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Samuel Buckland Chronicles #1
Chains of Prophecy
Samuel Buckland is a young man who has it all and is planning for the future. Gregory Caitlin is a businessman and politician. He has designs to bring hope back to a world in need...and he'll be damned if anyone gets in his way! When the two cross paths, even the angels tremble. An ancient magic has been rediscovered. Sam must overcome his lack of faith and accept his destiny, or the world he knows will suffer the consequences. . A skeptic who must harness the powers of demons and genies. A zealot who has begun to walk a darker path. Bound together by a stolen secret. Can any of them escape the Chains of Prophecy?
- GenresAmazon
342 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2013
50 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Jason P. Crawford
22 books104 followersJason Patrick Crawford is a 42 year old high school science teacher and father of four children who came into writing at the urging of his family. He discovered a primal joy in the act of creation that he had never experienced before. He has also learned of the amazing community of authors he has joined and is proud to be counted among their ranks.
Jason's first published work, Chains of Prophecy, is available in most e-book formats. He had the idea for this novel several years ago when he was getting his teaching credential, but had no idea at the time how to make it work. His inspiration for his writing practices is the great Stephen King; his memoir On Writing was an amazing resource and really helped jump-start Jason's work.
If you would like to speak to Jason, you can e-mail him at jasonpatrickcrawford@gmail.com or message him on Twitter at @jnewmanwriting. He will be glad to answer as soon as he can!
Jason's first published work, Chains of Prophecy, is available in most e-book formats. He had the idea for this novel several years ago when he was getting his teaching credential, but had no idea at the time how to make it work. His inspiration for his writing practices is the great Stephen King; his memoir On Writing was an amazing resource and really helped jump-start Jason's work.
If you would like to speak to Jason, you can e-mail him at jasonpatrickcrawford@gmail.com or message him on Twitter at @jnewmanwriting. He will be glad to answer as soon as he can!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 14, 2014
I am giving this four stars for the strength of the writing, the excellent pacing, and the engaging story. It’s obvious the author put a lot of work in to this story and even though it uses concepts readers have certainly seen many times before, it remains interesting and engaging. I don’t think authors need to reinvent the wheel. They just need to show me a new take on the old form. I think this novel does exactly that.
However, this book is constructed around the notion that the Abrahamic god and his angels are indisputably real. That in and of itself is not in my opinion a bad thing, but in the U.S. where this book is set, religion has become inherently political. The author also adds to this feeling by referencing the 9/11 attacks, another inherently political time in American history.
Because of this I wish more had been done to show nuance. For example, if the main character had some quality normally in opposition to right wing Christianity, like being gay or a person of color, or being a woman, which I thought would have been an especially good choice considering that the warriors of god before him were all women. I would have also preferred if atheism were portrayed in a different light, perhaps more sympathetically. I didn’t like
I’m in an odd spot because I am a believer (though I am a polytheist and not a Christian) but I find religion in novels to be a dicey thing to portray well, probably because of how contentious religion is in my culture. Because I do have faith, though, I suspect I reacted better to this book than an atheist might, so if you are in fact an atheist be prepared for the heavy inspirational messages.
That said, I do enjoy some of the things the author did to portray apocryphal Christianity. The angels are cool characters (though I was hoping for the crazy portrayals like the ring of eyes etc), the fight scenes are great and epic, it’s implied that Muslims have a religion just as valid in-world as Christians and Jews. Elemental spirits and demons factor in to the mythology in unique ways. Both Sam and the antagonist think they’re doing god’s work, a nuance I appreciated. Satan and Lucifer being separate angels with different functions was also a great idea. The author does a great job of explaining why heaven is limited in how much its denizens can intervene in human lives.
Ultimately I read this book in day without stopping, and when an author can do that it means they’ve produced a good book. Fast paced, action packed, with nary a spot that made me slow down and say, what the hell was that? Worth reading. I think if I had a Christian teenager in my life, I’d have them read this.
However, this book is constructed around the notion that the Abrahamic god and his angels are indisputably real. That in and of itself is not in my opinion a bad thing, but in the U.S. where this book is set, religion has become inherently political. The author also adds to this feeling by referencing the 9/11 attacks, another inherently political time in American history.
Because of this I wish more had been done to show nuance. For example, if the main character had some quality normally in opposition to right wing Christianity, like being gay or a person of color, or being a woman, which I thought would have been an especially good choice considering that the warriors of god before him were all women. I would have also preferred if atheism were portrayed in a different light, perhaps more sympathetically. I didn’t like
I’m in an odd spot because I am a believer (though I am a polytheist and not a Christian) but I find religion in novels to be a dicey thing to portray well, probably because of how contentious religion is in my culture. Because I do have faith, though, I suspect I reacted better to this book than an atheist might, so if you are in fact an atheist be prepared for the heavy inspirational messages.
That said, I do enjoy some of the things the author did to portray apocryphal Christianity. The angels are cool characters (though I was hoping for the crazy portrayals like the ring of eyes etc), the fight scenes are great and epic, it’s implied that Muslims have a religion just as valid in-world as Christians and Jews. Elemental spirits and demons factor in to the mythology in unique ways. Both Sam and the antagonist think they’re doing god’s work, a nuance I appreciated. Satan and Lucifer being separate angels with different functions was also a great idea. The author does a great job of explaining why heaven is limited in how much its denizens can intervene in human lives.
Ultimately I read this book in day without stopping, and when an author can do that it means they’ve produced a good book. Fast paced, action packed, with nary a spot that made me slow down and say, what the hell was that? Worth reading. I think if I had a Christian teenager in my life, I’d have them read this.
August 29, 2016
This book can be compared to a bomb.
Slow short fuse and when it blows, it lasts a very long time.
The truth is, I went to this book with low expectations. From the blurb I automatically labeled it as not my kind of kind of book. From the prologue I felt as though I was right in thinking that. And then the story really began...
It's good, it's really good. Not great, but damn close to it. The writing is the kind that you'll sit yourself down and say "I'll read for a couple minutes." next thing you know, an hour's passed. It's immersive, engaging, and original. This is the type of material that could easily bend into preachy, but Jason Patrick Crawford does well to hold back on it. Instead he goes on to give a different view on it, while giving the story what it needs. And by that I mean the surprising graphic detail. No spoilers, but there is an angel I've been wanting to incorporate into my work, and Jason blows mine out the water. Wonderfully done.
Slow short fuse and when it blows, it lasts a very long time.
The truth is, I went to this book with low expectations. From the blurb I automatically labeled it as not my kind of kind of book. From the prologue I felt as though I was right in thinking that. And then the story really began...
It's good, it's really good. Not great, but damn close to it. The writing is the kind that you'll sit yourself down and say "I'll read for a couple minutes." next thing you know, an hour's passed. It's immersive, engaging, and original. This is the type of material that could easily bend into preachy, but Jason Patrick Crawford does well to hold back on it. Instead he goes on to give a different view on it, while giving the story what it needs. And by that I mean the surprising graphic detail. No spoilers, but there is an angel I've been wanting to incorporate into my work, and Jason blows mine out the water. Wonderfully done.
July 26, 2016
When I began reading the prologue for Chains of Prophecy I was drawn in by the vivid imagery. I could see the bar and almost smell the stench of smoke. The author has a talent for transporting the reader into a scene. The book is packed with sights, sounds and scents that will make you feel like you are in the action.
The action itself slows once you pass the prologue. It took me a moment to adjust and try to work out what the author was trying to reveal. The characters are introduced in an unexpected order, but that I say after finishing the book and knowing who each one is. At first I was just wondering how each was important.
I wasn’t sure whether I liked the main characters when they were first introduced, they seemed strange and focused on their own goals. As I continued reading, however, I realized that we get to know them the same way we get to know any new person. Only a little of their character is revealed at a time. It isn’t until we follow them for a while that we understand what is driving them. Toward the end I cheered them both on, hoping for the best resolution.
In the last half of the book the imagery becomes especially detailed. I loved the description of battling angels, and I particularly enjoyed the description of the angel Azrael. The part with the silhouettes (I won’t elaborate to avoid spoilers). I was also intrigued by the depiction of Satan. I had never imagined it that way.
Overall, I thought the book was full of action and mystery, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to imagine the battles between good and evil. You’ll find a new spin on them in Chains of Prophecy.
The action itself slows once you pass the prologue. It took me a moment to adjust and try to work out what the author was trying to reveal. The characters are introduced in an unexpected order, but that I say after finishing the book and knowing who each one is. At first I was just wondering how each was important.
I wasn’t sure whether I liked the main characters when they were first introduced, they seemed strange and focused on their own goals. As I continued reading, however, I realized that we get to know them the same way we get to know any new person. Only a little of their character is revealed at a time. It isn’t until we follow them for a while that we understand what is driving them. Toward the end I cheered them both on, hoping for the best resolution.
In the last half of the book the imagery becomes especially detailed. I loved the description of battling angels, and I particularly enjoyed the description of the angel Azrael. The part with the silhouettes (I won’t elaborate to avoid spoilers). I was also intrigued by the depiction of Satan. I had never imagined it that way.
Overall, I thought the book was full of action and mystery, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to imagine the battles between good and evil. You’ll find a new spin on them in Chains of Prophecy.
April 29, 2015
Samuel Buckland’s world changed the day his beliefs, or lack of them were challenged when he discovered an ancient family secret and the pivotal role he must play in the heavenly battle of good versus evil. Evil was much closer to home than Samuel realized when a prominent political figure seeks power through magic, an angelic captive and an ancient tome that holds the secrets of powerful mysteries and magic. It’s up to Samuel to keep the tome safe, but is his fledgling faith strong enough? Is he hearing voices, having hallucinations or is he really talking with angelic beings in the guise of anything but an angel? Demons, genies and angels can be controlled by the Seals of Solomon, but shouldn’t this power be given to one who had strong faith?
The angel Gabriel is being held prisoner and Sam must free her, but how? What tools has the book given him? As he alternating dodges evil and hunts for Gabriel, a visitor from his past is there to aid him, every step of the way, but the final issue of truly having FAITH is up to Sam or surely he will fail.
Chains of Prophecy by Jason P. Crawford takes a few pages to settle into, but once you do, the trip is fascinating as Mr. Crawford shares his rapidfire imagination with us, with a creative plot, heavily relying on religious faith, treating followers of Islam, Judaism and Christianity with equal respect. There is intrigue, doubt, a twisted path to follow with a great unknown at the end. Our hero, Samuel is about as unlikely as can be, but he shows signs of growing and learning with a touch of an investigator’s flare. Cast as the “bad guy” by accident, the politician smiles for the crowds while he utilizes evil to his advantage. (Hmm, a stab at type-casting?)
Enjoyable, riding the edge of fiction’s fast lane, definitely recommended for a fresh change of pace!
I received this copy from Jason P. Crawford in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Sam Buckland Chronicles - Book 1
Publication Date: May 31, 2013
Publisher: Epitome Press
Genre: Scifi | Fantasy
Print Length: 339 pages
My Rating 4.5 Stars
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
The angel Gabriel is being held prisoner and Sam must free her, but how? What tools has the book given him? As he alternating dodges evil and hunts for Gabriel, a visitor from his past is there to aid him, every step of the way, but the final issue of truly having FAITH is up to Sam or surely he will fail.
Chains of Prophecy by Jason P. Crawford takes a few pages to settle into, but once you do, the trip is fascinating as Mr. Crawford shares his rapidfire imagination with us, with a creative plot, heavily relying on religious faith, treating followers of Islam, Judaism and Christianity with equal respect. There is intrigue, doubt, a twisted path to follow with a great unknown at the end. Our hero, Samuel is about as unlikely as can be, but he shows signs of growing and learning with a touch of an investigator’s flare. Cast as the “bad guy” by accident, the politician smiles for the crowds while he utilizes evil to his advantage. (Hmm, a stab at type-casting?)
Enjoyable, riding the edge of fiction’s fast lane, definitely recommended for a fresh change of pace!
I received this copy from Jason P. Crawford in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Sam Buckland Chronicles - Book 1
Publication Date: May 31, 2013
Publisher: Epitome Press
Genre: Scifi | Fantasy
Print Length: 339 pages
My Rating 4.5 Stars
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 7, 2013
When Samuel Buckland's mother reveals the family secret that they are the keepers of the keys of Solomon he does not believe her. When she and his father are murdered by those searching for the book he has no choice to believe that he has been chosen to serve Heaven. This brings to him great magical powers the he never before believed could be possible.
But there is one problem Gregory Caitlin and his ambition to gain the keys and use the powers for him self. Sam has to battle Caitlin and the powers that he has gain to release the Archangel Gabriel from Caitlin's prison.
Sam has no belief in God or the powers that be and he has to battle with his belief systems and the monsters and demons that Caitlin sends his way to help save the fate of the world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I managed to read it in a few days which is something that i haven't managed to do with a book in a long time. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the story as Sam manages to get near to piecing together the clues for his mission, but then is thwarted at the last moment.
Jason Crawford has a wonderful way with words conjuring up the images of all that is happening in great detail. But he doesn't over do the imagery as some authors do.
I enjoyed this book so much i cant wait for the next installation of Samuel Buckland quest for heaven.
But there is one problem Gregory Caitlin and his ambition to gain the keys and use the powers for him self. Sam has to battle Caitlin and the powers that he has gain to release the Archangel Gabriel from Caitlin's prison.
Sam has no belief in God or the powers that be and he has to battle with his belief systems and the monsters and demons that Caitlin sends his way to help save the fate of the world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I managed to read it in a few days which is something that i haven't managed to do with a book in a long time. I enjoyed the twists and turns in the story as Sam manages to get near to piecing together the clues for his mission, but then is thwarted at the last moment.
Jason Crawford has a wonderful way with words conjuring up the images of all that is happening in great detail. But he doesn't over do the imagery as some authors do.
I enjoyed this book so much i cant wait for the next installation of Samuel Buckland quest for heaven.
July 8, 2013
I really enjoyed reading Chains of Prophecy by Jason Crawford. This book has a great cast of characters, religion, action, humor and more.
Samuel Buckland doesn’t believe in God, but after a chain of tragic events in his life he’s going to change his opinion. The question is, will he live after meeting the one who’s trying to kill him?
The author did a great job bringing to life both good and evil characters, fleshing out the characters of Samuel Buckland and Gregory Caitlin, making them real. I loved reading about Sam dreaming about Mikey and the girl chained to the wall, and it was quite a surprise to find out who they really were. And of course a great idea about the book Sam found after his parents’ death.
Chains of Prophecy has great descriptions, action and dialogue. I’m sure the author had a great time writing this book. I now look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Samuel Buckland doesn’t believe in God, but after a chain of tragic events in his life he’s going to change his opinion. The question is, will he live after meeting the one who’s trying to kill him?
The author did a great job bringing to life both good and evil characters, fleshing out the characters of Samuel Buckland and Gregory Caitlin, making them real. I loved reading about Sam dreaming about Mikey and the girl chained to the wall, and it was quite a surprise to find out who they really were. And of course a great idea about the book Sam found after his parents’ death.
Chains of Prophecy has great descriptions, action and dialogue. I’m sure the author had a great time writing this book. I now look forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 13, 2015
Thank you to the author, Jason P. Crawford, for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This is certainly one of those hidden gems! Like The Truth About Drew, this book is slightly religious although you can look past it if you choose.
The plot kept me glued to the page until I finished! It was so interesting to see the perspectives of two people who both thought they were doing the right thing (one was under and influence but still...). You don't see that very often. You see villains but they are always so obviously evil and twisted and one person is so obviously 'good'. In this book, the concepts of good and bad are exposed as the perceptions they are.
I also really liked how the angels were interpreted. They were traditional angels yes but Mr. Crawford introduced some new elements that I never thought about before.
I do wish that there was a sort of montage or something to show how Samuel actually learned all the spells and gestures. It seemed like all of a sudden, he was a master at it and I'm not entirely sure how that happened.
The Final Verdict:
I simply loved the plot of this book and the two 'good guys' who were pitted against each other. It's such a fascinating concept to me. I could have used a bit more about the book and Samuel and how it all worked.
4.5 stars
Quotes:
"'She passed on the knowledge when it was time, as has been necessary since the Arts were given to Mankind.' He shrugged"
"'Do you want proof?' His eyes held no more of the childish innocence he had pretended, and the wisdom of untold millennia echoed in their depths like ripples on a dark pool. 'I don't think the flaming sword would be appropriate, here.'"
"'Angels are servants, not kings. Not rulers. Those that forgot this are in Hell, and no longer counted among us.'"
"'I do not hide; I wait.'"
"'Very well, young Buckland; you may wish to cover your ears.' The djinn inhaled, frost forming on it ephemeral lips, then spoke. The words erupted like a close-range thunderclap, a sonic boom, and the sky outside rumbled and roiled in response; clouds boiled from nowhere as the djinn's name echoed from the mountains. Sam pulled his hands from his head. 'Alright then. Sky-King it is.'"
"Begone"
This is certainly one of those hidden gems! Like The Truth About Drew, this book is slightly religious although you can look past it if you choose.
The plot kept me glued to the page until I finished! It was so interesting to see the perspectives of two people who both thought they were doing the right thing (one was under and influence but still...). You don't see that very often. You see villains but they are always so obviously evil and twisted and one person is so obviously 'good'. In this book, the concepts of good and bad are exposed as the perceptions they are.
I also really liked how the angels were interpreted. They were traditional angels yes but Mr. Crawford introduced some new elements that I never thought about before.
I do wish that there was a sort of montage or something to show how Samuel actually learned all the spells and gestures. It seemed like all of a sudden, he was a master at it and I'm not entirely sure how that happened.
The Final Verdict:
I simply loved the plot of this book and the two 'good guys' who were pitted against each other. It's such a fascinating concept to me. I could have used a bit more about the book and Samuel and how it all worked.
4.5 stars
Quotes:
"'She passed on the knowledge when it was time, as has been necessary since the Arts were given to Mankind.' He shrugged"
"'Do you want proof?' His eyes held no more of the childish innocence he had pretended, and the wisdom of untold millennia echoed in their depths like ripples on a dark pool. 'I don't think the flaming sword would be appropriate, here.'"
"'Angels are servants, not kings. Not rulers. Those that forgot this are in Hell, and no longer counted among us.'"
"'I do not hide; I wait.'"
"'Very well, young Buckland; you may wish to cover your ears.' The djinn inhaled, frost forming on it ephemeral lips, then spoke. The words erupted like a close-range thunderclap, a sonic boom, and the sky outside rumbled and roiled in response; clouds boiled from nowhere as the djinn's name echoed from the mountains. Sam pulled his hands from his head. 'Alright then. Sky-King it is.'"
"Begone"
May 11, 2015
Solid 4.25 stars
Writing 4.5
Story 4
cover 4
editing 4
The Chains of Prophecy, by Jason P. Crawford, is the perfect mix of supernatural and great storytelling.
I almost passed this over, since it isn't my normal pick of genre, because the good vs evil tends to be so overdone. However, in reading through the book description and other reviews, it was apparent that it wasn't typical. And it's not.
Crawford has a great, easy-to-read style of writing that pulled me in early on. He has a knack for creating believable characters with good dialogue, both internal and external. It was also obvious that a lot of thought, research and work went into the telling of this story. I'm a writer myself, so I understand what it takes. Too many times, I start out reading a book that loses steam. I can almost mark the spot where the writer gives up and gets sloppy. Not so with Chains of Prophecy. It's a new, creative spin on a genre that's so easy to get cliche with. For that, I would give it nearly five stars, but there were just a couple of things holding me back.
There were a few instances where I felt things happened a bit suddenly, and perhaps unnecessarily, to move the story along. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it involved some deaths that I felt could have lent more to the story if not used for a shock factor. There were also a few spots where things happened that I either didn't buy into, or it wasn't explained. But these issues were small, and did nothing to detract from the excellent writing, or the story itself.
I know that Mr. Crawford has won some awards already, and I would expect him to win more. If you're looking for a fresh spin in this genre (I would also call it a mystery/horror/adventure), then I urge you to give it a try! At this time, it's only .99 on Amazon, which is an incredible value. Both the writing and editing is tight, and the 2nd book, Bonds of Fate, was just released!
Writing 4.5
Story 4
cover 4
editing 4
The Chains of Prophecy, by Jason P. Crawford, is the perfect mix of supernatural and great storytelling.
I almost passed this over, since it isn't my normal pick of genre, because the good vs evil tends to be so overdone. However, in reading through the book description and other reviews, it was apparent that it wasn't typical. And it's not.
Crawford has a great, easy-to-read style of writing that pulled me in early on. He has a knack for creating believable characters with good dialogue, both internal and external. It was also obvious that a lot of thought, research and work went into the telling of this story. I'm a writer myself, so I understand what it takes. Too many times, I start out reading a book that loses steam. I can almost mark the spot where the writer gives up and gets sloppy. Not so with Chains of Prophecy. It's a new, creative spin on a genre that's so easy to get cliche with. For that, I would give it nearly five stars, but there were just a couple of things holding me back.
There were a few instances where I felt things happened a bit suddenly, and perhaps unnecessarily, to move the story along. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it involved some deaths that I felt could have lent more to the story if not used for a shock factor. There were also a few spots where things happened that I either didn't buy into, or it wasn't explained. But these issues were small, and did nothing to detract from the excellent writing, or the story itself.
I know that Mr. Crawford has won some awards already, and I would expect him to win more. If you're looking for a fresh spin in this genre (I would also call it a mystery/horror/adventure), then I urge you to give it a try! At this time, it's only .99 on Amazon, which is an incredible value. Both the writing and editing is tight, and the 2nd book, Bonds of Fate, was just released!
April 27, 2014
Very good. I read it in one evening, nearly non-stop. It was fast paced and gripping.
November 4, 2014
This book was recently entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
FEEDBACK
Author: Jason P Crawford
Title: Chains of Prophecy
COVER: 8/10
In general, the readers thought the cover was excellent. They liked the fantasy/gothic feel to it and the imaginative lettering. They also thought the blurb was well written and enticing.
CONTENT 7/10
The readers enjoyed many aspects of this story. They liked the central premise: an average guy battling evil. And they liked the two central characters. The readers felt they were well-rounded and interesting to follow and the rivalry between them often electric. Most of the readers were drawn quickly into the story and many of them enjoyed the strong religious feel to it.
However, a few of the readers felt the religious element of the story was a little too strong and over-bearing. Also, a number of the readers felt the plot: an average guy battling evil in the form of a super rich politician was not original. One reader (man, aged 54) put in his feedback, ‘Why is it the evil fellow is always super rich and successful? It’s sort of annoying. I understand this book has a strong religious undertone and, I guess, the antagonist had to be rich to fulfill the ‘eye of the needle’ mentality of Christian worship, but it still felt forced and unoriginal. I guess everybody in the Vatican with all the priceless artwork hidden in the vaults also won’t be fitting through the tiny eye of that needle.’
Many of the readers commented on the speech in the story. They felt the author handled it well and introduced a strong element of humour, particularly for Sam.
EDITING 7/10
Generally, the readers thought the editing was good. There were a few errors in the text and the odd sentence was clumsy but, other than that, they spotted no huge problems with spelling, punctuation or grammar.
STYLE 7/10
The readers liked the style of writing. They liked the complex plot the author created and the way he developed the characters in the story. A few of the readers felt the author had a tendency to gloss over the lesser characters making them feel very two-dimensional and unimportant. One reader (woman, aged 62) put in her feedback, ‘This is a well written story. The author works well with description and speech and has produced a well thought out ‘angels Vs demons’ thriller. If you enjoyed the film, Constantine, you will probably enjoy this.’
TO SUM UP 29/40
STATS
Of the 18 readers:
16 loved the cover.
15 would like to read a sequel.
10 felt the best part of the book was the clever plot.
4 felt the best part of the book was the rivalry between the two central characters.
3 felt the religious element was too strong and would put off many readers.
‘A powerful story of good battling evil. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
FEEDBACK
Author: Jason P Crawford
Title: Chains of Prophecy
COVER: 8/10
In general, the readers thought the cover was excellent. They liked the fantasy/gothic feel to it and the imaginative lettering. They also thought the blurb was well written and enticing.
CONTENT 7/10
The readers enjoyed many aspects of this story. They liked the central premise: an average guy battling evil. And they liked the two central characters. The readers felt they were well-rounded and interesting to follow and the rivalry between them often electric. Most of the readers were drawn quickly into the story and many of them enjoyed the strong religious feel to it.
However, a few of the readers felt the religious element of the story was a little too strong and over-bearing. Also, a number of the readers felt the plot: an average guy battling evil in the form of a super rich politician was not original. One reader (man, aged 54) put in his feedback, ‘Why is it the evil fellow is always super rich and successful? It’s sort of annoying. I understand this book has a strong religious undertone and, I guess, the antagonist had to be rich to fulfill the ‘eye of the needle’ mentality of Christian worship, but it still felt forced and unoriginal. I guess everybody in the Vatican with all the priceless artwork hidden in the vaults also won’t be fitting through the tiny eye of that needle.’
Many of the readers commented on the speech in the story. They felt the author handled it well and introduced a strong element of humour, particularly for Sam.
EDITING 7/10
Generally, the readers thought the editing was good. There were a few errors in the text and the odd sentence was clumsy but, other than that, they spotted no huge problems with spelling, punctuation or grammar.
STYLE 7/10
The readers liked the style of writing. They liked the complex plot the author created and the way he developed the characters in the story. A few of the readers felt the author had a tendency to gloss over the lesser characters making them feel very two-dimensional and unimportant. One reader (woman, aged 62) put in her feedback, ‘This is a well written story. The author works well with description and speech and has produced a well thought out ‘angels Vs demons’ thriller. If you enjoyed the film, Constantine, you will probably enjoy this.’
TO SUM UP 29/40
STATS
Of the 18 readers:
16 loved the cover.
15 would like to read a sequel.
10 felt the best part of the book was the clever plot.
4 felt the best part of the book was the rivalry between the two central characters.
3 felt the religious element was too strong and would put off many readers.
‘A powerful story of good battling evil. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
May 14, 2015
Finalist in the Hidden Gem Awards
Review Coming Soon
Blog:ScookieReviews
When Samuel Buckland discovers he's descended of a powerful bloodline, he must first battle with his lack of faith before he faces evil in the form of a vicious yet smooth-talking politician.
This book takes no time in getting started, which is probably because Samuel is a character who likes to take action. Some of the side characters also act strangely at first, but it soon starts to fall into place as Samuel discovers that he must save a powerful yet helpless being.
I'm going to keep my wording vague to avoid spoiling the plot, but if you're a fan of contemporary fiction involving angels, powers, and villains, then you'll love Chains of Prophecy.
I’m a huge fan of angels and legacies, especially when the author adds in a few new spins like Crawford has. After learning that God and beliefs would play a part in the story, I was also thankful that this book handled beliefs in a way that isn't designed to be preachy. It's a story involving angels, demons, and faith - I think fans of Supernatural will love this book!
Like most heroes, Sam begins his journey rather reluctantly. He grows as a character throughout the book, both in his power and faith. I found him easy to relate to and root for.
The dual perspective was another thing I enjoyed about this hidden gem. I always like understanding two conflicting points of view. Later on, when a few twists were worked into the mixed, I enjoyed guessing how things would turn out. The last showdown was a fantastic way to end book 1.
The writing was strong and I could tell a lot of research went into making this. There were a few unconventional quirks in the writing that I thought didn’t work (including brackets), but not enough to make me put the book down!
Review Coming Soon
Blog:ScookieReviews
When Samuel Buckland discovers he's descended of a powerful bloodline, he must first battle with his lack of faith before he faces evil in the form of a vicious yet smooth-talking politician.
This book takes no time in getting started, which is probably because Samuel is a character who likes to take action. Some of the side characters also act strangely at first, but it soon starts to fall into place as Samuel discovers that he must save a powerful yet helpless being.
I'm going to keep my wording vague to avoid spoiling the plot, but if you're a fan of contemporary fiction involving angels, powers, and villains, then you'll love Chains of Prophecy.
I’m a huge fan of angels and legacies, especially when the author adds in a few new spins like Crawford has. After learning that God and beliefs would play a part in the story, I was also thankful that this book handled beliefs in a way that isn't designed to be preachy. It's a story involving angels, demons, and faith - I think fans of Supernatural will love this book!
Like most heroes, Sam begins his journey rather reluctantly. He grows as a character throughout the book, both in his power and faith. I found him easy to relate to and root for.
The dual perspective was another thing I enjoyed about this hidden gem. I always like understanding two conflicting points of view. Later on, when a few twists were worked into the mixed, I enjoyed guessing how things would turn out. The last showdown was a fantastic way to end book 1.
The writing was strong and I could tell a lot of research went into making this. There were a few unconventional quirks in the writing that I thought didn’t work (including brackets), but not enough to make me put the book down!
February 22, 2014
An interesting and engaging story about the eternal ethereal fight between good and evil, Heaven and Hell, God and the Devil.
Jason Crawford gives us a lesson in faith of biblical proportions as his main character Sam Buckland is a young go-getter with a good job and great prospects. But when his accountancy firm give him a new client his curiosity gets the better of him and his whole life changes.
Although there was occasionally a bit too much emphasis on the biblical history for my liking, and I struggled with the connection between the prologue and the main story until very close to the end, this was a very good story that followed a well constructed plot and is sure to please fans the paranormal genre.
Definitely worth a read.
Jason Crawford gives us a lesson in faith of biblical proportions as his main character Sam Buckland is a young go-getter with a good job and great prospects. But when his accountancy firm give him a new client his curiosity gets the better of him and his whole life changes.
Although there was occasionally a bit too much emphasis on the biblical history for my liking, and I struggled with the connection between the prologue and the main story until very close to the end, this was a very good story that followed a well constructed plot and is sure to please fans the paranormal genre.
Definitely worth a read.
January 12, 2015
Hello again, this E.B. Hood the author of Melabeth series. If you haven’t seen my Youtube channel E.B. Hood, you need to check it out and subscribe. I do reviews of books and movies. Once again bring you another review of great book, Chains of Prophecy, The Samuel Buckland Chronicles by Jason P. Crawford. You can watch my review at http://youtu.be/8yPWgXxEqio and then come by and check out my book at www.melabeth.com
May 7, 2014
A fight between good and evil takes place between Samuel Buckland and Gregory Caitlin. There lives colide thanks to the help of various different beings. Whether you believe in God or not, this story is interesting, action packed, and keeps your attention all the way through. I look forward to more Samuel Buckland chronicles. Very good book!
September 9, 2014
Engaging story about the hierarchy of angels, demons, and humans. Just fantasy enough to keep me interested and just religious enough to be possibly truthful in its story line.
April 18, 2014
SUMMARY
We follow the adventures of Samuel Buckland, a non-believing accountant who, after he is assigned to check out the tax returns of a gubernatorial candidate, ends up stumbling on a much larger secret: the supernatural is real! Imbued with new, magical powers to wield the Seals of Solomon–and thus control angel, demon, and genii alike with power directly from God–Sam Buckland must embark on an epic quest to save the angel Gabriel from her mysterious captors, who themselves have a wicked plan for the entire human race…
THE GOOD…
1) Lots of obscure, esoteric, and specialized information
The author has done a lot of research, that much is certain. We were continually thrilled at just how much he has crammed into these pages. The book does an excellent job of presenting this material, so that we don’t think anyone would have a problem understanding it–although, if like us you already know a bunch of this stuff, it’s even more interesting. Our favorite part about this material was how the author walked a fine line between giving his own spin on the magic, and actually remaining true to the original content.
2) the Keys of Solomon
This was an enormous part of the book, so we’ll spend some time explaining it: the Keys of Solomon is a magical textbook dating back from the Late Middle Ages / Early Renaissance. At the time when it was made, this book was considered actual, “real” magic. Because the Keys of Solomon has a lot of cool stuff in it, it appears in a lot of media today. In this particular story, the Keys of Solomon has been passed down through the descendants of Solomon’s family for millennia, and every so often one of those descendants is able to wield the magical seals inside. For this reason he/she is considered to be like God’s personal emissary on the Earth, with the seals having the power to control three forms of entities: demons, angels, and genii. So this hero is literally in “God mode,” roaming the earth and smiting baddies with the power from On High. How awesome is that?
3) The magical system, i.e. Christian Pokémon
This is a cool system of magic because the author takes pains so that it actually makes sense. We get a definite “feel” for the “magical laws” about halfway through the book, so that later in the story we are able to predict what will happen when Our Hero uses a particular spell. This is always a positive indicator that the magical system isn’t arbitrary; there are definite rules and we, the reader, can learn them along with the protagonist. Because the magic is from the Keys of Solomon, it often involves catching and controlling various supernatural beings, including Genii (from Islamic tradition), Angels, and even Demons. Our Hero can also send these beings out to fight other monsters. Like it’s Pokémon. Seriously. (We do admit it’s of much better quality than anime, however.) How awesome is this Samuel Buckland guy?
4) Demons that are scary as… Hell
When you first read the descriptions of these monsters in Hell, trust us, it’ll really make you shiver. If you happen to love horror like us, you’ll shiver in delight. The author does an excellent job of describing these freakshows, and we don’t want to give too many examples because that would literally be spoilers. After this Hell scene, we also finally see the actions of demons in people’s everyday lives. The main character can see the demons attached to living people, feeding off their insecurities and fears, fueling their wicked urges, corrupting their lives. But it wasn’t just the demons that were so artfully described… angels and genii also appear, rounding out the cast of the supernatural, and it was so much fun to encounter each of these beings in turn.
5) You never know what to expect
We could go on and on about the depth of the description, the writing, the characterization, and the concepts. But that would turn this review into a 10,000 novelette all by itself, so we’ll just content ourself by talking a bit about the plot. It was a very traditionalist plotting structure (beginning, middle, climax, end), but it did its job so unbelievably well. The story starts out slow, more of a mystery tale, leaving us with a lot of questions. But then it gradually gained momentum as it went along. By the end of the book, we were almost reading faster than our fingers could scroll. The best part about it was the tension. We never could quite predict what was going to happen next. Things just keep getting worse and worse for Our Hero. The ending even had a great twist thrown in for good measure.
6) Yay, humanity! Go Team People!
One of our favorite things about Christian fiction is that it is so often so classically humanist: human beings are to be praised, marveled over, and promoted as the most valuable entities in all creation. These are stories where humans face off against titans–angels, demons, and spirits which tower over us in sheer power, intelligence, and pretty much everything else–and we still win. In this book, there is a clear sense that God favors human beings above all other entities in this universe. We have stiff competition, too: there are giant angels with multiple arms, neat little sprites that blow fire and ice, and nasty demons that make us readers shiver with creepy delight. Yet human beings are still crowned as the “most important” of all of these, and–here’s the best part–are charged to overcome these monsters, big and small, with our own willpower. God may help the hero, but it’s only through granting him the power of the seals; how the hero chooses to use (or to not use) this power is up to him. It’s a very “rah-rah, go humanity, kick demon / angel / genii butt” and “make your own destiny” kind of message, and we adore it.
THE BAD…
1) Weird references to other books
Scattered throughout this book are only a few small mentions of other works of fiction. For example, JRR Tolkien is referenced in the first few chapters. At another point, Stephen King is mentioned, but only by his surname (i.e., the phrase, “it was like a King novel”). There are a couple other examples in the text, no more than half a dozen. Now, these little references are not common, and for that reason they seem a little off-putting. The author is kind of just… name-dropping. (“Oh, by the way, have you read Tolkien?”) We get that the author is kind of trying to say that these works of fiction have been inspired by real-life magic, as depicted in this story (or maybe we’re over-thinking this?), but it still feels forced.
2) Angels need to come up with better goodbyes
We get that they’re angels and they’re going to say “God bless” as their farewell. When they say it ten times, at about the ninth time, we find ourselves wondering if they don’t have another thing to say. Can we hear “God smile upon you,” or “God have mercy on you” instead? Just once? Just to break up the rhythm a bit?
THE BIZARRE…
1) “Deus Vult”
This was the cry of the Crusaders, and it makes an appearance in the story as the catchphrase for a particular character. We’re history buffs so we liked it.
2) Mentions of the Qur’an
We thought this was odd, as most Christian-based stories either do not include Islam or only mention it in a negative light, but in this book Islam is mentioned with surprising positivity. It doesn’t come up often, just a sentence or two, but when it does it is mentioned alongside Judaism and Christianity as if it is equally valid. That being said, the book also treats the Crucifixion as if the Christian version (i.e., Jesus, Son of God, died on the cross) was more true than the Islamic version (i.e., Judas was killed in Jesus’ place). Because of this we thought that the book’s use of Islam in the pages was strange yet intriguing. It doesn’t dwell on the subject, instead preferring to use that time and space to advance the plot, but we wish that there had been a little more explanation of how this coexistence was possible. It might be that Islam was there just to explain the presence of genii in the story (since genii or djinn are from Islamic tradition). Or maybe the author had another intriguing reason? We just wish that we knew.
3) And the devil is…
This book has a seriously unusual interpretation of the devil and Satan. We literally cannot tell you more because MAJOR SPOILERS. We can just say that this interpretation was so unusual, we don’t think that we’ve ever heard it before.
…AND THE VERDICT:
This book is GOOD.
We seriously hope that this is a series. Although it ended with an actual ending, we were left craving more. The problem, of course, is not knowing where the story could continue from here: after all, this plot deals with the potential destruction of the world, and those are big shoes to fill for any sequel. This book would be adored by fans of monster hunting and magical worlds. If you like CW’s “Supernatural,” Dean Koontz’s “Odd Thomas” series, or Larry Correia’s “Monster Hunters International,” then this is a sure bet. Our Hero controls supernatural entities (like they’re Pokémon!) so that he can fight other monsters and save the day. All in all, we expect big things from this author in the future. If this is his debut novel, which it appears to be, we can only expect that he will get even better. We can only hope that we will visit this world again someday: seriously, when’s the sequel coming out?
We follow the adventures of Samuel Buckland, a non-believing accountant who, after he is assigned to check out the tax returns of a gubernatorial candidate, ends up stumbling on a much larger secret: the supernatural is real! Imbued with new, magical powers to wield the Seals of Solomon–and thus control angel, demon, and genii alike with power directly from God–Sam Buckland must embark on an epic quest to save the angel Gabriel from her mysterious captors, who themselves have a wicked plan for the entire human race…
THE GOOD…
1) Lots of obscure, esoteric, and specialized information
The author has done a lot of research, that much is certain. We were continually thrilled at just how much he has crammed into these pages. The book does an excellent job of presenting this material, so that we don’t think anyone would have a problem understanding it–although, if like us you already know a bunch of this stuff, it’s even more interesting. Our favorite part about this material was how the author walked a fine line between giving his own spin on the magic, and actually remaining true to the original content.
2) the Keys of Solomon
This was an enormous part of the book, so we’ll spend some time explaining it: the Keys of Solomon is a magical textbook dating back from the Late Middle Ages / Early Renaissance. At the time when it was made, this book was considered actual, “real” magic. Because the Keys of Solomon has a lot of cool stuff in it, it appears in a lot of media today. In this particular story, the Keys of Solomon has been passed down through the descendants of Solomon’s family for millennia, and every so often one of those descendants is able to wield the magical seals inside. For this reason he/she is considered to be like God’s personal emissary on the Earth, with the seals having the power to control three forms of entities: demons, angels, and genii. So this hero is literally in “God mode,” roaming the earth and smiting baddies with the power from On High. How awesome is that?
3) The magical system, i.e. Christian Pokémon
This is a cool system of magic because the author takes pains so that it actually makes sense. We get a definite “feel” for the “magical laws” about halfway through the book, so that later in the story we are able to predict what will happen when Our Hero uses a particular spell. This is always a positive indicator that the magical system isn’t arbitrary; there are definite rules and we, the reader, can learn them along with the protagonist. Because the magic is from the Keys of Solomon, it often involves catching and controlling various supernatural beings, including Genii (from Islamic tradition), Angels, and even Demons. Our Hero can also send these beings out to fight other monsters. Like it’s Pokémon. Seriously. (We do admit it’s of much better quality than anime, however.) How awesome is this Samuel Buckland guy?
4) Demons that are scary as… Hell
When you first read the descriptions of these monsters in Hell, trust us, it’ll really make you shiver. If you happen to love horror like us, you’ll shiver in delight. The author does an excellent job of describing these freakshows, and we don’t want to give too many examples because that would literally be spoilers. After this Hell scene, we also finally see the actions of demons in people’s everyday lives. The main character can see the demons attached to living people, feeding off their insecurities and fears, fueling their wicked urges, corrupting their lives. But it wasn’t just the demons that were so artfully described… angels and genii also appear, rounding out the cast of the supernatural, and it was so much fun to encounter each of these beings in turn.
5) You never know what to expect
We could go on and on about the depth of the description, the writing, the characterization, and the concepts. But that would turn this review into a 10,000 novelette all by itself, so we’ll just content ourself by talking a bit about the plot. It was a very traditionalist plotting structure (beginning, middle, climax, end), but it did its job so unbelievably well. The story starts out slow, more of a mystery tale, leaving us with a lot of questions. But then it gradually gained momentum as it went along. By the end of the book, we were almost reading faster than our fingers could scroll. The best part about it was the tension. We never could quite predict what was going to happen next. Things just keep getting worse and worse for Our Hero. The ending even had a great twist thrown in for good measure.
6) Yay, humanity! Go Team People!
One of our favorite things about Christian fiction is that it is so often so classically humanist: human beings are to be praised, marveled over, and promoted as the most valuable entities in all creation. These are stories where humans face off against titans–angels, demons, and spirits which tower over us in sheer power, intelligence, and pretty much everything else–and we still win. In this book, there is a clear sense that God favors human beings above all other entities in this universe. We have stiff competition, too: there are giant angels with multiple arms, neat little sprites that blow fire and ice, and nasty demons that make us readers shiver with creepy delight. Yet human beings are still crowned as the “most important” of all of these, and–here’s the best part–are charged to overcome these monsters, big and small, with our own willpower. God may help the hero, but it’s only through granting him the power of the seals; how the hero chooses to use (or to not use) this power is up to him. It’s a very “rah-rah, go humanity, kick demon / angel / genii butt” and “make your own destiny” kind of message, and we adore it.
THE BAD…
1) Weird references to other books
Scattered throughout this book are only a few small mentions of other works of fiction. For example, JRR Tolkien is referenced in the first few chapters. At another point, Stephen King is mentioned, but only by his surname (i.e., the phrase, “it was like a King novel”). There are a couple other examples in the text, no more than half a dozen. Now, these little references are not common, and for that reason they seem a little off-putting. The author is kind of just… name-dropping. (“Oh, by the way, have you read Tolkien?”) We get that the author is kind of trying to say that these works of fiction have been inspired by real-life magic, as depicted in this story (or maybe we’re over-thinking this?), but it still feels forced.
2) Angels need to come up with better goodbyes
We get that they’re angels and they’re going to say “God bless” as their farewell. When they say it ten times, at about the ninth time, we find ourselves wondering if they don’t have another thing to say. Can we hear “God smile upon you,” or “God have mercy on you” instead? Just once? Just to break up the rhythm a bit?
THE BIZARRE…
1) “Deus Vult”
This was the cry of the Crusaders, and it makes an appearance in the story as the catchphrase for a particular character. We’re history buffs so we liked it.
2) Mentions of the Qur’an
We thought this was odd, as most Christian-based stories either do not include Islam or only mention it in a negative light, but in this book Islam is mentioned with surprising positivity. It doesn’t come up often, just a sentence or two, but when it does it is mentioned alongside Judaism and Christianity as if it is equally valid. That being said, the book also treats the Crucifixion as if the Christian version (i.e., Jesus, Son of God, died on the cross) was more true than the Islamic version (i.e., Judas was killed in Jesus’ place). Because of this we thought that the book’s use of Islam in the pages was strange yet intriguing. It doesn’t dwell on the subject, instead preferring to use that time and space to advance the plot, but we wish that there had been a little more explanation of how this coexistence was possible. It might be that Islam was there just to explain the presence of genii in the story (since genii or djinn are from Islamic tradition). Or maybe the author had another intriguing reason? We just wish that we knew.
3) And the devil is…
This book has a seriously unusual interpretation of the devil and Satan. We literally cannot tell you more because MAJOR SPOILERS. We can just say that this interpretation was so unusual, we don’t think that we’ve ever heard it before.
…AND THE VERDICT:
This book is GOOD.
We seriously hope that this is a series. Although it ended with an actual ending, we were left craving more. The problem, of course, is not knowing where the story could continue from here: after all, this plot deals with the potential destruction of the world, and those are big shoes to fill for any sequel. This book would be adored by fans of monster hunting and magical worlds. If you like CW’s “Supernatural,” Dean Koontz’s “Odd Thomas” series, or Larry Correia’s “Monster Hunters International,” then this is a sure bet. Our Hero controls supernatural entities (like they’re Pokémon!) so that he can fight other monsters and save the day. All in all, we expect big things from this author in the future. If this is his debut novel, which it appears to be, we can only expect that he will get even better. We can only hope that we will visit this world again someday: seriously, when’s the sequel coming out?
November 17, 2024
Even their names are crazy
May 29, 2015
Review copy provided via READING ALLEY in exchange for an honest review.
An Artfully Written Story That Will Stay With You Long After It Is Over
The story begins off with prologue: a battle between good and evil in which the good did prevail but with one evil possibly escaping. It then moves on to show with a highly successful businessman, Gregory Caitlin, who thanks and praises God for giving him everything, for his inspirations and revelations, before announcing his candidacy for Governor. We then meet Samuel ‘Sam’ Buckland, an accountant and a sceptic. Despite his parents being deeply religious, he finds the belief in God to be irrational. Things begin to change when he receives Mr. Caitlin’s finances for review prior to releasing them in public. The only thing which left Sam curious were the three checks given in name of research to some lady. With his brain telling to leave it alone at that, his instincts prod him forward to investigate it. Just when he is almost satisfied; he gets fired, gets cryptic telegram, finds out about his legacy – he belongs to the line of King Solomon’s descendants who have the Seals of Solomon passed down generations and he is next in line. Angry he goes off only to find his parents dead the next day. Things only begin to get weirder. He finds out that angel Gabriel is imprisoned, Caitlin is after the keys, people are dying and he needs to find his faith in God to become the rightful heir and control the power of the Seals to set things right before it is too late.
Chains of Prophecy is an inspirational read of epic proportions. It starts off slow. The first few chapters, I had trouble settling in with the prose and style but as I kept reading the story came into its own. The writing matured and became captivating with each chapter. I had a hard time letting go to even get up and drink water once I got pulled into the story. It kept me up all night with what happens next.
Normally I avoid books with high religious contexts in them mainly because of the conflict of religious beliefs. I thought Chains of Prophecy to be high on mythologies but it contains some serious beliefs of all the major religions in the world. I am so glad now that I had a chance to read this. What I loved the best about Chains of Prophecy is how Mr. Jason Crawford tackled all the religions without insulting even one of them. In fact he accorded them with equal amounts of respect and belief without making one feel superior to the other. It left me feeling good and oddly, deeply introspective about how high a level of faith we have in God (Allah) and his workings. The amount of research to find some common elements of belief and then incorporating them in such a way requires skill and for that I laude Mr. Jason Crawford.
IF we ignore the religious part of the story, both the antagonist and protagonist are pretty well developed characters and the story flows making it an easy relatable read. Sam grew with each chapter. I could relate with him his guilt for his parents’ death and the regret that the last thing he said to his mom was in anger not an apology. This is what motivates him to move forward and find deep within himself faith in God and the belief in the legacy that his mom died for. I loved how Mr. Crawford showed us that evil is not black and white but in shades of gray as we saw Gregory devolve into a fanatic for the belief that he was doing it for the betterment of humanity. While it might be due to the devil whispering into his ear, my personal belief is that a person has enough tendency to know right from wrong and make decisions based on that no matter anyone says to him unless he wants to. When does ‘good’ become too much to devolve into ‘evil’? When do we cross the line and lose sight of what we are doing might be harming others rather than helping them? How do we differentiate between faith and greed in the name of betterment of humanity? Why have blind faith in God? These are some of the questions and themes explored in this book. The defection of the devil and the belief of the angels is beautifully explained. A very artfully written story that will stay with you long after it is over and compel you to think about where you stand in front of God along with giving you a fast-paced action packed adventure. I, for one, cannot wait to see what is next in store with Samuel Buckland.
An Artfully Written Story That Will Stay With You Long After It Is Over
The story begins off with prologue: a battle between good and evil in which the good did prevail but with one evil possibly escaping. It then moves on to show with a highly successful businessman, Gregory Caitlin, who thanks and praises God for giving him everything, for his inspirations and revelations, before announcing his candidacy for Governor. We then meet Samuel ‘Sam’ Buckland, an accountant and a sceptic. Despite his parents being deeply religious, he finds the belief in God to be irrational. Things begin to change when he receives Mr. Caitlin’s finances for review prior to releasing them in public. The only thing which left Sam curious were the three checks given in name of research to some lady. With his brain telling to leave it alone at that, his instincts prod him forward to investigate it. Just when he is almost satisfied; he gets fired, gets cryptic telegram, finds out about his legacy – he belongs to the line of King Solomon’s descendants who have the Seals of Solomon passed down generations and he is next in line. Angry he goes off only to find his parents dead the next day. Things only begin to get weirder. He finds out that angel Gabriel is imprisoned, Caitlin is after the keys, people are dying and he needs to find his faith in God to become the rightful heir and control the power of the Seals to set things right before it is too late.
Chains of Prophecy is an inspirational read of epic proportions. It starts off slow. The first few chapters, I had trouble settling in with the prose and style but as I kept reading the story came into its own. The writing matured and became captivating with each chapter. I had a hard time letting go to even get up and drink water once I got pulled into the story. It kept me up all night with what happens next.
Normally I avoid books with high religious contexts in them mainly because of the conflict of religious beliefs. I thought Chains of Prophecy to be high on mythologies but it contains some serious beliefs of all the major religions in the world. I am so glad now that I had a chance to read this. What I loved the best about Chains of Prophecy is how Mr. Jason Crawford tackled all the religions without insulting even one of them. In fact he accorded them with equal amounts of respect and belief without making one feel superior to the other. It left me feeling good and oddly, deeply introspective about how high a level of faith we have in God (Allah) and his workings. The amount of research to find some common elements of belief and then incorporating them in such a way requires skill and for that I laude Mr. Jason Crawford.
IF we ignore the religious part of the story, both the antagonist and protagonist are pretty well developed characters and the story flows making it an easy relatable read. Sam grew with each chapter. I could relate with him his guilt for his parents’ death and the regret that the last thing he said to his mom was in anger not an apology. This is what motivates him to move forward and find deep within himself faith in God and the belief in the legacy that his mom died for. I loved how Mr. Crawford showed us that evil is not black and white but in shades of gray as we saw Gregory devolve into a fanatic for the belief that he was doing it for the betterment of humanity. While it might be due to the devil whispering into his ear, my personal belief is that a person has enough tendency to know right from wrong and make decisions based on that no matter anyone says to him unless he wants to. When does ‘good’ become too much to devolve into ‘evil’? When do we cross the line and lose sight of what we are doing might be harming others rather than helping them? How do we differentiate between faith and greed in the name of betterment of humanity? Why have blind faith in God? These are some of the questions and themes explored in this book. The defection of the devil and the belief of the angels is beautifully explained. A very artfully written story that will stay with you long after it is over and compel you to think about where you stand in front of God along with giving you a fast-paced action packed adventure. I, for one, cannot wait to see what is next in store with Samuel Buckland.
January 11, 2014
I was a bit of a dilemma when I read this book. There are some unbelievable scenes in this book, a lot of which I felt in how the gods' powers were either a) purposely held back (their explanations were to "let humanity fight it out on its own") or b) not strong enough as they were trapped. Having been raised upon the notion of the all-powerful gifts of the gods, it was sometimes hard to believe that they could be defeated at will, (i.e. how Gabriel could be trapped for so long) or that they would manipulate humans to fight each other when they could do the job themselves. That's why I loved more the author's other book, "The Drifter," which has only gods fighting each other, not involving humans. Also, sometimes this book seemed to lurch from one crisis to the next, which makes it a fast read but can also be unsettling. I also wasn't sure how, if the villain had access to every move that the hero, Samuel Buckland, was going to make, and had all this unlimited power, how Samuel could stay undisturbed or alive for so long.
But! The imagination of this incredibly creative author saves the day, as usual! In fact, I expect to enjoy every book by this author, as his creativity is much too powerful to subdue. My favourite parts of this book where when Samuel Buckland summons up battles between the paranormal beings (see, I said I like it when foes are evenly matched) and when he faces off with the villain, another human, at the end of the book.
Yes, the talent of this author cannot be denied, which makes this a solid four stars. I love speculative fiction, much like Doctor Who, where anything can, and does, happen out of the blue and causes people to react in astonishment. I also write fiction much like that, which is why I feel I share a bond of some sort.
But! The imagination of this incredibly creative author saves the day, as usual! In fact, I expect to enjoy every book by this author, as his creativity is much too powerful to subdue. My favourite parts of this book where when Samuel Buckland summons up battles between the paranormal beings (see, I said I like it when foes are evenly matched) and when he faces off with the villain, another human, at the end of the book.
Yes, the talent of this author cannot be denied, which makes this a solid four stars. I love speculative fiction, much like Doctor Who, where anything can, and does, happen out of the blue and causes people to react in astonishment. I also write fiction much like that, which is why I feel I share a bond of some sort.
May 11, 2014
Deus Vult!
What happens when a genius, young accountant is enlisted in the ongoing battle between Heaven and Hell? A uniquely compelling novel that will have you reading late into the night.
Jason Crawford weaves an incredible story of angels versus demons, good versus evil, and Sam Buckland versus Gregory Caitlin. My favorite part of any book is the antagonist. I like all types (the evil mastermind, the do-bad-things-for-good-reasons kind, and the few that fall in the middle) as long as they evoke emotion. They make or break any well-crafted story, and Greg Caitlin certainly made Chains of Prophecy for me. His character unfolded in a brilliant, methodical pace that left me craving more.
Sam, our hero, is an everyday guy, relatable, engaging and sympathetic. I felt for him as his life took a jolting nose dive and I rooted as he rallied back to take up the torch of his ancestors.
The writing was smooth and the pace spot on. Chains of Prophecy captured my attention around the 20% mark and I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page. Though it is a fantasy based in Christian dogma, I never once felt like I was receiving a theology lesson or being bashed over the head with an intended message. Jason did an amazing job of keeping the story flowing with eloquent narrative, captivating dialogue, and exciting characters.
Loved it! 5 stars. Fingers crossed for a second.
What happens when a genius, young accountant is enlisted in the ongoing battle between Heaven and Hell? A uniquely compelling novel that will have you reading late into the night.
Jason Crawford weaves an incredible story of angels versus demons, good versus evil, and Sam Buckland versus Gregory Caitlin. My favorite part of any book is the antagonist. I like all types (the evil mastermind, the do-bad-things-for-good-reasons kind, and the few that fall in the middle) as long as they evoke emotion. They make or break any well-crafted story, and Greg Caitlin certainly made Chains of Prophecy for me. His character unfolded in a brilliant, methodical pace that left me craving more.
Sam, our hero, is an everyday guy, relatable, engaging and sympathetic. I felt for him as his life took a jolting nose dive and I rooted as he rallied back to take up the torch of his ancestors.
The writing was smooth and the pace spot on. Chains of Prophecy captured my attention around the 20% mark and I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page. Though it is a fantasy based in Christian dogma, I never once felt like I was receiving a theology lesson or being bashed over the head with an intended message. Jason did an amazing job of keeping the story flowing with eloquent narrative, captivating dialogue, and exciting characters.
Loved it! 5 stars. Fingers crossed for a second.
September 13, 2013
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start with the technical aspects. As far as editing goes, it was for the most part well done. There is the odd mistake, but certainly nothing that is so distracting that you get pulled out of the story. I've read professionally edited novels that were much, much worse.
The tale itself is quite entertaining. I've always been a sucker for the unlikely hero, and Samuel definitely fits that bill nicely. I really enjoyed the rather unconventional and modern slant the author used with regards to the magic in the book. (ketchup packets. LOL!) The mythology that the author crafted was quite cool as well. It was a fresh, unique re-imagining of some well known pieces of the christian mythos.
The only gripe I had with the book was that some of the dialogue was not the most interesting that I've read. Not that it was painful to read or not believable, it just wasn't as punchy as I'd like it to be. I didn't find myself really absorbed by what the characters were saying.
Overall, a really entertaining ride and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. If you like the fantasy genre, you should like this book.
I'll start with the technical aspects. As far as editing goes, it was for the most part well done. There is the odd mistake, but certainly nothing that is so distracting that you get pulled out of the story. I've read professionally edited novels that were much, much worse.
The tale itself is quite entertaining. I've always been a sucker for the unlikely hero, and Samuel definitely fits that bill nicely. I really enjoyed the rather unconventional and modern slant the author used with regards to the magic in the book. (ketchup packets. LOL!) The mythology that the author crafted was quite cool as well. It was a fresh, unique re-imagining of some well known pieces of the christian mythos.
The only gripe I had with the book was that some of the dialogue was not the most interesting that I've read. Not that it was painful to read or not believable, it just wasn't as punchy as I'd like it to be. I didn't find myself really absorbed by what the characters were saying.
Overall, a really entertaining ride and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. If you like the fantasy genre, you should like this book.
May 6, 2014
Samuel Buckland is an accountant who lives comfortably in Acton, California. After becoming too curious about one of his firm's clients, his life is suddenly turned upside down. He learns that he is the descendant of King Solomon's Legacy. Before he knows it, he is in a battle to save the Archangel Gabriel, who has been imprisoned on earth.
This book is fast-paced and fairly unique. Samuel Buckland is a character who is easy to like. I also like that his nemesis is not a one-sided character. It is not often that a reader finds a villain with some depth. The story puts a different spin on magic and there are a lot of biblical references. I especially appreciated that the story took place local to me.
The downside to this book is that there are some formatting issues and it could use a good comb-over by an editor with a keen eye. At first, I found this to be kind of distracting. But, once I got past that, I really enjoyed the story and would certainly read the next one.
*Update to my original review: It is my understanding that the formatting issues have been fixed. So I'm bumping it up a star.
This book is fast-paced and fairly unique. Samuel Buckland is a character who is easy to like. I also like that his nemesis is not a one-sided character. It is not often that a reader finds a villain with some depth. The story puts a different spin on magic and there are a lot of biblical references. I especially appreciated that the story took place local to me.
The downside to this book is that there are some formatting issues and it could use a good comb-over by an editor with a keen eye. At first, I found this to be kind of distracting. But, once I got past that, I really enjoyed the story and would certainly read the next one.
*Update to my original review: It is my understanding that the formatting issues have been fixed. So I'm bumping it up a star.
July 17, 2013
It was good, while at first I wasn't to sure it had me a bit confused on what was happening and what not, Their was not much jumping around and that seemed to be the bigger one than the jumping between Sam and Gregory slowed down a bit I was able to enjoy this good story. It was way different then what I had assumed that it would turn out to be, much better in fact. Here I thought this story was all about GOD but it was actually different, was funny, sad and had great action parts. This was definitely something that I don't normally read and I'm happy to say I rather enjoyed it and I will end up reading the next one when it comes out or if it is out. Sam turned out to be this nice guy great job, and a loving family to no family, no job, and these tattoos on his arms now, a strong and independent person. he was a Hero in the story. Also got a different point of view on Michael and Gabriel, I know just like everyone else does that they are angel's it was great to see a story about them and magic all in one was good!!!
July 19, 2013
What I liked about it:
The author takes well-known religious stories and mythology and gives them a modern interpretation. I loved his creativity in this -- bargaining with the jinn with a cellphone, spell casting with ketchup packets etc.
I also liked that the story raised issues and asked questions that made me think. I enjoy reading books that not only entertain, but go a step beyond. It explored good and evil and the vast areas of gray that's between the two.
What could have been improved:
This very intriguing and imaginative story could have been polished more -- there were point-of view issues, dialogue tags and repeated words and character tics that kept pulling me out of the story.
Overall opinion: While I noticed the edit issues, I still greatly enjoyed this complex, fast-paced story and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. And yes, I'm looking forward to the sequel.
* I was provided a free copy of the story in return for an honest review.*
The author takes well-known religious stories and mythology and gives them a modern interpretation. I loved his creativity in this -- bargaining with the jinn with a cellphone, spell casting with ketchup packets etc.
I also liked that the story raised issues and asked questions that made me think. I enjoy reading books that not only entertain, but go a step beyond. It explored good and evil and the vast areas of gray that's between the two.
What could have been improved:
This very intriguing and imaginative story could have been polished more -- there were point-of view issues, dialogue tags and repeated words and character tics that kept pulling me out of the story.
Overall opinion: While I noticed the edit issues, I still greatly enjoyed this complex, fast-paced story and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. And yes, I'm looking forward to the sequel.
* I was provided a free copy of the story in return for an honest review.*
July 7, 2013
Samuel Buckland doesn’t believe in God. Even when his mother tries to pass on a family secret, an ancient book with strange religious symbols, he refuses to accept the possibility that higher beings exist. Its funny how one visit from an Archangel can change your mind.
Chains of Prophecy follows Sam Buckland as he wrestles with his own faith while learning to fight battles which hold the fate of the world and possibly beyond. The story is compelling, characters well defined, and the action continuously moves forward. Like many debut novels, there are a few unpolished spots (punctuation, formatting) but they don’t take away from the rich story being told.
I look forward to reading future novels about Sam’s adventures.
Chains of Prophecy follows Sam Buckland as he wrestles with his own faith while learning to fight battles which hold the fate of the world and possibly beyond. The story is compelling, characters well defined, and the action continuously moves forward. Like many debut novels, there are a few unpolished spots (punctuation, formatting) but they don’t take away from the rich story being told.
I look forward to reading future novels about Sam’s adventures.
July 23, 2013
The story of Sam Buckland will appeal to people who have a special liking to angels, demons, and supernatural, but if you are a complete atheist, proceed with caution. Read if you love a good story, but step aside if you are going to argue everything. Otherwise, the pace is fast, the story nicely told, and the characters well fleshed out without overwhelming descriptions. I liked that the antagonist thought that he was doing things for the good of the world and not for his own benefit. You can't really hate him even after all he's done, which was rather unexpected and refreshing.
'Chains of Prophecy' was over all a great read, and although it may benefit some polishing, it kept me interested until the end.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
'Chains of Prophecy' was over all a great read, and although it may benefit some polishing, it kept me interested until the end.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2013
I want to start off by saying I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book; it has action, supernatural elements in the form of angels and demons, and a great main character that is very relatable. I liked the author's take on the whole angels element, especially Lucifer being completely separate from Satan (Satan is actually good and one of God's advisors and Lucifer is the Lord of Demons - as is what is commonly believed). I'm excited to see where the main character's, Sam Buckland, life goes from here. I will definitely read the next book and highly recommend this book to those who like supernatural books.
I really enjoyed this book; it has action, supernatural elements in the form of angels and demons, and a great main character that is very relatable. I liked the author's take on the whole angels element, especially Lucifer being completely separate from Satan (Satan is actually good and one of God's advisors and Lucifer is the Lord of Demons - as is what is commonly believed). I'm excited to see where the main character's, Sam Buckland, life goes from here. I will definitely read the next book and highly recommend this book to those who like supernatural books.
July 30, 2013
*I recieved this book in exchange of a honest review.*
Wow! What a book. I am glad I got the chance to read this book. I was hooked the entire time. It was very hard to put this book down. I took it everywhere with me. This book is full of action, and I just couldn't get enough. The characters were well thought out and amazing. I will defanently read this book again. Make sure to get a copy of this book, you will fall in love!
Wow! What a book. I am glad I got the chance to read this book. I was hooked the entire time. It was very hard to put this book down. I took it everywhere with me. This book is full of action, and I just couldn't get enough. The characters were well thought out and amazing. I will defanently read this book again. Make sure to get a copy of this book, you will fall in love!
November 23, 2016
Chains of Prophecy
Great read from an Author I've not had the pleasure to read before. I love the storyline and characters in the novel, you could feel the tension and visualize the action as it happens. I like to believe in the Almighty and the goodness of decent Human Beings, if this is the case, then you have to believe in the other side of the coin. Which strikes a precarious balance in all things. Fab
Great read from an Author I've not had the pleasure to read before. I love the storyline and characters in the novel, you could feel the tension and visualize the action as it happens. I like to believe in the Almighty and the goodness of decent Human Beings, if this is the case, then you have to believe in the other side of the coin. Which strikes a precarious balance in all things. Fab
April 1, 2014
I really enjoyed this take on Good v Evil with a reluctant hero. It made a change from other books I have read in this genre. As far as the writing goes, I felt the book is very well written and was actually surprised that it was a debut novel.
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