161 of 169 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting Finale Of A Monumental Work, July 4, 2001
By the end of "Birth of an Age," book two of the Christ Clone Trilogy, author James BeauSeigneur has you on the edge of your seat, expecting anything and anticipating what will happen next; you're primed for something big, something monumental, and you wonder if he can possibly deliver on the promise of the first two books and the expectation you have going into the third and final installment of the series. Well, sit back and hold on, because with "Acts of God," BeauSeigneur certainly does deliver, and more. And, whereas the first two books evoked a sense of Asimov, Crichton and Melville, this one brings to mind Stephen King's epic novel, "The Stand," as it clearly leads you to a conclusion that can be nothing less than the final showdown between the forces of Good and Evil.
As it begins (and as BeauSeigneur did previously, the opening chapter is actually the final chapter of the second book), the prophets John and Cohen are dead, and the resurrected Christopher Goodman, now Secretary-General of the U.N., is poised to lead Humankind into the New Age, with promises of a long and healthy life with renewed youth and vigor for everyone, as well as world peace. And to help him spread the good news, there is his loyal press secretary, Decker Hawthorne, and his own prophet of the New Age, Robert Milner.
For Christopher, everything seems to be going well; without the disruptive influences of John and Cohen, all of his aspirations are being realized, as people around the world are embracing him and the tenets of the New Age. But not everyone; there is still the Koum Damah Patar, the "KDP," and the cliques of fundamentalist Christians who adamantly oppose him and seem bent on clinging to the past, no matter what the cost. Meanwhile, amid a series of world-wide, devastating plagues, Decker Hawthorne is confronted with circumstances that rattle his faith and for the first time cause him to question the very foundation of the mission he has undertaken in Christopher's name; and ultimately, it will force him to make the hardest decision of his life.
Though a work of fiction, BeauSeigneur presents his story with such logic and acuity that is seems, not only believable, but very real. And he writes with a concise, universal voice that makes the material accessible to everyone; you don't have to be a theologian to appreciate the magnitude and the ramifications of the conflict that is played out here. It's a riveting, intense and suspenseful tale, but beyond all of that, there is an inherently moral message that comes through succinctly and quite effectively.
It's been a long time since I was this excited about a novel (and by that I mean the trilogy); BeauSeigneur has done an extraordinary job of creating a story of such tremendous ethical and moral proportions, and presenting it in an exciting and objective way. In the final analysis, "Acts of God," is an affecting novel that for some just may prove to be a veritable life-changing experience. It certainly was for me.
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46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unquestionably the best fiction treatment of the end times, January 17, 2001
I have been interested in prophecy for more than 30 years. As such, I've read some very good and some very bad fiction and non-fiction treatments on the subject. One of the best non-fiction books I've read is FOOTSTEPS OF THE MESSIAH by Arnold Fruchtenbaum. Unquestionably the very best fiction treatment I've read is THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY.
Because of my interest in the subject, and because I spend most of my day on the Internet, I spend a lot of time on various prophecy web sites. I read about TCCT on PhopheZine.com, which gave BeauSeigneur's books glowing reviews. Of course the best known books on the subject are the LEFT BEHIND books by LeHaye and Jenkins, but lately I've seen people talking about TCCT more and more places. Usually when people discuss an idea that originated with BeauSeigneur, they cite him or mention TCCT. But even when they don't, you can tell they've read TCCT because the ideas are so completely original.
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49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Breathtaking!, January 17, 2001
I first heard of THE CHRIST CLONE TRILOGY from a review by Charles Sheffield, the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning science fiction author. Sheffield raved about BeauSeigneur's trilogy, calling it "an engrossing and ingenious story," and said that "James BeauSeigneur brings to bear a fine mix of scientific, political, and religious knowledge to illuminate this powerful tale."
It sounded great but it wasn't until two years later when I read the comments of Kerry Livgren (you know, the guy who wrote "Dust in the Wind," "Carry On Wayward Son," and a dozen other million-selling songs for the band Kansas) that I finally ordered the books. After reading the trilogy I have to completely agree with Kerry Livgren's opinion: "Breathtaking. It's as fine a piece of work as I have read, on several different levels."
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