Review of Killing Abel
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Review of Killing Abel
[Following is a volunteer review of "Killing Abel" by Michael Tieman.]
Killing Abel is a historical fiction based on the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. Through this book, Michael Tieman aims to depict and describe in detail his interpretation of the day-to-day activities that happened during the time of Adam and Eve until the building of Noah’s Ark in the simplest way he can. Because of this approach, the book gives a more in-depth discussion on the realization of guilt, shame, and other human emotions as well as the importance and difficulties of fatherhood and repentance. The book was also able to provide possible reasonings behind God’s decisions while He create man and the world as we know it.
Due to the nature of the novel, I find it interesting to witness the characters’ journey to their own realizations. The author’s description of Adam and Eve’s journey to becoming ‘human’ – their self-reflections, realizations, and their discovery and acceptance of new emotions, such as shame, jealousy, guilt, love, and even laughter – was an exhilarating yet familiar experience. It is as if I, as the reader, had gone through the process of growing up and maturing all over again. In the same way, I also appreciated how Tieman chose to delve further into God’s thinking as well, as if choosing to see the other side of the coin. I loved how the author included reflections and dialogues between the Trinity just to show that They, like all fathers, had to learn and reflect on what They did wrong before coming up with the solutions that They believe will best contribute to Their children in the long run, even if it means having to sacrifice and deal with pain for a short while.
What further engaged me is how Tieman’s imagination provided an explanation of current and modern-day concepts, such as how and why human beings started utilizing coals, metals, and other resources, as well as the birth of the government, taxation, and the judiciary system. Moreover, despite being historical, the book was still able to teach the readers lessons that are still applicable to the contemporary world: Abel, after being constantly manipulated by Cain for years, finally realized that while he is his brother’s keeper, he shall not be his brother’s enabler. Meanwhile, Eva, who was forced to know the pain of loss and death, eventually came to the realization that justice delayed is justice denied. The book also reflects the spectrum of dilemmas that humans currently face – the dilemma of opposites. Should we put our faith in God or in man and the government? in love or in law? in good or in evil? in light or in dark? in the Square of Adam or in the Circle of Man? It is through this that Killing Abel provides a clear reflection of the beliefs of its author.
The tone of the writing is also appropriate and consistent for historical fiction. While the book talks about the events in the far-off past that I did not experience firsthand, I had no trouble trying to imagine the scenes and events in their supposed context. Despite this, I do think that on-screen adaptation, may it be in the form of a movie or a TV series, will help to better visualize the events that the book speaks of. I personally would like to see how Tieman imagines the Square of Adam and the Nephilim will look like on screen.
The only aspect I dislike about the book is the redundancies. There are certain parts of the book that contain the same thoughts and seemed repetitive. I was taken aback by some of these instances, and it did cause me confusion. While I understand that repetition is important for emphasis, there are certain times when I found myself asking which part or event came first since the author’s depiction of this was not clear.
Still, the book seemed professionally edited. It is aesthetically pleasing and looks clean. I did spot minor errors, but this did not stop me from enjoying the book at all. With this, I rate the book four out of four stars. It can be a heavy read because of its descriptive nature and might also not be for all audiences as it deals with religion, beliefs, and faith, which is different for everyone, but I highly recommend it for those who love reading history and those who enjoy documentaries and bibliographies. It is also perfect for fathers who wish to gain insight into the duties and challenges of adulthood.
Overall, the book is impressively written, descriptive, and moving, while remaining simple and easy to understand.
******
Killing Abel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Killing Abel is a historical fiction based on the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. Through this book, Michael Tieman aims to depict and describe in detail his interpretation of the day-to-day activities that happened during the time of Adam and Eve until the building of Noah’s Ark in the simplest way he can. Because of this approach, the book gives a more in-depth discussion on the realization of guilt, shame, and other human emotions as well as the importance and difficulties of fatherhood and repentance. The book was also able to provide possible reasonings behind God’s decisions while He create man and the world as we know it.
Due to the nature of the novel, I find it interesting to witness the characters’ journey to their own realizations. The author’s description of Adam and Eve’s journey to becoming ‘human’ – their self-reflections, realizations, and their discovery and acceptance of new emotions, such as shame, jealousy, guilt, love, and even laughter – was an exhilarating yet familiar experience. It is as if I, as the reader, had gone through the process of growing up and maturing all over again. In the same way, I also appreciated how Tieman chose to delve further into God’s thinking as well, as if choosing to see the other side of the coin. I loved how the author included reflections and dialogues between the Trinity just to show that They, like all fathers, had to learn and reflect on what They did wrong before coming up with the solutions that They believe will best contribute to Their children in the long run, even if it means having to sacrifice and deal with pain for a short while.
What further engaged me is how Tieman’s imagination provided an explanation of current and modern-day concepts, such as how and why human beings started utilizing coals, metals, and other resources, as well as the birth of the government, taxation, and the judiciary system. Moreover, despite being historical, the book was still able to teach the readers lessons that are still applicable to the contemporary world: Abel, after being constantly manipulated by Cain for years, finally realized that while he is his brother’s keeper, he shall not be his brother’s enabler. Meanwhile, Eva, who was forced to know the pain of loss and death, eventually came to the realization that justice delayed is justice denied. The book also reflects the spectrum of dilemmas that humans currently face – the dilemma of opposites. Should we put our faith in God or in man and the government? in love or in law? in good or in evil? in light or in dark? in the Square of Adam or in the Circle of Man? It is through this that Killing Abel provides a clear reflection of the beliefs of its author.
The tone of the writing is also appropriate and consistent for historical fiction. While the book talks about the events in the far-off past that I did not experience firsthand, I had no trouble trying to imagine the scenes and events in their supposed context. Despite this, I do think that on-screen adaptation, may it be in the form of a movie or a TV series, will help to better visualize the events that the book speaks of. I personally would like to see how Tieman imagines the Square of Adam and the Nephilim will look like on screen.
The only aspect I dislike about the book is the redundancies. There are certain parts of the book that contain the same thoughts and seemed repetitive. I was taken aback by some of these instances, and it did cause me confusion. While I understand that repetition is important for emphasis, there are certain times when I found myself asking which part or event came first since the author’s depiction of this was not clear.
Still, the book seemed professionally edited. It is aesthetically pleasing and looks clean. I did spot minor errors, but this did not stop me from enjoying the book at all. With this, I rate the book four out of four stars. It can be a heavy read because of its descriptive nature and might also not be for all audiences as it deals with religion, beliefs, and faith, which is different for everyone, but I highly recommend it for those who love reading history and those who enjoy documentaries and bibliographies. It is also perfect for fathers who wish to gain insight into the duties and challenges of adulthood.
Overall, the book is impressively written, descriptive, and moving, while remaining simple and easy to understand.
******
Killing Abel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill
