Rating:  Summary: An excellent book! Review: A wonderful story about the finding of Noah's Ark and the search for the Garden of Eden. I was totally enthralled and found it hard to put down, even very late at night when I should have been sleeping. It will make you stop and think about God, and you'll find yourself looking items up in your bible to really try to understand the theories this book is proposing. With a dash of romance to keep you smiling, this book is a must read that you will really enjoy. I'm looking forward to the release of the next book in the series.
Rating:  Summary: A thought provoking book Review: After discovering Noah's Ark, Adam Livingstone is now on a quest to find the Garden of Eden-or more specifically the Tree. But enemies constantly surround him looking for every opportunity to stop him. This book has it all- mystery,danger,even romance.Once you start this book you will not want to put it down.
Rating:  Summary: Fanciful Fantasy Review: As someone who is interested in both the Bible and archaeology, I can say that Phillips has little grasp of either. His knowledge of archaeology methodology is poor. His archaeologist spends all of his time going out on expeditions to "find" specific items or places and "prove" the truth or untruth of certain theories, notably creation and evolution. He jumps between archaeology, anthropology and botany with impunity. Many biblical archaeologists spend the majority of their careers on one dig, and then they publish their findings in respected journals. His does neither, Adam Livingstone, through the power of his celebrity, simply finds the most elusive historical artifacts of all time. For Phillips, archaeology is the battle between creation and evolution, two theories that exist in different realms. Secondly, Phillips comes up with some very interesting Scriptural conclusions. In the research notes at the end of the book, he justifies his conviction that the garden of Eden still lives by saying, "Would God create a Tree of Life and let it....die? I cannot imagine it." This sort of reasoning may work for a fictional character in a fictional novel, but has no place in the real world of biblical research. Many of the above reviewers have given the book good reviews, and Phillips writes with an engaging style. However, his speculations and theories can advance no farther than this book.
Rating:  Summary: A Christian Novel Review: First of all this book is a novel, and while (like most good fiction) it raises some interesting real questions, it should be read with this in mind. It looks at the world view of secret organizations in the opposite light of the DaVinci Code (another good fiction book)... rather than protecting the truth until the public can handle it, they are out to pull the wool over the eyes of the world's population. It is easy to read, clearly gives the gospel, and of course has a love interest. If you don't like hearing about people with faith or becoming "saved" then don't read it ... if you want to enjoy a good novel with some interesting ideas, then order it now!
Rating:  Summary: A Christian Novel Review: First of all this book is a novel, and while (like most good fiction) it raises some interesting real questions, it should be read with this in mind. It looks at the world view of secret organizations in the opposite light of the DaVinci Code (another good fiction book)... rather than protecting the truth until the public can handle it, they are out to pull the wool over the eyes of the world's population. It is easy to read, clearly gives the gospel, and of course has a love interest. If you don't like hearing about people with faith or becoming "saved" then don't read it ... if you want to enjoy a good novel with some interesting ideas, then order it now!
Rating:  Summary: A rift in believability--but still entertaining Review: Like most readers, I found the theories embodied in this book concerning the location of the Garden of Eden and its connection with Mt. Sinai/Horeb to be fascinating and somewhat plausible. The reflowering of the Garden of Eden in the end days? Well--kind of a stretch, but I won't say it couldn't happen. I did appreciate a little different take on the end times chronology. What I found hard to swallow centers around two different areas.1. The author seems to subscibe to a conspiracy theory which traces all evildoings on the world scene back to a small group of people. Whether you call them the Illuminati, the Trilateral Commission, or whatever, I have a hard time believing that a gathering of 12 new-age wackos have all the power. I used to be a conspiracy buff, but I think the "new-age agenda", if you want to call it that, is much more disorganized and chaotic than is portrayed, even with the one loose cannon that causes the most trouble in the novel. It makes for exciting reading to have such an open, frontal attack on the archaeologist and his team, but I think the devil works in much more subtle ways, through discrediting the discoveries, for example. I don't believe that the discovery of Noah's Ark or the Garden of Eden would bring a massive religious revival, anyway. Some won't believe even with the evidence staring them in the face. 2. Adam Livingstone, the main character in the novel, puzzled me somewhat. Livingstone, before he gets saved (I don't think I'm giving anything away, it's obvious that will happen from the beginning, and, hey, this is a book for the Christian market, after all) seems to have a curious interest in proving the Bible accounts are true, even before he believes them himself. In addition, for such a swashbuckling, debonair, single world-wide celebrity he seems to live a squeaky-clean, wholesome life, even keeping his girlfriend at arms' length (It's pretty clear there was no hanky-panky going on). It was not too big a turnaround, it seems, for him to become a Christian, he acted like one practically through the whole book. I guess the Christian market prefers blatant, sinister evil wrapped up in a new-age package to simple hedonism. Plus, the idea of a celebrity archaeologist is peculiar. How many people can name even one modern archaeologist? This is not to say the book is not a good read, because it is. It is exciting and tense, and would make a better movie, in the right hands, than the lame "Omega Code". Genesis fascinates me more than the book of Revelation, anyway, and there is a lot concerning ancient world here. So I give it a thumbs up, with reservations.
Rating:  Summary: Strong modern day bibilical thriller Review: Perhaps it is God's irony, but in Turkey, agnostic archaeologist Adam Livingstone makes a discovery that insures his place alongside the greats like Schliemann. Adam wonders if his find in frozen Mt. Ararat will rank with Armstrong's walk on the moon. An elated Adam, using modern technology, has found proof that Noah's Ark existed. Adam begins to relook the Bible and his own attitude about the existence of God. He wonders if he can locate other legendary spots like the Garden of Eden. Also encouraging him to reconsider his previous nonchalant doubts about Heaven and Hell is his housekeeper's niece Juliet Halsay, recovering from a terrorist bomb that killed her father and brother. She believes terrorists, protected by the elite rulers of governments including DC, want Adam dead because of his biblical find, new religious fervor and enthusiasm, and fears he will uncover more evidence that the Bible is a genuine history text rather than an ancient fable. From the moment Adam begins his descent in Turkey the plot of RIFT IN TIME is a basic God (represented by Juliet and Adam) vs. Satan (terrorists) tale loaded with action and suspense as the heroes battle to stay alive against devious serpents. Biblical interpretations and theories including the location of The Garden are cleverly intermingled with the action throughout the story line so that the audience will have much to ponder. Though the terrorists seem weak (hell their Satan's spawn so what do you expect), fans of religious thrillers will want to read this powerful book that should provide Michael Phillips a fervent favorable following. Harriet Klausner
Rating:  Summary: Would make a Great Movie Review: Rift in Time is a novel about an archeologist who starts off by discovering/exploring Noah's Ark. Then he sets off to find the garden of Eden, but there are evil forces at work that don't want him (or anyone else) to find it. It's written in the present day and the author seems to have a pretty good working knowledge of archeology (to a layman). I not only really enjoyed reading it, but I learned a lot too. I should say that it is a Christian novel and discusses creation, one continent theory, and just a lot of spiritual content. Staunch atheists beware. It's a cross between Peretti's This Present Darkness, a Tom Clancy novel and Indiana Jones. The one fault I will mention is the author tries too hard to explain Christianity through the conversations of the characters. All in all, it's a really good read with unexpected twists and turns.
Rating:  Summary: Some of the best Christian literature out there Review: The Rift In Time series is some of the best Christian Literature out there. Both the quality of the writing and the depth of ideas are every bit as good as We all Fall Down, probably the best Christian novel ever written...
Rating:  Summary: Interesting book but not memorable Review: There really wasn't any suspense to this book. Once you catch on to the fact that the hero and his people seem to be chosen by God, and the people trying to stop them serve Satan (or an evil Master), then it becomes pretty clear how it's probably going to end. Some of the characters don't seem to have a purpose, yet the author keeps drawing them back into the story in some way. I had a tendency to skim parts that didn't seem to have any bearing on the story. It is written very well, and if you are looking for a book to pass some time in the airport, this wouldn't be a bad choice.
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