Nephilim: Genesis of Evil

by Renee Pawlish

Ancient beings that remain today.

A dark power described in Genesis revisits a small mountain town.
A journalist who witnessed an evil presence searches for answers.
He finds a town succumbing to supernatural forces.
Now, an evil prophesy may be fulfilled by the Nephilim.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Thriller, Fiction

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 22, 2006

About the author

From the time she was ten and tried to write her own detective series in the fashion of the Hardy Boys, Renée Pawlish has been developing her craft. Along with creative writing classes, Renée studied great writers like Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Stephen King, Sue Grafton and many more. Once Renée graduated from college, she began her first novel. Now, all these years later, she has penned numerous books in a variety of genres.

Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She also has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.

Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.

The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn't Happen In The Movies
Reel Estate Rip-off

The Nephilim Trilogy
Nephilim Genesis of Evil
Books Two and Three soon to be released

The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest

Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.

The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.

To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish....

on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.wordpress.com/

on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/reneepawlish

Reviews

[Jeffrey Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read many horror stories. Yes, I'm sure there are more out there that are more graphic and have more terrfiying elements than what is contained here, but to me, it was pretty spooky!

Nephilim Genesis of Evil centers on the fictitious town of Taylor Crossing, a (former) gold mining town at the center of some unexplained phenomena. When a big-city paranormal researcher is drawn to the small town, he thinks it's to research several unexplained mysteries that befell the town nearly a century before. However, history begins to repeat itself as townsfolk start turning up missing. Rory suffers a chilling realization: whatever happened to those people a century ago is happening again and he, along with a few other brave townsfolk, must figure out how to stop the terrifying events from happening again.

The descriptive details in the book were outstanding. I loved how easily I could picture the small rustic town still struggling to survive. I can easily picture a town that once thrived in the madness of the gold rush. I can easily imagine the multitude of mines, all in various stages of disuse, dotting the landscape as at one time throngs of people sifted through the rocks and stones, desperately searching for the telltale flakes of gold.

I was rather surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. Ms. Pawlish has a very easy-going writing style that flows well. I personally would have liked to learn how the Nephilim were able to "coerce" other followers by simply staring at their eyes. I know it was explained as some type of hypnotic stare, but I was hoping for a little more explanation than that. Still, it clearly didn't bother me enough 'cause I was almost shouting at my iPad at various characters, yelling "No! Don't look 'em in the eye!!!" :) I also thought the story ended without too much closure, but then again, I'm told a sequel is in the works.

Great job! Looking forward to the next in the series!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I have to say is wow. Before starting this book, I tried reading another about the Nephilim. I could not even finish the other book because I did not like the way it was written, nor the storyline and the characters. So, needless to say, I came to this book with low expectations -- and Renee Pawlish blew my ideas of the Nephilim out of the water.

On Pawlish, I have to say her writing style is excellent. She captivated me from the first chapter, and I have read well into the early hours of the morning, giving up sleep to finish reading her book. Each character is well-developed and perfectly woven into the story. I felt just the right emotions for each character, and I connected with many of them (especially Nicholas). The only fault I found that really bothered me was near the end of the book: it said "Joan and Myrtle" when it most definitely should have been "Anna and Myrtle" because Joan hadn't been anywhere in the scene.

On Nephilim, I have to say that this book as a whole is amazing. I will definitely be recommending this one to the avid readers among my friends. While it is very time consuming, this book is a great read and I can certainly see myself reading it again in the future. The action and suspense in this novel are perfectly balanced and fit into the story. And the little bits of romance between Rory and Anna had me smiling. I must admit, though, that certain parts of Nephilim lacked the flow that all good books need. This only annoyed me slightly, but I was able to look past the few choppy bits because of the amazing story being told.

*I won a free, signed copy of this book through the First Reads giveaways on this site. I also have a copy on my Kindle.

[Ns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nephilim Genesis of Evil is a paranormal thriller that kept me on edge and gave me chills. The storyline is original and interesting and there is a well-rounded cast of characters. There is a fair amount of suspense that builds throughout the story and which foreshadows the evil set to be unleashed.

The main character, Rory Callahan is drawn to the town of Taylor Crossing. He soon realizes that his connection to the town is a complex one with a history that spans over a hundred years. There are supernatural evil forces at work and his existence plays an important role in fulfilling a prophesy. Rory is a realistic character whose reactions to situations is common to what many people would do. This means, he's not a perfect protagonist. He has fears, makes mistakes and can be illogical. The realistic element does balance the supernatural events. Several other perspectives are introduced and I appreciated them for giving different looks at the story.

The suspense is what kept me most interested. I wanted to know who was next and what other turn of events awaited Rory, Anna, Myrtle and the others. Therefore it seems fitting that the ending left me in a bit in suspense. I'm left wondering what the future of Taylor Crossing is. On an aside, whatever did happen to Travis?

It's a great paranormal thriller with an original premise.

[A Book Vacation · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Pawlish has created a wonderful story that will pull readers in from the very beginning. The Nephilim, children of fallen angles and mortals, have resurfaced in the small town of Taylor Crossing, and Rory’s curiosity lands him in the middle of an epic battle within the town. Watching the story unfold was amazing, and I really came to love the characters, especially Rory as he pieced together the background of the town and realized what the Nephilim truly were.

I really enjoyed this book, especially since I’d never heard the term Nephilim before. It turns out that I’ve been reading a lot of books about the Nephilim lately and just didn’t know it. I am thankful that Pawlish presents them in such a way that I now truly understand what they are, and realizing that the Nephilim are actually mentioned in Genesis chapter 6 was a jolting experience, making this novel all the more scary as it unfolded. Pawlish is a wonderful storyteller, weaving the novel together through both past and present events, masterfully revealing the plot twists and turns...


To read my full review (8/29):

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does Evil actually exist in our Universe? Rory Callahan believes it does, and he has both recent personal experience plus research to prove it. Struck by a New York City taxi just moments after seeing and hearing a sentient black fog hovering above traffic, the journalist researches other instances of a similar manifestation, and discovers a 19th bizarre event in a small Colorado mining town. Rory doesn’t know why he was targeted-but clearly, since the fog or mist entity addressed him, and then he was struck and injured-it does “know” him.

As he discovers in the history of little Taylor’s Crossing, Colorado, some hundred years ago a similar feature was spotted there-some townsfolk moved away, and survived; the rest of the townspeople completely disappeared. Now rebuilt as a tourist attraction venture, Rory takes up residence there hoping to discover the truth, whatever it may be!

This is a fascinating Supernatural novel, which will appeal to many types of readers with its magnetic plotting and easily empathetic characters. The settings are very well-described, and the suspense is taut, and escalated carefully to hook the reader and keep her attention riveted.

[Julie Flanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

I had heard of the Nephilim before but didn't know much about them, and I thought the concept of this book was so interesting. The sense of evil is pervasive throughout the story and kept me turning the pages.

The story takes place in Taylor Crossing, Colorado, and I loved the setting. I thought Pawlish did a great job of using the setting to increase the suspense of the story, as the feeling of dread increased with the suffocating heat that takes over the town as the book progresses. I could also feel the fear in the characters as they realized the woods around them had grown totally silent. Details like this really add to the creepy atmosphere of the book.

Taylor Crossing is filled with interesting and engaging characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them. I'm looking forward to reading more from Pawlish!

[Susan Griscom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was a really good book. Let me start by saying, I don’t read too many horror stories. Mostly because they keep me awake and scare me—more than the movies. Anyway, having said that, this book was right up there with the best. I mean on a Stephen King level. Scary stuff. Not blood and gore but plain old thought provoking scary stuff. The author did an excellent job keeping up the suspense and really had me putting everything else on hold so I could finish this book. It didn’t end the way I had thought it would. That doesn’t mean it ended badly, just not how I thought, which is only fueling my brain with thoughts about that, I’m sure, for a long time to come. A sure sign of a good book. Good job, Renee Pawlish, I will be reading more of your books.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is well-written and definitely original but I gave this two stars because I just couldn't get into it (2 stars = It was ok). Near the end, I actually began skim reading because it felt like it was just taking too long for things to reach an end. It's not a bad read if you're looking for something original but I didn't feel this was fast paced so if you're looking for something like that this may not be your cup of tea.

[csbyrnes]

Beautiful descriptions of a Colorado mountain town, really take me back there. Also, the way of thinking of the characters allows the reader to "know" them well. I'm pulled in.

[Mirachil27 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Page-Turner

I started reading Nephilim Genesis of Evil as a sample from Renee Pawlish site, got sucked in immediately, purchased my Kindle edition, kept reading, and finished the book all within the space of one Saturday afternoon. The concept of these evil spirits who are the offspring of fallen angels and human women who return to earth periodically and take over human bodies in a desperate attempt to find enlightenment is fascinating. I am not normally a fantasy fan, but this book reeled me in because it was based on biblical accounts of these creatures. The tie-in to biblical history was compelling. The pace is relentless and the characters believable. Highly recommended. I want to read her follow-up in this series, but I won't download it today. I have to get something done this weekend!

[TE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nephilim Genesis of Evil is a neat story. It's good, spooky fun for the fall season. The story is well written and has a decent pace. The characters really fit the mold of stereotypical small town inhabitants (the crazy, the drunk, the busybody, etc.) and help bring the setting of the story to life. I thought the end was a little abrupt but other than that I really liked it.

For those who want to know: This one has violence.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nephilim Genesis of Evil, my fifty-second read from author Renee Pawlish. I'd bought this book back in 2015 when I was just beginning to read Renee Pawlish and never got around to reading it until now. 354-pages that I read it in one sitting, in just a few hours. Great characters, great storyline, Reminiscent of Frank Peretti’s The Oath. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really a fan of horror stories

If you're looking for an idyllic town that goes wrong multiple times in its history, then this book is for you. I could see where this story was going, but it seemed to take to long to get to the climax. Maybe I'm too jaded to recognize suspense. Not my cup of tea, but this may appeal to horror fans with a fascination for biblical Nephilim creatures.

[Jim]

read 11 chapter before ending it. Just not into the subject matter.

[CC Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Scary Story

Enjoyed the book, but tried to only read it during the day. It was sad and intense at times, and I am interested in knowing how the series ends.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nephilim is a book to read especially if you are interested in Angels and Demons. There are some books that are written to scared the audience but failed to do that. This is a book that is written without trying to scare the audience. This book leave the imagination to the readers of being scary. The concept of the story is simple and leaves a lot of theologies of the fallen angels. Most of us know the story of the Angels marrying the daughters of man but most of us glaze through Bible studies that the offsprings are evil. There is no compassion except selfish of one's self.

This book go into the what happens to the spirits of these offspring. It is a frightful knowledge to know that they are searching a way to the enlightenment of evil (there is a possibility of the inconceivable to happened). It is a battle of the good wills of man versus an ancient evil and the never ending struggle.

This story takes place in a small town of Taylor Crossing. After a century, the dark presence arises to finish a ritual to transcend itself into the world. Several characters are called in place to perform this ritual. Rory Callahan who is the chronicler is the wild card. He can either condemn the world to evil or save the world from it. Rory is also a sceptic in believing the world of paranormal. This is one battle where he has to make a decision to believe to save himself and the world.

[Shawn Fairweather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a freebie from Goodreads first reads. Gotta say I was hoping for a but more from this piece. I got the sense pretty early that it was building towards something but the journey took a bit longer than I would have liked. The final two chapters were a bit chaotic but fun to read, however the first 80% of the book I simply got the feeling that all of the characters were standing around debating about what was happening. At some point, I was beginning to look for a bomb to drop to start the roller coasters descent but it didnt come until the end of the ride.

Suspense was there to a point, however I would have liked to have been given a bit of historical relevance of the Nephilim. Sorry I am a history junkie and it felt like that with the constant references to the book of Genesis that a little implantation of research of the subject matter would have drawn me in a bit more. Not a lot was needed mind you, just a pinch for flavor.

The story itself was enjoyable to read. At no point did I consider walking away from it and I was drawn in to the story line through out the work. Many readers will be able to knock this out in less then a week and it does read rather quickly which provides a nice smooth page turner. Id definately recommend this the fans of the supernatural horror genre, and thankfully not to the modern day vampire genre...if that makes sense.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nephilim Genesis of evil" by author Renee Pawlish concerns a small Colorado town plagued by murderous spirits. These monsters come in the form of Nephilim, an old testament evil. Pawlish uses these entities as a sort of vampire menace in her novel, descending on the town of Taylor’s crossing every generation or so in order to perform a dark ritual that, if performed to completion, will render the world to darkness. Previous attempts have failed, but rendered the old mining town of Taylor’s Crossing a ghost town. Tasked with defending the town, and thus the world, from these monsters this time out are a small band of folks, lead by an journalist,Rory Callahan with experience in the supernatural.

The novel starts off very strong, with Pawlish conveying the mood and atmosphere of the small town, slowly increasing the eerie element.She has a clear, direct, and efficient prose that I much enjoyed. But toward the middle of the novel, Pawlish seems to be juggling a few too many characters. It’s just that the main character seems a bit lost in the shuffle for a time. It’s a very fast and straightforward read, and should entertain its targeted audience.

[Sue Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book…I could hardly put it down. It was fast paced enough to not get boring but there was plenty of storyline to keep me interested. I love books like this that follow a legend and offer very plausible evidence that what is happening can be contributed to the legend.

I liked the way the characters unfolded without having to go into in depth reviews about the background of each character even though their backgrounds were very important. But you figured it out. I like that the author didn’t treat me like a three year old by letting me get things on my own without having to tell me every five minutes, hey remember that. But at the same time the important points were not left to chance.

This book was scary in places but it defiantly has plenty of heart and you gain a feel for the characters and mourn when they are gone. This would make an awesome movie with special effects and horrendous bad guys. This is a total must read for me.

[Jaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Renee Pawlish has created a thrill ride for readers in her novel, Nephilim Genesis of Evil. The characters are well developed, the setting is picturesque, and the plot is exciting with just the right amount of horror so that it's scary and thrilling, but it's not totally over-the-top just out to gross you out. It is an age-old story of the battle between good versus evil with a twist, taken straight from the Bible, featuring those pesky evil beings, the Nephilim. The array of characters in the book, while all flawed in some way or another, must deal with the impending evil forces of doom, or become their victims. It was a fast-paced read and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was well-written with an interesting story. The premise is that the Nephilim (a race resulting from fallen angels consorting with human females in ancient times) are still around in spirit form and seeking their release into heaven. A group of people are drawn to the tiny town of Taylor's Crossing, CO unknowingly to be inhabited by the Nephilim and perform their releasing ceremony. However, some in the town realize what's going on and vow to stop it as this ceremony will somehow unleash Hell on Earth. It has action, a little romance, and supernatural spookiness galore.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting take on the classic horror story. The Nephilim are rising, possessing people in order to return to a higher ascendency. History repeats itself in either the descendents of the people who stopped it once before or possibly the reincarnation of the original group. The author seems to give at least lip service to a pro-Christian slant to the story. There are moments the reader is not sure where the author is going as the book deviates from the traditional formulas in several places. All in all, I found it to be a surprisingly wonderful read.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Origin in the Holy Bible, this book is based on the possible return of the Nephilim, a race created when demonic angels came to earth in ancient times and mated with earthly women, created a race of giants. Goliath is believed to be one of these men. What might happen if a small town in Co. is taken over by Nephilim who plan on a ceremony which will release dark evil upon the earth. I enjoyed this read, there is some gore and violence, but a good read.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up, I was a huge fan of Stephen King. Somewhere along the line, I felt like his stories were being rushed, though, instead of special. Renee Pawlish has written a frightening story. I bought the book a year ago but only had the time to start reading it recently. I'm glued to it and haven't put it down!

[Barbara Huskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading from Kindle Cloud on my PC so this may take awhile. ~ 1-8-13

Exciting and interesting story. Written well enough to hold my attention and keep me interested. Love the topic. Enjoyed the lack of profanity and sexual content.

[LadyCalico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a theologically weak but, nevertheless, gripping horror tale set in the Colorado mountains. As good as any Stephen King novel if you are a fan of that genre. Some loose ends could have been better tied up.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was uneven thriller/demonic ivasion book that was good but not great. It is a violent book that paints the nephilim as a sort of body-snatcher. It has its good moments.

[Abc]

I won this book in a giveaway. Thank you.

[Linda Runnebaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read of Renee's and it sucked me in! I could not put it down. And when I was finished, I wanted to instantly read the sequel (which I hope comes out soon). Wonderful author!

[Joannne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read, had me up late into the night! She is really a great author and very much like Frank Peretti :-)