 |
Offspring by Liam Jackson
Book Summary InformationAuthor: Liam Jackson Edition: Hardcover Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 2006-10-03 ISBN: 031235570X Number of pages: 304 Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Book Reviews of OffspringBook Review: An open invitation to battle, with many accepting Summary: 4 StarsThe parties involved:
God and his angels, in Heaven and on Earth
One Archangel who is challenging God for the Throne of Heaven
Lucifer, an Archangel who once challenged God and was cast out of Heaven
Lucifer's cohort of failed usurpers, who were also cast out
The demons of another plane of existence
The Offspring, descendants of angel-human relationships
The story: While God and his faithful angels struggle with a would-be usurper and the usurper's followers, Lucifer sees an opportunity to get revenge against God for casting him out of Heaven. How? Lucifer has made a deal with the rulers of the realm of the demons and, by corrupting the "Eye of God" (a portal between the different planes of existence) the lesser demons are invading Earth and exacting cruel punishment and suffering upon God's most cherished creation, Mankind. But, does Lucifer have a hidden agenda? The demons are aided by the other Fallen Angels, who call themselves "The Brethren," but one of them, Axthiel, might not be the team player Lucifer thinks him to be.
Meanwhile, people across the world, who know nothing about the battle in Heaven, Lucifer's plot, or the existence of demons amongst them, are trying to figure out why crime has skyrocketed, with many children being kidnapped and murdered. Who can stop the carnage and foil Lucifer's opportunistic plan? The Offspring, because they carry the heritage of both Divinity (angels) and Divine Creation (humanity), are uniquely qualified to mend the veil over the Eye of God, and thereby prevent demons from continuing to cross over into our plane of existence. The race is on, with a group of Offspring, led by a young man named Sam, converging on the Eye of God, situated in a small town in Tennessee, while the demons and the Fallen Angels wreak havoc and do what they can to stop Sam and his companions.
Comments: Liam Jackson writes well, and this story is action-packed and flows rapidly. The nature of the characters emerges realistically, and the characters are three-dimensional. The story is complex, with many factions involved and hidden agendas. I was surprised, though, that Sam, who is supposed to be of partial angelic ancestry, is not entirely likeable. At eighteen, he swears, smokes cigarettes, and lies on several occasions. These are not huge flaws, but they are more than I expected from a protagonist who inspires adults to follow him, and who is seen by the other characters as unquestionably likeable. There is also a lot of carnage, described in a fair amount of detail, in the book, and it is not for the squeamish.
This is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller about characters who are very interesting, if not always likeable, centered around the Christian view of the nature of reality.
Summary of OffspringSam Connor has always had a unique relationship with his guardian angel. But his uncanny sense of perception has been in overdrive as of late, and for good reason---he?s being followed by a man he knows is trying to kill him. And that?s not all Sam senses. Abductions and grisly attacks are blanketing America in what seems to be a calculated and epic crime wave. And while Sam can?t explain it, he knows that somehow he?s supposed to do something about it. Deeply rooted in both contemporary and nonconventional religious history and doctrine, Offspring?s world is one like ours---but it?s populated by guardian and fallen angels, malevolent demonic entities, and vile human thralls. Only high school aged--Sam and the other Offspring of angels and men have the ability and power to close the veil through which mankind?s vicious enemies are coming. But will they understand their inheritance in time? Sam?s fate and the world?s---and the gathering traction of the Fallen Angels---is in his hands. And to make matters worse for Sam and his growing band of brothers, a pact now exists between the Fallen and their allies: Destroy the Offspring. As Sam and three other Offspring are inexplicably drawn to a small Tennessee town, they find themselves hunted by these ancient, near-omnipotent, and lethal enemies. Jackson?s heart-pounding debut supernatural thriller blows to its climactic conclusion when the Offspring must understand their unique inheritance and control their surprising strengths before it?s too late.
|
 |