The Seed Bearer’s Bride: A Novel of Fallen Angels, Nephilim, and the Woman Who Defied Their Power.
Fantasy With a Biblical Twist
Mythologies of most religions typically relate events lacking fine detail. They literally view biblical stories from celestial heights. Jean Hoefling remedies that absence in Judeo-Christian mythology as presented in the Old Testament. Her previous volumes, Gold in Havilah and Ashes Like Bread (winner of the 2019 Readers’ Favorite bronze medal in Christian Fantasy), made readers feel like flies on tent flaps: biblical voyeurism, to all intents and purposes. Characters are multi-dimensional and incredibly relatable. The stakes associated with key players’ actions are suspensefully high. Not your average Sunday school crowd. contemporary readers will feel like Old Testament names could be on mailboxes down their street.
In this second book in the Thrones of Genesis series, the young female protagonist, Baraqua, is self-absorbed, headstrong and unimpressed by tradition. The leader of a band of wayward angels, Semjaza, has gone rogue to seduce Baraqua, to the point of relinquishing his pearly gate credentials. Their stormy relationship carries many possible outcomes, most of which bode ill for the ragtag band of humans descended from Adam and Eve. The ultimate choice, determining humankind’s salvation, is Baraqua’s acquiescence to her husband and her people or to Semjaza and the dark side.
Mortals and angels are equally corruptible, which makes for a dangerous neighborhood. Fallen angels seduce unwitting human women, with the outcome of a race of literal giants, whose in utero size kills their birth mothers, while the inter-species fornication continues during an angelic nuclear strike inspired by Lucifer. Pitched battles at every level, with humankind at a distinct disadvantage, flame in the background. The celestial bureaucracy, always stressing free will, precludes any simple solutions, so the remaining archangels are functionally handcuffed. The outcome hinges on a beautiful young woman who must quickly become an adult, but has no knowledge of her significance.
An emerging fantasy writer whose stories are based on obscure Bible passages, Hoefling is very consistent, very clever, and very readable. Her work may appeal to fans of Kate Elliott or R.A. Salvatore.
The Seed Bearer’s Bride on Amazon
If you are interested in listening to a short audio clip, here is a sample of what will be available on Audible in a few months.
For updates, check out Jean’s website.
Allan Farbman is a former journalist and forever playwright. His first novel, Gods With Deep Pockets, is a medical thriller which will be available in Spring 2022.