Customer Reviews

Heroes Of Old: Heroes Series--Book 1

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As I began reading, the story of earth's past pulled me through the episodes of the present. The story of No (Noah) and his life was a bit tedious for me (younger readers may feel differently), but the story of Henna was so skillfully woven through the story that I read on if only to find out how her story and that of No would intertwine.

The characters of "The Faction" - past or present - were a little too "X-Men" for my taste but the author's imagination and originality won me over to a great extent. The Christian themes are well presented and overlay the stories of past and present and are enjoyable.

The real talent the writer has is his creation of a "hidden" history of the conflict between good and evil through the ages. I felt this was the best display of his imagination and ability. The stories of Henna, "The Unknown Prophet" and the Cult of Canaan are delivered with skill and originality. These episodes give scope to the story as a whole and although the latest incarnation of "The Faction" hasn't been called to action yet, the reader is given the backstory for the "how" and the "why" of their fellowship. The reader will want to buy the next book in the series to continue the journey.

This is good Christian fiction. I thought the work needed better editing (probably self-published) and No's life story were a bit tedious for me. On the whole, a very good tale.

Fun, exciting, and very well written.Heroes Of Old: Heroes Series--Book 1Spirit Of Heroes: Heroes Series - Book 2Sanctuary of Heroes: Heroes Series - Book 3 (Heroes Series')

Worldview: Christian. Good vs. evil with redemption themes.

Caution: Graphic violence described. Sexual misdeeds are mentioned (not described).

This king-sized tale has been described as "X-Men Meets the Bible."

Here's the gist of the story: Peleg, a few generations removed from Noah, is still alive in our era. Across the millennia he has, over and over again, assembled a group of seven heroes with super powers, gifts from the Lord. Their assignment is to oppose the Nephilim, or giants, which are briefly referred to in Genesis. Young has answered the question, "Who are the Nephilim?"

Two parallel stories are told: one of the origins of the evil Nephilim, and the other of a modern Christian teenager named Noah, who discovers he has special powers (actually gifts). Peleg recruits him for the Faction, which sounds very much like the X-Men. Young Noah learns that he will have a key role to play in the struggle with the Nephilim--he is mentioned by name in an ancient prophecy.

Because of the self-publishing, this story has an unfinished quality to it--mainly some consistent spelling errors. It would benefit from editing. (I would suggest avoiding Peleg's first person narration-it spoils the suspense.)

It is a lively, well-told, memorable story. It will appeal to my 16-year-old boys, I am sure. In fact, I think it would work best in another medium, as a movie and/or a graphic novel. I can see it becoming quite popular. I hope Young pushes harder for a wider audience.--Phyllis Wheeler

Not as exciting as The King's Blade but still a very solid book. There are intense battles, memorable characters and funny scenes. A book that, while not perfect, still does a good job of entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Heroes of Old and simply put awesome! An interesting fantasy that delves into the "what ifs" of the Bible and Christianity in ways that blow you away and make you want to keep reading. It is not like any other Christian fiction book I read so far. It left me itching to read the next in the series and I am sure it will do the same to you. This book is a good read for anyone looking for an intriguing Christian story!

For Christians and even non-Christians, Book 1 of Heroes of Old is a wild ride that will leave you gasping for breath. In addition to the action and suspense, this is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you've finished it, as your mind digests the messages that are both surface and subliminal. I was thorougly impressed by this unusual and original work of fantasy.

Heroes of Old is a great blend of Biblical, Middle Age and modern adventure, intrigue and action--yet with a poignancy missing from so much of today's fantasy. Jay Young has done a tremendous job of weaving a story covering a time span measured in millenia that keeps the dream intact over the ages. A must read for fantasy lovers!

As both an author and reader of fiction, I was impressed with Heroes of Old. Maybe it is because I have always enjoyed a book that could hold my attention and make me think at the same time. In a nutshell, the characters are believable and yet a little out of the ordinary and the story line interesting. Give this book a try.
Tommy Taylor

From what little I knew of Jay, I had high expectations for the book. I was not let down and all I can say is Wow! The MC had me drawn in immediately. I went from laughing out loud several times to being drawn into a battle with unique "heroes" of incredible powers created by an awesome imagination. His blend of bible story with battles will keep you wanting more! I can say that I wrapped up book #1 with immediately opening up book #2. Thanks for a truly new and inventive story, Jay!
June Kramin, MN

It's difficult to achieve a sound narrative while at the same time weaving in and out of various epochs for the purpose of establishing the storyline. In other books the writer can get entangled in what turns out to be a confusing story where a solid base of characters is not presented, thus making a problematic reading experience.

This is, however, not a problem with Heroes of Old; on the contrary, Jay Young does an outstanding job of setting the narrative in several different epochs which include a gripping ancient epoch, a medieval one set in the time of the Fourth Crusade and finally one which is set in modern times. Each epoch offers a genuine and unique storyline while also tying the story together as it develops with intriguing twists and turns.

As this is the first in a series of books by Mr. Young, the first book is at times not the most exciting, as it needs to establish the plot. Once again, this is not so with Heroes of Old. Of course pages are devoted to setting the backdrop... but there's also several pages of exciting battles, funny stories, and perhaps most enjoyable... the mysteries the reader tries to piece together prior to reaching Chapter 11, whereupon the author sheds some light on the subject.

The characters in this book leave an impression on the reader. The author is very original with each person's "story." I found myself picturing Subaran, a mighty warrior from the east, Simon, a likeable guy who befriends No (short for Noah) in the modern epoch, and Sabrina, a Goth (or as I like to call them head banger) who also has impressive powers and helps with No's training once he becomes a member of the elusive group that is The Faction. Point is, the characters are memorable and their stories exciting.

I see this book attracting a wide range of people... from history buffs to fiction readers; it has both, and blends them with impressive technique. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the second book, Spirit of Heroes.