As the great tribulation begins, a series of puzzling instructions from the branch tests the faith and resolve of Witnesses worldwide. Follow the experiences of Peter, an elder in a congregation in Northern California, his wife Rachel, and their extended family and friends as difficult decisions and heart-wrenching sacrifices are made to be obedient and loyal.
EK Jonathan was born in Hawaii, USA, and has lived in various states across the country and abroad as a need greater. In 2013 he finished his first full length novel, "All Things New". Since then, he has released, on average, one new novel per year. His last project was "Time and Unforeseen" a suquel to his 2018 young adult novel "The Bloom of Youth".
EK Jonathan currently lives in the United States with family, where he teaches English and works as a graphic designer. He is also the writer, director, and artist for an upcoming paradise-themed video game called Project Paradise.
I really enjoyed this read. There were moments when I was on the edge of my seat. I have to say there were a few situations that I was skeptical about and can't wait to discuss in bookclub. I like what the author said in the afterword.. these are merely words on a page to fuel our imaginations and provide wholesome entertainment in a world where such is sorely lacking. Indeed!!! I didn't have to worry if anything indecent or spiritistic would be presented that seems to be a hallmark of most modern-day books. Thank you for this refreshing breather and now on to book 2.
Amazing book! Couldn’t stop listening! (Did the audiobook on YouTube) Then I had to buy the rest of the series to see the story played out! Well written! Intense. Heartwarming! This is a writer who will take us straight into paradise with wonderful novels shaped around our hope for the future, our worldwide brotherhood, and our love for Jehovah!
This book, just as with his other series, is amazing. It’s beyond words, honestly. I love the creativity and imagination. I don’t feel as though I’m good at visualizing things, on my own. But, your books have helped me to visualize things in a way I have long desired. I don’t expect things to be the way the book is, but it’s nice to be able to picture something. Thank you for everything. I love the audiobook, as well. Great job with the reading and various voices and accents!
The story grabs you from the first page. Impossible to put down!
Such a beautiful, intriguing story. Characters developed in such a way that you’re so invested in knowing what happens. Love how this story adds to your ability to imagine how events could happen and question your own reactions in similar situations. Helps to strengthen your own determination to be nothing but obedient in our own coming future. Thank you for sharing your incredible imagination and story telling ability.
DNF Book club had a great time with this one. So don’t pay any attention to the fact that I didn’t finish and am choosing not to rate it. Everyone is different.
Easy to follow. Thought provoking, lots of drama and exciting plot.recommend everyone to read. I love the audio book version really put you In the book.
It was really cool to think about what the great tribulation might be like. I thought I had somewhat of an idea in my head, but this book was honestly more creative than anything I had imagined. If anything, it made me even more excited for the real thing, because Jehovah will come up with something EVEN MORE genius than ANYTHING any human could ever think of!!!
What made that even more engaging was the way the story moves between different characters’ perspectives without ever feeling overwhelming. The storytelling is simple and clear, which made it really easy to picture what was happening. E.K. Jonathan did a great job making the scenes feel vivid and real.
Adding to that, the situations during the evacuation felt very REALISTIC and honestly kind of eye-opening. Some people WILL struggle to let go of their personal belongings, others get caught up in legal matters or health problems, and some may even turn back like Lot’s wife. In the end, though, it really highlights how everything comes down to the strength of our FAITH in Jehovah.
I also appreciated that this wasn’t a worldly or pointless read. There are actually meaningful reminders and lessons you can carry with you for when the great tribulation DOES come.
Some of the elders, like Peter, Alvin, and Ted, were a little more dramatic than most elders I know in real life—but I think that was mainly for the sake of the plot and the overall drama of the story, so I get it. It actually made things more interesting.
I definitely have a favorite character (starts with a J), a least favorite character (starts with a C), and a ship too 😂 (A + T).
It was also really fun seeing my siblings’ annotations as we rooted for certain characters, expressed our frustrations, and tried to guess what would happen next. There were lots of insightful moments along the way—personally, plenty of “aww” and “ughh” reactions from me.
Loved it, and I can’t wait to read the next one and see how it all plays out!
4.75/5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.