From the publisher:

Business degree in hand, L. enters the immense Universal Systems building and is hired as an organizational analyst – a trouble-shooter. His job: evaluate the company’s five divisions, each on a separate level and each operating on startlingly unique principles. Which set of principles is successful? Why is most of the company’s profit generated by one tiny division? What is real profit, anyway? And who is the enigmatic executive that L. ends up reporting to?

L. engages in a life-changing pursuit for The Next Level—a fascinating parable that will help readers answer some of life’s most perplexing, vital questions. Joining L. in evaluating each level’s approach, readers will be inspired to consider the big picture of their own life from an entirely different perspective – one that holds the key to life’s ultimate purpose. No matter where you are now, get ready to embark on your own passionate pursuit of The Next Level.

My thoughts: I have to admit that I have not read author David Gregory’s previous two (rather popular) books, A Day with a Perfect Stranger and Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, so I was curious to read his latest and see what it was all about. The Next Level is a quick read — I read it in two nights, even in the midst of illnesses, basement remodeling, and various other stresses. The writing is accessible, direct, and even humorous at times.

Essentially, The Next Level is a story about a big corporation that serves as an allegory for how people choose to live their lives. In each of the five levels of Universal Systems, employees approach life through the filter of a guiding principle. As L., the main character, makes his way up the levels, discovering the guiding principle specific to each, readers are subtly challenged to ask themselves what their guiding principle is. Are we living for ourselves or are we aligned with God’s agenda? Is our faith authentic or do we merely pay lip-service to whatever sounds good?

In the interest of full disclosure, there are one or two things that the author seems to imply which I don’t agree with. However, I really like the parable approach and I think this book will give any reader plenty to think about.

You can go here to read an excerpt from The Next Level, and of course, you can find this book for sale at Amazon.com. However, I also have one copy to give away. If you’d like to win this copy, just leave a comment on this post. I’ll randomly choose a winner this Friday, March 14th.

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UPDATE: Even though this giveaway is over, I wanted to make one addendum to my review. I had contacted the author to ask him about the primary area that I was really having trouble with and he very graciously replied. I was so happy to hear that what I had inferred wasn’t what he intended at all. So please just chalk up my mentioned disagreement to me being nit-picky and reading too much into things. :) I can fully endorse the book and recommend it to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting.