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I must confess to being somewhat nonplussed when I heard Jay Young describe his Heroes series as “the X-Men meet the Old Testament”—but I’m glad I took a chance! Heroes of Old, the first volume in the series, is a great blend of Biblical, Middle Age and modern adventure, intrigue and action--yet with a poignancy missing from so much of today's fantasy.
Our story is rooted in the days of Noah, when the Nephilim roamed the earth (Gen. 6:4). The wickedness of man had reached its fullness and God was preparing to cleanse the earth by flood. However, a daughter of one of the dark gods, Henna, is redeemed through her marriage to Noah’s son, Ham. But the seed of the Nephilim is carried within her, and so survives the flood. This terrible seed of power worms its way through history, its struggle to regain dominance kept in check throughout the ages by a small cadre of super-powered warriors called The Faction.
Enter No, an unassuming modern-day teenager living in obscurity in New Mexico, who accidently discovers he carries a unique power. He doesn’t understand the nature of this gift, until the leader of The Faction arrives at his doorstep and enlists him into the group. As he learns more of The Faction’s divine mission, he begins preparing physically, mentally, and spiritually to take his role in a war unknown to man that has lasted millennia—a war, though, that may be coming to its conclusion in our age.
Jay Young has done a great job of weaving a story that covers a vast time span. He keeps the dream intact as we bound from ancient proto-Semitic Canaan, to present-day America, and even to the era of the Crusades, and witness the battle between good and evil in all its forms.
Heroes of Old is a must-read for Christian fantasy lovers!
5 comments:
Thanks for this review. I'd be curious what you think of Bryan Davis's The Eye of the Oracle which also tackles the Nephiliim--explaining how their seed survived the flood.
I see you're also a Rachelle Gardner fan. ;-)
Becky
Hey, Becky!
I believe I recognize you from Rachelle's blog (comments). Thanks for dropping in! :-) Yes, I appreciate her perspectives and wish her the greatest success as an agent.
I'm not well versed in Christian fantasy, I must admit, as my focus is historical fiction--although there's certainly a strong Biblical-historical aspect in Jay's story, and, it sounds like, Bryan Davis', too. I will look into Davis. Thanks for the tip.
Cheers! Bruce
Sounds really interesting, and one I bet Collin would enjoy as well (say anything with an X-Men reference and he's bound to be interested)! Loving these book reviews you are posting - thanks for sharing your thoughts and suggestions.
Mr. Bruce,
Have you read The Jerusalem Scroll by Mike Evans & Robert Wise? I found this book at the library...the back sounds interesting but I was wondering if you have read it.
The description of the book starts on the front cover and goes to the back reading: the answer lies in...Jerusalem. A city of compelling traditions, of passionate political and religious conflict. Where the threat of violence hangs like a fog rolling in from the ocean. Where the peace of an ordinary day can be shattered in an instant.
When Musa Salah, a Palestinian archeologist, finds an ancient golden scroll in a cave, the document seems to hold the key to Jerusalem's past--and its future. Though he cannot decipher all five languages used in the scroll, he can read enough to conclude that the scroll records the Donation of Melchizedek--the gift of the city of Jerusalem to the son of Abraham. But which son? Ishmael or Isaac?
As Salah tries to translate the text of the scroll with the help of two other experts--Leah Rosenberg and Father Michael Kelly--it's clear that many will have a vested interest in the scroll's content. Thought the three go to great lengths to conceal the scroll, news of its existence soon hits the newspapers, and violence begins to escalate around them.
Even as speculation about the scroll drives events in the city, outside Jerusalem powerful forces--the Islamic Revolutionary Front, OPEC, and even the United States--are turning their focus to the ancient city for the last great political battle of the millennium.
It's a fiction book and I understand you like to read historical fiction.
God be with you,
Jennifer ><>
Jennifer,
No, I haven't read that one yet, but I will. Jeannie and I finished Joel Rosenberg's "The Copper Scroll" and are reading "The Ezekiel Option" right now. He does a great job with OT prophecy and modern fiction. If you're interested, I suggest reading "The Ezekiel Option" first. We did it backward.
Thanks again for the tip! Hope all is well with you and yours.
Cheers! Bruce
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