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The Book of God
Many people believe the Bible is divinely inspired but are not exactly sure of the process by which we got the Bible. The Book of God takes readers on an incredible journey through the historical process of how God delivered us a written revelation both of Himself and of His message to mankind. This one-of-a-kind graphic novel is a faith builder for people of all ages.
124 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Ben Avery
124 books55 followersA believer in the need for positive, all-ages entertainment, Ben Avery created and wrote Zondervan’s graphic novel series TimeFlyz and the comic book miniseries ArmorQuest to entertain readers with an exciting story, but also inspire and encourage readers to stand up and make a difference in their world. Avery’s comic book career began when he was selected by George R.R. Martin to work as the script adaptor of the comic book fantasy mini-series The Hedge Knight, based on novellas by the New York Times bestselling author. After that, Avery went on to co-write/co-create the critically acclaimed Lullaby and The Imaginaries for Image Comics, co-create and write the children’s literature inspired fantasy The Oz/Wonderland Chronicles, develop and write the historical epic Kingdoms for Zondervan, and the sequel mini-series The Hedge Knight II, published by Marvel Comics. In addition to writing, he has been an English teacher, a college resident director, and a youth treatment specialist for sexually abused children. Avery lives in Indiana with his wife and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 10, 2013
Ben Avery has written a fascinating story of how the Bible we hold in our hands came into being. Javier Saltares has illustrated it with art that ranges from beautiful to breathtaking. I read a lot of big books and deep theology, but I was raised on comic books and I love an interesting and visually striking graphic novel. For this work of nonfiction to be so well researched and so magnificently illustrated is a marvelous combination. Though I’ve read several books on how we got our Bible, I learned a lot more in The Book of God, and had fun in the process. This book will reach an audience that would never read the same information in a conventional volume. I predict a higher level of reader involvement, inspiration and retention due to the combination of engaging text and stunning artwork. Congratulations to Ben, Javier and Kingstone Media on this terrific achievement. I look forward to reading more books of this kind.
November 11, 2014
I was provided a free e-book version of this graphic novel for the purpose of this article.
The graphic novel is unlike any other I've encountered to date (though I'm hesitant to claim it's the only one of its kind). It's almost a docucomic--a seeming shot-for-shot storyboard outline for an interesting 4-part documentary series on Biblical historicity. And it works. The panel-to-panel movement creates an easy read, and the insert drawings of historical persons and events serve as perfect cutaways while narration continues.
Speaking of which, the narrator is an unexpected but welcome departure from the usual individual one might see in this type of thing--that of a silver-haired, white man in a gray suit. Rather, Book of God features a semi-casual but well-dressed African American who presents an avalanche of information without ever coming across as cliche, kitschy, or dull (not to say that an Anglo presenter would not work, but such a character would feel more obvious or assumed).
Inasmuch as I liked the look and feel of the narrator, I also loved the fact that he was both nameless and title-less (a choice I had used also for the protagonist of my novel, Stronghold). Doing this made the narrator truly feel like a sort of everyman or, at the very least, a layperson who could not only grasp and retain the information presented but also communicate it well. This is a subtle but powerful cue, because it informs the reader's feelings that they too can understand and convey the book's wealth of facts. We are not led to feel like the audience of a doctoral lecture but rather a presentation by a fellow student who is sharing with us some of what he has learned.
And make no mistake, Book of God teaches the reader a great deal. The presenter deftly covers dense information regarding the Bible's contents, its development over the ages, and its reliability as a truthful and well-preserved collection of documents. This not only gives one an interesting history of the Bible but also a strong foundation on which to build an apologetic for its value.
These multiple virtues--the unexpected but relatable narrator, the wealth of information, and the application of it to form a baseline apologetic make Book of God not only a old graphic novel but a wildly ambitious one. The result is a great primer on Biblical historicity, particularly for the reader who would be unwilling to dive into a more exhaustive, scholarly tome.
I find Book of God more endearing the more I think about it; and it's a book I'd recommend to anyone looking for a brief but informative look at the Bible and its path from ancient writings to modern collection. Beyond that, Book of God also explains why the Bible carries the weight and value that it does both as historical treasure and spiritual library. And that's something worth sharing as well.
The graphic novel is unlike any other I've encountered to date (though I'm hesitant to claim it's the only one of its kind). It's almost a docucomic--a seeming shot-for-shot storyboard outline for an interesting 4-part documentary series on Biblical historicity. And it works. The panel-to-panel movement creates an easy read, and the insert drawings of historical persons and events serve as perfect cutaways while narration continues.
Speaking of which, the narrator is an unexpected but welcome departure from the usual individual one might see in this type of thing--that of a silver-haired, white man in a gray suit. Rather, Book of God features a semi-casual but well-dressed African American who presents an avalanche of information without ever coming across as cliche, kitschy, or dull (not to say that an Anglo presenter would not work, but such a character would feel more obvious or assumed).
Inasmuch as I liked the look and feel of the narrator, I also loved the fact that he was both nameless and title-less (a choice I had used also for the protagonist of my novel, Stronghold). Doing this made the narrator truly feel like a sort of everyman or, at the very least, a layperson who could not only grasp and retain the information presented but also communicate it well. This is a subtle but powerful cue, because it informs the reader's feelings that they too can understand and convey the book's wealth of facts. We are not led to feel like the audience of a doctoral lecture but rather a presentation by a fellow student who is sharing with us some of what he has learned.
And make no mistake, Book of God teaches the reader a great deal. The presenter deftly covers dense information regarding the Bible's contents, its development over the ages, and its reliability as a truthful and well-preserved collection of documents. This not only gives one an interesting history of the Bible but also a strong foundation on which to build an apologetic for its value.
These multiple virtues--the unexpected but relatable narrator, the wealth of information, and the application of it to form a baseline apologetic make Book of God not only a old graphic novel but a wildly ambitious one. The result is a great primer on Biblical historicity, particularly for the reader who would be unwilling to dive into a more exhaustive, scholarly tome.
I find Book of God more endearing the more I think about it; and it's a book I'd recommend to anyone looking for a brief but informative look at the Bible and its path from ancient writings to modern collection. Beyond that, Book of God also explains why the Bible carries the weight and value that it does both as historical treasure and spiritual library. And that's something worth sharing as well.
October 27, 2014
I learned a lot while reading this book. It conveys so much information in a simplistic way. Because of the pictures, reading it was like watching a documentary that is narrated.
December 30, 2014
the history of the Bible on comics...superbly done!
February 13, 2023
Fabulous well-researched graphic novel about the origins of the Bible. It covers it all, up to current archeological discoveries. The illustrations are compelling.
August 1, 2019
A good resource for explaining the historical and textual validity of the Bible. Long winded at times, with some of the visuals somewhat stagnant, still a highly recommended resource. Those of us committed to the authority of the Bible as God's word to us need more of this, particularly for the education of our children, and to explain the Scripture to those outside the faith.
For more by Kingstone Media, see:
The Kingstone Bible Trilogy, 2016
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For visually simplified reference of charts on this topic, see the first section, as referenced in my review, here
Book of Bible Charts &etc, Rose Publishing, 2003
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more by Kingstone Media, see:
The Kingstone Bible Trilogy, 2016
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For visually simplified reference of charts on this topic, see the first section, as referenced in my review, here
Book of Bible Charts &etc, Rose Publishing, 2003
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 18, 2020
I read this in a back-and-forth style with my nine-year-old son. We read 6-8 pages separately and then found time to talk about the things we learned. I’d studied textual criticism and resolved most of my questions about the reliability of the Bible prior to reading this, but I knew this would be helpful for my inquisitive son. However, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Now I feel equipped and strengthened. This unique format allowed for me to take this epic journey with my son.
This covered the organization of the Bible, the councils that codified it, as well as the various translation philosophies that have existed. It excelled in posing questions that I hadn’t considered, but even more so in not dispelling them with simplistic answers. Proving the Bible’s reliability takes work. It takes treating our revered Book with the reverence it deserves, fleshing out the trustworthiness of it by analyzing it as a manuscript worthy of scrutiny.
This won’t be for the casual reader. You’ll need to refer back to the Bible many times. And, you may need to brush up on your Reformation history too. Also, if you’ve not heard much about biblical archeology, you’re in for treat because this book covers the recent findings, right up to the present day. In short, the scope is broad (but just as big as it should be), the information is extensive (but not like a textbook), and the presentation is beautiful (even if you don’t like comics). Thanks Kingstone!
This covered the organization of the Bible, the councils that codified it, as well as the various translation philosophies that have existed. It excelled in posing questions that I hadn’t considered, but even more so in not dispelling them with simplistic answers. Proving the Bible’s reliability takes work. It takes treating our revered Book with the reverence it deserves, fleshing out the trustworthiness of it by analyzing it as a manuscript worthy of scrutiny.
This won’t be for the casual reader. You’ll need to refer back to the Bible many times. And, you may need to brush up on your Reformation history too. Also, if you’ve not heard much about biblical archeology, you’re in for treat because this book covers the recent findings, right up to the present day. In short, the scope is broad (but just as big as it should be), the information is extensive (but not like a textbook), and the presentation is beautiful (even if you don’t like comics). Thanks Kingstone!
July 25, 2020
This is a nicely put together graphic novel. The author does a good job of presenting his view in four sections, the production of the Bible, the process, the preservation and the proof. Overall, he does a great job walking the reader through the conservative point of view on the inspiration of Scripture. This is fine, because that is exactly what he claims he wants to do. The story is well illustrated and most of the facts are correct. He does an especially nice job in the OT process. I would have liked to see more in the NT process. In the NT section, he mostly describes who wrote which books and the general themes. I would have liked to see more of a narrative of why each book was written when it was. He also didn't get the Tischendorf story right, but there are so many sources that get that one wrong I can't blame him too much. Overall a good read for someone interested in an introduction to the evangelical view of inspiration.
August 20, 2021
I have spent much time reading a college text book on the writing, compilation and history of the printed Bible. But for someone not as interested, or not able to dedicate the time to an in-depth text, this is a wonderful alternative.
This accessible graphic novel proves itself to be well researched and accurate. It is a great primer for the young. Where this books struggles is the dryness of the topic. The pictures help, but it is still a pretty straight forward historical non-fiction. But is succeeds in making an obscure topic important for younger readers. I think plenty of middle and high school aged children will be greatly benefitted by reading this book. I think adults will benefit as well.
This accessible graphic novel proves itself to be well researched and accurate. It is a great primer for the young. Where this books struggles is the dryness of the topic. The pictures help, but it is still a pretty straight forward historical non-fiction. But is succeeds in making an obscure topic important for younger readers. I think plenty of middle and high school aged children will be greatly benefitted by reading this book. I think adults will benefit as well.
September 28, 2018
This was a really impressive graphic novel, that had a wealth of information in it, but shown in an easy to grasp practical way. This is a great entry point into learning more about how we got the bible and how there are so many different versions. It also explains some of the general differences between the translations, past and more recent archaelogical finds. The book cites several other materials and lists them in the back, so if you enjoyed the subject you can dive into a bit further depths. I actually learned quite a bit more than I thought I would with this and really enjoyed it. There really should be more people to pick this up and read it.
November 6, 2018
the book of God is a amazing book ,it’s very informational and true where do the Bible come from how was it put together. And it’s a Graphic Novel!!
November 6, 2018
This is one of my favorite graphics novel. It's a great way to learn about the book of life the Bible. And the way it's written its great!!
January 1, 2020
If you've ever had thoughts on the Bible being sloppily and inaccurately translated, THINK AGAIN. Beautiful graphic novel!!
January 26, 2021
This was very informative, and a great format for presenting this important information. I could see this being beneficial to people of all ages.
December 4, 2021
This is a non-fiction graphic novel explaining the Bible, how it's canon was found, and evidence for its veracity.
It's a solid book. It covers a lot of ground but remains engaging and it's very well-organized. The more you're aware of the topic, the less you'll get out of it, but there were a few things I didn't know about and others that it was great to see portrayed in graphic novel form.
This is the type of book I'd like Christians who want to address a non-fiction format to model their efforts on. Instead of producing a thin fiction plot with weak characters to make their points, just find a good illustrator, write engaging prose around it, and explain what you're wanting to say in an engaging way. Well done.
It's a solid book. It covers a lot of ground but remains engaging and it's very well-organized. The more you're aware of the topic, the less you'll get out of it, but there were a few things I didn't know about and others that it was great to see portrayed in graphic novel form.
This is the type of book I'd like Christians who want to address a non-fiction format to model their efforts on. Instead of producing a thin fiction plot with weak characters to make their points, just find a good illustrator, write engaging prose around it, and explain what you're wanting to say in an engaging way. Well done.
August 16, 2021
Is the Bible from man or from God? Is there any evidence that it is different from other books? With the many years that have passed and the number of translations that have been produced, how can we be sure that the Bible we have is the same as the authoritative, infallible original? Are we sure that we have all of the books that should be included or are some missing, only yet to be discovered? There are many questions that can be asked of the Holy Scriptures.
The back cover of The Book of God: How We Got the Bible is reminiscent of the formatting of the text at the beginning of a Star Wars movie, an interesting way to entice people to read about the story of The Book of God. It certainly captured my attention. Upon arrival, I left this book on our coffee table to see how long it would take for someone to peruse it. Given the graphic novel format, it wasn't surprising to find that it didn't take much time for The Book of God to garner some attention for itself from my children, which was more than I could say about the other, slightly outdated "How We Got the Bible" book that we were scheduled to read. Clearly, this presentation won my kids over and makes this book unique among other books containing similar information.
The Book of God: How We Got the Bible is comprised of four parts: "The Production of the Bible (How the Bible Was Written)", "The Process of the Bible (How the Bible Was Selected)", "The Preservation of the Bible (How the Bible Spread)", and "The Proof of the Bible (How the Bible Has Survived and Is Trustworthy)". Ben Avery did a good job of honestly answering many questions surrounding the Bible, concisely summarizing this information and offering a gentle introduction to the subject. I commend it to those seeking to be better educated concerning the substantial evidence that confirms God's hand in preserving His Word for our generation.
*Many thanks to Kingstone Comics for providing me with a complimentary copy of The Book of God: How We Got the Bible in exchange for my honest opinion!
The back cover of The Book of God: How We Got the Bible is reminiscent of the formatting of the text at the beginning of a Star Wars movie, an interesting way to entice people to read about the story of The Book of God. It certainly captured my attention. Upon arrival, I left this book on our coffee table to see how long it would take for someone to peruse it. Given the graphic novel format, it wasn't surprising to find that it didn't take much time for The Book of God to garner some attention for itself from my children, which was more than I could say about the other, slightly outdated "How We Got the Bible" book that we were scheduled to read. Clearly, this presentation won my kids over and makes this book unique among other books containing similar information.
The Book of God: How We Got the Bible is comprised of four parts: "The Production of the Bible (How the Bible Was Written)", "The Process of the Bible (How the Bible Was Selected)", "The Preservation of the Bible (How the Bible Spread)", and "The Proof of the Bible (How the Bible Has Survived and Is Trustworthy)". Ben Avery did a good job of honestly answering many questions surrounding the Bible, concisely summarizing this information and offering a gentle introduction to the subject. I commend it to those seeking to be better educated concerning the substantial evidence that confirms God's hand in preserving His Word for our generation.
*Many thanks to Kingstone Comics for providing me with a complimentary copy of The Book of God: How We Got the Bible in exchange for my honest opinion!
June 3, 2013
I was surprised by how good a chronicle this was (which may also reveal some bias on my part when starting it). Imperfect, of course, but a cut above many, many other works produced by Christian publishers either on the history of their scripture or in the quality of their graphic novels. Recommended (to Christians and non-Christians alike).
January 22, 2016
Really good loved it and learned alot!!!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews