Review of Second Coming

[Mary Daurio]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Second Coming" by Larry A. Bergeron.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Larry A. Bergeron’s Second Coming is a fictional novel with an authentic feel. It achieves the all-important trait of verisimilitude by melding science with religion.
The plot centers on an ancient scroll that foretells the Second Coming, which the Vatican conceals, and on the secret process of cloning using the crown of thorns as the required DNA sample. The scientists harvest more than one person’s sample, and the cloning procedure and resultant births launch a perilous chain of events.
I enjoyed reading Second Coming, but I found the cloning practice glossed over. A lot of time was spent with one resulting child, Joshua, and he’d attained adulthood before the female clone, Mattie, appeared, fully grown. The story picked up momentum after they met. Why the scientists had not followed the cloned children became clear when Mattie learned the truth about her father. My interest was held captive when Joshua realized who he was and handled it as he did.
A nice intertwining of characters occurred many times in the novel. One was when Joshua taught in Italy, meeting Father Garcia, who had translated the scroll from the Aramaic language. I hoped the priest would have grasped who Joshua was, but that came later in the novel. Although things did not happen as I first envisioned, Bergeron’s timing and the synchronic occurrences all fit together smoothly.
I wished for a different ending, but I don’t think there could have been a truer one; Father Garcia being with Mattie was very satisfying. Second Coming looks at what the return of Jesus, assisted by man, might be. Bergeron stayed true to the scriptures and delivered a heartfelt message without pounding on the pulpit. The story would appeal most to older teens and adults of any age who have an open-minded faith, but being religious is not a prerequisite to enjoying the story. There were a few typos, and some of the prose could have been tightened. Otherwise, the book excels, so I give it a high mark of 4 out of 5 stars.

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Second Coming
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[Kibet Hillary]

I can clearly relate when you state that you had wished for a different ending, yet none could have been truer apart from the one in the book. My curiosity is piqued to know how science and religion are interwoven in the novel and how the Second Coming is portrayed. Many thanks for this amazing review, @Mary Daurio.