Noah Primeval (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 1)

In this fictional novel, author Brian Godawa takes the reader on an imaginative journey through what could have been the life of Noah prior to the flood as described in The Bible. Noah Primeval is a captivating story of adventure, conflict and salvation with detail inspired by well-researched historical sources. The book includes an extensive set of appendices that document the historic references used for many of the story elements, characters, cultures and geographies. Brian successfully uses fictional storytelling blended with research to inform the reader about the truth of God's plan for His creation. Once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the other books in the series.

A bit of fantasy extrapolation here and there, but overall a pretty good re-telling of the Noah story. The Archangels could have been used to better effect (and affect) and are more annoying than useful, but the nook isn't about them. Ably written and well-paced. Recommended.

Super-engrossing read and only took a few hours. Very interesting, and feasible concept of how a pre-flood Noah may have lived and how the Fallen Angels represented themselves as gods. Loved Methuselah! I also liked the hint of how the post-flood nephilim may have made their appearance. Can't wait for the next installment!

Good story. It seemed like the story was written for the screen and not necessarily a book. Books develop characters more than movies but this seemed more like I was watching a movie and thinking the book would have been better.

Anyone familiar with the content of the Bible will appreciate what that the author brought to this telling of Noah's story: a careful understanding of theology to remain faithful to the rest of scripture (throughout Old and New Testament), and an amazing creativity that brilliantly tie together various artistic renderings and possibilities to make an inspirational tale.
For those less familiar with the biblical account, this book would stand as a rare action adventure gem for teens and adults alike. The screen-play style of fast paced action sequences in the book had me finished the book in 2 days. Can't wait til the movie, it will be awesome.

It showed up as a recommendation when logging in to my library account. So I took a chance and it paid off.

It was far different from what I was expecting(ancient astronauts , and aliens), it was far more engaging in nature.

It has set me on a mission reading books and listening to audio about nephelim, angels and the like.

Certainly an interesting twist to an old story. Mixed with mythology, extraterrestrials, and biblical reference. Archangels, giants, monsters, occult, sorcery, astrology, evil versus good are all covered.

Brian has something most Religious authors will never have and that is an imagination. His writings will spook the religious thinkers and probably infuriate the average pew sitter. This is what could have been with a twist. Did it happen this way? probably not. Could it have happened this way? (maybe) . Does it fit the truth of the scriptures? you decide.

I enjoyed the plot of this fantasy. The characters were joy to get to know. I originally gave this four stars because you can't give a half star. The one thing that bothered me in this book and its sequel (actually prequel) was a Biblical truth I can only see as being ignored by trying to relate to today's appetites.
Noah wasn't given permission to eat meat until after the flood. There were many scenes were the roasted meats were drooled over. I can imagine that many were eating meats in this wicked time but I doubt that Noah and his line were. If Brian had not done so much research for his plot I would have chalked it up to creative license.

This author incorporates biblical passages as well as explanations how he came to the conclusions he is writing about. He is very descriptive and thoroughly tries to explain the story. I did get lost on occasion with all of the names of things it got a little overwhelming at times. I would definitely recommend this book to others!

Chronicles of the Nephilim is a great series that takes rounds out Old Testament characters with extensive extra-biblical research and creative license. The results are an easy-to-read-hard-to-put-down series of novels that action/fantasy readers will love. I was first introduced to Brian Godawa upon watching 'To End All Wars' and intrigued to research on who the screenwriter was. His novels are equally compelling that read like you're watching a film.

Brian Godawa has written the novel I have wanted to write, but don't have the talent to pull off--and he has three more planned! Tipping his hat to Dr. Michael Heiser's groundbreaking Evangelical work on the Divine Council (the biblical way to view world mythology and their pantheon of gods who govern from high mountains) and the interaction of the heavenly world with the primeval world of Noah, Godawa imagines a history that may not have actually been, but then again, might just be closer to reality than modern people are willing to accept.

Godawa has steeped himself in the worldview of ancient people, relying heavily on Ancient Near Eastern cosmology and mythology to tell a story anyone 3,000 years ago would have been able to understand. As a Hollywood writer and director and a Christian that takes biblical history and theology seriously, he is imminently qualified for such a task.

Mythology is a difficult concept for people to grasp, and modern people have pretty much destroyed its function, by relegating it to a world of make-believe. J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S Lewis were of an opinion that mythology was "largely made up of truth" and that sometimes that truth is actually historical in nature. Francis Schaeffer, the famous Christian apologist, even wrote about the events retold in Noah Primeval, "More and more we are finding that mythology in general, though greatly contorted, very often has some historic base. And the interesting thing is that one myth that one finds over and over again in many parts of the world is that somewhere a long time ago supernatural beings had sexual intercourse with natural women and produced a special breed of people."

As one of the book reviews says, Noah Primeval reads like a movie script, and with enough support, Godawa would like to see it become a movie, though it would be an expensive one, which ought to raise your interest. The pace is fast. The imagination is allowed to run wild (and the right people in Hollywood have proven the past few years that they have great imaginations). Noah and the other characters are not what you imagined in Sunday school!

Unbelievers, too, will find the story compelling. Though they may disagree with the story, anyone steeped in a pagan or mythological worldview will find here a defense of the faith that is faithful to the Bible and may just give them pause for thought in a way they may have never expected. The story isn't preachy. This isn't a sermon. Bt it is faithful to the theological reason given in the Bible for the Great Flood.

After the story, Godawa spends time explaining the more fantastical characters in the book. In a series of important, well written, well researched, but brief enough appendices to explain himself, you will be challenged to rethink your view of the supernatural world and perhaps also the primeval world of Noah.

This book was very thought provoking. I have never seen actual historical even enbedded in fiction and yet true to the facts of history. It is interesting that Noah is presented as not the "too goody two shoes" that we always imagined him to be when we read the story from the Bible. I can now imagine that Noah struggled with understanding God and his messages and that he had crises of faith. I cannot wait for a sequel. Even though I have other novels on the same subject, but the presenteation of history along with fictional depictions of real characters was very refreshing to me. I have always struggled with the idea of Genesis 5 referring to Angels mating with human females. My arguement is that only God has the ability to create and as such will not allow the renegade angels to become corporeal. But then I can now see that taking on corporeal body was the angel's way of exercising their free will. Also, angels by nature a higher beings of God who must have been endowed with wisdom not known to man and ability to manufacture things from what God has already created. As good as this book is, it also fell into the same pattern of presenting fallen angels as more exciting, fun loving, more intelectually astute and tactically in their approach to warfare. Angels of God are presented as automatons without minds.

The author did an excellent job pulling me into the story. He's right..... this ain't your Sunday School Noah's ark story! The imagery he conjures is really mind blowing. The "creative license" didn't go too far in my opinion. I'm a strong believer & follower of Christ, and I've always wondered about the details; the moments in between for a lot of stories told in the Bible. Godawa brings a lot of imagination to those in-between moments for this story, and there's strong study/research behind it that makes it believable. I loved all the notes in the appendices!! Ready for Book 2!

Riveting...extraordinary...tearful! I am in awe of how Brian Godawa brings to the inner cinema of the mind of the courage, and yet, humble acts of the God of whom I bow down and worship. May Elohim be praised. See you soon Noah Ben Lemech and family

Godawa is a great writer and I enjoyed this first installment of his Chronicles series very much. The characters are well-developed, the action is tight. The character of Noah is believable as a real man with real struggles, both large and small. I would recommend this book to anyone 14 or older since it deals with adult issues and has some graphic descriptions (nothing gratuitous or salacious but it's not as sanitized as Narnia).

Well-researched and fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed. However, seems this book was never edited for errors. It could certainly use a competent text editor. Very frustrating. However, I learned a lot, and that, in itself, is extremely valuable.

In the style of Tolkien, Lewis, and Peretti Godawa captures the imagination of the story of Noah and goes way beyond a children's story of the ark, a flood and the animals. A great deal of research was given to this book project and can't wait to see it as a movie.

This makes you wonder about the giants and how things would be if they had not been destroyed by God. It's a hard to put down story. I reccomend this book to anyone who likes stories set in ancient times.

adult fantasy ... based on what little information we have on the historical Noah. I am reading the next installment on the series, a prequel to Noah, 'Enoch Primordial'' so that should tell you something about my interest!

I like science/fiction and historic twist. Taking biblical base and filling in a life surrounded by science fiction, is an interesting mix. Gives characters more depth and reality in their relationships with others and God.