Customer Reviews

Exile of Lucifer (Chronicles of the Host, Book 1)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I happened upon this book in a bookstore and was intrigued by the phrase, "Set in the heavenlies as a backdrop."

Less than four years into an intense Christian pursuit, reading Christian novels has been one of many disciplines to keep me pointed in His direction. D. Brian Shafer has done an excellent job of creating a setting in heaven many of us can't even imagine. He stays true to God's Word in the character traits of those who love God and praise His name vs. those who work against Him.

God's Word says Lucifer was the Anointed Cherub, the heavenly leader of worship. How could he have fallen? Pride! This novel speculates how Lucifer allowed his own pride to put him in direct opposition to the Most High God. It also shows how the archangels, Gabriel and Michael, were most likely troubled by the change in their friend, yet how committed they were to preserving God as the only true priority in heaven even when it meant opposing their former friend.

For me, this book gave me a broader perspective of what the big picture really is. Beyond the daily distractions of what seems important on this earth, the big picture really began before the creation of this world and is just being played out in part through happenings within this world. Speaking of Creation, I found God's revealing of the Creation plan to the angelic Host, and His day-to-amazing-day unfolding of Creation, both exciting and inspiring.

Obviously, I recommend this book. It hooks you and keeps you going until the last page. I just ordered the second of the trilogy from amazon.com to be sent to me upon its' December release. God bless you and yours.

I bought this book on a whim because I've never seen anyone try to tackle the What If scenerios that accompany Lucifer's exile from Heaven. Yet, Shafer took on that project and God was with him the entire time. The end result is one of the most compelling Christian books I have ever read, with wonderful characters and actual emotions conveyed intelligently throughout the course of the story.

Yes, the entire novel deals with someone's frustration over not being held in high enough regard, but the real tension comes from what that being does in his attempt to subvert any who will listen to him, even when he knows he is fighting a losing battle. It makes Lucifer appear all the more pathetic, yet all the more flawed and interesting. And interesting is good, because an interesting book is a readable book is a good book.

The writing is clear and intelligently written, though Adam and Eve's dialogue appeared a little flawed.

Is the book perfect? No. Is it excellent? I thought so. This book was a very pleasant surprise and I found myself wanting to read the sequel ASAP. Sadly, the sequel wouldn't live up to the greatness; but in any case, this is one great book.

This book grabs you from the very start. I read it cover to cover almost without stop. The descriptions are great and I loved the dialog. Lucifer's council meetings are like a James Bond villain planning his subtle plots complete with sarcastic witticisms and wonderful banter. Also--even though I knew how it would turn out it held me spellbound. Get it!

This novel is poorly written, poorly edited, and poorly conceived. It has a respectable - and obvious - agenda, but does that agenda a great disservice.

First, the book is full of grammatical errors and misused words. For example, Shafer consistently uses the word "parameter" incorrectly in place of "perimeter" and he has real problems with subjective, objective, and reflexive pronouns (his editor should be ashamed).

Second, Shafer's Bible scholarship is questionable: characters refer to Eve by name long before she and Adam are cast out of Eden (in the Bible, she isn't named until after God discovers that they've eaten the forbidden fruit); characters refer to animals in Eden by name before Adam is created (Adam is the one who actually names the animals); Adam & Eve are forbidden to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil AND the fruit of the tree of life (in the Bible, God only forbids them to eat of the former, but evicts them from Eden so they won't eat the fruit of the latter). I understand that Shafer is writing about events that might have happened, but he could have worked much harder to reconcile his additions to the story with what is told in the Bible.

Third, Shafer includes debates and logical discussions throughout the book, but the logic he uses is replete with fallacies and holes. After Lucifer asks several non-rhetorical questions, another character remarks that Lucifer speaks the truth (questions can be neither true nor false, only valid or invalid - it's the answers to those questions that are true or false). The debate that takes place near the end of the book is little more than a barrage of ad hominem fallacies, name-calling, and red herrings. All of this is pointless, though, since faith is not dependent on logic.

All in all, this book was very disappointing, and I would encourage anyone seeking good Christian literature to look elsewhere.

This book is a wonderful look at the results of the free choices allowed to both angels and people. It shows not only the thought patterns and rationalizations behind "doing your own thing," but also shows that when you choose to go against God's established righteousness, there are consequences. You are free to stick your hand in the fire, but you are going to get burned.

There is a wide and interesting cast of characters in this angelic drama set in Heaven and finally on Earth. This is before, during, and just after man's creation by God. The author did a good job of making the characters come alive.

This novel is basically a fictional account of what could have happened during a time that the Bible has said little about. I wouldn't have pictured a few nuances of what the author presented the same way, but that is what makes works by various authors interesting--the difference in how we perceive things for which we don't know the details. Overall, the author did an outstanding job and I was with him! I believe the description of man's fall was well done and I didn't get the feeling that Eve was dumb, just innocent, as well as Adam--especially when faced with the powerful, yet twisted logic of Lucifer. The one thing this book excels at is getting you to think about the nature of free choice in the light of one's responsibilty to the Lord and love for Him, or lack thereof. I definitely recommend this novel and I will soon buy the next three in the series! Give this one a shot!

Not since C.S. Lewis' THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS has the veil been lifted to expose us to the spiritual realm. Typically, when I ask my students what happened before the creation of the world, most stare back with blank faces and say, 'Nothing.' Not any more.

This book clearly describes the spiritual world before the creation of the physical. The spiritual laws and the principles of dominion transfer are absolutely foundational for understanding God's universal plan and purpose.

Thanks Brian Schafer for this macro view of the spiritual/physical realm interface which is very timely. I have to confess, my first thought was that this story would make a great movie......who needs the movie after realizing that we are participants in the greater story, because the battle rages on.

One Saturday night after seeing a movie, my girlfriend and I decided to go over to the Goodwill, so that we could kill time until our ride got there. I went straight to their book section, and that's where I discovered the most unforgettable $3 book I've ever bought.

This book didn't really come with any heroes. Certainly not the spandex wearing, cape flying, superhero type everyone thinks of when they hear the word. It just included a vast quantity of very important characters, most of which being angels. Of course because most of the characters are angels, most of the story takes place in Heaven. The whole book revolves around Lucifer's ongoing plot to become Steward (ruler) of Earth, which you find fails and Lucifer gets exiled from Heaven.

I'm usually against any religious type of book. Because before reading this astonishing novel, I was very much a non-believer of God. But after I finished reading the book, I realized that He does exist. So I thought about it, and I decided to become a Christian.

I enjoyed this book very much. There were so many great parts in the book, but the part I really enjoyed the most was during the creation of Earth, and the exile of Lucifer. I probably wouldn't of enjoyed the book as much if I didn't know the author is an actual pastor.

There isn't really a straightforward message that the author wants to get across to the readers. I think the author is just trying to inform us about the events that went on in Heaven during the time of the creation of Earth, and the exile of Lucifer.

Therefore, this book was quite remarkable. Everything about it is actually very enjoyable. If it can change someone from not believing in God whatsoever, to being a Christian, it has got to be pretty good right? This was one of only a few stories where I'd have to say it was right near perfect, if not over the line. I would encourage anyone to read it. Who knows, maybe it will change your life forever as it did mine?

I think Shafer did a tremendous job of writting a very believable story about the rebellion of Lucifier and his followers that came across as being credible. Shafer did a super job of melding the main theories that scholars believe motivated Lucifer and a third of the host of heaven to rebel against God.

I only gave it 4 stars because I was disappointed that Shafer used the "dumb blonde" theory to explain why Eve succumbed to the devil while portraying Adam as the innocent victim of Eve's nasty disposition. There are far superior interpretations of the book of Genesis and the fall of mankind then that one. So that was disappointing.

Other then that it was a good read.

I read a lot -
the Chronicles of the Host series is the best I have read in years.
Outstanding concept of angelic life before man appears on earth

This is one of my favorite books about angels. The bulk of the novel is set in heaven, and I think shafer did a great job describing what he thinks heaven might look like. The only thing I didn't like was the last part of the book. About two-thirds of the novel is speculation, but then shafer ended the novel on a bible story. Aside from this, I thought the book was a great read.