250 of 254 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In A Word: Brilliant, May 6, 2001
This review is from: Birth of an Age (Book Two of The Christ Clone Trilogy) (Paperback)
This second installment of The Christ Clone Trilogy, "Birth of an Age," by James BeauSeigneur, begins with an already changing world on the brink of a New Age. And to put it succinctly, this book-- the story as well as the presentation-- is, in a word, brilliant. BeauSeigneur takes you down his path with such precision that it makes the incredible seem altogether credible and believable, and considering the subject matter, it is quite a feat, indeed.
In the prologue (which is actually the final chapter of the first book of the trilogy, "In His Image"), BeauSeigneur brings you up to speed on the story, as the significant elements of that first book are touched upon here. He also acquaints you with the protagonists, former journalist Decker Hawthorne, now a press secretary for the U.N., Robert Milner, a former Ambassador to the U.N.; and Ambassador Christopher Goodman, the man cloned some thirty years earlier from the dermal cells of Jesus, taken from the Shroud of Turin by scientists during an expedition in 1978.
What makes this such an engrossing read (and it is-- thoroughly), is the detail, precision and logic with which BeauSeigneur presents his story. Approximately the first one-third of the book is a detailed account of the cataclysms which befall the Earth and it's inhabitants, and the devastating effects thereof. It begins with the discovery of three asteroids whose trajectory may bring them into contact with the Earth, which threatens the very existence of the planet; but there are also plagues and widespread madness called down upon the people of the Earth, many believe, by two religious fanatics-- one of whom claims to be the Apostle, John.
It soon becomes clear that if life on Earth is to survive, if there is ever to be a New Age at all, it must be through the intervention of someone or something which can prevail against the forces of the devastation currently ravaging the planet. And it just may be that Christopher Goodman, the clone of Jesus Christ, could be the one; it could, perhaps, be the reason for which he was born.
And once BeauSeigneur has laid the groundwork, which he does with exceptional acuity, the novel picks up steam until finally, after about two-thirds of the way through, it becomes impossible to put the book down. The last thirty pages or so are absolutely spellbinding; it is inspired writing through which the images presented spring vividly to life and veritably awaken the senses. And you experience the sights and sounds, colors and scents as if you were actually there, right up to the somewhat shocking, breathtaking finale.
Realizing the full impact of all that happens, of course, is contingent upon having read the first book of the series. "Birth of an Age," however, stands well enough on it's own, especially in light of the astounding ending. But be prepared; once you have finished this one, you won't be able to get to the final installment, "Acts of God," quickly enough. Have it on hand and ready to read, because-- believe me-- you're going to have to know what happens next. And you are not going to want to wait.
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80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BACK FROM THE FUTURE?, May 27, 2002
James BeauSeigneur has done some very unusual things in his apocalyptic thriller, The Christ Clone Trilogy, and he's done all of them well. First on this list is that (until the third book) he gives no clue who's good and who's bad, who's right and who's wrong. Instead BeauSeigneur acts as an unbiased reporter of the events, and the reader is left to evaluate and discern the truth for himself. This makes for a very good mystery, but it will make some readers very upset as their own beliefs are so cleverly challenged. One word of advice: do not make the mistake of thinking you know which characters speak for the author.
Second on the list of unusual approaches the author takes is that he has built his story so closely on carefully researched real events, real science, real politics, real belief systems (when was the last time you read a fiction series that included footnotes?), that you have a sense that you may be reading a non-fiction book written in the future and sent back to our time for publication.
One final thing that makes this series so extraordinary is BeauSeigneur's use of well-developed minor characters and vignettes to give the reader a view of the global scope of his story. Unlike so many authors who try deal with global issues with contrived attempts to put the story's main characters in close proximity to every important world event, BeauSeigneur draws on a boundless stable of rich characters from around the world to give every page a full measure of realism and depth.
I highly recommend these books to all.
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75 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Smart & Creative Fictional Glimpse Into End Time Prophesy, March 21, 2001
This review is from: Birth of an Age (Book Two of The Christ Clone Trilogy) (Paperback)
I have read the first two books of The Christ Clone Trilogy, not to mention the first two books of the way-too-drawn-out-by-their-marketing-department Left Behind Series. While I am not sure whether or not to spend the time finishing the Left Behind series (I suppose I might, though I can't say I would highly recommend it to anyone), I will though, without a doubt, be reading book three of The Christ Clone Trilogy (I already have it on order, in fact). Before I started reading the first book I was prepared to swallow something patronizing, prosaic, pedantic, and phlegmatic. It is, of course, none of these things. In fact, I became pleasantly surprised to find a fantastic cauldron of storytelling intrigue, bubbling over with all the complexities of science fiction and prophesy, wit and wisdom, creativity and intellect. I try to spend much of my spare time reading, which sometimes can feel like a chore, but this series has stirred up some excitement within me that I haven't experienced since Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum" or maybe Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". I've even found myself trying to read a few pages while driving on the way to work (a risky task which I would not recommend doing obviously). I'm surprised that a major publisher hasn't snatched this up yet! I never would have expected something this good from a Republican. (I've already been forgiven for that last remark). Anyway, I highly recommend all three books, which says a lot, since I'm only a hundred pages into the third one. Great stuff.
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