The Fall

The Rapha Chronicles #1

by Chana Keefer

THE FALL is a biblical retelling of ancient times through the eyes of an angel who was once best friends with Lucifer.

If M. Night Shamalayan, Steven King, C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien collaborated on a story about our origins and the Garden of Eden, this might be the result.

Main Characters:

Rapha: A faithful angel who witnesses the cause and effect of Lucifer's fall from grace. Rapha becomes the mentor/tutor to Adam and Eve.

Lucifer: Beautiful, seductive, brilliant, ambitious, vindictive angel intent on replacing the most high God as ruler of creation.

Adam: Preteen, mischievous, daring, slightly pampered son of the Most High.

Eve/Glory: Preteen, brilliant, curious, fun-loving, betrothed to Adam.

Take a journey to the beginning. Pull back the veil on biblical history and mysteries. This is a worldview changer.

THE FALL isn't afraid of collision: spirituality & science; good & evil; truth & deception; religion vs. relationship; grace vs. prejudice--the joy of fairy tales combined with suspense, horror and an epic love story.

Rapha, once Lucifer's best friend, had a front-row seat for every crucial moment that shaped the world we live in today. This faithful angel wants to tell you his story. But beware, this is not a journey for the faint-of-heart. Ahead there be giants--plus demons, centaurs, mermaids, demi-gods and war that extends from the beginning of time. In the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Frank Peretti, THE FALL (The Rapha Chronicles, Book 1) melds science fiction, fantasy, epic adventure and mythology.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Religion

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Midu Hadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about it:

the style of story-telling. Even though, the book is based on religion, it doesn't come off as preachy.

how Lucifer is given another chance at forgiveness

how the "good" characters seem to doubt themselves and aren't perfect versions of themselves.

a well edited book

What I didn't like:

that Dinosaurs & men existed at the same time-inaccurate no matter which historic account we match it against.

that Cain & Abel were Lucifer's offsprings was simply weird.

The book starts like any other book based on religion but if you stick to it, it pays off!

Also reviewed at:
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Shelfari

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wise man once said not to review books in genres we didn't like. I've just realized I don't like fictionalized creation stories. Therefore, my inability to get beyond the first hundred pages of this book should come as no surprise.

But even more than the premise, I object to the sappy, modern treatment of angelic beings (good and evil) which characterizes the genre. Maybe it’s the Christian authors counter balance to urban fantasy (which also triggers my gag reflex). I'll just avoid the entire genre in the future.

Anyway, Keefer did a credible job with what she was trying to do, but she's not the next Tolkien or Lewis nor MacDonald or L'Engle. Still, even two stars is a gift.

A good read for her friends.

[Doug Couse · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, let me start by stating that in the interest of full disclosure, I'm an author in the same genre as this book and downloaded this book for "free" (more on that later)during the authors promotion. As an author in this genre, I like to read others work so I can stay abreast of others in the genre...I can't express how happy I am to have come across The Fall.

Straight up...this book is amazing and is worthy of Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker taking notice! The descriptions are simply mind blowing. It's as if Chana was given an amazing glimpse into the creation by God himself. At multiple points in the book, I would close my eyes and envision what was described, a smile would cross my face and I could easily visualize the book as it was described to me.

I devoured the pages in this book and for me, that is no small feat. Very few books have captured my attention like The Fall. Very few indeed, such as This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, House and few others by Ted Dekker, Stephen King and others. Before I knew it, I was 20+ chapters into this book on the first day and my wife was wondering if she would ever see my face anytime soon. Needless to say, I continued to devour the book and in the end am so glad I took the time to read the book in as short as time as I was able.

Now for the "free" aspect of the book. I'm so impressed by the quality of writing here, I'm actually embarrassed that I got it for free. That's right folks, the fact that the author ran a promotion for free on this book is crazy. I too have done the same promotion in hopes of gaining followers, but honestly, this book deserves to be paid for. As a matter of fact, if Amazon will allow me to purchase it again I will. If not, I will purchase a hard copy just to reward the author of their time and effort and to support the author. Yes. It is that good of a book.

I have no idea what the author is up to next, but I guarantee you, I want it and I want it now!

Outstanding read and I have no problem referring it to others.

Lastly, I can easily see this becoming a movie on the scale of Lord of the Rings. If the author hasn't received any offers yet, I would venture to say they are in her near future...

[Dana Pratola · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME: 5 stars for originality ;) I saw several things in a new way and it was hard to get out of my head. I love when a book makes me say, “Hmm,” and consider things I never have before. I loved the “inside glimpse” into the angelic realm and particularly loved the slant on Eve’s temptation. Some have argued it’s heresy, but I didn’t see anything out of line with God’s Word. Specifics are often omitted in the Bible, and as long as the conjecture is feasible, what’s the problem? The author’s intent certainly wasn’t to rewrite history and when I picked this up it wasn’t to read history, just an entertaining story. I loved it.

[Mary Findley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review of Chana Keefer’s The Fall contains spoilers. Usually I try not to do that in a review but I needed to refer to specific parts of the book to make specific points, so I give advance warning that I am revealing story details in this review.

Dan Brown wrote a book called The da Vinci Code. It has lots of suspense, adventure, and danger. It also has ancient, hidden knowledge, a legacy of people willing to die to protect that knowledge, and a really bad guy trying to find and destroy the physical proofs of that knowledge. Dan Brown said, over and over, that his book was fiction, but that he based it on exhaustive historical research into factual ancient knowledge which he implied had been kept hidden from us but that he had uncovered and made known.

I have both read the book and seen the movie. I know, no matter how many times he claims it was “just fiction”, that he intended people to treat the “big secret” of the book as historical truth. He called it fiction because many people can’t handle the “truth” that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and had children. His work has been an enormous bestseller and a successful movie with an A-list actor in the title role. But it is built around an enormous, heretical, and long-disproved lie.

Chana Keefer has written a book called The Fall. Its scope is far more vast than that of Dan Brown’s measly little adventure tale. The Fall is written with far more skill. It is far more beautiful, lyrical, panoramic in its scope and style. Its characters are much more vivid and real. And it also has suspense, adventure, and danger. It has a really bad villain and a really well-done good guy. Keefer has a whole separate work explaining why she had to write The Fall and how she got it from God, through prayer and tears, to change the narrow, wrongheaded views people have of God, Satan, and Creation and man’s place in it. She has researched exhaustively and uncovered ancient, hidden knowledge, and she has called it fiction because she believes Christians won’t be able to handle the truth.

I admit that many people do have narrow and wrongheaded views on these things. Christians are among the worst religious practitioners on the planet for practicing their religion in a shallow, superficial way, listening to other men’s views on God, the Scriptures, and Jesus Christ rather than being Bereans and getting out their Bibles to study the great truths themselves. Different denominations and sects calling themselves Christian have even set up priesthoods to counsel their flocks to trust the interpretation of the priest and not try to understand it on their own.

Other faiths spend their whole lives digging, studying, seeking their gods’ or teachers’ wisdom and ancient secrets. They have even added to their scriptures, and in their faiths this is perfectly acceptable. Their written texts do not have ultimate authority, even the ones that are thousands of years old. From Mesopotamia to the Indus Valley to the Chinese deserts to the civilizations of Meso-America, there is a limitless supply of once-hidden ancient knowledge that has now come to light and can even be found by anyone through the magic of the internet. The Popol Vuh, the Enuma Elish, the Charvaka – Their very names are exotic, enticing. The fact that “Christians” sometimes tried to obliterate these ancient works just confirms in our minds that something is being kept from us. Christians are narrow-minded, exclusive, haters, and destroyers.

A researcher can even uncover “suspect” texts related to the Judeo-Christian religions. These bear enticing titles like the Kaballah, The Book of the Cave of Treasures, and The Book of Enoch. These can seemingly enhance our understanding of God and His purposes. All we have to do is add back these lost treasures to the canon of Scripture, along with works some times called the Pseudepigrapha and the Apocrypha. Let us have it all, all knowledge, and let us make our own decisions about truth.

Ironically, this is the whole premise of The Fall. Satan introduces sin into the world because he thinks God is keeping something from him, and convinces others to follow him because God is mean, unfair, and doesn’t want us to know everything. Keefer has unfortunately fallen into the same trap she so eloquently describes in her book. She claims she only innocently asked God a question: “Why can’t fallen angels be saved?” She admits that this question wasn’t even worded correctly because it should have been, “Can fallen angels be saved?”

The question is still wrong, though. When seeking knowledge about angels, three areas are important to consider. One, What are angels? Two, Why did God create them? and Three, What is the nature of atonement? The answers to these questions are actually very simple. Angels are beings created before man, as near as we can determine, to be servants of God, to do His will and fulfill His purposes. The real mistake Keefer makes in her book is that she seems to think of angels as being created for much the same purpose as man was, but there is no evidence of that in Scriptures. We are not told much about angels, but we know they can serve as intermediaries between God and man. They appear to men to visualize God’s glory, holiness, and fearful majesty. They also communicate God’s will. They can protect men, they can fight evil for man’s sake, and they can even prevent men from intruding into places God has forbidden.

There is no real evidence that angels have many characteristics in common with man. They are just servants. When they step outside that function, they become something else. That is what Satan did. He stepped outside that function. He decided to seek equality rather than servitude. The other thing he became when he did that is not clear to us as humans, but it is clear that this is where sin originated.

Rapha, the “good guy” in the book, is also an angel. He, too, steps outside of God’s traditional role for angels because he chooses to leave the garden with Adam and Eve after they have sinned, to cut himself off from God’s direct presence, and to be a servant to man while hoping to remain, in some fashion, a servant of God. He admits over and over that he doesn’t know what he became as a result of his choice, and that he does not understand how and why God works, but he labors on.

The Scriptures say that Christ was slain before the foundation of the world. To our linear minds this is gibberish, but Keefer has more than one scene showing Christ beaten, pierced, and clearly sacrificed already, before Adam and Eve even sin. This is accurate and true. But when Keefer says Christ offered salvation, atonement, redemption, to Satan, before Adam and Even were even created, she has no basis for making this claim.

Keefer also correctly identifies man as a special creation, with a God-breathed essence. This was not done to angels when they were created, and Keefer says so. Then why would she anthropomorphize them to say they can be redeemed as man can be? Why does God say He created the Lake of Fire for the devil and his angels and does not say He created it for sinful, rebellious men as well? Because they are different. God made them with a different purpose and when they step out of that purpose He has different remedies. For man it is the opportunity for atonement and restoration. That was what God provided for before the foundation of the world. The restoration of angels is never mentioned. Man shares the fate of rebellious, fallen angels only if he refuses to accept Christ’s free gift.

But Keefer also says “the garden is open to us”. There is no Scripture that says we could (or should) go back to the Garden of Eden. She rightly says that the Garden of Eden was a place of teaching and preparation for Adam and Eve. But at some point children leave the classroom for the adult world. That doesn’t mean the fall was a “fortunate thing” to bring us to the mature relationship the atonement provides. God did indeed, and still does, grieve over sin but He had a plan from eternity and it’s going forward, all contingencies provided for, no surprises, no hiccups, no “gotchas” on either side.

Keefer throughout the book presents God’s amazing love, and this is a great thing to dwell on. But, again, she falls into the trap of saying that because God loved Satan He gave him control of the Earth and Satan had a try at managing creation, a chance to be “like the Most High”. She opens the door to evolution by claiming other creatures existed, other men, other kingdoms and civilizations. She allows for millions of years by starting Creation long before the six days of Genesis 1 and 2.

It is not love to indulge sinful desire, pride, and corruption by giving Satan a chance to see how his way works, knowing he will screw it up. This is the heresy that leads to the lie that God was wrong to ever create Satan or sin or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God does not indulge evil, ever. He atoned for sin and offered a cure. He didn’t offer anyone a way to prove himself worthy or unworthy. He provided atonement. He isn’t indulgently letting anyone figure out that the way of pride won’t work. He is following a plan, while we refuse to understand that plan and instead blame him when our attempts to improve upon it are rejected.

The Scriptures clearly say that sin entered into the world by one man (Adam) and death by sin. Yet sin and death are rampant in Satan’s management of Keefer’s creation and continue around the Garden after Adam and Eve are created and before they fall. Sin existed before Adam, in Satan, but its effects on creation, its “entry into the world”, did not occur until Adam’s fall.

In the Scriptures, words have simple, obvious meanings unless they are clearly presented as symbolic or figurative. A tree is a tree. God gave trees to man for food. Why does Keefer say the trees were different angels presenting different kinds of knowledge? There is no basis for that, and the outrageous “disclosure” that Satan was himself the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that Adam and Eve had sex with him, is based on an interpretation of the concept of a tree that is completely unbiblical. it is no different from animism, believing that all things have a living component and something to teach or impart to us. To say that Cain and Abel were offspring of Satan and that it took Adam and Eve decades, possibly centuries, to get back together after that travesty to give birth to Seth and start things back on the right path is indefensible.

Paul urges us to avoid “cunningly devised fables”. I have to put this book in this category.

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

6/26/2012 -- review edit. I would like to mention, since I didn't in my original review -- too busy on my soap box -- that this was a very well written story (the parts I read at least). The author, whom I've actually conversed with, gave me some insights as to where she got her inspiration from to write The Fall. It helped me understand the book from her point of view.

I won't lie. I still don't like it, but I don't like any books with such a heavy emphasis on the big man. I'd say if your interested give it a shot. Maybe you'll be like me, maybe not BUT I do think someone as nice and open minded as Ms. Keefer deserves the chance....now back to your previosly scheduled review ;)

I like angel themed books. Give me a cover where someone has wings or a plot summary where the word angel is merely whispered and I'm snagging it off the book shelf with a lighting quick strike that a cobra would envy.

I read the synopsis of this book and I liked it, the mention of the fall of angels intrigued me and though I'm not religious, despite the frowns from my italian catholic father, I still enjoy books concerning religion provided they aren't hitting me over the head with threats of hellfire and damnation if I don't believe. I didn't get far enough into the story to tell you whether or not a hot hole in hell is waiting for me and here's why:

When someone use the word his with the capital H more times than I drop f bombs there's a problem. I curse, a lot. When your mother tells you you'll never marry a nice man with a mouth worse than a sailor, that tells you something. So the beginnings of the story where it discussed His glory, and His love, and His power, and blah blah blah I was rolling my eyes so much I was getting a migraine. Anyone with an iota of religious information knows that gods or a single god is/are awesome and powerful. We know. We get it. The glory of God. Allleluia and all that garbage. So generally when reading that smut, I like to skip ahead until we can get back to the good stuff, the juicy meat and potatoes of the story. Unfortunately, there wasn't one or at least I didn't read far enough along to get to it. I stopped right around the time that Adam was created and just gave up.

Second issue I have with the book, and I'm sure that I could get into a theological and/or evolutionary debate with many a people... BUT I absolutely CANNOT beleive that god created the univers and that man existed in the same time period as dinosaurs. Sorry can't do it. I'm a woman of science, and the evidence retrieved from the existence of fossils and carbon dating.

Lastly I felt I was reading a fiction story of the bible, which I already beleive is fiction, or largely made up of stories from civilizations before the one that created christianity. My world civ class proved that when parallel stories were read regarding Noah and his Arc. What I'm trying to say is, if I wanted to read the bible I would have done it by now and being that I haven't, I can't even recall if I've ever opened one, I'm not about to start now with this author.

If you are a religious person, you will probably love this book. All of you that are more or less like me, not so much. I think I may like the left behind series more, and that's not a compliment.

[Orbs n Rings · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing look at the book of Genesis as if through the eyes of God himself.

This book was an amazing ride and I cannot begin to even explain how this book has moved me and left me only wanting to read more. From the very beginning of time before God even created the heavens and the earth... -author Chana Keefer takes you to a place of almost complete darkness and then slowly you begin to see the pin-point of light until you are then in the presence of the first celestial beings ever in existence those of which include Lucifer himself.

For those who may not know or may have forgotten, Lucifer was at one time a loving and gentle archangel and even part of Gods kingdom before he was banished to earth. Something I feel many, including myself, need to be reminded of. It can be so easy to forget this fact when evil is so rampant in our world. In "The Fall "God is merciful, and just like he treats us in our everyday lives, he also gives Lucifer many chances to repent and change his ways. When Lucifer does not, he receives a wake-up call, something again people fail to see or feel in their lives. Whether it be a car accident, a death, a tap on the shoulder from God himself, a kind word from a stranger, we are tested as our consciousness is probed and prodded. When we fail to listen we are also put to his test. This enlightenment alone at the beginning of the story is meant to open the eyes and mind of the reader. Whether you believe in God or not, this is one story you will not want to put down. Through the eyes of Keefer, the book of Genesis comes to life and leaves the reader basking in his goodness. Hang out with Adam in the beautiful garden of Eden, one cannot even begin to imagine, yet Keefer makes it easy to bring this lush tropical paradise to mind. I would recommend this book to anyone, even if you are not a believer. Through Keffer's amazing style of story telling you just may change your mind.

[Janis Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a professional editor and proofreader for the last 30 years, I've read hundreds of manuscripts ~ some good, some not so good. It's rare to come across a book that stands out as not only worthy of publication, but worthy of a vast readership. That's what I knew for sure when I had the good fortune to edit THE FALL by Chana Keefer. This is one of a handful of books I've had the pleasure to edit over the years that actually stands out for me. As a published author of nonfiction myself, I admire a fine work of fiction such as this ~ especially because it's better than anything I could ever write!

If you want a story you can bite off and chew on for awhile ~ not just any story, but one that grabs you and sticks with you, then read this book. If you enjoy beautiful language, and you want to enter a whole new world when you begin reading that first page ~ you'll love this book! THE FALL was a privilege to edit, and a joy to read ~ a Tolkien-like story I'll always remember.

Full disclosure: I write this review not to gush for any monetary gain but because I truly want to do what I can to help outstanding writers like Chana Keefer to be seen and heard. I want to mention also that you don't have to be religious or spiritual to appreciate this book. In fact, keep reading even if it makes you mad. If nothing else, Keefer will engage you. Great writers will always piss off someone. And we readers don't have to agree on every point to share our enthusiasm for a compelling story written with heart, grit, and eloquence. I'm a spiritual healer, an avid student of the Bible and the Hebrew language, and I'm even studying with a Rabbi to be a preacher while I write my second book on prayer; however, even if you're an atheist, you're going to find yourself reading this book to the very last heart-wrenching page, and sharing it with a friend.

Janis Hunt Johnson
Ask Janis Editorial

[Tabitha Ormiston-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this truly amazing book, the story of the Fall of Lucifer (and mankind) is recounted from the point of view of an angel. So far so good, that was in the blurb and I was expecting yet another "paranormal fiction" book about fallen angels - they are springing up like mushrooms everywhere these days, and the best one can usually hope for is that the angels are not vampires and don't mate with humans. I am happy to say the book did not live up to my expectations.

The familiar (well, to Christians and Jews anyway) story of the Fall took on the gripping excitement of an epic tale as I eagerly turned the pages. Despite the fact we all know how it ends, Ms Keefer practically had me holding my breath, especially during the early scenes where Eve and Adam are tempted. How she could sustain suspense when the reader already knows the outcome is a mystery to me, and I am in awe of her skill.

As I continued reading, still bracing myself for disappointment because I couldn't believe the book would sustain its early promise, it became clear that, unlike most of these "angel books" the writer actually knew her Bible and had stuck firmly to it.

Apart from the enjoyment of a thundering good read, this book is medicine for the soul, like a tonic that tastes like one's favourite drink. It is stuffed full of spiritual wisdom. I am sure it will become a classic.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever wondered what happened before, during, and after Eden, this book is a must read. The story of Adam and Eve is so powerful and life-changing, yet we are given very few details in the Bible. We take their fall from glory so casually, we joke about fig leaves, apples and snakes. But what must have it been like from their perspective...or from Satan's...or even God's? Chana Keefer expands this possibility with rich, atmospheric, lyrical detail. I hope this is not the last we hear from Rapha, their once-celestial companion and narrator.

[Amy Vollmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very thought provoking. I am taking this book to be a work of fiction but is it possible that there could be a measure of truth to it? I won't rule out that possibility. Lucifer fell before genesis 1 so we don't actually know the details. Like I said, I enjoyed the book and appreciated thinking about things in a different light. It also helped draw connections between the biblical age of the earth and the scientific age of the earth which honestly is something I struggle with as a Christian.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled somewhat over the style of writing in this book--it was good, just not really the type of writing I enjoy. But it was an intriguing interpretation of the Genesis story that was definitely worth reading. Opened my eyes to some things.... others, I'm still pondering and digesting.

[Trina Houston-dotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite book. It is truly the best book I've ever read, pushing "The Shack" to second place. I got it free during a Kindle promotion but love it so much I bought a hard copy from Amazon. I can't wait to share it with my kids.

[Michael Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is both turbulence and tranquility in this book. Beauty...and brimstone. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Precarious Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few weeks ago I finished reading one of the best books I’d read in a decade. It had so many of the elements I’d been longing for in a book: spirituality, quality writing, fascinating characters, satisfying descriptions, folklore, fairies, history, and layers of rhythm. The book is called The Fall, by Chana Keefer. It’s book 1 of The Rapha Chronicles.

I have to say, the layers of rhythm were my favorite that I’d read since The Count of Monte Cristo. Layer one: the prose flowed like delicious poetry. Layer two: the oscillations between points of view had a beautiful, spiraling sort of rhythm. Layer three: the action, description, emotion and character development were each brought in what I considered perfect contrast and balance. Every portion of the book was told with beauty and skill, even when going back and forth between the physical and spiritual planes.

With as much as I loved this story, I didn’t agree with the theology in all of it (particularly a brief discussion between the Father and the Son), and neither did I consider it ‘history’. But I loved the story very much, and here’s why:

(and I’m going to be very honest with you here)

There were times, early on in my Christian walk, when I thought that eternal damnation for the devil was, at best, excruciatingly harsh. Some strange sense of misplaced pity stirred up sympathy in me for the devil. I wondered, secretly, if God, who is so incredibly forgiving, would pardon Satan at the end of the ages. I wondered if what the enemy had done was really so bad as all that.

After reading Keefer’s story in The Fall, I no longer have sympathy for the devil in any corner of my heart. I thank the author for that gift, and am so grateful to God for what He did in me through this book.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fall by Chana Keefer is an interesting book. As I read it, I both loved and hated it. The book is a refreshing retelling of biblical stories that most Christians will know. However, the twist she gives by adding in an angelic watcher and the subtle changes made to the story give them a fresh feel.

I was...confused by the spirituality of the book. If the stories of Adam & Eve, the Garden of Eden, Cain & Abel, etc had been unknown to me, this would have been a very enjoyable fantasy book. Some Christians may believe Ms. Keefer has taken too many liberties. The final part of the book is devoted to a short explanation of where this story came from and how it came to actually BE a story. It is a novelized rendition of an epiphany the author had during her early morning meditation.I must admit to being curious about what the revelation was and what it would look/sound like without the trimmings of a novel around it.

As much as I would like to rate this book higher, there was just something confusing about parts of it that kept it from being a truly enjoyable read. Then again, perhaps it was written to make people think and reevaluate how they view the world which is not always an enjoyable thing to do.

I got this book during a free promotion of the book through amazon which I discovered through http://onehundredfreebooks.com/newest...

[Jen]

I loved this book! The imagery used to describe Adonai was so beautiful and transformative that I actually experienced His beauty, love, peace and joy! Because these descriptions of Adonai brought me so much joy, I would replay the scene of Adonai in garden of Eden with me (instead of Adam or Eve) just before falling asleep at night.

As a person who has struggled with the question of suffering in the world and is God really good and loving, I have come to the ultimate conclusions that Keefer expressed in her book. However, due to the perspective in this book, I was humbled...realizing there is even more to my conclusion than I could have imagined. I'm so thankful Keefer wrote this book! I look forward to more of the Rapha Chronicles! I believe many will be just as blessed with a deeper love for God and for people as I was by this book.

[Chana Keefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I'm a bit (okay, a LOT) biased but I can honestly say, after about fifty readings, this is one of my top five novels.

According to reader reviews, the writing is compared to a combo of Stephen King, Frank Perreti, Eugene Peterson and J.R.R. Tolkien. One reader called it "Harry Potter meets The Common Book of Prayer."

I can't wait to hear more feedback from you avid readers out there!

Many blessings,

Chana Keefer

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting read. I really enjoyed the beginning and account of how the fall happened with all the devil's beautiful deception. I felt a little lost once outside of Eden and the introduction of fictional characters and giants. I understand its fiction, it just seemed to stray further and further from the Biblical telling until it was barely recognizable as a Bible story. Definitely worth reading and a good conversation piece around the fall and its affect on humanity.

[Janet Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chana Keefer is brilliant. I absolutely loved this book. She must have received some revelation when coming up with the story lines. It is beautifully written and the characters are wonderfully developed. I fell in love with Adam and Eve and now have such respect for them thinking of what they quite possibly experienced at the beginning of time. I am truly amazed and so very thankful to have read such an epic tale. Thank you, Chana!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for the same reason I loved The Shack--it made me think outside the box of my carefully laid ideas given to me by Sunday School teachers and others through the years. All well meaning, but God can't be placed in a tidy box and controlled, so I love reading things that stretch and challenge me to use discernment and check the Bible against it.

[Tisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fall, the Flood, the event of Genesis in general have always fascinated me. A good story has always fascinated me. Both of those elements came together in this book for me and I really enjoyed it.

Some deviations from the traditional telling of the Fall, but they are believable and fit well into the story.

I enjoyed it a great deal and highly recommend if this is your "kind of thing"

[Karen Cohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting and thought-provoking rewrite of Exodus from the point of view of an angel who chooses to stay on Earth with Adam and Eve. Well-written, with good imagery and solid use of flashbacks. I enjoyed this book, and when I catch up some of my list, I will likely go look for the next one in the series.

[Samantha]

BookBub.... Free! :-)

[Kamali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I read this year so far! I just couldn't put it down!

[Linda Yezak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chana is an amazing writer, very visual.

I had a bit of trouble with her interpretation of some of the Genesis story, but that doesn't mean her story wasn't good and well written.

[Anna Hurtt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was many things: beautiful, disturbing, lyrical, enlightening. I feel like I need to sit somewhere by myself and explore the ideas expressed in this book. Warning: This story is gritty and there may be some scenes that make you uncomfortable. However, I believe the discomfort was worth it to discover the spiritual truths that were wrapped in this story.


I'm really glad I read it. My faith was refreshed as I read about how much God loves, longs for, and forgives his children, even when they fail him. This book has worn me out emotionally, but in a good way. It also made me think. Well done, Mrs. Keefer. I look forward to the next installment.

I won this book in a giveaway, so special thanks to both the author and the great folks at www.bookfun.org.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was uncertain whether or not I would like this book when I first started reading it. While it was a bit slow in the beginning, I found myself enthralled in the plot. The scope of this book is much bigger than I had anticipated which provided for some interesting revelations as I continued to read. Once I stopped expecting the plot to follow the stories I knew from the Bible, I really got into it. I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in exploring a unique perspective of the beginning of mankind, evil's methods, and true love's power.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for book club and I'm not well-versed in anything religious but this story still kept my attention. I enjoyed it but didn't care much for the ending because it was unfinished. This is because it's a series though so I understand. Anyway, it was good.

[Diana Symons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique and fascinating retelling of the fall from Eden. The writing is beautiful and the story very creative. Don't for a minute assume that it will be the account you know from Genesis, just enjoy a good storytelling.