In the Beginning

Mars Origin "I" Mystery #1

by Abby L. Vandiver

Man only uses ten percent of his brain. What if he had the ability to use the other ninety percent?
What if he already has?
Perhaps the history you've been taught wasn't the truth.

A fifty year old journal.
2,000 year old manuscripts hidden with the Dead Sea Scrolls . . .
The answer to Earth's ancient mysteries revealed.

In 1949, Dr. Amos Sabir is assigned to translate four manuscripts that were found in Cave #4 at Qumran. Dr. Samuel Yeoman, Editor-in-Chief is tasked with presenting the information contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls to the world. Neither is prepared to share what they find. Even if it means they have to lie or kill to keep it secret.

History repeats itself. Unfortunately for mankind, arrogance and greed are a part of human nature. And that same human nature that almost drove mankind to extinction thousands of years ago, is rearing its ugly head - again.

In 1997 Justin Dickerson, Biblical Archaeologist, and self-proclaimed re-creator of history, is finding little purpose to her existence as of late. She jumps at the invitation to attend the 50th Jubilee of the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls to help with the remaining needed translations. Instead, a chance discovery of a journal of one of the original translators of the famed manuscripts sets her off on a path that will unravel the foundation of mankind’s belief of his origins forever. Obsessed with the possibility that history has purposely been destroyed, she is soon faced with the shocking discovery of what really happened In the Beginning . . .

Not fast paced or action packed, In the Beginning is a thought-provoking story that'll make you wonder if it could really be true.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction

335 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 2013

About the author

WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Abby L. Vandiver is the author of three cozy mystery series - Logan Dickerson, Normal Junction, and Tiny House, and one mystery sci-fi series, The Mars I Origin. She also penned a historical fiction book, At the End of the Line with Kathryn Dionne.

Recently, Abby contracted with Henery Press for the three-book Romaine Wilder series. The first book, Secrets, Lies and Crawfish pies will be out in June 2018.

Abby is a former lawyer and college professor of Economics. She spends her free time reading, watching mystery movies and enjoying her grandchildren.

Reviews

[Jason Parent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always admire a book that bravely tackles controversial topics. In the Beginning is not a Christian book in the preaching sense. In fact, I wouldn't put it past the Catholic Church to call the novel heretical. The work certainly finds its premise in overtly Christian themes, mainly the Book of Genesis and the origin of humanity on Earth. Through a work of fiction (and should be read as such), the author confidently offers an alternative view of mankind's beginnings, all wrapped in conspiracy spanning more than fifty years.

Vandiver's writing is intelligent and well researched. She expertly weaves her fiction into fact, namely the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the controversies plaguing their translation at the time. From Chapter 1 on, she raises questions and provokes thought, sending me to research certain concepts I was only vaguely aware of. It's not often that a novel sparks my interest in theology and history enough to send me researching or to constantly inspire thoughts beyond the four corners of its pages. In short, not only is In the Beginning a captivating read, but it is also . . . dare I say it . . . educational. I mean that in the most positive way.

The story follows Justin Dickerson in her quest to unravel the truth about missing manuscripts allegedly found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. What could have been in these manuscripts that was so shocking that those trusted with their possession would go to such great lengths to keep them secret? In her quest for answers, Dickerson's travels take her to Jerusalem and then to the Qumran caves themselves, all the while not knowing if some questions should stay unanswered.

My only criticism with the novel concerns it's pacing. The first chapter sets me up for a fast-paced thriller with a conspiracy at its heart. The conspiracy is present to some degree (the author satisfyingly deals with this), but I would consider In the Beginning at times more literary fiction than thriller. The detailed philosophical conversations add to the book's depth, but sometimes slow its pace.

Still, a top-notch read with a strong (non-religious) message from a smart writer. The author wraps it up nicely with an absolutely perfect epilogue. This author is one to keep an eye on.

[Lex Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was all set for a thriller. I expected a Dan Brown or James Rollins kind of reading ride. I’d latched my seatbelt, gripped the sides of my Kindle Fire, right thumb at the bottom corner ready to tap the next page up as fast as my eyes could read the words and… it didn’t happen. There was no wham-bam-thank you-ma’am race to an unbelievably exciting conclusion that would, were it not fiction, set the world on its ear and usher in a new era of understanding about mankind’s birth on the planet we call Earth.

There was no race. Instead, I got a detailed, family oriented story revolving around Justin, a Biblical Archeologist and sister among a group of highly educated and successful siblings. I read some excellent character building and dialogue that was so real; the bantering reminded me of similar times with my own siblings. In my mind’s eye I simply changed the faces of the fictional characters to those of my brothers and sisters.

I read a story that was exquisitely built so that everything came perfectly together and provided that aforementioned, unbelievably exciting conclusion that, even though it is fiction, could set the world on its ear and usher in a new era of understanding about mankind’s origin on the planet we call Earth... and our ancestors called, “the third planet”. Yes, you read correctly. I wrote “ancestors”.

I’m sure that there are some “strings” left untied, but damned if I can figure out what they might be because Ms Vandiver seems to have covered every possible instance where the reader could say, “yeah, but what about…?” There are no holes, no chance for a missed factoid that the reader could use to discount the entire theory of man’s origin on “the third planet”. I dare say that the ending is so well done, so believable that many will rethink their religious education, many will recognize the verisimilitude of the conclusions made and many more will be eager for the sequel. I am… very eager.

[Ceet Ceet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have to admit that I’ am somewhat conflicted about this book. In the beginning (no pun intended) the premise and first chapter hooked me right in. An ancient manuscript is discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and once translated is found to be damaging to the world and religion as we know it. The mystery of it all, and the execution by the author had me excited to read more.

Then the book split off into the life of the main character Justin Dickerson, a biblical archeologist whose life revolved around the discovery of artifacts. I didn’t find much to like about Justin. To me she seemed insensitive, arrogant and mean. At first I attributed these characteristics to the depression that she was experiencing, but that depression wasn’t played out as much as Justin’s bad attitude towards her family and friends. It seemed like her favorite descriptions of her family and friends were “dumb” and “stupid”, even when they were trying to help and support her throughout her quest. For a moment I thought I might not be able to finish this book, and then I got to chapter ten, and that’s when it all picked up.

Dr. Dickerson made a key discovery and chose her path to the answers she sought, and once again I was excited about reading more. But then the author used the entire next chapter to have Dr. Dickerson convince her brother Greg to accompany her on her quest. This sort of killed the momentum for me.

There were several ebbs and flows in the action of this sort. At one point, Dr. Dickerson had actually translated the contents of the manuscripts, but those contents weren’t revealed to the reader for another three or four chapters. To me this made the book too long, and created several instances of repetitiveness, redundant points made, and repeated ideas. I have to admit that I skimmed over some parts to get back to the action, which were the best and most intriguing parts of the book.

When the story focused on the mystery of the manuscripts, and Dr. Dickerson’s quest to uncover the secrets behind them, this book was as good as anything I’ve ever read, but those parts were too few and far between. I also liked how it infused facts with fiction. I actually looked up some historical facts because of this read. There was a ton of religious and historical information in the book, some seemed forced into the story, but some were well-placed and executed, and opened my eyes to things I didn’t already know.

All in all, I think this book was a pretty good read that could’ve been better with some trimming. This author has an obvious skill for crafting a compelling story and a keen grasp on her subject matter. I would recommend this book to those interested in religious themes, mysteries and epic quests.

Also, there were some errors within the book that I noticed, though nothing that hindered the reading experience.

[John Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist. I also enjoy pondering the question of "where did we come from?" and "are we truly alone out there?", so Abby L. Vandiver's IN THE BEGINNING was right up my alley. Even though the topic she covers have been covered many times before (apparently the novel was originally written in the late-1990s), Vandiver's plot is fresh, her research and attention to detail is top-notch, and her characterizations are true. I especially enjoyed the 'flashbacks' involving the Editor in Chief of the Dead Sea Scrolls Samuel Yeoman. It is during these sequences that Vandiver's writing is at its absolute best - rivaling any historical adventure tale I've ever read. I actually wished this particular story line would have been fleshed out even more.

But the bulk of the story is told through the more than capable narration of Justin Dickerson, a Biblical Archaeologist who suffers from a bad case of 'glass half empty' syndrome. I did enjoy Justin as a character, and the interactions between her and her family members did at time provide much needed comic relief. But at time her angst was a bit too much, and I kept wondering to myself at what point does her (rather large) family step in and get her some honest to goodness help. She made no effort to hide her depression, but the reaction of most people she encountered was laughter or insults. That was a bit hard to swallow. There are also times in the book where Justin becomes so obsessed with her quest that she puts her children on the backburner completely. Her husband is good-natured and supportive throughout, but at some point I expected him to crack, or at least chide her a little bit. He never did, and that is a bit hard to believe.

But these are minor quibbles. On balance, IN THE BEGINNING is a wonderful read, and Ms. Vandiver has the makings of a master storyteller. If you've ever asked yourself "where do we REALLY come from?", then this book is for you. It's well-written, thought-provoking, and very entertaining.

[Kathryn Dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where did we come from? It is a question that lies deep within the hearts of man. Abby Vandiver creates a very compelling story centered around this theme. Her story combines fact with fiction and is beautifully driven by her complexed characters. The author has masterfully told this well-conceived story through the eyes of Justin Dickerson, a depressed and tormented biblical archaeologist in search of her purpose. But when she begins to translate a lost Dead Sea scroll, what she discovers contradicts everything she's been taught, making her question her beliefs and her sanity. This discovery throws her on an emotional roller-coaster ride with her family and her job. And the only way off this ride is to solve the mystery in front of her.

Ms. Vandiver's ability to write plausible and believable conversations between her characters caused me to relive similar conversations and arguments I had with my siblings. Thank you to the author for the laughs and the re-kindled memories. Well done!

[Marsha Cornelius · Rating 3 out of 5]

A convoluted and tedious plot. At 50+ chapters, this book could be cut in half, and a lot of extraneous fluff removed.
There are lots of annoying jumps in tense. For example: ‘What was he looking at? I wonder is he still smiling. Man, he’s so tall. I glanced down at his legs.’
I couldn’t get into the lead character at all. She’s a biblical archeologist with a hormone problem. She screams, cries, pulls her hair, spins in circles. Her friends and family tease that maybe she is going through menopause, but I think her problems go deeper than that.
How does someone this unprofessional get invited to a 50th anniversary celebration of the Dead Sea Scrolls in Israel? And it is insinuated that she will actually be allowed to see the original scrolls to translate? I couldn’t buy that.
My biggest complaint is the lack of editing. This is another example of an author who doesn’t think she needs – or can afford – a competent editor. (Beta readers in your book club don’t count.) If Stephen King uses an editor, so should you.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author for review. I will say that although I'm not a 'believer', I thought this story was well argued with a strong basis, even if I didn't agree with it.

The writing was very good, except for the typos. I enjoyed the dialogue and the family bond which made this tale believable, giving it an authentic feel.

I have given it five stars because it hooked me and kept me reading despite my opposition to the premise - and I always like something that makes me think.

I don't give spoilers but I will say that yes, it was a good read with an intriguing argument, well told, forcing thoughts to wonder about the mysteries of the universe.

[Nancy Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinary book, with realistic characters, in some cases, irritatingly so – purposefully mastered by the author – and the plot is unpredictable. Great storytelling. Though the writing needs quite a bit of editing, even without it, I found the book, especially the latter half, to be a joy and couldn’t wait to get to the end of it… and am looking forward to see whether I’ll learn the rest of our history in a sequel.

[Allison Kohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning hooked me first because of it's reference to archaeology, it kept my attention because of the interesting characters - if it had no plot, the characters would have kept me reading. The plot, though, is gripping in and of itself. This is a book to read purely for the pleasure of reading. It is an adventure through the minds of human nature and the "what might be or have been".

[L.K. Simonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's easy to see why Ms. Vandiver's debut novel is a Kindle #1 bestseller. The author begins with an engaging premise and tells a great story from there. I loved the ending and I wanted to read the next book in this series. Smart move! Thank you, Ms. Vandiver, for a thoroughly imagined tale, and for telling it well.

[Cate's Book Nut Hut · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a debut novel for this Author, and promises to be the start of a very interesting series if a few of the wrinkles in this one can be ironed out.

The main protagonist came across as a rather unlikeable and extremely arrogant character, and although the Author tries to attribute these characteristics to the emotional state this central person is in it really didn’t come out of the page very well. What could have been used as a really solid basis to explain the motivation, or lack of it, in the main character was left to the reader’s imagination, and in some instances just dismissed all together. Some academics, particularly in the field this character specialises in, are often perceived to be a little eccentric, but this was not even considered when the Author wrote this one. I felt rather cheated in regards to this, as I was hoping for a character more along the lines of famous archaeologists, complete with similar quirks and traits, but all I received was yet another character in a book that could have all their idiosyncrasies explained away by health issues. This made me feel as if the Author was unable to come up with a really intriguing back-story for their main protagonist, so they just pulled something from somewhere else hoping it would work; for me it didn’t.

The action in this novel has a kind of ebb and flow motion to it; when it flows it moves along at a fast paced and captivating speed, with just the right amount of energy needed in this kind of a novel to encourage the reader to keep going on to the end. However, when it ebbs it pulls so far away from the realms of being a readable and absorbing novel that I almost put it on my ‘unable to finish’ stack, which is so small it can hardly be called a stack. The result of these vast lulls in the action had me skimming over pages and pages, so I could get back into the flow again. Another point in the book I disliked were the several instances of repetitiveness that had me doubting my own sanity and made me wonder if I had actually dozed off while reading. There were too many instances of ideas being repeated and rehashed that it became rather insulting to be told, yet again, something the Author had already mentioned numerous times before.

Despite the research done from both a religious and historical perspective when writing this book, I did feel that some of the information used was not at all well-placed or even executed; this was a huge disappointment as those that fit in with the direction the novel was heading were so well written and in these portions it was apparent that the Author has a talent for fusing facts and fiction together. I do feel that if more time had been spent in the proof-reading and editing phase this novel would have been outstanding, as it stands it fell far short.

Despite the low review rating I gave this book I would still recommend it to those readers who enjoy a religiously themed book.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/03/06...




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

[Stefan Vucak · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1949, radical Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts are translated that tell man was not created by God. The editor of the translation committee decides to keep this a secret and buries the manuscripts in the cave where they were found. In 1997, Justin Dickerson, a Biblical archaeologist, is invited to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem to attend the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Scrolls, and to study what could be the Q document, the source from which Matthew and Luke wrote their gospels. Arriving in Jerusalem, she uncovers the editor’s diaries that hint at destroyed manuscripts. The next day, she is informed that she will not be doing any work for the university and returns to the States, certain there is a cover-up surrounding the missing manuscripts.

Dickerson goes back to Jerusalem to track down a possible translation of the manuscripts, and finds the editor’s journals. They tell her where the manuscripts were buried. She recovers them, takes notes of their contents, and returns them to the cave. Translating the notes, they talk about life on Earth originating from the fourth planet – Mars. It held a thriving civilization a billion years earlier than Earth, and the inhabitants carried out genetic engineering on Earth. After destroyed their world, they migrated to Earth, bringing advanced technology to the primitive inhabitants they created, which explains Earth’s legends about ancient gods. Rather than release this explosive information, Justin writes a fiction book. A NASA probe sent to Mars finds evidence of nuclear activity.

‘In the Beginning’ provides an exciting concept about man’s origins, combining known scientific fact about possible life on Mars and how life could have started on Earth. Abby L. Vandiver’s writing is polished and her dialogue compelling, drawing the reader into the story, but the book suffers from several major flaws that tarnish what could have been a great work. Nevertheless, if you are looking for something unusual, ‘In the Beginning’ is still a very entertaining read.

- The initial dialogue between Justin and her sister Claire, and the subsequent family reunion, although well written, is drawn out and mostly irrelevant to the story.
- When Justin arrives in Jerusalem, the narrative is rushed and the storyline underdeveloped. Everything that happens is too convenient, without any drama or tension.
- Chapter Eight, dealing with Sabir’s grieving wife, is irrelevant.
- Finding the hidden manuscripts is far too easy and hardly credible. During the 50 years, others would have ventured into the cave and found them.
- Much of the story after Justin’s return home where she battles with herself and the translation is rambling with little relevance.
- Chapter Thirty-Eight is irrelevant.
- Justin’s character comes across as flighty, emotional, a deranged female, not at all like a trained scientist. This greatly diminishes the story’s credibility.
- The explanation about the origin of life on Earth from inhabitants of Mars is convoluted, confusing and disorganized.

[Colleen Chesebro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Biblical Archaeologist named Justin Dickerson decides that she needs a change to her dull academic lifestyle. She accepts an invitation to attend the 50th Jubilee of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and participates in the last of the translation process regarding the ancient writings. While working on the interpretations of these writings, she stumbles upon a journal that one of the original translators compiled. This amazing artifact propels her to search for humankind’s true beginnings in our world.

The original translator, Dr. Amos Sabir was assigned to translate four manuscripts found in Cave #4 at Qumran in the Judean Desert in 1949. A total of seven scrolls were unearthed and translated. What this group of original translators discover, is evidence so earth-shattering that they hide the findings from the world; burying the secret in plain sight hoping it will not be detected. Until 1997, when Justin finds the notebooks and realizes the hidden translations clarify the true beginnings of our species and our existence on earth.

I love science fiction, history, and mystery novels, so when I stumbled upon this book as a “free” Kindle download I was excited. After the first few pages I knew I had scored an excellent read. I did a bit of my own research and found a great site called Bibleplaces.com which helped to fill in some of the questions I had about the Dead Sea Scrolls, the location of the caves, and the actual condition of the authentic manuscripts. The more I read, the more excited I got. I felt like a researcher too!

However, be prepared. This is not a Dan Brown novel that introduces you to religious conspiracy theories. Instead, Abby Vandriver takes a more realistic course. She tells the tale through the eyes of a woman who has deep religious convictions rooted in the traditions of her tight knit family. The whole concept of the hidden translation is thought provoking and will leave you thinking about the origins of man for a long time to come.

The writing was so well done, that I had a hard time separating fact from fiction. This story was so believable that many times I had to remind myself that this was creative writing at its best, and it was not true. Although, I still cannot help wondering if it could it be true…

If you love books that deal with history, biblical history, The Gnostic Texts, aliens, and the unknown, you will love this rendition on the theme of man’s origins. There are two additional books available in the trilogy: “Irrefutable Proof - Book II” and “Incarnate – Book III.” You can bet that I have both of them on my summer must read list!

RATINGS
Realistic Characterization: 5/5
Made Me Think: 5/5
Overall enjoyment: 5/5
Readability: 4/5
Recommended: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5.0

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Beginning is a tale of two mysteries. One involves a conspiracy surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls and the other grabs the reader to uncover the hidden agenda behind this book. Abby has an interesting writing style. She uses that very feminine tactic of planting an idea in the readers mind with a hint, then bringing it up again later with a nag and finally repeating what has happened before.

This novel starts with a bold prologue declaring a prophetic vision. Chapter 1 begins in Israel during 1949 with the discovery and translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In Chapter 2 we jump to America in 1997 and meet our heroine Dr. Justin Dickerson, a biblical archaeologist. Her parts of this novel are written in the first person.

In the Beginning then swaps time zones quite frequently as Abby hints and nags at what is going on until Chapter 20 when it settles down to 1997. Justin is set on her quest to discover the truth behind the Dead Sea Scrolls. Woven into the story are many issues for the reader to think about and form their own opinions.

I really enjoyed reading this novel which Abby finished writing in 2012. It is available as a 487 KB Amazon Kindle eBook. It is an unusual read because you are always wondering about any hidden agendas. You wonder if this story is one big metaphor and Justin is a spokesperson for certain global issues. All the hints are there but you are uncertain how this story will end.

A big part of this novel is the family life that Justin shares with the reader. Family life has it's joys and excitements, which shows easily as when Justin gets heated Abby enters many typos into the script that were never edited out! Do not let this lack of proof reading put you off as this book is a very good read. It puts many of life's little wonders into perspective as you roll along with this conspiracy tale about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Abby has written a lovely book that is a refreshing change from big name author conspiracy novels. She certainly has that female way of telling a story. After 22 years of being happily married to my wife Gail, it was like her telling the story on our sofa. I fell in love with this book and Justin's character comes across so strong, it feels like she is an old friend. Because this book has been written with such great feminine passion, I will vote it the top score of 5 stars.

When you get to the Epilogue at the end, which is set in America during 2000, it all slowly starts to make sense in your mind. What Abby has done is rather clever and very subtle. After a couple of hours after you have finished this book you realize the back story and the hidden agendas.

[Yawatta Hosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a free copy in exchange for a book review***

I enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow because each chapter was labelled with a place and date. The story switched from the 1940’s to the 1990’s often. It was written through Archaeologist Justin’s first person point-of-view. She was depressed but stayed focused on her job. I admired that she kept moving–some people completely shut down emotionally. Her family was a trip. I loved their back and forth with teasing each other.

Dr. Sabir had interpreted some manuscripts that described creation of man on Earth by man himself. Since the editor-in-chief Samuel Yeoman wanted to hide the book’s secrets, he did whatever necessary. Flash forward to the 1990’s. Justin and her team attended a conference to talk about those manuscripts.

My favorite lines: 1) “Mase,” he continued, “do you know your wife is strange? I mean like borderline mental?” 2) “I’m so sad. I hate my life and I don’t know why.”

I loved the plot. Justin’s boss told her to stop obsessing over the manuscripts, so she asked her brothers and sisters to help her discover the secret. They embarked on a journey to find the hidden manuscripts, then she had the task of having to re-interpret them. It helped that Justin had a photogenic memory. Her life was in danger because an organization went through great lengths to keep the secret hidden. As a reader, I’m all for strong females. I loved that Justin fought for the truth. That she wasn’t swayed to keep her curiosity at bay. I also loved that she was the ringleader in the adventures of solving the mystery.

I wish the story could’ve played out instead of everything being explained to the readers. It could have had more tension and suspense that way.

I have an idiosyncratic personality, so my favorite part of the book was the epilogue. I’m all for conspiracy theories. They’re always fun to dwell over. As a reader, I got a sense that Justin was based off the author’s real life. I wondered if those manuscripts were really real or just an exaggerated version of the truth for entertainment purposes. Either way, it was a great book.

I RECOMMEND this book to read.

[Ginger Gelsheimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read In the Beginning because I love conspiracy theory and in fact, write it myself. I was interested to find out how Ms. Vandiver would weave her story. The concept of the hunt for the missing manuscripts from the Dead Sea Scrolls and what they may uncover was exciting and I kept reading to find out first, if Justin would ever find it and second, what in the world was in it. I liked the intertwine of the characters from the past with Justin, the main character, in the present.

I did have a hard time with Justin because of her constant sobbing and depression and almost childish behavior. Her dialogue was often immature which didn't fit the character that I perceived her as--passionate about her cause and willing to do anything to find it...

I also think there were too many other characters in the set up that made it a little confusing and distracted from the main plot of the story. I must admit, I am more of a action writer though than a super, super deep character developer. I never care what type of salad my own characters are eating, or exactly what they are wearing unless it comes into play in the story, but that is my own personal preference. I know many readers enjoy that kind of detail so that they can put themselves into the scene.

SPOILER ALERT

When she does finally find the manuscript, she lets it sit and collect dust for weeks or maybe months? No way-she would have ripped that scker open immediately! I had to laugh though when she is finally ready to tackle the translation and she doesn't want to stop to pick up her children that she had not seen forever.

I think the book would have flowed much better had the depression issue not overplayed the main action of the story.

The initial lead in to the ending kind of let me down until I realized what she had done in the epilogue and I thought it was clever and fun.

Overall, it was a good book and it will definitely make you think.

[Demelza Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the beginning, I loved the concept. Something like a Dan Brown book, but more the more I read, the more it seemed like A Beautiful Mind, with a much broader conspiracy and a very unusual main character.

I think Vandiver's portrayal of Justin's depressed mindset throughout the book is superb. Frighteningly accurate, she describes Justin's thoughts, actions and reactions to people and events that will ring true for anyone who's experienced the kind of incapacitating depression Justin does. Of course, given Justin's flawed perspective, both events and other characters appear very differently to how they might in a Dan Brown book. Once I got past the slightly alien feeling of it, the story had already caught me and I couldn't do anything else but read to the end. I needed to know what happened.

This book is very much about "the Beginning" in a Biblical sense and it follows that sort of concept. Yes, it's undoubtedly religious with a strong faith element throughout. While I won't spoil the ending, I will say that it's left wide open.

I must give a warning that this book contains a very strong anti-evolution element, with a drawn-out debate in the story that I felt was unnecessary. I felt that the character seemed to stress her need to "prove" that evolution didn't happen a bit too much. The main character described herself as a scientist, but her method of reasoning seemed more like that of a lawyer - looking for evidence to prove her beliefs, rather than observing and making hypotheses based on the evidence she'd found. That's characteristic of her mindset, though - describing something one way while revealing a very different reality.

A solid four stars for an engaging story with a wonderful premise that gave me a unique window into her character's mind.

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

[Emma Jaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s taken me a day to digest this book and consider what to put in a review. My initial reaction was that the plot holes, and the focus on the lead character’s family and mental health issues detracted from the story of searching for the scroll and making the translation, essentially ‘finding out the truth.’
However I think I was looking at the book from the angle of thriller rather than Christian fiction. I gather that the story is loosely based on the author’s family, so the large number of extraneous characters, family arguments and unwavering personal faith make sense, but unfortunately that doesn't help with the flow of the story.
As a thriller or conspiracy theory novel, the plot holes let it down, such as the fact that a Christian biblical archaeologist can read several ancient languages but not Latin. Or that the protagonist is happy to let a man she doesn't know, and doesn't trust break into rooms in the university she’s been invited to, make it difficult to take seriously. Or that no one seems to want to look into the ‘convenient’ death of the first translator, i.e. who is involved in this cover up.
As a walk in a committed Christian’s shoes, trying to ‘prove’ the biblical creationist theory is correct via scientific discovery, it works extremely well. I can honestly say I didn’t like the main character, but the author brought her to life so that her personality quirks were clear to see, and she was consistent, well as consistent as someone with significant mental health issues can be. I can’t say I enjoyed the book, but it was certainly thought provoking, and I found myself quoting extracts to my family, something that’s very uncommon.

[Dustin Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Beginning grabs readers in the opening pages, hitting them with a taut premise, then steps back and grounds the story with solid characters and storylines.

Despite the weighty subject matter of the text, the prose never comes off heavy-handed or as an information dump. Instead, backstory and scientific fact are doled out in manageable chunks, used to move along the story instead of the other way around.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the book though is the extreme attention Ms. Vandiver gives to the family interactions throughout. Anybody that has grown up w/ siblings/close friends knows the kind of banter and challenges that only those closest can provide. It flows free and effortlessly throughout the work, providing a solid grounding for the heady subject matter.

This work will be enjoyed by readers of many genres, whether they be historical fiction, suspense, or self-discovery.

[Rob Rowntree · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Beginning is firmly embedded in the Dan Brown, James Rollins, Tom Knox arena; a book dealing with a secret history, missing Dead Sea Scrolls, and the very origins of mankind. But unlike those other authors, Abby Vandiver has taken a different path. Rather than having her protagonists fighting off peril at every turn, she has engineered a plot revolving around strong family bonds, the versatility families can bring to problems and above all, resilience in the face of ridicule.

A refreshing change of pace in a crowded market place and all the better for it.

The writing’s tight and crisp, and the characters are believable. That said, I would have preferred a firmer grasp of science in the parts where science was used to bolster the plot. That aside, In The Beginning is a good read for those hot summer days.

[Chameleon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book, and it drew me right into the mystery immediately. It's a unique and fresh look at the mystery and conspiracy that surrounded the Dead Sea Scrolls from the moment they were found, and even long after the translations were finally released. There are very few books or movies that I don't have figured out by the time I get to the middle of the second chapter, but not this one, and, in fact, the last four pages found me with my jaw dropped open.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was because of the punctuation errors, and a few grammatical errors. They made the book a little hard to read at times, but be sure, the story was certainly gripping enough to keep me going! I sent my remarks to the author, and I'm sure she will make the corrections as needed, so if you're looking for a refreshing read, I do highly recommend this one!

[Abby Vandiver · Rating 5 out of 5]

More mystery than sci-fi. Not action packed or fast paced but a page turner all the same. An excellent read, first time author Abby L. Vandiver touches upon depression, family relationships, and history and mixes it with humor and suspense creating a true enjoyable, thought provoking read.

Justin Dickerson, a Biblical archaeologist has much personality, coming alive on the pages. She suffers from depression, which has made her mean, paranoid and obsessed. Those, however, work in her favor as she tries to solve the mystery of 2,000 year old manuscripts that may have been destroyed in 1949.

You can't guess the ending on this one. You'll have to read all the way to the end, but you'll enjoy every word of it.

[Bill Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strong 4 stars, especially for the mystery and the originality of the story. The author has an easy to follow style and is particularly strong at bringing the characters alive. Justin, the heroine, is flawed and as a result more interesting.
At the heart of the story is the mystery of where does the human race come from and the story immediately captures our interest. The author builds a believable case for an unusual answer to that question.
For a first novel it is a great success.

[T.R. Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This in many ways is a tale of mystery within which the reader is taken on a virtual treasure hunt. Faith and belief and the fear of being undermined are central to the story. Although biblically based (the protagonist is a Biblical Archaeologist) this is a work of fiction. Those who would naturally shy away from anything religious should think twice because this is more of an adventure story than a critique of faith or belief.

The plot and characters are well written. It is easy to visualise not only the people themselves but also the conversations they have. To quote an old saying, it is ‘like being a fly on the wall’. The plot unravels at a reasonable pace although there are occasions when it gets a little bogged down on detail. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the story too much and is obviously intended to set the background, roots and understandings from which the protagonist is working.

The complete review may be read at: https://trrobinsonpublications.com/20...

[Colleen Bratley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was right up my alley. I loved it. It's sci-fi, archeological basis, biblical insights and thoughts, and full-on facts and theories hit home. I finished it and started the sequel. I was captivated by it. I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down, even though I had to. I love history, and I love figuring things. The creative process of the author was exciting and unexpected. It was fascinating. I actually thought about going into archeology at one time because the mysteries intrigued me so much. Reading this book was way more fun.

If you are not afraid to delve into the mysteries, the unknown, and examine other theories for fun, then you will love this book. It is well written, intriguing, surprising, and extremely entertaining. Abby did a phenomenal job with this book. This is a 5 out of 5 stars with an exclamation point.

[Timothy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up on the book about 30% of the way through. Last year I made it about 20% of the way and stopped to go to a different book. I thought maybe i was in the wrong mood for this story. It wasn't my mood.
The main character is an archeologist and is in her thirties. She has a history of being emotionally unstable. I cannot follow the "logic" of what she is doing. I find her self indulgent and irritating. I will not continue when adult characters are convinced to follow a whim at the cost of thousands of dollars and a week or more of time or "I'm telling Mommy on you."

[William D Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Family Science

This is one I wished I had stopped reading long ago. Family arguments make up 60% of the total novel. The sci fi plot line is not new. Some flaws, my opinion, Marian rocks have Been found in Antarctic 30 years ago. Radioactivity from 500,000 years ago would have been detected.

[Linda Branham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably not one of the best books I have ever read ... BUT I am finding it intriguing. I guess because it makes sense to me LOL

[eLPy eLPy · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning I took to the author’s sassy, moody, neurotic main protagonist Justin, who is female by the way. Not everyone may find her to be all that tolerable given her often crappy mood and pushy disposition when it comes to everyone around her but Ms. Vandiver, the author, builds her up, creating her in such a quirky way that I liked Justin through all her faults. In fact I found myself rooting for her to get out of her funk. I liked her nonetheless; she’s real.

Abby Vandiver is definitely successful in my opinion in hooking the reader you want to know what’s so darn special about this manuscript! I don’t read a lot of sci-fi but this story was for me a new take on an often played out subject which was a nice surprise for me. While at times the writing is a bit slow - the seconds and minutes of the character Justin’s life being drawn out unnecessarily - the author’s skill in writing her characters into real life is there. I like how she develops her characters, like Justin’s family, she gives them all their own distinct personalities and they stand out. As you read this novel you can visualize their actions like real life and you can remember who’s who. Sometimes I’ve read books that have a lot of descriptive narrative and it serves only to slow the book way down and ruin it, and while I said at times this does slow this story down it also serves it greatly. And even though it gets off to a slow start for me the story holds your attention enough and gets you through to figuring out what you want to know, except for the fact that once you get to the end now you have to wait for the next book, which of course all good novels do annoyingly because we as readers just want to know!

In the Beginning isn’t what I’d call an exciting or thrilling book but it is very interesting and well-written. A new take on the old question of Where’d we come from along with a sassy woman who always seems like she’s going crazy plus her quirky relationships with her family members make for a great story. I like too the realness of the family and their relationships although their inclusion in her little adventure roughly half way through feels a bit forced. I can appreciate that the author didn’t draw their trip together out as I had expected but it made the repeated detailed close-ups on Justin’s anxiety and obsession feel that much more over done since it was so fleeting.

I do like the somewhat random chapters in the last third of the book because they set you up for more to come in the future, and even if they don’t amount to anything they’re nice to get you out of the mind of Justin and her personal life. I had plenty of times while reading, like when we finally hear about what some of the manuscript says, where I felt a disappointing cliché was on the horizon but Abby then threw me for a loop. Yeah! One complaint I have though is just how readily she takes to what she learns, how quick she believes it and kind of goes mad and then is very quickly all better or how easily her family goes along earlier and they just get the scripts and take off. These events didn’t feel very natural, a bit forced. (Then again, if you’re family’s a bit crazy…makes sense they’d go along, mine would.)

The book ends with answers yet open-ended as it should but it feels a bit choppy and unrealistic with 2-3 years just passing by and suddenly Justin’s mad craze is just over. Just as above though I have to say THEN AGAIN, when you’re longing for something but you don’t know what it is, you’re uncomfortable being you, when you find what seems to fit you might settle down just so, especially if it relates to your religious convictions without turning everything you believe upside down. BUT I like how it ended overall, I really like how Justin resolves the issues of what she’s going to do with the information and how the author incorporates herself, I’ll just say that. And after all Justin’s moodiness I’m happy for her that she finds peace, humility, and more appreciation for her life. You feel good. The book reads as it should, it’s not over the top exciting but it’s very interesting. I will be picking up the next book I can tell you that. Also, I have to say I’m glad the author’s mother told her to finish this book many years ago and she finally did. Good call. 

If you like mystery, history, biblical, and/or sci-fi (even if you don’t like all of them) you should check this book out. It’s not action but interesting enough. There are some good twists and a fresh take – for me at least – on an old subject, if I may repeat myself again. I would add that after you’ve finished go back and read the Prologue, it’ll make even more sense.

Well done!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Beginning (Mars Origin "I" Series, #1) by Abby L. Vandiver

DISCLAIMER: I was given a copy of this book by the author (via Goodreads/Shut Up and Read/Read It and Reap) in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

ADVISORY: None.

SYNOPSIS / SPOILER ALERT:

This story jumps between storylines in the late 1940s (Dr. Yeoman and Dr. Sabir) as well as the late 1990s (Justin Dickerson, et al.). However, the bulk of the story centers around Justin Dickerson, a Biblical Archaeologist and linguist, her boss and mentor, Dr. Margulies, as well as Justin’s extended family.

The premise of the story is that at the time the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, other documents were found that could have a major impact on the entire world – especially (but not exclusively) those of the Judeo-Christian tradition – and a cover-up ensues.

During a conference in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Justin discovers some journals that allude to the existence of other documents. When she tries to follow up, the journals disappear, and she and her mentor are sent back to the U.S., where they begin to prepare for the upcoming museum tour of the Scrolls.

Justin is going through a major life crisis (bordering on some serious mental instability), so this mystery gives her something to obsess over. She manages to convince members of her family to go back to Jerusalem to track down the missing journals, which may hopefully lead to the documents themselves. Crumbs are followed, which ultimately brings them to some of the materials they are looking for – with disastrous results.

Dejected and even more depressed, Justin tries to work on translating what little she has, but things get even worse when her mentor, Dr. Margulies, dies unexpectedly. She now has to pick up all the tour planning, which she does to honor the memory of her late friend. However, things change dramatically when materials come into her possession from an unexpected source. But she is not prepared for what she uncovers, and she fears that no one else will be.

COMMENTS:

I could have given the book 3.5 stars (if halves were allowed), but just couldn’t round it up to four stars. The concept was interesting and appealing, but the story itself took far too long to develop – only hooking me about two-thirds of the way in. And some of the characters were extremely annoying and hard to warm up to – especially the crying and hysteria of Justin (the main character), as well as some of her family members (like her brother, Greg). However, her husband, Mase, deserves an award for Most Supportive Husband Ever. Also, it seemed a glaring oversight that a multi-lingual Biblical Archaeologist from CWRU would not have ANY skills in Latin. (Not a language of the Bible, but definitely a major player in subsequent writings and translations.) And just what was written on that last page???

However, on the strengths of the last one-third of the book, I would recommend it, and look forward to reading the other books in the series.

NITPICKY GRAMMAR-TYPE STUFF (meant in a helpful way):

There were too many grammatical errors to list (past and present tenses mixed, singular/plural, misplaced or missing punctuation, etc., as well as missed rewrite / change of thought edits). However, these were probably the most glaring: “sister’s Claire’s” (should probably be sister’s or sister Claire’s), “she chucked” (should probably be “chuckled”), “nerve wrecking” (should be “racking” or “wracking”), “twenty-fifty anniversary” (should be “twenty-fifth”, “Smosises” (not a word, was supposed to rhyme with “promises”), “Awarks” (should probably be “Awaraks”), “my life envelope me” (should be “envelop”, not “envelope”).

Special Note: on page 247 of the EPUB, it says “Thank you for taking time to read Incarnate”. Obviously, this is not the correct title of the book.