Review of The Scar of Cain

[Sam Ibeh]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Scar of Cain" by Bill W. Sanford.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Scar of Cain by Bill W. Sanford follows the biblical story of the first family. It is an artistic rendering of the account of Cain and Abel and the dynamics of the circumstances that led to the first murder that the world experienced.

Benjamin Jasher, known as an antique store owner, recruits a paleographer, Dr. William Bedford. They embark on an adventure to uncover a truth that has been hidden from humanity for ages and expose an ancient enemy that may yet still walk the earth.

This book is a testament to the author's creativity. Sanford takes familiar Bible stories that many people may have read and glossed over casually and stretches them to limits that frankly may be pretty shocking to some and electrifying to others. It will be safe to say that some readers, especially some religious folks, may feel pangs of discomfort with the bold 'assertions' that Sanford makes in the book. This discomfort may be because the author asserts that there may be some missing books from the Bible.

The characters in this book are developed in a way that readers will admire. It is laudable how the author gives life to these characters. Over time, some of these biblical characters have become relics, especially those not included in the Bible. It will be easy for readers to be drawn into the charismatic aura surrounding a character like Benjamin Jasher.

The structure of this book is also unique. Sanford divides his story into titled parts and chapters, with each part beginning from its own chapter one. Essentially, each part comes off as another book. Within these parts, the author moves between two different timelines: the past (as far back as the first family) and the future. The author aids readers' comprehension by providing definitions of certain terms. This speaks volumes of the energy that the author must have invested in research.

This book may arouse curiosity in readers about their origins and deep introspection about the boundaries of religion and history. Amidst the historical narration, this book is indeed a story about love and forgiveness. It is also a story about the compassionate and powerful nature of God.

Reading through this book, I realized that the characters of 'Cain' and 'Jasher' represent the constant battle of good and evil, not just as realities of our society but also of our inner man. Also, our free will is a determinant of our outcomes. After his offering is rejected, God tells Cain, "sin lieth at the door," but allows him to choose whether or not the sin will consume him.

There was nothing I disliked in this book. However, there are enough grammatical errors for me to take out a point from its rating. Therefore, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.

This is one of those books that, for a rewarding gratification, demands that readers read with an open mind and spirit. This book is recommended to readers who enjoy historical stories and religious persons who want to delve into deeper research of the Bible. If you love Francine Rivers's books, you may probably love this book.

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The Scar of Cain
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[Gabriella1997]

The story of Cain and abel is a story am already familiar with, I love biblical books, nice review.

[Rakan_M]

The idea of ​​the book and the author is exciting, beautiful, and unusual. Few of the authors appreciate the historical value and wisdom found in history stories...
The struggle between good and evil will not end, and in that is its ruling, because simply there must be a difference between human beings and their choices between evil and good.

[Luchris_michael]

The story of Cain is something I'm familiar with. I would love to read the book so as to get the complete perspective of the writer. Thanks for your review.

[Rizki Pradana]

I am looking forward to reading this book because there is a part where the characters must choose between evil and good. I think I can learn a lot from this book.