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Fall of Man #1
Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family
“You want me to tell of how I broke the world.”
It’s the year 641 since humanity was formed in Eden, and after Eve passes away, Adam is the only man left on earth who remembers everything from the beginning of the world.
When Enoch, God’s newly appointed prophet, decides to collect the stories of the faithful from previous generations, he finds Adam in desperate need to confess the dark secrets he’s held onto for too long.
Beside a slowly burning bonfire in the dead of night, Adam tells his story in searing detail. From the beginning of everything, to how he broke the world, shattered Eve’s heart, and watched his family crumble.
Will Enoch uncover what led so many of Adam’s children away from God? And will Adam find the redemption and forgiveness he longs for?
It’s the year 641 since humanity was formed in Eden, and after Eve passes away, Adam is the only man left on earth who remembers everything from the beginning of the world.
When Enoch, God’s newly appointed prophet, decides to collect the stories of the faithful from previous generations, he finds Adam in desperate need to confess the dark secrets he’s held onto for too long.
Beside a slowly burning bonfire in the dead of night, Adam tells his story in searing detail. From the beginning of everything, to how he broke the world, shattered Eve’s heart, and watched his family crumble.
Will Enoch uncover what led so many of Adam’s children away from God? And will Adam find the redemption and forgiveness he longs for?
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2020
About the author
Brennan S. McPherson
7 books154 followersBrennan McPherson writes epic biblical fiction with an imaginative twist. With heart-pounding plots and lyrical prose, McPherson crafts a different sort of biblical fiction for readers who like to be challenged to think. Visit him at his website, brennanmcpherson.com, to sign up for a free weekly devotional and get two free e-books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
April 2, 2020
Eden is in a class by itself. It’s biblical fiction with an emotional depth that laid my heart bare. Not only does Brennan McPherson vividly describe the first days of human awakening; he also masterfully unmasks sin’s effects through the broken relationship of Adam and Eve.
Perhaps the most startling and long-lasting impression of this book for me was the utter transparency of Adam’s emotions. As I read his reactions, his thoughts, his hopes, and the burdens he carried, I felt as if I was looking into the psyche of the whole male gender.
Adam’s observations (aka McPherson’s) about Eve were also insightful—especially the realization that he might never fully understand his wife. The emotional struggle between them underscored the spiritual chasm that grew ever wider and was passed on to their children. The flow of the story sometimes felt heavy and hopeless, but it led us seamlessly to the inevitable fatal blow to this family—brother against brother.
McPherson has written a brilliant book that make you sit back and ponder before reading further. Ancient characters that reflect our joys, flaws, and needs today. Brennan McPherson has just become one of my must-read biblical fiction authors!
Perhaps the most startling and long-lasting impression of this book for me was the utter transparency of Adam’s emotions. As I read his reactions, his thoughts, his hopes, and the burdens he carried, I felt as if I was looking into the psyche of the whole male gender.
Adam’s observations (aka McPherson’s) about Eve were also insightful—especially the realization that he might never fully understand his wife. The emotional struggle between them underscored the spiritual chasm that grew ever wider and was passed on to their children. The flow of the story sometimes felt heavy and hopeless, but it led us seamlessly to the inevitable fatal blow to this family—brother against brother.
McPherson has written a brilliant book that make you sit back and ponder before reading further. Ancient characters that reflect our joys, flaws, and needs today. Brennan McPherson has just become one of my must-read biblical fiction authors!
April 18, 2020
Thank you HFVBT and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family
By: Brennan S. McPherson
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Eden is a unique story. It is an imaginative account of what life might have been like for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Told through Adam's eyes, the story is an accounting of everything from the beginning to the present time in the story and is being preserved by Enoch for posterities sake. No person knows what Adam knows, so he is the only one who can tell the story. The author weaves biblical facts and fiction into a new vision of Eden. Adam tells of his relationship with Eve and the crumbling of their family. It is a sad story in my opinion. Adam is forlorn and melancholy for much of the story. I don't agree with everything the author portrayed, but I found the story interesting and compelling, nonetheless. If you want a different experience in thinking about the Garden of Eden, this book will give you that. Whether you agree or disagree, it is thought provoking and meaningful in many different ways.
Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family
By: Brennan S. McPherson
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Eden is a unique story. It is an imaginative account of what life might have been like for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Told through Adam's eyes, the story is an accounting of everything from the beginning to the present time in the story and is being preserved by Enoch for posterities sake. No person knows what Adam knows, so he is the only one who can tell the story. The author weaves biblical facts and fiction into a new vision of Eden. Adam tells of his relationship with Eve and the crumbling of their family. It is a sad story in my opinion. Adam is forlorn and melancholy for much of the story. I don't agree with everything the author portrayed, but I found the story interesting and compelling, nonetheless. If you want a different experience in thinking about the Garden of Eden, this book will give you that. Whether you agree or disagree, it is thought provoking and meaningful in many different ways.
April 10, 2020
As a lover of book historical fiction, I found this genre, biblical fiction very fascinating and wondered why I have not read more of these as I really enjoyed this mesmerizing and charismatic read by McPherson, EDEN, Book one of the Fall of Man Series.
McPherson’s brilliance is his take on the account of Adam and Eve’s lives taken from Genesis Chapters one through four. With a blank canvas and use of an enthralling imaginative storyline taking on the themes of the stories, he creates a masterful retelling that I was drawn into.
The stories in the Bible had always been a source of inspiration for me and arguably also contain some of the most shocking and profound stories ever been told. The themes of good, evil, sin, faithfulness, and wrath are all part of the saga and plot in one of the most holiest of books.
Reading about Adam and Eve, their relationship with God our Father the Almighty really was fascinating and told in a way that made me really understand the Scriptures better. Though I understand that this is fiction and imaginings of The Beginning, this is really a novel approach that I found to be so satisfying to read.
Adam's story and his love for his father and family, and his wanting to tell his story and to be forgiven, really touched me to my core. The way Adam was portrayed was very poignant and really game me a perspective on my own relationship with God. in the end no matter what, we have a forgiving God whose sacrifices we have seen as we read through the Bible. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. McPherson's writing really resonated with me and my love for reading Scriptures.
I highly recommend this fascinating and highly enjoyable biblical fiction.
McPherson’s brilliance is his take on the account of Adam and Eve’s lives taken from Genesis Chapters one through four. With a blank canvas and use of an enthralling imaginative storyline taking on the themes of the stories, he creates a masterful retelling that I was drawn into.
The stories in the Bible had always been a source of inspiration for me and arguably also contain some of the most shocking and profound stories ever been told. The themes of good, evil, sin, faithfulness, and wrath are all part of the saga and plot in one of the most holiest of books.
Reading about Adam and Eve, their relationship with God our Father the Almighty really was fascinating and told in a way that made me really understand the Scriptures better. Though I understand that this is fiction and imaginings of The Beginning, this is really a novel approach that I found to be so satisfying to read.
Adam's story and his love for his father and family, and his wanting to tell his story and to be forgiven, really touched me to my core. The way Adam was portrayed was very poignant and really game me a perspective on my own relationship with God. in the end no matter what, we have a forgiving God whose sacrifices we have seen as we read through the Bible. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. McPherson's writing really resonated with me and my love for reading Scriptures.
I highly recommend this fascinating and highly enjoyable biblical fiction.
May 1, 2020
This is a difficult type of book to review. I was impressed with the detail and the way the author “fleshed-out” the Biblical account of Creation.
The thing that stood out most to me, and kept coming back to mind several days after finishing, was the way the author presented how serious the need for Atonement was after the Fall. The terror of each innocent little animal as it was sacrificed was told in graphic detail, driving home the point that without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sin. (Being the soft-hearted animal lover that I am, these scenes were difficult to read without tearing up.) Never have liked reading about the sacrifices in the Bible, especially as a child, and still don’t.
Eden was a fresh take on the “old Creation story”. I will be looking for other books by this author.
The thing that stood out most to me, and kept coming back to mind several days after finishing, was the way the author presented how serious the need for Atonement was after the Fall. The terror of each innocent little animal as it was sacrificed was told in graphic detail, driving home the point that without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sin. (Being the soft-hearted animal lover that I am, these scenes were difficult to read without tearing up.) Never have liked reading about the sacrifices in the Bible, especially as a child, and still don’t.
Eden was a fresh take on the “old Creation story”. I will be looking for other books by this author.
October 13, 2020
I really enjoy novelizations of biblical stories. Eden is, or course, about Adam and Eve. This self-published book was enjoyable and well-written. I had a little trouble caring about the characters, but I think the author portrayed them in a way that would probably be accurate if you were created as a married adult. So there’s that.
The author included an introduction and end notes which explain where he got his ideas. I found them to be very interesting and was impressed by the author’s invitation to readers to correct his interpretation of the scriptures.
This book is part of a series, and I’m interested in finding more. Good book.
The author included an introduction and end notes which explain where he got his ideas. I found them to be very interesting and was impressed by the author’s invitation to readers to correct his interpretation of the scriptures.
This book is part of a series, and I’m interested in finding more. Good book.
November 6, 2020
Honestly, I DNF. It got exhausting listening to the petty fights Adam and Eve got into. I couldn't make it past the early days of getting kicked out of Eden. They are both just so whiney.
April 8, 2020
My Thoughts on Eden:
Biblical fiction is a genre all it’s own. Sometimes books in this category are epic and amazing. Other times, they’re so horrible you can’t read past the first chapter or two.
Eden is of the first category. It’s a spellbinding book that will have you deep thinking and give you a slightly different picture of Adam and Eve and what really went down in Eden.
I love how the author wove the Bible and truth in with fiction to come up with a spellbinding tale. It’s one of those books that even though you know the story you just have to keep reading because suddenly Adam is a living breathing person and his story is so captivating that you can’t break free from the pages.
This is one of the Biblical fiction pieces that I highly recommend and I hope you get a chance to read it.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Biblical fiction is a genre all it’s own. Sometimes books in this category are epic and amazing. Other times, they’re so horrible you can’t read past the first chapter or two.
Eden is of the first category. It’s a spellbinding book that will have you deep thinking and give you a slightly different picture of Adam and Eve and what really went down in Eden.
I love how the author wove the Bible and truth in with fiction to come up with a spellbinding tale. It’s one of those books that even though you know the story you just have to keep reading because suddenly Adam is a living breathing person and his story is so captivating that you can’t break free from the pages.
This is one of the Biblical fiction pieces that I highly recommend and I hope you get a chance to read it.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
August 15, 2022
Okay, the fact that I finished this book is HUGE. I assumed (wrongfully… I know what assume means) I really thought this would be like or somewhat similar to the Book of Longings, BIG NO.
The only similarity is that the author took the book of Genesis (Adam, Eve, Cain, Able & God) and extremely loosely wrote it as what ifs, I get that I was fully prepared. It engaged me the first third of the book and almost DNF twice but I persevered thinking it would get more interesting, another BIG NO.
To make matters worse I got the audio version narrated by the author with a droll sound and no inflections. Maybe it’s better if I read it but at 344 pages I may save that for when I’m finished with my TBR list.
The only similarity is that the author took the book of Genesis (Adam, Eve, Cain, Able & God) and extremely loosely wrote it as what ifs, I get that I was fully prepared. It engaged me the first third of the book and almost DNF twice but I persevered thinking it would get more interesting, another BIG NO.
To make matters worse I got the audio version narrated by the author with a droll sound and no inflections. Maybe it’s better if I read it but at 344 pages I may save that for when I’m finished with my TBR list.
November 13, 2021
The Garden of Eden was absolutely perfect. The love of the Father absolutely divine. When sin came into the world all that lost and life was miserable for Adam and Eve.Adam lived with regrets for the rest of his life until he realized that God would forgive him. An imaginative story of the first four chapters in Genesis.
April 10, 2020
Over the past couple of years, Biblical fiction has become one of my favorite genres—but only when it’s done well. And that is where it becomes thorny, and where it sinks or swims. The key to writing Biblical fiction is twofold: illuminating the Word without adding anything to it or contradicting it, and causing readers to think more about the Bible and to want to study it more deeply. This is especially important when writing about Biblical accounts themselves, as opposed to fictional characters who lived during Biblical times. Suffice it to say, succeeding is very difficult. In spite of this, however, Brennan McPherson excels at crafting Biblical novels that stem from the original Bible stories and that take readers on thought-provoking journeys into the heart of God’s Word.
“Eden,” Brennan McPherson’s latest Biblical fiction novel, approaches the story of the first couple in a unique manner. Told from Adam’s point of view, McPherson employs the mise-en-abyme technique. Thus, instead of a detached third-person account, the story is related by Adam himself to Enoch. This infuses untold emotion and empathy into what is for many a very familiar story. Adam relates, “I was Adam. Man fully formed. Reflection of perfection,” a description that stood out to me because it reminds me that we are all created in God’s image. In the novel, God appears in human form in the Garden, and this is one aspect that I’m not entirely comfortable with; I’m not sure if I can accurately articulate what bothers me about it, but I have issues with how God’s character is portrayed in these passages. I think that what I struggle with is not so much how God appears, because of course He later in history comes to earth as a man to ultimately die for our sins, but some of His actions. Adam notes His reticence as the event of the fall approaches, and how at various times He has expressions of regret or unhappiness on His face. While I agree that He would of course have known that the fall was going to happen, I personally do not think that He would have allowed this foreknowledge to taint the time He spent with Adam and Eve.
While reading, many things caused me to stop and ponder, which is, again, a mark of well-written Biblical fiction. Adam observes in hindsight that God taught him and Eve everything they would need to know in order to survive after being cast out of Eden. There are also some beautiful descriptions of life with God in Eden before the fall, which in my mind prefigure the face-to-face relationship that we will have one day in God’s Kingdom. On the other hand, from the time of her creation, there seems to be tension between Eve and Adam, and this intensifies after they leave Eden. Adam describes fallen human nature by relating that “Everyone strives to blame another for sin, but sin is inside us. Sin is the purposeful twisting of our hearts to anything other than our original Father.” Indeed, this brought up another point; in this novel, Adam is hated and heavily criticized in the story for “breaking the world.” For some reason, this surprised me; I never considered that he would be treated almost as an outcast among his own family, because today I think that most of us acknowledge the fact that we all sin and fall short of God’s glory, but to bear the blame for all of humanity’s fallen-ness would be tortuous. It is another example of God’s great love for us, that Jesus took our blame, our sin upon Himself.
McPherson has added some commentary at the end of the book; it takes readers through Genesis 1-4, upon which “Eden” is based, and explains some of the choices that the author made in writing this story. The note about Cain and Abel is one that I also found interesting, but I will leave that to readers to discover on their own. I will say that I am intrigued by the author’s view that some level of pain may have existed in Eden based on the phrasing of some of the Biblical text. While much of the story itself is somber and forlorn, there is a thread of hope, just as God has placed in the very first chapters of the Bible. Throughout the heartaches and strife that comprise his life after Eden, Adam eventually comes to a peaceful conclusion: “He realized then that the Father’s will had not been broken by his evil, yet was still coming to be.” Because God had a plan from the very beginning and nothing ever takes Him by surprise, we can always rest confidently in Him, knowing that He holds all our yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows, and that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we have the promise of an eternity with Him, free of pain and suffering, to look forward to, a glorious promise that shines brightly in the darkness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
“Eden,” Brennan McPherson’s latest Biblical fiction novel, approaches the story of the first couple in a unique manner. Told from Adam’s point of view, McPherson employs the mise-en-abyme technique. Thus, instead of a detached third-person account, the story is related by Adam himself to Enoch. This infuses untold emotion and empathy into what is for many a very familiar story. Adam relates, “I was Adam. Man fully formed. Reflection of perfection,” a description that stood out to me because it reminds me that we are all created in God’s image. In the novel, God appears in human form in the Garden, and this is one aspect that I’m not entirely comfortable with; I’m not sure if I can accurately articulate what bothers me about it, but I have issues with how God’s character is portrayed in these passages. I think that what I struggle with is not so much how God appears, because of course He later in history comes to earth as a man to ultimately die for our sins, but some of His actions. Adam notes His reticence as the event of the fall approaches, and how at various times He has expressions of regret or unhappiness on His face. While I agree that He would of course have known that the fall was going to happen, I personally do not think that He would have allowed this foreknowledge to taint the time He spent with Adam and Eve.
While reading, many things caused me to stop and ponder, which is, again, a mark of well-written Biblical fiction. Adam observes in hindsight that God taught him and Eve everything they would need to know in order to survive after being cast out of Eden. There are also some beautiful descriptions of life with God in Eden before the fall, which in my mind prefigure the face-to-face relationship that we will have one day in God’s Kingdom. On the other hand, from the time of her creation, there seems to be tension between Eve and Adam, and this intensifies after they leave Eden. Adam describes fallen human nature by relating that “Everyone strives to blame another for sin, but sin is inside us. Sin is the purposeful twisting of our hearts to anything other than our original Father.” Indeed, this brought up another point; in this novel, Adam is hated and heavily criticized in the story for “breaking the world.” For some reason, this surprised me; I never considered that he would be treated almost as an outcast among his own family, because today I think that most of us acknowledge the fact that we all sin and fall short of God’s glory, but to bear the blame for all of humanity’s fallen-ness would be tortuous. It is another example of God’s great love for us, that Jesus took our blame, our sin upon Himself.
McPherson has added some commentary at the end of the book; it takes readers through Genesis 1-4, upon which “Eden” is based, and explains some of the choices that the author made in writing this story. The note about Cain and Abel is one that I also found interesting, but I will leave that to readers to discover on their own. I will say that I am intrigued by the author’s view that some level of pain may have existed in Eden based on the phrasing of some of the Biblical text. While much of the story itself is somber and forlorn, there is a thread of hope, just as God has placed in the very first chapters of the Bible. Throughout the heartaches and strife that comprise his life after Eden, Adam eventually comes to a peaceful conclusion: “He realized then that the Father’s will had not been broken by his evil, yet was still coming to be.” Because God had a plan from the very beginning and nothing ever takes Him by surprise, we can always rest confidently in Him, knowing that He holds all our yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows, and that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we have the promise of an eternity with Him, free of pain and suffering, to look forward to, a glorious promise that shines brightly in the darkness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
April 6, 2020
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
First of all, this is a very difficult book to review. It is completely clean and essentially follows the Biblical narrative fairly well. However, if all the author chose to only include the events of the first few chapters of the book of Genesis, this book would not even be worth reading. Instead, the author chose to study extensively and use his imagination to "fill in the blanks," so to speak.
At first, I felt like being critical of the author's attempts. After all, how dare he characterize God in the way he did or even suggest that this or that happened when that wasn't what the Bible said. I was ready to mark this book down to a rating of three or four by taking a very legalistic view of things.
However, as I began to ponder on this book and the account that was being detailed before me, I realized that there was so much we didn't know about the first family. All we have ever known is sin, and even the way we view God and this earth is obscured by the Fall of Man. To try to envision what the world was like before sin entered the world is a literal impossibility. Moreover, since Adam is the one telling this story to Enoch, he is going to put his own spin on things. Perhaps it's not the exact telling of the events, but it is a recollection of a man who has lived through things we cannot even imagine. Who am I to say that this or that didn't happen?
I appreciated that the author challenged me to go beyond what it normally asked. What was life like immediately after the Fall? How did Adam and Eve learn to live without God providing for their every need as He had in Eden? How could they even begin to understand pain and hunger and more? In truth, the story became very personal, and I found myself thinking back on it more than once.
The part that truly amazed me was the ending. I don't want to add in any spoilers, but let me just say this. There is a school of thought that believes something about Adam, and I would say most Christians would hold to this traditional view (I won't say what that is lest I give away the ending). Many years ago, I was shown a different way of viewing Adam, and I applaud the author for bringing both views together in quite an intriguing way. It is the first time I have ever read a fictionalized account that took the view of things that this author did, and I am grateful. No matter what you believe, if you are interested in being challenged about what you believe about the first family on this earth, I would say this is a book to read.
First of all, this is a very difficult book to review. It is completely clean and essentially follows the Biblical narrative fairly well. However, if all the author chose to only include the events of the first few chapters of the book of Genesis, this book would not even be worth reading. Instead, the author chose to study extensively and use his imagination to "fill in the blanks," so to speak.
At first, I felt like being critical of the author's attempts. After all, how dare he characterize God in the way he did or even suggest that this or that happened when that wasn't what the Bible said. I was ready to mark this book down to a rating of three or four by taking a very legalistic view of things.
However, as I began to ponder on this book and the account that was being detailed before me, I realized that there was so much we didn't know about the first family. All we have ever known is sin, and even the way we view God and this earth is obscured by the Fall of Man. To try to envision what the world was like before sin entered the world is a literal impossibility. Moreover, since Adam is the one telling this story to Enoch, he is going to put his own spin on things. Perhaps it's not the exact telling of the events, but it is a recollection of a man who has lived through things we cannot even imagine. Who am I to say that this or that didn't happen?
I appreciated that the author challenged me to go beyond what it normally asked. What was life like immediately after the Fall? How did Adam and Eve learn to live without God providing for their every need as He had in Eden? How could they even begin to understand pain and hunger and more? In truth, the story became very personal, and I found myself thinking back on it more than once.
The part that truly amazed me was the ending. I don't want to add in any spoilers, but let me just say this. There is a school of thought that believes something about Adam, and I would say most Christians would hold to this traditional view (I won't say what that is lest I give away the ending). Many years ago, I was shown a different way of viewing Adam, and I applaud the author for bringing both views together in quite an intriguing way. It is the first time I have ever read a fictionalized account that took the view of things that this author did, and I am grateful. No matter what you believe, if you are interested in being challenged about what you believe about the first family on this earth, I would say this is a book to read.
April 12, 2020
What a masterpiece of the weaving of a true Biblical account we all know well and artistic license to fill in all the gaps! The book opens on Adam, feeling very ashamed, sharing the whole story with Enoch. The Biblical account we all know was conveyed with accuracy. The way the author depicts the story truly transports you to feel you were part of the story and breathed your first along with Adam and Eve. The way the fall and the change in character was portrayed truly conveyed the emotion felt by the characters dealing with the consequences of their sin. The way the author filled in the gaps felt relatable and realistic based on the fact that Adam and Eve were newly created, and then dealing with parenthood and providing for their family in the face of the sin curse. The book was joyful, painful, and redemptive, and really should be read by any Christian that enjoys fiction. The book was just the right length, and just really transported you to the time and place for an unforgettable experience. Check it out!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.
March 23, 2021
"Eden" by Brennan S. McPherson is the first book in the "Fall of Man" trilogy.
This book is both heartbreaking and soul touching. It causes you to feel the pain of sin in a new way, yet rejoice at the beauty of our Salvation. McPherson writes beautifully. From the first page, you're enveloped by the story.
The relationship between God and Adam was so heartwrenching and real. I believed every moment shared between them.
Adam and Eve's marriage was realistic and tragic, yet so powerful and true.
There was not a dull moment within "Eden".
Every page was full of raw emotion and crystal clear detail. I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. It's beyond words.
To conclude, I deeply love this book and HIGHLY recommend it.
This book is both heartbreaking and soul touching. It causes you to feel the pain of sin in a new way, yet rejoice at the beauty of our Salvation. McPherson writes beautifully. From the first page, you're enveloped by the story.
The relationship between God and Adam was so heartwrenching and real. I believed every moment shared between them.
Adam and Eve's marriage was realistic and tragic, yet so powerful and true.
There was not a dull moment within "Eden".
Every page was full of raw emotion and crystal clear detail. I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. It's beyond words.
To conclude, I deeply love this book and HIGHLY recommend it.
April 1, 2020
Biblical fiction is my favorite genre and this is first class. Compelling, thought-provoking, inspiring and very realistic. I was totally immersed in this story from start to finish. I kept catching myself thinking how it really might have been back then. The disobedience, the heartbreak of separation from God, the sorrow of sin and pride in their lives and how it affects them all.
This has given me a strong desire to dig deeper into the Word of God and keep it in my heart forever. This is the first novel I have read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last. Highly recommend to any and all. OUTSTANDING!
April 10, 2020
I love reading biblical fiction! It doesn't matter how many times I read the same story, I always find them interesting and intriguing.
This was my first book that I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The very first chapter of the book immediately drew me in and kept me hooked until the very end. The characters and story line were very dramatic and enthralling. I could feel the emotion jump from the pages-the anger, frustration, grief and love.
Highly recommend if you enjoy reading biblical fiction-biblical facts from Genesis mixed in with fiction.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
This was my first book that I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The very first chapter of the book immediately drew me in and kept me hooked until the very end. The characters and story line were very dramatic and enthralling. I could feel the emotion jump from the pages-the anger, frustration, grief and love.
Highly recommend if you enjoy reading biblical fiction-biblical facts from Genesis mixed in with fiction.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
April 4, 2020
I understand that when an author writes Biblical fiction, they may choose to take some liberties in retailing the story. I have taken that fact into consideration as I write this review. I am disappointed in this story for many reasons. I didn’t want to read an account of Adam and Eve that barely resembles the true story from the Bible. Unfortunately this is one that took too many turns away from the truth and made it almost a completely different story that is unrecognizable .
The very beginning is easy to follow when God creates everything. We are introduced to Adam and suddenly I felt like God was not a Heavenly being but an actual person. We see the two chatting like old friends and walking around together like buddies. One of the things that really struck me as weird was Adam having conversations with the serpent. I don’t ever remember Adam walking around talking to the serpent about cucumber seeds or anything at all. Why does that bother me so much? It has to do with Eve being the one the serpent enticed. The Bible clearly states that Eve was tempted by the serpent and never was there any mention of Adam talking to the serpent.
I enjoy Biblical fiction but not when it completely rewrites the story in a way where facts that are important have been embellished in a way that is almost a fantasy. I can appreciate the imagination that an author has while writing a story ; so in that aspect the author has achieved his goal.. The author does portray the serpent pretty close to what the Bible describes but again I don’t think Eve looked to Adam to give the final say in eating the forbidden fruit.
There are a few things I did like about the book. I like that the author reminds us that God never goes back on His promises . He will never leave us nor forsake us. He wants us to repent of our sins but He gives us free will. We decide if we want to ask for forgiveness and feel the unconditional love of The Heavenly Father. Perhaps I am being too hard and not appreciating what the author wanted to do with this story. After all it is a fictional account of Eden. I can’t recommend this book, but I always want readers to decide for themselves.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
The very beginning is easy to follow when God creates everything. We are introduced to Adam and suddenly I felt like God was not a Heavenly being but an actual person. We see the two chatting like old friends and walking around together like buddies. One of the things that really struck me as weird was Adam having conversations with the serpent. I don’t ever remember Adam walking around talking to the serpent about cucumber seeds or anything at all. Why does that bother me so much? It has to do with Eve being the one the serpent enticed. The Bible clearly states that Eve was tempted by the serpent and never was there any mention of Adam talking to the serpent.
I enjoy Biblical fiction but not when it completely rewrites the story in a way where facts that are important have been embellished in a way that is almost a fantasy. I can appreciate the imagination that an author has while writing a story ; so in that aspect the author has achieved his goal.. The author does portray the serpent pretty close to what the Bible describes but again I don’t think Eve looked to Adam to give the final say in eating the forbidden fruit.
There are a few things I did like about the book. I like that the author reminds us that God never goes back on His promises . He will never leave us nor forsake us. He wants us to repent of our sins but He gives us free will. We decide if we want to ask for forgiveness and feel the unconditional love of The Heavenly Father. Perhaps I am being too hard and not appreciating what the author wanted to do with this story. After all it is a fictional account of Eden. I can’t recommend this book, but I always want readers to decide for themselves.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Read
April 6, 2020Well, isn’t this a different genre for me to read! I’ve said it multiple times, but part of my goal for this year was to try out new genres. And this is probably one genre that I have never checked out before! But I’m really happy this was my first introduction, because Eden was so amazing!
Now, I may not have the BEST knowledge of the Bible but the tale of Adam and Eve is pretty memorable. I really liked how this book told the story from the perspective of Adam and gave the story a human centered basis. If that makes any sense. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it took it from a zoomed out story to a more person focused one. It helps make the story seem more relatable.
I also have to point out that the author took a lot of liberties with the story. While this didn’t bother me in the slightest (it probably helped me like it more), some people may not be greatly appreciative of all of the changes. So, take this story as a story and not as a restating of the original story.
You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
Now, I may not have the BEST knowledge of the Bible but the tale of Adam and Eve is pretty memorable. I really liked how this book told the story from the perspective of Adam and gave the story a human centered basis. If that makes any sense. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it took it from a zoomed out story to a more person focused one. It helps make the story seem more relatable.
I also have to point out that the author took a lot of liberties with the story. While this didn’t bother me in the slightest (it probably helped me like it more), some people may not be greatly appreciative of all of the changes. So, take this story as a story and not as a restating of the original story.
You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
April 3, 2020
I like biblical fiction that sticks to the facts of Scripture rather than changing things recorded in the Bible This novel disappointed me because the author penned a wild fictional tale following the basic outline of Adam’s story. I think he took too many liberties and made all the characters hard to relate to along with incidents that seem quite unlikely. Also, things the first couple would not have experienced in Eden were added, such as seasons—probably came after the Flood when the Earth tilted on its axis since not mentioned until Genesis 8; animals eating meat—no vulture circling a carcass (Genesis 1 says he gave animals and man plants for food); and much more. The characters had so much personal conflict that the story wasn’t pleasant to read. I think Adam would have been more repentant and loving, like his heavenly Father, and I doubt God would appear so human in manner and actions as portrayed here with His creation. If you want a fantasy type story, this could be considered speculative fiction. I did like the way the author included how Adam and Eve might have discovered things and figured out how to make things using what they found. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.
April 7, 2020
What a fascinating book! The author has taken the well known story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and brought it alive. The relationship shown with the Father warmed my heart and I loved how they learned many lessons directly from the Master. Years later, Enoch is the only other man alive to have heard the voice of Adam’s father, Almighty Creator God. As scribe, he needs Adam to tell him how it all began so that it may be passed down to future generations and what a story it is!
From the beauty of the Garden of Eden to the hard ground of life, the choices made affect everything around them. There are many dichotomies or opposites in this accounting. Good and evil, mercy and violence, holiness and sin all are seen in the lives of that first family, in their relationships with each other and the Father. Some might struggle with the idea of taking a Bible story and bringing it down to our level, so to speak. However, I found that it brought the story to life and made it much more understandable. The Father will never leave or forsake us - we can hold on to that promise.
I received an ARC through CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own, and have in no way been solicited.
From the beauty of the Garden of Eden to the hard ground of life, the choices made affect everything around them. There are many dichotomies or opposites in this accounting. Good and evil, mercy and violence, holiness and sin all are seen in the lives of that first family, in their relationships with each other and the Father. Some might struggle with the idea of taking a Bible story and bringing it down to our level, so to speak. However, I found that it brought the story to life and made it much more understandable. The Father will never leave or forsake us - we can hold on to that promise.
I received an ARC through CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own, and have in no way been solicited.
September 2, 2020
I enjoyed it. I author achieved his stated purpose in the into--enabled me to imagine the events of the lives of Adam and Eve in fresh, interesting ways.
One weakness is the story. The book doesn't follow classic story structure forms, so it has a feel of "...then this happened, then this happened, then this ..."
Also, the dialogue is a bit of a weakness. The language is mostly very formal. Even children, under age 5, say things like, "I do not desire to eat that." Yet in other times, characters use informal colloquialisms, like "how should I know?"
On the positive side, the author does an amazing joy portraying the ramifications of "in the day you eat of it you will surely die." Life becomes very hard, especially in the areas of the curse (their marriage and making a living).
One weakness is the story. The book doesn't follow classic story structure forms, so it has a feel of "...then this happened, then this happened, then this ..."
Also, the dialogue is a bit of a weakness. The language is mostly very formal. Even children, under age 5, say things like, "I do not desire to eat that." Yet in other times, characters use informal colloquialisms, like "how should I know?"
On the positive side, the author does an amazing joy portraying the ramifications of "in the day you eat of it you will surely die." Life becomes very hard, especially in the areas of the curse (their marriage and making a living).
June 18, 2020
I needed to read a book like this at this point in my life. This is truly a soul-searching take on a story I didn’t really know could be spun much differently. Brennan McPherson has truly written a story that captures your attention and causes you to think deeply about life and God.
As I said, this novel takes a look at the story of Adam and Eve, and sheds a new light on it. Giving us a more in-depth look at how it all might have gone down. I love the creativity and the historical accuracy. This feels like it could be the full story.
Beautifully written story, with a captivating plot line that keeps things in perspective and doesn’t stray too far from what could have happened. I loved this book and am looking forward to more from this author. Check this one out.
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
As I said, this novel takes a look at the story of Adam and Eve, and sheds a new light on it. Giving us a more in-depth look at how it all might have gone down. I love the creativity and the historical accuracy. This feels like it could be the full story.
Beautifully written story, with a captivating plot line that keeps things in perspective and doesn’t stray too far from what could have happened. I loved this book and am looking forward to more from this author. Check this one out.
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
November 23, 2021
McPherson has a beautiful way with words. His scenes in Eden were vivid and joyful and pulled at my heart. The harshness of life after Eden, the bitterness and fighting and struggle, work as a sharp contrast to show the true cost of sin—struggles we still face today. The story details that go beyond the biblical narrative were thought provoking, and made me examine my preconceptions of this well known story, and acknowledge how tightly we grip our traditions and interpretations. While I didn’t love every fictional element, I loved how well they were written and how they pulled together to tell a story of humanity longing for relationship with God.
February 27, 2022
Fascinating, painful, and heart wrenching. Tough to read but brings home how important and impactful the fall of Adam and Eve really was…, not just for all of humanity but but for them and their families. Listened to on ebook
April 3, 2020
Very mind-provoking and astounding. Brennan's imagination is so real that you can feel what the characters feel in the story. Plus his research is very good and the story, plausible for what may have happened in the story of the first family.
July 1, 2021
Loved this book. Especially the part when they are in Eden . Ohhhhh my Such a Beautiful Way the writer described Adam and Eve and God. And The Relationship they had together. It made Me 😢 Cry. The Part in Eden will be With me Forever how He Described it. The rest of the book was Good . The Ending was Good But Sad to . How Adam Waited forever to Meet God Again. Just SO Sad The Hole Thing. Good Book 📚. I WILL be reading either Flood or Babel by This Author Next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2020
Due to the praise given Eden from some of my favorite Christian authors, I jumped at the opportunity to review a different type of Biblical fiction. I’m used to reading novels about the women who appeared in both testaments; I seldom read about a man. I’m fairly certain there has been at least one title about Eve, although I’ve not read it.
I’m usually reluctant to review self-published works. While it’s a popular path to take, I often find errors and inconsistencies that might’ve been eradicated with a bit of research and another set of eyes. I mean, if I can find errors after hitting publish on a simple blog post… But McPherson acknowledges that Eden hadn’t been proof-read before it was published in his introduction, and he encourages readers to communicate with him if they believe there are errors.
Honestly? There were times I didn’t like this book. Eve irritated me with her petulance. There seemed to be a lot of “let’s blame the woman,” going on, when Adam wasn’t entirely innocent. And, my goodness, did they both have mood swings or what?
But, let me tell you about the symbolism. Much of Eden has a New Testament perspective to it, something I also got from McPherson’s end notes about Genesis 1-4. The main theme is sacrifice, of red staining a tunic that was originally as white as snow. There’s a prophecy of the one who would come to make atonement for humanity’s sin. What’s marginally confusing is that not all of God’s words in the narrative come from the book of Genesis. It’s the New Testament perspective that’s possibly putting words in His mouth, and I wouldn’t want to presume His thoughts and words on anything. One message I did take away, however, is the danger of choosing earthly things – including relationships and wanting to please others – over God.
If I didn’t think I cared much for Eden while reading it why, then, am I giving it a full five stars? Well, I only give five stars to books that have me reaching for the Kleenex. I’m that hard of a reviewer. But… something happened in the final pages of Eden. Adam came to the end of his story, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I wish I could tell you what happened but that would be a massive spoiler, but all I can say is that there was hope and redemption. Those last paragraphs packed an emotional punch, and the tears rolled down my cheeks. And no, those weren’t tears of relief and joy because I had actually finished the book. Instead, they were the tears that could only come from something profound that reached deep into my heart. Happy reading, people!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Eden from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours but these are all my own thoughts.
I’m usually reluctant to review self-published works. While it’s a popular path to take, I often find errors and inconsistencies that might’ve been eradicated with a bit of research and another set of eyes. I mean, if I can find errors after hitting publish on a simple blog post… But McPherson acknowledges that Eden hadn’t been proof-read before it was published in his introduction, and he encourages readers to communicate with him if they believe there are errors.
Honestly? There were times I didn’t like this book. Eve irritated me with her petulance. There seemed to be a lot of “let’s blame the woman,” going on, when Adam wasn’t entirely innocent. And, my goodness, did they both have mood swings or what?
But, let me tell you about the symbolism. Much of Eden has a New Testament perspective to it, something I also got from McPherson’s end notes about Genesis 1-4. The main theme is sacrifice, of red staining a tunic that was originally as white as snow. There’s a prophecy of the one who would come to make atonement for humanity’s sin. What’s marginally confusing is that not all of God’s words in the narrative come from the book of Genesis. It’s the New Testament perspective that’s possibly putting words in His mouth, and I wouldn’t want to presume His thoughts and words on anything. One message I did take away, however, is the danger of choosing earthly things – including relationships and wanting to please others – over God.
If I didn’t think I cared much for Eden while reading it why, then, am I giving it a full five stars? Well, I only give five stars to books that have me reaching for the Kleenex. I’m that hard of a reviewer. But… something happened in the final pages of Eden. Adam came to the end of his story, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I wish I could tell you what happened but that would be a massive spoiler, but all I can say is that there was hope and redemption. Those last paragraphs packed an emotional punch, and the tears rolled down my cheeks. And no, those weren’t tears of relief and joy because I had actually finished the book. Instead, they were the tears that could only come from something profound that reached deep into my heart. Happy reading, people!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Eden from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours but these are all my own thoughts.
July 24, 2020
Enlivening!!!
Having the level of compulsion I have for scripture, I was compelled to partake of this opus. From the launch I was captivated by the surge of artistry. For such a one to write with such amenability, one must first have a devout alliance with the Almighty. The writer has conveyed an immense amount of information so as to obligate the reader to remain steadfast to fruition. Superb!!! Highly recommended.
Having the level of compulsion I have for scripture, I was compelled to partake of this opus. From the launch I was captivated by the surge of artistry. For such a one to write with such amenability, one must first have a devout alliance with the Almighty. The writer has conveyed an immense amount of information so as to obligate the reader to remain steadfast to fruition. Superb!!! Highly recommended.
April 2, 2020
Told from the perspective of Adam, this book looks at the time from creation on for Adam and Eve. Adam is retelling the events to Enoch so someone will know what happened besides God.
Taking it from the view that the Bible does not give us a clear picture of everything that happened, so some things are left for us to imagine I found this book worth reading. I think it would be interesting to be able to know all that Adam and Eve felt and went through from the time of creation.
I think my favorite part of this book was the detailed and intimate interactions between God, Adam, and Eve before The Fall. The author does an excellent job of capturing what it may have been like for the pair to be with God so intimately. I also appreciated how the concept of a day of rest was clearly illustrated.
So if you want to read a book that gives one idea of what life might have been like for Adam and Eve, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
Taking it from the view that the Bible does not give us a clear picture of everything that happened, so some things are left for us to imagine I found this book worth reading. I think it would be interesting to be able to know all that Adam and Eve felt and went through from the time of creation.
I think my favorite part of this book was the detailed and intimate interactions between God, Adam, and Eve before The Fall. The author does an excellent job of capturing what it may have been like for the pair to be with God so intimately. I also appreciated how the concept of a day of rest was clearly illustrated.
So if you want to read a book that gives one idea of what life might have been like for Adam and Eve, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
April 18, 2020
Welcome my Fellow Book Dragons, to this week’s Throwback Thursday. Our Gem this evening takes us all the way back to the dawn of creation. This Gem is held in this ancient wooden box. The symbols are most likely not familiar to you, but the contents will be. It is an eye. A serpent’s eye. It changes colors and glitters in the light. You may see if for a moment, but for no longer, this is no ordinary serpent’s eye.. this is a replica of the eye of THE SERPENT. The one that tempted Adam and Eve in Eden and so brought the downfall of us all. This is Gem Maker Brennan S. McPherson’s “Eden”.
I loved this book. I have never liked Biblical Fiction that takes itself too dogmatically. For one thing a 1 to 10 minute passage in the Bible cannot be written about fictionally in 1-10 minutes. Artistic license is certainly going to be key. But Historical Biblical Fiction is different and McPherson shows us why. He used only one source and that is the Bible. He does something I greatly appreciated, he explains how he wrote the book, based the book and at the end explains his rationale and invites readers to send him their kudos and complaints and is willing to change things if he believes the argument is warranted.
But what I loved most about this book is that McPherson’s characters are NOT plaster saints. They do not regret what they have done and spend 200 pages trying to rectify it. They get confused, frustrated, upset, gripe, snipe, snap and argue with each other. This Adam and Eve feel real. In everything from being created in the Garden of Eden to being forced into the wilderness to 600 years later when Adam is sitting by a bonfire talking to Enoch.
If you, too, love great biblical fiction, get this one.. or if you are just introducing someone to Biblical Fiction, this is a great series to start with. Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon,
Drakon T. Longwitten
I received this copy of Eden from #McPhersonBooks and #HFVBTBlogTours . My opinions are my own.
I loved this book. I have never liked Biblical Fiction that takes itself too dogmatically. For one thing a 1 to 10 minute passage in the Bible cannot be written about fictionally in 1-10 minutes. Artistic license is certainly going to be key. But Historical Biblical Fiction is different and McPherson shows us why. He used only one source and that is the Bible. He does something I greatly appreciated, he explains how he wrote the book, based the book and at the end explains his rationale and invites readers to send him their kudos and complaints and is willing to change things if he believes the argument is warranted.
But what I loved most about this book is that McPherson’s characters are NOT plaster saints. They do not regret what they have done and spend 200 pages trying to rectify it. They get confused, frustrated, upset, gripe, snipe, snap and argue with each other. This Adam and Eve feel real. In everything from being created in the Garden of Eden to being forced into the wilderness to 600 years later when Adam is sitting by a bonfire talking to Enoch.
If you, too, love great biblical fiction, get this one.. or if you are just introducing someone to Biblical Fiction, this is a great series to start with. Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon,
Drakon T. Longwitten
I received this copy of Eden from #McPhersonBooks and #HFVBTBlogTours . My opinions are my own.
August 19, 2021
Stunning! I thoroughly enjoyed the author's imagination of what was going on in the garden and beyond.
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