The Seraph Seal... a book review

 Book Description from the publisher -

"An epic tale of good and evil based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse found in Revelation.

Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.

Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a lover of mystery and Christian fiction, so this book seemed to fall right into my lap.  The introduction / preface was too long as it was trying to explain the type of book.  This just set me up for even more confusion.

The simple premise of the book is a fictional account of the end times as written by John in the book of Revelation.  The year 2048 is THE end times; the sun is moving closer to the earth and the North and South Poles are relocating.   Both of these occurrences, along with political unrest in all countries, spurs the destruction of earth. 

Reverse in time to 21 Dec 2012.  Nine people are born on this date at exactly 9:00 PM worldwide.  Four will usher in the new heaven and the new earth,  while the other four will bring it to complete and utter destruction.  The fifth person, Paul Binder, brings the four "good" together.  Can they win over evil?

I enjoyed the book, but always felt as though I had to reread sections to make sure of the characters, setting, etc.  The authors introduce many characters and settings throughout the book, and change settings / characters numerous times within the same chapter.  Perhaps Sweet and Wagner felt that jumping from different sets of characters and settings so quickly helped spur the book to the final scene.  Also, if this is a tale of good and evil based on the Holy Bible book of Revelation, why are other supposedly spiritual books referenced and referred to - like the Kabbalah and others?  Furthermore, I was expecting more scripture interspersed to help explain / discuss what was happening in the storyline.

Star rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The authors included notes and current information at the end of the book.  Since I was reading a digital edition, I didn't find them until the end of the book.  Many of the notes seemed to speak in riddles or circles.

This e-book was provided to me free through Thomas Nelson Publishers (Booksneeze.com) with the understanding that I give an honest review.