Customer Reviews

Birth of an Age (Book 2, The Christ Clone Trilogy)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I was really curious to see if Mr. BeauSeigneur could sustain his impressive beginning in this second installment of The Christ Clone Trilogy. Well, I'm happy to report that he's outdone himself.

One remarkable achievement is the Promethean speech his puts in the mouth of Christopher Goodman, a central character, near the end of the book. Including a famous speech by Morgian in Arthur, the third book of Stephen Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle, and some of Satan's speeches in Paradise Lost, these are perhaps the most harrowing utterances to occur in the history of literature. If ever there were a need for caveat lector (let the reader beware), it is here. Not to worry, though; just another big fat red herring strewn in the unwary reader's path.

BeauSeigneur has hit his stride with this book. My only complaint with the first one was that it seemed a little labored in places, perhaps due to the amount of set-up necessary to get his story rolling. Not so here. Things fairly zip along.

It's been interesting to write each of these reviews without having finished the entire series. It's almost like sending bulletins from the front. I'm anxious to see how it all ends. And I'll be once again posting my reaction.

If you thought book one of this trilogy was good, you ain't seen nothing yet! This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat! For the Christian reader, just a note, this book almost seems to have been written for the secular audience. I almost found myself getting mad half way through this book, wondering if I was being led astray, but never fear, just continue reading onto book 3 and you will not be sorry. This is an excellent end times series, and if you are a fan of the Left Behind Books, you will love this trilogy.

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.

This is one of the best series of books I have ever read...regardless of genre. You "live" these books as you read them, never being quite sure what did/will happen versus what *might* happen. It is all too believable. The author's talent of mixing historical fact and footnotes throughout the book require a constant reminder that you are reading a work of fiction. Five stars are just not enough.

The Birth of An Age, book two in the Christ Clone Trilogy, actually improves upon the first one in the Series. In this one we see the rise of the Anti-Christ as well as the fullfilment of more end time prophecies.

I like the way the Author deals with the prophecies about the three asteriods which will rain death and destruction on the earth. He doesn't brush over their impacts on our planet, but uses scientific data to estimate how many people would die and just how much destruction would occur based on speed and mass of the object. However, I should say that BeaquSeigneur doesn't let the story get bogged down by this; he gives just enough facts to make it interesting but doesn't drown you in minutiae.

Finally, we see the reappearance of some characters we haven't seen much of lately. I also found the authors ability to write believable characters to be undiminished. Unlike some other novels about the End Times (whose names shall remain unspoken) these characters do not suddenly change. When they do, they do it slowly over time, just as we all do. The best thing is that, for the most part, none of the characters are written as Arch Types.

As the Book comes to a close the reader will certainly find himself/herself desperately awaiting the arrival of book 3. This is always a sign of a well written book. Rating 4.5 Stars.

First, BeauSeigneur has done one of the best jobs I have seen of destroying the planet. He deftly weaves an impressive command of science, biblical prophecy, and New Age movements into a compelling apocalyptic thriller. Moreover, unlike most of the genre, BeauSeigneur doesn't telegraph all his punches. At the end of this, the second of the trilogy, I'm pretty sure that I know what's going on in the Good vs Evil department, but I'm not 100% certain. And that's a notable achievement. BeauSeigneur is able to prompt the very doubts that I expect one would face in the real Apocalypse. The neat thing is that I will have to read the last of the books before I can decide whether I really like the trilogy or whether it culminates in a monumental disappointment. For now, I praise the books for being well-researched, well-crafted, with the distinction of prompting some considered reflections without loading down the action with a lot of sermonising. Two minor points though: if you're French or a Francophile, you won't be pleased with the main French characters; and if you're Christian, you'll need to trust the author's instincts since this book turns everything on end. Enjoy!

If you read Book I of the Christ Clone Trilogy, this second volume is a must. But it is going to give you a really creepy feeling. No one is who they seem, it appears, including the author. I don't want to give the plot away, but all will be explained in the third volume so you might as well go ahead and buy them both at the same time (if you've gotten to Volume 2 you're hooked anyway and why take a chance on not finding the 3rd volume later. I bought all 3 books at once based on the readers' reviews. So enjoy!