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The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars
Long before the age of man there lived a race of beings called the Elohim: angels who worshiped and served the Creator. Chief among them was the Archangel known as Lucifer. God's perfect creation: a being who dwelled in the Creator s presence, and who walked in the midst of the Stones of Fire. He was perfect in all his ways...until iniquity was found in him. For never in all of history had Heaven known war. Never until this one angel looked upon his creator in envy and said, I will be God, and the universe would never be the same. How could Lucifer who dwelt in the very presence of God elect to rebel against his creator? What could go so horribly wrong that a 3rd of heaven would turn their backs on God? Many tales have referenced this great angelic war but few have sought to explore the dynamic relationships between God and the angelic hosts. See Lucifer and his actions in a light never before seen. Journey back to the beginning, and see the drama unfold before your eyes: as allegiances are broken, choices made, and why all of creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. The prequel to the Bible is here!
409 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2013
381 people are currently reading
980 people want to read
About the author
Donovan M. Neal
12 books63 followersDonovan M. Neal is the Amazon best-selling independently published author of the Third Heaven Series: a speculative Christian fantasy four book series that explores the captivating story about the fall of Lucifer. The book takes readers on an epic journey through the celestial realms, offering a unique perspective on the events surrounding Lucifer's rebellion and his descent into darkness.
In this imaginative tale, Donovan weaves together elements of Christian theology, angelic mythology, and fantastical world-building. The story delves into the cosmic conflict between good and evil, painting a vivid picture of the spiritual warfare that unfolded in the heavens.
Donovan has published eleven books and is currently working on publishing five more in the year 2023 alone. His books have reached thirteen countries including India, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil and across Europe, Canada and the US. He has sold over thirty thousand units of his books and generated over a quarter million in gross sales without an agent. Donovan has produced fiction; non-fiction and most recently published a graphic novel. His genre of preference is fantasy and He has been compared among such notable authors as Frank Perretti, Brian Godawa, and the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser.
When he is not imagining comic conflicts between good and evil he is helping to secure employment for housing insecure women as the Executive Director of a non-profit in the city of Detroit and also serves in the prayer and discipleship ministry of his local church.
In this imaginative tale, Donovan weaves together elements of Christian theology, angelic mythology, and fantastical world-building. The story delves into the cosmic conflict between good and evil, painting a vivid picture of the spiritual warfare that unfolded in the heavens.
Donovan has published eleven books and is currently working on publishing five more in the year 2023 alone. His books have reached thirteen countries including India, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil and across Europe, Canada and the US. He has sold over thirty thousand units of his books and generated over a quarter million in gross sales without an agent. Donovan has produced fiction; non-fiction and most recently published a graphic novel. His genre of preference is fantasy and He has been compared among such notable authors as Frank Perretti, Brian Godawa, and the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser.
When he is not imagining comic conflicts between good and evil he is helping to secure employment for housing insecure women as the Executive Director of a non-profit in the city of Detroit and also serves in the prayer and discipleship ministry of his local church.
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March 8, 2014
War in heaven. The Bible tells us in Rev. 12:7-8, 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
I have read this, and Isaiah 14:11-13 many times, and I have never truly thought about what these words mean. I never thought of a literal war in heaven. This book really opened my eyes to the meaning of war in heaven.
The book is intense and I had to put it down a number of times, and found myself picking it back up and reading more.
I enjoyed this book. Cant wait to read the next one!
I have read this, and Isaiah 14:11-13 many times, and I have never truly thought about what these words mean. I never thought of a literal war in heaven. This book really opened my eyes to the meaning of war in heaven.
The book is intense and I had to put it down a number of times, and found myself picking it back up and reading more.
I enjoyed this book. Cant wait to read the next one!
April 9, 2014
This speculative Christian fiction novel has been described as a prequel to the Bible. Please let me preface this review with a disclaimer. In no way is this book to be taken as a true scriptural approach to the events surrounding the fall of Satan and the rebellion of one third of God's angels. It is what it claims to be: A speculative book. Based on scripture, The Third Heaven gives us a possible behind the scenes look at the events of the great war and fall of Lucifer and his fallen angels. It is designed to answer how, along with one third of the angels, Lucifer lost his position in Heaven.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's take on the fall of Lucifer and how that came to be. The reasoning behind how Satan thought he could get away with supplanting God on His throne and taking His place was an example of creative writing at its finest. The action and war scenes were masterfully and emotionally penned. The story flows wonderfully and his prose is remarkable. The descriptive passages seem to lift from the pages into your imagination. Descriptions of angel's personalities make them all the more real. Neal's handling of the story in my opinion was quite plausible.
Mr. Neal realizes that this story is hugely speculative and that there are problems with telling it. The fact that there isn't much written in the Bible about it is a witness to that fact. He has provided a link for some of these questions at: http://donovanmneal.wix.com/donovanmn... I would recommend you read this before reading the book, though it's really not necessary. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the story of the fall of Satan and the one third of angels. At the very least this book provides some possible thoughts as to how this came to be. Just remember, keep telling yourself "It's just a story!"
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's take on the fall of Lucifer and how that came to be. The reasoning behind how Satan thought he could get away with supplanting God on His throne and taking His place was an example of creative writing at its finest. The action and war scenes were masterfully and emotionally penned. The story flows wonderfully and his prose is remarkable. The descriptive passages seem to lift from the pages into your imagination. Descriptions of angel's personalities make them all the more real. Neal's handling of the story in my opinion was quite plausible.
Mr. Neal realizes that this story is hugely speculative and that there are problems with telling it. The fact that there isn't much written in the Bible about it is a witness to that fact. He has provided a link for some of these questions at: http://donovanmneal.wix.com/donovanmn... I would recommend you read this before reading the book, though it's really not necessary. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the story of the fall of Satan and the one third of angels. At the very least this book provides some possible thoughts as to how this came to be. Just remember, keep telling yourself "It's just a story!"
May 20, 2014
I was fortunate to have the author on my blogtalk show before I read the novel."The Third Heaven" is a very unique novel of Spiritual Warfare.I thoroughly enjoyed it.The action was intense, the Universe well thought out and formed. I am looking to forward to the next novel in the series.
March 7, 2014
This is the first work of writing of Neal's that I have read. But then again, this is the only novel he has written so far!! He does plan on future books. I look forward to them. I had bought this book in November 2013, and it stayed on my To Be Read list until the author contacted me (from finding my blog on a Google search) via email asking if I would review his book. That was not a hard decision to make seeing I had already bought his book and would have left a review anyway as I do for all the books I read.
From reading The Third Heaven, I am pleased I am reading this now and not in the future. This is one very hard to put down piece of writing. You are transported to another world. Many times I had to remind myself that this was fiction and not an expanded account of the real events that the Bible has not included! If anyone ever wondered about what Heaven is like before the creation of man, then look no further. As the book description says, The Prequel to the Bible is here!
Neal writes well, and his descriptions of Heaven, the angels, newly created Earth and the galaxy and universe are well done. He has outlined, however briefly, a hierarchy of angels according to their role and various functions. I found this fascinating. It is also Biblical as well, but the Bible is less descriptive about this than Neal who has used some poetic license in this matter. This has definitely added some very interesting plot lines and depth.
I can see that some Christians might have some issues with his depiction and portrayal of Heaven, the angels and even reference to controversial theology. I did come across a resource from Neal's website that does clarify these things. It can be found here: Thinking Behind The Third Heaven (http://donovanmneal.wix.com/donovanmn...). I would recommend anyone considering reading this novel to check out the above resource. It will add to their understanding, and why the author has constructed it like he has and even some of the challenges he faced writing this novel. I am not surprised in a novel of this genre and plot. Many Christians can be very defensive in their opinions and understanding of topics such as the fall of Lucifer, angels in general, the war in Heaven, the creation of the earth and even Genesis in general. Neal has planned well for this by providing this resource. This adds to his credibility as an author and his commitment to not just entertain in this novel but to exhort and uplift the Bible, God and the Gospel message in this medium of fiction.
I found it very interesting the plot line about Apollyon. I know so very little of this angel other than what I have read in Revelation and in eschatological fiction that I had not considered anything about him before the fall of Lucifer. Yes, this is the author's poetic license showing but it did get me thinking and it adds a great storyline and precursor to the fall of Lucifer. Neal also provides a plot twist towards the end that I would never have seen coming relating to both these high ranking angels. Very clever!
I really enjoyed a dialogue sequence where El (God) is talking to Lucifer, and it is very much old style English (same as in the KJV of the bible) and it is very beautiful. Adds a poetic, romantic edge to God despite the content of the dialogue being very serious and God being very serious in the circumstance.
Any Christian or anyone who has read the bible will know that Lucifer's pride was what led to his sin/downfall and the judgement of God upon him. Neal describes his pride and arrogance, even hatred of newly created man and man's reason for existence in such an intense way that the reader is tempted to take time out from reading this, in order to cope with this intensity. From this point on Neal weaves Lucifer's increasing pride and arrogance into the rest of the plot on all levels and layers and it is here that the pace becomes relentless and the action frenetic. The outcome is that war breaks out in Heaven while El is resting from his creative work. The angels are exposed for the first time to violence, hatred, deception, betrayal. All emotions that are very foreign to them and at first they do not know how to deal with them. They have never been left without any direction from El and to fend for themselves. This plays directly into Lucifer's deception. Neal shines here with him weaving his own poetic license and recorded biblical events in a masterful way. His poetic license is very clever to wind all this up with a possible explanation of the gap between Genesis 1: 1 and 2. Very much riveting reading.
Neal describes the creation of Hell very well, and it is another piece of riveting reading. Very descriptive and sobering and forms a great pillar in the plot structure. Very different to other fictional descriptions of Hell from other Christian authors but nonetheless appropriate and in line with what is recorded in the Bible.
There is so much in this novel that to describe it here would make this review one very long and involved one. Neal is quite the story teller and this novel showcases his talent very appropriately.
This could translate to one great movie!
Highly Recommended.
From reading The Third Heaven, I am pleased I am reading this now and not in the future. This is one very hard to put down piece of writing. You are transported to another world. Many times I had to remind myself that this was fiction and not an expanded account of the real events that the Bible has not included! If anyone ever wondered about what Heaven is like before the creation of man, then look no further. As the book description says, The Prequel to the Bible is here!
Neal writes well, and his descriptions of Heaven, the angels, newly created Earth and the galaxy and universe are well done. He has outlined, however briefly, a hierarchy of angels according to their role and various functions. I found this fascinating. It is also Biblical as well, but the Bible is less descriptive about this than Neal who has used some poetic license in this matter. This has definitely added some very interesting plot lines and depth.
I can see that some Christians might have some issues with his depiction and portrayal of Heaven, the angels and even reference to controversial theology. I did come across a resource from Neal's website that does clarify these things. It can be found here: Thinking Behind The Third Heaven (http://donovanmneal.wix.com/donovanmn...). I would recommend anyone considering reading this novel to check out the above resource. It will add to their understanding, and why the author has constructed it like he has and even some of the challenges he faced writing this novel. I am not surprised in a novel of this genre and plot. Many Christians can be very defensive in their opinions and understanding of topics such as the fall of Lucifer, angels in general, the war in Heaven, the creation of the earth and even Genesis in general. Neal has planned well for this by providing this resource. This adds to his credibility as an author and his commitment to not just entertain in this novel but to exhort and uplift the Bible, God and the Gospel message in this medium of fiction.
I found it very interesting the plot line about Apollyon. I know so very little of this angel other than what I have read in Revelation and in eschatological fiction that I had not considered anything about him before the fall of Lucifer. Yes, this is the author's poetic license showing but it did get me thinking and it adds a great storyline and precursor to the fall of Lucifer. Neal also provides a plot twist towards the end that I would never have seen coming relating to both these high ranking angels. Very clever!
I really enjoyed a dialogue sequence where El (God) is talking to Lucifer, and it is very much old style English (same as in the KJV of the bible) and it is very beautiful. Adds a poetic, romantic edge to God despite the content of the dialogue being very serious and God being very serious in the circumstance.
Any Christian or anyone who has read the bible will know that Lucifer's pride was what led to his sin/downfall and the judgement of God upon him. Neal describes his pride and arrogance, even hatred of newly created man and man's reason for existence in such an intense way that the reader is tempted to take time out from reading this, in order to cope with this intensity. From this point on Neal weaves Lucifer's increasing pride and arrogance into the rest of the plot on all levels and layers and it is here that the pace becomes relentless and the action frenetic. The outcome is that war breaks out in Heaven while El is resting from his creative work. The angels are exposed for the first time to violence, hatred, deception, betrayal. All emotions that are very foreign to them and at first they do not know how to deal with them. They have never been left without any direction from El and to fend for themselves. This plays directly into Lucifer's deception. Neal shines here with him weaving his own poetic license and recorded biblical events in a masterful way. His poetic license is very clever to wind all this up with a possible explanation of the gap between Genesis 1: 1 and 2. Very much riveting reading.
Neal describes the creation of Hell very well, and it is another piece of riveting reading. Very descriptive and sobering and forms a great pillar in the plot structure. Very different to other fictional descriptions of Hell from other Christian authors but nonetheless appropriate and in line with what is recorded in the Bible.
There is so much in this novel that to describe it here would make this review one very long and involved one. Neal is quite the story teller and this novel showcases his talent very appropriately.
This could translate to one great movie!
Highly Recommended.
December 30, 2013
I received an electronic copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First Impression: I wanted to read this based of the Prologue sneak peek. It’s not too often someone writes a fictional account of the war between God and Lucifer.
Characters: Man is not the main focus of this story, but rather angels and the battle against their creator. Heaven ends up divided into those with El (God) or with Lucifer (Satan). All Biblical angels are part of “The Third Heaven”, and many that are not necessarily Biblical. I found the personalities tangible yet superhuman, which is appropriate as far as our knowledge of Elohim (angels) goes. Michael and Gabriel have starring roles for El’s cause.
Lucifer is a subject most Christians don’t want to talk about. I am of the mindset that we can’t really know how one can go so wrong without understanding what happened with the ultimate betrayer. Once God’s right-hand Prince of Angels, Lucifer’s story unwinds in these pages to the familiar persona of today. Again, author Donovan M. Neal portrays this as a work of fiction based on true events. I admittedly felt sympathy initially for the fallen angels, but the author does a brilliant job of explaining the ends to which they would dare defy their maker.
World Building: Heaven is tangible in Neal’s descriptions. The beauty of the universe and all the realms unfolds in King James’ style prose. I greatly appreciated the role of angels in creation and maintenance of El’s creations, as well as the tie-ins to actual historical events.
Writing Style: Written in the language of King James, Neal uses powerful descriptive symbolism, metaphor, and other creative devices to create a sense of awe. The downside was an overuse of commas and other missing punctuation – or improper use of words here and there.
What I Liked: After reading this fictional account, I feel more at peace with the old ‘whatever happened to Lucifer?’ question. I believe the author was given divine inspiration to share an account both interesting to read and grounded in truth. Although admittedly NOT factual, this story IS plausible.
Deal Benders: I don’t appreciate overuse of punctuation – especially commas. When inserted, in the middle, of random sentences, they make, the story, a bit choppy. Not a direct quote, but you get the picture. I think this could have used more editing, or maybe a second pair of eyes to find grammar and spelling mistakes.
Overall Rating: I give this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed the story despite the editing issues.
For Fans Of: Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker
First Impression: I wanted to read this based of the Prologue sneak peek. It’s not too often someone writes a fictional account of the war between God and Lucifer.
Characters: Man is not the main focus of this story, but rather angels and the battle against their creator. Heaven ends up divided into those with El (God) or with Lucifer (Satan). All Biblical angels are part of “The Third Heaven”, and many that are not necessarily Biblical. I found the personalities tangible yet superhuman, which is appropriate as far as our knowledge of Elohim (angels) goes. Michael and Gabriel have starring roles for El’s cause.
Lucifer is a subject most Christians don’t want to talk about. I am of the mindset that we can’t really know how one can go so wrong without understanding what happened with the ultimate betrayer. Once God’s right-hand Prince of Angels, Lucifer’s story unwinds in these pages to the familiar persona of today. Again, author Donovan M. Neal portrays this as a work of fiction based on true events. I admittedly felt sympathy initially for the fallen angels, but the author does a brilliant job of explaining the ends to which they would dare defy their maker.
World Building: Heaven is tangible in Neal’s descriptions. The beauty of the universe and all the realms unfolds in King James’ style prose. I greatly appreciated the role of angels in creation and maintenance of El’s creations, as well as the tie-ins to actual historical events.
Writing Style: Written in the language of King James, Neal uses powerful descriptive symbolism, metaphor, and other creative devices to create a sense of awe. The downside was an overuse of commas and other missing punctuation – or improper use of words here and there.
What I Liked: After reading this fictional account, I feel more at peace with the old ‘whatever happened to Lucifer?’ question. I believe the author was given divine inspiration to share an account both interesting to read and grounded in truth. Although admittedly NOT factual, this story IS plausible.
Deal Benders: I don’t appreciate overuse of punctuation – especially commas. When inserted, in the middle, of random sentences, they make, the story, a bit choppy. Not a direct quote, but you get the picture. I think this could have used more editing, or maybe a second pair of eyes to find grammar and spelling mistakes.
Overall Rating: I give this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed the story despite the editing issues.
For Fans Of: Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker
January 26, 2014
The Third Heaven is an imaginative tale that blends biblical scripture from the King James version of the Holy Bible with a fictitious account of the events leading up to the War in Heaven led by an archangel known as Lucifer, the “Son of the Morning Star,” who tries to usurp God’s power, and as a result is cast out of Heaven along with the rogue angels who have chosen to serve him instead of God.
The story is narrated in third person and provides not only Lucifer’s perspective but those of the other archangels, especially Michael who seemed to be the closest to Lucifer. The story is set during the first six days of God’s creation until the drama escalates into an intense, bloody civil war that takes place on the seventh day, when God rests. I am impressed by the vivid description in the world building that Neal has painstakingly incorporated into his storytelling. His expressive prose paints a beautiful and compelling verbal picture of God’s creations and reflects his obvious passion and enthusiasm for this subject.
During the entire reading experience, I was completely enthralled by the series of events that occur in this well-thought-out, complex, richly developed plot that, although speculative in nature, could certainly be a conceivable account of Lucifer’s rebellion. Neal is thorough in his depiction of the bloody battle that ensues among the angels as their loyalties to whom they will serve become divided.
In his storytelling, Neal uses terminology to describe the world and characters that may be unfamiliar to some readers. For example, angels are called “Elohim” and they refer to God as “El.”Although Neal does provide a glossary of the major terms, unfortunately I didn’t find it until after I finished the book. I would have preferred that it be placed at the beginning and perhaps expanded to include more definitions of terms used less often but still referenced, such as “manna” and God’s alternative name, “Jehovah.” I did find minor proofreading errors but they were infrequent, and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
I think anyone who has ever wondered about the emergence of Satan as God’s chief antagonist will enjoy the spellbinding tale that Neal has woven.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The story is narrated in third person and provides not only Lucifer’s perspective but those of the other archangels, especially Michael who seemed to be the closest to Lucifer. The story is set during the first six days of God’s creation until the drama escalates into an intense, bloody civil war that takes place on the seventh day, when God rests. I am impressed by the vivid description in the world building that Neal has painstakingly incorporated into his storytelling. His expressive prose paints a beautiful and compelling verbal picture of God’s creations and reflects his obvious passion and enthusiasm for this subject.
During the entire reading experience, I was completely enthralled by the series of events that occur in this well-thought-out, complex, richly developed plot that, although speculative in nature, could certainly be a conceivable account of Lucifer’s rebellion. Neal is thorough in his depiction of the bloody battle that ensues among the angels as their loyalties to whom they will serve become divided.
In his storytelling, Neal uses terminology to describe the world and characters that may be unfamiliar to some readers. For example, angels are called “Elohim” and they refer to God as “El.”Although Neal does provide a glossary of the major terms, unfortunately I didn’t find it until after I finished the book. I would have preferred that it be placed at the beginning and perhaps expanded to include more definitions of terms used less often but still referenced, such as “manna” and God’s alternative name, “Jehovah.” I did find minor proofreading errors but they were infrequent, and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
I think anyone who has ever wondered about the emergence of Satan as God’s chief antagonist will enjoy the spellbinding tale that Neal has woven.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2014
Where do I start? Creative, descriptive, vivid? I say all three. Creativity as well as extensive knowledge on the bible was needed to bring this book into fruition.
The author took something he loved and studied and mixed it with his creativity and vivid imagination to bake something sweet and tasty. Something that not only satisfies our sweet tooth but is also healthy for us!
This book grabs our attention from the start, and, instead of focusing our thoughts on worldly things, it spins our mind and propels it towards Pondering the wonders of God.
From start to finish we are supplied with the movie which played behind the author's eyelids. We see the angels. We see Lucifer in all his splendor. We see the battles and the fall. We see the rampant emotions of hate, greed, jealousy...all of which are displayed engeniously!
The author did not just slop something together, but presented us with a detailed masterpiece of what might of happened.
I do, however, have a word of caution to future readers. The author is showing us a war. A war that divided heaven and caused the casting out of a third of heaven's angels.
Unfortunately, I don't personally fancy extended battle scenes. But even though I don't, I still enjoyed this book and hope you will too!
The author took something he loved and studied and mixed it with his creativity and vivid imagination to bake something sweet and tasty. Something that not only satisfies our sweet tooth but is also healthy for us!
This book grabs our attention from the start, and, instead of focusing our thoughts on worldly things, it spins our mind and propels it towards Pondering the wonders of God.
From start to finish we are supplied with the movie which played behind the author's eyelids. We see the angels. We see Lucifer in all his splendor. We see the battles and the fall. We see the rampant emotions of hate, greed, jealousy...all of which are displayed engeniously!
The author did not just slop something together, but presented us with a detailed masterpiece of what might of happened.
I do, however, have a word of caution to future readers. The author is showing us a war. A war that divided heaven and caused the casting out of a third of heaven's angels.
Unfortunately, I don't personally fancy extended battle scenes. But even though I don't, I still enjoyed this book and hope you will too!
January 28, 2016
I really loved the first 2/3 of this book. The descriptions of the different orders of angels were very clever: Lucifer's order of Draco (Dragon) angels, the silent and invisible Gregori that keep records (which turn out to actually be the inspiration for the concept of ghosts) and the Ophanim (Daniel's "Wheels within wheels") which can create "force fields" of lightning, all captured my imagination. The descriptions of Charon (AKA the Grim Reaper) as well the organic, hungry and burning Mountain of Hell were absolutely terrifying. The idea that Ladders to Heaver (Jacob's Ladder) consisted of wormholes that passed between Heaven, Space and Earth was also interesting.
So why the 1-Star Review? Because the last third of this book is absolute blasphemy against Christianity. I won't give away the specifics, but Satan actually manages to ascend to having a part of God's power and physically injures the person that we're supposed to accept as being the King of Heaven. The Bible is very clear on the fact that God is the only one who could ever wield His power and that Lucifer can never triumph against God in any way because the devil has no power that God does not allow him to (temporarily) have. I recommend avoiding this one, or, if you don't, at least skipping Act 3.
So why the 1-Star Review? Because the last third of this book is absolute blasphemy against Christianity. I won't give away the specifics, but Satan actually manages to ascend to having a part of God's power and physically injures the person that we're supposed to accept as being the King of Heaven. The Bible is very clear on the fact that God is the only one who could ever wield His power and that Lucifer can never triumph against God in any way because the devil has no power that God does not allow him to (temporarily) have. I recommend avoiding this one, or, if you don't, at least skipping Act 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2014
The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars by Donovan M. Neal really grabbed me and would not let me go. The action and adventure is nonstop and takes your breath away.
The author did an excellent job of developing a fictional account of the God's creation of the earth and the events of that first week. This story is told from the viewpoint of the angels and shows both their joy at the creation and the jealousy of some. Even though it is fiction, it sticks to the common biblical views and shows the fall of Lucifer and his followers.
Donovan M. Neal is a great storyteller and has done an excellent job of making the creation story come to life and become even more believable. I truly enjoyed his take on this great chapter in creation.
I really enjoyed The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars by Donovan M. Neal and I highly recommend this book to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
The author did an excellent job of developing a fictional account of the God's creation of the earth and the events of that first week. This story is told from the viewpoint of the angels and shows both their joy at the creation and the jealousy of some. Even though it is fiction, it sticks to the common biblical views and shows the fall of Lucifer and his followers.
Donovan M. Neal is a great storyteller and has done an excellent job of making the creation story come to life and become even more believable. I truly enjoyed his take on this great chapter in creation.
I really enjoyed The Third Heaven: The Rise of Fallen Stars by Donovan M. Neal and I highly recommend this book to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
October 19, 2013
Third Heaven: The Rise Of Fallen Stars by Donovan Neal uses the language especially created by King James for his translation of the Bible, creating an ambience of royalty. Pigment and power bring metaphor, symbol, image, and allusion to life as the artist weaves Bible lore and fable together in this thrilling tale of suspense.
Donovan uses earthly things to describe spiritual things. He makes things that happened in heaven a pre-curser to things that happened on earth – in a way, an explanation of how things happened on earth. This is not just one man’s idea of what may have happened in heaven in the past, but what is happening in the spiritual realm now and how it affects earth.
Donovan uses earthly things to describe spiritual things. He makes things that happened in heaven a pre-curser to things that happened on earth – in a way, an explanation of how things happened on earth. This is not just one man’s idea of what may have happened in heaven in the past, but what is happening in the spiritual realm now and how it affects earth.
November 18, 2013
Disclosure: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. My review contains no spoilers.
In all fairness, this was a very good book. The prose was beautifully written and in some ways, lyrical. The plot was well thought out and developed. The characters were interesting and understandable.
Unfortunately for me, I got bogged down by all the details. There was so much descriptive prose, some of it very repetitive, that it had problems keeping my interest.
I gave it 3-stars because it just wasn't for me. However, I can see why other reviewers have given it higher ratings. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.
In all fairness, this was a very good book. The prose was beautifully written and in some ways, lyrical. The plot was well thought out and developed. The characters were interesting and understandable.
Unfortunately for me, I got bogged down by all the details. There was so much descriptive prose, some of it very repetitive, that it had problems keeping my interest.
I gave it 3-stars because it just wasn't for me. However, I can see why other reviewers have given it higher ratings. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the genre.
May 22, 2014
The Third Heaven is written that it could have been describing a picture or the actual place and event. This is more than a story about war in Heaven and creation there is the show of love and power along with justice of God or EL as the book calls Him.
This book is a page turner and one that could be read more than once.
This book is a page turner and one that could be read more than once.
July 1, 2025
I'm not sure if the fact that I, as a Christian, keep reading fictionalised versions of biblical stories is a good thing or not, but this was recommended to me by the Kindle Unlimited algorithm and I very much found myself enjoying it. Donovan Neal's take on the war in heaven that is hinted at in the Bible is very different from other versions that I have read.
For me, the main thing that recommends this book is the way that the author has treated the characters. Names have been lifted from many mythologies to fill out the cast of the story, and then the use of these names has been justified by the events of the story. Also, the angels feel very relatable and otherworldly at the same time, with their physical descriptions often being very eldritch while their dialogue and actions seem very human. The major character arcs of the story should be obvious: Lucifer's fall and Michael's rise to oppose him, but plenty of time is given to arcs for supporting characters so that the book feels like a significant expansion on the snippets of story presented in the Bible. Neal is also careful in his foreword to explain that his book is speculative fiction, not an attempt at spiritual revelation, so I cannot imagine that other Christians will take more offence at his treatment of the characters than I have, which is to say none.
With the setting, as with the characters, Neal has taken what is presented in the Bible and significantly expanded on it. The city of heaven is recognisable to anyone who has read the description in Revelations, and yet also far more alive than the shining jewel presented in John's vision. Earthly locations are mostly biblically accurate but again are presented in much more detail than the Bible itself offers.
Overall, I found this book an entertaining read and quite original compared to other fictionalised versions of the biblical story. I recommend it to anyone, Christian or not, as a good story. If you are looking for serious spiritual guidance, however, then this is probably not the right book to get it from.
For me, the main thing that recommends this book is the way that the author has treated the characters. Names have been lifted from many mythologies to fill out the cast of the story, and then the use of these names has been justified by the events of the story. Also, the angels feel very relatable and otherworldly at the same time, with their physical descriptions often being very eldritch while their dialogue and actions seem very human. The major character arcs of the story should be obvious: Lucifer's fall and Michael's rise to oppose him, but plenty of time is given to arcs for supporting characters so that the book feels like a significant expansion on the snippets of story presented in the Bible. Neal is also careful in his foreword to explain that his book is speculative fiction, not an attempt at spiritual revelation, so I cannot imagine that other Christians will take more offence at his treatment of the characters than I have, which is to say none.
With the setting, as with the characters, Neal has taken what is presented in the Bible and significantly expanded on it. The city of heaven is recognisable to anyone who has read the description in Revelations, and yet also far more alive than the shining jewel presented in John's vision. Earthly locations are mostly biblically accurate but again are presented in much more detail than the Bible itself offers.
Overall, I found this book an entertaining read and quite original compared to other fictionalised versions of the biblical story. I recommend it to anyone, Christian or not, as a good story. If you are looking for serious spiritual guidance, however, then this is probably not the right book to get it from.
April 6, 2024
eh
The beginning and the end were…. Magnificent. However I struggled with the political imaginations or whatever they were throughout the center of the book. Indeed, after the first several chapters, I had to skip through that part of the book to get towards the end to figure out what the heck was going on and finally I found the war in heaven and the ending with Lucifer on the Earth. Then I finally figured out. I thought I did - this rendition of - I don’t know - the end times in the before during the war in heaven??? It certainly gives one pause to stop and think. Good one!
I do find the authors, expressive language and how he described the characters phenomenal. As an author myself, angels and demons - more traditional but not for long after this - I’m always looking for a new way to express my characters. For example, when Lucifer woke up at the end and the pain bit at him. That was fabulous I’d never have thought of that. As an expression of pain.
Let me go back to the beginning. At first he’s talking about Lucifer and Michael, having fun, working hard over the maelstrom and then almost falling in and all the drama. So excellent! But then another chapter is talking about how Lucifer is so serious, but it didn’t sound like that in the first chapter ; it sounded like they were struggling, but having fun doing so. Where Gabriel was the one kind of being too serious but not really.
OK I can go on and on and on, but you really have to read this book, and maybe I’m definitely going to read the rest of the foursome.
The beginning and the end were…. Magnificent. However I struggled with the political imaginations or whatever they were throughout the center of the book. Indeed, after the first several chapters, I had to skip through that part of the book to get towards the end to figure out what the heck was going on and finally I found the war in heaven and the ending with Lucifer on the Earth. Then I finally figured out. I thought I did - this rendition of - I don’t know - the end times in the before during the war in heaven??? It certainly gives one pause to stop and think. Good one!
I do find the authors, expressive language and how he described the characters phenomenal. As an author myself, angels and demons - more traditional but not for long after this - I’m always looking for a new way to express my characters. For example, when Lucifer woke up at the end and the pain bit at him. That was fabulous I’d never have thought of that. As an expression of pain.
Let me go back to the beginning. At first he’s talking about Lucifer and Michael, having fun, working hard over the maelstrom and then almost falling in and all the drama. So excellent! But then another chapter is talking about how Lucifer is so serious, but it didn’t sound like that in the first chapter ; it sounded like they were struggling, but having fun doing so. Where Gabriel was the one kind of being too serious but not really.
OK I can go on and on and on, but you really have to read this book, and maybe I’m definitely going to read the rest of the foursome.
August 6, 2017
Thought provoking
I loved the way he quoted from the Bible as so many verses can have meaning for more than one time. I loved the new ideas as to how this could have happened and the timeline for angels falling. It might not be true, but the ideas make sense, which in turn makes the Bible seem more understandable. It's easy to see how Lucifer, thinking so highly of himself, thought too highly, and made mistaken assumptions. I loved the question asked of him..." What shall I do to the one I wish to honor?" And from there it makes sense that he thought he was made for more than servitude. It might be fiction, but the motives applied seem so reasonable. It was full of creative ideas and action. In fact it was a bit too much violence for me that went on and on. I was frustrated with some words that I had to look up in the Kindle dictionary and then find they weren't there. A few sentences didn't make sense. And it was hard too keep up with the meaning of all the new words and remembering who was what. But I enjoyed the book and got the ideas and enjoyed the cleverness of it.
I loved the way he quoted from the Bible as so many verses can have meaning for more than one time. I loved the new ideas as to how this could have happened and the timeline for angels falling. It might not be true, but the ideas make sense, which in turn makes the Bible seem more understandable. It's easy to see how Lucifer, thinking so highly of himself, thought too highly, and made mistaken assumptions. I loved the question asked of him..." What shall I do to the one I wish to honor?" And from there it makes sense that he thought he was made for more than servitude. It might be fiction, but the motives applied seem so reasonable. It was full of creative ideas and action. In fact it was a bit too much violence for me that went on and on. I was frustrated with some words that I had to look up in the Kindle dictionary and then find they weren't there. A few sentences didn't make sense. And it was hard too keep up with the meaning of all the new words and remembering who was what. But I enjoyed the book and got the ideas and enjoyed the cleverness of it.
December 11, 2018
Excellent work of fiction. Great imagery. Ingenious exploration of creation, Heaven, and the fall of Lucifer. While it does contain Biblical concepts and quotes, it also weaves in mythology and relies heavily on the author's creativity. This problem may be limited to the electronic translation, but improperly used and misused punctuation was so prevalent it often broke the flow of the storyline. I was also put off by Mr. Neal's use of the word Elohim, which traditionally means the Trinity, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Mr. Neal uses the word to mean all of the angels. Other than that, I found this to be a very inventive work that helps expand the mind when trying to grasp concepts we don't yet posses the ability, or the knowledge, to fully understand. I thoroughly enjoyed the work and I am immediately proceeding to the next book in this series.
March 20, 2022
Of creative brilliance
My mind was blown of Mr. Neal’s creative brilliance to navigate through this Multiverse adventure. At times some accounts of the many Angels and living forms were hard to follow and I became lost and had to reread sections over again.
To create a heavenly saga of God’s creation of this proportion is quite bold. I feel Donovan pulled it off and was truly inspired by God to create this series.
He is a wordsmith with flowing accounts and descriptions of the many aspects of God’s handiworks, in forming the very existence of the 3 heavens.
Lastly. His characters and theme were well thought out with a mixture of fantasy, historical fiction and scriptural references.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on this first book.
Fond regards,
Lou Maurio
My mind was blown of Mr. Neal’s creative brilliance to navigate through this Multiverse adventure. At times some accounts of the many Angels and living forms were hard to follow and I became lost and had to reread sections over again.
To create a heavenly saga of God’s creation of this proportion is quite bold. I feel Donovan pulled it off and was truly inspired by God to create this series.
He is a wordsmith with flowing accounts and descriptions of the many aspects of God’s handiworks, in forming the very existence of the 3 heavens.
Lastly. His characters and theme were well thought out with a mixture of fantasy, historical fiction and scriptural references.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on this first book.
Fond regards,
Lou Maurio
September 11, 2020
Definitely a unique read and story overall. A little hard to follow at times due to the many names of the Angels and all involved in the story. After knowing the definitions of the many names thru out, it was a easier read. I know the names were all explained at the end of the story but maybe it should be in the front of the story as it is easier to go backwards to the front , than all the way to the end . Maybe even have a separate booklet for all the names for all mentioned in your future books . It took me awhile to connect with the Bible Verses that closely follow, like Lucifer changing into the multi-headed 10 horned dragon. it may be fiction but close to Verses.. Soon to be reading #2 and will follow thru your series. guessing i am hooked due to the intrigue..
July 8, 2018
Well told!!
What an amazing read. This book pulled me into it like a vision, as I read the story the vision of all the writer is describing just pops out from his description and pulls you in. I loved every bit of this book. It oddly makes complete sense to me. I have no problem believing that this is the way things have been done throughout the beginning of creation. Can’t wait so find out how mankind fares in the end. As of the present, we can see Lucifer and his legions are not even bothering to disguise themselves or their domination and destruction of mankind at all. It’s very stressful to be living during these times.
What an amazing read. This book pulled me into it like a vision, as I read the story the vision of all the writer is describing just pops out from his description and pulls you in. I loved every bit of this book. It oddly makes complete sense to me. I have no problem believing that this is the way things have been done throughout the beginning of creation. Can’t wait so find out how mankind fares in the end. As of the present, we can see Lucifer and his legions are not even bothering to disguise themselves or their domination and destruction of mankind at all. It’s very stressful to be living during these times.
February 11, 2020
4 1/2 Stars. If not for the numerous typos, which could have been eliminated by a decent proofreader, this would have been a five star read.
The story of creation by God and the fall of Lucifer with his misguided and malcontent followers was a riveting read for me. The Pastor who wrote this tale showed a full knowledge of the Bible as he used the scriptures for the main template for the story (as it had to be!). He brought the individual characters to life and distinction to the various types of angels as they went about the tasks they were created to do in the service of God.
This was great stuff and, as a Christian, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; well done!
The story of creation by God and the fall of Lucifer with his misguided and malcontent followers was a riveting read for me. The Pastor who wrote this tale showed a full knowledge of the Bible as he used the scriptures for the main template for the story (as it had to be!). He brought the individual characters to life and distinction to the various types of angels as they went about the tasks they were created to do in the service of God.
This was great stuff and, as a Christian, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; well done!
February 19, 2023
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I like the fictionalised story of how satan fell and how creation began. I love how the author, tries to give answers to the questions about satan that most want to know, and although imagined, I love the story. This is a work of fiction as the author states and as a Christian myself I have found this 1st book of 4 in the series very well written and a fab read. I would definitely recommend to all faiths to give this book a try and see for yourselves. Remember that this is fiction and not a quote from the bible. Some reference to scripture is used but an enjoyable read.
I like the fictionalised story of how satan fell and how creation began. I love how the author, tries to give answers to the questions about satan that most want to know, and although imagined, I love the story. This is a work of fiction as the author states and as a Christian myself I have found this 1st book of 4 in the series very well written and a fab read. I would definitely recommend to all faiths to give this book a try and see for yourselves. Remember that this is fiction and not a quote from the bible. Some reference to scripture is used but an enjoyable read.
March 15, 2023
Worth the read
This was a great story of what we really don't know. How do you write a story based on events we are not familiar with? Well this book is an entertaining story that gives an idea of Lucifer's fall. It was like reading a good fantasy story and the use of mythological elements gave it a nice experience. I loved the book, however one thing I disliked was how long the chapters were. I wish they were broken down differently. The author does provide breaks and I used my bookmark as needed. Still overall an excellent read.
This was a great story of what we really don't know. How do you write a story based on events we are not familiar with? Well this book is an entertaining story that gives an idea of Lucifer's fall. It was like reading a good fantasy story and the use of mythological elements gave it a nice experience. I loved the book, however one thing I disliked was how long the chapters were. I wish they were broken down differently. The author does provide breaks and I used my bookmark as needed. Still overall an excellent read.
November 16, 2020
Not very inspiring!
The author wrote about the fall of Lucifer but he called the host of Heaven Elohim, which means God the God. Which angels were never gods! He called Yahweh the most High. El which means dirty like false gods can be called El. He doesn't make Lucifer the second Angel to call and says abbadon was first Angel to fall. Not anywhere does this theory come across unless his theology is not Christian. It was disappointing.
The author wrote about the fall of Lucifer but he called the host of Heaven Elohim, which means God the God. Which angels were never gods! He called Yahweh the most High. El which means dirty like false gods can be called El. He doesn't make Lucifer the second Angel to call and says abbadon was first Angel to fall. Not anywhere does this theory come across unless his theology is not Christian. It was disappointing.
July 10, 2024
Enjoyed Immensely
Wow! I was engrossed from page one of this book. The pacing was great, and the world building was like seeing a movie. I could picture every scene in my mind. The story was thought-provoking... what if?
I am looking forward to continuing this series, and I already have the next book on my Kindle. I highly recommend to anyone curious about the beginning of creation and what might have caused Lucifer/Satan's fall.
Wow! I was engrossed from page one of this book. The pacing was great, and the world building was like seeing a movie. I could picture every scene in my mind. The story was thought-provoking... what if?
I am looking forward to continuing this series, and I already have the next book on my Kindle. I highly recommend to anyone curious about the beginning of creation and what might have caused Lucifer/Satan's fall.
September 21, 2017
For a Christian, not very worthy
I was apalled that the word of God was misused in this book. For those who seek, words of Christ spoken by Lucipher is not acceptable....it is deceiving that Holy Scripture should be so misused. Great that God's word is spoken, but in such a way...NO!
I was apalled that the word of God was misused in this book. For those who seek, words of Christ spoken by Lucipher is not acceptable....it is deceiving that Holy Scripture should be so misused. Great that God's word is spoken, but in such a way...NO!
August 31, 2019
Loved this book
This was an exciting book for me to read. I love the world of fantasy and fiction together. I found myself referring to my bible often to find the angels and demons within the pages. I would love to see within the author and his thought process as he writes his stories.
This was an exciting book for me to read. I love the world of fantasy and fiction together. I found myself referring to my bible often to find the angels and demons within the pages. I would love to see within the author and his thought process as he writes his stories.
November 6, 2024
Splendidly horrific!
An amazing tale of truth-inspired fiction.
Clear sprinkling of truth and Scripture throughout the saga, with interpretation partially logical and partially fanciful
I enjoyed the book and was led to think in new directions, although some of Neal's ideas are - in my opinion - too earthbound and downplay the immense power and holiness of God
An amazing tale of truth-inspired fiction.
Clear sprinkling of truth and Scripture throughout the saga, with interpretation partially logical and partially fanciful
I enjoyed the book and was led to think in new directions, although some of Neal's ideas are - in my opinion - too earthbound and downplay the immense power and holiness of God
May 28, 2017
Outstanding!
This book was fantastic. Full of excitement, great detail....I could picture everything in my head. It was very hard to put down. I absolutely recommend it! Fantastic read!!
This book was fantastic. Full of excitement, great detail....I could picture everything in my head. It was very hard to put down. I absolutely recommend it! Fantastic read!!
June 29, 2017
Wow, fantastic angelic fiction
While this book is a work of fiction, it allows the reader to glimpse what occurred during biblical creation through the imagination of a very talented writer.
While this book is a work of fiction, it allows the reader to glimpse what occurred during biblical creation through the imagination of a very talented writer.
August 8, 2017
I didn't like it much. Too much of a departure from what I have heard about the war in heaven. According to it, it didn't take much time for Lucifer to go from a beloved son of God to Satan!! His whole concept is just tooooo out there!!! I won't be reading any more in the series!
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