The War in Heaven (Paperback)

by Theodore Beale (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Christopher Lewis is a boy with potential -- potential for great good...and for great evil. And no one knows that better than Kaym, an angel-lord with incredible power, hell-bent on storming the gates of Heaven. With an army of demons, devils, and dark princes at his side, Kaym needs just one more thing to begin his crusade: the immortal powers hidden within Christopher.

But watching over Christopher is his guardian angel, Mariel. Armed with her flaming sword -- "a marvelous instrument of righteous retribution" -- and a cohort of angels, she will do everything in her power to protect Christopher and banish Kaym and his legions from the throne of the Most High.

Filled with otherworldly creatures and all-out spiritual warfare, The War in Heaven establishes Theodore Beale as a rare talent who successfully blends the Christian and fantasy genres in a dazzling tale of faith and redemption.

About the Author
Theodore Beale is a writer and game designer. His column on electronic games appears weekly in two major newspapers; he is also the producer of the Rebel Moon series and the designer of The War in Heaven, the first Christian 3D action game. In a former incarnation, he was a founding member of the techno band Psykosonik.

He has an avid interest in personal-computer technology, and is involved in efforts to bring 3D game technology to the home real estate market. He plays for the New Brighton Nike soccer club, and his hobbies include reading, weight lifting, and Advanced Squad Leader.

He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he and his family belong to New Beginnings Baptist Church.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (August 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743453441
• ISBN-13: 978-0743453448
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,148,841 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Christian Sci-Fi, May 14, 2000

By	Karen Ortwein (Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War in Heaven (War in Heaven, Bk. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Theodore Beale has written a great science fiction story that most Christians would be delighted to find. The story involves the interaction between humankind, both past and present, with demonic spirits and angels. If you enjoyed the Frank Peretti Christian fiction books, then you will enjoy Eternal Warriors, The War In Heaven. I am already anticipating Book 2 in the series which Mr. Beale says will come out next year.

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very promising first book, August 14, 2002

By	NotATameLion (Michigan) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The War in Heaven (War in Heaven, Bk. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I came as a skeptic of sorts to Theodore Beale's "The War in Heaven." So much of modern "Christian" fiction is neither well done nor Christian. The fact that Beale is represented by the agents who serve a couple of the authors who write some of the books that have given me this negative impression did not speak well to me about the possibility of this book being any different (neither did the cheesy cover artwork-which will soon be thankfully remedied in the forthcoming trade paperback version). How wrong I was...

There are indeed things I do not like about "The War in Heaven." Yet rarely has my heart cried out in joy over a book as it has with this one.

First, the bones I have to pick...

The biggest one is the representation of Kaym. Kaym is the fallen angel that mentors Christopher in the ways of darkness (or light--depending on who is to be believed). Kaym spews all kinds of Nietzschean drivel about power and freedom being beyond good and evil. This is not the part that I dislike. Having subscribed to such folly in my youth, I can see this being a decent angle for a fallen angel to take in the postmodern age. What bugs me about Kaym is his garb. Describing him as wearing Ray-bans is gonna date him, and possibly the book, really fast.

My second bone to pick is the way in which Jami and Holli talk. Beale has hit the nail of how American teens communicate on the head. His dialogue is spot-on. Yet restraint is a good thing. Perhaps a little less of the "ohmigod's" and the "like's" would have been a good thing too.

Bearing these two minor flaws in mind, I still have to give this book my highest recommendation.

Beale proves himself to be a master of imagery. I was surprised to find some truly great moments of what can only be described as mythopoeic storytelling in this book. Ahura Azdha is full of wonders. Beale's remolding of the words from the Bible's second book of Kings about Sennacherib's threats against Hezekiah and Jerusalem in the fictional siege of Chasah is sheer brilliance.

There is a whole lot of meat to this book. Biblical allusion, references to Milton's Paradise Lost, Apocryphal tales-"The War in Heaven" is a real treat. This is redemptive fiction at its most imaginative best.

I urge you to get this book.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is extremely entertaining, but it isn't fluff., May 23, 2005

By	Michael Paul Sanders "random internet stranger" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all, this book is a fantasy book. I don't mean that as a criticism. It's one of the few fiction books I've read lately that actually drew me in to the story. This book reads almost as two books: a simple yet compelling fantasy story for those who are not Christian, and a deep, rich allegory for those who are. If you aren't Christian, don't worry. Unless you can't stand to read about other people praying, you'll still enjoy this story. The characters are vivid, although I must agree with another reviewer that there are a few too many 'likes' uttered in the book. This book doesn't suffer from the biggest problem most Christian fiction does (in my opinion): the refusal to portray evil as evil. Mr. Beale doesn't hesitate to introduce villains with quotes from industrial/goth bands. He doesn't hesitate to show normal folks as venal or mean-spirited. His protagonists aren't perfect, which makes them seem more real to me. The story is well-paced, and kept me turning pages at a rapid clip. Overall, I would recommend this book. Having said that, there are a few minor nitpicks I have. Mr. Beale's style is very distinctive, but it took me a few chapters to get used to it. Also, parts of the book felt a bit rushed. These are very minor things, and may not even be an issue for anyone else. I will say that if you are put off by the style, give it a few chapters. You might just find yourself enthralled like I did. I will recommend this book to my family and friends, and to you out there as well.