to the next book without having to search for it or waiting for it to come out!! So buy these books and when you're done you can move on to another Tim Miller book, I really liked the April Almighty series (even though I hate clowns) I don't think you can go wrong with any of them!! I'm reading Dollhouse next, it looks fantastic!!
Profile Image for Kayla.
54 reviews25 followers
May 30, 2012
I started this book and literally could not put it down. It was a great book, that in the beginning it sort of reminded me of the show Dexter.

Pastor Charlie is a minister who kills sinners because of his calling from God. He likes to refer to himself as "The Hand of God". No one has a clue about his secret, until someone shows up claiming someone will pop up and seem to be someone they are not. Later on in the book he meets both the Devil & Jesus. Things start to get weird for Charlie and it is good vs. evil with lots of twists and turns.

This book does have some gruesome descriptions, but if you are like me that is not a problem. Overall, the book was great, and I cannot wait to read the next!

Profile Image for Lisa Markson.
217 reviews35 followers
January 17, 2013
I received a copy of The Hand of God by Tim Miller in exchange for a honest and unbiased review. This reminded me of a saying "Vengeance is mine; sayeth the Lord". One preacher out to save all of mankind one sinner at a time. The book got me from page one till the very last one. I initially thought it was going to be a holy roller type book but it was so much more. I was kept on my toes always turning the page to find out what was going to happen next because when I thought I knew the author twisted it. Is there a definite line drawn in the sand between good and evil? Is it insanity that Charlie Sims hearing the words of God or is he truly the Right Hand Of God destined to carry our his punishments to the sinners of the world. I would recommend this for a book that makes you think.
Profile Image for Amber.
93 reviews4 followers
September 7, 2016
The Hand of God will definitely have you rethinking everything you ever thought you knew about religion.
I was amazed by how much suspense there was in the book. To me it seems like there is very little you can do with a serial killing preacher. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Tim Miller went all out. Pastor Charlie was an amazing character who truly was in the midst of good and evil. Miller's take on his portrayal of Christ and Lucifer was very unexpected to me. There was so much in this book I didn't see coming. If you love unpredictable horror with a religious twist or just twisted horror I definitely recommend this book. I couldn't put it down once I started reading.
288 reviews5 followers
November 23, 2014
I didn't know what to expect when I first started reading this book. The very idea of a preacher being a serial killer of sinful people made me wonder about the mind set of this preacher--Charlie Sims. Then we get two more men to deal with-- the Bishop and Lucifer. None of the characters are what they seem to be.

The story was a roller coaster ride full of twists and turns between good and evil and nothing is what it seems to be.

I enjoyed the story and recommend it to those who enjoy a lot of weirdness with a religious theme. (I believe this is the first book with a religious theme that wasn't wrapped around the Catholic church even though it was mentioned a couple of times.).
Profile Image for Crystal.
266 reviews5 followers
June 24, 2013
The Hand of God is definitely out of my normal genre. This is the first book I've read that gives me the willies thinking about it. With actual scriptures being quoted while this serial killer of God passes judgement, it makes me wonder how Mr. Miller came up with this story. It's original and very dark and twisted. All throughout the story the plot turns just as you think you've figured it out. I was able to read this book in a day and was definitely creeped out by it. Good job on making my mind work overtime!
Profile Image for Kenn Anderson.
385 reviews8 followers
January 4, 2015
Well written thriller with a tough of horror. Preacher Charlie Sims tends to his flock by preaching during the day and butchering during the night. God has chosen Charlie to punish the wicked, or did he. The Bishop comes to town performing miracles but Charlie worries he is evil. With the aid of an angle, Charlie plots the downfall of this so called holy-man.

A very fast paced book, very exciting.
4 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2015
Incredible Book

I am not a religious man. I gave up on mainstream religion when it became clear to me that no God would allow churches to behave the way they do. Tim Miller knocks this out of the park. God may exist, but he's not what you think. The lies you've been told are real. And so is the premise of this book. Amen, Mr. Miller. Well done.
Profile Image for Keith.
24 reviews1 follower
June 19, 2015
I save 5 stars for the best and this is indeed one of them. Great story and witty humor through out the entire series, laughed out load more than once. Very enjoyable whether or not your religious or your beliefs, very entertaining and a fast read.
Profile Image for Terry Trahan.
119 reviews8 followers
March 14, 2013
Good read. Tim you wrote a story that truly had me wondering about you. I sure hope you are mentally stable!!!! Hahaha... But I did enjoy it!
Profile Image for Steven jb.
522 reviews3 followers
January 13, 2016
Evil vs more evil, two reverends do battle, and neither is a good person. This is book one of a trilogy. More comments when I complete this.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.