The Book of the Harvest by Brad Francis

 The Book of the Harvest

THE BESTSELLING SHORT STORY THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS USED TO CHANGE HEARTS AND LIVES!

The Book of the Harvest is an "incredible book" about a man somewhere in the midst of eternity who begins to wonder what happened to those whose lives he had a chance to touch while on earth. His questions lead him to the discovery of a remarkable, heartbreaking book that opens his eyes to a truth that he would give anything to have known during his mortal life. If only it weren't too late...

Readers have called this short story "a wake-up call,"..."inspired by the Holy Spirit." Many have said that the book has opened their eyes and left them determined to listen for the whispers of the Holy Spirit, and to obey whatever He tells them. Don't read this story if you don't want to be changed!

The Guru's Review:

This is my first introduction to Brad Francis' writing and all I can say is what an introduction this is! I have found another author to follow and add to my favourite author list!

While I believe that every Christian needs to read this, I would not read it unless you are willing to be taken out of your comfort zone, to be challenged, brought back to your first love (Jesus) and to be changed and even to go to a quiet place and, if necessary, get on your knees and thank God for all He has done for you and then ask Him to forgive for all the opportunities where you know you have not obeyed the prompting of His Spirit to minister to those around you, but more importantly to ask Him to help you to be fully attentive to hearing His promptings and act on them in obedience not matter what.

We have all been disobedient to His promptings, but maybe we have not asked for forgiveness or realised how our disobedience has grieved the Spirit or caused that person's situation to become worse because of this disobedience or contributed or nearly contributed to their decision to reject Christ.

Here are some of the thoughts and feelings I experienced while reading this short story: 

Sobering, a wake-up call, guilt, tears, joy, forgiveness, redemption, God's grace, the love of Christ, to live as if the Book of Harvest exists, life changing, Christ focused, those who don't know Him, the Great Commission. 

This is one unique, never to forget, uplifting and God honouring short story. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit inspired and guided Francis in writing this, to quote him, 

Unfortunately, I don't feel like I can take any credit for The Book of the Harvest. The inspiration for this story came like a flash of lightning, hand-delivered in a manner I have rarely experienced as an author. It is my belief that God gave me this story and that it was my job to put it in print without screwing it up too badly. I see how He orchestrated events in my life to provide inspiration for certain scenes and I see His hand moving throughout. If this book touches you, if the Holy Spirit uses it in your life, it's got nothing to do with me. It's all Him! Each time I put words on paper, it is my most sincere desire to glorify Jesus Christ. I pray He is glorified through this story.

One of the things I loved about this short was the balance that Francis has created. Yes, our disobedience to the Spirit's prompting may have contributed to the decision of that person to not accept Christ, and the guilt and regret that we experience, but that same person is responsible for their decision to reject Him and that is what God acts on, as much as it grieves Him to have yet another person lost from His presence for eternity. I loved how showing what would have happened to the person who was in need had the main character been obedient to the Spirit adds to the encouragement for us to be obedient and that we do not have to stay in our disobedient state. We have a choice to make after reading this novel, allow the Spirit to change us and be obedient to Him in the future or continue on our way as we are now, knowing that we will grieve Him in this state and may contribute destructively to the decisions those He is trying to minister to.

I love Francis' depiction of Jesus. I know authors struggle to depict Him as they may feel that they would not do Him justice, but if this was the case with Francis, it does not show and I feel that his depiction may also serve to minister to the Christian reader about what Jesus' heart is concerning His redemptive work or even any non-believer who may be reading this short.

I have said in many previous reviews and have listed in this blog that what I love and expect from Christian fiction that,

• it has entertained me immensely, 
• it has encouraged my walk with God, 
• it has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not, I believe, lead a non-believer astray or promote false doctrine, 
• it honours God.

I can definitely say that Francis has achieved this in this short. This feels like it is straight from the heart of God if I may be so bold as to say that! 

I have no regrets in reading this short and despite it bringing me to tears with conviction and repentance, and a new found desire to be more attuned to His Spirit, I am so glad I have had the opportunity to be challenged, entertained and strengthened spiritually through this tome.

I thank Brad Francis for being obedient to the Spirit in writing this short. His obedience has encouraged me to do the same.

Highly Recommended. 

World building 5/5

Characters 5/5

Story 5/5

Spiritual level 5/5

Spiritual Enemy Level N/A

Average Rating: 5/5

The Eden Conflict (God's Warriors Book 1) by Peter Way

The Eden Conflict (God's Warriors Book 1)

The war between good and evil erupted long before mankind ever walked on this Earth. Since Adam took his first steps, Satan and his followers, the demons, have sought to destroy and control the souls of mankind. But the protectors of God’s creation are always close by. Who are they? They are the good and the just, they are the angels and the saints, they are… GOD’S WARRIORS! 

In the small country town of Eden, Jack leaps off a stone pier, prepared to land in the storm ravaged waters of the bay. Instead, he finds himself instantly transported to the Garden of Eden. Jack is returned to Earth by the guardians of the Lord’s garden and into the care of an elderly minister. Unknown to any of them, there was a witness… 

Six months later a guardian angel discovers a new den of demons in a building project in far north Queensland. The den has more than three times the usual number of guards. The angel knows he has found the lair of one of The Seven Deadly Sins, the biggest and nastiest of Satan’s demon forces, his generals. Why are they here? What are they building? Whatever the answers are, Michael, the Captain of the Heavenly Host, needs to know of this place. But before the angel can do anything, his charge, a reporter named Glen is chased from the lair. Can the angel protect Glen, find answers to his questions and still get a message to Michael?

The Guru's Review:

I love the feeling that one gets when they read a book blurb and they continue reading their interest intensifies, their grip on the book or mouse tightens and they suddenly realize this is a book they have to read. Such was the case when I read the blurb for The Eden Conflict. Another factor for me was the fact that this was an Australian author who had also set this novel in Australia. As an Australian, I knew I would feel right at home, and I did.

This is Way's debut novel and he has created quite a tale! This is not one short or average length novel but a grand one, of 532 pages. And it is packed with action, suspense, the supernatural, the angelic, the demonic, deception, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, His sovereignty, spiritual warfare, and interspersed throughout a faith building and edifying account of the reality of spiritual warfare and the power of prayer. 

Way admits to basing this novel on the style of Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness and it definitely shows. He seems to have been influenced so much that he has taken this genre to the next level. I have read Peretti's book twice (and its sequel) and can see that Way has expanded on the spiritual warfare, prayer, supernatural, demonic and angelic aspects that Peretti has constructed so cleverly and Way has added many more to enhance those of Peretti. I by not means intend to imply, by this observation, that Way's novel is better than Peretti's. The latter holds a special place in my reading appreciation for creating this unique genre of Christian fiction and I hate comparing one author on the same genre with another. It is a great compliment though for authors to base their novels on the original author's works of these genres, just like fantasy authors have been inspired by the original creators of the fantasy genre, those being Tolkien and Lewis. 

Way needs to be applauded for keeping the action and the many plot lines well connected and flowing smoothly. This prevented me from being disconnected from the plot and wanting to give up, especially with this longer length. There is a lot that happens in this novel and even though the pace slows down in some parts, there is enough happening here to keep you reading till the next plot development. 

The spiritual aspects are superb. Way shines in presenting everything backed up biblically and any embellishments from poetic licence do not detract from this biblical truth. His angels are just as they are biblically presented, messengers, warriors, guardians and totally submitted and surrendered to God and to honour and glorify Him with their very existence and roles. There are very many presented in all these roles and I am sure most readers will become attached to at least one during the course of their reading. Mine were Michael and Daniel. 

Way has a few of his characters accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. This happens to one of the main characters and Way uses this to add an evangelistic tool to present the Gospel to the reader. I was impressed with his use of bible verses to show the spiritual deficit and need for Christ of this character and also how it fitted in with that particular plot line she was involved in. I find it sad that some Christians resent inclusions of salvation encounters and I don't know why. Sure, it makes the plot slow down somewhat and some would see this as detraction from the plot, but in a novel of this genre and plot that involves spiritual warfare, I find it very fitting and appropriate. Way also includes many prayers of the Christian characters, especially Glen, one of the main characters, and again, it saddens me that those same Christians would also have these removed from novels if they could; however, like the salvation reason, in a novel of this genre and subject matter, it is appropriate to have the prayer in full and not just mentioned that the character prayed as in some other novels. We are after all talking about spiritual warfare, the battle of angel versus demon, good versus bad, satan's rebellion against God, and over the souls of humankind and where they will spend eternity. 

I really loved and appreciated Way including the Holy Spirit and the presence of Jesus as well. He has captured the Spirit's character very biblically, and the angels in relation to Him represents their role biblically and the scene where Jesus is depicted and what He does is also true to Jesus' nature and is backed by the Bible as well. 

Having salvation account(s), full prayer portrayed, and spiritual warfare principles, all intertwined in a fast-paced, supernatural thriller like this one only reinforces my attitude concerning Christian fiction, that it should encourage, edify and entertain. And it does so very well in this one. I especially loved the account from Michael to Saint Peter of the days of creation from the angels point of view. That was refreshing. 

I know some readers do not like reading glossaries, appendices etc, but in this novel, due to its complexities in plot structure, hierarchy of angels and demons and biblical doctrines, it would pay the reader to read these after the completion of the novel, as I am sure some readers will question why Way did what he did on some of these topics and these appendices will help to quell any criticism by explaining his methods and reasoning. Authors need to do this with novels that have sensitive or controversial topics and it adds to their credibility as authors. These 5 appendices show that Way has researched the topics in his novel well and it is this that I appreciate very much in novels of this genre. 

Way describes it this way (excuse the pun!) from Appendix 1,

I found that there was a lot of information about angels and Heaven. The only way I could decide what I thought was good enough to use or not was to weigh it up against the Bible. Bottom line, if the Bible didn't back it then I didn't believe it or use it. However, I have embellished some things, which you will not find in the Bible. What you will find is that the Bible does not contradict it either.

Just as Way has depicted the angels with their different roles and hierarchy, he has also depicted similar with the demons. This works well with the type of demon, their ranking and submission to their leaders in relation to the plot lines that involved them and their destructive, negative influence on the humans that they are assigned to. I really appreciated the appendix that explains more about them. These are depicted as very evil, despicable, hateful of humans and especially of all things relating to God and His angels. Way has structured the demons to specialise in influencing and tempting their human charges in the various vices that humans experience such as lust, greed, deceit, depression, anger, etc. Above these are 7 Princes of Darkness and a subgroup of psychic demons.

I must make comment that for a debut author, Way has taken care in constructing the fight scenes very convincingly and I would love to know if he researched this at all, has prior experience in sword fighting or is just a natural at writing as he sees it in his mind. Either way, he is very convincing. All this does is add credibility to the whole plot and overall enjoyment of the novel.

Looking at all this, I can say that this is one hard to put down novel. To get the best enjoyment from this, you need to devote long periods of time to savour and appreciate the action, suspense and layers of intrigue and spiritual encouragement that this novel brings.

Way ties up all the plot lines very nicely leaving the reader hanging at the end with the seeds sown for the next instalment and from this, it seems the next one is going to be just as good or better than this first offering. I can hardly wait.

Highly Recommended. 

Prodigal Lost: Oasis of the Fallen, Book 1 by E.L. Pearson

Prodigal Lost: Oasis of the Fallen

Is he really destined to exist in the catacombs of human life, unable to die and unwilling to live?

Another name in another city; Mason Standing feels he’s in the twilight of life…if his life would end. That’s why his torturous existence makes so much sense. An angel who fell with Satan didn’t deserve comfort and happiness. Mason exists; he no longer lives. Until he meets a pair of hazel eyes and his bitterness turns to desire for this artist who can steal his breath with just her touch. But his past won’t let him rest. The Devil would find him here too, in the sordid French Quarter of New Orleans just like he found Mason in every other place in the world for centuries. This eternal vendetta would not be satisfied until Mason would see another he cared for dying in his arms as she is sacrificed to the Devil as the purest of blood on earth.

Centuries ago, Mason had severed himself from the factions of Lucifer. It all started in Rome and the catacombs with his desire for the light, to fight once again for what he believed was his true station. He belonged to God, and back in his Graces was where he would be again, if it took an eternity to accomplish. Each night in New Orleans, Mason vividly dreams about his struggle to get back into the folds of God’s creatures. All the sin that surrounded him, the Nephilim offspring of the other Fallen, Babylon…it was all rushing back to him. He fell with the others, but he never knew why. Did God listen to even a demon as he had been called? Was redemption possible for him? Would he find forgiveness and be allowed to return to the light of Heaven, welcomed by Jesus? As he remembers this previous life, he begins to see the signs that the Devil had found him again.

It was time to take a stand – starting with the voodoo shop down the street. And this time, Oasis wouldn’t be lost, unless Mason was. Accompanied by another reformed fallen angel Mac, Mason has a renewed purpose - find his way back just as he had done before, but it had to be soon. Pursued by a relentless mob of Lucifer’s committed followers, he has no choice. He must conquer the Devil where he hides and put this chase into his own terms before it is too late. And when he awakes to find both Oasis and Mac missing from a room with signs of struggle, the fight between good and evil has begun.

The Guru's Review: 

I don't know what preparation E.L. Pearson undertook for this novel, but it has definitely paid off. Whether it is just her natural talent and passion for writing and her research of this subject matter, or this coupled with any writing course, instruction or mentoring she has been trained in, the end result is a well-crafted and comprehensive novel. If any reader does not know that this is her debut novel, they would be convinced that Pearson is one very experienced and seasoned author.

I find this novel gives her a grand entrance into the world of fiction and especially in the emerging and ever-evolving genre of edgy, Christian speculative fiction. Pearson may have well found her niche in this genre. There is no shallowness on any level, everything seems to have been developed well; characters, plot, pace, atmosphere, even the edginess and speculative elements. It is one very well rounded work of creativity. 

This could also have been due to Pearson's writing. Just as any piece of writing, whether fiction or non fiction is enhanced by a well developed command of the English language, so is Paradise Lost by Pearson's command of English. I found this added a richness and depth to the construction of this novel. Descriptions were specific and easily pictured in my mind, dialogue realistic and portrayed the emotion of the character and what they intended to say, the plot flowed smoothly and connected each scene. The author showed and not told what was happening. The overall effect was that I was engaged throughout this entire novel.

I really appreciate that Pearson has included an Introduction where she outlines why she has written about this subject matter. I encourage every reader to not skip over this Introduction, as the subject of fallen angels is controversial enough (the edgy element) without throwing into the mix the concept of them being redeemed (the speculative element) when the Bible states that they are imprisoned until judged by the Lord after He returns. Pearson explains her curiosity concerning these two topics especially the latter and I pray that it encourages the critical or sceptical reader to consider for a moment the 'What if....?' question that makes a topic speculative. I consider this to be a clever tactic as without this explanation, the critical or sceptical reader ends up having a field day being critical as to why this author had the audacity to go down this path in a Christian novel (I can here the word Heretic being shouted!) and then starts to deconstruct everything else the author has created. With this Introduction, Pearson gets her motivation and reasoning out there to quell any potential criticism and attack on her credibility as a debut author. It also prepares and enables any noncritical/nonskeptical reader, the one who is simply curious about this subject matter, to jump into the plot and be better entertained and given plenty of things to consider and investigate without any previous bias. On another level, it is just plain, good old information to hear from an author about a hot potato of an issue that they are writing about! This adds to their credibility as an author and their novel.

Pearson very skillfully creates two worlds that Mason and Marchosias inhabit, the past in Rome where they served satan under sufferance and humiliation, fell in love and found redemption, and the present where they are living in New Orleans having escaped satan's dominion and but always on guard, ready to defend their freedom and find their true purpose as redeemed (as outlined in The Authorless Book, that is Mason's prized possession). Both worlds are very different from each other, the former mentioned I found very dark and tense but balanced with the joy of finding love, being redeemed and trying to honour God while the latter mentioned is lighter, serious, but action packed as Pearson brings everything to a head and ties everything up very nicely and sets the stage for the next volume. How these two worlds transition between each other is effective as the world of Mason and Marchosias' past is relived in Mason's dreams and the reader is transported back and forth as directed by events in Mason's present or by God speaking directly to Mason's mind. 

One thing that impressed me about this novel is that the characters are very real and well developed. I related to the mateship of Mason and Marchosias, these two compliment each other very well and I found I related on two levels, individually and as a mates/friends, inseparable. I am very fond of these two. Any reader will be drawn to the sincerity of Mason and his determination and passion to be reunited with God and his love for Him. And for Marchosias as well for his loyalty to Mason and devotion to God. They both remind me of a Paul and Barnabas type friendship from the Bible. Pearson has also created a strong character in Oasis, she is vulnerable, mysterious, independent and I get the impression that she may be in the next instalment as well.  I became very fond of Sybl as the almost damsel in distress with Mason as the knight in shining armour to her rescue, while Marchosias seemed the big brother protector type to Lumenesca despite his love for her. I am pleased that Pearson has not dealt satan with the nice card but has depicted him as the lying, devious, conceited, hateful, defiant, malicious and spiteful (to name a few traits, I could go on!) entity that befits his prideful rebellion against God. 

I loved how this author depicted the path to Redemption that is scattered throughout the majority of the plot. Including the use of a book, The Authorless Book, and found in the Library of satan's lair (and by the sounds of it, not even he knew it was there), was a very clever tactic and served to pique the reader's interest throughout as to how and when this would take place. I found it very satisfying and successful in that it needed to be a constant thread throughout the novel as this was its main theme. 

Pearson needs to be applauded for the way she has depicted the spiritual warfare elements in this novel. They are depicted true to their biblical origins and what is says how they should be applied. It was good to see the principle of obedience where Mason obeyed God's call in what to do and say when the final confrontation between himself and satan and that in the Name of Jesus, demons and satan must flee. Even though that was only a short piece of writing, it was one very exciting piece of narrative and stands out as to how a Christian can confidently, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, stand up and be victorious against demonic forces in our lives. 

There is only one aspect that I struggled with. I am not one for romance as a genre even in Christian fiction, however if romance is a subplot to the genres that I read, then I do enjoy that. However, I cannot fathom or understand the romance that Pearson has included in Mason's past once redeemed and his present. Before he was redeemed, I can understand him falling for Sybl and Marchosias for Lumenesca, as they would have been like the other fallen angels, where desire for human women was the norm, but as a redeemed angel, this is not part of their attitude and behaviour and not what is expected of them from God. This is also the case with Mason towards Oasis in the present, where he expressed his feelings towards her. It was desire for human women that was part of the angel's sin in the first place so based on this, I don't understand why including romance as a redeemed angel and one that is on a special mission from God was necessary. I am sure Pearson has a reason for this, I just don't see it and find it confusing. 

From what Pearson has achieved in this novel concerning fallen angels' redemption, I can see that the remaining novels are ones that are going to be action packed as more of the edgy speculative elements of her original premise are explored and revealed. As with most readers, I am already impatient for the remainder of the story. How I wish that the whole series could be written first and then released about 6 months apart. Ted Dekker has done this successfully and I am sure a few other authors have as well. However, this is a very affirming compliment for any author to hear and one that I am sure forms part of the basis of their continuing  to write.

I strongly recommend this edgy, Christian, speculative, well crafted novel by this aspiring new author and one that we need to support and encourage. I am glad I approached Pearson to review her work. It has well been worth it.

Angel War by Philip Dodd

 

Angel War by Philip Dodd

From an early age, Azel, the Prince of the White Castle of the Angels of Light, plans what he calls his great rebellion against the Father. After his self transformation into a four legged, scaled beast, he names himself the Dragon. At the head of his rebel angel army and his dragon flocks, he brings war to the angel lands. His intention is to dethrone the Father and rule in his place. Khem, the Child of the White Mountain, vows upon his Silver Sword to be his slayer. The lonely, perilous path of the dragonslayer, he takes. At its end, he stands alone, to challenge the Father's foe to combat.

The Guru's Review:

I have read a few novels that describe the war in heaven concerning the fall of Lucifer (satan) and a third of the angels, but none like this one. Angel War is very unique from its plot, to its description of the angels, their order, their role and even the inclusion of spaceships and other technology.

I understand this is Dodd's first novel and it took him 26 years to write, having started it in 1986 when he was 34 and finished it in 2012 at age 60. Go here for more on Phillip's journey to published author. I can see where his degree in English Literature has benefitted his writing and story development. He writes well, even as he describes it in the aforementioned interview with Donovan M Neal:

I write simple, straightforward prose. I try to make it flow with no snag in its path and to sound close to poetry when I can.

I would totally agree with this. His narrative reads well and flows well. An evenly consistent pace. This is one of the strengths of this novel. Another strength is his fascination with Revelation Chapter 6 which forms the basis of this novel,

My book, Angel War, was inspired by Chapter Six of the Book of Revelation, which speaks of the war in heaven, fought between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels. The Bible only says that the war happened, but not why, so I decided to write my own version of the events of the war and its aftermath. My story is essentially the biography of Azel, the Prince of the White Castle of the Angels of Light, the one who begins the war in heaven and who later becomes known on Earth as Lucifer, the Devil, Satan. 

When I first read Chapter Six of the Book of Revelation, when I was a fifteen year old schoolboy,  I was astounded by the idea of there being a war in heaven, which led me to an interest in angels in The Bible, literature, painting and sculpture, and finally to begin to write, in 1986, when I was thirty four, what became Angel War.  My book could be called a work of fantasy fiction, rooted in The Bible. I think it would appeal to Bible readers and those who like to read fantasy fiction.

Dodd has used poetic licence and his imagination extensively in this novel, creating a wondrous world of the angels and of the Father and their lands (Heaven). Very descriptive and hierarchical than any I have read before.

From this point on, I must state that I do not want this review to be one where I tear Dodd's novel apart and I loathe being critical in any review, but if I am going to write a review it is of no benefit if I am not honest.  I state in this review blog that I expect from Christian fiction that,

• it has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not, I believe, lead a non believer astray or promote false doctrine, 
• it honours God, 

It is from here on in, that I feel Dodd's use of poetic licence in some his plot and character developments has deviated from biblical doctrine, promotes false doctrine and does not honour God. For me, using poetic licence is best used in Christian fiction where the bible is silent or leaves gaps and this fills in these gaps without compromising biblical doctrine, honors God and keeps the Christian reader within this biblical boundary. 

I have an issue with the Angels being married and producing offspring! Even more so having the Father and his Son, Elu (Jesus) married! As far as my reading and understanding of the Bible, there is no mention or implication of marriage and marital relations with or by angels in Heaven or by God Himself or Jesus.  I refer to the following bible verse, 

Matthew 22:30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. (HCSB)

Having the angels marry and bearing offspring to me is deviating from biblical doctrine and promoting false doctrine. 

Another aspect that I struggled with is the inclusion of spaceships for the angels to travel the vast distances of Heaven and to other planets including Earth. Yes, Dodd's angels have wings and can fly, but this seems to be only for shorter distances. Even the Father has His own spaceship called the Wheel! These spaceships are also used in the war that Azel (satan) starts. To me, the inclusion of this technology, while adding a science fiction element to this fantasy setting, does not fit. It is very out of place and lessens the credibility of the world of Heaven Dodd has created. 

From my perspective and understanding, God made us humans as finite beings, and as far as travel is concerned, we are limited in our ways of getting around. We can walk and run. We created artificial means such as cars, trains, boats, aircraft to cover longer distances, including space travel. I believe that angels in the supernatural world can travel vast distances, even to other planets, by the power given to them from God to be translated to whatever place He has sent them. This is within His power and sovereignty. Having Him need to use a spaceship to travel is restricting Him to boundaries and limitations similar to the finite being He made us, and one we know He does not have. To me, Dodd's depiction of this aspect of the Father does not make Him Omnipotent or Sovereign. I find this disappointing and does not honour God.

I struggled also with the Father giving the angels the ability to create other living beings, such as Azel's mother, Queen Merim, creating different cats, and Azel creating different types of dragons. As Christians, we grow up in Christianity (from whatever age we accept Christ) with the notion and seeing it in the Bible that God is the Creator and the angels, and all other living entities are the Created, and excluding the angels, the latter can only reproduce after own kind. I firmly believe that God is the Creator only and not His created. Having his Created create, takes away from His Sovereignty. 

The character of Azel, as he was created by The Father (God) and also after his self transformation into a four legged, scaled beast, is very well thought out and developed. This is one character that is self assured, self centred, self absorbed, and boastful in his thoughts and theology (which is very different from that of the Father's) and has no issue believing and acting that he is superior to all of the Father's creation and even of the Father Himself. The latter he has no respect for and regards Him as the Old Fool!

From this angle, he has portrayed the arrogance and pride of Azel just as strong as it seems satan (the serpent as he is called up and until 1 Chronicles 21:1, where the Bible states his name as satan) had and this needed to be done well to add credibility to Azel's motive and actions in this novel. Dodd has achieved this very successfully.

I have a few other issues where I was disappointed in Dodd's theology in this novel and how he has portrayed the Father. At the end of the war, the Father says,

Death and war now exist because of him, my son, Prince Azel, to my sorrow. He could have been one of my favourite sons. I gave him his gift, his seat, his castle, his angel house. I do not know why my son was born the way he was or why he rebelled against me.

This passage paints the Father as not Omniscient. I believe God knew that satan was going to rebel against him and his reasons why. Just like Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. This passage does not honour God or portray Him as He is as the God of the Bible. In the bible, it says that God knew us before we were born. I am sure he would have known his angels before He created them too. Again, this passage and the previous one places God on a lesser level that the God of the Bible being Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.

Dodd also shows the Father as not being forgiving when He learns that the Dragon and his minions are not dead after the war,

Never forgive. Never forgive. Not until all of them who served my betrayer has been found and punished. Never forgive, he said, in a deep hard tone.

Upturn every stone, search down every hole, until you are certain that the last of them have perished, by my wrath, in my fire. Never forgive. Never forgive.

I find this passage very disturbing. This is something a human would say in response to being hurt and betrayed. We know of unforgiveness as part of our fallen, sinful nature and not part of our original nature before the sin of Adam and Eve, but I don't believe God is capable of this flaw. He is perfect, unforgiveness would not be found in His character. To suggest otherwise, as in this passage, again, does not honour Him and to me, undermines who He is. Even Jesus forgave us for our sins and encouraged us to forgive others.

The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars by Donovan Neal

The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars

The prequel to the Bible is here!

Explore the fascinating tale of the fall of Lucifer!

The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars is book one of a three part series that explores the fascinating story of the Fall of Lucifer.

Lucifer, God’s perfect creation. Yet rose up to betray the Lord and bring Heaven itself to civil war.

Many tales have referenced this great angelic war but few have sought to explore the dynamic relationships between God and the angelic hosts. Why did a third of heaven seek to overthrow their creator?

See Lucifer, and his actions in a light never before seen. Journey back to the beginning, and see the drama unfold before your eyes: as allegiances are broken; choices made, and why all of creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God!

Review:

This is the first work of writing of Neal's that I have read. But then again, this is the only novel he has written so far!! He does plan on future books. I look forward to them. I had bought this book in November 2013, and it stayed on my To Be Read list until the author contacted me (from finding my blog on a Google search) via email asking if I would review his book. That was not a hard decision to make seeing I had already bought his book and would have left a review anyway as I do for all the books I read. 

From reading The Third Heaven, I am pleased I am reading this now and not in the future. This is one very hard to put down piece of writing. You are transported to another world. Many times I had to remind myself that this was fiction and not an expanded account of the real events  that the Bible has not included! If anyone ever wondered about what Heaven is like before the creation of man, then look no further. As the book description says, The Prequel to the Bible is here! 

Neal writes well, and his descriptions of Heaven, the angels, newly created Earth and the galaxy and universe are well done.  He has outlined, however briefly, a hierarchy of angels according to their role and various functions. I found this fascinating. It is also Biblical as well, but the Bible is less descriptive about this than Neal who has used some poetic license in this matter. This has definitely added some very interesting plot lines and depth.

I can see that some Christians might have some issues with his depiction and portrayal of Heaven, the angels and even reference to controversial theology. I did come across a resource from Neal's website that does clarify these things. It can be found here: Thinking Behind The Third Heaven. I would recommend anyone considering reading this novel to check out the above resource. It will add to their understanding, and why the author has constructed it like he has and even some of the challenges he faced writing this novel. I am not surprised in a novel of this genre and plot. Many Christians can be very defensive in their opinions and understanding of topics such as the fall of Lucifer, angels in general, the war in Heaven, the creation of the earth and even Genesis in general. Neal has planned well for this by providing this resource. This adds to his credibility as an author and his commitment to not just entertain in this novel but to exhort and uplift the Bible, God and the Gospel message in this medium of fiction.

I found it very interesting the plot line about Apollyon. I know so very little of this angel other than what I have read in Revelation and in eschatological fiction that I had not considered anything about him before the fall of Lucifer. Yes, this is the author's poetic license showing but it did get me thinking and it adds a great storyline and precursor to the fall of Lucifer. Neal also provides a plot twist towards the end that I would never have seen coming relating to both these high ranking angels. Very clever! 

I really enjoyed a dialogue sequence where El (God) is talking to Lucifer, and it is very much old style English (same as in the KJV of the bible) and it is very beautiful. Adds a poetic, romantic edge to God despite the content of the dialogue being very serious and God being very serious in the circumstance. 

Any Christian  or anyone who has read the bible will know that Lucifer's pride was what led to his sin/downfall and the judgement of God upon him. Neal describes his pride and arrogance, even hatred of newly created man and man's reason for existence in such an intense way that the reader is tempted to take time out from reading this, in order to cope with this intensity. From this point on Neal weaves Lucifer's increasing pride and arrogance into the rest of the plot on all levels and layers and it is here that the pace becomes relentless and the action frenetic. The outcome is that war breaks out in Heaven while El is resting from his creative work. The angels are exposed for the first time to violence, hatred, deception, betrayal. All emotions that are very foreign to them and at first they do not know how to deal with them. They have never been left without any direction from El and to fend for themselves. This plays directly into Lucifer's deception.  Neal shines here with him weaving his own poetic license and recorded biblical events in a masterful way. His poetic license is very clever to wind all this up with a possible explanation of the gap between Genesis 1: 1 and 2. Very much riveting reading. 

Neal describes the creation of Hell very well, and it is another piece of riveting reading. Very descriptive and sobering and forms a great pillar in the plot structure. Very different to other fictional descriptions of Hell from other Christian authors but nonetheless appropriate and in line with what is recorded in the Bible. 

There is so much in this novel that to describe it here would make this review one very long and involved one. Neal is quite the story teller and this novel showcases his talent very appropriately.

This could translate to one great movie! 

Highly Recommended.

No Eye Has Seen by Graham Carter

Description:

Mother of three, Sarah Glen, loses her life under unusual circumstances when her car is forced from the road in what appears to be a random act of road rage.

What follows is a breathtaking story of adventure and excitement as Sarah explores the limitless wonder of her new home, Paradise.

The Throne Room, New Jerusalem, departed loved ones, all these and more are unveiled in this thought provoking tale.

While Sarah's remaining family and friends struggle to come to terms with the passing of the popular mom, angels, good and evil, fight for supremacy in the age-old battle between the kingdoms of darkness and light.

Review:

This is just a wonderful book!!

This is a murder mystery dealing with the death of a Christian woman through road rage for no apparent reason. However, as the story unfolds it is revealed that the motive for her murder is the hatred of demons for believers in Christ. What follows is the account of what heaven is like for Sarah, the murdered Christian, (and this is described in wonderful detail and is very awe inspiring and filled with wonderful imagery), the demon possession of her murderer, Sam, his torment by the demon and how the angels of the Lord fight for his salvation as directed by God. It is also the story of a struggling pastor against the financial plotting of the council over church land and how these three factors all come together for a final culmination for all things to work together for good for those who love God and are called to His purpose and God's plan.

A wonderful and realistic portrayal of spiritual warfare. If you have read Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness and Piercing The Darkness; Randy Alcorn's Dominion, Deadline and Deception and Lord Foulgrin's Letters and The Ishbane Conspiracy, you will see the similarities between all these authors and their sobering portrayal of spiritual warfare, angels fighting demons, the hierarchy within the angel and demon ranks, God's Sovereignity, power of prayer and living out His Word in our lives. 

Highly recommended.  My Rating:

Website:

http://www.grahamsbooks.com/

Elijah and the Last Judgement By Steve Goodwin

My rating: 



I read this on September 15th, 2013


http://www.stevegoodwin.org/
 

Description: 

A thought provoking Christian story of love, life and death, the afterlife, and spiritual warfare.

I am dead. This is my funeral.

Elijah turned to look at Castiel who looked back at him and nodded gently.

And in that instant everything changed, in ways that Elijah Hael and those who read his story could never anticipate or imagine.

Enter a world of intrigue, suspense, wonder and living energy where our souls are battled over, unseen by many but experienced by all.

Don't miss the opportunity to join Elijah Hael on his spellbinding, dazzling and unforgettable journey through his life to his destiny. An adventure, infused with Christian values, you'll never forget. Those who enjoy an uplifting, challenging, touching story will adore this novel.

See more at ElijahHael.com




Review: 

I discovered Steve Goodwin's books advertised on Facebook. I was immediately drawn to them after reading the plot and also because he is an Australian Christian author. In my Christian fiction library, I do not have many Australian Christian authors, so to find another who writes in the genre I follow is worthy of my support.

Elijah Hael and the Last Judgement is the first in a series of novels. This one concerns the death of Elijah from a bicycle accident. He finds himself in a strange place being interrogated over incidents in his past. Confused, he does not understand why this is happening. Another man, Castiel, interrupts this interrogation and takes him away where he is shown significant aspects of his life where Castiel and Elijah comment on these events. We see how these events, both good and bad, have impacted Elijah and made him the man he is. All these events range from childhood through to his death.

Elijah begins to understand that he is in the afterlife and Castiel is an angel. Through these observances of Elijah's life, clues are laid as to why this is happening leading to a decision Elijah has to make.

This comprises the first half of the novel. It is very absorbing. I could not put this half down. Goodwin seamlessly blends in various topics of dysfunctional family life, sexual promiscuity, (nothing graphic or descriptive), abortion, physical abuse, divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution, that Elijah was an observer to with his family. Goodwin writes this without it being a hard read and successfully portrays Elijah's feelings and how he coped. Throughout this half, he also blends in the spiritual aspects of sin, the interaction of demon spirits in these sinful acts and the effects it has on the characters in the spiritual plane and how this is manifested in a physical sense, causing ill health, and how sin enslaves them to this lifestyle.