SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW: THE 13TH TRIBE ~ The Self-Taught Cook™

SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW

THE 13th TRIBE by Robert Liparulo

Immortality....it sounds like a good idea, like a gift, not a curse. But as the 13th Tribe can tell you, living for centuries is a punishment. The Tribe is made up of forty Israelites who participated in worshipping a golden calf while Moses was on Mt. Sinai. Denied entry to the Promised Land, they also do not have any hope of spending eternity in Heaven. They have the idea that they can earn their way back into God's good graces by killing sinners, an occupation which has kept them busy down through the centuries.

Mr. Liparulo has written a modern-day suspense thriller combining cutting-edge technology with Old Testament theology. The protagonist, Jagger, faces a crisis of faith with which most readers can identify. While he does not deny the existence of God, he no longer feels the presence of God. He has allowed his anger over life's circumstances to extend to God, blaming Him for the accident that took the lives of his friends and caused the amputation of his arm. His struggles with the Tribe cause him to analyze his anger toward God.

First, just let me say that this is a first-class novel. This is the level of writing that will bring secular readers to Christian fiction. The modern technology combined with the top-notch plot keeps a reader hooked. Anid on a personal note, I enjoyed the theological exploration when various characters question the love of God vs. the judgement of God. Although this is a fictional novel, it reminds us all of a very real truth: There are some things we cannot and will not understand regarding God. His ways are not our ways.

As you can tell, I can find no real faults or shortcomings in this novel. On a rating of 1-5 stars, I would like to give it at least an 8.

5+ stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”