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J. M. Emanuel

Author of The 6th Seal

1 Work 2 Members 2 Reviews

Works by J. M. Emanuel

The 6th Seal (2009) 2 copies

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The 6th Seal pulled me in from page one. It's yet another good vs. evil, end of the world scenario, but it's written so smartly and believably that the situation seems new.

The bad guys are truly frightening, and Emanuel doesn't rely on cheap gore for scares. His dark characters can convey a bottomless pit of want and ambition with a mere gesture or turn of phrase. Much of what they are is revealed through the reactions of those around them. It's been a long time since I've had this type of visceral scare from a book. The good guys are heroic, but in a way that's entirely relatable. There are no action hero types here, just ordinary folk who want the world and everything they love in it to endure.

Emanuel brings a realism to the final conflict, skillfully balancing the military/epic and the spiritual/personal. There's a lot of soul here, yet no religiosity.

If you enjoy the works of Peter Straub, or you've enjoyed Dan Brown's books but wished they had a bit more depth, this is the book for you.
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AprilHamilton | 1 other review | Nov 28, 2009 |
I had a difficult time getting into this book. The first 50 pages felt more like a religious text than an adventure/action story. But then it picked up, and the story really began to let loose.

If you like stories like the Left Behind series, and you are open-minded enough to be able to read other ideas without being offended or feeling that they threaten your own beliefs, give this book a chance. The writing is very good, and after the first 50 pages it becomes engaging and entertaining. It begins to build, and I found the last 100 pages were my favorite.

The characters were very well developed. I found myself especially drawn to the stoic and heroic Jason who had already endured so much in his life.

This book was educational as well as entertaining. Some of it is based on well-accepted biblical scripture, and some ideas (one idea in particular) suggest a biblical theory not accepted as "fact". Which is why I suggested that "open-minded" individuals may be interested in this story, but others who are offended by new ideas should steer clear.

Some of the book was a little bit of a stretch for me. Some of it was pulled from the annals of WWII and Hitler. I initially had a hard time with this, as it felt "fake" and contrived, and I kept having old black and white footage of concentration camps playing out in my head while I read. But I just had to convince myself that I was reading a story after all, and none of us know quite how things will be in the end times of the end days. So it could be as portrayed in this story, or it could be something quite different (I always personally envisioned something more subtle and subversive-- not so "in your face".)

All in all, an enjoyable story once you get beyond the first 50 pages or so, and it can be something of an education as well, or at least a "refresher course" on the final days and the seven seals. Well-written and pretty well developed, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this genre.
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½
 
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nfmgirl2 | 1 other review | Jul 24, 2009 |

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