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The Judas Curse #1
The Awakening
The Awakening is a tale of immortals, ancient gods, and a Detective who doesn’t believe in any of it. Detective Ben Stanford is forced to come face to face with theology, mythos and everything he refused to believe in as his world is turned upside down by Mark, the immortal Gospel writer, who requests the detective’s help in finding his missing companion, Judas Iscariot.
As Ben dives deeper into the world of broken Theology, ancient religions and terrifying Greek gods, he’s forced to come to terms with the world where vast forces struggle in their endless game of power. He must make his way, with the help of companions he doesn’t believe in or trust, to try and stop a potential global disaster.
As Ben dives deeper into the world of broken Theology, ancient religions and terrifying Greek gods, he’s forced to come to terms with the world where vast forces struggle in their endless game of power. He must make his way, with the help of companions he doesn’t believe in or trust, to try and stop a potential global disaster.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2012
107 people are currently reading
1131 people want to read
About the author
Angella Graff
11 books119 followersAngella Graff was born and raised in the desert city of Tucson, Arizona. She married and became a mother very young, and after getting started with her family, began her University studies where she found her passion for creative writing, history and theology.
She now resides in Tucson with her husband, three children, one dog, and four cats. When not writing, Angella works as an editor and maintains a small shop on etsy.
She now resides in Tucson with her husband, three children, one dog, and four cats. When not writing, Angella works as an editor and maintains a small shop on etsy.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 59 reviews
April 5, 2015
Half way through this book, I stopped and actually went to look at what readers were saying concerning this book. I was surprised to see so many favorable reviews. This book is definitely a strange mixture of tales. Mixing the gospel writer Mark, possession, the ancient gods and Judas Iscariot in one story makes for an outlandish tale. This writer clearly has an imagination. The characters are not particularly like able. Ben, is pig headed beyond all reason, Abby is so needy and naive and Mark is secretive to the point of absurdity. In the end , what this book really needs is a good editor. I've never seen so many confusing and poorly constructed sentences in one book. Please find a good editor or someone to give you feedback before you publish another book.
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March 14, 2015
Couldn't finish this one. Found the characterization and dialogue unrealistic. Ironically, I felt the 2000 year old mystery figure more realistically written than the reality based hard boiled detective. Also many editing errors... the last straw came when someone was "effected" by an experience... I couldn't go on.
December 30, 2012
The Awakening (The Judas Curse) by Angella Graff
The Awakening was a fast read with enough action and suspense to keep me coming back page after page. Graff does an excellent job in engaging the reader and pulling them into her story. Her well thought out tale moves along fluidly. It's one of those books that has you guessing about what's coming next and I found that more often than not, I guessed wrong! I loved that! Books that have thin plots don't hold my attention. Graff will definitely keep you guessing.
The characters in the book were carefully crafted and created if a bit stereotypical. From Ben, the hard-nosed cop who believes in little if anything, to Abbey, his wide-eyed, full of faith sister, to Mark, the mysterious driving force behind much of the book, Graff creates characters that the reader can relate to and care about. As I said, the basic formula she uses is a little stereotypical but, hey, if it aint broke, don't mess with it! I enjoyed getting to know each person in the book and am hopeful that Book Two will be available soon!
The story is set in San Francisco (a place I've never been). Graff does an excellent job in setting the stage for each new scene. Her use of description is fantastic and really makes the story come to life. I could almost smell the coffee brewing at one of the cafes Ben and the other characters stopped by. I'm a sucker for good description and Graff doesn't disappoint here!
I was, however, a little disappointed in the editing of this work. There were many places where words were misspelled, missing, or simply incorrect. Many of them were simple errors that spell-check would miss but a careful reading would quickly identify and make easy to correct. Did the lack of editing bother me? Yes. In places, some awkward sentences caused me to go back and re-read what I'd already read and pulled me out of the story. I only mention the editing errors here because I want to be completely honest when I review a book. I would definitely want to know that this was a concern if I relied on a review before buying a particular book.
Let me be clear, though, I really liked this book! Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and found myself making time to keep going! Graff has created something special and I'm looking forward to Book Two and the continuation of this tale.
I rate this book a strong 4 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of suspense, mythology, and religious themed fiction. There's almost a Da Vinci Code quality to this work. If this book were edited a little more thoroughly, I would definitely raise my rating from 4 to 5 stars. If 4.5 stars were an option, that would be my actual rating! I just felt I couldn't give a 5 star rating until some additional editing had been done.
Well done, Ms. Graff! I look forward to your next installment! Pick this book up - you won't be disappointed!
The Awakening was a fast read with enough action and suspense to keep me coming back page after page. Graff does an excellent job in engaging the reader and pulling them into her story. Her well thought out tale moves along fluidly. It's one of those books that has you guessing about what's coming next and I found that more often than not, I guessed wrong! I loved that! Books that have thin plots don't hold my attention. Graff will definitely keep you guessing.
The characters in the book were carefully crafted and created if a bit stereotypical. From Ben, the hard-nosed cop who believes in little if anything, to Abbey, his wide-eyed, full of faith sister, to Mark, the mysterious driving force behind much of the book, Graff creates characters that the reader can relate to and care about. As I said, the basic formula she uses is a little stereotypical but, hey, if it aint broke, don't mess with it! I enjoyed getting to know each person in the book and am hopeful that Book Two will be available soon!
The story is set in San Francisco (a place I've never been). Graff does an excellent job in setting the stage for each new scene. Her use of description is fantastic and really makes the story come to life. I could almost smell the coffee brewing at one of the cafes Ben and the other characters stopped by. I'm a sucker for good description and Graff doesn't disappoint here!
I was, however, a little disappointed in the editing of this work. There were many places where words were misspelled, missing, or simply incorrect. Many of them were simple errors that spell-check would miss but a careful reading would quickly identify and make easy to correct. Did the lack of editing bother me? Yes. In places, some awkward sentences caused me to go back and re-read what I'd already read and pulled me out of the story. I only mention the editing errors here because I want to be completely honest when I review a book. I would definitely want to know that this was a concern if I relied on a review before buying a particular book.
Let me be clear, though, I really liked this book! Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and found myself making time to keep going! Graff has created something special and I'm looking forward to Book Two and the continuation of this tale.
I rate this book a strong 4 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of suspense, mythology, and religious themed fiction. There's almost a Da Vinci Code quality to this work. If this book were edited a little more thoroughly, I would definitely raise my rating from 4 to 5 stars. If 4.5 stars were an option, that would be my actual rating! I just felt I couldn't give a 5 star rating until some additional editing had been done.
Well done, Ms. Graff! I look forward to your next installment! Pick this book up - you won't be disappointed!
October 26, 2013
I will be purchasing the second book in this series very soon.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into The Awakening. I read the description and was intrigued, but the concept seemed a bit hard to swallow. Angella Graff proved me wrong.
The first qualifier for good fiction, in my opinion, is character. Ben, Mark, Abby, Greg and Stella are fully-formed, believable people with depth, weaknesses and desires the reader can easily relate to, despite their... odd... circumstances.
I hate spoilers, so I will avoid revealing much about the plot. Graff, a Theologian, explores the basis of religion from a fantasy standpoint without preaching a message or condemning any faith. While the theories surrounding the origins of Christianity may seem far-fetched to some, and possibly offensive to others, the story is handled with skill and poignancy.
I cannot recommend The Awakening enough. Buy it. Read it. You'll love it.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into The Awakening. I read the description and was intrigued, but the concept seemed a bit hard to swallow. Angella Graff proved me wrong.
The first qualifier for good fiction, in my opinion, is character. Ben, Mark, Abby, Greg and Stella are fully-formed, believable people with depth, weaknesses and desires the reader can easily relate to, despite their... odd... circumstances.
I hate spoilers, so I will avoid revealing much about the plot. Graff, a Theologian, explores the basis of religion from a fantasy standpoint without preaching a message or condemning any faith. While the theories surrounding the origins of Christianity may seem far-fetched to some, and possibly offensive to others, the story is handled with skill and poignancy.
I cannot recommend The Awakening enough. Buy it. Read it. You'll love it.
February 5, 2013
I loved it! Well written and thought out quite literally wanted to read it from beginning to end in one session! Characters were belivable and rounded, story and plot was easy to follow. I hope there is a sequel and oneday a film!
January 9, 2020
This was not much at all how I thought it would be from the backtext. The backtext is accurate about what's in the book, and I was definitely interested, and yet it doesn't mention that all these fantastic elements are fit into a relatively normal detective story framework.
The religious angle is a bit uneven. The way in which Ben and his sister deal with direct exposure to things that spawned Christianity is tired and irritating. But the actual take on what exactly happened to get Christianity going, and who is what is quite original. I particularly like that the two characters Graff chose to use are Mark and Judas Iscariot.
Similarly with the ancient gods. Their introduction is done smoothly and fits into the story, though I'm still not sure how the author pulled that off. Yet the potential in the story isn't realized. Instead of quite so much main character investigation and angst and hiding out, we should see more activity on the part of these gods. Especially when the story is over 400 pages. Almost all we get until the final scene is a comatose patient getting up and flashing his eyes at Ben.
It's a pretty good setup, and even though I still can't figure out why, the setting actually feels like it makes sense to me. Mark and Judas are completely different beings from the ancient gods, which should be a bad thing. Why does it work?
I give bonus points for stories taking place in places I've lived. This one manages to get two, San Francisco and San Diego, and even finally not too far away in Washington State. That's enough to make it a solid three stars for me, but I wouldn't recommend it unless the back text grabs you the way it did me.
The religious angle is a bit uneven. The way in which Ben and his sister deal with direct exposure to things that spawned Christianity is tired and irritating. But the actual take on what exactly happened to get Christianity going, and who is what is quite original. I particularly like that the two characters Graff chose to use are Mark and Judas Iscariot.
Similarly with the ancient gods. Their introduction is done smoothly and fits into the story, though I'm still not sure how the author pulled that off. Yet the potential in the story isn't realized. Instead of quite so much main character investigation and angst and hiding out, we should see more activity on the part of these gods. Especially when the story is over 400 pages. Almost all we get until the final scene is a comatose patient getting up and flashing his eyes at Ben.
It's a pretty good setup, and even though I still can't figure out why, the setting actually feels like it makes sense to me. Mark and Judas are completely different beings from the ancient gods, which should be a bad thing. Why does it work?
I give bonus points for stories taking place in places I've lived. This one manages to get two, San Francisco and San Diego, and even finally not too far away in Washington State. That's enough to make it a solid three stars for me, but I wouldn't recommend it unless the back text grabs you the way it did me.
July 11, 2022
This was a tentative pickup for me. I find religious mythology in books really fascinating, but I'm not usually into books written from an explicitly Christian perspective (or I miss the point of them, as I famously did, age 7, when I told my parents there was absolutely no way that the Chronicles of Narnia had anything to do with Christianity, obviously the talking lion is just a talking lion).
The Awakening's rich worldbuilding worked very well for me. I thought the Christian themes were used thoughtfully but it was still accessible to me as a reader from another faith. However, unfortunately, neither the plot nor the characters grabbed me, so this wasn't a favorite.
The Awakening's rich worldbuilding worked very well for me. I thought the Christian themes were used thoughtfully but it was still accessible to me as a reader from another faith. However, unfortunately, neither the plot nor the characters grabbed me, so this wasn't a favorite.
October 5, 2018
First time reader of this author and now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative series. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
May 19, 2017
Great read !!!
It had me turning pages and wouldn't let me put it down. I can't wait to see the next chapter in this series!!
It had me turning pages and wouldn't let me put it down. I can't wait to see the next chapter in this series!!
March 22, 2018
Loved it
March 30, 2023
a wonderful surprise
I was not expecting this book to be what it was. I can’t recommend it enough. The concept is interesting and fresh, and the plot lines carry through well.
I was not expecting this book to be what it was. I can’t recommend it enough. The concept is interesting and fresh, and the plot lines carry through well.
January 11, 2024
This was such a terribly written waste of time.
August 8, 2016
Hmmm, well that was an unexpected thriller. I've started another series dealing with a similar premise. Judas is alive and "well". Well not well but he's alive in modern times. He cannot die. That is his "curse" for betraying Jesus. But this book takes a slightly different approach. He is "cursed" but I still don't know why. There is MUCH more to it than the 30 pieces of silver we are all taught. It is eluded to but no straight answer is given. It is said more than once that they cannot tell us because it would cause a new religious war, etc.
Its a great book. Very interesting characters. Very interesting concept. The ending is a true ending (shocking since I know its a series). Meaning its open ended to lead into the next book but the adventure we were on has come to a close. Then the epilogue...all two paragraphs of it...makes me want to download the next book ASAP. I need to know why. Don't you want to know why? I am hoping in Book 2 Ben, Mark, Jude, Greg, and Abby figure SOMETHING out. At the very least someone tell me why these two people are immortal and have Jesus powers! The gods of old are real. Not just the Christian God from the bible but all of them. They have a plan to upend humanity and its up to two immortals, a vessel, a true believer, and a detective to save us all.
Its a great book. Very interesting characters. Very interesting concept. The ending is a true ending (shocking since I know its a series). Meaning its open ended to lead into the next book but the adventure we were on has come to a close. Then the epilogue...all two paragraphs of it...makes me want to download the next book ASAP. I need to know why. Don't you want to know why? I am hoping in Book 2 Ben, Mark, Jude, Greg, and Abby figure SOMETHING out. At the very least someone tell me why these two people are immortal and have Jesus powers! The gods of old are real. Not just the Christian God from the bible but all of them. They have a plan to upend humanity and its up to two immortals, a vessel, a true believer, and a detective to save us all.
January 28, 2013
What if one of the Disciples was in fact, a long-lived humanoid species who was still alive today? What if, in fact, he had fudged some important details of what became the New Testament in order to save humanity from the civilized savagery represented by the Roman Empire? What if, as a means of elevating Jesus to a moral counterweight to Rome, he and Judas conspired to reveal Jesus’s whereabouts to Rome, but to remove Jesus from the crucifix under cover of night (bribing a few helpful centurions along the way), and use Judas’s miraculous talent for healing to put Jesus back together? No, this isn’t a Templar journey, or a Rosicrucian tale, because the Greek Gods are trying to come kicking and scratching their way back into history.
If Angella Graff were merely writing a fantastical retelling of theology, it would make for interesting reading, but she actually creates two present-day characters that get caught up in all this, and then makes the reader care about these normal humans with typical life expectancies. By placing Ben, a detective who refuses to believe anything in the first paragraph of this review despite ample evidence to the contrary, and Abby, his sister, who believes everything and is even working for the Disciple who took liberties with the truth in order to create Christianity as a tool against Rome, the writer gives us a stake in the outcome of the plot.
Things get started when Ben, suffering from a terminal brain cancer, encounters a stigmatist, that is, someone who can spurt blood from the wounds of Jesus on the cross. This isn’t Jesus, who according to the timeline of The Awakening, is a human with a normal life span (presumably healed and secreted off to Aix-en-Provence to create the Knights Templar). It’s Judas, who is simply unable to function in modern society. Judas is this great healer, and he heals Ben even while the detective rushes to Judas’s aid. Then Judas goes unconscious and is snatched by …someone.
The bulk of the book deals with the rescue plot of tracing Judas and getting him out of captivity. In this more-or-less straightforward plot line, Graff is self-assured and cinematic, setting up scenes of rising and falling tension that work up to the big finish. Nonetheless, Graff plays on the polarity of Ben and his sister Abby, one a skeptic almost to the end on the other deeply enmeshed in her belief, to explore the issue of faith and love outside of simple theology.
I would recommend that the reader check her personal faith at the door, and join Angella Graff on this journey of “What it?” Mainline theology will be waiting for you when you put the book down – but that might take awhile. This is a captivating read.
If Angella Graff were merely writing a fantastical retelling of theology, it would make for interesting reading, but she actually creates two present-day characters that get caught up in all this, and then makes the reader care about these normal humans with typical life expectancies. By placing Ben, a detective who refuses to believe anything in the first paragraph of this review despite ample evidence to the contrary, and Abby, his sister, who believes everything and is even working for the Disciple who took liberties with the truth in order to create Christianity as a tool against Rome, the writer gives us a stake in the outcome of the plot.
Things get started when Ben, suffering from a terminal brain cancer, encounters a stigmatist, that is, someone who can spurt blood from the wounds of Jesus on the cross. This isn’t Jesus, who according to the timeline of The Awakening, is a human with a normal life span (presumably healed and secreted off to Aix-en-Provence to create the Knights Templar). It’s Judas, who is simply unable to function in modern society. Judas is this great healer, and he heals Ben even while the detective rushes to Judas’s aid. Then Judas goes unconscious and is snatched by …someone.
The bulk of the book deals with the rescue plot of tracing Judas and getting him out of captivity. In this more-or-less straightforward plot line, Graff is self-assured and cinematic, setting up scenes of rising and falling tension that work up to the big finish. Nonetheless, Graff plays on the polarity of Ben and his sister Abby, one a skeptic almost to the end on the other deeply enmeshed in her belief, to explore the issue of faith and love outside of simple theology.
I would recommend that the reader check her personal faith at the door, and join Angella Graff on this journey of “What it?” Mainline theology will be waiting for you when you put the book down – but that might take awhile. This is a captivating read.
December 11, 2012
“Awakening” is a gripping detective story with a supernatural or religious twist – depending on your believe system. Benjamin Stanford finds himself confronted with a whole bunch of his own, personal problems – such as career issues and health challenges. When his sister gets involved with a man who claims to have biblical connections and recruits Benjamin to help him track down another mythical creature with healing powers, I had just as many issues with this information as the investigating Benjamin.
Since the “Da Vinci Code” we are a little bit more familiar with persistent doubt about the authenticity of everything that is seen as ‘gospel’ by the Bible and the affiliated Churches. While Dan Brown uses these themes on an entertainment level without addressing and resolving the underlying issues, Angella Graff is out to explore the themes with a little more substance - a necessary factor to avoid the dangers of unconvincing or questionable conspiracy theories – or trivialising them.
I was a little apprehensive as to what the message of the book would be. I can assure you that there is no attempt being made to preach you a different gospel, the biblical setting seems merely a little push to think outside the box, but the author stays well within the set limits of the fantasy genre.
I loved the observations and thoughts about religion and organised religion, not all of them new to my ears but very nicely put.
The story is very well written, with great detail and dialogue and the reading experience was almost compulsive. I wanted to know desperately what was going to happening next. With one eye still on the bigger picture and the question of genre, I eventually got sucked into the story completely and in my mind it played out like a crime noir movie with Humphrey Bogarde staring in it; very moody and captivating.
I think the story is great, an excellent idea backed up by deep and meaningful discussion of actual issues, such as the dogma of religion(s). Angella Graf has a huge talent in story-telling and even more so in writing. Her words flow so easily and effortlessly and captivated my attention easily. I did enjoy reading this book a great deal and am looking forward where the next instalment will take us.
I am giving it a very well deserved 5 out of 5.
Since the “Da Vinci Code” we are a little bit more familiar with persistent doubt about the authenticity of everything that is seen as ‘gospel’ by the Bible and the affiliated Churches. While Dan Brown uses these themes on an entertainment level without addressing and resolving the underlying issues, Angella Graff is out to explore the themes with a little more substance - a necessary factor to avoid the dangers of unconvincing or questionable conspiracy theories – or trivialising them.
I was a little apprehensive as to what the message of the book would be. I can assure you that there is no attempt being made to preach you a different gospel, the biblical setting seems merely a little push to think outside the box, but the author stays well within the set limits of the fantasy genre.
I loved the observations and thoughts about religion and organised religion, not all of them new to my ears but very nicely put.
The story is very well written, with great detail and dialogue and the reading experience was almost compulsive. I wanted to know desperately what was going to happening next. With one eye still on the bigger picture and the question of genre, I eventually got sucked into the story completely and in my mind it played out like a crime noir movie with Humphrey Bogarde staring in it; very moody and captivating.
I think the story is great, an excellent idea backed up by deep and meaningful discussion of actual issues, such as the dogma of religion(s). Angella Graf has a huge talent in story-telling and even more so in writing. Her words flow so easily and effortlessly and captivated my attention easily. I did enjoy reading this book a great deal and am looking forward where the next instalment will take us.
I am giving it a very well deserved 5 out of 5.
January 28, 2013
The Awakening by Angella Graff
Great Urban Fantasy with Religious Theme
I received this book in return for an honest review.
"Awakening" is a compelling supernatural detective story with a biblical theme. Detective Ben Stanford finds himself forced to confront his own belief system and resolve childhood issues throughout the story. When he would have simply walked away from the matter and written the whole incident off as a fluke or mechanical glitch, his sister gets involved, brings her own obsessions into play and further complicates matters by bringing in a colleague of hers that Ben thinks is some type of religious cultist- crackpot. They drag the die-hard skeptic into their dilemma claiming impossible biblical connections, mythological creatures and possession just to start.
This book reads very much like Dean Koontz's "Frankenstein" series with the tone and development of the characters. There are many characters and it is just that constant intrigue that keeps you pulled in thinking you know what will happen next when there is another surprise twist. I love surprises and kept up with the character changes quite well.
While most automatically compare novels written with a religious concept to that of Dan Brown, I feel that this one stays firmly in the realm of a good urban fantasy. The writing did seem to lag just in a few spots making you feel like the writer was struggling to regain the flow, but the cliff-hanger ending pulled it all together.
The story is very well written, and at times I felt like I wanted to strangle Ben's character. That is the sign of a great writer that they can make you get invested personally into the story. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is an urban fantasy fan. I am looking forward to reading the book in the series and where the story goes from here! I am giving it a very well deserved 4.5 stars.
by Sonia Taylor Brock
Great Urban Fantasy with Religious Theme
I received this book in return for an honest review.
"Awakening" is a compelling supernatural detective story with a biblical theme. Detective Ben Stanford finds himself forced to confront his own belief system and resolve childhood issues throughout the story. When he would have simply walked away from the matter and written the whole incident off as a fluke or mechanical glitch, his sister gets involved, brings her own obsessions into play and further complicates matters by bringing in a colleague of hers that Ben thinks is some type of religious cultist- crackpot. They drag the die-hard skeptic into their dilemma claiming impossible biblical connections, mythological creatures and possession just to start.
This book reads very much like Dean Koontz's "Frankenstein" series with the tone and development of the characters. There are many characters and it is just that constant intrigue that keeps you pulled in thinking you know what will happen next when there is another surprise twist. I love surprises and kept up with the character changes quite well.
While most automatically compare novels written with a religious concept to that of Dan Brown, I feel that this one stays firmly in the realm of a good urban fantasy. The writing did seem to lag just in a few spots making you feel like the writer was struggling to regain the flow, but the cliff-hanger ending pulled it all together.
The story is very well written, and at times I felt like I wanted to strangle Ben's character. That is the sign of a great writer that they can make you get invested personally into the story. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is an urban fantasy fan. I am looking forward to reading the book in the series and where the story goes from here! I am giving it a very well deserved 4.5 stars.
by Sonia Taylor Brock
May 26, 2015
*Disclosure - This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Oh my gosh - I enjoyed reading this book SO MUCH. I love conspiracy theories and stories that involve any type of theology. Reinterpretations of religious history, reinterpretations of the bible, I enjoy the heck out of them. I was raised Catholic and still call myself a Catholic, and I have always interpreted the Bible as written by man and completely symbolic in nature (I in no way have ever believed the world was created in 7 days - literal bible interpretations drive me bonkers).
The twists and turns and the combinations of different theological beliefs was fascinating. You can tell Angela really did her research for the book. And I love her interpretations of world religions and ancient gods. There was a teasing amount of background story, but it keeps you guessing and gives wonderful anticipation for the next installment. There is action and mystery, and I spent the entire book angry at Ben. That's probably because I'm a believer in the supernatural myself. I cannot wait until the next book in the series!
Do yourself a favor, and get lost in the pages of this book!
REVIEW UPDATE:
I have now gotten through this book a second time, this time as an audio book, so this part of my review is based on the audio book only.
I still enjoyed the story very much, and the review of the story remains the same. As an audio book, it was very enjoyable. The narrator had a very expressive reading voice, and very individual and distinct voices for each person. The voices weren't as I imagined them, but they fit the characters nicely, and I really really ended up hating Abby, who I don't remember being so bothered about in the first place.
Worth a listen, as it was worth the read!
Oh my gosh - I enjoyed reading this book SO MUCH. I love conspiracy theories and stories that involve any type of theology. Reinterpretations of religious history, reinterpretations of the bible, I enjoy the heck out of them. I was raised Catholic and still call myself a Catholic, and I have always interpreted the Bible as written by man and completely symbolic in nature (I in no way have ever believed the world was created in 7 days - literal bible interpretations drive me bonkers).
The twists and turns and the combinations of different theological beliefs was fascinating. You can tell Angela really did her research for the book. And I love her interpretations of world religions and ancient gods. There was a teasing amount of background story, but it keeps you guessing and gives wonderful anticipation for the next installment. There is action and mystery, and I spent the entire book angry at Ben. That's probably because I'm a believer in the supernatural myself. I cannot wait until the next book in the series!
Do yourself a favor, and get lost in the pages of this book!
REVIEW UPDATE:
I have now gotten through this book a second time, this time as an audio book, so this part of my review is based on the audio book only.
I still enjoyed the story very much, and the review of the story remains the same. As an audio book, it was very enjoyable. The narrator had a very expressive reading voice, and very individual and distinct voices for each person. The voices weren't as I imagined them, but they fit the characters nicely, and I really really ended up hating Abby, who I don't remember being so bothered about in the first place.
Worth a listen, as it was worth the read!
May 8, 2013
I wasn't sure if I like this book or not. The first chapter had me hooked, but I'm not a great big fan of religious novels. It was however, a fascinating, if a tad drawn-out read. I felt like skipping over sections at times and wondering why all the mystery, however I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense. I did put the book down a few times to yell at Mark - "Just tell Abby your story already and be done with it!" I'm still not even sure what Mark's true power is, other than that it has to do with writing. Why is that so bad? Judas seems to have the best of the talents - healing and raising the dead. Kinda cool if you ask me.
My favorite part in this book: (Spoiler)
"The Bible was penned by men, Abigail. The Epistles of Paul were penned by that evangelist salesman and his students, desperate to bring mystery and excitement into a quiet philosophy, turning it into a religion promising the secret of an afterlife, answers to questions that previously no one could answer. Always remember, Abby, words written by men have an agenda. Sometimes their agenda is for the better, but it's usually for the self, and that almost always leads down a dangerous path."
I liked this part in particular because I was raised Christian/Lutheran and had many of these same thoughts and discussions with myself that Abby and Mark have in this book. It really brought me closer to the characters and had me feeling Abby and Ben's transformations in a more personal way. I didn't feel as if I was being preached at or told not to follow Christianity, but I did feel as if this book wanted you to really think about what you're being taught. Why do you follow your beliefs as you do? What is it that you believe in? Why is Abby so friggin special?
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's looking for suspense, along with a chance for some introspection in a very complex, interesting read.
My favorite part in this book: (Spoiler)
"The Bible was penned by men, Abigail. The Epistles of Paul were penned by that evangelist salesman and his students, desperate to bring mystery and excitement into a quiet philosophy, turning it into a religion promising the secret of an afterlife, answers to questions that previously no one could answer. Always remember, Abby, words written by men have an agenda. Sometimes their agenda is for the better, but it's usually for the self, and that almost always leads down a dangerous path."
I liked this part in particular because I was raised Christian/Lutheran and had many of these same thoughts and discussions with myself that Abby and Mark have in this book. It really brought me closer to the characters and had me feeling Abby and Ben's transformations in a more personal way. I didn't feel as if I was being preached at or told not to follow Christianity, but I did feel as if this book wanted you to really think about what you're being taught. Why do you follow your beliefs as you do? What is it that you believe in? Why is Abby so friggin special?
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's looking for suspense, along with a chance for some introspection in a very complex, interesting read.
January 6, 2013
*I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Slightly longer than the books I have been reading over the last few months, however not so long that I got bored. The further I got into the story, the more complex and interesting it got, and the last few chapters were addictive!
A light read is good when you are in the mood but the best books are the challenging ones, the ones that make your brain tick. The Awakening definitely falls into the latter. The book incorporates a mix of Christianity, Greek Gods, the idea of hosts and vessels and much ,much more.
I don’t want to say too much about the book but I enjoyed the mystery that surrounded it. There were a lot of characters to learn about and at times it could become confusing but each character’s personality was described in detail, so I felt I could differentiate their individual traits more easily.
My favourite characters were Ben and Mark. Ben was a sceptic and I liked that about him. Even when the proof was infront of him confirming that he had been healed of his brain tumour by Judas’ touch, he sought a rational scientific explanation. The Greek side of Greg made me laugh, he was so carefree and unlike the human doctor!
Mark on the other hand was a surprise, especially the whole blind act. I felt incredibly sad for him because his mysterious curse was always holding him back and because of his immortality he was all alone, aside from his missing companion.
There was a cliffhanger ending and it was beautifully written! Such an unexpected twist that I never could have imagined.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone in need of a different type of paranormal type mystery.
Thank you Angella, and I look forward to the next read!
Zed (:
Slightly longer than the books I have been reading over the last few months, however not so long that I got bored. The further I got into the story, the more complex and interesting it got, and the last few chapters were addictive!
A light read is good when you are in the mood but the best books are the challenging ones, the ones that make your brain tick. The Awakening definitely falls into the latter. The book incorporates a mix of Christianity, Greek Gods, the idea of hosts and vessels and much ,much more.
I don’t want to say too much about the book but I enjoyed the mystery that surrounded it. There were a lot of characters to learn about and at times it could become confusing but each character’s personality was described in detail, so I felt I could differentiate their individual traits more easily.
My favourite characters were Ben and Mark. Ben was a sceptic and I liked that about him. Even when the proof was infront of him confirming that he had been healed of his brain tumour by Judas’ touch, he sought a rational scientific explanation. The Greek side of Greg made me laugh, he was so carefree and unlike the human doctor!
Mark on the other hand was a surprise, especially the whole blind act. I felt incredibly sad for him because his mysterious curse was always holding him back and because of his immortality he was all alone, aside from his missing companion.
There was a cliffhanger ending and it was beautifully written! Such an unexpected twist that I never could have imagined.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone in need of a different type of paranormal type mystery.
Thank you Angella, and I look forward to the next read!
Zed (:
April 2, 2013
WHAT IF?
“What if” are the same words I asked my students at the university when I instructed the sociology of religion. Angella Graff will have you asking yourself those same exact words throughout Awakening, the first book in her Judas Curse series.
Is it an urban fantasy or a religious fantasy? You bet ya its both but that’s not all. The Awakening is suspenseful, thrilling and filled with conspiracy theories tantalizing the reader every step of the way.
Meet Benjamin Stanford, a skeptical detective with a lot of personal baggage including brain cancer. He meets Judas, a stigmatist who, in the end heals Benjamin in more ways than one. Can Judas really be who he proclaims to be?
Awakening will have you sitting spell bound asking similar questions as the story tantalizes the reader into turning pages.
The author did an excellent job in researching and organizing religious history then twisting it just enough not to offend the average reader. Great job Angella! You held me spell-bound for hours. Angella’s story is well written with attention paid to every detail. Her dialog is fresh and believable. Its not very often I get sucked into a “religious” story but this one held me from the opening page till the end. Not once did I feel the author’s attempt to persuade the reader by her own personal beliefs. Angella Graff sets a new standard for religious fantasy writing.
I will mention that I received a copy of this book for an honest review and was somewhat apprehensive to read it since I tend to stay away from religious and inspirational type books. What a pleasant surprise I found waiting inside the pages of this book. How could I not give her five stars?
“What if” are the same words I asked my students at the university when I instructed the sociology of religion. Angella Graff will have you asking yourself those same exact words throughout Awakening, the first book in her Judas Curse series.
Is it an urban fantasy or a religious fantasy? You bet ya its both but that’s not all. The Awakening is suspenseful, thrilling and filled with conspiracy theories tantalizing the reader every step of the way.
Meet Benjamin Stanford, a skeptical detective with a lot of personal baggage including brain cancer. He meets Judas, a stigmatist who, in the end heals Benjamin in more ways than one. Can Judas really be who he proclaims to be?
Awakening will have you sitting spell bound asking similar questions as the story tantalizes the reader into turning pages.
The author did an excellent job in researching and organizing religious history then twisting it just enough not to offend the average reader. Great job Angella! You held me spell-bound for hours. Angella’s story is well written with attention paid to every detail. Her dialog is fresh and believable. Its not very often I get sucked into a “religious” story but this one held me from the opening page till the end. Not once did I feel the author’s attempt to persuade the reader by her own personal beliefs. Angella Graff sets a new standard for religious fantasy writing.
I will mention that I received a copy of this book for an honest review and was somewhat apprehensive to read it since I tend to stay away from religious and inspirational type books. What a pleasant surprise I found waiting inside the pages of this book. How could I not give her five stars?
May 12, 2016
"The Awakening is a tale of immortals, ancient gods, and a Detective who doesn’t believe in any of it. Detective Ben Stanford is forced to come face to face with theology, mythos and everything he refused to believe in as his world is turned upside down by Mark, the immortal Gospel writer, who requests the detective’s help in finding his missing companion, Judas Iscariot.
As Ben dives deeper into the world of broken Theology, ancient religions and terrifying Greek gods, he’s forced to come to terms with the world where vast forces struggle in their endless game of power. He must make his way, with the help of companions he doesn’t believe in or trust, to try and stop a potential global disaster."
This cover text surely sounded interesting, and the book did not disappoint in delivering. Everything you thought you knew about the Bible has been put upside down as Ben tries to find Judas, while at the same time protecting his sister and solving a murder case which seems to be tied into all this.
I personally found the narration style a bit dragging at times, the story did not draw me in as much as I thought it would, and the characters a bit dark and sombre for my taste.
On the whole, though, an enjoyable read of the first volume in a series of five books (I think). Not sure yet if I want to continue.
As Ben dives deeper into the world of broken Theology, ancient religions and terrifying Greek gods, he’s forced to come to terms with the world where vast forces struggle in their endless game of power. He must make his way, with the help of companions he doesn’t believe in or trust, to try and stop a potential global disaster."
This cover text surely sounded interesting, and the book did not disappoint in delivering. Everything you thought you knew about the Bible has been put upside down as Ben tries to find Judas, while at the same time protecting his sister and solving a murder case which seems to be tied into all this.
I personally found the narration style a bit dragging at times, the story did not draw me in as much as I thought it would, and the characters a bit dark and sombre for my taste.
On the whole, though, an enjoyable read of the first volume in a series of five books (I think). Not sure yet if I want to continue.
December 18, 2013
Religious fiction is not really my usual bag, but urban fantasy (for want of a better word, and I think there probably is...) is. When I came across this book with its clear Christian allegories, but also its promise of involving Christian, Greek, Roman and Norse gods and mythology I had little idea of how that was going to work. Rightly or wrongly, in my head I had these religious beliefs partitioned off as separate belief systems and so couldn't get my head around anything that joined them all up into one world.
After a slightly slow start which saw our hero Ben Stanford investigating what he thinks to be just the usual homicide, the pace really gets going and I found myself loving the way that Angella Graff did mix up the apparently separate religions. As an atheist myself I also loved some of the things that Mark (he who wrote The Bible) said about what his 'actual' intentions were.
My only criticism of this (if this can be counted as criticism), the first in a series of books, would be that at times the pace of the novel can be a little too breakneck. At times I wanted Angella to just slow down, show us a bit more of the scene, and let us enjoy being with this truly fascinating and disparate cast of characters. Not less dialogue, just a bit more description...
After a slightly slow start which saw our hero Ben Stanford investigating what he thinks to be just the usual homicide, the pace really gets going and I found myself loving the way that Angella Graff did mix up the apparently separate religions. As an atheist myself I also loved some of the things that Mark (he who wrote The Bible) said about what his 'actual' intentions were.
My only criticism of this (if this can be counted as criticism), the first in a series of books, would be that at times the pace of the novel can be a little too breakneck. At times I wanted Angella to just slow down, show us a bit more of the scene, and let us enjoy being with this truly fascinating and disparate cast of characters. Not less dialogue, just a bit more description...
July 6, 2013
For some reason it took me awhile to get hooked onto this book. The beginning was pretty slow paced and I had no idea where the writer was going to take me. Ben is a straightforward detective who sees life very black and white. While having some strange occurrences happen in his professional and personal life, and intertwining them eventually, Ben gets dragged into a world he refuses to believe.
Graff takes her own spin on many religious theories. She connected ancient gods (Norse and Greek for example), immortality, and Christianity into her own unique vision. This is a major "what if" book and I had to finish once I got further into the story. One of the downfalls is that she crams many religions/theology into one plot. Yet, I personally found it easy to follow and loved all of the references.
Some may find this book hard to understand, but I liked the new perspective. The Awakening has a very insightful/chilling ending that makes me want to continue with this series to find out what happens next.
Jessica Humphrey
~Co-Author of Love During Death~
Graff takes her own spin on many religious theories. She connected ancient gods (Norse and Greek for example), immortality, and Christianity into her own unique vision. This is a major "what if" book and I had to finish once I got further into the story. One of the downfalls is that she crams many religions/theology into one plot. Yet, I personally found it easy to follow and loved all of the references.
Some may find this book hard to understand, but I liked the new perspective. The Awakening has a very insightful/chilling ending that makes me want to continue with this series to find out what happens next.
Jessica Humphrey
~Co-Author of Love During Death~
January 26, 2013
If the prologue doesn't grab you and hold you to your seat, then nothing will but keep reading because this one is a nail biter and will make you use your brain, make you think and maybe even make you cry.
Angella Graff has you spell bound and hooked from the beginning.
Who is this man we meet in the prologue? Turn the pages, meet Abby, Mark.Jude, Ben and Greg. Follow them on their journey where one's beliefs will be questioned, another asked to believe in what they feel is impossible and a Doctor with hidden secrets. Who do you believe, who do you trust? Will your own beliefs be questioned,hold steadfast?
How did Mark and Jude become immortal forced to walk our earth for centuries, unable to die. Who is Nike, what does she want from Mark and Jude why is Abby captured. What length will Ben go to protect and save his sister.
Definitely a surprise at each turn, make sure to have your tissues handy, who knows you may just need them.
Angella Graff has you spell bound and hooked from the beginning.
Who is this man we meet in the prologue? Turn the pages, meet Abby, Mark.Jude, Ben and Greg. Follow them on their journey where one's beliefs will be questioned, another asked to believe in what they feel is impossible and a Doctor with hidden secrets. Who do you believe, who do you trust? Will your own beliefs be questioned,hold steadfast?
How did Mark and Jude become immortal forced to walk our earth for centuries, unable to die. Who is Nike, what does she want from Mark and Jude why is Abby captured. What length will Ben go to protect and save his sister.
Definitely a surprise at each turn, make sure to have your tissues handy, who knows you may just need them.
December 10, 2015
The Awakening was truly an incredible book. While you have to put aside your own views on faith and what you believe to a certain extent, Angella Graff has come up with a unique perspective on Bible stories as we know them intertwining the God we know with the ancient Gods of Greece and Rome. While it is told through the eyes of Ben and his younger sister, Ben is a detective who only believes in things proven by fact while his sister, a teacher, is very devout and lives according to the beliefs of her faith. Introduce one who wrote a bit of the Bible and his companion to offset the power-hungry ancient Greek Gods and an amazing story unfolds before you. I cannot say much more without giving away too much. But what I can say is if you are up for a powerful book based in spirituality, Christian faith, and Greek mythology this book will make you think and it is one you won't want to put down!
September 18, 2015
If you are a sucker for historical & mythological mysteries, I hope you can live with all scheduled and routine things getting pilled up.
The book gets its grip right from the starting and there is no rest to that. Language is simple, yet so strong that it leaves not the words, but questions in your mind. It completely engulfs you as if you are in the story and watching all the characters dancing around you. While you simply enjoy the story, you start questioning your beliefs as well.
Two things that hit me:
1) It has 4 more books of the series and Im sure, once you are done with this, you wont be able to stop yourself from reading rest of the books of "The Judas Curse" series.
2) If the world is built on legends, to keep human moral & ethics of high standards, do we really know if the legends has reached us in the exact way it happened or came to us as more of a story!
Seems like a great work to me from Angella Graff.
Happy Reading Peeps \m/
The book gets its grip right from the starting and there is no rest to that. Language is simple, yet so strong that it leaves not the words, but questions in your mind. It completely engulfs you as if you are in the story and watching all the characters dancing around you. While you simply enjoy the story, you start questioning your beliefs as well.
Two things that hit me:
1) It has 4 more books of the series and Im sure, once you are done with this, you wont be able to stop yourself from reading rest of the books of "The Judas Curse" series.
2) If the world is built on legends, to keep human moral & ethics of high standards, do we really know if the legends has reached us in the exact way it happened or came to us as more of a story!
Seems like a great work to me from Angella Graff.
Happy Reading Peeps \m/
December 28, 2012
The first few chapters grabbed me and pulled me into the story line. Approximately 60% through the book, it started to become disconnected. In the end, the crescendo of the book was little more than blip, leaving the reader not wanting more, but simply dissatisfied. It seemed like a movie that was rushed to go to market with the best parts probably left on the cutting room floor. All in all, I felt the book attempted a unique story line of ancient gods, but came down as a weak plot. I also got the sense that the author was intentionally trying to mock some religious beliefs that went beyond the actual story line. Lastly, I cannot tolerate misspellings in books, of which there were several..too many for it to be considered cleanly vetted for publishing.
May 18, 2015
Murder mystery, thriller action adventure meets theology. An interesting combination but it worked for me. Yes, fantastical, escapist, unbelievable but a jolly good read made so by the challenges to religious history as we know it. The idea that the Christian bible we know today is so far removed from the actual events of the time it purports to describe isn't too far from believable if we consider the effects of being lost in translation over time. However, it's important to point out that this isn't an assault on Christianity, it's origins and beliefs, it's simply a piece of fiction which created some interesting characters and an easy to follow plot.
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