I reviewed Alien Revelation on 02/09/19 in another blog, now defunct.
Alien Revelation (The Unveiling).
When Kari Shelton experiences an alien abduction, her life turns upside down. Aliens have ruled the earth since World War II, but Kari's encounter changes everything she's believed. No longer is she ambivalent about the Watcher's religion. She becomes a fervent worshiper of the Nine Mighty Ones, the greatest of these aliens, who are helping mankind, restoring the harmony of the earth from the distortions caused by malcontents, and enabling humans to evolve into gods like the Watchers.
Kari's beliefs are challenged when a close friend questions the intent of the aliens and how benevolent they truly are toward humanity. Against her better judgement, she engages in pursuit of an object that puts her at odds with the Watchers. Chased by Nephilim, their giant hybrid offspring, Kari must make a final decision as to where her loyalties lie. Behind this quest is the secret of the Watchers. Making the wrong choice will cost Kari her life.
Perspective by Peter:
I was given an advanced review copy for an honest review by the author when I stated I was looking forward to reading this when it will be released.
Now having read this, all I can say is WOW! What a ride! This novel never lets up. I was engaged throughout and found it hard to put down and return to reality. On one level, if you knew nothing of the spiritual elements of the issues that are included, you would be thoroughly entertained; this is pure escapism and you will consider this novel as unique religious science fiction and fantasy. On another level, I can see readers who have read about but do not believe in the spiritual and Biblical aspects of these topics will be up in arms about it, considering it to be blasphemy, heresy and offensive to the Bible and God. Yet on a third level, there are those readers who are into apologetical and eschatological fiction that will see that this is a well-crafted novel and one that espouses Biblical Truth" that is applied well in its interpretation and application to the concepts and topics in this novel.
However, I can say that it is the very topics in this novel that led me to read and now review Christian fiction all those years ago. Alien Revelation contains story arcs that involve the Nephilim from Genesis 6:1-4,
When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men. (HCSB version).
One of the very first Christian novels I read was on the topic of the Nephilim and explored the issue of whether they could be redeemed. This was called Dwellers by Roger Elwood, now out of print. This was my first introduction into who and what the Nephilim were. This led to me investigating many more Christian novels on this topic and many associated topics that go hand in hand with the Nephilim. Some depicted well and true to the Biblical account while some that have so much poetic licence that it is no longer based on the Bible and the author's theology is skewed. No longer a Christian novel but one that dishonours the God of the Bible and His Word. Sure, this whole topic of the Nephilim has also given secular authors much fodder for their novels and the use of poetic licence, but not being Christian or having a right relationship with Christ, they do not believe they have any boundaries such as adhering to Biblical doctrine or being answerable to God. Not their worldview.
Ritter has obviously employed poetic licence in this novel, it is necessary for such a storyline as this. However, he has employed it that it does not detract from any Biblical doctrine or does not dishonour God and does not glorify the satanic/demonic in this novel. All the topics that seem to be associated with the Nephilim, (the Watchers, fallen angels, alien deception, eschatology, UFOs, alien abductions) he has brought together in a seamless narrative that ties it all together. This novel flows at a fast pace without the characters appearing flat and unrelatable. With so much going on simultaneously both with its events and the characters, it is neither predominantly a plot-driven nor character-driven novel but a balance of the two of them. And it is very effective in this way.
I wondered who Ritter had consulted or what resources outside of the Bible he investigated in constructing this novel. Two names I am familiar with; Paradox Brown and Guy Malone. The latter was who I came across in the early days of my investigation relating to the topic of the Nephilim and their association with fallen angels, UFOs, demonic deception and eschatology. This definitely increased my eagerness in getting into the novel and seeing where Ritter was going with this storyline. Not disappointed whatsoever!
I did wonder if the nine Watchers/Mighty Ones were purely out of Ritter's imagination or was there some basis of their origin in other recorded accounts. I contacted Ritter regarding the origin of the Mighty Ones and this is what he replied,
I’m trying to think where I got the concept of the Mighty Ones. It may have been from either Dave Hunt book or Terry James, where the idea of nine major demonic rulers is mentioned—I believe that concept comes from ancient literature. In that book, whichever it was, the archon were specifically referenced. I took that and made the rulers the Arkays (Mighty Ones).From Genesis 6, we have the original fallen angels, really sons of God who aren’t necessarily angels per se. They’re in Tartarus. My Arkays come from the batch of fallen divine beings, essentially the same as those in Tartarus, but these think they’ve figured out a loophole. The original ones had direct intercourse with human women. (The Mighty Ones) think that because they aren’t directly inseminating in a physical manner, rather use IVF, that this skirts the transgression that caused their brethren to inhabit the abyss. Because it results in the same end, i.e. the creation of Nephilim whose purpose ultimately is to taint the human bloodline, we come up with their modern incarnation and because of that they earn God’s wrath just like their forebears.Regarding "all the fallen angels are imprisoned in Tartartus”,1 I don’t believe that at all. If you accept Heiser’s Divine Council2, which I absolutely do, then the nations are ruled by the corrupt sons of God. I think they could absolutely be the same divine “species” as those now in Tartarus. It’s just that they haven’t transgressed the divine-human boundary of “marrying” human women.1This quote is mine from my question to Gary Ritter concerning what the Bible says about the fallen angels in 2 Peter 2:4-6
I researched Paradox's website (www.paradoxbrown.com) and discovered a chapter from her online book, A Modern Guide to Demons and Fallen Angels: Chapter 3: The Second Wave of Fallen Angels. It is too lengthy and detailed to quote here and her take on it definitely supports a plausible existence of the Mighty Ones in this novel and seems to align itself with Ritter's take on it as he has quoted above.
I learnt something from all this! I was convinced that all the fallen angels were imprisoned in Tartarus as the Bible states in 2 Peter 2:4-6
4 For if God didn’t spare the angels who sinned but threw them down into Tartarus[a] and delivered them to be kept in chains[b] of darkness until judgment;5 and if He didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others,[c] when He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes and condemned them to ruin,[d] making them an example to those who were going to be ungodly;[e] Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
But both Heiser and Brown show this to not be the case, that there was a second wave of fallen angels. I am sure this will be controversial to some Christians. But both of these offer persuasive arguments for this premise and base their arguments on the background to the biblical evidence and the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek definitions. Both resources (Heiser and Brown as linked above) are worth investigating for the discerning and inquisitive reader.
One criticism of Christian fiction directed at its authors is that of the novel having a character being preachy or giving long monologues of bible quotes and sermonising about a given topic. Personally, I don't mind this as in most cases if done well it is a necessary explanation of the novel's themes, events or other topics. In Christian fiction, I like to be not just entertained but,
- my walk with God to be uplifted and strengthened,
- the novel has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not, I believe, lead a non-believer astray or promote false doctrine,
- God is honoured,
- Worship of the created (eg angels, fallen or unfallen) instead of the Creator (God) is not promoted.
In this novel, the demon/alien deception and oppression and criminal offence to be a Christian or talk about anything relating to Christianity or the Bible is the ideology of the day and the Mighty Ones and the neo-Nephilim enforce this in order to brainwash humanity into them being considered gods who have come to Earth to assist them into evolving to their next level of consciousness and heal the planet due to man's misuse and abuse of it, namely in its overpopulation. Ritter has constructed this plot arc to have originated as a consequence of WWII so there are a few generations who know no better and have accepted this as the norm.
Enter our main character, Kari. She is one of the majority who believes that the Mighty Ones are the gods who have come to be the saviour of mankind and strives to be a devoted follower, pleasing them at every opportunity. Now, to get back to this criticism aimed at Christian authors. Kari learns through various events that the Mighty Ones are not what and who they claim to be. In the process of this, she learns that banned Christianity, with its eradicated book, the Bible, might just be the Truth behind who these Mighty Ones really are. In order for this to happen, various underground Christians have to explain all the biblical doctrines and events in the Bible to her and yes, there is a certain amount of biblical monologue but this is not long or intense. It is not like some other Christian novels where it is dumped into the plot and sticks out like a sore thumb leaving the reader wondering why it is there and what is its purpose at this point in the novel, if at all. Or it comes across as a poor effort to support the novel's Biblical theme.
Ritter has included it and constructed it to provide a solid basis for the deception of the Mighty Ones and for her to see that this is a battle between God and the fallen angels, where mankind is a means to their ends. It also illustrates how the Gospel message is directly related to this battle and involves and is centred around the salvation and redemption of mankind. Just as Ritter's world-building regarding the alien deception of the Mighty Ones is solid and supports the action, adventure and suspense, so do his structure and development of the biblical and spiritual elements. And this latter is crucial to the portrayal of the Biblical reality that this novel espouses that we see in today's world. Ritter succeeds here and he does it very well. It definitely shows why he writes from a Christian /Biblical worldview.
It would not surprise me if this development either sows seeds of faith or waters the same in the mind and heart of the unbeliever. I even found Ritter's delivery of the Gospel message and other Biblical explanations refreshing. It reminded me strongly of my own conversion many decades ago. I pray that this would have the same effect on the many Christian readers of this novel. Just looking at all the dialogue between the Christian characters when they were witnessing and ministering to Kari concerning the Biblical tenets and doctrines of the Gospel reads like a fictional bible study story! It has been proven that we learn best when it is in an entertaining format and fiction is a great platform for this no matter what the subject. I am encouraged that authors like Ritter use this to their best ability.
I was impressed with Ritter's depiction of Kari's conversion. Despite it being under such extreme and dire circumstances it is a powerful testimony to the power of the Word and the living out of this Word by those Christians who witnessed to Kari." It reminded me so much of the persecution of Christians in countries around the world whose governments are hostile to Christianity, God and the Bible who torture Christians in similar ways or worse than what Ritter has depicted. And just as these seven Christians were tortured and crucified for their faith it was this sacrificial act that had such a profound impact on Kari that it convinced her who the God of the Bible is and led to her instantly to her accepting Him. She also sees Him as Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscience and Omnipresent when she sees the Mighty Ones and neo-Nephilim. Ritter has not just kept this conversion scene brief and bland, as in some other novels, but has shown the depth of emotion as she realises what her life has indeed been sinful and has separated her from God leading to Jesus being the propitiation of her sin and of humankind.
I was further impressed when Ritter showed how once in right relationship with Jesus that the Christian has been given His authority over demonic and satanic principalities" .Kari knew once she accepted Jesus what she had to do and showed no hesitation in doing it. Crying out to Jesus, He answers her and instructs her to rebuke Arkay-ena. Ritter has portrayed the Biblical use of this authority. After a brief rebuke to this Watcher, she asserts her authority in Christ as given to her through her salvation,
"I declare this in the Name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names, the One before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess, that He is Lord, to the glory of God Almighty"
and later in a final confrontation she again spoke with her authority in Christ,
The Lord rebuke you Arkay-ena and all your kind. In the name of Jesus who rules and reigns far above you, I tell you that He is in charge. It is His way that prevails. Your are nothing and have nothing in His sight.
I pray this depiction of the Christian's authority in Christ gives encouragement that we are not to be afraid to use this when under spiritual attack. It is our right to use it as given to us by God and it is expected for us to do so we are not under the dominion of satan.
I have read many novels like this that involve the Nephilim and the demonic deception of The Watchers. This one is up there with a few others. I am impressed with this offering from Ritter. I have yet to read his other novels, but if this is what he creates, then I am leading his fan club and promoting him in any way I can! I cannot wait for the next instalment of this Biblically sound, uplifting, edifying, engaging, compelling, and entertaining series.
Highly recommended.
The three ratings below are based on my discernment:
World Building 5/5
Characters 5/5
Story 5/5
The two classifications below are based on the booklet, A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland:
Spiritual Level 4/5
Enemy Spiritual Level 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.8/5
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The Reality Calling Redemptive Fiction Award
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