Apocalypse

by C. Marvin Pate, J. Daniel Hays

It's A.D. 95, and everybody wants a piece of the Apocalypse. Some will kill to destroy it. Others will die to protect it and to remain faithful to the One it proclaims. A storm at sea and an assassination attempt thrust a Roman senator and a wool merchant's son into a conflict between earthly powers and God's kingdom. Flavius and Antonius, both believers in Christ, are about to make a startling a mysterious scroll, written by the apostle John, that unlocks the secrets of present, past, and future. The Apocalypse---the book of Revelation. Their find comes at a time of great persecution for the early church. The Imperial Cult is spreading Caesar-worship across the Roman province of Asia, and pressure to bow down to the emperor Domitian intensifies by the day. Flavius, Antonius, and their loved ones must stake their lives on what they believe---for the Imperial Temple has learned about the Apocalypse, and they will stop at nothing to destroy it and the church it has empowered.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1989

About the author

C. Marvin Pate (PhD, Marquette University) is professor of biblical studies at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author and editor of numerous works, including Four Views on the Book of Revelation; The Writings of John: A Survey of the Gospel, Epistles, and Apocalypse; Romans (Teach the Text Commentary Series); and From Plato to Jesus.

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this back in March and forgot to post my review somehow? Sorry if this review is disjointed - I parsed it from one on my blog.

Anyway,
The plot is rather wild and I can't outline it without going into too much detail, but there are six central characters who have their own arcs within the main story.

The characterization is fantastic. Everyone, even some secondary characters, is given a good basis for understanding their motivations and actions. Barry’s disability is treated not very nicely by the other characters, but his chunks of perspective are realistic and integral to explaining what is going on in the novel. Three of the five main characters are rather little unsympathetic, but they kept me very interested. There are some great (and by great I mean despicable) side-characters and the setting – the isolated and bigoted town – was clearly laid out.

The story moves very quickly into a menacing and, quite frankly, depressing tone. As in most “apocalypses” or even haunting stories, strange occurrences begin that are merely off-putting, but which ramp up into sheer insanity.

The prose is fantastic, with some great descriptions: "Devil ran like a black avalanche, black bowel-fire out of a volcano, a black sun exploding, and like the relentless passing of time he showed no signs of slowing down."

Overall, if you’re looking for something dark, angry, and keeps your chest a bit constricted when you read it, this is the novel for you.

[Ami E. Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this many years ago after finding and buying a used copy of it at a local thrift store and it left a lasting impact on me. It's a very weird story that should be read at least once. It gave me nightmares, though, for a long time right after!

[Xabi1990 · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/10. Con esta nota seguramente le abandoné. Ni me acuerdo de qué va....

(Y no he leído más de la autora, por supuesto)

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good solid read, though it relies heavily on Christian Mythology vis-a-vis Apocalypse... there's an actual devil... it would have been a four-star review if it weren't for some problematic material that falls victim to "Woke for the 90s." I mean... yay, there's a person of color lesbian character... but oh dear every other time she's mentioned it says "exotic." Yay, there's a trans woman protagonist... but oh dear do we have to have her partner not know and make that a source of tension between them?

I know it feels mean... but I just couldn't. If the story hadn't included a rather bizarre "OH NO AN ABORTIONIST! EVIL" bit and also a bit about I guess... like... problems with your husband are your own fault somehow? I'm not sure. There's some stuff I think the author probably didn't mean to put in there that I was picking up.

Still, it had lovely descriptions and I'm a sucker for decayed, industrial town fiction. I would read more by this author.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book alot more than I did. I find books like this difficult. It is well written and very descriptive. The vocabulary seems unnecessarily complex for the target audience and subject matter though. Instead of adding imagery it felt like swimming against a current and I am an attorney used to dealing with unneeded verbiage. None of the characters were particularly relatable or likable for me. The ending left me wanting a little more information, especially about Barry who did not seem to get his HEA like some of the other characters. I was an interesting use of the four horseman theme.

[Labri Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although some of the evil things depicted in the town are important to keep in mind, this book was horrible, besides all the profanity. It was dark and confusing, taking imagery out of the Revelation in a skewed manner... the most lauded character in the story was a man who became a woman and also a lesbian, and thereby honoring gender-change ideology. The Devil was personally shown to exist and act, but God was notably absent from the whole account: although in the end "love" prevailed and saved the world, it wasn't at all well thought through.

Bottom line, I don't at all recommend it.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kept guessing and curious through nearly every chapter about which horsewoman claimed each title. Two were obvious early on. Two kept me guessing for along time. The resolution of the fate of Hoadley was a surprise to me.
Overall, I loved this book very much by the end. And I’m pretty sure I’ll read it again. Definitely recommend to any Nancy Springer fan readers.

[Debra collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird