SYNOPSIS
Speculative Biblical Epic by Brian Godawa
The beloved story of Noah re-imagined for a new generation. This is the tale of an ancient world submerged in darkness. Fallen angels breed giants and demigods that enslave mankind. 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 is a broken hero, a defeated warrior, short on faith and long on remorse as his wife and son are captives of these dark forces. To rise against this supernatural evil and rescue his family he will need his faith restored and the backing of an equally supernatural army.
While this book is a speculative retelling of the Biblical Noah (we are not told much about him in the Bible), it is based upon historical and biblical research into the time period as well as other ancient Sumerian and Hebrew literature. All the fantasy elements in the novel are drawn from biblical images and concepts interacting with their ancient Mesopotamian culture. Several appendixes at the back of the book provide an explanation of some of the concepts such as the divine council, the Nephilim, Leviathan, and the ancient Mesopotamian Cosmography in the Bible.
Characters
Noah
A warrior patriarch of a nomadic clan who refuses to worship the pagan gods of the land. But he is also a proud man, who prefers to avoid evil and be left alone so he can live in peace with his tribe. But he can have no peace because the fallen angels have discovered the revelation of Enoch and believe him to be the Chosen One to bring an end to their reign of terror. Noah goes on the classical hero’s journey to rediscover a life of faith in a world of evil that has impending doom.
Emzara
Noah’s faithful wife. Emzara is captured by the evil forces of the pagan priest-king Lugal-anu who tries to seduce her into being his queen over the city of Erech. Emzara is an honorable woman who loves her husband and family with passionate loyalty. But when she thinks her family and husband are dead, she is tempted by the majesty and splendor of a grand kingdom. Will she remain true or will she give in to the seduction?
Anu and Inanna
The chief god of the land and his consort goddess. They preside over the city Erech. Actually, they are fallen angels from God’s own divine council who seek to overthrow God’s kingdom by polluting mankind and creation through occultic sorceries, idolatry and the breeding of Nephilim, the giant warriors that resulted from interbreeding with angels and human woman. But they are also part of a pantheon who have petty squabbles amongst themselves in the quest for power. Their goal is to find Noah and kill him because Enoch’s prophecy is that Noah will end their rule as gods and bring judgment upon the earth.
Uriel
Noah’s Guardian archangel. Uriel is a powerful warrior angel who is handsome and skilled at the art of war. But he is also a bit of a sarcastic sidekick to Noah, because he does not have a lot of respect for Noah and does not do a good job of persuading Noah to accept his calling. Uriel becomes a bodyguard who trails Noah, protecting him from his own mistakes and hubris, but he also has a thing or two to learn about God’s mysterious will.
Lugal-Anu
The Priest-king of the city-state Erech and its god Anu, who killed Noah’s tribe, captured Noah’s wife Emzara, and is trying to kill Noah because he is the Chosen One to end the rule of the gods. Lugal-anu is a man caught between worlds. He is a pagan ruler with all power, but he craves the very innocence and intimacy that Emzara has, so he is willing to patiently seek to woo her over time to become his queen.
Methuselah
The oldest man on earth at over 900 years old. Grandfather and mentor of Noah who has had visions of Enoch’s prophecy from God. Methuselah is a curmudgeon who is more sensitive to God than Noah and whose job it is to convince Noah to accept his calling to build the ark. He is very witty and can still handle a battle axe. He just needs to have a nap every now and then.
Ham
Noah’s son who is born to Emzara in captivity and becomes a priest of the pagan goddess Inanna. He is a man who is torn between two worlds. His legacy is Noah and Emzara’s faith in God, but he has been raised by Lugal-anu, and Noah has been absent so he is drawn into the deadly seduction of idol worship. Will he repent and accept his true identity as a son of Noah and his beloved mother, Emzara, or will he stay corrupted by the world and the flesh? His lineage would prove to be fateful for Noah and the human race.
Tubal-Cain
A descendent of Cain, and a major influence on the development of metalworking and smelting. He refused to follow in the way of Cain and was banished to work in the copper mines of Erech with Jubal and Jabal. There, he works the forge and was shown the secrets of making weapons of war by the Watchers. This is why Methuselah does not trust him to be in their company. If they take him with them, will this man turn his big burly strength against them when they least expect it? What is this new metal he has smelted called “iron” that is stronger than bronze and can kill Nephilim much better? Can it kill a god?
Jubal and Jabal
Twin brothers who are descendents of Cain. But they refused to follow in Cain’s evil and were enslaved in the copper mines of Erech. Jabal is an innovator of shepherding and tent dwelling, while Jubal is an inspirational musician — but both can fight. They have opposite personalities, but both respond in the same way to Noah’s offer to join him in the fight against the gods. But which way is that?
The Archangels
The four archangels of the throne of Yahweh. Mikael is the prince leader, strong, responsible yet not without a good sense of humor. But like the bigger brother, always has to “break it up” when the other archangels bicker. Uriel is the talkative one, a bit rascally, and witty. Gabriel is whimsical and energetic, always ready to jest. Raphael is the quiet one, more cerebral. But all of them are the mightiest warriors of Yahweh’s heavenly host.
The Nephilim
The unholy offspring of the fallen angels with human wives. They are giants as tall as 15 feet high who are mighty warriors, demigods who do the bidding of the gods. An elite team of Nephilim assassins are commissioned to hunt down Noah, the Chosen One to end the rule of the gods, and kill him in order to foil the revelation of God and consolidate the power of the “gods” over the earth and mankind. They are called “the seed of the Serpent” and will be the main vehicle through which the fallen angels will seek to accomplish their goal of world dominion.