Customer Reviews

Nephilim: The Truth is Here (Nephilim Series Vol. 1)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

It is very clear to me after reading through the reviews, "Nephilim" is quickly dismissed by those that want to believe their own innocent (and equally unprovable) ideas about UFOs... And it is loved by those that either simply enjoy good "fiction" or by those that have truly studied Biblical prophecy. Hmmmm... either way a book that is only loved or hated deserves to be read. In the case of "Nephilim", it unearths some possibilities that are intriguing.

I quickly dismiss the criticisms from the UFO lovers community because this book steps all over their romantic notions of UFOs. The fact that they hate it is all the more reason to read it.

For the Prophecy community, the more steeped in scripture you are the more slowly you will be apt to dismiss the theory surrounding the storyline. Nothing L.A. Marzulli comes up with in this book is able to be disproved by a sole on this planet.

Regarding the use of the Book of Enoch, don't be too quick to be offended... This book was found in the caves of Kumran along with the rest of the Old Testament books that sealed the near thousand-year gap from Christ's birth to the King James translation. It has massive credibility.

The Left Behind series has been excellent and biblically accurate reading so far. "Nephilim" goes one deep step further in attempting to answer the question that "Left Behind" seems to gloss over - how will those left behind be deceived regarding what really happened at the rapture?

Cheers Marzulli! For a first time effort, "Nephilim" is BRILLIANT!

I have been a UFO buff since my youth (around 30 years ago) and entered a quest (then) for the truth with an open mind. I read magazines and 100s of books on the subject, before I came to my own conclusion. My conclusion is much the same as the one that is expressed in This Book Nephilim; and it is obvious to me that the Author L. A. Marzulli has read the same kind of source materiel and documentary evidence that I have over the years; he has done his homework as one of the reviewers already said. On top of that this is an excellent book, its very exciting, and is like a roller costar ride from cover to cover. It also sets out to teach and I think does a great job at that. I won't give away the plot but I will say that those who have made up thre minds that UFOs our are friendly space brothers need to read this book desperately also I would say any and everyone interested in the UFO and Alien Phenomena should read this book.

What a great cross between science fiction and Christian fiction! I am hard to please in both genres, but Nephilim delivers good "aliens among us" suspense combined with a demonic plot to destroy Christianity. The main character "Mac" is a middle aged reporter who has lost his faith for the past two years following the death of his son and the breakup of his marriage. He has fled to the bottle for his comfort, and is on the brink of losing his damaged career entirely. Mac gets a chance for the story of his career, involving secret government installations and mysterious claims of alien abduction. He travels to Israel to see the remains of an almost-human giant referred to in the Bible as "Nephilim." His lukewarm interest turns into commitment to saving the world. The characterization is excellent. The plot is far-fetched, but hey--this is science fiction. So...get this book and sit back in your easy chair for an enjoyable mini-vacation!

L. A. Marzulli, Nephilim: The Truth Is Here (Zondervan, 1999)

I have no idea what sort of odd conjunction has been having me reading so much Christian fiction this month. I had no idea what Nephilim was when I put it on hold at the library, and after picking it up and reading the back, I figured this would be an easy one: bite off fifty pages in an hour, hate it, throw it against the wall, write a scathing review of any Christian book that doesn't know how to correctly interpret Genesis 6:4 on its back cover.

More fool me.

Nephilim, which is an obvious satire on/parody of/homage to The X-Files given the subtitle, is the most subtle piece of Christian fiction I've read since the last time I picked up a Madeleine L'Engle novel. Marzulli's raison d'etre is to tell his story, and the preaching never once gets in the way of it, not even during the main character's conversion to Christianity halfway through the novel. This fact alone is enough to put it head and shoulders over most of the other modern Christian fiction I've found in my hands.

Second, it does address the differing interpretation of Genesis 6:4, and while the evidence used to back it up fills only a single paragraph in a four-hundred-fifty-page book, it's evidence that at the very least Marzulli realized that the interpretation he was using as the basis for the novel's action was controversial enough that he had to justify it at all.

Third, the novel does, in fact, have a plot. Art "Mac" MacKenzie is a former LA Times reporter who's been down on his luck since the death of his son, Art Jr. He's gotten divorced and turned into a hardcore drunk who gets just enough freelance assignments from the paper to pay the rent and keep him in Grand Marnier (those must be some nicely-paying freelance assignments; the guy buys it by the case). One day, the bone he gets thrown is to cover the opening of a new wing of a local hospital. While doing so, he hears rumors about the government keeping alien abductees on the sixth floor. What he finds when he sneaks back in sends him halfway around the world, unsure of whom to trust, to find out whether the so-called aliens are really extraterrestrials or demons working to subvert the second coming of Christ.

No, there's nothing new here in the wonderful world of the paranormal. Not that there usually is. But Marzulli's writing is solid and readable, his characters are well-enough drawn to at least make an attempt at three dimensions (well, most of them, anyway), and while the ending is predictable, that's only the case because of the novel's Christian slant (one assumes the author will not have his just-converted protagonist go breaking the seventh commandment at will, and one is not disappointed).

Certainly not the best book I've ever read in either the world of Christian fiction (L'Engle, of course, towers over most other authors of modern Christian fiction; she's easily in the same league with Francois Mauriac and his contemporaries) or paranormal/sci-fi action (early stuff by Greg Bear, especially Eon and Blood Music, are recommended for the Marzulli fan who wants to branch out), but it clicks very nicely on both levels, and left me wanting to read the other two books in the trilogy. *** ½

Nephilim is one of the better of the Christian-Fiction genre. I found it more engaging than the Left Behind series but not as good as The Oath by Frank Peretti. The premise is similar to other ancient-astronaut spin-offs but a few nice surprises along the way equal an overall good rating. I hope a sequel is in the making. For a serious look at the same subject I highly recommend Tom Horn's book, The Gods Who Walk Among Us, also available from Amazon.com

This book molds the stuff of UFO conspiracy theorists into an imaginative tale of fallen angels disguised as alien beings. As the story begins the main character, Mac, is in the middle of a long and difficult personal journey. As the plot unfolds, Mac reluctantly assumes the mantle of hero in his search for the truth about the evidence uncovered by two Israeli archaeologists suggesting Nephilim, or a race of giants, did exist in ancient times. If you rooted for the underdog when David fought Goliath, then you'll follow every step of Mac's journey with great interest!

One line in the Bible has caused many learned people to scratch their heads and wonder what it means. That line is Genesis 6 verse 2, which refers to the "sons of God" or the Nephilim, whose illicit intercourse with the "daughters of men" was one of the factors that lead to the Great Flood. Theories about who or what they are have burned the air waves on talk shows and interrupted more than one Sunday School lesson.

In this thought provoking novel, the author tackles it head on with clarity and a well thought out theory. In NEPHILIM, we are offered the possibility that they are not demons or giants, but aliens. This aeons old secret is discovered by a burnt out alcholic reporter, Mac Mackenzie when he finds a hysterical patient in a secret psychiatric ward in a new hospital. She has wild tales of alien impregnation that spark a news story that opens a hornet's nest of an international and perhaps beyond level.

Following the trail leads Mac to the Holy Land where he meets a group of Messianic Jews who have a frightening tale for him. The Nephilim are returning, bent on once more engendering hybrids between themselves and humans, causing events that could lead to an all out war between the powers that be, one that could very well end life on Earth, as it did when they first came. Mac finds that he must recover the faith he abandoned to join his new friends in stopping this event. Yet, the end might only be the beginning.

***** If you loved the X files at its best or have ever wondered about that verse in Genesis, you will be riveted to the pages of this book. It is far more frightening and plausible than the Left Behind series, and each hypothesis is backed up with scriptures that give it an added realism. Mac is not a perfect hero one might expect to find in an inspirational book but a man scarred by earning a Phd in the school of hard knocks. Only the hope that is given will keep this from being the scariest thing you have read in a while. *****

This book is pretty good. The story revolves around an alcoholic freelance writer, Art "Mac" MacKenzie, who gets an assignment to cover the opening of a mental hospital. He winds up, secretly, on the military run top floor and interviews a woman who claims her baby was abducted by aliens. From there, he gets contacted by a general who goes by the name of "Roswell" (Really!) who sends him to Israel. There he sees the reamains of a giant skeleton, found in a secret room beneath the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. There is a direct relation to this skeleton and the current appearances of aliens, or so claim the Israeli archaeologists, Elisha and Uri.

The two archaeologists give him differing theories as to what is going on. The older one is inclined to believe that they are manifestations of Biblical demons, while the younger believes they are benevolent aliens.

Uri accompanies Mac to America, where there is the obligatory visit to a "remote Air Force base in Nevada". Note: this book ends with some unresolved issues, so obviously, the author plans a sequel, but otherwise it is a good read.

I loved this book. It was an easy read and moved very quickly, but still had time to promote character development. I especially enjoyed the main character, Mac, finding his faith and learning how to fight the Fallen Ones with The Spirit of God, not by might nor power.

I thouroughly enjoy when real-to-life characters, like Mac, who are broken and mistake-ridden, find their faith in Jesus in fictional books, creating a unique story like so many of the fables that Jesus told. This book deserves to be in every Christian Church library.

The story takes a interesting twist on the UFO and alien subject that many people are interested in today. I would be interested to see more of this story line continued by the author. The Great Deception has only begun!

This book was a real page turner - I read it straight through in one sitting...which meant I read until 5 AM but it was worth it! I felt that the book was well written, and was very well based biblically. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, the plot was fantastic! Yes, it does have a Christian angle, but a very well thought out angle, and in my opinion, a very plausible answer to UFO's in general. I would recommend this book to anyone...I cannot remember when I enjoyed a book this much. I really hope that a sequel comes out SOON! Enjoy!