Seraph Seal, The

by Lori Wagner Leonard Sweet, Lori Wagner, Chris Andrews (Reading)

2012: An ancient prophecy quietly unfolds as a fragmenting world accelerates its descent into massive chaos. Then, in 2048, the prophecy comes to fruition. US president Matthew Serafino is sworn into office, and University of Virginia historian Paul Binder receives a cryptic but summoning message. Strange circumstances and bizarre discoveries lead Paul to London, where he meets a brilliant and beautiful manuscript specialist, Angela Matthews Krall, in order to decipher an unknown Syrian manuscript with special powers. Together, they uncover clues that lead them both down a mysterious, life-or-death path. Global intrigue, cascading natural catastrophes, and a complexity of characters, motives, and symbolic traditions intersect as Paul and Angela delve into forgotten traditions and lost meanings. Life-changing discoveries force them to struggle with questions about their own faith and the nature of truth and hope. Suddenly they find themselves positioned either to lead humanity into a new future or to watch as the earth dissolves into total destruction. The Seraph Seal combines apocalyptic intrigue with a journey of love and discovery that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. It will lead you into a world where only you can determine the future of the earth as we know it.

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Religion, Fantasy, Mystery, Christian Fiction, Angels

MP3 CD

First published June 7, 2011

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by Booksneeze, a website, for review.
This book was interesting read, for those of you who enjoyed Dan Brown's Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci code this is going to be a good read for you. This is an apocalyptic fiction novel, so there are many cultural and religious histories involved, and it does make many assumptions for the apocalypse, so those easily offended by theory should read with caution.
This book is set in the future time of 2048, 36 years after the seven seals were broken to begin the age of the apocalypse in 2012.
It follows the story of a historian named Paul Binder, who is the chosen one for the journey to the new earth. I do not want to get in to to much of the plot, I fear i might reveal to much of the book. It really is a book in which you learn the pieces of the story as you go.
The author suggests in the prologue that you read the alphabet of the apocalypse, provided for you in the back before you get started, so you might understand whats going on, but i found this tedious, and pretty much unnecessary. The story can stand on its own very well without this.
There are many people involved and the story line does tend to jump around a lot, at first i found it hard to discern who was who, and the story seemed very discombobulated. I did not give up however, and as I read a pattern starts to derive, and i found myself being able to follow quite nicely.
There are many cultural facts, religious, and historical references used, and I often found myself googling some of these concepts for a deeper understanding of what was going on. This made the read kind of slow, but all in all i enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an exciting apocalyptic fiction novel.

[Birgit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly I hadn't heard about a genre called “engaged fiction” before starting to read The Seraph Seal by Christian authors Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner. It's the blending of fiction and non-fiction which makes this book special, and while it feels like fiction when you read it, you will find plenty of facts embedded in the story without disturbing the fictitious part of the book.
This tale about the end-times and the four apocalyptic horsemen starts off promising. Mysterious letters and artifacts turn up while at the same time disaster strikes and the Earth is close to destruction. Four people set out to save mankind, four set out to subdue it. A thrilling premise, but unfortunately the implementation left plenty of room for improvement.
While the book is biblically consistent, there are simply too many things happening, too many characters, and a rather fractured structure, that damped the reading experience. These ingredients didn't carry the story, they downgraded it to just an average read. I wish the authors hadn't solely focused on the battle between good and evil, but had given the cast more depth, let the numerous plot lines flow together more smoothly and hadn't rushed through the chapters like they did. Apart from the unique ending, which I really loved, the book turned out to be a rather bland reading experience for me.
In short: An apocalyptic story brought to life as engaged fiction, which is worth reading more for the non-fiction than the fiction part!

[Seekingmylord · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because it appeared to be somewhat of a Christian sci-fi novel, my two favorites in one. The plot was intricate and the book was a well written interweaving of present day facts and anxieties spiraling download frighteningly into a futuristic worldwide apocalypse in 2048, with a singular hope of finding salvation through clues left throughout the ages.

The plot was excellent, however the execution could have been better. Each chapter was divided by hops to several locations all over the world. These sections were subtitled for easy identification, but seemed disjointed particularly in the beginning and I would have preferred dates and times to give more coherence. Each location had its own set of characters, some of which where only mentioned once or twice, so it was difficult to recognize the key characters in the beginning. However, I believe this style also added to the mystery and suspense as it did not dwell on any unnecessary details. Everything had relevance in pulling the plot together.

Once I felt more familiarity with the characters, the suspense intensified as a handful of chosen people race against time with great urgency as disasters of various kinds increase in frequency and devastation hampered their final journey to the foreordained destination. True to any good sci-fi, it accelerated in an intensifying spiral towards the "end of the world as we know it" and I could barely tear myself away.

This would be a great movie and would probably pass Hollywood's standards because the historical religion symbolism, technology, and mysticism far exceeded any substantial Biblical or Christian reference. In fact, I was rather disappointed that a relationship with God was not developed with the main characters, when it was believed they were chosen by God. There was some watered down references to faith and love that could have gone more in depth. I remember only one of the characters praying and even then it was merely mentioned that he prayed. The one baptism suggested the ritual, but was not described, and it served mostly as a means to introduce one key character to another, as it did not seem to add any real spiritual significance in the story.

Overall, like most "end of the world" themes, men were not seeking spiritual enlightenment but focused on finding their own way to save the world, seemingly without seeking any divine intervention outside of the mysterious symbols, codes, and bits of scripture. The book was as devoid of a spirit-filled heart as the future it described, where all religion was basically dead. It was as if God was a faraway spectator of the events for which He had set the stage long ago, not really involved with any of the characters nor they with Him. God's role was limited to providing a way through chosen individuals and symbols for some people to be moved to the New Earth and what faith was mentioned rested on that. There is no reference to Satan, only a vague force counterbalancing that which is good, so no angelic war. Instead, this entertaining fiction of the End Times intermingled a few Biblical references with Kabbalistic mysticism, Mayan prophecy, artistic renderings of the Four Horsemen, music, science and that soon-to-come-to-an-end theme of good versus evil.

Also, the book contains over a hundred pages of appendices in the form of journal notes and footnotes I felt are worth reading to understand how today's facts were woven into the fictitious future, on which this book really excelled. I would have liked more of these notes incorporated in the story. I believe this story could have been enhanced between the journal notes and spirituality to nearly double its size and would have been a better read for it.

Despite its shortcomings as a Christian novel, I enjoyed the sci-fi aspects very much and would recommend the book to those who enjoy futuristic fantasies with some very profound truths of man's spiritual condition sprinkled throughout.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very excited to begin reading this book when I first received it. The first few chapters of the story were great and I was thinking,"This is going to be a very interesting book". Boy was I wrong! After reading those chapters, the story got to be very confusing and dragged on.

What I Didn't Like:
~Almost every page was about a different character and there were so many characters (too many in my opinion), that it was very difficult to keep track of them all. Every time the book switched to a different character, I thought "Who is this again?" and by the time I remembered, the story switched to a different character. This was very annoying and made the story very tedious for me to read. I was constantly flipping back to see who was who.
~The book makes several remarks about God wanting to give the world another chance and for that to happen "The Chosen One" has to decode cryptic messages.
~This book mentions several different beliefs & cultures (Kabbalah, Catholicism, Judaism, Mayans, etc.) and makes it seem as though all the different beliefs have a part to play in saving the world.
~How a Christian book (even being fiction) could or would state that "the planets aligned for the first time in millions of years" (page 409) as though it were a fact. I felt that was contrary to the Bible.
~How Paul was made to seem like a modern-day Christ. How he was the only one who could bring the world to salvation.
~The *new* Scripture that they find that was totally fabricated. The Bible is quite clear when it states that no one should add to or take away from God's Word.
~How the United States of America is referred to as "USAmerica". This alone wouldn't have affected my rating of the book, I just found it extremely annoying.
~I really didn't like the ending of this book! I won't say what happens, but I found it to be very far-fetched and completely unscriptural.

What I Did Like:
~Hardly anything. The only thing that comes to mind is Seraphim, Father Arnaud's bird. I loved how the bird would sing hymns.

This book took me forever to read! I thought this book was very boring, and there are too many things that I disagreed with and found to be offensive to my faith. I will not be reading this book again, and definitely would not recommend this book to anyone. In fact I would discourage anyone from reading it.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not usually one that goes for apocalyptic books of any kind (I did get into the Left Behind series a litttle at one time). However, I decided that I would take my chances with this book. I have been studying the book of Revelation in the Bible, and this seemed to fit perfectly.

Almost from the beginning of the book, I was terribly intrigued. It was almost scary to read the first part of the book and then hear something on the news that was similar to what was happening. It made me realize that things can get a whole lot worse than they are now--and they will! And all I can say is that if half the things in this book were to happen, I can only hope and pray I would not be around to see them!

The book was very skillfully written, and I applaud the authors' research and fantastic imagination. I had never thought of the four horsemen of Revleation in just quite this way. And I will say that I could not read this book at night because I was seriously afriad of nightmares! In fact, as I read that part about an unexplained disease wiping out large sections of the population, the television news was just reporting about the strange ecoli breakout in Europe! Talk about realistic fiction!

Now to my reasons for the 3-star rating. Biblically speaking, I believe that the authors' interpration of Scripture was somewhat skewed. While I am not an eschatologist in any sense of the word, I have studied it. I struggle with a book being written about the last days and yet there is no appearance of Christ. I struggle with extra-Biblical prophecies and writings being used to back up end times prophecies not covered in the Bible. And the epilogue of the book confused me even more. It would seem that the authors have a very divergent view of the space and time continuum that I question whether it is solidly based on Biblical truths. I do not call the authors' faith into question--there seems to be no doubt that they are strong in their faith. However, I would have like to have seen some more Biblical quotations and prophecies being explicated in the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Sidney W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had seen this book in a bookstore, or read about it online, I probably wouldn't have bought it. If not for the free review copy I received from the publisher, I would have missed reading one of the better books I've read in quite some time.

There are several reasons why I wouldn't have picked this book to buy. First, it looks bulky, and perhaps too long. A closer check shows the last hundred pages are notes and supplementary information. Of course a novel requiring notes may turn off some buyers. Another reason I was not enthused about the book was that the story is set in the year 2048 and, because of my own writing, I have been reading only contemporary books for a long time.

But, as I said, I am glad I took the free book and read it. In fact, I ordered, and paid for the Kindle version soon after I started reading just to be able to more easily make notes. Also, I prefer the size and weight of the Kindle over most printed books.

I never read reviews until my own is published, but I sure hope no one tells you everything about this book. Part of the enjoyment is the way it is organized and developed. You must experience it for yourself to fully appreciate the story. What I can tell you is that it is about the end of the world as described in Revelations. There are both good and evil people, all born on the same day and time, thirty-six years earlier, who are involved in the story. Paul Binder, a historian and professor of cultural studies, was also born at the same time. However, his role is that of a facilitator, and as such, he is an important part of the story.

Even though the book is set in 2048, the authors didn't delve into the futuristic aspects too much. Oh, there are a few glimpses into what may be in our future, but all are easy to accept. Pearl, for example, is a body-mind-interface device that people wear, or have implanted, to communicate and access information. It is not far beyond technological capabilities of 2011. Other futuristic references have to do with travel and the use of avatars.

There are many interesting characters and you will enjoy getting to know them all. It is not until near the end that you will learn which ones to cheer for, however. Even so, there are surprises all the way to the very last page. I loved this book and still think about it every day.

[Loraine Alcorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner

I received my copy of the Sheraph seal through book sneeze

First, Ill say it was really interesting and fascinating , and you can tell a lot of work went into it .

This is a Christian based book about the Apocalypse and events leading up to it .

At the start of the book the year is 2048 and the world has basically forgotten about traditional beliefs in God and in its place is a organization called the new selfer method of belief .

This is the story of Paul Binder a University of Virginia Historian and his friends as they are lead to different clues about the coming world end . Paul has been give a key and a cryptic note, which starts him on his journey to try and figure out what it means and why it was given to him .

This is a longer book but because its so different and interesting its hard to put down and is a very different view of the mysteries surrounding the biblical narrative of the apocalypse.

Its a really good mystery and even has some romance. This story traces the movements of not only Paul's group of the faithful but also the decisions and progress of the unfaithful. Those people who by their greed and and political power try to take over each others countries and corner the market on resources . The people in power cause a lot of destruction around the world causing millions to die of disease and starvation .

Paul's Group is concerned with one thing, finding out what they can do to save as many people as they can. They discover many clues through an ancient newly discovered Syrian manuscript that was found buried but in tact .

They also find other clues as to what will happen, what happened in the passed, and how it will all come together at the end .

From M theory to String Theory to biblical prophecy this story weaves science with Theology.

Even though this is a christian based book I think anyone who enjoys political intrigue and mystery or Science Fiction will think its fascinating and well worth the read. This story is a mixture of the thrills of of the movie Armageddon with a dash of the Davinci code and a bit of message stories like Left Behind. It shows people at their best and worst and offers a happy ending . A must read for Christian fiction readers .

Thank you for reading my review :)

[Karie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.

For those who like religious-themed fiction (end times, book-of-Revelation, stuff) there's plenty of that here. In fact, Sweet's work is far more biblically credible and theologically consistent than any of that 'Left Behind' babble. The book could be a master's level study in symbolism and hidden meaning, and the careful reader will be rewarded over and over again with gems subtly woven into each chapter (actually, onto almost every page).


So, if you like great characters, a well-constructed plot with multiple-layers, and want to imagine a new way in which the world could end (or not!), this is the book for you. The Omen, meets the Da Vinci Code, meets The Italian Job.


Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Each character embodies elements of the four horsemen in a race to save the world from total destruction. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient Jewish and Christian traditions, the book is a story in which the main character's journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the conclusion.



This novel, “The Seraph Seal”, is both a dramatic tale as well as a love story. Of course, this may just be my way of looking at it, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it to any book reader who can think they can handle this wonderfully woven work of art. I absolutely give this book as solid five out of five stars.

[Deb Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Seraph Seal is a new kind of genre written by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner. It’s an interactive type of fiction. This was intriguing, as there was an appendix in the back of the book that I highly recommend you read before reading the actual book. It’s very extensive, and contains an astronomical amount of information that you look for that relates to what we are seeing in the world today that are signs to the end times. A few things to look for are the Cloud. I had never heard of it before reading this book. Now I see Amazon has this technology. They explain that the Cloud will someday replace the internet. They use this in the story by a different a name. Cyborgs are also a thing coming into our everyday lives without a second thought. “It’s harder to see the latter than to see the former. Epileptics now have cyberonic devices implanted in their necks and chests. Vocal implants go into a hole in the thyroid cartilage to repair damaged voices. Quadriplegics get NeuroControl’s Freehand System. Hip replacement, anyone?” And so it goes. I especially loved this portion of the book and was surprised to find how many signs we are experiencing currently.
The actual story of the Seraph Seal storyline is about eight people all born on the same date at the same time to fulfill end time prophecies. The main character is Paul Binder, responsible for finding the four who will represent good, as the other four that were born and represent evil. The story goes all over the world, as clues send them to find the correct four with birthmarks that represent the four horsemen. I actually found that the story was a little hard to follow as it jumped quickly from place to place, and didn’t give you time to really build a relationship with the characters, as opposed to say a book like Left Behind where you really knew the characters.
I was given a free copy of this book so that I could review it, and though I thought the story was just okay, I thought the Alphabet Of The Apocalypse: Reading The Signs Of The Times was well worth the read, and recommend that to all.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot of this apocalyptic novel is a simple one: The end of times is upon the world. The few remaining faithful have a short amount of time to decipher clues that indicate that, yes, the end of the world is here, so that they can adequately prepare as many people as possible for the final day.

I was intrigued by this book because it initially seemed to be of the intellectual suspense nature. Clues are presented, and the reader ostensibly has to work to determine what these clues mean. However, I didn't find any of the clues to be difficult - thereby negating the need for the appendix at the back that was supposed to be vital to this new genre of "engaged fiction."

Furthermore, the book was largely predictable and I was never able to establish any kind of personal connection with most of the characters. This may have been because the book jumps back and forth between several different storylines. The moment I became attached to a character, the plot would twist away from that character and not return until several other storylines had been updated. Adding to my confusion, the point of view will occasionally jump from third person limited to third person omniscient, making it difficult for me to understand which character's thoughts are driving the scene.

The Alphabet of the Apocalypse at the end of the book is an interesting feature, and I hope that the authors publish a non-fiction book that delves deeper into the ideas presented there. I didn't agree with everything that they wrote in the Alphabet, but the feature as a whole was certainly thought-provoking.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through the "Booksneeze" program. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Brenten Gilbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this apocalyptic novel, the world didn’t end in 2012 as many believed it would. In fact, the heralded 21st day in December that year was actually the beginning – the birth of the “Eight” and the dawn of a new era in humanity.

That’s where the book begins, but the bulk of the action takes place in the months leading up to the 36th anniversary of this fated birth. The world is breaking down and falling apart all around our main characters as they embark on a mission they don’t fully understand. Lead the world into the coming dawn, rescue humanity, restore faith, save the cheerleader and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, this would be thriller doesn’t quite deliver despite the potentially compelling backdrop.

Doubling as a philosophical manifesto, The Seraph Seal comes across heavy handed, paranoid, and, at times, pretentious. The plot lines, though ambitious, don’t exactly mesh as well as they should (or in some cases they align themselves too well) and time lines are often muddy. The dialogue rings false and, as such, the reader has trouble identifying and empathizing with the characters. Moreover, many times the authors seemed to overwrite the scenes to force emotion or depth within the characters, but it actually slows the story and drags out the action.

All in all, The Seraph Seal was disappointing, given the potential of the subject matter, authors (I’ve enjoyed some of Sweet’s non-fiction work), and cover art (can’t judge a book…). Despite the effort, Sweet and Wagner are not storytellers on par with Dan Brown (DaVinci Code) or Darlton (Lost) which is the gold standard I’m certain they were going for.

-from trudatmusic.com/raw

[Wyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, excellent story. On December 21, 2012 at 21:00 hours, only 9 babies are born in the whole world. These are the children of the prophecies, the ones that will decide the fate of the people of the earth, the horsemen of the Apocalypse, four good, four evil and one to organize and lead them. The main story opens in 2048 when these children are 31 and have established themselves as adults. None know of their spiritual destiny except one who surmises that he can rule the world by following and using a spell and ritual. Although a work of fiction it does follow the prophecies quite closely and uses them freely to help explain what is happening at that time to the atmosphere, the people, the world, and the sun. The story flows from West Virginia to the Hills of Bashan as four of the people learn about religious history in a time when churches are merely museums and "real" Christians are forces to hide their faith underground as science and New Selfers (I like that term) have taken over society. The book is full of historical instruction and yet it is so much a part of the story that the reader hardly even realizes that the content teaches. The back of the book contains a glossery of words that would help a reader who wasn't religiously schooled in the end-of-time terms.
Thank you to BookSneeze for providing a copy for review. I was not instructed to provide a favourable review.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook
Then, in 2048, the prophecy comes to fruition. US president Matthew Serafino is sworn into office, and University of Virginia historian Paul Binder receives a cryptic but summoning message. Strange circumstances and bizarre discoveries lead Paul to London, where he meets a brilliant and beautiful manuscript specialist, Angela Matthews Krall, in order to decipher an unknown Syrian manuscript with special powers. Together, they uncover clues that lead them both down a mysterious, life-or-death path.

Global intrigue, cascading natural catastrophes, and a complexity of characters, motives, and symbolic traditions intersect as Paul and Angela delve into forgotten traditions and lost meanings. Life-changing discoveries force them to struggle with questions about their own faith and the nature of truth and hope. Suddenly they find themselves positioned either to lead humanity into a new future or to watch as the earth dissolves into total destruction.

The Seraph Seal combines apocalyptic intrigue with a journey of love and discovery that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. It will lead you into a world where only you can determine the future of the earth as we know it.

This is a book about end times, centered on the figures of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse - and there the comparisons to all the other end times books ends. Seraph Seal does not fit the pattern of other end time stories, and that is one of the things I truly appreciate about this exciting and suspenseful book. Here's why: I think our generation has done exactly what the generations who waited for the Lord's first arrival did - we have decided that Jesus must return in a tightly specific way because of our interpretation of the scriptures. Who were the ones who completely missed Christ's humble birth? It was those who knew the scriptures backward and forward, and should have been the first to recognize Him.

[Glynith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fictional book about the apocalypse. It is derived from the Book of Revelation and the four horsemen of the apocalypse. I always like reading books and watching movies with the end of the world theme. Let us just not forget that nobody will ever know the how and when the time will be.

The book started in the year 2012 when the chosen one is born and so with the horsemen. Then the plot will fast forward to 36 years after their birth in 2048.

In 2048, the world will be so much different. USA will not be the most powerful country anymore, churches will just be like museums and believers will be underground. Natural disasters and national crisis is significantly increasing all over the world. Paul the chosen one receives signs and learns of his role. He will search and lead the 4 horsemen and humanity to the New Beginning.

The book is very long and since there are a few characters from all over the world. The first few chapters will be a little confusing since the plot will bounce from one person to the next. But once you get to know the characters, it will be easier and fast pace. Dan Brown fans would like this. It is complete with mystery, suspence, history, religion, politics and love.

I would recommend this book if you are not religiously and politically sensitive.
I received this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

[Clinton Sites · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an adventure story - I will agree that it is pretty good. The characterization of the protagonists is maintained well during the story arc - the development of their beliefs as they discover more information is handled very well. It is a complex story arc with many moving parts that move like a well oiled machine.

The issue at hand is one that every author that attempts to write a novel about Revelation and a Christian point of view of the end of the world is the attempt to ferret out what Gods plan is. One can write a plausible end of the world scenario based on a particular version of the Bible, but the reader must keep in mind that what they hold is a work of fiction. Non-religious topics about what is happening to the world are well documented, and the verses used for validation of the religious theory underpinning the novel hang together well - but again, picking and choosing various verses to support a story is fraught with the act of deciding what outcome you are designing and selecting those verses that supports that outcome.

Still, this is an interesting novel and keeps your attention.

[Carolyn Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally believable rollercoaster ride toward the apocalypse and beyond. With what is going on in the world today the reader will feel that it can and/or is happening now while you devour each page of this colorful novel.

Full of surprises, chaos and intrigue. The globe trotting story paints a vivid picture of a changing earth and a need for a savior.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Description from the publisher -


"An epic tale of good and evil based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse found in Revelation.


Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.


Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion."


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I am a lover of mystery and Christian fiction, so this book seemed to fall right into my lap. The introduction / preface was too long as it was trying to explain the type of book. This just set me up for even more confusion.

The simple premise of the book is a fictional account of the end times as written by John in the book of Revelation. The year 2048 is THE end times; the sun is moving closer to the earth and the North and South Poles are relocating. Both of these occurrences, along with political unrest in all countries, spurs the destruction of earth.

Reverse in time to 21 Dec 2012. Nine people are born on this date at exactly 9:00 PM worldwide. Four will usher in the new heaven and the new earth, while the other four will bring it to complete and utter destruction. The fifth person, Paul Binder, brings the four "good" together. Can they win over evil?

I enjoyed the book, but always felt as though I had to reread sections to make sure of the characters, setting, etc. The authors introduce many characters and settings throughout the book, and change settings / characters numerous times within the same chapter. Perhaps Sweet and Wagner felt that jumping from different sets of characters and settings so quickly helped spur the book to the final scene. Also, if this is a tale of good and evil based on the Holy Bible book of Revelation, why are other supposedly spiritual books referenced and referred to - like the Kabbalah and others? Furthermore, I was expecting more scripture interspersed to help explain / discuss what was happening in the storyline.


Star rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The authors included notes and current information at the end of the book. Since I was reading a digital edition, I didn't find them until the end of the book. Many of the notes seemed to speak in riddles or circles.

This e-book was provided to me free through Thomas Nelson Publishers (Booksneeze.com) with the understanding that I give an honest review.

[bLueRLyN · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Seraphy Seal revolves around the prophecies and mysteries in the Bible depicting how the last days leading towards the Armageddon. I loved Tim La Haye and Jerry Jenkin's Left Behind Series and was wanting to compare how the Seraph Seal will fare in terms of consistency, interpretation and story line, so I decided to request for an ebook copy from Booksneeze.com.

The story starts with the birth of the key characters in the story which was set in our current year - 2012 and then later on fast forwards to year 2048. Given that the setting is too futuristic, it is rather amusing to note that technology by that time will indeed be very much progressive and advanced, which is also downright frightening.

Here are the things I like about the book:

- The latter part of the book talks about semiotics - the study of signs and symbols, with details about current events that gives us a clue of what things may be in the future.
- When I started reading the book, the first thing that came to mind is that it is reminiscent of Dan Brown's novels, although it is rather of a let down in the end, but details on that later on.

Here are the things I do not like about the book:

- The book of Revelation did mention about the mark of the Beast, and although one of the key characters of the book is the said Anti-Christ, there was no real mention of the Mark of the Beast and how most End of Days prophecies are keen to mention that people will then be required to have the mark else they will not be able to completely transact. Latter part of the book made mention of the "Pearl" being implanted and that Christians will refuse the implant but will most likely opt to use it as jewelry - this I feel contradicts what it says in the Bible about being doomed for receiving the mark. Is it possible to be doing something like sinning but not sin at all?
- The story revolves around the Four Horsemen and what I find surprising is that the one person who was supposed to bring them all together, who was destined to find the four, lived his earlier part of his life without a strong relationship to Christ. There may have been redemption there, as the authors made him a Christian after several incidents that leads him to find out his life's purpose.
- One of the four horse men is a work of science, a process similar to cloning. Don't most theologians consider cloning as the ultimate sin, with Man playing God? So how can this be?
- Lastly, the ending is something I really cannot reconcile with with the Scriptures. Won't ruin it for you if you are reading it now or intend to read it, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

It is a nice book, but not really something that I liked.

[Mar'ah · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you travel though this book you will be counting down to the end of days. You will visit many countries, meet several very interesting characters and be forced to really think. It is the struggle between good and evil, the challenge of love vs. hate, and the ever consuming question, “What do you really believe, and how did you come to believe what you do?”
In the very start of the book…even before the story, during the acknowledgements and a well written essay, the author is clear that not everyone will agree with the outcome of this book. I found this fascinating. As I read, I kept the story at arm’s length to really decipher what they were trying to say. There were some things I agreed with, but many of the ideas I did not. This is for every reader to distinguish for themselves.

I loved the writing style and being able to continue jumping from place to place. It was fast paced and very stimulating. What I did not like was the heavy draw to Catholicism and Kabbalah. Those are two things I do not agree with personally, although it did make for a very interesting story as well as pulling in other ancient cultures for the authors to come to their conclusion. The ingredients they used were not my favorites, but the final recipe was masterful.

This book is not for the faint of heart, the casual reader, or someone that just wanting to pass the time. This is a highly engaging, well written novel that will have you in suspense many times and yet wanting to pull out the encyclopedia or Google information and make your own conclusions as you go along. This book is meant for a deep thinker; someone who will analyze the information presented and not be willing to have a conclusion drawn for them.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Think back to high school. How many of you remember how horrible the reading assignments were? Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist. Do you remember the overwhelming sense of boredom you had every time you sat down to read? Or how you just wanted to get finished in order to move on to something more interesting, such as calculus homework?

Those are all the feelings I got while trying to read The Seraph Seal. I tend to like apocalyptic books, but Leonard Sweet nearly bored me to death with this one. I admit that the beginning of the story was certainly intriguing, but soon enough it seemed like every character was dark and shady and was doing something behind the back of someone else. Of course, every good book has a bad character, but do we really need a whole cast of bad guys?

There was one story line I could kind of get into, and that was Paul's. Even this wasn't enough to keep me engaged though, since every few paragraphs you jump to a different story line with a whole new set of characters. It became rather hard to keep all of the characters straight, especially when they didn't seem to have any connection to each other (or very loose connections.)

The one good thing I can say about this story is that Leonard Sweet does very well with providing detailed descriptions. His descriptions of rooms and places could really help you imagine what he was visualizing when he wrote The Seraph Seal.

Would I recommend this to anyone? No. I enjoy mysteries and thrillers, but after spending the better part of a day trying to become interested in this story, I've given up.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com (http://BookSneeze®.com) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Deb Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Seraph Seal is a new kind of genre written by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner. It’s an interactive type of fiction. This was intriguing, as there was an appendix in the back of the book that I highly recommend you read before reading the actual book. It’s very extensive, and contains an astronomical amount of information that you look for that relates to what we are seeing in the world today that are signs to the end times. A few things to look for are the Cloud. I had never heard of it before reading this book. Now I see Amazon has this technology. They explain that the Cloud will someday replace the internet. They use this in the story by a different a name. Cyborgs are also a thing coming into our everyday lives without a second thought. “It’s harder to see the latter than to see the former. Epileptics now have cyberonic devices implanted in their necks and chests. Vocal implants go into a hole in the thyroid cartilage to repair damaged voices. Quadriplegics get NeuroControl’s Freehand System. Hip replacement, anyone?” And so it goes. I especially loved this portion of the book and was surprised to find how many signs we are experiencing currently.
The actual story of the Seraph Seal storyline is about eight people all born on the same date at the same time to fulfill end time prophecies. The main character is Paul Binder, responsible for finding the four who will represent good, as the other four that were born and represent evil. The story goes all over the world, as clues send them to find the correct four with birthmarks that represent the four horsemen. I actually found that the story was a little hard to follow as it jumped quickly from place to place, and didn’t give you time to really build a relationship with the characters, as opposed to say a book like Left Behind where you really knew the characters.
I was given a free copy of this book so that I could review it, and though I thought the story was just okay, I thought the Alphabet Of The Apocalypse: Reading The Signs Of The Times was well worth the read, and recommend that to all.

[Margaret Metz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this sounded like a good concept. The thing was that it focused so much on the nonfiction that I felt like I was getting a theology and philosophy lesson instead of reading a piece of fiction.

It starts off with a huge introduction about their beliefs and ideas when they wrote the book. I read my book on Kindle so I don't know how long it was exactly, but I got so bored and frustrated with it that I skimmed over it after having to turn three pages or more. I kept wondering when the actual book was going to start. Then the book ended at around the 70% mark in order to accommodate all their notes and references, most of which were reprints from the illustrations and information already shown inside the book.

I was put off a little by the very brief sections and chapters. They once introduced a character and killed her in two paragraphs. That bothered me. I didn't know why I needed to know a name just to establish that an earthquake wiped out that place. After those two paragraphs they switched to an entirely different location and problem. That kind of switching and popping around in the story was commonplace and unsettling.

They also added sections to Scripture that don't exist. It was kind of obvious because the existing Scripture sounded like it was pulled from the King James or some other older version while what they added sounded modern. The blurb also claimed that the tale would be based on the book of Revelation but they actually seemed to use clues found from philosophers throughout history, the Kibbalah ... art, all sorts of things besides the book of Revelation. I was surprised how little actual Scripture was used.

In the end I wish more emphasis had been placed on the actual story, the characters and the Scripture. It still was a fast-paced story with an interesting ending that I didn't see coming. I want to thank Book Sneeze for providing my copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not read much apocalyptic fiction. I have not even read The Left Behind Series, although I do own most of them and will probably read them someday. The Seraph Seal is based on the four horsemen of the apocalypse and set in 2048. Paul Binder is chosen to find the four people representing the four horsemen or four elements; meanwhile, the president of USAmerica is one of the opposing four, also working to find his other three. Both teams must find the right people and figure out what their roles are before the world is destroyed.

There were many aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. First of all, the appendices were especially interesting to read. I kept asking my husband about different entries in "the Alphabet of the Apocalypse." I enjoyed thinking about where our world is headed, especially in areas like technology. I liked how things sort of fell into place for the "good" team, indicating God's hand in everything! There were aspects of this future world that are completely possible-if not probable; however, not everything in the narrative was Biblical. I did not like the mysticism that seemed mixed in, and I did not feel the Christian viewpoint was as strong as it could be. I found it a bit strange that there was no mention of Jesus returning in a Christian end time book. The beginning of the narrative was a little hard to follow; there were many characters to keep straight, and it slowed the reading. The story itself was good, I love clue gathering suspense plots (think National Treasure). Overall, I would recommend the book with a reminder that it is fiction...if you want to know more about the end of the world, study the book of Revelation and other prophetic scriptures. This was a fun book that made me wonder about the future and made me want to reread some of these scriptures. 4 stars for story, 2.5 for Christian viewpoint

Thanks to Booksneeze for providing me with a free ebook of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Then, really knowing something, being aware of something, means simply to be open to God's possibilities..." pg. 391

"The Seraph Seal" by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner is an apocalyptic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wait for the next shoe to drop. 21 December 2012, the date eight special people are born, each with a special birthmark. Thirty six years later, the earth is dying and the eight find they have choices to make. Two groups of four must come together, one group wanting to lead people to safety, the other desirous of power and glory. Paul Binder is the catalyst. As the earth quakes, seas cover the land, and the sun breaks through the atmosphere burning everyone in its path, Paul and his small group of new friends race against time to uncover the hidden truths of history. Will they be in time? What happens to the other four? Can the world truly be coming to judgment at God's hands?

For me, this book is a cross between the "Left Behind" series and "The DaVinci Code." I loved the fast paced story line and the movements between locations in the world. The quotations at the beginning of each section gave hints to what was coming. It was a good thing that I was on vacation when I got my free copy from the Book Sneeze program, because I couldn't put it down! The story raced to an unexpected end. Well done! This book is great for individual readers, but will also work for groups because the discussion opportunities are limitless. Thank you, Book Sneeze for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Zee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fun to read this book now, in the year 2012, considering all the talks everywhere about the “end of the world [as we know it]“. People are not sure what to think, how to react, and who knows – a thought lingers in mind – perhaps the world will truly change on December 21, 2012.

The plot of the book is set in the year 2048 – 36 years after the apocalyptic date predicted by ancient Mayans. The world has changed – technology rules as never before, everything is connected and automated. Yet for the professor of history and cultural semiotics (signs), Dr. Paul Binder, the past contains mysteries he is invited to examine – and he is the one specifically chosen for this even before he was born.

The book is suspenseful, yet it took me a bit to adjust to all the new terminology. Considering all the technological advances along with new political and religious systems, there is a lot to get used to. Also there are a lot of characters besides the main ones. However, once you know what is going on, the story becomes really intriguing and entertaining.

If you are into conspiracy and literature like Da Vinci Code, if you like history and religion mixture, this book is for you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taking ideas from Kabbalah, the Bible, and the Mayans, this is a classic tale of good vs. evil, the end of the world vs. the salvation offered by the lamb. The story revolves around a man named Paul, who was born on December 21, 2012, the date the Mayan’s calendar ends. It is his calling to bring together the four humans who can usher in a new age, a perfect age. Will they be able to put the clues together and find the perfect age before the world ends and it’s too late?

This book is not a beach-side summer read. The plot is complicated, and there are myriad characters. However, if you enjoy “end of the world” fiction, this is an interesting book. There were many interesting topics for conversations in the book: the United States’ role in end time theology, warning signs of the end times, how the world will end, etc. However, that’s where it ended for me. I am a character-driven reader. I have to root for the characters to enjoy a book, but this book had so many random characters that it was a bit overwhelming. My favorite character was the bird Seraphim, who sang hymns that ministered and offered truth to the characters.


While I find end-time fiction interesting, this book was too complicated for me and lacked a strong conclusion.


I received this book free from Booksneeze for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Christy Hovey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Seraph Seal is a very fast paced, action packed book similiar to The DaVinci Code or National Treasure. The story is centered around end of times events in the year 2048, with the main character, Paul, discovering symbols and clues to enable using the four horseman of The Bible's book of Revelation as a way to escape the dying planet Earth and begin life in another world or dimension. This book was very complex, detailed, and sometimes very hard to follow and confusing(until I discovered in the back of the book a list of characters and more detailed notes). The authors obviously are very educated in historical research and spent a lot of time detailing objects and symbols in the book. Although the story was interesting, I felt uneasy throughout the book because of the unbiblical statements and references made, including constant dialouge about God's saving love and love is all you need etc. without mentioning the son of God or saving grace through the cross along with it. The main theme was that certain people had the capability to save and can determine the future based on choices and being in the right place at the right time, which does not have any Biblical authenticity. If you have a high tolerence for complex reading and can tolerate some confusion, then you may like this book.

[Cleffairy Cleffairy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Date reviewed: 19 May 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5327

If you like Indiana Jones or Robert Langdon, then you would probably like this biblical-adventure fiction written by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner. This is the kind of book that you will either will like it, or you just don't. Seraph Seal is full of symbolic prose and is rather fast paced, and it takes quite a lot to decipher the message behind this book. Some people may not like this book, but I happen to like this book. To me, this book have quite a depth to it, and it was well researched. I like the biblical symbolism used and the foreshadowing in the story, and unlike Dan Brown's stories, I did not feel guilty after reading it for the storyline was not blasphemous in nature. Anyway, the book is well written for a biblical fiction, and I look for more of this kind of story from both of the authors. I would recommend definitely recommend this to those of high taste for fiction. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publisher in exchange of an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review for this book.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reviewing "The Seraph Seal" by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner.

This book made me think a lot of Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code". It is similar with it having a religious basis to the plot. The main characters are finding clues along the way, while some clues are given to them mysteriously. There are 8 main players, 4 are fighting the good fight while the other 4 are for evil and destruction. The first group of 4 that comes together will form the 4 horsemen of Bible fame. They will determine if the world's future is bright or destruction and chaos.

The book is a page turner though. Even as I read the book I kept thinking of Dan Brown I still had to see what was on the next page.

The characters are well written and they have depth that keeps them in the forefront throughout the book

The book is nice size but it is a quick read.

The events and storyline that is discussed in this book makes you wonder if what they are saying is plausible. It simply makes you think and for that the book gets kudos from me.

While I have mentioned the reference to " Da Vinci Code", it would do a true disservice to this book if people don't read it simply due to that.

I received this book for free in exchange for 2 reviews.

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading that this was a post-apocalypse novel with the four horsemen, I really wanted to read this book! It reminded me alot of The Davinci Code by Dan Brown but with more. The main protagonist is a professor who gathers a team and they work to make sure what has happened, won't happen again. There are subtle clues throughout the book and although it will please the reader to catch them, it all comes together at the conclusion. The characters are pretty much leading you to where you should be, or think you would be. The ending left alot to be desired. Although the premise is for how the world could end or maybe not, as a devout Christian, I didn't agree with it. Good versus evil is a tried and true format but when it comes to the end of the world, only God will judge.

Heavy on symbolism, religion and new age thinking, The Seraph Seal will keep your attention as these nine individuals' lives intersect. I loved the journals and notes of Paul Binder, the history professor. I used it alot to check different things like maps and news clippings. At the back of the book there is also an Alphabet of the Apocalypse: Reading the Signs of the Times which is also interesting reading. This book would make for a great discussion!