Official Review: Spirit of Eden by R.A. Simons
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- Chipochashe
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Official Review: Spirit of Eden by R.A. Simons
Caroline stumbles upon a group of drug dealers while out hiking. Not knowing how much she has witnessed, the dealers run after her. Panic-stricken, Caroline runs even deeper into the woods where she is rescued by a stranger. She senses a gentle spirit in him and so she lets him help her. The stranger introduces himself as Sylvan. He is not human even though his physical form is human. He believes that the Holy Spirit sent him to rescue her because there is a greater task they need to accomplish together. They go about trying to figure out why they have been brought together. They soon discover that there is a terrorist plot in the making. Can they stop it in time? Is it their task to save the human race? This is the story contained in the book Spirit of Eden written by R.A. Simons.
The book starts with Caroline already on the run. This sets a steady pace for the book. The book is written in the third person. The author reveals a bit more about Caroline through her conversations with Sylvan and also in the way that Sylvan sees her, but her character is not quite as well developed. On the other hand, Sylvan seems to take the centre stage. His character is revealed in his actions, conversation and the way Caroline sees him.
What I enjoyed most about the book was the absence of foul language. I always appreciate it when authors can tell a story and keep the foul language away. The book also seems to have been professionally edited. I did not encounter even a single error. The author also skillfully included subjects such as vegetarianism, environment conservation and the folly of human nature.
I did not enjoy the way Sylvan is portrayed. He is in human form but is not human. He is neither Jesus Christ nor the Father. He is not even an angel, yet is so perfect that he does not even feel anger. I could not connect with his character, because I failed to place him in any position that made his character realistic. Jesus Christ lived as a perfect human being, but I can identify better with Him because His humanity can be felt. He could get tempted, angry and show His agony in accepting that He had to die. Sylvan, on the other hand, can accept anything without question. I had also thought that since the book was Christian-based, the fiction would be centred on what the Bible teaches. I could not associate Sylvan with anything from the Bible.
The ending was very unsatisfying for me. This could be a matter of differing doctrinal beliefs. I will not expand more on that as this may review some spoilers. As a result of this and the other reasons mentioned in the paragraph above, I decided to deduct a star. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The way Sylvan was portrayed makes me view this book as more of fantasy. I recommend it to Christians who enjoy fantasy. The erotic scenes only go as far as kissing, so even young adults can read the book.
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Spirit of Eden
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You are welcome Zee_Zee. Thank you for commenting.
- Chipochashe
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You are welcome Michael. Thank you for your comment.
- Chipochashe
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Jesus Christ- God in the flesh. You are welcome. Thanks for commenting Ediomis.Ediomis_Enwongo01 wrote: ↑15 May 2020, 04:05 I think there is a mix-up in the person of Sylvan that the author should have resolved. Based on my belief it is only Jesus Christ that fit into the mould of a mysterious deity-human mix. Thanks for your honest review.
- Chipochashe
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I think you are right on that one. You are welcome NetMassimo. Thanks for your comment.NetMassimo wrote: ↑15 May 2020, 10:19 Honestly, authors of Christian-oriented fiction have the tendency to be heavy-handed with the supernatural elements, and doing so they might end up being quite unorthodox. Thank you for your informative review!
- Chipochashe
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Complex, isn't it? You are welcome. Thank you for commenting Splendour.Splendour0606 wrote: ↑16 May 2020, 11:42 You are so right about Sylvan's character; your review read that Sylvan and Caroline tried to figure out why they met, but he was not human, that definitely means he is a Spirit; are spirits not supposed to know things? I really love this storyline, but Sylvan's character seems to be lost. Thanks for your honest review.
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