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Light the Ark #0.5
Isaiah Light and the Sea of Darkness
Isaiah felt so naive. All this time, the common thread of all the hurt people. Rebecca’s instinct was right. The dreams of children turning to ash was leading him. The Sea of Darkness showed him where to stand. It was right in front of him, but he didn’t see it.
He underestimated the evil in the world, never thinking it would come for him or his wife or the youth of his church. This was evil in human form, not sinful human nature of greed or jealousy or lust; this was beyond that. And it was taking lives.
It was 1962. Isaiah Light and his wife Rebecca have built a small, yet steadily growing church in the North Florida area and live a quiet life worshiping God. Their lives change on the day Isaiah’s father, Michael, passes down the family Bible that holds an ancient secret. A book that Isaiah doesn’t know has been protected by his family for thousands of years.
On the day Isaiah receives his inheritance, a promising young leader shows up to youth group drunk, searching for a girl who didn’t show up that night. Isaiah follows him as he runs from the house and soon begins to pull on the web of lies that is leaving car crashes, arrests, and a body count of innocent young women in its wake.
You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy the Light of the Ark series. It is perfect for fans of Thrillers, Mystery and Suspense, Supernatural, and of course Christian Fiction. Pick up your copy today!
Isaiah Light and the Sea of Darkness is a prequel and can be read separately (stand-alone) from the other books in the Light of the Series.
Light of the Ark Series
Prequel - Isaiah Light and the Sea of Darkness (Set in the early 1960s)
Book 1 - Light of the Ark (Set in the 2020s)
Book 2 - Shadows of the Ark (Picks up from Book 1) - Coming early 2022!
Book 3 - Light of the World (Picks up from Book 2) - Coming in 2022!
He underestimated the evil in the world, never thinking it would come for him or his wife or the youth of his church. This was evil in human form, not sinful human nature of greed or jealousy or lust; this was beyond that. And it was taking lives.
It was 1962. Isaiah Light and his wife Rebecca have built a small, yet steadily growing church in the North Florida area and live a quiet life worshiping God. Their lives change on the day Isaiah’s father, Michael, passes down the family Bible that holds an ancient secret. A book that Isaiah doesn’t know has been protected by his family for thousands of years.
On the day Isaiah receives his inheritance, a promising young leader shows up to youth group drunk, searching for a girl who didn’t show up that night. Isaiah follows him as he runs from the house and soon begins to pull on the web of lies that is leaving car crashes, arrests, and a body count of innocent young women in its wake.
You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy the Light of the Ark series. It is perfect for fans of Thrillers, Mystery and Suspense, Supernatural, and of course Christian Fiction. Pick up your copy today!
Isaiah Light and the Sea of Darkness is a prequel and can be read separately (stand-alone) from the other books in the Light of the Series.
Light of the Ark Series
Prequel - Isaiah Light and the Sea of Darkness (Set in the early 1960s)
Book 1 - Light of the Ark (Set in the 2020s)
Book 2 - Shadows of the Ark (Picks up from Book 1) - Coming early 2022!
Book 3 - Light of the World (Picks up from Book 2) - Coming in 2022!
185 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2021
107 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
James Bonk
8 books33 followersJames Bonk writes Christian Fiction to develop his own faith and as a ministry. He lives in the North Florida area with his wife, two daughters, and fluffy Chartreux cat, Porkchop. When he's not writing, he's usually swimming or building forts with his girls!
His Light of the Ark book was the #1 New Release in Young Adult Christian Fiction upon release, with multiple five star reviews from adults and young adults alike.
Besides writing, parenting, and being a husband, James Bonk is a business intelligence professional. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, MS in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA. He also holds his Professional Engineering license in Industrial Engineering.
Find out more at and get a FREE book at jamesbonk.com
You can also find James at:
- Facebook
- BookBub
His Light of the Ark book was the #1 New Release in Young Adult Christian Fiction upon release, with multiple five star reviews from adults and young adults alike.
Besides writing, parenting, and being a husband, James Bonk is a business intelligence professional. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, MS in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA. He also holds his Professional Engineering license in Industrial Engineering.
Find out more at and get a FREE book at jamesbonk.com
You can also find James at:
- BookBub
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 2, 2021
Awesome book! Good storyline! Loved it!
December 17, 2021
This is a Christian murder mystery thriller with historical and slight paranormal undertones. It takes place in North Florida in 1962.
Isaiah Light is the pastor of a small church, with his wife Rebecca at his side. Their quiet lives get turned upside down by a series of young girls being murdered in the area, some of whom attended their church, and all of whom could be linked directly back to Isaiah. When Detective Ross targets him as the number one suspect, Isaiah must find the real killer to clear his name and protect future victims from this evil. Through it all, the special Bible given to him by his father shines like a beacon of light in the sea of darkness.
I enjoyed this book greatly, and would highly recommend it. It was exciting, the characters were multidimensional, the plot was decent, the action was heart-pounding, and Isaiah and Rebecca were likeable and relatable. I did think that it was fairly obvious from early on who the bad guys were, which took away a lot of the tension that you look forward to in a thriller. For this reason, I gave it four stars instead of five.
Warning: Although Christian in nature, it contains mature themes (such as rape and sexual references) not suitable for impressionable people or children under age 13.
Isaiah Light is the pastor of a small church, with his wife Rebecca at his side. Their quiet lives get turned upside down by a series of young girls being murdered in the area, some of whom attended their church, and all of whom could be linked directly back to Isaiah. When Detective Ross targets him as the number one suspect, Isaiah must find the real killer to clear his name and protect future victims from this evil. Through it all, the special Bible given to him by his father shines like a beacon of light in the sea of darkness.
I enjoyed this book greatly, and would highly recommend it. It was exciting, the characters were multidimensional, the plot was decent, the action was heart-pounding, and Isaiah and Rebecca were likeable and relatable. I did think that it was fairly obvious from early on who the bad guys were, which took away a lot of the tension that you look forward to in a thriller. For this reason, I gave it four stars instead of five.
Warning: Although Christian in nature, it contains mature themes (such as rape and sexual references) not suitable for impressionable people or children under age 13.
March 24, 2025
Enjoyed this book and read it in a day. Good storyline with good vs evil and how to combat the evil/temptations out there surrounding us everyday. Choosing the Lord is the only answer! Looking forward to the rest of the series.
December 11, 2024
Evil comes in all forms, and Isaiah find that to be true in some unexpected places. Can he find the source before all hope is gone? And can he protect the Bible his father gives him, or is he even supposed to.
It was an okay listen, but I never really felt as if I connected with the characters. Maybe because it was .5 in a series, but I'm not sure I will keep listening right now.
No sex scenes; allusion to sexual abuse
No foul language
It was an okay listen, but I never really felt as if I connected with the characters. Maybe because it was .5 in a series, but I'm not sure I will keep listening right now.
No sex scenes; allusion to sexual abuse
No foul language
February 15, 2022
This was the first book I have read from author James Bonk and after this one, I will keep reading his books. This one was captivating and kept me reading as I tried to figure out the mystery. The characters were fascinating and interesting enough to keep reading about. His descriptions were so vivid, I could see exactly what he was talking about. The ending was a complete surprise. James Bonk is definitely an author I highly enjoyed.
November 24, 2025
In 1962, a church pastor and his wife discover some unwelcome darkness in their small town outside of Jacksonville, FL.
While the idea of the story is solid, I just could not make a connection with any of the characters in the book. Who they are was not developed enough for me to get a handle on what makes them tick.
I realize that 1962 America had a whole different moral compass than the if-it's-about-me-then-it's-worth-it culture that is raging in today's USA. Honestly, it would be great if things were still that warm and comforting. Even so, Isaiah Light (the pastor) and his wife, Rebecca, seemed a bit out-of-touch with things. Since when do the teens in a youth group play Candyland on board game night (even in 1962)?
I wholeheartedly agree that the Bible is God's Word and has the power to change circumstances and lives. But to supercharge the holy Book with supernatural energy and strength was misleading. Yes, I know the powers that came from the Book were symbolic. But nonetheless, it didn't sit right with me.
I haven't decided yet if I'll read the three books in this series. As I said, the idea for this series is a good one and there's something in the back of mind that says, "Don't you want to know how this family handles the upcoming evil in this series?"
Finally, whoever proofread the manuscript didn't do a great job. But, I'm willing to admit my sometimes unwelcome penchant for picking apart prose. It's one of my pet peeves.
While the idea of the story is solid, I just could not make a connection with any of the characters in the book. Who they are was not developed enough for me to get a handle on what makes them tick.
I realize that 1962 America had a whole different moral compass than the if-it's-about-me-then-it's-worth-it culture that is raging in today's USA. Honestly, it would be great if things were still that warm and comforting. Even so, Isaiah Light (the pastor) and his wife, Rebecca, seemed a bit out-of-touch with things. Since when do the teens in a youth group play Candyland on board game night (even in 1962)?
I wholeheartedly agree that the Bible is God's Word and has the power to change circumstances and lives. But to supercharge the holy Book with supernatural energy and strength was misleading. Yes, I know the powers that came from the Book were symbolic. But nonetheless, it didn't sit right with me.
I haven't decided yet if I'll read the three books in this series. As I said, the idea for this series is a good one and there's something in the back of mind that says, "Don't you want to know how this family handles the upcoming evil in this series?"
Finally, whoever proofread the manuscript didn't do a great job. But, I'm willing to admit my sometimes unwelcome penchant for picking apart prose. It's one of my pet peeves.
July 30, 2025
I truly enjoyed this book - faith, suspense, action, drama. Isaiah Light was gifted a very special Bible and an ancient secret by his father Michael. As a pastor of a church with an active youth group, Isaiah and his wife Rebecca discover an evil that threatens not only their church, but the youth and community. Will they be able to find out who and why young girls have been murdered, or will they become victims themselves? The storyline and the characters will keep you engrossed to the last page, wanting more.
May 25, 2022
Wonderful Story!
I absolutely loved this story! It kept me on the edge of my seat, I kinda figured it out early but the writing was done so well that I just had to continue.
This is the second in this author's works that I couldn't put down, I'm definitely a fan of the "Light the Ark" series!
I recommend everyone give this series and Author a moment of time, it won't be regretted!
I absolutely loved this story! It kept me on the edge of my seat, I kinda figured it out early but the writing was done so well that I just had to continue.
This is the second in this author's works that I couldn't put down, I'm definitely a fan of the "Light the Ark" series!
I recommend everyone give this series and Author a moment of time, it won't be regretted!
December 28, 2021
Engaging story of becoming aware of and overcoming the evils around us. I was captivated early on and couldn't put it down till I reach the conclusion. Excited for future releases in the Light of the Ark series!
December 27, 2024
it was an ok thriller
This book was ok and had some good characters. It did seem to be a bit repetitive in some ways. Also very simplistic in the thriller solving. I did enjoy it as a break from some of the other books I have read.
This book was ok and had some good characters. It did seem to be a bit repetitive in some ways. Also very simplistic in the thriller solving. I did enjoy it as a break from some of the other books I have read.
April 23, 2025
way good! I was a little surprised to be honest but this is a good prequel remember, this book takes place 50 years before there abouts.
There are visions, dreams and what I believe possessed people; also, kids making grievous mistakes that alter their paths.
The main couple of this sets things up for the main characters in the, Light the Ark series.
Enjoy!
July 16, 2024
Best book he's written. I almost didn't read this after my disappointment with books 1-3.
Believable characters. An engaging plot that leads to a satisfying, plausible conclusion.
November 1, 2024
Fights were a bit graphic for me. But the storyline was great.
January 20, 2025
Surprisingly good Christian author fiction.? This guy is a good storyteller I don’t care who you are.
June 5, 2025
very good. kept me guessing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews