Land of the Two Rivers: A Novel of Shinar(The Children of Ararat #2)

One family survived a cataclysm...
Their descendants rebuilt the world...
Their names grew into myth and legend...

In the world born after the Flood, the old ways have begun to reawaken; knowledge of the one True God has dwindled to only a faithful few. Slowly, the prophecy of Noach begins to cast its long shadow across the lives of his childrens' children, affecting the lives of generations yet to come. But when a brilliant star appears in the heavens like a newborn sun, will it herald the fulfillment of their long-awaited hopes... or will it usher in the dawn of a new age of wickedness and rebellion?

My Take:

In the centuries following the world-wide cataclysm known as the Great Flood, patriarchs such as Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, rub shoulders with their fourth and fifth-generation descendants. As their offspring multiply and spread out, replenishing the earth, the old wickedness, thought dead and gone by the flood, begins to rear its head again, and whispers of the Nephilim, descendants of demons, return to haunt men's dreams.

In this masterfully crafted epic novel concerning Arphaxad, descendant of Shem, and Cush, belief in the one true God Yahweh has once again dwindled to a scant remnant, while old beliefs from before the flood resurface strongly, with their pagan rituals, blood sacrifices, mystical powers and hedonistic sexual rites.

Follow Arphaxad as he struggles to have faith in his Kenaanite steward accused of murder, and Gomer, whose devotion to an outcast produces tragedy and death; travel with Cush, who learns of antediluvian powers while pursuing a son headlong into an appointment with destiny.

Content:

Drug Content:

PG-13 - In one scene a pair of naked drunken lovers careen into Arphaxad. A town of drunken men turn very deadly. Wine is a common beverage, but is rarely depicted in excess.

Violence:

R - A man is tortured to death, a kidnapping turns sour and a character is nearly stabbed to death. The wound turns gangrenous. A man is beaten nearly to death, flies infest the wounds. A man is shot in the head with an arrow, the description is somewhat graphic. Some people are burned to death, their homes engulfed in flames. A man is shot in the throat with an arrow.

Language:

G - Squeaky clean.

Adult Content:

PG-13 - As stated earlier some drunken naked lovers run by. There are several mentions of the priestesses and their sexual rites, though none graphic.

Christian content:

Faith, redemption, the sanctity of human life, even salvation and the promise of a coming Redeemer, play heavily throughout this work. While false religions get almost equal time on stage, the spiritual wickedness and demonic influences behind them is abundantly clear. The darkness of hatred, murder, and race war is set in contrast to redemption, self-sacrifice, trust, hope, and love across any boundaries and against all odds. This is a faith-filled book and the hope of a Redeemer is clear.

Final analysis:

This work was an amazingly immersive plunge into the past. Scenery was three dimensional, characters were well developed, the stakes were very high and the plot gripping. Faith played center stage, while God's protection and battle with darkness was depicted through plot rather than on-screen. While at times the pace seemed a bit slow, the story was involving and the characters real and the plot riveting. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Scott R. Rezer was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania in 1963. He met his wife and best friend while serving in the U.S. Air Force. They have two grown children and live in the Southwest. He is an indie published author of six historical fiction novels ranging from the Civil War to the Crusades to ancient history. Two of his books have garnered Editor's Choice selections by the Historical Novel Society (The Leper King and Shadow of the Mountain).