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STEG
A dark religious fantasy about the Garden of Eden as you’ve never heard it told. A “religious” fantasy novella about how man truly faced his first temptation … and the eternal consequences we are damned to for it.
The archangel STEG has a dark dilemma. He can either fulfill his heavenly duty as the knowledge bearing serpent in the Garden—assist the daughter of Eden in bringing Life’s light to mankind—or he can chase a growing fantasy—a love deep inside him—beyond his control or comprehension.
Steg’s love is more forbidden than any fruit growing in the Garden, and to pursue it he’ll have to break just about every commandment he’ll ever know, yet to be written or silently understood hardly matters.
But love is not one to wait and wane while it withers on the vine. Neither is Steg, who, as the highest and most beautiful angel—the very first angel—is mere breaths away from being a god himself. Now, he has 7 days of creation to win the affection of the one he loves, or he will incur the wrath of a God who purports to love him above all others.Either way, the Garden will never be the same again.
Because sooner or later, the sin and treachery in Eden’s Garden… Eventually … sin touches every god.
The prologue novella to THE FALLEN series, STEG is a fast-paced, sarcastic and angry thriller that takes a distinctly human look into the just-may-be-possible roots of it all.
THE FALLEN series of books in order:
JUMP, THE FALLEN: Testament 1, a Thriller Novel
FURY, THE FALLEN: Testament 2, a Thriller Novel
FAITH, THE FALLEN: Testament 3, a Thriller Novel
HOLE, THE FALLEN: Testament 5, a Thriller Novel
DOGG, THE FALLEN: Testament 4, a Thriller Novel
BURN, THE FALLEN: Testament 6, a Thriller Novel
LIVED, THE FALLEN: Testament 7, a Thriller Novel
LIFE, THE FALLEN: Testament 8, a Thriller Novel
RAIN, THE FALLEN: Testament 9, a Thriller Novel
SALVATION, THE FALLEN: Testament 10, a Thriller Novel
The archangel STEG has a dark dilemma. He can either fulfill his heavenly duty as the knowledge bearing serpent in the Garden—assist the daughter of Eden in bringing Life’s light to mankind—or he can chase a growing fantasy—a love deep inside him—beyond his control or comprehension.
Steg’s love is more forbidden than any fruit growing in the Garden, and to pursue it he’ll have to break just about every commandment he’ll ever know, yet to be written or silently understood hardly matters.
But love is not one to wait and wane while it withers on the vine. Neither is Steg, who, as the highest and most beautiful angel—the very first angel—is mere breaths away from being a god himself. Now, he has 7 days of creation to win the affection of the one he loves, or he will incur the wrath of a God who purports to love him above all others.Either way, the Garden will never be the same again.
Because sooner or later, the sin and treachery in Eden’s Garden… Eventually … sin touches every god.
The prologue novella to THE FALLEN series, STEG is a fast-paced, sarcastic and angry thriller that takes a distinctly human look into the just-may-be-possible roots of it all.
THE FALLEN series of books in order:
JUMP, THE FALLEN: Testament 1, a Thriller Novel
FURY, THE FALLEN: Testament 2, a Thriller Novel
FAITH, THE FALLEN: Testament 3, a Thriller Novel
HOLE, THE FALLEN: Testament 5, a Thriller Novel
DOGG, THE FALLEN: Testament 4, a Thriller Novel
BURN, THE FALLEN: Testament 6, a Thriller Novel
LIVED, THE FALLEN: Testament 7, a Thriller Novel
LIFE, THE FALLEN: Testament 8, a Thriller Novel
RAIN, THE FALLEN: Testament 9, a Thriller Novel
SALVATION, THE FALLEN: Testament 10, a Thriller Novel
- GenresFantasy
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2015
18 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Steve Windsor
13 books35 followersSteve Windsor was born in Augsberg Germany to US Military parents. So he doesn’t know a bit of German.
University of Washington—check—alumni association after me for money.
MBA—almost—too much beer.
Mortgage—check—check—check—no mas, por favor, no mas.
Wife—she’s wonderful
Kids—wonder-fuller
La la la. You don’t want to read about that do you? Here’s the good stuff
Me? I'm just a guy who wants to watch the Apocalypse with some 3D glasses, a monster bucket of popcorn, and a Pina Colada. (Hey, don't judge me. I like the foo-foo drinks. They taste better.)
I like a good bad-guy … or bad good-girl, for that matter. What's wrong with that?
I think the world needs some good anti-heroes. Ones that we can rely on to set things right. An ornery brute or brutess who can clean up everything that needs cleanin' up ... except themselves.
And I would use an ellipsis ... for a dramatic pause ... and another one ... just to piss off my editor ... right before I tell you that sometimes … I mess up movie quotes.
My editor says that ellipses are annoying—I don't use many of them. (Totally lying—she made me put that in here)
I think Vin Diesel was too nice in Pitch Black. (Probably his best movie) So was Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill, for that matter. (1 and 2, thank you)
Andrew Vachss is my hero. You should definitely read his novels.
And I love George R.R. Martin because he’s not afraid to whack a hero.
You think I'm harsh? Two words—Chuck Wendig. Trust me, you should read him.
Sarcasm—Flirty chit-chat.
Cynicism—A little toe tickle under the dinner table.
Condescending contempt—ooh, talk dirty to me.
Straight-up stringing a long line of colorful profanity together as speech—Check please! Call us a cab!
On Profanity:
Battlestar Galactica (the new one) I mean, come on, “Frack?” That was profanity genius.
Betty White—Lake Placid. All I'm sayin'.
X-files—episode… I don’t remember, but they “bleeped” all their cursewords … by actually saying “bleep!” Genius!
Also, HBO—The Wire. Where my two favorite detectives carry a whole scene with one word as continual dialog. That word? "Firetruck." (It's a SNL skit—Google it)
And Firefly? Get outta here. Cussing in Chinese? Frackin genius.
So I guess you can tell I like a colorful vocabulary in a character.
I'm Steve Windsor, and I approve this bio message
University of Washington—check—alumni association after me for money.
MBA—almost—too much beer.
Mortgage—check—check—check—no mas, por favor, no mas.
Wife—she’s wonderful
Kids—wonder-fuller
La la la. You don’t want to read about that do you? Here’s the good stuff
Me? I'm just a guy who wants to watch the Apocalypse with some 3D glasses, a monster bucket of popcorn, and a Pina Colada. (Hey, don't judge me. I like the foo-foo drinks. They taste better.)
I like a good bad-guy … or bad good-girl, for that matter. What's wrong with that?
I think the world needs some good anti-heroes. Ones that we can rely on to set things right. An ornery brute or brutess who can clean up everything that needs cleanin' up ... except themselves.
And I would use an ellipsis ... for a dramatic pause ... and another one ... just to piss off my editor ... right before I tell you that sometimes … I mess up movie quotes.
My editor says that ellipses are annoying—I don't use many of them. (Totally lying—she made me put that in here)
I think Vin Diesel was too nice in Pitch Black. (Probably his best movie) So was Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill, for that matter. (1 and 2, thank you)
Andrew Vachss is my hero. You should definitely read his novels.
And I love George R.R. Martin because he’s not afraid to whack a hero.
You think I'm harsh? Two words—Chuck Wendig. Trust me, you should read him.
Sarcasm—Flirty chit-chat.
Cynicism—A little toe tickle under the dinner table.
Condescending contempt—ooh, talk dirty to me.
Straight-up stringing a long line of colorful profanity together as speech—Check please! Call us a cab!
On Profanity:
Battlestar Galactica (the new one) I mean, come on, “Frack?” That was profanity genius.
Betty White—Lake Placid. All I'm sayin'.
X-files—episode… I don’t remember, but they “bleeped” all their cursewords … by actually saying “bleep!” Genius!
Also, HBO—The Wire. Where my two favorite detectives carry a whole scene with one word as continual dialog. That word? "Firetruck." (It's a SNL skit—Google it)
And Firefly? Get outta here. Cussing in Chinese? Frackin genius.
So I guess you can tell I like a colorful vocabulary in a character.
I'm Steve Windsor, and I approve this bio message
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 10, 2015
The first thing you notice about this book is the convention of starting every chapter with the first four words in capitals. It is a total mystery why anyone would do this and I haven’t seen this done in any traditionally published book before. The other notable characteristic is the .... in the sentences. “rain droplets of rock was to be the last thing I would hear ... and then one final star exploded in my face.” To a certain extent I understand this one as it’s almost as if the character has blacked out for a minute. “first eternity, and in every eternity since, sisters ... disagreed.” Grammatically speaking there is nothing wrong with it, it is there to show a pause, but for me it’s over used and really annoying.
The story begins with a reproduction of the action and then goes back to explain about how Steg got himself into that position. It is an interesting concept of two creator sisters, one for the celestial and the other nature. “Their very first dispute would set the heavens on a trajectory of oppression and misery that neither of them could have predicted, and only one of them was remotely equipped to survive.” This is a lovely succinct way of capturing the essence of the struggle which is the basis of the story.
We tend to see things more from Life’s perspective as she is Steg’s creator and there is unfortunately little said of the more benevolent sister. It is a criticism of Greek and Roman mythology that they created gods in their own image – petty, spiteful and cruel, and it feels a little like this in the book. Steg almost complains that Life has created him with desire and then frustrated him with guilt. Life’s obsession with sex also seems a little bizarre, as there is no need for it, since she can create life out of darkness.
The description of Steg is strange as there is a suggestion that he has all the attributes of a man, but there is also reference to a tail and wings. Steg is also extremely submissive, especially compared to the violent Adam and cruel Life. Lilith is the temptress who teases Steg and is manipulative and cruel in her own way.
The ending is quite fitting with only one victor and presumably left for the Genesis story to continue as traditionally told. I would have liked the characters to have a little more depth, but this is hard to do it a short story. There were a few niggles, as outlined in the beginning, but these are personal preference more than technical mistakes. The reason for reading the book was that I found the author such an inspirational speaker, but I’m afraid I’m disappointed in the writer.
The story begins with a reproduction of the action and then goes back to explain about how Steg got himself into that position. It is an interesting concept of two creator sisters, one for the celestial and the other nature. “Their very first dispute would set the heavens on a trajectory of oppression and misery that neither of them could have predicted, and only one of them was remotely equipped to survive.” This is a lovely succinct way of capturing the essence of the struggle which is the basis of the story.
We tend to see things more from Life’s perspective as she is Steg’s creator and there is unfortunately little said of the more benevolent sister. It is a criticism of Greek and Roman mythology that they created gods in their own image – petty, spiteful and cruel, and it feels a little like this in the book. Steg almost complains that Life has created him with desire and then frustrated him with guilt. Life’s obsession with sex also seems a little bizarre, as there is no need for it, since she can create life out of darkness.
The description of Steg is strange as there is a suggestion that he has all the attributes of a man, but there is also reference to a tail and wings. Steg is also extremely submissive, especially compared to the violent Adam and cruel Life. Lilith is the temptress who teases Steg and is manipulative and cruel in her own way.
The ending is quite fitting with only one victor and presumably left for the Genesis story to continue as traditionally told. I would have liked the characters to have a little more depth, but this is hard to do it a short story. There were a few niggles, as outlined in the beginning, but these are personal preference more than technical mistakes. The reason for reading the book was that I found the author such an inspirational speaker, but I’m afraid I’m disappointed in the writer.
Displaying 1 of 1 review