Noah Primeval (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 1) [Kindle Edition]

Brian Godawa (Author)

Book Description

This is not your Sunday School Noah's Ark.

Noah Primeval is a speculative retelling of the beloved story of Noah for a new generation. In an ancient world submerged in darkness, fallen angels rule as gods, and breed giants and monsters. Mankind is enslaved to evil. Noah, a tribal leader, has been prophesied to bring an end to the rule of these "gods" and save humanity from coming destruction. But Noah's wife and son are captives of these dark forces. To rise against this supernatural evil and rescue his family Noah will need an equally supernatural army. But why has God told him to build a huge box out of gopher wood?

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Godawa is known as an author who both entertains and educates. Inspired by Michael Crichton's novels, Godawa has adapted his Hollywood screenwriting background into his prose style to create a reading experience that is like watching a movie.

Also similar to Crichton, Godawa has sought to provide the scholarly research that undergirds the fictional adventure. Noah Primeval has an additional 100 pages of special appendixes that provide an explanation of Biblical concepts in the novel such as the Divine Council, the Nephilim, Leviathan, and the ancient Mesopotamian Cosmography in the Bible.

Noah Primeval is written in the spirit of the book of Enoch, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings, blending fantasy and mythopoeia with history to retell the Biblical narrative with a fresh perspective, while staying true to the original spirit of the story.

From the Back Cover

"Wizard schools and teen vampires are child's play. This is the origin of sorcery and vampire tales. Noah Primeval will keep you on the edge of your seat with its primal struggle of good and evil. It reads like a blockbuster movie!"
- Ralph Winter, Producer, X-Men, Planet of the Apes

"A great, spiritual fantasy full of thought and imagination. The cinema-like action and suspense will keep you turning pages until you are finished, while the themes and concepts will remain long after you're done."
- Bill Myers - Bestselling Author, The God Hater

"Godawa captures the spiritual and theological truth behind the biblical story of Noah with an action packed fantasy adventure that reminded me of C. S. Lewis' Narnia, or the graphic novel The Watchmen."
- Leonard Sweet, best-selling author, professor, Drew University, George Fox University

"A stirring tale of gods and men that confronts us with biblical reality through mythical fantasy. Noah Primeval is what Tolkien called "sanctifying myth" that we need in our own place and time."
- Michael S. Heiser, PhD, Hebrew and Semitic Languages
Academic Editor, Logos Bible Software

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 901 KB
• Print Length: 396 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0615550789
• Publisher: Embedded Pictures Publishing; 2 edition (October 22, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005YHZBZS
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,125 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #3 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Religious Fiction > Biblical
  • #4 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction > Biblical Fiction
  • #38 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Religious Fiction > Science Fiction & Fantasy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it November 17, 2011

By JAH

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had listened to an interview with Godawa on Derek Gilbert's "View From The Bunker" webcast and it caught my interest. I'm about half-way through the book and can't put it down. Very well done. Good plot.

While I love the story so far, the theology is going to take some time to sort through. But, so far, I haven't found anything that contradicts scripture despite being a largely "extra-Biblical" novel. Godawa has woven scriptural principles throughout while combining Biblical, Apochryphal writings and an edgy reimagination of pre-flood Noah and the depraved world he lived in.

I would like to emphasize he paints a new picture of Noah compared to traditional views (which the Bible has not defined either, these traditional views are just tradition.) But, he does not redefine Biblical Principles of faith and righteousness and good and evil.

So far, I give it 5 stars.

Continued...After finishing the book, (I actually finished the book the day after I wrote the original review, sorry for the delay) I still love it. I would keep the 5 stars that I gave it half-way through.

It's a fast paced book that reads like a screen play. It left me wanting more, I think that's a good thing? For the past month I have been continuing research on the subjects of the novel, I appreciate the information and leads the author provided in the appendices. I love a book that brings something new to the table and this book left me with some concepts that I had to dig deeper and research. I probably will be looking into this stuff for a while.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series, I'll definitely read it.

Disclosure: I did receive an offer for 2 free Kindle versions of Noah Primeval for friends from the author for reviewing the book.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Peter Jackson to Direct the Movie December 2, 2011

By Derek P. Gilbert

Format:Paperback

Brian Godawa transforms the grandfatherly, gray-bearded Noah of Sunday School stories into a warrior chief who'd give Conan the Barbarian a good fight and won't take orders from anyone -- not even Yahweh. Working with the little the Bible actually tells us about Noah the man, Godawa fills "Noah Primeval" with details that are admittedly speculative, but within the bounds of Christian theology.

And why not? The Bible has all of the elements a gifted author needs: Angels, demons, monsters, sorcerers, mighty kings, powerful warriors, gods, demigods, love, sacrifice, heroism, betrayal, and epic battles. Godawa's skill as a scriptwriter is evident; the novel unfolds like scenes on a big screen, and there are moments you will recognize as the place you'd stand and cheer in a movie theater.

Others have favorably compared "Noah Primeval" to "The Lord of the Rings", and I would as well. Imagine Methuselah and Tubal-Cain as Legolas and Gimli, and you have the idea.

It's a fresh and exciting take on a story we think we know. And for those who want more background, Godawa has included appendices in the back third of the book that delve into the mystery of the Nephilim and recent research into the Divine Council -- a concept that will change your understanding of the Old Testament.

Highly recommended, especially for teens who may appreciate Godawa's high-energy approach to the story -- enough, hopefully, to read the scholarly research into the history behind it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Noah Primeval: Chronicles of the Nephilim Book I December 8, 2011

By Glenn

Format:Paperback

A tremendous book on a subject that has interested me for years. Godawa has a great ability to capture the imagination and draw you in with what most likely is closer to the truth than what we have believed. It sheds new light on many puzzling passages of Scripture. It is a book that is hard to put down. Looking forward to more.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Boatloads Of Stuff Great Stories Are Made Of February 6, 2012

By Steve Taylor TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I can't remember when I read a book that contained such an exciting story. It contained heroes, villains, monsters, demons, angels, adventure, suspense, thrills, war and a plot that is much more unpredictable then one would expect. The tag line is "This is not your Sunday School Noah's Ark" which is either a crack on Sunday School or a comment on how different this version really is. I think it's the latter. In this version Noah is a young man that is leader of a nomadic tribe that worships the True God (Elohim) and hides from the evil world that is controlled by fallen angels that have set themselves up as gods. Not only are the demons and demigods bad news the demons have mated with women to create the giant Nephilim and even bred animals with humans to create a superior race of soldiers. Noah and his small band are way outnumbered and outweaponed. Does this stop Noah? Read the book and find out.

As for the Biblical interpretations of Brian Godawa I'm not buying most of it (not because of Sunday School but because of my own research into the fascinating topic). He explains some things before the story starts and has given over 100 pages of theology at the end of the book to explain where he has received his viewpoints. I give him a hearty thumbs up for the explanations even though I disagree with a lot of them. Brian has also written an extensive and informative article entitled "Retelling Biblical Stories for a Modern Audience". The link on his website doesn't work but if you search the title it will come up. I suggest reading it if you question whether this book is for you (or even if you don't). In my opinion this book is more of a fantasy then reality but as any good Jewish/Christian fiction should be, God should be lifted up and evil exposed for what it really is.... This book clearly does both of these.

Brian originally wrote this story as a screenplay but then decided to turn it into a book to get the interest going. To do this story as a movie correctly it would fall into the BIG budget category. When reading this book it's easy to picture it as a movie, however it would be more graphic then I would be willing to watch. It would be hard to keep the rating under NC-17 or at the R level. I didn't find the book necessarily graphic but what one can creatively work around in novel form it may not be so easy to do on the big screen.

Highly recommended.

1 Star = Pathetic
2 Stars = Fair
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

For those who give me a negative vote on my review please comment and let me know why. I'd like to improve my reviews so they can be helpful to those who read them. Please understand I choose not to give a synopsis of the book because it's already given at the top of the books page. In doing so too many reviewers give away too much of the plot. Thank you. Read more ›

More About the Author

Brian Godawa is the screenwriter for the award-winning feature film, To End All Wars, starring Kiefer Sutherland. It was awarded the Commander in Chief Medal of Service, Honor and Pride by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, won the first Heartland Film Festival by storm, and showcased the 2003 Cannes Film Festival Cinema for Peace.

Most recently, he wrote and directed the documentary Wall of Separation for PBS, Lines That Divide: The Great Stem Cell Debate for CBC Network, and School's Out: Political Correctness Vs. Academic Freedom for Boulevard Pictures. He also adapted to film the bestselling supernatural novel The Visitation by best-selling author Frank Peretti for Ralph Winter (X-Men, Wolverine).

Mr. Godawa's scripts have won multiple awards in such screenplay competitions as Carl Sautter, The Nicholl Fellowship, Austin Heart of Film, Fade-In, Worldfest, Writer's Network, Chesterfield Writer's Film Project, Columbus Discovery Awards and Reader's Digest Screenplay Competition.

He gives lectures at high schools and colleges on screenwriting, as well as the art of watching and writing movies. He has had his articles on movies and philosophy published in magazines around the world, most recently winning First Place from the EPA for his article on the philosophy of The Matrix.

His popular book, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment (InterVarsity Press) is used as a textbook in schools around the country. His book Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story and Imagination (IVP) addresses the power of image and story in the pages of the Bible to transform the Christian life. His new novel series, the saga Chronicles of the Nephilim is an imaginative retelling of the primeval history of Genesis, the secret plan of the fallen Watchers, and the War of the Seed of the Serpent with the Seed of Eve.

His main website is www.godawa.com.
His novel website is www.ChroniclesoftheNephilim.com
Details on his books, articles and seminars can be found at www.hollywoodworldviews.com