Customer Reviews

The Exodus Gate

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
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Nephilim, a One World Government, events of apocalyptic proportions. Just another "Christian End Times" fiction, you say? Well, not exactly.

In The Exodus Gate, Stephen Zimmer begins a seven-book epic (and secular) saga that combines the myths of Judeao-Christian, Babylonian/Sumerian, and Assyrian apocalyptic texts with an added dash of his own epic dark fantasy twist (and possibly an esoteric sprinkle or two of gnosticism), and weaves a tale that rivals The Lord of the Rings in its scope and The Stand in its characterization depth.

Being the first in the Rising Dawn Saga, this book's primary purpose is to set up the overall world and introduce the large cast of characters (with the main character being Benedict Darwin), each with their own agendas and sometimes even secrets (I, personally, am already rooting for Erishkegal, but that's just me). But there is still plenty of well-paced action and plot to keep you reading. The main downside I had was the sheer size of the book. It's only half the size of The Stand, and I wanted More! Dammit! More!

Some readers might be put off by the size of the book, and if you don't know it's basically a large chapter in a grand sweeping saga then you also might feel lost near the end. But the characters will grow on you, especially the An-Ki-Zimmer's unique take on the werewolf myth-loyal and honorable servants of Adonai.

Overall, it's a fine start to what promises to be an awesome saga that will keep you reading for days (in between a nap or two, of course).

And besides, Erishkegal is awesome!

This really is a wildly interesting story. If you like epic fantasy, such as Lord of the Rings, you will love this book. Very detailed story and character development. Immersive and striking.

Benedict Darwin deals with the strange, the nut cases and weirdos who chase UFOs and ghost. It gets him ratings that has propelled him to the height of late night talk radio. The stranger the better and he loves every twisted tale that comes his way. But Darwin's world is about to change as well as his views of what really is paranormal. Benedict's friend at Babylon Technologies wants him to try out their latest R&D item: the next generation in virtual reality. Benedict is willing to try anything once and he gets more than he bargains for with this new simulator.

Little does Darwin know that there are other forces at work in the universe in which he will become a prime player. His paranormal late night entertainment is about to become scary real. These supernatural forces from the Abyss and their human counterparts are working relentlessly to establish a one world government. Their goal is pure and simple; bridge the space and time continuum and bring back the Nephilim, those offspring of the Fallen Avatars and humans which were destroyed in the Great Flood.

The war between good and evil has just escalated. This new rising storm is about to cross time and space and splinter planet Earth. In the middle of this clash of titans is the most unlikely of heroes. Benedict Darwin, his niece Arianna, high school student Seth Engel and his friends along with beings from the afterworld rise to the occasion and take on the Forces of Darkness that want to bring down the Most High once and for all eternity.

With The Exodus Gate author Stephen Zimmer sets the stage for an adventurous new science fiction fantasy series that is sure to entertain the reader from beginning to end. Zimmer has weaved a tale of fantastic realms populated with exotic creatures. Keep a sharp eye out for this new series.--Mark Randell, Y-30 Staff

I met Stephen Zimmer at a con last year, got a copy of "The Exodus Gate," and dove into the first few pages. Without realizing this portion was more of a prologue, I got bogged down and set it aside. Oh, silly me. I finally picked it back up, and within a few more pages I was hooked on the story of Benedict Darwin as he explores the parameters of a virtual reality game and finds himself making all-too-real forays into an antediluvian past.

As time-travel and spiritual allegory mix, "The Exodus Gate" slowly peels back the layers to reveal a sprawling epic of wolves and men, angels and demons, avatars and mythical beasts. Benedict discovers the An-Ki, a species of gargantuan wolves who were annihilated by the great Flood, as spoken of in the histories of almost all world cultures. Even as he realizes he is not merely playing in a virtual game, Benedict learns that he can save the An-Ki by bringing them through the Exodus Gate into our modern world. This is part of a much larger plan being initiated by Adonai, the Creator, a strategy to counteract the works of the Adversary and his Fallen Avatars. But, of course, this Adversary is not sitting idly by, but has plans to wipe out the An-Ki on the way to wide-scale sublimation and destruction.

Zimmer renames many of our modern settings and weaponry, but the roots of these things are unmistakable. He also blends in biblical and mythical tales, throws in some monsters, sprinkles the mix with likable characters such as Benedict and his niece, Arianna, and gives us a fantasy-lover's all-you-can-eat buffet. It feels fresh, never derivative, and yet warmly familiar. There are bursts of narrative that ring apocalyptic, even prophetic.

While "The Exodus Gate" is sometimes sprawling, full of numerous characters and story lines, and bloated with typical fantasy genre overwriting, it overcomes these obstacles through sheer imagination and storytelling energy. There is wisdom lurking beneath the surface, for those who have eyes to see, and lots of action and creative to satisfy those who want a few hours of entertainment. Matthew Perry's artwork through the book only adds to the pleasure, and for those willing to make the commitment, it's going to be one epic journey. This first book just scratches the surface of where this could go, ending with many loose ends and possibilities, and I've already bought book two, "The Storm Guardians."

I loved this book. I love modern fantasy stories. It was a pretty in depth story but Stephen Zimmer did an amazing job of weaving the tell with the right amount of detail and back story as well as the plot progressing. It was the right balance of fantasy, myth, supernatural and contemporary themes.

"The Exodus Gate" is book one of a seven part series from author, screenwriter, and director, Stephen Zimmer. To be completely honest, I know Zimmer fairly well as a fellow author doing the convention circuit throughout the year to sell our books. Normally I'm not a fan of ongoing series because far too often I feel there is too much filler and not enough meat.

The ideas behind this series is clearly epic in nature, requiring a good deal of development and change in our main characters lives. Yes, there are several main characters though radio talk show host Benedict is the principle viewpoint we see time and time again.

Benedict's world and the world of the supernatural are on a course to bleed into each other thanks to an almost mindless pursuit of more technology and more entertainment that correctly mirrors several trends happening today in our world. There is some political and social commentary within this novel but primarily it's a journey we are taken on to discover the horror that lies right outside our normal sight.

A great introduction to a new series for those who love epic scale and the genres of urban fantasy coupled with speculation about the origins of the universe and it's potential death.

I completely enjoyed The Exodus Gate by Stephen Zimmer. The build up in the last 3/4 of the book had me turning the pages wanting to know what was going to happen next. I'm not big on long reviews so all I have to say is if you are looking for a good fantasy book in line with Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia then The Exodus Gate is a sure bet.

Can't wait to read book two in the series. Keep them coming.

The end of the world was coming, but almost no one believed it.

A fan of Benedict Darwin, host of a late night radio talk show, loans him what is supposed to be the prototype of a new virtual reality game. Darwin soon realizes this is unlike any game ever known when he steps into the device's elaborate harness and is instantly transported into a world where talking wolf-man hybrids called An-Ki are at war with the Nephilim and demons from the Abyss. The creatures he encounters, and the world they inhabit, are not mere computer constructs, images on wireframe. He can feel the ground beneath his feet, the wind on his face, and smell the odors of a different world.Excited, Darwin shows the game to his niece, Arianna, unwittingly making her a player in the drama that is about to unfold.

It rapidly becomes certain that the Gate was designed for more nefarious purposes than mere entertainment. The game is not a game at all, but a Gate through time and space, allowing Darwin to travel to before the Great Flood. His usage of the Gate attracts the attention of the High Avatar Calliel, who wishes to deliver the An-Ki from their watery doom into the modern world. Darwin learns that there are others, Fallen Avatars who have a similar goal in mind: to cheat Adonai of His Plan to rid the world of the evil that has overtaken it by sending themselves and their Nephilim offspring into the future.

Darwin and his niece are caught up in a growing conflict between the Fallen Avatars and the An-Ki. Unable to prevent the Gate's use by the Fallen, they work to stop the Nephilim, their Masters and minions from obliterating the An-Ki and taking back the power they lost at the Flood.

Stephen Zimmer has given us an epic tale that stretches across millennia and myth. He casts ordinary people in a most extraordinary situation and takes us along for a terrifying and sometimes horrifying ride. The unbridled evil of the Fallen Avatars is echoed in their children, while the An-Ki's noble struggle for survival is often heartbreaking. The hope offered by the presence of the High Avatar Calliel is the only thing that might carry the An-Ki through - if their internal discord can be contained.

The first book of the Rising Dawn Saga, The Exodus Gate is a promising beginning to what will probably be a thrilling trilogy in a style that is a cross between Clark Ashton Smith and C.S. Lewis for its usage of mythic and religious symbols in a fantastic mixture of the ancient and modern worlds.

As mentioned earlier, I could NOT put this book down. I found myself picking it up every free moment I could to follow the exploits of Benedict Darwin. The book is extremely well written and brings an incredibly fresh look at the fantasy sci/fi genre. The characters are created with such depth that by the time you finish the book, you swear that they are in fact real people. Leaves you wanting for the next chapter in this saga. The book is very detailed but is presented in such a way that it doesn't bog down the flow of the story, something rarely seen in today's novels. I highly recommend picking a copy of this up and getting to know the creative work that Stephen Zimmer has produced. CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on the next one......

I know it's a cliche but I couldn't put this book down, I ended up reading it all night and calling in sick to work the next day. The cast of characters is immense, they are being introduced throughout the book and they are all excellently drawn well filled out. There is a good bit of action and build up to even more in the next books but what I loved the most about this book is the way that the author blended several different genres together. You've got Sci/Fi, Fantasy, Techno-Thriller, all rolled up into one and it works. It manages to follow the conventions of all of those genres and still come off fresh. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it.