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The Ascension
Everyone dies once...what if a chosen few were raised from the dead?
Now that the threat from Abdul Ba’ith has been eliminated, Lazarus and his team at SOAR hope to help Ricki discover the secret in his journal. That hope is dashed when he discovers that the UDs have even bigger plans in the works—plans that threaten the stability of the entire world. North Korea is ruled by a UD who has overseen the development of a deadly airborne disease. The virus is on its way to the Middle East by boat where ISIS will use it to destroy Israel on October 10th.
Lazarus joins a team sent to North Korea to eliminate the UD responsible for the program while another team searches for the virus in the Middle East, hoping to destroy it before it can be used. The odds are stacked against both teams as event after event arises to impede their progress. Will Lazarus be able to free North Korea of its dictatorial leader?
Will Shiri’s team be able to locate the virus and neutralize it before it is released on Israel? It’s a world-wide hunt with more than the existence of Israel at stake, because the virus will spread from Israel to the rest of the world.
Now that the threat from Abdul Ba’ith has been eliminated, Lazarus and his team at SOAR hope to help Ricki discover the secret in his journal. That hope is dashed when he discovers that the UDs have even bigger plans in the works—plans that threaten the stability of the entire world. North Korea is ruled by a UD who has overseen the development of a deadly airborne disease. The virus is on its way to the Middle East by boat where ISIS will use it to destroy Israel on October 10th.
Lazarus joins a team sent to North Korea to eliminate the UD responsible for the program while another team searches for the virus in the Middle East, hoping to destroy it before it can be used. The odds are stacked against both teams as event after event arises to impede their progress. Will Lazarus be able to free North Korea of its dictatorial leader?
Will Shiri’s team be able to locate the virus and neutralize it before it is released on Israel? It’s a world-wide hunt with more than the existence of Israel at stake, because the virus will spread from Israel to the rest of the world.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 1, 2019
The Ascension is a supernatural thriller by author Richard Spillman. It is book two of The Lazarus Chronicles trilogy.
Quote: Our Savior sees how God designed us and loves the Awakened for it. Our adversary sees our potential and hates us for it, but even more important, it’s the reason he fears us. (Awakened Incident Manuel, Volume 2 ~ page 11)
October 10 is the date set for the annihilation of all Naturals. Including Renaud The Anointed One. Will the Awakened be able to prevent such a cruel act?
Quote: The Awakened are those who have died once and came back to life, never to die again. The UD (UnDead) is a demon-possessed dead body. Naturals are people with a normal lifetime who are not aware of the world in which they live.
This is the story of how Jesus protected one young lady from the horrors of life. The most comforting thing the reader can gather from this story is that no matter what has happened in their life Jesus knew them before they were ever thought of on earth.
I wanted to read this story because book #1 perked my interest. I would suggest reading this series in order, book one sets the storyline and introduces the characters. Book #2 develops more of the action. Did this book live up to my expectations? Yes, it was intriguing and kept me reading for hours. What I liked most is one of the characters came to the saving grace of Christ.
I must say I don’t like the cover. However, it does depict the wickedness of the UD, which were sometimes referred to as Zombies. However, they were not Zombies.
I recommend this book to fans of supernatural thrillers, Believers, Seekers, and Unbelievers. Because of the influence of Christ.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
Quote: Our Savior sees how God designed us and loves the Awakened for it. Our adversary sees our potential and hates us for it, but even more important, it’s the reason he fears us. (Awakened Incident Manuel, Volume 2 ~ page 11)
October 10 is the date set for the annihilation of all Naturals. Including Renaud The Anointed One. Will the Awakened be able to prevent such a cruel act?
Quote: The Awakened are those who have died once and came back to life, never to die again. The UD (UnDead) is a demon-possessed dead body. Naturals are people with a normal lifetime who are not aware of the world in which they live.
This is the story of how Jesus protected one young lady from the horrors of life. The most comforting thing the reader can gather from this story is that no matter what has happened in their life Jesus knew them before they were ever thought of on earth.
I wanted to read this story because book #1 perked my interest. I would suggest reading this series in order, book one sets the storyline and introduces the characters. Book #2 develops more of the action. Did this book live up to my expectations? Yes, it was intriguing and kept me reading for hours. What I liked most is one of the characters came to the saving grace of Christ.
I must say I don’t like the cover. However, it does depict the wickedness of the UD, which were sometimes referred to as Zombies. However, they were not Zombies.
I recommend this book to fans of supernatural thrillers, Believers, Seekers, and Unbelievers. Because of the influence of Christ.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
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July 20, 2020The stakes are high in this second book of The Lazarus Chronicles. After the dusting of Abdul Ba’ith, the UD’s are moving forward with big plans involving Israel and North Korea. And Renaud, a Natural called the Anointed One, has his own agenda with serious ramifications for the future. With teams split between the Middle East and Korea, and assassins targeting Ricki, will the Awakens be able to stop the threats? The book moves along at a rapid clip with short chapters swinging from one group to another in a fast-paced plot line that doesn’t slow down.
Well-written and suspenseful, I finished reading this within a few days.
I appreciated the way each chapter begins with a quote from the Awakened Incident Manuel, grounding the action with spiritual truths the Awakened live by. And the segments from Lazarus’s journal telling of the beginnings of the Awakens and his time with Jesus were strong and poignant.
If you are looking for a supernatural thriller with an interesting premise and a strong Christian foundation, look no further. This series delivers.
Well-written and suspenseful, I finished reading this within a few days.
I appreciated the way each chapter begins with a quote from the Awakened Incident Manuel, grounding the action with spiritual truths the Awakened live by. And the segments from Lazarus’s journal telling of the beginnings of the Awakens and his time with Jesus were strong and poignant.
If you are looking for a supernatural thriller with an interesting premise and a strong Christian foundation, look no further. This series delivers.
August 29, 2019
The suspense continues
My rating is 4.5 stars
Since reading The Awakened, I’ve been eagerly anticipating reading more of The Lazarus Chronicles. Fortunately, it is a trilogy and I won’t have to wait much longer for the finale. Well, I hope it won’t be much longer!
I love the way Richard Spillman combines accounts of the resurrected Christ with present-day paranormal suspense. The use of searching through Lazarus’ journal for a code is a great means to make this work.
Hindsight tells me I should have re-read The Awakened before taking up The Ascension. Though I remembered many of the people and broad-stroke details, there were things I did not remember. I am making a point to re-read both of these before reading the conclusion when it comes out.
I don’t specifically recall liking or disliking Declan before. He came into his own here and became one of my favorite characters. He teamed up with Shiri in the Middle East to find the virus that was about to be released on an unsuspecting population. The two of them working together were delightful! Their witty repartee as Declan attempted to get his head around the concepts of the Undead (they are NOT zombies!) and the Awakened had me giggling and wishing I could share it with my husband in a way that would make any sense at all! The two are a fantastic team, making what happened so . . . (Sorry, censored to prevent spoilers!)
Joon was fascinating! A North Korean Christian, he had been taught to treasure the Bible from his youth and to hide it in his heart against the day when they would not have access to a Bible any longer. So when his family was imprisoned in a concentration camp when he was twelve, he had a strong foundation to rest upon. What a testimony! We Western Christians could stand to honor the Bible more in our lives!
I’m almost embarrassed to admit this next thing. I have always had trouble remembering which part of Korea is Communist. Now that I have read about it here and have a much better picture of what it is like in North Korea, I have a feeling I won’t have this difficulty any longer. The sense of living without hope in such a place was depicted so vividly.
The action and suspense were pretty much non-stop. While The Awakened is my favorite, The Ascension was thoroughly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspenseful Christian fiction. Even if they aren’t particularly fans of zombies!
Read my full review at Among the Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
My rating is 4.5 stars
Since reading The Awakened, I’ve been eagerly anticipating reading more of The Lazarus Chronicles. Fortunately, it is a trilogy and I won’t have to wait much longer for the finale. Well, I hope it won’t be much longer!
I love the way Richard Spillman combines accounts of the resurrected Christ with present-day paranormal suspense. The use of searching through Lazarus’ journal for a code is a great means to make this work.
Hindsight tells me I should have re-read The Awakened before taking up The Ascension. Though I remembered many of the people and broad-stroke details, there were things I did not remember. I am making a point to re-read both of these before reading the conclusion when it comes out.
I don’t specifically recall liking or disliking Declan before. He came into his own here and became one of my favorite characters. He teamed up with Shiri in the Middle East to find the virus that was about to be released on an unsuspecting population. The two of them working together were delightful! Their witty repartee as Declan attempted to get his head around the concepts of the Undead (they are NOT zombies!) and the Awakened had me giggling and wishing I could share it with my husband in a way that would make any sense at all! The two are a fantastic team, making what happened so . . . (Sorry, censored to prevent spoilers!)
Joon was fascinating! A North Korean Christian, he had been taught to treasure the Bible from his youth and to hide it in his heart against the day when they would not have access to a Bible any longer. So when his family was imprisoned in a concentration camp when he was twelve, he had a strong foundation to rest upon. What a testimony! We Western Christians could stand to honor the Bible more in our lives!
I’m almost embarrassed to admit this next thing. I have always had trouble remembering which part of Korea is Communist. Now that I have read about it here and have a much better picture of what it is like in North Korea, I have a feeling I won’t have this difficulty any longer. The sense of living without hope in such a place was depicted so vividly.
The action and suspense were pretty much non-stop. While The Awakened is my favorite, The Ascension was thoroughly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspenseful Christian fiction. Even if they aren’t particularly fans of zombies!
Read my full review at Among the Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
September 23, 2019
What a great 2nd book in this trilogy. I enjoyed it even more than the first. I loved all the characters and got to know them even better. I like them all, except for the UDs of course. There is a lot going on in this story. From North Korea to the middle east. Even the bad guys are deceiving each other to get their hands on a weapon that will destroy the population of the world.
Some of this book isn't easy to read, especially the concentration camp in North Korea. This is where people are sent if they are caught with a Bible. We are so spoiled in this Country. We take God for granted way too much.
Well, back to the book. I can't tell much more than what you read in the synopsis. It's a great Supernatural Thriller. There was something that happened that I didn't like but I understand the message and why the author had it happen.
I'm ready for book 3.
Some of this book isn't easy to read, especially the concentration camp in North Korea. This is where people are sent if they are caught with a Bible. We are so spoiled in this Country. We take God for granted way too much.
Well, back to the book. I can't tell much more than what you read in the synopsis. It's a great Supernatural Thriller. There was something that happened that I didn't like but I understand the message and why the author had it happen.
I'm ready for book 3.
November 17, 2020
This is the second in the series and having read the first one, The Awakened (which is a must for all those new to this series) my review is essentially the same, so I’ll try not to repeat to many of my comments and keep it short.
This is a plot-driven series and there is a lot going on. We get to visit a number of countries in the Middle East, Paris and Seattle. Much of the story is based in North Korea which is a bit different for Christian fiction. This is a key location where the leaders of the two Korean countries seek to unite them. Unbeknownst to the South Korean leader, his equivalent in the North has far darker plans and it is these plans that “L” and his team must thwart.
Similarly, there is a parallel initiative in the Middle East where the North Koreans have created a bioweapon of mass destruction being shipped to bring down Israel. Once again, another one of the SOAR teams is sent to try to stop it from succeeding.
The action is fun. Spillman uses short sharp chapters and scenes that gives the story pace. However, like in the first story too much of the conflict is announced and as a result there is a lack of real tension which the story could really do with. This culminates in two scenes at the end of the book which have been building for half the story, only for the ultimate climax to fizzle.
I’m so wanting to love this series as I’m personally invested in some of its core concepts and will gladly read the next one to see if “L” discovers the secret Jesus left him in the journals He wrote thousands of years ago.
My rating 3.5
This is a plot-driven series and there is a lot going on. We get to visit a number of countries in the Middle East, Paris and Seattle. Much of the story is based in North Korea which is a bit different for Christian fiction. This is a key location where the leaders of the two Korean countries seek to unite them. Unbeknownst to the South Korean leader, his equivalent in the North has far darker plans and it is these plans that “L” and his team must thwart.
Similarly, there is a parallel initiative in the Middle East where the North Koreans have created a bioweapon of mass destruction being shipped to bring down Israel. Once again, another one of the SOAR teams is sent to try to stop it from succeeding.
The action is fun. Spillman uses short sharp chapters and scenes that gives the story pace. However, like in the first story too much of the conflict is announced and as a result there is a lack of real tension which the story could really do with. This culminates in two scenes at the end of the book which have been building for half the story, only for the ultimate climax to fizzle.
I’m so wanting to love this series as I’m personally invested in some of its core concepts and will gladly read the next one to see if “L” discovers the secret Jesus left him in the journals He wrote thousands of years ago.
My rating 3.5
September 30, 2019
The best series I've read in a long time!
I read the The Awakened, and immediately followed with The Ascension, so I'm using the same review for both, which is a first for me!
These books have nail biting adventure, spiritual and political warfare, and frightening supernatural aspects, with a brilliant take on the concept of Lazarus and many others living until Christ returns.
The most tender touching moments were when Lazarus spoke of his conversations and private moments with Jesus; and, the most terrifying were when someone came into contact with an undead. I came to care about the good characters and hated to see the story end.
These were the first books I've read by Richard Spillman, but they definitely won't be my last! I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!
I read the The Awakened, and immediately followed with The Ascension, so I'm using the same review for both, which is a first for me!
These books have nail biting adventure, spiritual and political warfare, and frightening supernatural aspects, with a brilliant take on the concept of Lazarus and many others living until Christ returns.
The most tender touching moments were when Lazarus spoke of his conversations and private moments with Jesus; and, the most terrifying were when someone came into contact with an undead. I came to care about the good characters and hated to see the story end.
These were the first books I've read by Richard Spillman, but they definitely won't be my last! I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!
February 9, 2022
Just like book one in the series, The Ascension hits all the marks of a good book. The characters I loved are back, and book two shows more of them. The plot is so engaging--I just couldn't stop reading. And the deeper messages all throughout make you stop and really consider what it means to do God's work.
The Ascension is thoroughly entertaining and spiritually edifying.
My review of the first book goes into more detail because I don't want to spoil any plot points for the second one.
The Ascension is thoroughly entertaining and spiritually edifying.
My review of the first book goes into more detail because I don't want to spoil any plot points for the second one.
November 6, 2019
Highly entertaining follow-up to the Awakened, with even more espionage and action this time around.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews