The Forge

by Chris Fabry

As Cynthia Wright’s marriage implodes, she is forced to raise her teenage son, Isaiah, alone. The pressure of providing for them through her salon is a full-time job in itself. When Cynthia sees Isaiah pulling away and escaping into video games, tensions rise and prayers feel unanswered. Angry and hurt, Isaiah starts acting like the father who abandoned him, and Cynthia gives him an ultimatum while turning to her twin sister, Elizabeth Jordan, for support. Elizabeth enlists a seasoned prayer warrior who challenges Cynthia to pray boldly and believe God for the impossible.

Caught in the middle, Isaiah longs for respect, but sees no clear path to becoming a good man. Desperate for a job, he wanders into Moore Fitness, Inc. and encounters the owner, Joshua Moore, who introduces him to the concept of working for a coach rather than a boss. Needing the work, Isaiah reluctantly begins his mentoring process with Joshua. While Cynthia clings to hope, no one sees the coming storms brewing at the company and in Isaiah’s heart.

The Forge is about the power of prayer, the transformation only God can achieve, and the lasting influence one person can have on others.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Faith, Contemporary, Audiobook

368 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. A 1982 graduate of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.

Chris' novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, Not in the Heart, Borders of the Heart, Every Waking Moment, The Promise of Jesse Woods, Looking into You, Under a Cloudless Sky, and A Piece of the Moon, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Christianity Today Book Awards of Merit, but it's his lyrical prose and tales of redemption that keep readers returning for more.

Chris has also published more than 70 other books, ranging from nonfiction and film novelizations, including the Kendrick brothers' War Room and Overcomer, to novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and The Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. RPM is his latest series for kids and explores the exciting world of NASCAR.

Visit Chris' website at www.chrisfabry.com.

Reviews

[✞ Alexi ✞ (saved by grace) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can honestly say this is one of those books that stays with you after you close it.
This story was SO much more than I expected. It’s not just about faith in a cliché way — it’s about growth, accountability, mentorship, and what it actually looks like to step up and become the person God is calling you to be.
I loved how real the characters felt. They weren’t perfect. They messed up. They struggled. And that’s what made their development so powerful.
Watching the main character slowly mature instead of instantly changing overnight felt authentic. The mentorship aspect was probably my favorite part. It showed how important it is to have someone in your life who pushes you, believes in you, and refuses to let you stay stuck. We all need that.
There were moments that genuinely made me emotional because it hit close to home — especially the themes of purpose and discipline. It made me reflect on my own life in the best way.
If you like stories that are faith-centered but still realistic and relatable, this is 100% worth reading. It’s inspiring without being preachy and encouraging without being too cheesy

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

You’d be a fan of this book if you enjoy:
- Books for adults written at a 5th grade reading level.
- Characters with no personality other than not the main character being introduced for a single chapter, 25 chapters later finding out they’ve been in a relationship with the main character for the entire time off page, but now they’re breaking up so it doesn’t matter that we were just told that they’d had a relationship the whole time instead of being shown their relationship.
- A book about a black family written by a white man, based on a movie written by 2 other white men and yes it’s just as problematic as you’re thinking.
- A book where a character spends multiple chapters agonizing over whether he should forgive his father for quite literally abandoning him after stealing all his mother’s money and we get no conclusion to that situation other than ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
- A book where the climax is literally a part time employee convincing his coworkers that they should all work for 24 hours straight to save the company. The capitalist hellscape that would only be celebrated by those who think they’re just temporary broke millionaires.

Honestly this book was severely lacking plot, storytelling, and character development. There were points where I’d have to go back and reread a paragraph because sometimes the book skipped to a different setting or time mid page or even mid paragraph with no page break or other indications that anything had changed. On the bright side I’m sure I’ll enjoy the breakdown of the movie it’s based on when it’s reviewed by God Awful Movies.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forge by Chris Fabry is a Christian novel that is a bit of a spinoff of the War Room. It is about the power of prayer, the importance of mentorship and how it can change a person’s heart. I have read most of this author’s books and enjoyed them all.

The story follows Cynthia and her son Isaac through very difficult times in their lives. A broken marriage and a son who is lost and going down the wrong path are just a few of their struggles. The story deals with prayer, change of heart, forgiveness and so much more. At times it felt a little preachy though. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for an advanced copy of this book.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It came to me at the right time. It was really encouraging. I want to buy a copy of this so I can annotate it.

[N.Y. Dunlap · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The greatest gift you give Him is yourself. All of you. And that becomes the greatest gift you give the world, the way you allow God access to every nook and cranny of your life.” That’s one of the many jewels (lines) that stuck out to me while reading The Forge by Chris Fabry.

In the story, Cynthia and her son are dealing with the aftermath of abandonment. Darren leaves his family and honestly, even when he was around, he wasn’t always there for them emotionally.

I really like how the author focuses on how Isaiah needed to fall in love with his Heavenly Father and see Him without the hurt and pain he endured from his horrible dad. The story really stuck with me. I can’t wait to see the movie and glean parallels from the book to the silver screen.

Fabry was spot on when showing the interaction between Cynthia and Isaiah. I got a kick out of some of what the mother would say. However, there were a few instances while in Isaiah‘s point of view. Especially in high school, that some of the words were unusual for a teenage boy and I am not referring to slang, but some of Isaiah’s vocabulary sounded a tad mature.

This was an amazing story, and the message was solid. We are called to live for Christ and to support each other. The scene with the sword really shows how the support of fellow believers is necessary. I would be proud to know men who are members of the Forge. This story will inspire you, so go grab a copy for yourself.

I received this book through Net Galley and was not required to give a positive review.

[❄️Olivia❄️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

[C. Ditto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Isaiah came to god and saved the business. I think that we all need our own miss Clara

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ this book challenged my prayer life. It’s a spin off of War Room. I’d say this is one of my least favorite of the Kendrick brothers books but it was still good. *Read for Brighter Winter challenge

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

HE can change you....💗

[Kim D · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars bumped to a 4 cause it is a good story with really important lessons. I think the movie is probably fantastic. The adaptation to book form just falls a little short. Which I think happens a lot when the script comes first. The story line and character development just felt rushed.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story on discipleship, prayer and mentoring. It is a must read for youths who are battling identity crisis. Chris Fabry has done an excellent work with his lucid writing. I can't wait to see the move in theatres. It is my prayer that this book touches many youths and adults and inspire them to follow Jesus Christ.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

a cool domino effect

When he saw Isaiah, he chose to look at his heart and not his attitude. When a totally unlikely person comes to Jesus and then wants to bring others to Him, it doesn’t get any better than that. And no, there’s nothing like the power of prayer!!!

[Josh Olds · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2003, the Kendrick Brothers released their first movie Flywheel. It was made on a $20k budget and made $37k. Three years later came Facing Giants, which released to small acclaim. But their breakout hit was 2008’s Fireproof, which made $33.5 million on a half million budget. With that success came novelizations. In 2007-2008, Thomas Nelson released novelized versions of the three films, written by Eric Wilson. Since then, almost every Kendricks Brothers movie has gotten the novelization treatment. In 2011, with Courageous, the publisher switched to Tyndale House, who used author Randy Alcorn to write the treatment. The next novelization would come in 2015 with War Room and begin Chris Fabry’s now almost ten-year partnership with the Kendricks on their novelizations.

The Forge is latest of the Kendricks’ creations. Set as sort of a spin-off of War Room (there are shared characters and I shan’t say any more than that), the story follows Cynthia and her son Isaac as they go through a period of turbulence. Cynthia sees her marriage fall apart and her teenage son begin going down the wrong path. Isaiah, feeling directionless and hopeless, finds a solid mentor and boss at Moore Fitness. And covering all of that in prayer is Miss Clara, who has boldly been praying for God to show up.

One of the struggles with novelizations is that the author is limited to the confines of the screenplay, but also left to fill in the gaps where the screenplay is silent. I’ve read novelizations where it seemed rather clear to me that the author had no connection or collaboration with the filmmakers. Over the course of the last decade, there’s grown a trust between Fabry and the Kendricks. Chris understands their work and their heart and the group has worked together to build a novelization that expands on the source material but stays faithful to it. Fabry’s voice doesn’t overshadow the Kendricks, nor is Fabry just a voiceless ghostwriter. It’s a well-oiled collaboration that makes the novelization something more than just a media tie-in product.

There is perhaps an element of preachiness in the novel. That’s probably expected and unavoidable. That sort of clear, direct exposition and explicit hammering home of the story’s themes are a cliché of Christian media. It’s a bit more direct and obvious that Fabry’s original works, but fits the tone of a Kendricks Brothers movie.

The Forge hits upon salient and important themes—prayer, obviously, but also the power of mentorship. It’s a solid and engaging work. While I tend not to enjoy Fabry’s novelizations as much as his original work—I think that when left free to create on his own, his works are deeper and more nuanced—The Forge is thoroughly engaging. There’s maybe not too many surprises, everything works out about how you’d think, but it’s still an enjoyable and heartwarming journey.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novelization of “The Forge,” a film by the Kendrick Brothers. I’ve read the author, Chris Fabry before, and knew once I cracked the cover, I’d be hooked. Sure, enough I was drawn into the story of Cynthia, and her teen son, Isaiah.

When Cynthia’s lay-about husband cleans out their bank account and leaves her for another woman, Cynthia struggles to fill the roles of both mother and father for Isaiah. Her faith is strong, and she has the support of other women of God, but after he graduates, Isaiah begins slipping into the same directionless patterns as his father—spending all his time playing video games or goofing off with his friends. Cynthia is forced to give an ultimatum—find a job or move out.

Begrudgingly, Isaiah takes a part-time job with Moore Fitness where he comes under the tutelage of the owner, Joshua Moore. A man of faith, Joshua both challenges and guides Isaiah in the transition from angry teen to responsible young man—introducing him to other strong men of faith who form a group known as “The Forge.”

Isaiah’s metamorphose occurs gradually but realistically. I loved watching how the changes in him effect how he treats others. Joshua is equally appealing, with an intriguing backstory of his own.

This is a novel with a strong message of faith, playing out in multiple layers. In addition to Isaiah learning of God’s salvation through Joshua, Cynthia is also involved with a group of Christian women who support her. Among them is “Miss Clara,” an elderly prayer warrior, full of spiritual wisdom for daily living.

While the main thrust of the novel is Isaiah’s growth from boy to man, there’s a secondary plot involving a competitor trying to steal accounts from Moore Fitness. The nitty-gritty of that rocks the last quarter of the book and makes for an exciting conclusion.

If you enjoy stories rich in character development with strong faith-based teachings, I highly recommend The Forge. A heartwarming story with a wonderful ending, I nonetheless applaud the creators for not tying up EVERY minor thread with a tidy, happily-ever-after-bow. In life, not every path culminates as we hope. On occasion, we have to accept there is still work to do, and that some situations may not be resolved in this lifetime. Excellent story!

[Terri Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get the tissues and your journal. Chris Fabry’s novelization of the Kendrick Brothers’ movie, THE FORGE is one of the best books in 2024. Once again, Chris has crawled inside the characters and assumed their hearts and voices. Kudos to the Kendrick Brothers for producing beautiful, practical, and meaningful movies.

THE STORY: If I could sum up the conflict in this book it is abandonment. The protagonist’s husband abandons her and their son which sets in motion the greatest pains a soul has: rejection and bitterness.

Fabry tackles the redemption and reconciliation of a mother and son to each other and to their heavenly Father.

By the way, I said to get your journal. Why? If you have a prodigal in your prevue, there are powerful prayers templated for us. I found myself substituting the prodigals in our life with the character’s name. Inspired.

Highly recommended for readers of Chris Fabry, movie novelizations, Kendrick Brothers’ productions, faith journeys of prodigals, divorce healing, prayer, intercession, discipleship and Miss Clara’s words of wisdom and exhortation.

I received an ARC from the publisher for my honest review.

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the movie a short while back and was excited to find this novelization of the movie. If you saw the movie, the story line is the same, but the book includes so much more detail. For me, it was like someone had sketched a picture (the movie) and gave it to another artist who filled in all the details making the picture come to life (the book). I especially liked a line in the book when Joshua told Isaiah he prayed Isaiah was not one in a million but one of a million. The message of this book needs to be shared with men of all ages all around the world. In fact, the book has a message for all believers in Jesus Christ. Anyone who has seen other motion pictures by the Kendrick Brothers may remember Miss Clara from War Room. She has a vital role in this story as well. A key takeaway from this story is that prayer is not just a quick sentence or two shouted toward Heaven in a moment of angst, but it is a lifestyle. You need to read the book to see the huge role that prayer and faith played in the lives of Isaiah and his mother, as well as the people around them.

[Kam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read because i didn’t get the chance to watch the movie in theaters. This was also my first christian fiction read and I was not disappointed. It’s a really good portrayal of practical modern Christianity. From the point of view of a woman going through divorce and returning to her faith to cope w the pain AND the point of view of a rebellious lazy teenager faith came and got! Good stuff! I read another review saying they didn’t like that it ended with a “it’s whatever” tone when it came to Darren. But again that’s how life is sometimes & trusting God through that was the message.

My biggest takeaway as a 25 yo F was what it takes to surrender. As a christian we hear it all the time “let go and let God” or else… but never really shown how to go about it and what it looks like in day to day applications.
The book says it more eloquently but now I know
Surrendering is like forgiveness. It’s a decision/choice we have to remind ourselves we made AND make again every day.

If I didn’t learn anything else from this read (which I did!!), that takeaway alone did it for me 🧑🏾‍🍳💋

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good friend told me I had to go see The Forge when it was in the movies. I missed the chance but when I say the book in the store, I felt I needed to buy the book. I am SO glad I did.

The story is about the relationship between a mother, son, and God. Cynthia ends up as a single mom to a young adult son who does not seem to have any goals or plans for his future. She is trying her best. She is a good provider, prays for her son, tries to encourage him, and more but nothing seems to click. It's not until she sets an ultimatum - get a job in a month or move out - that her son, Isaiah finally is motivated. Through a blessed encounter, Isaiah finds a job and a mentor that changes his whole life.

The Forge is a 'sequel' of sorts to War Room where we meet Clara and Cynthia's twin sister.

I would highly recommend The Forge to those who are seeking parenting advice. It is full of wisdom and love presented in a fictional world.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so glad that I did not miss this outstanding book! I did see the excellent movie, but the book provides more details. Single parent Cynthia is frustrated in trying to raise her teenage son Isaiah. He loves his mother, but is not very responsible, and prefers to spend his time with his electronics and shooting hoops with friends. Cynthia gathers her sister, co-workers and the legendary Ms. Clara to pray for Isaiah. Then soon after, Isaiah is given an opportunity to be a newly hired employee and join a group of mentors and other young men. He is forged into a focused, Christ-honoring, hard-working, valued employee after learning many things. You might even call it an answer to prayer! This book can touch all, and especially teens and their parents.
I very much appreciate being able to read this book, compliments of the publishers. The views expressed are my own.

[Linda Wiedenmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Christian book on the life of Cynthia and her son Isaiah! Ending a bad marriage Cynthia is faced with raising a teenage son and running a salon! When Cynthia sees that her son is going in the wrong direction she tells him he is going to have to start paying rent so he needs a job! Cynthia gets her sister and her sister introduces her to a mighty prayer warrior named Ms Clara. Isaiah gets a job at a company that has a godly couple running it! Joshua starts mentoring Isaiah and introduces him to The Forge! Isaiah changes his life for the better with all prayer and fellowship of all the men involved! The Forge is about the power of prayer and the transformation only God can achieve! Highly recommend this book!❤️

[Ms. Shin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, mainly because of Isaiah. I enjoyed reading his character development. His mother on the other hand....from the beginning I found her to be annoying and throughout the book I didn't like how she would at times doubt his transformation, even when he was walking the right path. I also think she was just being spiteful when she asked him to pay rent. She didnt even use the money for the rent she wanted it for (though I did like what she did with it) but gosh she annoyed me at times. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Didnt get to watch the movie yet, but I'm glad I read the book first.

[Blessing Okwuofu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forge by Chris Fabry is the novelisation of the titled Christian movie by the Kendrick brothers (War Room writers). I always love books over movies because books take you into the unexpressed thoughts and emotions of the characters. This is a very inspiring read and the lessons of trusting God, forgiveness, spiritual growth are invaluable. A great read and recommended to everyone, especially Christians.
Thank you, Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers, for giving me the ARC. All opinions expressed are mine

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of the 2nd in the War Room series. About the sister of the woman from that book, single mom, one son who is not a believer, plays endless video games (addicted, really) with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. After HS graduation, she tells him to either start college or get a job and pay her rent. He stumbles on his bike (does not drive, no car) across a fitness equipment place one day and even with his crap attitude while doing the job application, the boss speaks to him and sees something in him. He eventually leads the son to follow Jesus.

[Tam Car · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could see people loving this, but I struggled with it. It has good messages, but there is nothing holding me to continue reading. It is so cheesy and predictable and, honestly, unrealistic, when I think it really is trying to be realistic and relatable. I got about two-thirds through before nothing compelled me to continue reading as it was all to fairy-tale-happy. It's just not what I'm in the mood for, I suppose. Maybe there's another twist in the story, but it's getting boring. DNF

[Wendy Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being based on a movie my expectations were low. Chris Fabry pulls it off though. The book drew me in and I was challenged by it too. Some times it all seemed to too perfectly fall into place but isn’t that what we want when we read sometimes. What I like most was that the book wasn’t just about the characters turning their lives around or getting their act together but also allowed us to follow their growth as part of the story.

[Jennie Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book, but I think the movie will be better! For those who don't attend or watch movies, I definitely recommend this story!! If you read the book of War Room, you will certainly want to read this one, as it's a continuation of that story. An enjoyable read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Melanie Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets all emotions flowing!!!! It is absolutely an outstanding read. There have only been a select few books that I have read that has made me cry, but this one got me! It shows a wonderful example of a powerful prayer life, God’s grace, forgiveness, and loving your neighbor. I would recommend this read to the world!

[Amanda Tungseth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how the struggling young man in this book finds Jesus and how you see the power of prayer throughout his journey.
There are so many people who God puts into his life to mentor him and pray for him, and its encouraging to see how the relationships unfold and point him to Jesus and eventually forgiveness.
Now I need to watch the movie!

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic Contemporary Christian fiction book, based on the movie (that I have yet to view). I was challenged as was drawn into the many facets of the story, and both new and recurring characters were heartwarming. I was able to read a physical copy of this book by borrowing it from my local library. All opinions are my own, and I was not influenced by anyone or anything.

[Joycelynn Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

after watching the movie I knew i wanted to read the book! i already gave the movie a 10/10 but the book??? definitely a 11/10 the book and the movie is quite similar from each other but obviously there were still some things they left out! I definitely love the book and would recommend it to anyone!! definitely very heartwarming and it’s written smoothly.