“One of the most gripping, original apocalyptic stories I have ever read.” — Horror After DarkAs the seven days of the Creation continue, those who have survived will be put to the ultimate test, for each new day brings with it immeasurable horrors. Water stripped from the Amazon rainforest; plant-life that will bring a new definition to the term carnivorous; beasts, animals and creeping things … beasts, animals and creeping things . . . All will precede the coming of this dark god’s ultimate creation, the purpose for which it has come:
To create Man.
While thrust into a world they no longer recognize, both Dugan and Faye must battle not only an omnipotent being but the forces which prop it up from all sides. Forces that may come from within their own group, or even within their own minds.
In the final installment of The Creation Series the roles of Gods and Man will be redefined. For with humanity’s survival at stake, no path can be left unexplored – even those which may lead to a darkness greater than the foe our heroes must defeat. For it took a devil to stop God’s plans once; becoming that devil may be the only option that remains.
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THE CREATION: Gods and Man (An Apocalyptic Thriller) is Book 3, and the final installment, in The Behrg’s Creation Series. Following THE CREATION: Axis Mundi, and THE CREATION: Let There Be Death, this novel concludes one of the most gripping, original apocalyptic stories I have ever read.
Concentrated in the Amazon Rainforest in SouthEastern Venezuela, Dugan and his remaining band of mercenaries must try to make sense of all the preceding events in order to put a stop to the endgame that would seemingly alter man’s place in the world.
“The question on everyone’s mind . . . was how to defeat an enemy you’ve already killed . . . Especially when that enemy was still winning.”
Taking the events outlined in Genesis about how the world was first created, an “entity” seeks to remake the world in its own image: “. . . we’re not dealing with God, we’re dealing with a being who thinks it’s God . . . ”
“Stephen King couldn’t make up half the crap you’d find in the Old Testament . . . ”
One of the first things I want to point out from this series is that through each step of the journey, the many characters involved stay true to themselves. That is to say, they are brought to life so well in our minds, that they become REAL people to the reader. One of the biggest challenges, I feel, when dealing with any series is how to maintain your characters’ original personalities, and have them evolve in a way that is both natural and rational in the face of their battles. You want to maintain that consistency, and yet still leave room for the growth that would enable them to further the plot.
“. . . what happens when the very foundations of faith erode . . . When the laws of nature are no longer governed but rewritten? . . . ”
This is something The Behrg has managed to do astonishingly well. Over the course of these books, each decision made and acted upon leads in some way to the next step. The development each character undergoes makes perfect sense to the reader in relation to the role that they play in the storyline.
“. . . Searching for immortality for so long, he had never fully considered the ramifications of finding what he was looking for–that becoming immortal might mean you’re no longer human.”
As for the scene chosen for this world-altering event, a Venezuelan rainforest seemed quite unique; yet in light of the events unfolding, I felt it profoundly emphasized the changes being wrought with a clarity and comprehension that might have otherwise been diminished in a more populated area. In a busy city, how many would immediately take note of some seemingly random changes around them? Would they stop their routine activities to simply take a look around and feel those initial stirrings of unrest?
I don’t think so.
Yet in this environment–that is as much a character as any individual, if not more so–the livelihood of everything was dependent upon each other.
“Maybe good and evil are just the colors we cast over events we’re not meant to understand . . . ”
If another force were set on remaking the world, what better place to start than somewhere few men know so well? Through our characters and the mysterious Makuxi tribe that protects the rainforest, we are able to see–and feel as though we are actually living amongst them for a time–this incredible place in our midst. Certainly not an easy feat for any author, yet The Behrg’s descriptions, many of which I found positively poetic at times, lets us in and allows us to feel completely immersed in the environment.
“. . . The problem with opening a door is that anyone can use it . . . ”
While this book combines themes of horror, apocalyptic, suspense, crime, and thriller genres, I found the one thing that spoke to me the loudest was the subject of mankind, and the power and decisions we make each day–too often without considering any future ramifications.
“. . . We don’t need a god to destroy us, we do fine killing ourselves . . . ”
“No one’s content with who they are . . . All want to become something they are not . . . ”
The Creation series concludes with a solid bang, culminating in decisions, indecisions, past mistakes, and future goals all morphed into one final outcome. I found the beauty of these written words in stark contrast to a world going . . . dark . . . This was an adventure I savored every moment of, one that filled me with thoughts to contemplate long after the novel was finished.
“. . . People and events which had felt so random now realigning into a pattern that could only be seen when looking back . . .”
The Behrg has taken us on an unparalleled version of Creation–I can’t wait to see where his imagination will lead us next.
Highest recommendation!
Reading order: THE CREATION: Axis Mundi, THE CREATION: Let There Be Death, and THE CREATION: Gods and Man.