Customer Reviews

The Firstborn: A Thriller

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Firstborn--three ancient religious orders gifted with the ability to see past, present, and future--have been divided since the death of Christ. But today, in an era of terrorism and globalization, it has become clear there is an atrocity coming that they must unite to prevent--because it is one of them who will perpetrate it."

This is Conlan Brown's debut novel. It is an exciting, action-oriented story with a strong message. Yet when I read a novel, I am evaluating elements from a technical viewpoint. These elements are not always pertinent with some readers. Thus, I want to point out, if you avoid THE FIRSTBORN strictly because of my criticism, you will be missing out on a good story with a good theme.

The story is imaginative and intelligent, but the writing is unimaginative. Nevertheless, Conlan Brown fans, before you come at me with pitchforks, let me explain. From a technical perspective, the writing itself is not creative. Bland description and characterization are prominent throughout. The novel feels like it was written in a hurry. There are several instances in which Brown uses the same word or phrase to describe an action or emotion. A few examples: Characters "expertly" do something with high frequency. When they are angry, they "clench fists." When they are scared, they "shake" or "quiver." When there is confrontation requiring communication, they state "We need to talk." When a character gets hit in the mid-section, he falls to the ground with "air escaping his lungs." Again, I am reading from a technical perspective. Many readers will overlook this repetition.

Some of the fight scenes are confusing, as it's not always easy to discern which character is doing what, or what exactly is happening. In one scene, I am led to believe a gun is knocked away from a character, only to be fired several times by that same character a few seconds later, without having been retrieved. There are other examples, but it is not the goal of this review to be negative.

The story is predictable, but I do not necessarily consider this a negative with FIRSTBORN, because the storyline itself lends to predictability due to the nature of the plot. It is largely a rapid description of events, chronicling the struggle of religious groups with supernatural abilities to thwart terrorism in America.

It is interesting to experience the hypocrisy among the characters, as they strive to create peace in the world, each believing their way is the right way, yet commit horrific acts of violence to promote that peace. I admired observing how characters dealt with conflicting desires and overcoming obstacles such as selfishness and pride. Even as disparate as some individuals (or groups) are, there are times when people need to act together, despite those differences, to accomplish a common purpose. FIRSTBORN is a wonderful story exemplifying this message.

[Rating: 1-5 Stars]
Plot: 3
Character: 3
Dialog: 3
Setting: 3
Theme: 4

Conlan has crafted a compelling story along the lines of such talent as Bronleewe, Dekker and Parrish. I am truly impressed. The creativity of this story combined with a believable plot that twists around world problems in existence today is profound. This story breathes life and truth rather than destruction. Seriously. Don't let the creepy cover fool you.

Yeah, there are dark people in this story, but there is also light and self-sacrifice. Serving God rather than ourselves is a major theme, and showing just how misguided people can be when they think they know best rather than consulting God can be disastrous. This novel really makes you think. It's scary, bloody and a bit gross, but not without purpose. It's a man's man book, yet this wuss enjoyed it, too. Why? Because I enjoy an intelligent book with symbolism and truth interspersed throughout the plot.

I didn't see false doctrine or new age teaching, just a storyworld with clearly fabricated spiritual gifts (this is fiction) that conveyed a real life lesson Christians need to read about and hopefully allow into their hearts. The end doesn't always justify the means, but following the God of Love is crucial. Conlan did a great job showing these things without distorting the heart of the Scriptures. Bravo!

One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. I could not put it down, and can't wait for the sequel. If you like a well written story filled with action and smart twists I definitely recommend this book. I will be looking for more books by Conlan Brown

The Firstborn starts out with a rescue mission. Devin Bathurst is having visions of a kidnapped woman. He uses this sight to try and rescue her before she is killed. The scenes volley back and forth between Devin, the woman, and the kidnappers. Then we discover that the woman, Hannah, has a similar gift. She can see where a man has been, his past deeds. This leads us to the clever premise of the Firstborn, descentents of those who were rasised from the dead when Christ died on the cross. The Firstborn fall into three orders: Prima, Ora, and Domani. Those that can see the past, present, and future.

But the Firstborn has grown paranoid over the years, each order fearing the other, and one man is trying to take over. Can Devin manage to follow God's will or his own to fight against what lies ahead?

I thought this premise was brilliant. It's like, what if there were Christian mobsters? How would they act? What choices might they make? The story is fast-paced, action-packed, and gripping. The writing style was a bit jolting at first. Brown uses sentence fragments a lot and jumps from one point of view to another. But once it got going, I was hooked. I really liked Brown's characters, especially the play between Devin and John. If you're looking for a new suspense read, look no further. I'm excited to see what Conlan Brown comes up with next.

There are times that people say something along the lines of, "this book was so good I couldn't put it down." For me, with this book, I literally couldn't put it down and I read it cover to cover in one night. It's that good!

Imagine if you could cross John Piper with J.K. Rowling - OK, that's icky. Imagine if you could cross the theology of John Piper with the creativity and writing talents of J.K. Rowling - what you'd get is the incredible writing ability and style of Conlan Brown.

Set in the modern day, The Firstborn is a fictional tale (I think) of three groups of Christians who have similar but different spiritual gifts. Some see visions of the past, some see visions of the present and some see visions of the future. Each group distrusts the other groups because they don't understand each others giftings and so are threatened by them.

Brown skilfully weaves a story of terrorists, kidnappings and power struggles with fear, mistrust and animosity and shows through it all how love, faith and obedience conquer all and are more important than anything else.

Walking the reader through opposing, yet very true to life, religious and political viewpoints and exposing some of the harsh realities of life in some countries today, Brown paints a picture that we can all relate to and learn from.

My wife and I generally figure that there are two kinds of books: The 'should read's' (non-fiction) and the `want to read's' (fiction). Somehow, Conlan Brown has made this a `want to read' while at the same time creating a work which I would without a doubt put on the 'should read' list.

If you can read this expertly written, thrilling, fast-paced, gripping story and come away without a greater sense of the need for unity within the Church and without a greater desire to love your enemies, I will be very shocked!

I had 7 hours of flight time over this week. I started and finished Firstborn in those 7 hours. It was such a great read I couldn't put it down. I devoured it quickly. I absolutely love it. I read a lot, but I have never read a book written like this. Most fiction I read is written from a first person narrative. I loved they way the story moved from narrating from different peoples point of view. Like the movie "vantage point" the narrative move from person to person. It was refreshing. I loved it. I can't wait to see what happens next.

The Firstborn by Conlan Brown is what appears to be the first in a series of gifted individuals trying to do God's will here on earth. Devin Bathurst is a member of the Domani, one of three groups who view the world in a unique way. The Domani can see the future, the Ora the present, and the Prima the past. Devin races against time to rescue a young woman who has been kidnapped. Once she's safe, he discovers that the woman, Hannah Rice, is the granddaughter of the patriarch of the Prima . The two of them are soon on their way to a meeting of the three sects who normally never intermingle, but threats from the outside are causing some of them to want an Overseer to be in charge of all three groups. Devin, Hannah, along with rogue Ora John Temple are pressed hard to stop several terrorist plots while trying to figure out who is their enemy and who is a friend. I had a hard time at first getting into this debut novel. There are a few places that would have been served by a bit more polish, but once the action started, I literally could not turn the pages fast enough! Brown provides a great deal of insight into the point of view of each of the three groups, and those perceptions transfer to reality as well. Those who are focused on the future tend not to worry as much about immediate needs. Present minded people tend to live for the moment without worrying about consequences, and those living in the past can become depressed and apathetic. The action is brutal and well-written. I could see it all playing out in front of me. The characters are interesting and definitely worth following into future entries in the series.

I have not read many Christian thrillers so was delighted to have a new idea presented. You may have come across this idea before but I haven't so bear with me. The idea ~ that those who were raised from the dead by Jesus after the crucifixion (Matthew 27:52) continue with their life on earth but because they have seen paradise, they continue to experience time out of time. This gift they pass on to their descendants who gradually divide into three groups, called the Firstborn. Some see the future, some what is going on right now, and some see the past. Because of their differences they gradually break apart and stop trusting each other but all continue to think that their purpose in life is to keep the world safe. It's the present time and Palestinian terrorists are threatening the children of America. Three members of the Firstborn plus one new member must stop the terrorists and at the same time keep the Firstborn from disintegrating and destroying themselves. The book moves quickly from one character to the next which helps to increase the tension of the story. Their characteristics are well developed and continue to develop throughout the story which I like, a growing character adds tension and interest. Little twists and turns help to keep the suspense building but I must admit that I didn't care for some of the very graphic torture details. Adjectives and adverbs abound in this thriller making it all the more exciting to read. I read this book through in one afternoon, constantly waiting for the next twist. Definitely a sign of a good book. I am giving this 4 stars.

For a first novel, Conlan Brown sure knows how to keep a reader captivated! I was hooked from page one and felt starved until I wrapped it up late last night. What a story!

"The Firstborn" chronicles the...well...the firstborn. Gifted in one of three ways: hindsight, foresight, or insight, they came into being at the time of Christ's death.

Since then, the three have parted ways. No longer united, they are also no longer effective for what they were born for.

Until the murder of a Muslim holy man draws the three factions together. A terrorist plot of horrific proportions is planned, and some of those with foresight have glimpsed it.

Can the Prima, the Domina, and the Ora pull together? Who is The Thresher? Who will be The Overseer? And what will come of this terrorist plot?

With a jump start kidnapping in the opening pages to a cataclysmic conclusion, Conlan had me from the introduction...and these days, it's hard to get my attention! I highly anticipate more great novels from this gifted author.

If you're a fan of speculative fiction, you'll love this book. If you're a fan of "Heroes", you'll devour this novel. If you just love playing 'what if'...take a chance on "The Firstborn".

I truly believe you'll be glad you did. I'm giving this debut five out of five bookmarks, with a family tree as a chart. My only complaint was the plethora of characters, and keeping the families straight...but that's minor for a "Heroes" fan!

Check out Conlan's site and watch some intro videos for a sneak peek into the world of "The Firstborn"!

For someone who thought he knew all there was to know about the Trinity symbol, the story didn't with the story, it started with an explanation of what the symbol is by origin. Prettys tunning, to be honest. When you start reading the story, you find out why the explanation was necessary. Three groups of people, each from a different brother in an ancient family. One group can see the past. The next can see current happenings. The last can see the future. All of them as visions. Yet all of the current generation hate the next group with equal passion. And then a murder happens and they're forced to be together, set aside meaningless grudges and use what they have to help each other solve the murder mystery, only none of anything is what it appears to be.
The terrorists seem predictable considering our current times (why does it always have to be Muslims and no one else?), so the heroes are prevalently more interesting than the villains at all. So there goes a good balance. However, it gets really interesting when one of each group decide to trust each other no matter what. And one of them has the innocence of a child despite being a young adult. Plus, a group of people who were a part of the Firstborn, yet no longer are interested due to the dealing of politics, so, even in spite of how they view religion, are more trustworthy than most others. The pacing is quite good, the action is top-notch, the vision parts are real good, and the different twists were worth the read, especially with how it all shows the depth of each character. This was definitely checking out and I can't wait to check out the second book.