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Father Elijah An Apocalypse Michael O'Brien Books

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Father Elijah An Apocalypse Michael O'Brien Books

This was my third time I read this book. I was amazed at the depth of this book. The first time, it was a faith-filled page turner that could be read again, because it was written on more than one level. The second time, I could see the depth, but I was reading it with my husband, so I was interested in what he thought of it. This time, I decided to reread it before reading Elijah in Jerusalem. I can't believe all that I missed.

The plot is excellent, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. On the surface, it would seem that the subject matter is dated. The book was written twenty years ago when people were speculating on what would happen at the turn of the millennium. However, Michael D. O'Brien has written a timeless story where the characters struggle with faith in the real world. Father Elijah has suffered the loss of his family in childhood and lost faith. He has experienced conversion yet he still struggles with keeping the Faith when confronted with evil. His friend, Anna has lost the Faith, because it seems incompatible with the modern world. Other characters within the Church struggle with good and evil.

Ultimately, what amazed me the most was the recurring themes of free will, salvation, and trust in God rather than our own strength, especially in the face of evil. Seemingly minor characters, such as the Holy Father, Father Prior, and Don Matteo, are a great source of wisdom for Father Elijah, because they remind him that everyone, even the President of the EuroParliament, is a child of God, who was free will to love and follow God or to reject Him. We must also remember this when dealing with souls who choose evil over good causing others pain and loss. We must forgive. That is a big challenge. Realizing that we are not expected to do this without God is therapeutic. The book is so well researched and well written that I can only scratch the surface in this review. That's what is so amazing. Read the book. Read it!


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Father Elijah An Apocalypse Michael O'Brien Books Reviews

This was my first Michael O’Brien book, and there are things I don’t like. His conversations feel wooden, his heroes all seem to be priests (who are in short supply in Churches. That’s where they’re needed), and everything is presented from a perspective that is more than Catholic. It would have to be called Clericalist. His presentation of Vatican intrigues is, well, intriguing, though not nearly at the level of someone like Malachi Martin, who sets the standard for that stuff.

With that out of the way, there are things I do like. The faith struggles that the characters have are presented in a believable way. More than that. It comes across as tender, and moving. And I was truly moved by the sequence where they find Mary’s tomb. I’d have to rate O’Brien’s strength principally in how he deals with faith on a personal level. And that alone makes it worth the read.
This is my first O'Brien, and there will be many more.

While I suppose the heavy Catholic /Christian themes may put some off reading this, it serves up rich rewards to those who stay the course. The character development is dense and structured, the plot lines carry enough surprise to make for an interesting story, and the prose itself is beautiful and a joy to read.

For the Christian there are the added experiences of a well-known story arch being mirrored in the novel, with an epic struggle between Good and Evil, with a charismatic but very human priest as protagonist, and generally some lovely scenes in Rome and Italy.

If the Catholic setting does not disqualify you, this is a rare and powerful treat.
This is probably one of the best works of christian (Catholic or otherwise) fiction I have read. O'Brien's knowledge of Catholicism is impressive, especially considering he has no theological background. He manages to blend history, theology, and well-written characters into a brilliant narrative that is both entertaining and fulfilling. As a hopeful author myself, I gained a great deal of insight in how to incorporate religious elements into fiction without coming off as "preachy", specifically by using real human stories to convey truth.

I especially want to praise a conversion scene that takes place towards the middle of the book. I won't go into great detail since I think it should be experienced unspoiled, but this scene served to blend personal circumstance, skepticism, and mercy into a beautiful story about redemption. I had to read the scene several times to fully process it.

O'Brien's works truly stand out when it comes to characters. It's difficult to describe, but he manages to blend both symbolism and realism into his characters, which is where I think several christian authors take a misstep. The priests in his work (throughout the series) are particularly well-crafted, likable, and believable. Father Elijah is a wonderful example, especially as a bridge between two different faiths (Judaism and Catholicism) in the trying times to come.

Overall, this was a wonderful book that conveys truth through an entertaining, spiritually fulfilling, and believable story. O'Brien's achievements cannot be understated, and his commitment to a cause is admirable.
This was my third time I read this book. I was amazed at the depth of this book. The first time, it was a faith-filled page turner that could be read again, because it was written on more than one level. The second time, I could see the depth, but I was reading it with my husband, so I was interested in what he thought of it. This time, I decided to reread it before reading Elijah in Jerusalem. I can't believe all that I missed.

The plot is excellent, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. On the surface, it would seem that the subject matter is dated. The book was written twenty years ago when people were speculating on what would happen at the turn of the millennium. However, Michael D. O'Brien has written a timeless story where the characters struggle with faith in the real world. Father Elijah has suffered the loss of his family in childhood and lost faith. He has experienced conversion yet he still struggles with keeping the Faith when confronted with evil. His friend, Anna has lost the Faith, because it seems incompatible with the modern world. Other characters within the Church struggle with good and evil.

Ultimately, what amazed me the most was the recurring themes of free will, salvation, and trust in God rather than our own strength, especially in the face of evil. Seemingly minor characters, such as the Holy Father, Father Prior, and Don Matteo, are a great source of wisdom for Father Elijah, because they remind him that everyone, even the President of the EuroParliament, is a child of God, who was free will to love and follow God or to reject Him. We must also remember this when dealing with souls who choose evil over good causing others pain and loss. We must forgive. That is a big challenge. Realizing that we are not expected to do this without God is therapeutic. The book is so well researched and well written that I can only scratch the surface in this review. That's what is so amazing. Read the book. Read it!