Dawn: Apocalypse Rising

Windows of Heaven #1

by K.G. Powderly Jr.

Humanity is a race with amnesia, a symptom of physical and psychological trauma. Scars on planet Earth give disturbing testimony of vast upheaval in an earlier age. "The Windows of Heaven" is the 5-novel epic of a past blocked-out of human historical memory. Yet some terrors will not stay forgotten, though our nightmares wish them to. Some horrors will not stay buried for our own good, though we reduce them to children’s fables to escape their lingering shadow… "Dawn Apocalypse Rising" begins the saga of the Seer-Prince, A’Nu-Ahki; a man tormented by dark visions and uncertainty, while burdened by failure and a prophetic destiny too big for him. His rapidly changing world faces seduction by powerful beings from somewhere else. Dragons have begun to migrate in odd patterns, while hidden power-plays and the open revolt of the Titans subvert social and religious institutions dating back to the dawn of time. The integrity of A’Nu-Ahki’s clan disintegrates, as slander against his mother casts doubt on his own lineage. Global conflict looms—a new form of war made possible by the Earth’s abundance and new mechanized techno-sorcery. The Titans of Lumekkor clash with the Giants of the Samyaza Cult, both claiming descent from the new gods. Ancient prophecies come alive, while terrors long dormant shake themselves loose from uneasy slumbers, pulling A'Nu-Ahki into their hungry grip…

340 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2003

Reviews

[Tony Breeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Windows of Heaven is a 5-novel epic retelling of the Biblical account of Noah and the Flood. The epic’s premise is that much of the Sumero-Akkadian mythology and language is revisionist history by a polytheistic people. Author K. G. Powderly Jr. seeks to creatively rediscover the pre-Flood world by unraveling the corruptions committed by later post-Flood peoples.

Powderly has certainly done his research! Drawing together the Biblical account with findings from archaeology [particularly out of place artifacts, or OOPArts: technology that should not exist among primitive peoples as far as the evolutionary version of history is concerned], apocryphal works [like the Ethiopic Enoch (1 Enoch), Slavonic enoch (2 Enoch), the “Lamech Fragment” of the Genesis Apocryphon, historical works [such as Beowulf and Josephus’ Antiquities], and Sumero-Akkadian myths, he creates a possible pre-Flood world full of intrigue, tragedy and adventure.

Some folks will be put off by the fact that elements from apocryphal works, the Talmud, and polytheistic myths are used to flesh out Biblical details. I’d like to underscore a point that the author makes in the Appendix. This is a work of exploratory fiction. The Biblical creationist assumption of history is that other myths and religions are derivative corruptions of the pure history of the Bible. As such, it makes sense to attempt to incorporate elements from early myths under the assumption that they contain a core of Biblical truth. While the Book of Enoch is apocryphal, meaning that it is not part of the Biblical canon and therefore not inerrant, it is quoted from in the New Testament and is considered important to understanding the Bible. The bottom line is, of course, that this is a work of fiction and that the author intends to honor God, the authority of the Bible and the veracity of Biblical history. So give it the benefit of the doubt and keep in mind that you’re reading what might have been, but not necessarily what was.

Some may find the names used in this series distracting at first. You’re not reading about Noah; his name is A’Nu-Ahki, a Seer-Prince of the line of Seth. Q’Enukki? That’s Enoch. Muhet’Usalaq is Methuselah. And so on. Inevitably, you find yourself translating the book as you read it. I found this a little difficult at first, but as I [quickly] got engrossed in the story, I forgot I was doing so at all. One of the advantages of the name changes is that you get to read the story on its own merits.

This book is not for younger teens. It contains frank discussion of sexual sin, a character’s sexual disfunction within marriage, and accounts of the horrors of war. One could argue that these elements also appear in our Bibles [a valid point], but there is also a vision scene near the end that is disturbing on a level that reminds me of similar elements in Peretti and Dekker’s House. I enjoyed House [just as I enjoyed this book], but I wouldn’t recommend that a younger teen read it.

Now down to brass tacks: Powderly has given us an awesome novel.

Most of this book takes place against the backdrop of a war between the giants of Samyaza and the titans of Lumekkor, who each claim to be descendants of the new gods, fallen angels. It is not a war between primitive peoples with swords, spears and arrows. There are zeppelins, rockets, guns, airplanes and even a tank that looks like an Anklyosaur. And, yes, swords, spears and arrows also. Powderly admits that “the level of technology my novels attribute to the pre-Deluvians is purely fictional. They were not cavemen, but they need not have had flight, electricity, and other more exotic technologies I have given some of them for this story.” But they do make for a fun read!

I also love the way he incorporated pre-Flood dinosaurs into the story. Dinosaur is of course a modern word, so Powderly uses more ancient terms for these beasties, using some of creationist Bill Cooper’s research from After the Flood. Powderly gives us behemoths (sauropods), amphipteres (non-crested pterodactyls), gryphons (pteranodons), cockatrice (sickle-clawed raptors), firedrakes (Parasaurolophus), marsh drakes (duck-billed hadrosaurs), gryndels (T-rex!), unicorns (Monoclonius), tricorns (Triceratops), wyverna (horned or crested carnosaurs) and vulch gryphons (Quetzalcoatlus) – which is to say he doesn’t skimp on the dinosaurs! Look for one scene that definitely plays homage to Beowulf. Powderly also has a take on Cyclops and Cherubs that I found intriguing.

Powderly’s Noah, A’Nu-Ahki is a likeable and believable protagonist. The story line takes us through adventure, peril and tragedy. Ultimately, it paints a convincing picture of how a world of fallen men infested with the offspring of fallen angels became a world so corrupt that God judged it with a world-covering Flood. Parts of Dawn Apocalypse Rising are also polemic in nature. Powderly does an excellent job of using the pre-Flood world as a foil to examine our own time – which is only right if the last days will indeed be as the days of Noah!

I definitely recommend Dawn Apocalypse Rising and I can’t wait to start reading the next book in The Windows of Heaven.

You can buy this book on Amazon or find out more about the series at BrokenParadise.com.

-Rev Tony Breeden
From the Bookwyrm’s Lair

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Parker Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is not like reading the biblical narratives that we are used to. Powderly uses both familiar biblical texts and ancients works to bring about a story that is raw, in your face, and a plausible view of the world before the Flood.

One thing that struck me in this book was the correlation between the long life times of our ancestors and their increase in technology. The technology, as the book projects, is different from what we see but it is still advanced in ways not too dissimilar from our own. As I read the book, it struck me that since our fathers lived long lives, it would make sense they would develop sciences, ideologies, and probe their world as they do now.

An aspect some may like is the angelic rebellion. The all controversial verse of the sons of God taking women of earth. For a long time, I held a view that the sons of God were the godly line of Seth. But as Powderly opened up the world of his imagination and what he gleaned from his research, the idea isn't as far-fetched as I once thought. There's a scene when God is talking to the angels and tells them they were not created for the desire of women. The reason why they would desire women is brought forth in the book as well. I'd never thought of it this way and it leaves me intrigued.

Another aspect how Powderly uses the mass amnesia this world has. The people before the Flood were closer to Eden, as it were, than we are today. So the idea one could travel and see the Garden of Eden is absolutely fantastic. The encounter with the Angel guarding the Garden I thought was spectacular. Imagine being able to see Eden for yourself, even from a distance. Yet, as time went on they forgot. There's a scene in the book, right before the Seth character dies of him speaking of his mother, the Mother of us all. She remarks about how little her offspring understood of world and how it is wrecked. The scene replays in my mind long after I finished the book. Adam and Eve knew the earth in perfection. To see it wasted must have been horrific.

Lastly, which brings me back to the point of angels, is the integration of angels and man as perceived in Powderly's world. It is commonplace in the book. The angels are sometimes worshiped but their presence, in various forms, and their offspring, are 'normal'. This, of course, is not seen in today's world. Another thing I have to think about. Even the way before the Flood, if as Powderly's book seems to suggest, the people were able to 'see' God in ways we can only fathom. To feel His presence in a tangible way that we can't comprehend.

The book is richly detailed and the Noah character is one you can relate to. It will take a bit to get used to some of the words and terminology because Powderly uses different names for the biblical characters we are familiar with. Having said all that, I think you will enjoy this take on the Creation story and the world right before the Flood. A fascinating read and a great story.

[Brian Neises · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike anything else I've read. The Prologue and Epilogue are worth it alone!