The Awakened

In all honesty, I had no idea what to expect when I dug into this novel.  When I hear the combined words, 'debut Christian fiction,' I almost cringe because usually, while those books have LOADS of potential, they all too often come off severely lacking or even overdone.  You understand?

This book, however, blew such thoughts out of the water.  I LOVED it---and am SO ITCHING FOR THE SEQUEL.  (Which is a PROBLEM, because I've made a goal this year to not buy any new UNread books until I've knocked out a good portion of my TBR shelf... *cue pitiful sobbing*)  Anyway, the entirety of this novel---the story, the concept, the characters, the plot---was engaging from the start.  Other than some acts of violence, this book is a clean read---and one I highly recommend!

A man is stabbed multiple times in the chest.  He feels the sting, but there is no blood and he does not die (having been one of the Awakened---more on that below).  As a demonstration, an Awakened man stabs or slices his own hand with a knife to show that those who've been raised from the dead cannot die again.

Another man is poisoned by what was first thought to be a bee sting (in his office), and suffers severe abdominal pain, high fever, and vomiting for several hours before he dies.

A suicide bombing in a Dubai mall kills many people and injures another two hundred.  The suicide bomber, a woman, truly believes she's doing what she did because it was her god's will.  A car bomb goes off in Israel---at least two men are killed by shrapnel, and another is struck by a bullet.  A grenade went off years previously killing fifteen people, including nine children.

A woman is kidnapped from her home, a sack put over her head, and driven to a place where she is interrogated & later returned back to her house.  She is unharmed, but definitely shaken.

A woman has a childhood history of abuse by her uncle (with her own mother allowing it), and often has nightmares & flashbacks of memories due to that experience.

To kill the demonic version of the Awakened, the UnDead (UDs)---those who have been raised from the dead by the Enemy & some used as hosts for demons---the Awakened men & women use bullets with a drop of their own blood to "dust them"---when shot or bit, they disintegrate into a rust-colored dust.  When the saliva or blood of an Awakened comes into contact with a UD, they disintegrate into dust.

This is most certainly a Christian fiction novel, and one cleverly written.  I cannot attest to the complete accuracy of the Scriptures or biblical events referenced in its pages as I'm not really qualified to do so, but it enjoyable to read an engaging Christian thriller for once.  Some liberties are taken as we do not know the true personalities of the Lazarus (known as "L" in the present day) of the Bible, nor his other companions whom you might recognize, or even the events following Lazarus' resurrection.

Characters pray to God or cry out to Him in distress.  A nurse prays continuously over a man's dead body (SPOILER: he becomes one of the Awakened); through the entries of a journal, we read of the events following Lazarus' resurrection & everything afterward---i.e. the death of Jesus, his resurrection, and other historical happenings up to present day.

The who Awakened concept was incredibly fascinating to me.  We don't know that Lazarus & the others that Jesus and those who the disciples raised from death through the Holy Spirit died a second time, so this who idea was so very interesting to think that Lazarus was joined in rank by believers who walk the earth as immortals, using this "gift" for the good of God's kingdom.  Seriously, what better person to have as assassins (for the good side), intelligence agents, nurses, etc. etc. than one who cannot die & who serves Christ?

From the start to the end of this novel, it's leading up to L & his agents in their search for a being called The UD---who is the Antichrist.  You have a sense who it is & then BAM! there's a twist in there!  This gives us a glimpse that the story & the books following will be set during the end times, and I'm so curious to see how the author handles this side of things.  

 None.  With exception of "damnation" and a couple uses of "hell" and "dust'm to hell" in regards to the UDs & the Awakened agents sending them back to where they belong.

A UD is known for his drinking habit, something he carried over after his death, though as a UD he cannot physically become drunk---to his personal chagrin.  We see bottles littering his office & living space.  Another smokes cigarettes constantly.

Other mentions of alcohol, but none I recall as significant enough for mention.  A man was poisoned by a toxin called ricin, which is extracted from the seeds of the castor oil plant.  According to Google, "a dose of purified ricin powder the size of a few grains of table salt can kill an adult human."

None to speak of, really.  L comforts a woman by placing a hand on her shoulder, or embracing her.  The woman, who was abused as a child, flinches nearly every time she is touched, and some things trigger memories of that time of abuse---a bedroom, a lewd grin thrown her way, etc.

All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this series!  IF I happen to get a hold of the second novel, I'll certainly be sure to follow up with a review.  If you enjoy good, clean, action-packed thrillers filled with---as far as I know---accurate portrayals of the Christian faith, this story IS FOR YOU.

FIVE out of FIVE stars.