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tasmanian_bibliophile's review
3.0
‘The hopeless have no regard for life, not even their own.’
The two main characters in this novel are Michael and Jonah. The novel begins with Michael’s first person account as he begins to learn more about himself and his family and their history. As Michael’s knowledge increases, his perilous journey really begins. The tale of Jonah is a third person account of events that occur sometime after Michael’s story. The stories are ultimately related but separate, and are recounted in alternate chapters.
The link between Michael and Jonah is one of seeking knowledge and truth. In Michael’s case, he is seeking for information about his family. In Jonah’s case, he is living in a time where most religion, including Christianity, is outlawed. This creates challenges and difficulties for Jonah and his fellow Christians, and much of Jonah’s part of the narrative is centred on these struggles.
‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.’
This is speculative fiction exploring the battle between good and evil from the perspective of Christian mythology. I read it primarily as a morality play, although the main characters are not one-dimensional and there is plenty of action as Michael and Jonah undertake their respective journeys. There are elements of allegory which, while they are essentially universal in epic tales of good versus evil, will be readily recognised by Christians whom I expect will be the primary audience for this novel.
Overall I liked this novel but the frenetic activity and the number of characters involved made the pages very crowded at times.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
The two main characters in this novel are Michael and Jonah. The novel begins with Michael’s first person account as he begins to learn more about himself and his family and their history. As Michael’s knowledge increases, his perilous journey really begins. The tale of Jonah is a third person account of events that occur sometime after Michael’s story. The stories are ultimately related but separate, and are recounted in alternate chapters.
The link between Michael and Jonah is one of seeking knowledge and truth. In Michael’s case, he is seeking for information about his family. In Jonah’s case, he is living in a time where most religion, including Christianity, is outlawed. This creates challenges and difficulties for Jonah and his fellow Christians, and much of Jonah’s part of the narrative is centred on these struggles.
‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.’
This is speculative fiction exploring the battle between good and evil from the perspective of Christian mythology. I read it primarily as a morality play, although the main characters are not one-dimensional and there is plenty of action as Michael and Jonah undertake their respective journeys. There are elements of allegory which, while they are essentially universal in epic tales of good versus evil, will be readily recognised by Christians whom I expect will be the primary audience for this novel.
Overall I liked this novel but the frenetic activity and the number of characters involved made the pages very crowded at times.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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