And God Said Let There Be LIGHT - And There Was LIGHT. But what was the LIGHT and what came before the LIGHT? Jake Tranton journeys through the seven Earths of Jewish mythology searching for the answers to this riddle and he discovers that before the creation of Heaven and Earth something else was created - something else that was dark and evil and had no business to exist but exist it did and its existence is the antithesis of everything else in creation. It is an evil so dark that it can mould your mind to its thoughts and make you see and do what it wants however horrific. It is an evil so dark that not even a demon can withstand it. Can Jake stand up to the horror that is unleashed and take on this force of total evil to fulfil his Destiny? Only by harnessing God's true Light can he hope to prevail but that Light is a force that no man may see and live.
Eric Rendel's novel is the first fantasy that employs authentic Jewish mythology sourced from the Midrash and Kabbalah and with characters from the modern Jewish world and will provide the reader with an insight into the world of orthodox Judaism.
I found this book to be quite gripping because of the plot. Although because I don't normally read books from this Genre, I did struggle to stick with it in places. And found that I needed to go back and read through bits of it a second time, sometimes third time.
I did find at times that this book had a particularly Dan Brown-esque feel to it.
The mix of real world theology, religion and mysticism made this stand out more to me, as I tend to like books that incorporate real historical or religious themes. I was intrigued by the idea of a piece of fiction based on Jewish Teachings (something of which I have never really looked at before). I was incredibly thankful for the Authors note, that listed a lot of terms I wouldn't have otherwise understood throughout this book, If it weren't for this, I probably wouldn't have read past the first few chapters. I think having information like this is a big help, and the endnotes were also incredibly helpful because of this. The glossary of terms itself is extremely comprehensive, but I did find myself referring back to it on occasions just to double check i had the right meaning. I have come away from this read, knowing a bit more about Judaism and much more open to reading similar books in the future
This is a book that I personally will most likely have to read again in order to take it in fully, but I would defintiely recommend this book to anyone who want to read something that incorporates actual religious ideas and fiction.
This is from one of my favourite gendres and Wow Eric Rendel has certainly delivered a cracking novel. I know little about the Jewish religion but I found myself totally engrossed in this biblical fantasy of mythological horror, demons and heros. The concept of the story was so original that I couldn't even imagine where it was all going. This is at times a very graphic and gruesome story that had me reading at an incredible speed to see what happened next. Each of the characters were distinctive and easy to remember so the whole novel flowed beautifully. I loved the main character Jake, the black sheep of the family, but my favourite story line has to be that of Shmueli. Totally jaw dropping stuff. This book has to be one of my top favourites in this gendre. Totally gripping, brilliant story and perfectly delivered. A must buy for readers of this gendre.
This was a dark fantasy novel that had me interested from the first chapter. Eric Rendel focuses around the Jewish Mythology and answers the questions of what existed before light. What existed before light was dark, evil and dangerous. I liked how mystery was used to enhance the plot and how the book explains the Jewish Mythologies. I liked the elements of adventure and how fast the plot moved. The characters were easy to connect with and I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book from beginning to end. I also liked the writing style and found it easy to follow. This book is a great read and I feel as though it's a must read. I would recommend it.
A mix of theology (in this case, Judaism), mythology, horror, fantasy and thriller. A thoroughly good read. I was fascinated by the concept of the seven Earths and the adventures and challenges encountered along the way by Jake Tranton. There are quite a few characters in the book so, at times, I was a little confused as to who was who! However, this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book and I found it quite a page-turner. If you are looking for something different, then give ‘Light’ a go. It’s well worth the read.
This is a very rich well-written story. Intrique, mysticism, religious artifacts and a tightly woven plot all make this an excellent Fantasy novel. This is a monster novel that is well worth your time. The imagery the author creates with his writing is superb and each chapter played out like a movie scene.
Do take the time to read through the lexicon at the beginning of the book if you are not familiar with the terminology. I found it to be quite helpful and referred back to it several times while reading.
Don't think I've ever read a dark fantasy novel where I felt connected to the characters so quickly. Eric Rendel develops a broad range of ideas in such a short span of time; it's amazing that it hangs together so effortlessly and feels completely unforced. I give it five stars for knocking my socks off.
Amazingly, this story started off with a captivating prologue which promptly grabbed my attention. The creativity and writing style ensures one’s eyes are glued to the pages of this book. The plot is one of a kind, it supports Jewish mythology, dreadful events and outrageous beings. Traveling with Jake on his quest to expose the dark, sinister and evil which was created before the heaven and the earth was very exhilarating. His path is filled with diverse twists and turns. Truly, this amazing story was worth the read!
This book started out full of promise. Good storyline and interesting characters. Somewhere along the way it lost its appeal. The story was all over the place towards the end and just seemed to go on and on. Overall not a bad book and good in parts but unfortunately the last quarter of the book for me just let it down.
while this book was not for me personally as I have nothing I could relate to it was well written with characters that you either liked or hated. I do love the happy ending for Jacob tranton and cherry linwood.
I would recommend this book for those who love religious spirituality of any faith.