#1: The Firstborn, Firstborn Series
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Hmmm...this was...well...interesting. Definitely not like something I've read before. Conlan Brown's The Firstborn was his debut novel and while the plotline was skillfully created, I was often confused at the events. It seemed a bit too jumpy for my liking. Despite my confused thoughts on this novel, it does have that fast-paced, gripping suspense. The plot is thought-provoking with spiritual lessons and follows the basis of doing God's will above all else, not what WE want to do. A powerful message in itself, for sure. It does have the true-to-life events in the world today, added to the story. Though confusing and jumpy to me, I easily read it in one day. So, with those things being said, I give this book a 3.5 star rating. I don't normally give .5 star ratings but in this case, do to it confusing me, I couldn't give it 4 or 5 stars, but the authors efforts for his debut novel are skillful and talented, I couldn't give it a flat 3 star rating. If you aren't easily confused (could be that I was born blonde!) and like the fast paced thrillers then Conlan Brown's The Firstborn is a must read for you! I am ready to dive into book 2, The Overseer to see if I can enjoy that one better!
May 19, 2010
The Firstborn starts out with a rescue mission. Devin Bathurst is having visions of a kidnapped woman. He uses this sight to try and rescue her before she is killed. The scenes volley back and forth between Devin, the woman, and the kidnappers. Then we discover that the woman, Hannah, has a similar gift. She can see where a man has been, his past deeds. This leads us to the clever premise of the Firstborn, descendants of those who were raised from the dead when Christ died on the cross. The Firstborn fall into three orders: Prima, Ora, and Domani. Those that can see the past, present, and future.But the Firstborn has grown paranoid over the years, each order fearing the other, and one man is trying to take over. Can Devin manage to follow Gods will or his own to fight against what lies ahead?I thought this premise was brilliant. Its like, what if there were Christian mobsters? How would they act? What choices might they make? The story is fast-paced, action-packed, and gripping. The writing style was a bit jolting at first. Brown uses sentence fragments a lot and jumps from one point of view to another. But once it got going, I was hooked. I really liked Browns characters, especially the play between Devin and John. If youre looking for a new suspense read, look no further. Im excited to see what Conlan Brown comes up with next.
October 14, 2009
Intrigue Suspense Supernatural ThrillerConlan Brown has intertwined creative imagination and a complex plot and unexpected twists that keep the reader turning pages at a breakneck speed right up to the final scene in The Firstborn.The Prima, the Ora, and Domani, three distinct ancient religious orders make up the Firstborn. Individuals within the order have been empowered by God with the ability to use hindsight, insight, or foresight to intervene in crisis situations. The members originally were bonded together and dedicated to the purpose of using these gifts as agents of God. The order dates back to the cross of Christ. Duplicity, suspicion, internal strife, and manipulation caused disagreement and division. The Firstborn became an organization of warring factions doomed to destruction.Faced with the facts of a planned terrorist plot of retribution after the murder of a religious leader the Firstborn recognize their need to become a united front, elect an overseer to prevent this planned bloodbath which includes the shedding blood of the innocent including children.Browns characters are wide-ranging and authentic, fanatical in their commitment to opposing systems of belief. Brown creates stereotypes of the extreme Evangelical Christian and radical fundamentalist Muslims, portraying bigotry, hatred, and dissension among people who claim to be serving Gods purposes. I particularly appreciated the way Brown developed growth, understanding and maturing among his key characters as they evolved from shallow self centered individuals to mature dedicated purposeful Christians as they teamed together in trust and unity to thwart evil and to work toward the good of others.First Born a fast paced a novel of action, building a crescendo of mounting tension throughout engaging the reader in this suspense filled dramatic story of good and evil.
September 1, 2009
Conlan has crafted a compelling story along the lines of such talent as Bronleewe, Dekker and Parrish. I am truly impressed. The creativity of this story combined with a believable plot that twists around world problems in existence today is profound. This story breathes life and truth rather than destruction. Seriously. Don't let the creepy cover fool you. Yeah, there are dark people in this story, but there is also light and self-sacrifice. Serving God rather than ourselves is a major theme, and showing just how misguided people can be when they think they know best rather than consulting God can be disastrous. This novel really makes you think. It's scary, bloody and a bit gross, but not without purpose. It's a man's man book, yet this wuss enjoyed it, too. Why? Because I enjoy an intelligent book with symbolism and truth interspersed throughout the plot. I didn't see false doctrine or new age teaching, just a storyworld with clearly fabricated spiritual gifts (this is fiction) that conveyed a real life lesson Christians need to read about and hopefully allow into their hearts. The end doesn't always justify the means, but following the God of Love is crucial. Conlan did a great job showing these things without distorting the heart of the Scriptures. Bravo!
June 24, 2009
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