A sweeping, epic retelling of the story of the Tower of Babel. . . More than a century after the worldwide flood, Noah, now the forefather of the living world, works peacefully in his vineyard until tragedy tears apart his relationship with his son, Ham. Years later, dark prophetic dreams inextricably link him with a young man carrying scars from a painful past, and a young woman who longs for … painful past, and a young woman who longs for acceptance yet harbor secrets darker than either of them imagine.
Will Noah face the role he played in the slow unraveling of his family? Or will everything collapse when they meet the evil attempting to swallow the world at. . . the Tower of Babel?
Read today to experience biblical fiction that helps you think biblically and feel deeply.
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Wow! Powerful, eye-opening, electrifying. Babel, by Brennan McPherson, is the presentation of a world wiped clean by the Flood, only to quickly degenerate into a nefarious world leading up to the demise of that great Tower. Pulled in by Noah’s sorrow, quickly followed by Canaan’s curse, I couldn’t believe the paths the characters were forging. Choices made had staggering consequences, as even Noah discovered. I stayed up late to finish Babel to avoid bad dreams. This was not the book I wanted to start the New Year with, but I am so glad I did. Certainly, my reading year started with a bang! Brennan McPherson has created a thought-provoking novel that stays true to what we know of Scripture and yet fills in what could have been. His words answer the “why’s” and the “how’s” of those early Genesis chapters. While McPherson believes his theories plausible, he is quick to explain his thinking and admit this is one idea of how things happened. Those that love Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness or the nonfiction books by Michael Heisler that speak of “lesser gods” will enjoy the underlying spiritual warfare.
Some themes are even the best are sinful, and that filters down and grows malignantly; wickedness tries desperately to hide or annihilate the Light, and God’s mercy can forgive even indescribable wickedness. We are all responsible to/for the world around us. There was at least one more very heavy-hitting theme that I thought was overdone. Reading the author’s note at the end helped me understand why.
What an amazing Biblical fiction novel that will leave you petrified, yet hopeful and secure in God’s unfailing love!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.
‘From there the Lord scattered them over all the earth.’ Genesis 11:8
As an introduction to this author, this book does not disappoint. The Great Flood is so many years in the past that many wonder if there is any truth to the stories. Noah’s family now populates many areas, cities and towns. Unfortunately they are not all followers of The Almighty, a failure that Noah feels very keenly. Can he be forgiven for failing as a leader by not teaching about God?
The Tower of Babel is just a culmination of the darkness and depravity of the pagan worship that leads them to believe they can reach God by building a tower to the heavens. The detail given by the author clearly portrays the endless, infinite emptiness felt by those worshiping the Light Bringer and how the choices made bring consequences.
I loved how the author developed the characters of Aran and Zillah. They grew from self-centered individuals to the point where they realized the love of God, who in His mercy would forgive them. There is the reminder for us that the blame for the way the world is going falls on all, not just some. God’s love is always there even when we continue to fail. Reading this gave me a whole new view of what lead up to the scattering of the people of that time.
I enjoyed this ebook received through CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own.
5 Things From Babel by Brennan McPherson
1) Noah lives in a cocoon of his vineyard, ignorant to the evil his descendants have indulged in.
2) Aran is scarred with his past
3) Hearing the news of babel’s tower they travel to denounce the evil
4) Obstinate camels, petty thieves, destitution, the sins of the fathers
5) As emotion bubbled over, the Man reached down and took hold of Noah’s frayed flesh. scarred hands against a broken body, tenderly embracing a sin-shattered soul as light returned and grew in intensity.
Brennan McPherson does an excellent job weaving scripture with story. It is a very timely message of engaging with our children and those around us for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Turning a blind eye to what goes on around us, only leads to heartache.
Babel, is written from multiple viewpoints of what may have happened in the journey and it creates a wonderful storyline that I enjoyed very much.
I like Brennan’s style of keeping the Biblical tale as accurate as possible, but he has a unique way of melding factional and fictional aspects that keep the reader engaged.
His characters come alive and I find myself examining my walk in life. Babel, makes you think of the hard times during Noah’s days and transports you into the story on a new level.
Babel, is wonderfully written and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.
I especially enjoyed the question-and-answer section at the end of the book. It was a history lesson plus an insight into the author’s writing process.
Babel
Babel is a biblical fiction which is a genre I don’t usually read. If you do like biblical fiction you will like this book. Each chapter has a different character. Among the characters are Noah, Aran and Zillah.
Even though I really didn’t get into the story too much I found the research notes very interesting. The questions and answers brought a lot of insight to the story. I manage a lot more research was done in writing this book. I always appreciate the hard work an author puts into the research.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.
One of the things I am trying to do more of is read more new to me authors. Babel is written by Brennan S McPherson, and this is the first book I have read by him. I was kinda iffy about reading it because, honestly, most of my books I enjoy have women on the cover . However, Once I got started, there was no turning back! McPherson has thoroughly researched and come up with a very possible scenario of the Tower of Babel. This book is fiction as we have no way of knowing everything that happened outside of what the Bible tells us, but I enjoy Biblical Fiction because it helps us to read between the lines and have a better understanding of how life may have happened then. Did it happen exactly the way he wrote? More likely than not, no. But, he also doesn’t claim that it did. I know Biblical Fiction has been an area of concern for some lately, but as long as the author makes it clear that it is fiction, I see no problem with it. It helps me grow and dig deeper into my own Bible. And, McPherson also puts a study guide and explanation at the end of his books to encourage just that. Cain and The Flood are going onto my need to read lists!
As much as I love Biblical fiction, it is one of those controversial genres that are difficult to write well. There is a delicate balance between expounding upon the events and people of the Bible on the one hand and overstepping by trying to add to the Scriptures on the other. When done competently, Biblical fiction will always draw the reader back to God’s Word, and there will be a clear delineation between fact and creative license. To me, this genre sheds light on the lifestyles and customs of the Biblical era and hopefully offers perspective to aid in demonstrating that the Word is still relevant today and will always remain so. Therefore my expectations are high, and there are only a few authors whose work in this genre I trust. Brennan McPherson just may be another author to add to my list!
“Babel: The Story of the Tower and the Rebellion of Man” surpassed my hopes for an informative and
genuine novel about this watershed Biblical event. McPherson writes a riveting story that considers what Noah’s life may have been like over a century after the flood and during the construction of the Tower of Babel. The passage of time is one of the first details that I noticed, with 170 years separating parts one and two of this book. Likewise, throughout the narrative, Noah reflects on past events and how quickly time has gone, even hundreds of years’ worth. This reminded me of how today we feel the same way, and also that “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). As Noah’s fictionalized story in this book demonstrates, we need to make the most of each day by living for the Lord, loving others and proclaiming His love and care.
McPherson’s concept for the Fall of Man series, which can be read as standalones, is to explore the failures of the patriarchs. Admittedly, that sounds a bit strange at first, but the more I read, the more I understood his focus. While esteeming the fathers of the faith, it is also crucial to remember that they were just as human as the rest of us, and they made mistakes, but God used them in spite of that. He uses us in our imperfection, too! Our weaknesses are where God’s strength is made manifest. He will not forsake us: “The Almighty had always been faithful to him. Even when Noah had been unfaithful.” In “Babel”, there are several different points of view, but the main emphasis remains on Noah as “the father of all living people” and his fallibility. He feels guilty for abandoning his sons and living an isolated life after his wife’s death, lamenting, “What had happened to his family? Noah’s family’s story was not supposed to be that of Adam’s. For that first family had been built of dust, while Noah’s family had been washed in the floodwaters. The world was supposed to begin anew with them. But now, Noah’s family had become just like Adam’s. Nothing more than a pile of fractured dust.” Looking at Noah’s story through a post-Resurrection lens, we see clearly why Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary. Once sin marred the world through our first parents, Adam and Eve, its stain has spread to every one of us, able to be wiped clean only by the blood of Jesus. This drives home the difference between the Old and New Covenants, and reminds us that we can talk to God freely and hear from Him in His Word, secure in the knowledge that He is with us.
For Noah, however, the case was different, and this increases the heartache of his story as told in “Babel”. Although there are humorous moments, the predominant themes include failure, obedience to God, forgiveness, and retribution. As Noah explains to Aran, “The Word of the Almighty doesn’t bring suffering. It heralds the suffering purchased by our mistakes.” The consequences of Noah’s passivity include the Tower’s construction and the rampant evil of the Light Bringer (Lucifer), which put me in mind of what we see happening in the world today: “They believe in the vision of total unification, over and above the Almighty’s vision for repentance.” God cannot and will not ever be defeated, and as Noah’s story illustrates, we too will be victorious if we cling to Him.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
“Trust the Almighty. Give him your heart. Surrender to his will. Obey his word. Love him more than you hate your father. Choose him over your desire for Zillah. Believe he is greater than your sin. He has chosen you to receive his grace. I am more convinced of this than of anything.”
This is the first book by Brennan McPherson I have read and it’s definitely an epic tale of God’s all-encompassing, unwavering love and humanity’s repeated, innumerable failures in loving Him back. Yet His great mercy does not leave us entrenched in darkness but rescues us. This book is not like the other Biblical fiction out there (I’ve read Connilyn Cossette, Jill Eileen Smith, Angela Hunt, Tessa Afshar, Mesu Andrews, Carole Towriss to name a few authors) and I’m not completely sure if I would call it Biblical fiction. Quite a few of the characters in the book and events surrounding Babel are based on Biblical accounts but most of the plot is imaginary and has a heavy speculative and fantasy component.
I highly recommend all readers read the author’s Research Notes and his Themes and Motives Behind Fall of Man series at the end of the book first before starting the book. Reading the author’s thoughts first will give the reader a better perspective of the novel and a different lens to appreciate the book.
The author’s voice is melodious, lyrical, and captivating. There are many characters in the book, some mentioned in the Bible and some not, so it takes a bit of time until all the main players can be sorted out. The journey that Noah takes, even as the oldest man on earth, is soul-piercing and convicting on multiple levels as he seeks to dispel evil and bring people to the Almighty. Aran and Zillah’s journey is equally heart-rending as they encounter narrow escapes from death and evil but also kindness and touch from the Almighty.
This is book 3 in the Fall of Man series but is a stand-alone novel. If you enjoy speculative fantasy novel with supernatural component, you will enjoy this book. I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
Another fantastic book by Brennan McPherson. This is Biblical fiction at its best. An epic battle of good versus evil. Strongly recommended.
What I think you should know:
Babel is Biblical fiction, it is a fictional retelling of Noah and his role in the tower of Babel. It is the third book in the Fall of Man series by Brennan McPherson, it is a stand alone that does not need to be read as part of the series.
What you might want to know:
I normally love biblical fiction and reading books that put you “in” the Bible. I had a very hard time writing this review, the book made me read my own Bible which is always a good thing. However I just could not make myself love this book. For me the story was hard to get caught up in, as much as I wanted to read it the story felt forced. The story eventually got better after they met Zilliah. Zilliah and Aran were high points of the story for me, I enjoyed their interaction and their back story. I do want to read McPherson’s Flood, I hope that it will be an easier story for me to enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
I like reading biblical fiction because it gives me a vision of what it was like during the time period. What I like about the author’s writing of this story is how he interprets what might have happened. We need to remember that everything in the book is not exactly what the Bible says, but rather the author’s rendition of what could have happened. I know I have always loved the story of Noah. What is unique about this book is how the author takes us past the flooding to when The Tower of Babel was to be constructed. I leaned that Babel means confusion so it makes sense that the tower was called that. God wanted confusion at the tower so people couldn’t communicate and finish the tower.
It was interesting to read about the dynamics of Noah’s family and the turmoil that was running through family members. Noah has been grieving but now must take a stand and try to find out what is going on. I was fascinated by his family and how the scriptures tied into the story. The author does a great job of taking us back in time to a story that had lasting effects on many.
Mistakes, disobedience and lies cause people to stumble and stray away from the truth. God was always there in the midst but the people needed to trust Him and not become disobedient to His Word. Throughout the story we can feel God’s presence and how His mercy was there to heal. The author intrigued me with this wonderful viewpoint of Noah that I want to read more of his books. He has a way of telling a story that flows easily and gives details that help you visualize what is taking place. We may never know what really happened but with the author’s help we can begin to see a clearer picture of what may have occurred. I really liked the part when Noah is explaining how anger can destroy your life. “And unless you can get rid of your anger, it will cost you everything too.” What a powerful statement that was. Our bitterness and anger can destroy relationships and keep us from God’s blessings.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, The review is my own opinion.