Like almost all novels with an agenda (Christian or otherwise), though, the prose sometimes suffers for the Bible verses scattered throughout. Every conversation between two characters revolves around culture and religion, which single-mindedness may put-off would be readers. However, Walker's insights are sound, and his morals excellent - and, better, both are handled with a greater delicacy and tension as the book progresses. Walker is not afraid to present all sides of the argument, to make witches sympathetic while arguing against their theological view, to examine the fundamentalist fanatics' reasoning for fighting fire with fire while showing Christs' equally decisive but remarkably non-violent solution.