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It has been four years since ancient languages expert, Cloe Lejeune, her son, J.E., and the monsignor nearly lost their lives while defeating the Karik’s forces at Masada. Still, she has never lost her passion for translating old texts. One evening while attempting to decipher digitalized scraps culled from a jar left to her by the Sicarrii, Cloe quickly realizes that something terrible is about to happen. As she prepares to race to the Vatican to tell the pope of her discovery, a giant man delivers cryptic cards to seven unsuspecting strangers who suddenly find themselves heading toward New Orleans with no reason why.
As violence and disease rock the world, the Vatican is abruptly destroyed, the pope is forced into hiding, and the United States is driven to implement martial law across the land. While one man emerges from the shadows to subtly pit people against each other, Cloe and her cohorts must find and assemble the mysterious seven in order to stop his evil mission. As a pale horse of Revelation is loosed onto Earth, a fierce battle between good and evil ensues, leaving Cloe betrayed by someone close to her and the future of humanity resting in the hands of seven innocent souls.
In this biblical thriller, an ancient languages expert pairs with a group of seven destined to rescue the world from evil forces determined to destroy everything in their path.
As violence and disease rock the world, the Vatican is abruptly destroyed, the pope is forced into hiding, and the United States is driven to implement martial law across the land. While one man emerges from the shadows to subtly pit people against each other, Cloe and her cohorts must find and assemble the mysterious seven in order to stop his evil mission. As a pale horse of Revelation is loosed onto Earth, a fierce battle between good and evil ensues, leaving Cloe betrayed by someone close to her and the future of humanity resting in the hands of seven innocent souls.
In this biblical thriller, an ancient languages expert pairs with a group of seven destined to rescue the world from evil forces determined to destroy everything in their path.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 19, 2016
7 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Van R. Mayhall Jr.
3 books33 followersVan R. Mayhall Jr. is the senior partner in a Baton Rouge, Louisiana law firm where he practices corporate and business law and handles selected litigation. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, he was educated at Louisiana State University and Georgetown University. He and his wife, Lorri, have three grown children and enjoy boating on Lake Pontchartrain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 22, 2017
Thanks for Netgalley and respective publisher.
Bingo !
Catastrophic and Glorious Historical Book !
Suspense, thriller fellows should have gone through it once ! !
I think, I've taken too much time to read this, too much warming up in starting chapters.
Also, Rating and reviews are very less for this book, All Staticstic have changed my perception as I was moving and going into deeper flow of story.
But What a 180 degree turn, it had taken ! !
Suspense was on zenith during second half of the book.
Author's creativity of writing and indulgences with character and story was flawless.
Crucial instances came when Bible's importance exclusively defined regarding the whole course especially in climax.
Eventually, All's well that ends well !
That was real and enthusiastic Apocalypse ! ! ! ! !
Bingo !
Catastrophic and Glorious Historical Book !
Suspense, thriller fellows should have gone through it once ! !
I think, I've taken too much time to read this, too much warming up in starting chapters.
Also, Rating and reviews are very less for this book, All Staticstic have changed my perception as I was moving and going into deeper flow of story.
But What a 180 degree turn, it had taken ! !
Suspense was on zenith during second half of the book.
Author's creativity of writing and indulgences with character and story was flawless.
Crucial instances came when Bible's importance exclusively defined regarding the whole course especially in climax.
Eventually, All's well that ends well !
That was real and enthusiastic Apocalypse ! ! ! ! !
April 10, 2017
7
By Van R Mayhall Jr
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
3 Stars
This is Mayhall's third novel in a series featuring Dr Clotile Lejeune, an ancient languages expert, who has discovered a cache of ancient scrolls from Biblical times. She, along with her son and clergy from the Vatican are continually thrown in religious fights with deadly groups.
This novel follows on, set three years after the last novel, with evil pretending all aspects of power and community across the globe.
Seven unlikely heroes are drawn together and link with Dr Lejeune in a quest to defeat the 'bad man', a reference to the devil rising to power. Together they face a battle that recurs every 1000 years.
This book is mostly fast paced, although the characters tend to be a bit of a strength of the imagination.
Fans of the first two novels 'Judas the Apostle' and 'The last Sicarius' will love this book, along with any end times fanatics.
By Van R Mayhall Jr
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
3 Stars
This is Mayhall's third novel in a series featuring Dr Clotile Lejeune, an ancient languages expert, who has discovered a cache of ancient scrolls from Biblical times. She, along with her son and clergy from the Vatican are continually thrown in religious fights with deadly groups.
This novel follows on, set three years after the last novel, with evil pretending all aspects of power and community across the globe.
Seven unlikely heroes are drawn together and link with Dr Lejeune in a quest to defeat the 'bad man', a reference to the devil rising to power. Together they face a battle that recurs every 1000 years.
This book is mostly fast paced, although the characters tend to be a bit of a strength of the imagination.
Fans of the first two novels 'Judas the Apostle' and 'The last Sicarius' will love this book, along with any end times fanatics.
March 24, 2017
I quite enjoyed this. My idea of a beach read is generally an uncomplicated fast paced thriller or horror. This end of days mystery fits the bill quite nicely. Although there are far too many characters that a few of them have to take a back seat to the story despite having a major part to play in events.
Having not read the previous two books I found plenty of flashback (but not overpowering the main story) to help me catch up. It rattles along a quite a speed as Chloe and friends race to save the word from evil using only an old journal possibly written by Jesus and their wits to help them. It's all bonkers but it's fun bonkers. I really enjoyed it.
Having not read the previous two books I found plenty of flashback (but not overpowering the main story) to help me catch up. It rattles along a quite a speed as Chloe and friends race to save the word from evil using only an old journal possibly written by Jesus and their wits to help them. It's all bonkers but it's fun bonkers. I really enjoyed it.
September 12, 2022
As it was written, Satan is released from his prison after a thousand years, and chaos reigns again throughout the lands. This is the sign of the times.
A team composed of seven people, a priest, a curator, a doctor, and her son are teaming up to survive the end times. And while they try to survive, an amazing twist of the story leads them to fight Icar the devil and end Armageddon. Will they be able to defeat darkness and bring light once more to the earth?
It’s been a while since I read a full-length novel and Van Mayhall Jr.’s 7 turned out to be the perfect remedy for my reader’s bloc. He sheds light on the prophecies of the bible. The narration is smooth and you could really feel that you are being transported into the world created by Van. I was deeply engrossed with the plot and the characters such that reading feels like watching a film. I am recommending this book to readers with five stars!
A team composed of seven people, a priest, a curator, a doctor, and her son are teaming up to survive the end times. And while they try to survive, an amazing twist of the story leads them to fight Icar the devil and end Armageddon. Will they be able to defeat darkness and bring light once more to the earth?
It’s been a while since I read a full-length novel and Van Mayhall Jr.’s 7 turned out to be the perfect remedy for my reader’s bloc. He sheds light on the prophecies of the bible. The narration is smooth and you could really feel that you are being transported into the world created by Van. I was deeply engrossed with the plot and the characters such that reading feels like watching a film. I am recommending this book to readers with five stars!
May 5, 2017
I got this book as a galley with the understanding that I would read and review it.
When I got the book, I didn't know what to expect. The premise is interesting and the action scenes are decent, but overall I struggled to get into this book. It's a Christian thriller, which I have no problem with. However, the author tends to lay it on pretty thick and the religiosity throughout the book gets distracting. The characters are often one-dimensional and the dialogue is stilted. Also, the twists and the mole's identity were blatantly obvious in advance.
When I got the book, I didn't know what to expect. The premise is interesting and the action scenes are decent, but overall I struggled to get into this book. It's a Christian thriller, which I have no problem with. However, the author tends to lay it on pretty thick and the religiosity throughout the book gets distracting. The characters are often one-dimensional and the dialogue is stilted. Also, the twists and the mole's identity were blatantly obvious in advance.
April 24, 2017
What a compelling book, based on the end times as tolled in Revelations but in such away that every chapter is unpredictable. There are clues to keep you on your toes and is close to the book of Revelations but not so close that there aren't surprises on the way for those with strong views or understanding of the Biblical accout, it is a story and not a study book. I do recommend this book in my view it is well worth buying
I did receive the book free from Net Galley for a honest review.
I did receive the book free from Net Galley for a honest review.
March 19, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley to review.
I enjoyed the story, as I enjoyed the first two books in the series, but as with those first two books, this one has some writing technique issues that I keep hoping the author will improve upon in future works. There is a great deal of telling as opposed to showing, and I don't think I've ever seen "screamed" used this many times as a dialogue tag.
In all fairness, part of the "showing not telling" was used to remind the reader of what had happened in the previous books. This is a tricky thing to handle at the best of times.
Having said that... this book's plot romps along at breakneck speed, with the characters once again chasing an ancient mystery of Biblical proportions. The technical issues weren't enough to keep me from sticking with the story because I wanted to find out what happened next.
This book also has an end-times eschatological interpretation that I don't remember having encountered before. I personally subscribe to a different interpretation, but this aspect did not detract from my enjoyment of the story at all.
The author left an opening for yet another sequel which does not quite rise to the level of a cliff-hanger. I will be sure to keep an eye open for the next book.
As before, my fewer-stars rating has to do with the writing technique, not the story.
I enjoyed the story, as I enjoyed the first two books in the series, but as with those first two books, this one has some writing technique issues that I keep hoping the author will improve upon in future works. There is a great deal of telling as opposed to showing, and I don't think I've ever seen "screamed" used this many times as a dialogue tag.
In all fairness, part of the "showing not telling" was used to remind the reader of what had happened in the previous books. This is a tricky thing to handle at the best of times.
Having said that... this book's plot romps along at breakneck speed, with the characters once again chasing an ancient mystery of Biblical proportions. The technical issues weren't enough to keep me from sticking with the story because I wanted to find out what happened next.
This book also has an end-times eschatological interpretation that I don't remember having encountered before. I personally subscribe to a different interpretation, but this aspect did not detract from my enjoyment of the story at all.
The author left an opening for yet another sequel which does not quite rise to the level of a cliff-hanger. I will be sure to keep an eye open for the next book.
As before, my fewer-stars rating has to do with the writing technique, not the story.
October 25, 2017
“7” eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Van R. Mayhall Jr. (https://vrmayhalljr.wordpress.com). This is Mr. Mayhall’s third publication and the third book in his “Cloe Lejeune” series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set mostly in the middle east and around the Mediterranean. The primary character is Dr. Clotile “Cloe” Lejeune.
Lejeune is associated with LSU and is in the New Orleans area working on piecing together and interpreting writing on ancient scrolls obtained in the second volume of the series. The world seems to be coming apart at the seems with more violence and disorder every day. Lejeune, along with her son US Army Captain J.E. Lejeune and Monsignor Albert Roques, are called to Rome by the Pope.
As the world turns to chaos around her, she, and her team, must fight the manifestation of evil that is trying to destroy the Catholic Church and humanity. The fear is that evil is re-emerging after 1000 years and the End of Times as described in the Book of Revelations is upon us.
A group of people from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds are drawn to New Orleans to join with Lejeune in the fight. These 7 have been touched by an angel and are the “good” God has sent to combat the rise of evil.
This was an interesting read of 6 hours for the 329 page Religious Thriller. I liked the characters and the plot, but they seemed weak and watered down to me. I’m not sure what the cover art has to do with the story. To me it was a poor choice. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set mostly in the middle east and around the Mediterranean. The primary character is Dr. Clotile “Cloe” Lejeune.
Lejeune is associated with LSU and is in the New Orleans area working on piecing together and interpreting writing on ancient scrolls obtained in the second volume of the series. The world seems to be coming apart at the seems with more violence and disorder every day. Lejeune, along with her son US Army Captain J.E. Lejeune and Monsignor Albert Roques, are called to Rome by the Pope.
As the world turns to chaos around her, she, and her team, must fight the manifestation of evil that is trying to destroy the Catholic Church and humanity. The fear is that evil is re-emerging after 1000 years and the End of Times as described in the Book of Revelations is upon us.
A group of people from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds are drawn to New Orleans to join with Lejeune in the fight. These 7 have been touched by an angel and are the “good” God has sent to combat the rise of evil.
This was an interesting read of 6 hours for the 329 page Religious Thriller. I liked the characters and the plot, but they seemed weak and watered down to me. I’m not sure what the cover art has to do with the story. To me it was a poor choice. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
October 1, 2020
First I'd like to thank NetGalley for letting me have this book in exchange for an honest review. I started the book a little torn. I wanted to read it due to it's apolcalyptic theme but I was also wary due to it's being listed as a religious work of fiction. I've not had much luck in the religious fiction area but this was vastly different. It was definitely based on the bible and the characters were very well versed in the history of the book of Revelations. I was just afraid that it would seem overtly religious. I really enjoyed this book. I was first a bit tickled to find that the main character Dr. Cloe LeJeune was from Louisiana (which I am). So the local references to places in New Orleans made it seem more personal.
The story is based on the returning of Evil to the world as foretold by the Bible. Dr. LeJeune is specialist in ancient languages who has been working on scrolls found that could possible be written between Jesus and the apostles. Things that she is discovering in these texts seem to be coresponding to the worldwide spread of violence, plauges, and death. Meanwhile there are seven people from all over the world who have been approached by the same man who hands them a business card with the numbers 1-7 on them. They then all have an overwhelming compulsion to travel to New Orleans. Inevitably these people all find each other to prepare for the greatest battle in 1000 years.
This book was action filled, smart characters and it would seem there will be more to their stories in future books.
The story is based on the returning of Evil to the world as foretold by the Bible. Dr. LeJeune is specialist in ancient languages who has been working on scrolls found that could possible be written between Jesus and the apostles. Things that she is discovering in these texts seem to be coresponding to the worldwide spread of violence, plauges, and death. Meanwhile there are seven people from all over the world who have been approached by the same man who hands them a business card with the numbers 1-7 on them. They then all have an overwhelming compulsion to travel to New Orleans. Inevitably these people all find each other to prepare for the greatest battle in 1000 years.
This book was action filled, smart characters and it would seem there will be more to their stories in future books.
May 16, 2017
I have not read books by this author before and this seems to be the second book. I did not read the first one, so at times it did feel as if I missed a bit of the history. But this can be read as a standalone.
I was blown away by this book. It read like a hybrid of Stephen King's "The Stand" and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books. It literally kept me glued to the pages. But I have to admit to a bit of dissapointment. The title of the book is "7", so one would assume that the 7 would be the main characters of the book. Not so. Dr Cloe Lejeune and her team were. The 7 were mostly relegated to the sidelines when things were heating up, and a lot of time was spent on how they got together and wondering as to the purpuse of them being together. In my opinion this book could have been extended and the book fleshed out in order for the 7 to play a more pivotal role.
Other than that small gripe, this was an excellent book. I would recommend it to anyone who loves apocalytic books as well as Dan Brown fans. Maybe even to "The Stand" fans.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was blown away by this book. It read like a hybrid of Stephen King's "The Stand" and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books. It literally kept me glued to the pages. But I have to admit to a bit of dissapointment. The title of the book is "7", so one would assume that the 7 would be the main characters of the book. Not so. Dr Cloe Lejeune and her team were. The 7 were mostly relegated to the sidelines when things were heating up, and a lot of time was spent on how they got together and wondering as to the purpuse of them being together. In my opinion this book could have been extended and the book fleshed out in order for the 7 to play a more pivotal role.
Other than that small gripe, this was an excellent book. I would recommend it to anyone who loves apocalytic books as well as Dan Brown fans. Maybe even to "The Stand" fans.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 12, 2022
A beautiful action, adventure Christian novel that is sure going to have you at the edge of your seat the whole time. Because of its compelling scenes and characters, I finished this book in just one sitting.
Something/someone was unleashed that caused the world into deep chaos. You could really feel the tension, the mess, the noise of a world that is on the very verge of the end. Cloe, J.E., the priests, and the rest of the team must work together in order to defeat evil once and for all and ultimately bring back morality, peace and order into the world. However, Robby, who was called 7th, called and believed to be the chosen one, is a seven-year-old boy without any experience in combat and without extraordinary power. To engage in battle with Icar, the devil means a suicide mission. With a great plot, comes a great story twist. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the end as much as I was. I was amazed by how Van was able to weave such a gripping, exciting, and action-filled narrative around this sensitive topic of the end of times, effectively imparting a critically important message of hope into the world.
Something/someone was unleashed that caused the world into deep chaos. You could really feel the tension, the mess, the noise of a world that is on the very verge of the end. Cloe, J.E., the priests, and the rest of the team must work together in order to defeat evil once and for all and ultimately bring back morality, peace and order into the world. However, Robby, who was called 7th, called and believed to be the chosen one, is a seven-year-old boy without any experience in combat and without extraordinary power. To engage in battle with Icar, the devil means a suicide mission. With a great plot, comes a great story twist. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the end as much as I was. I was amazed by how Van was able to weave such a gripping, exciting, and action-filled narrative around this sensitive topic of the end of times, effectively imparting a critically important message of hope into the world.
September 13, 2022
A book with just the right amount of action, sci-fi adventure, and shocking moments kept me captivated and entertained without being overbearing. I’ve got to admit, I was utterly impressed.
Set in different settings, the emergence of evil took away the tranquility and morality of this world. Chaos is everywhere. The great Vatican City has been conquered by people who are as ruthless as evil itself. The murder of anyone who gets in their way means nothing to them, mere collateral damage to their nefarious plan. Rising from the tumult is a group of people assisted by Cloe and J.E. who break through the barriers as they tried to decode the journal and fight evil to become God’s empowered people. They must rely on their own intuition and faith in God and the goodness of humanity to shine through the darkness of the unprecedented time.
All in all, the author successfully changed my point of view about good and evil. 7 has a special place in my heart now for teaching me that, no matter who we are, we are God’s empowered people.
Set in different settings, the emergence of evil took away the tranquility and morality of this world. Chaos is everywhere. The great Vatican City has been conquered by people who are as ruthless as evil itself. The murder of anyone who gets in their way means nothing to them, mere collateral damage to their nefarious plan. Rising from the tumult is a group of people assisted by Cloe and J.E. who break through the barriers as they tried to decode the journal and fight evil to become God’s empowered people. They must rely on their own intuition and faith in God and the goodness of humanity to shine through the darkness of the unprecedented time.
All in all, the author successfully changed my point of view about good and evil. 7 has a special place in my heart now for teaching me that, no matter who we are, we are God’s empowered people.
September 12, 2022
An enthralling and exciting Christian novel from a talented author. It’s a book that proves goodness always prevails despite the circumstances.
The world is in dark chaos. There’s evil everywhere. People have gone berserk. Only a handful of people have been called to be God’s valiant warriors to fight evil. But first, Cloe must interpret the ancient journal which they believe to hold a message that could destroy evil. The journey of Cloe will take you from modern-day Jerusalem, Lyon, France, some parts of the United States, and numerous scenes at LSU Baton Rouge and more.
Overall, I genuinely admire Van R. Mayhall Jr.’s talent in writing. Although written in fiction form, He made me believe that Armageddon is real, and that evil is real. Most importantly, God is real. Despite the length of the novel, the action, the dialogues, the twists and turns of the story, and the characters we get to explore are timeless. I do not doubt that this book is going to be a blockbuster.
The world is in dark chaos. There’s evil everywhere. People have gone berserk. Only a handful of people have been called to be God’s valiant warriors to fight evil. But first, Cloe must interpret the ancient journal which they believe to hold a message that could destroy evil. The journey of Cloe will take you from modern-day Jerusalem, Lyon, France, some parts of the United States, and numerous scenes at LSU Baton Rouge and more.
Overall, I genuinely admire Van R. Mayhall Jr.’s talent in writing. Although written in fiction form, He made me believe that Armageddon is real, and that evil is real. Most importantly, God is real. Despite the length of the novel, the action, the dialogues, the twists and turns of the story, and the characters we get to explore are timeless. I do not doubt that this book is going to be a blockbuster.
September 12, 2022
What I like the most about Van R. Mayhall Jr.’s 7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) is its highly compelling conversations and vibrant descriptions of the characters and place making the story engaging, consequently making pages come to life. It has this sort of creatively framed contrast and comparison between good and bad and light and darkness that molds our world of today. Though this book belongs to Christian novels, the characters, the plot, the storyline, and everything else looked real and believable.
Van did not shy away from controversial themes in the Book of Revelation such as the horsemen, the prophecy of the end times, and more, and just steadfastly went about his business, writing one of the most impactful stories I have ever read. This book is wrought with knowledge and skills backdropped with the bible and satisfyingly filled with necessary values such as God’s love, faith, and hope. Kudos and massive respect to the author.
Van did not shy away from controversial themes in the Book of Revelation such as the horsemen, the prophecy of the end times, and more, and just steadfastly went about his business, writing one of the most impactful stories I have ever read. This book is wrought with knowledge and skills backdropped with the bible and satisfyingly filled with necessary values such as God’s love, faith, and hope. Kudos and massive respect to the author.
September 13, 2022
I was deeply intrigued by the author’s talent in writing the plot of this book. Bringing the Book of Revelation from the bible, themed with goodness and light, and merging it with history is tricky. I find that many authors end up exaggerating too much either one of the aspects, and this mistake usually defeats the purpose of this technique which is to give the readers ample suspense and curiosity to get through the gist of the story. But this didn’t seem to be a problem for Van. His opening scene pulled me right away into the intriguing prophecy of the end times.
The only thing that I didn’t like about it was that everything came at you fast and hard, not really giving you a chance to sit with it in the end. There was only so much you could do with the major stakes of the book, only so much that you could take in at a time. As such, it didn’t quite stick the landing, despite a spectacular attempt to do so.
The only thing that I didn’t like about it was that everything came at you fast and hard, not really giving you a chance to sit with it in the end. There was only so much you could do with the major stakes of the book, only so much that you could take in at a time. As such, it didn’t quite stick the landing, despite a spectacular attempt to do so.
September 14, 2022
Captivating, suspenseful, and surprising: with eloquent prose that brings to life in a realistic and believable manner the events of the last days.
Cloe Lejeune can’t believe her eyes at the events that are happening. Chaos, lawlessness, and madness all around. Moreover, there’s this giant who is handing numbers to a group of people including a seven-year-old boy without a reason. As they unfold the mystery, they realize that they were all called for a purpose. First, they must decode the journal’s cuneiform-like message. The twists and turns of the plot give us a unique storyline. This is a story that’s a blockbuster candidate in my opinion. It’s one of the best works of the author. It clearly met the criteria that prompted me to make a strong recommendation. The main characters’ personalities truly embodied the integrity and values that the readers definitely need. As always, the ending has me praying for another sequel soon. More of the author’s work is on my reading list.
Cloe Lejeune can’t believe her eyes at the events that are happening. Chaos, lawlessness, and madness all around. Moreover, there’s this giant who is handing numbers to a group of people including a seven-year-old boy without a reason. As they unfold the mystery, they realize that they were all called for a purpose. First, they must decode the journal’s cuneiform-like message. The twists and turns of the plot give us a unique storyline. This is a story that’s a blockbuster candidate in my opinion. It’s one of the best works of the author. It clearly met the criteria that prompted me to make a strong recommendation. The main characters’ personalities truly embodied the integrity and values that the readers definitely need. As always, the ending has me praying for another sequel soon. More of the author’s work is on my reading list.
September 14, 2022
I enjoyed the characters in the novel, despite the fact that it was not my usual read. Despite their differences and their points of view with regard to their objective, the characters' personalities were woven into the plot’s flow, creating a sense of harmony. I was on board from the first page, I was deeply intrigued and excited with Cloe’s campaign despite the turmoil that was happening all over the world. And there were times when I wanted to assist her in her trips from place to place. I was taken on a roller coaster ride of emotion as well as the main character’s experiences. Moreover, the action in the story is steady and exciting, with almost frantic moments regularly kicking the pace up a notch or two. A major plot twist made me exclaim aloud, I was that surprised. With its entertaining premise and non-stop excitement and action, I recommend 7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) to readers who enjoy Christian novels.
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September 13, 2022Van R. Mayhall Jr. brings us a groundbreaking Christian novel, not an idealistic Christian novel but of warfare between good and evil. 7 is a book whose foundations lie in the truth of the bible behind the abundance and niche of our world today. Van recounts the story of Cloe as she tries to understand the sudden chaos that shifted the world into turmoil. The wonderful twist of the story brought these wonderful seven people with different backgrounds into the warfare of good and evil.
7 is a story written with its perfect balance of light and darkness, good and evil, and intelligent conversations. The author’s attention to the tiniest details of the plot and setting make it amazingly easy to visualize the reading experience in the mind’s eye. Dive deep into a time and place where Christians are being persecuted yet not left broken. This one is truly a must-read!
7 is a story written with its perfect balance of light and darkness, good and evil, and intelligent conversations. The author’s attention to the tiniest details of the plot and setting make it amazingly easy to visualize the reading experience in the mind’s eye. Dive deep into a time and place where Christians are being persecuted yet not left broken. This one is truly a must-read!
September 13, 2022
It was such great fun reading 7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) by Van R. Mayhall Jr. The way he describes the settings, narrates the plot, and introduces the characters in such a detailed manner creates the main image that it feels like I’m watching a movie in my mind’s eye as I delve into the pages. The conversations, the twists and turns, and the conflict depict all the good aspects of a good book with no hint of discrepancy. There is also the fact that Van has strategically placed various, interesting information on the prophecies of the bible that caught my eye as a reader.
After they have unlocked the code and gathered together as a team, will they succeed in defeating Icar?
Overall, this novel is a literary work of art that perfectly reflects this author’s pride, passion, and talent. I’m sure his late father Van R. Mayhall is proud of him for this novel.
After they have unlocked the code and gathered together as a team, will they succeed in defeating Icar?
Overall, this novel is a literary work of art that perfectly reflects this author’s pride, passion, and talent. I’m sure his late father Van R. Mayhall is proud of him for this novel.
September 14, 2022
7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) is incredible action, adventure, and Christian novel publication. The author has a unique way of using words that could be called beautiful and artistic in a way that pulls the readers right in. The story’s climactic moments, intense action, and fantastic teaming up of these wonderful people as the main characters are further emphasized and dramatized with the magical way Van chooses and weaves his words. He perfectly imparts hope, love of God, and goodness in humanity and there is something to be learned from every situation in the story.
I was so engrossed in every line of dialogue that time passed by without my knowledge, and I couldn’t stop reading once started. Such literary art can only be at the hands of one with the perfect mix of passion, expertise, and talent.
I was so engrossed in every line of dialogue that time passed by without my knowledge, and I couldn’t stop reading once started. Such literary art can only be at the hands of one with the perfect mix of passion, expertise, and talent.
September 14, 2022
My favorite part about this book is how the author strategically places golden nuggets of wisdom on various topics in different parts of the story. Instead of being a simple story of action, I felt like I was reading a compilation of life lessons.
7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) tickled all the philosophical, logical, and religious sides of my being. This book might be the only novel on my reading list with highlights and the sheer amount of intense politics this book imparts. I was engrossed in every page as I continued to turn it one after another. I had a blast reading this and feel much wiser than before I started reading. The amazing revelations of the bible with regards to the horsemen, and the thousand years of Satan’s imprisonment were totally intriguing. It matched the plot’s story and flowed smoothly. There’s nothing that I have other than high admiration and praise.
7 (Cloe Lejeune Series Book 3) tickled all the philosophical, logical, and religious sides of my being. This book might be the only novel on my reading list with highlights and the sheer amount of intense politics this book imparts. I was engrossed in every page as I continued to turn it one after another. I had a blast reading this and feel much wiser than before I started reading. The amazing revelations of the bible with regards to the horsemen, and the thousand years of Satan’s imprisonment were totally intriguing. It matched the plot’s story and flowed smoothly. There’s nothing that I have other than high admiration and praise.
September 9, 2022
Set in a dystopian era, Cloe Lejeune sets on a journey to interpret the code they believed to be two thousand years old and must have been written by Judas Iscariot or Jesus himself. With the world in chaos and Christians being persecuted, no one is safe. A strange man hands out cards with numbers written on them to the selected seven people. No one is certain what these cards mean, nonetheless, they must trust their calling. They must believe in faith that they are called for a purpose.
With a great plot twist and well-drawn characters, this one is hard to put down. Readers will find it easy to follow the storyline which is backed by religion and history. The pace is fast, which I liked the most, and is engulfing - highly recommended!
With a great plot twist and well-drawn characters, this one is hard to put down. Readers will find it easy to follow the storyline which is backed by religion and history. The pace is fast, which I liked the most, and is engulfing - highly recommended!
September 13, 2022
The best thing about books, especially novels, is that they introduce the readers to completely different worlds without having to leave the comfort of their reading area. Van R. Mayhall Jr.’s no exception. I truly learned a lot and enjoyed every bit of it.
For one, Van brings a new kind of Christian novel that focuses on the prophecy of the bible such as the thousand years' imprisonment of evil, the horsemen, and the end time events. Rising from the turmoil are the group of people headed by Cloe and the amazing 7-year-old boy together with his dog battling evil to bring back harmony and balance.
Van successfully captivates his readers with his knowledge of linguistics, the bible, and history. Without a doubt, this book is a masterpiece.
For one, Van brings a new kind of Christian novel that focuses on the prophecy of the bible such as the thousand years' imprisonment of evil, the horsemen, and the end time events. Rising from the turmoil are the group of people headed by Cloe and the amazing 7-year-old boy together with his dog battling evil to bring back harmony and balance.
Van successfully captivates his readers with his knowledge of linguistics, the bible, and history. Without a doubt, this book is a masterpiece.
September 14, 2022
An exciting and heart-thumping Christian novel with many intriguing characters and a thought-provoking plot.
Signs of the times have been everywhere in the world. Lawlessness rules over every city and state. Christians are being persecuted, churches have been burned down, and priests have been martyred. It is up to the seven, Cloe, the priest, the curator, and J.E., among others to save the world from doom.
Van is rich with his language in every conversation and description of the plot. There was a satisfying touch of thrill and excitement. Each chapter brings a whole new experience. It is an easy read for your suspense and action fix while being relaxing and exciting at the same time. I highly recommend it.
Signs of the times have been everywhere in the world. Lawlessness rules over every city and state. Christians are being persecuted, churches have been burned down, and priests have been martyred. It is up to the seven, Cloe, the priest, the curator, and J.E., among others to save the world from doom.
Van is rich with his language in every conversation and description of the plot. There was a satisfying touch of thrill and excitement. Each chapter brings a whole new experience. It is an easy read for your suspense and action fix while being relaxing and exciting at the same time. I highly recommend it.
May 30, 2017
Sometimes I wind up in the third book or more of a series, and didn't know it. This is such a case. I liked the characters, and loved the biblical ties. As the Bible said, an evil has returned. Dr. LeJeune has been working some some amazing scrolls that were conversations between Jesus and the Disciples. Topping that off, someone is summoning people from all over the world to New Orleans. They have cards numbered one to seven. Is that the "seven deadly sins" or something far greater? I LOVE that this a good Christian thriller. I now need more books by this author.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.
September 28, 2017
This novel is based on the end of time as told in Revalations in the Bible. There are several clues that you will read and may help you figure out what will happen. The novel was written so well that I could not stop reading. There re enough flashbacks tht it helped m to understand the characters.
I must admit though that I wish I had read the previous two books in this series. I enjoyed the book.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
I must admit though that I wish I had read the previous two books in this series. I enjoyed the book.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
May 9, 2017
An interesting spin on the apocalypse and a new group of saviors to fight off evil most high. It was smooth reading and moderately paced but felt thin. I doubt I would have picked it to read if it wasn't a free read. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.
December 29, 2017
I received this from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
This is the third book in a series. A very interesting historical/archaeological thriller with overtones of religiosity. Evil is on the rise and it's up to Cloe and her group along with a special seven people to stop it from destroying the world. I found it interesting, a little long with a surprise ending.
This is the third book in a series. A very interesting historical/archaeological thriller with overtones of religiosity. Evil is on the rise and it's up to Cloe and her group along with a special seven people to stop it from destroying the world. I found it interesting, a little long with a surprise ending.
September 23, 2017
In Van R. Mayhall Jr.’s book, 7, language expert Cloe Lejune is translating an ancient language when she realizes she must warn the Pope that the world is facing cataclysmic destruction. Meanwhile, a message is delivered to seven random people whose only link is a common destination—New Orleans. Will the world succumb to evil unleashed? Or will Cloe and the seven strangers be able to stop it?
7 is the third book in a line of fast-paced thrillers. Mayhall Jr. infuses the novel with supernatural elements where the past meets future, making a unique plot. Events are taken from the biblical book of Revelation and the characters’ actions are determined by forces beyond their control, providing a riveting read for most.
However, this plot-driven story leaves the characters under-developed and the dialogue unrealistic. In addition, the interpretation of Revelation, extra-biblical sources, and the elevation of a man to divinity is troubling. If one is interested in one author’s interpretation on the last days, 7 is an intriguing look, however, the theology implied should be taken lightly.
I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review
7 is the third book in a line of fast-paced thrillers. Mayhall Jr. infuses the novel with supernatural elements where the past meets future, making a unique plot. Events are taken from the biblical book of Revelation and the characters’ actions are determined by forces beyond their control, providing a riveting read for most.
However, this plot-driven story leaves the characters under-developed and the dialogue unrealistic. In addition, the interpretation of Revelation, extra-biblical sources, and the elevation of a man to divinity is troubling. If one is interested in one author’s interpretation on the last days, 7 is an intriguing look, however, the theology implied should be taken lightly.
I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review
March 27, 2017
[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.]
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW, although when you get to my point about predictability you'll understand they aren't that much of a revelation.
Ignoring the fact that this is book three in a series of undetermined length, and the description on NetGalley didn't *really* give an indication there were other books before it (although I suppose you could interpret the last line of the description as that indication, but it didn't include any solid information about how many books came before), I gave this one a fair shot. I did not feel that I needed to read any of the previous books to understand what was happening in this one, because the author gave *so much* backstory throughout that reading them now would be a let-down.
In giving the book a fair shot, I also realized I had no interest in the other two books, especially if they were written the same way as this one. The story had good possibilities, but the writing fell flat and in the end I was left completely unsatisfied. I felt it was completely predictable from start to finish, and a good chunk of it didn't make much sense.
I'll go in list form:
* The author refers to most characters by titles instead of names, and constantly. For example, "the potentate," "the curator," "the monsignor," "the beast," etc. And it wasn't just an occasional thing to switch up between the title and their name. Rarely is the monsignor referred to by Albert. Once we hear the curator's real name, he's never referred to by it again. We are told that the pope is Pope Francis, but once that's out he's just simply the pope. And I don't remember ever hearing the potentate's real name, but that didn't stop the author from saying the word "potentate" five times in the first two paragraphs.
* Cloe says "Oh my God!" a LOT, and especially in front of clergy. I know when I'm in church or around clergy, I do my best to stay away from the OMG phrasing. Wouldn't someone who's supposedly as super-Catholic as Cloe do the same? There are other clergy-friendly ways to express shock and dismay.
* What is the time frame of this book? Days? Weeks? Months? It feels like it takes only a couple of weeks, but in that time already we have widespread famine and plague that have killed millions. How long has this unrest been going on? There is no clear indication of any lengths of time, except at the end of the book when we get a wrap-up one week after the final battle. The framing of time makes zero sense.
* Why does every random building they have to escape from have a convenient secret passage or back way out that no one knows about? One time, maybe two is OK, but three or more and we're talking laziness.
* How old is the monsignor supposed to be? He talks like an old man but fights/acts like a young soldier.
* Like I said before, it was 100% predictable. Cloe is wondering who the 7 are? Well duh, it's the seven random people who show up in New Orleans. When she puts that information together, it's like we're supposed to be having a lightbulb moment with her. But I'm not, because I figured that out from the second I was told there were cards being handed out to random people by a purported angel. The spy? That was obvious from the moment the character was introduced. She made an off-handed comment, Cloe wonders at it, we hear possible distrust once more... of course she's the spy. How could she not be?
* Icar falls victim to trope - he's a classic villain who puts too much of the important work into the hands of his minions. Michael is tasked with killing Cloe and Robby but doesn't, when Icar could have easily done it himself. Cloe was right in front of him. We see later that he has no qualms about snapping someone's neck. If he really wanted them both dead, why not do it himself? If he's so powerful, he wouldn't have been so easy to escape from, or so easily defeated (and really, that ending? He went down easy). And when Michael is chasing the group on the river in his own boat, the spy was on the "good" boat, so why not just have her do away with everyone? She had military training and a gun. I'm sure she could have handled it. Killing them was the goal at that point. The fact they were able to escape when one of Icar's team was right there with them is a big plot hole.
* The end was completely unsatisfying. The last sentence made the entire book feel like it was cut off mid-thought. I pushed the page trying to get to the next one (because in my copy the last sentence was the very end of the page) several times until I realized no, that's the end. Of the book. That's how this book ends.
There was a lot of potential here. The author clearly has some talent. But there was too much stereotype, too much revealed early and then acting like it was an ah-ha moment later, too much too much. I am not a fan, won't be picking up the others, and really don't recommend this to much of anyone.
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW, although when you get to my point about predictability you'll understand they aren't that much of a revelation.
Ignoring the fact that this is book three in a series of undetermined length, and the description on NetGalley didn't *really* give an indication there were other books before it (although I suppose you could interpret the last line of the description as that indication, but it didn't include any solid information about how many books came before), I gave this one a fair shot. I did not feel that I needed to read any of the previous books to understand what was happening in this one, because the author gave *so much* backstory throughout that reading them now would be a let-down.
In giving the book a fair shot, I also realized I had no interest in the other two books, especially if they were written the same way as this one. The story had good possibilities, but the writing fell flat and in the end I was left completely unsatisfied. I felt it was completely predictable from start to finish, and a good chunk of it didn't make much sense.
I'll go in list form:
* The author refers to most characters by titles instead of names, and constantly. For example, "the potentate," "the curator," "the monsignor," "the beast," etc. And it wasn't just an occasional thing to switch up between the title and their name. Rarely is the monsignor referred to by Albert. Once we hear the curator's real name, he's never referred to by it again. We are told that the pope is Pope Francis, but once that's out he's just simply the pope. And I don't remember ever hearing the potentate's real name, but that didn't stop the author from saying the word "potentate" five times in the first two paragraphs.
* Cloe says "Oh my God!" a LOT, and especially in front of clergy. I know when I'm in church or around clergy, I do my best to stay away from the OMG phrasing. Wouldn't someone who's supposedly as super-Catholic as Cloe do the same? There are other clergy-friendly ways to express shock and dismay.
* What is the time frame of this book? Days? Weeks? Months? It feels like it takes only a couple of weeks, but in that time already we have widespread famine and plague that have killed millions. How long has this unrest been going on? There is no clear indication of any lengths of time, except at the end of the book when we get a wrap-up one week after the final battle. The framing of time makes zero sense.
* Why does every random building they have to escape from have a convenient secret passage or back way out that no one knows about? One time, maybe two is OK, but three or more and we're talking laziness.
* How old is the monsignor supposed to be? He talks like an old man but fights/acts like a young soldier.
* Like I said before, it was 100% predictable. Cloe is wondering who the 7 are? Well duh, it's the seven random people who show up in New Orleans. When she puts that information together, it's like we're supposed to be having a lightbulb moment with her. But I'm not, because I figured that out from the second I was told there were cards being handed out to random people by a purported angel. The spy? That was obvious from the moment the character was introduced. She made an off-handed comment, Cloe wonders at it, we hear possible distrust once more... of course she's the spy. How could she not be?
* Icar falls victim to trope - he's a classic villain who puts too much of the important work into the hands of his minions. Michael is tasked with killing Cloe and Robby but doesn't, when Icar could have easily done it himself. Cloe was right in front of him. We see later that he has no qualms about snapping someone's neck. If he really wanted them both dead, why not do it himself? If he's so powerful, he wouldn't have been so easy to escape from, or so easily defeated (and really, that ending? He went down easy). And when Michael is chasing the group on the river in his own boat, the spy was on the "good" boat, so why not just have her do away with everyone? She had military training and a gun. I'm sure she could have handled it. Killing them was the goal at that point. The fact they were able to escape when one of Icar's team was right there with them is a big plot hole.
* The end was completely unsatisfying. The last sentence made the entire book feel like it was cut off mid-thought. I pushed the page trying to get to the next one (because in my copy the last sentence was the very end of the page) several times until I realized no, that's the end. Of the book. That's how this book ends.
There was a lot of potential here. The author clearly has some talent. But there was too much stereotype, too much revealed early and then acting like it was an ah-ha moment later, too much too much. I am not a fan, won't be picking up the others, and really don't recommend this to much of anyone.
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