NCLA Review - Not being a fan of the apocalyptic novel genre, it was difficult to get immersed in this novel. The plot centers on the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and it relates the story of eight babies born in 2012. Half of them are pure evil and half of them are pure good. When the book jumps to the year 2048, the reader is left to figure out who they are and what will happen in the end times. Multiple layers, jumpy and hard to follow dropped plot threads and questionable theology make for a difficult read. The book suggests that the end times are about people united in love in more of a “new age” concept rather than the Biblical second coming of Christ. The best part of the book is the appendix, which would have been a great basis for a non-fiction book on the apocalypse, and the symbols and traditions related to it. Rating: 3 —AL ( )

The Seraph Seal written by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner is an epic tale about the four horsemen and the Apocalypse of Revelation. This book is well over 400 pages long. However it is a fast-paced, gripping suspenseful novel with interesting characters and an amazing ending that is well-written.

This is my first experience with the genre that is called "engaged fiction". As a matter of fact, I had never even heard the term "engaged fiction" before beginning to read The Seraph Seal. It is a blending of fiction and non-fiction, so you have the edge of fiction with the reality of truth blended in the story.

The book did provide some realistic depictions of future technology and even some of the alarming trends that are occurring in society now. However, even though I am not a theologian, I noticed that the authors strayed far away from the biblical point of view with their interpretation with the Apocalypse.

My only real complaint about the book is that it does something that I consider annoying and that is jumping back and forth between different areas of the world far too often. Because of this, it isn't a book that you will sit down and read mindlessly...not if you want to keep up with the story line.

I gave The Seraph Seal a 3 out 5 stars, because I did enjoy the story and I would recommend it to my friends to read. ( )

Think back to high school. How many of you remember how horrible the reading assignments were? Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist. Do you remember the overwhelming sense of boredom you had every time you sat down to read? Or how you just wanted to get finished in order to move on to something more interesting, such as calculus homework?

Those are all the feelings I got while trying to read The Seraph Seal. I tend to like apocalyptic books, but Leonard Sweet nearly bored me to death with this one. I admit that the beginning of the story was certainly intriguing, but soon enough it seemed like every character was dark and shady and was doing something behind the back of someone else. Of course, every good book has a bad character, but do we really need a whole cast of bad guys?

There was one story line I could kind of get into, and that was Paul's. Even this wasn't enough to keep me engaged though, since every few paragraphs you jump to a different story line with a whole new set of characters. It became rather hard to keep all of the characters straight, especially when they didn't seem to have any connection to each other (or very loose connections.)

The one good thing I can say about this story is that Leonard Sweet does very well with providing detailed descriptions. His descriptions of rooms and places could really help you imagine what he was visualizing when he wrote The Seraph Seal.

Would I recommend this to anyone? No. I enjoy mysteries and thrillers, but after spending the better part of a day trying to become interested in this story, I've given up.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com (http://BookSneeze®.com) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )

The summary says it all-this novel is truly epic in every sense of the word. The plot is phenomenal, the settings fit the novel perfectly, and the characters are well-developed to the point where the reader worries about them and cheers them on. The authors utilize this novel to predict what could be a possible future for earth if human abuses do not cease; they manage to construe the novel to make every concept discussed appear plausible. The concept of the four horsemen of the apocalypse is woven seamlessly into the novel-enhancing the characters in the novel. The events are extremely fast-paced, the novel is a bit of doomsday. The reader will enjoy the added sections in the back of the novel to help explain the plot and parts of the novel that may confuse the average reader and enhance the reader's experience with the novel. The ending contains a twist, but the reader will be mostly satisfied. This book is recommended for young adults/adults who love an exciting read that makes them think.

I received this copy to review, this in no way affected my review. ( )