Son of the Doomsday Prophet: A Fantasy Adventure in the Days of Noah
By: Steven J. Byers
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
ISBN: 979-8988545712
Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles
There is nothing I like better than a novel that incorporates history with enough fiction to make it an excellent tale. Son of the Doomsday Prophet is just that kind of a book and I loved every minute of it. By taking the time in history that encompasses Noah and the Great Flood and combining it with just the right amount of fantasy, and then telling the story through the eyes of not Noah but his son, author Steven J. Byers has written a story that will be loved by many.
In Son of the Doomsday Prophet, we follow the life of Jayfeth, who is a son of Noah and, due to his father’s connection with God and knowledge of the end of the world. We first meet Jayfeth as a boy, and then watch as he grows into an adult who is forced into the life of a hero. It is a life that is filled with adventure and danger and definitely a life that Jayfeth did not ask for. As he helps his father with the building of the ark which the family has been ordered by God to create, Jayfeth and the rest of his family find themselves rejected by their relatives and friends and trapped by Ben-Tubal, the leader of Nephilim where they go to plead for help.
While his brothers each find their own paths and loves while helping to build the ark, Jayfeth finds himself faced with only doubts and confusion as he tries to become the hero everyone thinks he should be. The only thing that Jayfeth knows he is good at is talking to, and helping, animals but he does not see that as a way to be a hero. As he continues his work and attempts to understand what his future might hold, he has to deal with many things...the deep hatred of others due to his father’s constant preaching about the end of the world approaching...real and mythical creatures he meets along the way such as a wolf he saves from death who becomes his friend and the fabled group of Behemoths whom he is able to help and in turn receives their help when he needs it the most... as well as his own fight against a dangerous foe in order to have the woman he has come to love. While those who are against Jayfeth and his family become even more dangerous, Jayfeth fights to find his way before that final catastrophic moment when the world ends.
Son of the Doomsday Prophet is a fascinating story about the end of the world from the perspective of one who does not feel worthy of participating and being saved. As a child Jayfeth just wants to fit in with everyone else and be liked. To stand up for his own family and for what is right is something that is not easy for him but something that must be done. I think the author did a fabulous job of telling the story and showing readers how this character grows and changes throughout as he fights for his future and his family.
The plot of the story is very creative and the book is so well-written. The descriptive writing makes the reader feel that they are right there and a part of the history that is happening. Each of the characters in the story, from the main ones to the secondary ones, is perfectly developed and we come to know each and every one of them. They were all very realistic and we were given the chance to see not only their triumphs but the difficulties that they faced throughout their lives leading up to the last moments of the book. In addition, changing the story and showing it through the eyes of Jayfeth rather than his father was an excellent idea and really made the story so much more interesting.
Quill says: Son of the Doomsday Prophet is an excellent combination of history and fantasy brought together in a story that is meant to be enjoyed. It should be read and looked at as the adventure it is meant to be as we watch a hero develop from a confused young boy who does not know what the future holds for him into a man ready to embrace his destiny.
For more information on Son of the Doomsday Prophet: A Fantasy Adventure in the Days of Noah, please visit the author's website at: https://stevenjbyers.com/
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