The War of the Seed Heats Up

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Darrick Dean

If you haven’t been reading Brian Godawa’s Chronicles of the Nephilim books, you’ve been missing an unique fusion of ancient history and fantasy. Godawa begins with two premises: One, the fantastic tales from ancient history often contain kernels of truth. Two, many of the early biblical accounts leave a lot unsaid.

What was so horrible in Noah’s day that people had to be destroyed? This flood account was repeated in other Near East histories as well, though often in a much embellished and fantastic way. Why did Enoch avoid death? And in Godawa’s most recent book, was God’s chosen person Abraham that classic stereotypical, pastoral old guy? Or did God choose someone far more dynamic?

In Abraham Allegiant, Godawa puts some depth to the person we know as Abraham. Think about it, the bible tells us very little about this person. In reality, he had a life, a history. It’s like how you often know your grandparents as they are now, but not really as they were. Their life to the point you met them. Everything that happened to make them what you now see. That’s what Godawa does in all if his books, tell the stories behind the name.

This is all set against the War of the Seed as the fallen angels and their mutated giants scheme and fight to reconquer the world. The current novel, as with the rest, is replete with intrigue and battle. Abraham finds himself in the middle of this war and Godawa has managed to find ways to combine his story with those of Babel and Sodom and Gomorrah.

If this all sounds too biblical for you, rest assured, this isn’t what would be considered stereotypical “Christian fiction.” Godawa attempts to bring a level of realism not often found in that genre, but not going overboard like some other writers may be inclined. As he writes on his site, he uses the descriptions and realism level in the bible as a guide. So the content of his books may surprise readers ready to write it off as “just” biblical inspired fiction. It will probably also bother those not as familiar with the bible as they think they are. They may also object that Godawa is creating parts of these stories that are unknown to us. Such objections are silly as Godawa isn’t writing history here, nor claims to be doing so. We shouldn’t be so fragile as to not allow ourselves to imagine how events unknown may have happened.

Some of the humor seems goofy in an anachronistic way, but action and characters only continue to get better. It is always dangerous for an author to give away too much in the “author’s notes” section (or Godawa’s Appendices), but it works well here. Perhaps because it doesn’t make his story seem as fictionalized as one might suspect. His combining in this book of what are usually considered widely separated events works well for his story, but I’m sure many scholars will challenge the basis for his choices.

These books are a hybrid of historical fiction and fantasy. They will appeal to a broad swath of readers, especially if you are looking for something new and fresh. As always, it is best to start at the beginning of the series.

So leave your apprehensions and misconceptions behind and choose a side in the War of the Seed.

Categories: Bible, Books, Fiction | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ghosts?

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Paranormal fiction is massively popular right now. This once subgenre of fantasy now warrants its own section in bookstores. The plethora of vampires and witches that populate many of these books don’t hold my interest. Epic fantasy with vast armies and creatures of ancient myth do. The paranormal and supernatural variety — which seem to be more or less the same thing — hone in on more human-based beings and present-day settings. I’ve always equated paranormal largely with ghosts and they don’t figure too much into fiction. In fact, you are more likely to find books on allegedly real ghost sightings than on imagined. This is what separates this one element of the fantasy world from the rest. Many believe ghosts are real. Trolls and vampires? Not so much.

But do ghosts exist?

There are countless ghost sightings and experiences by thousands of people. Even if one tries to find natural reasons for them all, there are many left that are a bit supernatural. Of course, that doesn’t mean they aren’t natural, only part of nature we don’t always know is there. Dimensional physics. Zero point energy. Nuclear energies that bind molecules together.

Think about it. Person dies in a horrible manner in a battle. What energy is released? If you believe we are more than our carbon atoms, what happens when a soul is (which, be definition, transcends our normal, everyday dimensions) ripped from a body? Does this leave imprints in space? These wouldn’t be a “living” ghost, more like a photograph. Or do traumatic incidents create rifts in the fabric of spacetime? Is this why some hear voices or see scenes from the past played out?

From a physics standpoint, such things aren’t necessarily the realm of fiction. Still, not all ghosts fall into this category. What about ones that are claimed to actually interact with people? Is there some type of being not angel or demon?

Some would say all such ghosts are demons. I heard a ghosthunter recently make a distinction that demons disguised as ghost always show their true colors sooner or later. Others will argue that any studying of or hunting for ghosts is to be avoided. Any “living” ghosts must be of evil origin.

This stems from endless haunted house movies and biblical warnings about spirits in 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 John 4:1, etc. “Spirits” most likely means demons. Yet there appears to be non-demon, non-angel entities described in 1 Samuel 28 and Mark 9:2-8. Are these ghosts? Scripture is not entirely clear on what classifications these manifestations should be considered. However, the witch’s surprise in Samuel seems to indicate she saw something that she had never seen before, nor expected. So was it a ghost of or an act of God? And in Mark, there is no indication that Elijah and Moses were anything but Elijah and Moses. So in the end, the Bible does not appear to contain examples of what are typically defined as ghosts outside of demonic entities.

What are the nature of ghosts that can’t be explained by physics or demons? Or perhaps those are the only explanations we require.

Categories: Fiction, Mysteries | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Were there Giants in Ancient America?

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Darrick Dean

“Now that’s an odd question,” you ask. “Giants?”

Well, I haven’t posted on ancient history in awhile, so let me wander for a bit. The thing is, many of the old county histories detail the findings of giant human bones throughout the country. There have been hoaxes, so many are apt to discard all accounts. Why would history after history write about something nonexistent? These books aren’t full of fantastic tales, but report local history matter-of-factly.

Then we never hear about the giants again.

Suspicious? Perhaps. Why no discoveries since? A cover-up or were there simply not that many of them? Were they just inspired by the tall-tale-telling of the 19th Century? Was inserting giants into histories just a passing fad?

The tone and widely spread accounts seem to argue for authenticity in the face of no proof of hoaxing. So were they all misidentifications of mammoth or other animal bones, as some have suggested? Or perhaps we are just reading our understanding of the past into history.

Without actual bones, this is mostly an exercise in various views trying to disprove the other. Perhaps if some of the more extreme views have not clouded the issue, and others weren’t so quick to dismiss things that didn’t fit the status quo, maybe it wouldn’t be such a fringe topic.

Ultimately, we should ask, legends often have kernels of truth, so why not history itself?

Categories: Ancient America, Legend, Mysteries | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Whispers in the Dark

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Darrick Dean

There has been a war raging since before man wandered about the Earth.

A war with Evil.

But it’s not what you see on the nightly news. This is far worse.

These shadows conspire in hidden places, whispering in the dark. They wait for times to emerge and spread terror over the land. While the world’s attention is elsewhere, they plan for chaos that few could imagine. They work to unleash horrors long banished to myth.

The Dark One is very pleased you think such things fantasy. Others know better. Those who have stood among the shadows and crushed their campaigns. Pushing back the incursions as the world was unaware, they asked for no reward. When humanity was pushed to the abyss time and time again, a few brought them back.

Now the Darkness has grown once more. Are there still those who are as the heroes of old? Will they rise?

The time is upon us.

It will be the beginning. Or the end.

Among the Shadows, the first in a new fantasy series, coming soon.

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Changing Face of Publishing

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Self-publishing was once considered the bottom of the barrel for authors not too long ago. Bookstores and distributors didn’t sell your books. Getting them out to readers was a challenge. The internet changed that to a large extent. It was a perfect avenue for promotion. Print-on-demand meant authors didn’t have to stockpile their books in their attic. Then something else changed. One small thing.

Ebooks.

The simple ability to have books instantly was enough of a perception shift to change an industry. Think about it. I can click a button and buy a book or download an e-book. Not a real big difference on that end. On the consumer’s end, anyone with a device capable of reading ebooks (which is anyone with a computer or e-reader), had the convenience factor of reading jump considerably. Economically, prices for ebooks are usually much less than print counterparts. Instant, affordable access to books for readers. Instant, direct access to those readers by authors. No middlemen or gatekeepers. In an industry where financial success is more fleeting than often perceived by outsiders, more than a few authors are now paying their bills being indie writers.

And this is why publishing is changing.

Tired of being given little chance to find their audience and small returns for their work, going independent has now become a viable publishing path. Not that publishers don’t have a place in this new world. When Hugh Howey’s ebooks took off, he passed up lucrative deals with traditional publishers until one came along where he could keep the ebook rights. Why should authors be expected to give up so much control to their works? Now they don’t have to. Technology is forcing traditional publishers to change up the rules. There are benefits and downsides to any publishing model. In the past, however, traditional was the only way to go.

Does indie/self-publishing guarantee success? No. Does it mean lower quality works like critics claim? No. Traditional publishing doesn’t guarantee great returns or quality either. The indie route does guarantee two things: A direct route to readers and the chance for the author to retain greater control over his works.

I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here on the changes in publishing. I’ll leave the details to these articles, kindly gathered by
Robert Bidinotto on his site: “Self-Publishing Is the Future — and Great for Writers“, “Hugh Howey’s Advice for Aspiring Writers” and Robert’s own “Tales of Woe from Traditionally Published Authors.”

Will these changes peak or permanently change publishing? Time will tell, but it is certain that both authors and readers are winners in this changing landscape.

Categories: Books, Writing | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

News From the Past & A Warning From Above

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Darrick Dean

If you have completely lost interest in what the media chooses for news every night and in the daily papers, and the incompetence of the government makes you want to never turn the news on again, here’s some interesting recent stories:

The latest finds on Stonehenge indicate it started as a huge graveyard. Stonehenge’s importance for the dead has long been known, but these finds continue to roll back myths about aliens and druids building the ancient structure.

There’s a lot of empty space in Pacific Ocean and there has long been speculation of lost lands (and civilizations). Now the remains of a micro-continent scientists have named Mauritia have been found.

The Sahara continues to reveal North Africa was more than a desert in ancient times, giving up remains of stone age peoples.

And while the government can’t agree on what to waste our money on next, asteroids have been making a number of visits to Earth as of late. Impact events have changed Earth’s, and our, history in the past.

But, hey, Congress is busy buying each other’s votes and pretending they are looking out for you. You have nothing to worry about.

Categories: Ancient Sites, Forgotten Places, Prehistory | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Jesus “Myth” Myth

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Recently, I ran across someone claiming Jesus was a myth. This, at first, made me laugh. Not from a religious perspective (though these claims seem to crop up during Easter like clockwork), but from the perspective of ancient history. I also shook my head on the realization that more and more people don’t test such claims. People are way too trusting. That’s another story altogether, but what does history tell us about this “Jesus didn’t exist” theory? Why has the evidence from history has compelled most scholars, regardless of their religious beliefs, to believe Jesus was real? First, this:

There are more ancient documents attesting to Jesus than any other individual from antiquity.

“So what?” says the skeptic. “Most were written by Christians.”

True, but since the writers were Christians (or what we would now consider such), does that automatically mean we should suspect deception? By that logic (or lack of), we should also be suspect of any non-christian writing about Christianity.

More importantly, the Gospels were all written relatively close to the time of Jesus. So people who had seen, known or encountered Jesus were still alive to verify the writings or serve as sources. Verses in Paul’s epistles have been recognized as coming from early creeds that date within a few years (the first two), if not months, from the death of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 there are various clues that indicate Paul is repeating an early creed, both in the language and style he uses and the underlying Aramaic. This is also why some of Paul’s writings predate the writing of the Gospels.

Also note that other sources do not deny Jesus existed. Jewish writers, who had more reason than anyone else to show Jesus didn’t exist, did not do so. Instead, they argued he wasn’t the Messiah. This brings us to the next important point:

The New Testament is not the only collection of ancient documents writing about Jesus.

Many Christians don’t even know this. Some examples: Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus in Annals; Suetonius, chief secretary of Emperor Hadrian; Flavius Josephus, Jewish historian in Antiquities; Julius Africanus in Extant Writings refers to the lost works of Thallus who describes the darkness and earthquake at the time of Christ’s death; in Pliny the Younger’s Letters; in letters from Emperors Trajan and Hadrian; Jewish documents the Talmud and the Toledoth Jesu; writings by Lucian, second century Greek satirist.

Understand that most of these writers were not “pro-Jesus” by any stretch. Even if some of the Josephus references were added later, as some claim, we are still left with a large body of undisputed writings. Nor have we mentioned the large body of apocryphal books that appeared in those ancient times.

And for those who claim the New Testament is unreliable, I’ll briefly state this: Pseudoscholars claim there are hundreds of thousands of variants between New Testament manuscripts. In reality, most of these variants are spelling variations, using different synonyms or language-to-language translation issues. What you are left with are a few verses like John 7:53-8:11 that are not in early manuscripts and Bibles denote them as such. These verses, and none of the variants, impact the orthodox beliefs of Christianity.

Claiming Jesus is a “myth” is nothing more than a futile attempt to rewrite history.

Categories: Ancient Documents, Bible, Critical Thinking | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Original Lost World

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Edgar Rice Burroughs will always be best known for creating Tarzan and yet this was only a small part of this prolific author’s legacy.

Decades before Jurassic Park or the endless “lost island with extinct creatures” films of Old Hollywood, Burroughs was one of the first with his The Land That Time Forgot and its two sequels.

In his trademark style, this swashbuckling, impending-death-on-every-other-page adventure inspires to this day much in fiction and film. His prose is from another era, yet readable and page-turning. Like many of his books, they are written in the first person, giving the story an even more immediate sense of urgency. Very over-the-top, not unlike modern thrillers, but much more straight forward in the storytelling. Modern writers sometimes want to show their skill by cramming in as many plots, subplots, gimmicks and twists as they can. Burroughs shows this isn’t really necessary. Sure, there are cliffhangers and surprises and layers of meaning, but why clutter a story up when one doesn’t have to?

As in most of his novels, there’s always a love interest for the hero to save. In these books, the heroes never fail to find a native girl that they first cannot imagine being with, only to risk it all for them by the end.

While not as epic and expansive as his John Carter of Mars series, the lost island of Caspak has probably inspired more that followed. The whole trilogy can be found in one volume here. This wasn’t Burroughs’ only foray into lost worlds, his exploration of Pellucidar under the Earth’s surface spanned many novels. Read the first two in The Hollow Earth.

Nearly a century after it was written, his lost world is still the standard all others are measured against.

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Barnes and Noble: The New Local Bookstore?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Darrick Dean

While authors rely more and more on ebooks and internet stores to reach their audiences, bookstores still deliver millions of books to readers. Many readers, like myself, like the best of both worlds. The ease and savings of home delivery pioneered by Amazon is unbeatable, but no matter how good they are in linking you to other books, it’s still easier to browse in a bookstore. Rarely do I walk in a bookstore and don’t find something new. So why did Borders go under? And now Barnes & Noble is announcing more store closings.

Much of the bookstore industry’s woes have been blamed on the growth of ebooks. An equal, if not bigger, part of the problem is that the chains got too big, too fast, especially Borders. Barnes & Noble had the superior model, better selection and stayed closer to a local bookstore feel. But it too became too big. It entered the ebook reader market a bit late. With the demise of Borders, however, it’s essentially the last man standing. Its recent announcement is only a continuation of ongoing plans to stay afloat. I predict it will succeed, if it takes steps to return to its roots. Be more focused and become known as the local neighborhood bookstore, rather than the local national chain bookstore.

Many retail stores are getting this concept. And while Borders vanished, and Barnes & Noble started cutting, indie bookstore numbers stayed steady. What can B&N do to become the new face of local for readers? Here’s my plan:

1. Make that regional and local book section more prominent. Expand it. Make your store the one stop place for anyone looking for local authors and books on area subjects.

2. Ditch the cafes. Never stepped foot in one. You’re a bookstore. Yes, there’s people who like to hang out in them, so farm them out to someone else. Like Panera Bread.

3. Indie books and indie presses have grown rapidly in recent years. Ebooks are their main outlet because they still operate outside traditional distribution networks. Change this. Get their books in your stores.

4. Ditch the music and movie section. If ecommerce has hurt book sales, it has done more so for these other two. Save a spot for local artists, toss the rest.

5. Enough of the $20 membership fee. Virtually no one charges for their loyalty cards.

6. Keep cutting unprofitable stores, but don’t pass up chances to open new, smaller stores in areas with a bookstore vacuum.

7. The kids learning toy section and the games area are the best non-book items you have. They are better quality than what we find in department stores. But how many people know you sell this stuff? Your kids book section blows everyone, even Wal-Mart, away. Tell people.

8. Stay on the forefront of the ebook revolution. The initial growth may be hitting its peak, but they’re here to stay.

9. Overall, your selection, style, arrangement and size of stores isn’t bad. Use your strengths as a national chain, but operate like a local store. Each market is different. Be able to respond and provide at an individual store level. Let them know you are there.

Be like the stores of old. Books will never die, nor do you have to.

Categories: Books | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Agenda 21: Orwell’s Worst Nightmare

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Darrick Dean

In a country of over 300 million people, we freely give power to a tiny percentage of people and pay little attention to what they do.

We often live to regret it.

Orwell, Bradbury and Huxley warned us of what governments become. Sometimes we listen, more often that not, we don’t. Fiction, however, is a powerful wake-up call and Agenda 21 joins these other novels of warning.

Set in the near future, it depicts a dystopian America after the full effects of the real-life Agenda 21 has been implemented for many years. Agenda 21 started out as some vague U.N. proclamations about protecting the environment and the poor. Then it became more specific in its intent in stripping private property and wealth of all levels to equalize all people around the world. Of course, “equalize” means taking from people all of the rights and freedoms that allow them to be human. People moved to communities where everyone lives the same with virtually no possessions. No books. No television. No Internet. Everything, down to the amount and type of food eaten and children born, is controlled by people who “know better.” A frightening future.

Even more so considering that the Agenda 21 policy really exists. A quick search finds many politicians here and abroad that support its intents and probable results.

“It would never go as far as this book depicts or those other fear-mongering novels claim!” Well, folks, even here in the U.S. we locked up citizens in prison camps in World War II because they had Japanese heritage. Woodrow Wilson went after people who opposed World War I. Even the hero of the Republic, Abraham Lincoln, shut down papers critical of him during the Civil War.

Don’t say it can’t happen here, because it has. People let their rights be trampled on because they were convinced it was okay. Then they said it would never happen again. Then it did.

People in power — both those that believe they know better than you and those who really want to oppress you — will often be very subtle in their actions. A little change at a time. Vaguely worded laws. Or they will use tragedy, war or disaster to convince you that suspending or giving up rights is the right thing to do. Or maybe they just want to modify your rights, make you think that they are a bit outdated or unfair. Then you wake up one day and ask, “What happened?”

Just ask the Germans in 1945.

That’s why novels like Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke are important. I know political fundies will lose their mind when they see Glenn Beck’s name on the book, but this isn’t about party politics. Agenda 21 is a real menace not only to our Constitution, but our human rights. Opposition is growing and crosses all political lines. Those duped by its reasonable sounding protect our planet and resources mandates are taking a second look. If it was only about those things, no one would care. We all wished our politicians cared further than the next election. Agenda 21 doesn’t stop at finding ways to help the poor or stop environmental destruction.

It’s about the wholesale end to the individual and their birthright to live free and unoppressed and without fear. And it’s very clear in its intent to do so.

So read Agenda 21. This is really what some envision the world should be like. They will say it won’t be that extreme, but you should notice something.

They won’t deny what they are planning. What they want to do this world.

Will people wake-up from their fantasy that the government would never do anything to harm them? Many people will remain hypnotized by their bread and circuses. Fooled by the smoke and mirrors of the politicians.

For the rest of you, put your politics and special interests away, start paying attention and take back your future.

For once, stop and think about what freedom really is. It’s not a buzzword. Not about a flag or country.

Freedom is about your human rights to speak, think and worship as you choose, figuring out for yourself what your ideal life should be and being allowed to defend your life against evil in the world. These are rights man has spent centuries trying to achieve and protect. Don’t take any of these things for granted. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s okay to give up any part of these rights.

If you can’t figure out why, read books like 1984, A Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451 or Agenda 21 and see what lays in store. Take some time to pay attention what is aleady being pushed by politicians in America and elsewhere if you don’t already.

If you aren’t already frightened, you will be.

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