Killing Abel: OnlineBookClub Edition

by Michael Tieman

Killing Abel is a work of fiction based on the first passages of the book of Genesis in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.From "In the beginning . . ." to the Great Flood, the Bible only says about two words per year of history, for that period on earth. Not very much. From Noah to Jesus, the Bible provides us with one hundred times that amount of history to guide man.Killing Abel takes the two words per year that God gave us, not changing a single one or changing a single context for those words, and fills in the gaps with the author's imagination.Any foundation for a coherent worldview must start at a logical place, and there is only one choice available for where to begin, in the beginning.If the underlying context is not Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning . . ." then it is a pretext. If you cannot trace your worldview back to a beginning, then what is it based on? If it has no beginning, then it has no foundation. Of all the tasks a man could face in life, the one I would least like to undertake is that of trying to deny a beginning.Killing Abel is written with the premise that God is open to doing as He pleases. Neither you nor I can bear up against what is true in an attempt to make God out to be something that fits our own misconceptions/conceptions that are not based on God's actions.In Killing Abel, God is depicted as a loving Father, which is not always an easy role to play, as many mortal fathers would readily admit. Being a good father is the most important, most difficult, and without exception, the most consequential obligation a man has.In the truest sense of the word, I believe that Killing Abel is a novel interpretation of the historical events from Adam to Noah.This is not meant to be theology―it is the fictional account of a loving Father and His children based on what little is revealed in the Bible.Perhaps God chose not to reveal much about the first 1,700 years of man's history so that man would think more about those early days. I hope that my imagination will entice you to use yours as you read a novel view of the killing of Abel.

346 pages, Paperback

Published August 25, 2021

Reviews

[yasmeen ahmed]

Through the pages of this book, Michael Tieman takes us to travel through time, specifically to the first years of Adam and Eve and their offspring on earth, to shed light on the life of Adam and his wife after they left heaven and settled on earth and the difficulties they faced in finding housing, food, drink and clothing, how will Adam outlive the earth?
And as his children grew older, the problems increased and how will his children marry if there are no people on earth other than them?
And about the hatred and malice that Cain holds it in his heart towards his brother Abel, these feelings grew bad and ended with his unjust killing of his brother and becoming the first killer in history
The writer was able to stimulate our imagination to see with the eyes of reality what happened in ancient times and the details of the first murder on earth, which the writer derived from the Bible and presented it to us in a dramatic visual context.
a good book that I would recommend to young people and history lovers.
Rate:4/5

[Ruth Scaife Scaife]

Very good and thought-provoking book

Killing Abel was a well written, well-edited book. Michael Tieman takes you to the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible, from the beginning of time to Noah and the flood. What happens in the time gaps in between? How did events happen? Michael opens your imagination to his theory of what may have occurred during those gaps.

This book was very captivating and fascinating. I appreciated the references in the Bible on where he was going with the plot. I believe this book was a work of art but especially liked the prayer at the end of the book, where the author was open to correction.

I would recommend this book to mature adults and to those who can discern fiction from history.

[Sara]

I love a good remix, but this was not my jam.

See my full review here - https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[Chiara]

"In principio Dio creò..."

È da qui che ha inizio questa storia. Prendendo ispirazione dalla Bibbia, e in particolare dalla Genesi, l'autore Michael Tieman costruisce una narrazione creativa e originale che ha lo scopo di trasmettere un messaggio di speranza e di amore ai suoi lettori. Nel suo libro, Killing Abel, segue la storia della creazione dall'origine degli esseri umani, concentrandosi con particolare attenzione e dettagli su episodi cruciali quali la loro cacciata dal Giardino dell'Eden ed il fratricidio di Abele da parte di Caino, da cui il titolo del libro.

Caino viene descritto come una persona molto diversa da come risulta nell'immaginario comune. Non è un uomo crudele, ma è sempre stato diverso dagli altri ed ha sempre ricevuto il trattamento dell'eterno secondo, specialmente nei confronti di suo fratello Abele, che invece era visto come un perfetto uomo di fede e un motivo d'orgoglio per suo padre e la sua famiglia. Il suo crimine di conseguenza ha origine da un senso di esasperazione, guidato anche dalla sua ossessione nei confronti dell'albero della conoscenza, che cercherà per quasi tutta la sua vita senza successo. Un'altra cosa che lo seguirà per tutta la durata della sua esistenza sarà la sua condanna: l'enorme rimorso per la sua terribile azione e la punizione di vivere una lunga vita con questo dolore, senza mai essere amato da nessuno, neppure da sua moglie. La narrazione esplora anche le vite dei numerosi discendenti di Adamo ed Eva, i quali, dopo l'orribile fratricidio, si sono divisi in due stirpi: i Cainiti e i Sethiani. I primi guidati dalla Legge, i secondi dall'Amore. La storia termina con il grande diluvio e con la speranza di un futuro migliore per l'umanità.

Dio è visto prima di tutto come un padre, e come tale, per il bene dei propri figli qualche volta si trova costretto a prendere decisioni difficili, e a volte compie degli errori. Non ho mai letto un testo basato sulle credenze cristiane con un'interpretazione del genere. Solitamente infatti, si parla di Dio come di qualcuno di onnipotente e di assolutamente indiscutibile, e penso che questa visione allontani molta gente perché è troppo irraggiungibile, troppo distante. Mentre un Dio che deve affrontare delle difficoltà esattamente come noi è decisamente più avvicinabile, ed è più semplice riconoscersi in qualcuno che ci somiglia. Persino io, da atea, ho apprezzato questa versione della storia. Inoltre, nonostante questo romanzo parta dalla convinzione che Dio esiste e che tutto provenga da lui, trovo che possa essere una lettura interessante anche per le persone non religiose come me, poiché non è offensivo per chi non abbraccia queste credenze secondo me. Anzi, porta con sé delle morali in cui tutti possono ritrovarsi, e questo è decisamente un punto a suo favore perché talvolta i libri religiosi tendono a imporsi in maniera ben poco aperta alle discussioni.

Concludo col dire che non è certamente il genere di lettura che preferisco, però è apprezzabile e scorre piuttosto veloce tranne in alcuni punti.

[Abbi]

Killing Abel by Michael Tieman is a retelling of the first few chapters of the book of Genesis. We start in the Garden of Eden and see how Adam and Eve's choices led to the killing of Abel. And more importantly, how the killing of Abel led to the flood. Tieman does a fantastic job of creating an interesting, detailed story from what is essentially an outline given in the Bible.

I found the book to be quite enjoyable. Tieman's interpretations of how these events might have occurred seemed plausible and explored several topics well. One of my favorites was in comparing parenting styles. God learned how to parent Adam (and the rest of humanity) through the early mistakes that Adam made. Adam's parenting and mistakes were part of what led to Cain's struggles and his eventual fratricide. I liked how Cain's attempt to avoid repeating his father's mistakes in parenting led to an overcorrection that eventually caused the flood. I even felt sympathy towards Cain in the book and was very surprised by his death. I thought the discussion of faith throughout the books was good as well. I felt it appropriately broached the subject of faith and the importance of a relationship with God without being overly preachy, especially for a book meant to be historical fiction. And there are many more things I would love to rave over about the book, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. It was an interesting, relaxing read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have very few negative things to say about this book. I didn't like the in-text citation to the Bible. I think it was unnecessary and would have been better without them. The author also capitalized any pronoun used to refer to God and the Trinity. I was confused by it initially because I didn't understand why the book had capitalized pronouns in the middle of a sentence. You could argue over whether or not it was correct, but I found it to be a little distracting. There was also a near curse word that didn't occur during the dialog. I don't think that fit very well with the books, considering it's based on the Bible. But these issues didn't negatively affect my enjoyment of the book.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. It seemed to be professionally edited, and I would be surprised if I were to find out that it wasn't. It was an enjoyable, easy read. The criticisms I had for the book didn't hinder my enjoyment. And I would love to see this author tackle other stories of the Bible as well.

I feel this book would be enjoyable to anyone interested in biblical stories, not just those who are Christians. I think it takes some maturity to appreciate some of the topics in the book, so I would only recommend this to adults. Teenagers may not fully appreciate some topics. Overall, I highly recommend this book.

I received this book for free to review through Online Book Club

[Clara Aluvisia]

Killing Abel, penned by Michael Tieman, is a riveting literary work that intricately weaves biblical references from the book of Genesis into a compelling narrative. This fictional masterpiece delves into the story of Abel, providing a fresh perspective through the lens of logic and reason. Tieman masterfully explores the dawn of humanity, starting from the moment of creation and culminating in the era of the great flood, all while questioning the multifaceted nature of God. At the heart of the book lies a profound exploration of God's character and the ever-evolving dynamics of His nature. Tieman skillfully poses thought-provoking questions, challenging readers to ponder the alternate pathways biblical events could have taken. The portrayal of God as a benevolent and understanding father–offering redemption to Adam and Eve's flawed yet relatable characters–adds depth and poignancy to the narrative.

One of the book's standout features is its unique interpretation of familiar biblical events from a logical perspective. Tieman skillfully reimagines the lives of Adam and Eve, portraying them not merely as archetypal figures but as relatable individuals navigating the complexities of human existence. Their journey becomes a beacon of wisdom, offering profound insights into the human experience and the pursuit of knowledge. Furthermore, Tieman's storytelling prowess shines brightly, immersing readers in a world where ancient tales come alive with newfound relevance. The exploration of marriage, procreation, and the challenges a father figure faces resonate deeply, making this book a must-read for anyone seeking guidance on building a successful family structure. The trials and tribulations Adam faced and Eva's empowering journey toward leadership offer a nuanced perspective on gender dynamics and the quest for justice.

[Eva]

I truly enjoyed the book, and the author's stories on the fall of Adam and Eve were fascinating. The stories had a nice flow, and all the events took place seamlessly. The author's imaginative descriptions made me feel like I was a part of the book.

I liked how the author brought out the different personalities of Cain and Abel. Reading the stories, I could see that the two brothers were nothing like each other. While Abel always thought out first before doing something, Cain always gave no second thoughts and always followed his desires. While Abel strived to obey his parents and please God, Cain was more interested in finding the tree of knowledge that intrigued him. Cain thought himself to be immortal and that there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.

I loved how each character was unique from one another. The author described each character's different traits and brought them to life. The stories draw readers into their depth and leave one with thoughts of the first of humanity. The author highlights the family life of Adam and Eve as they strived to raise and guide their children and grandchildren in the best way possible. Michael highlights the happy moments Adam's family had as well as the struggles faced and how this family was able to overcome each obstacle. The author's imagination is quite impeccable. The language used in the book is simple and easy to understand.

I recommend this book to people who love Bible stories as they will be fascinated by this book. The author’s take on the events that occurred in the Genesis book of creation and the fall of humankind to Noah's ark is refreshing and full of imagination.

[ALEK]

Based on historical accuracy and magnificently inserted fiction , “Killing Abel" by Michael Tieman explores the Old Testament Genesis of the Bible to add more taste and perception to the already known context .I like the daring concience of the author to not only choose a widely reviewed concept, but also at the same unexpectedly developing intriguing accounts that will lead to you challenged of what you think you already know is commendable.Moreover the author's dramatization with a great choice of words creates a visual reality context of the encounters the first couple faced and how they raised their offspring.

This is a great read to Christians , history enthusiasts interested in Christian -based stories, and will be educational to young adults for the hard -lessons learnt .This is an incredible read that once you start there is no quiting and leave you craving for more.I award this text 5 out of 5 stars and I am looking forward to reading more books from the author.

[Sharon Young]

This story - encompassing from Adam and Eve in the garden to the cataclysm of the Flood and Noah - is decently written backstory fanfiction of the Bible. I enjoyed the story, though sometimes his theology gave me pause. The reason I couldn't give it at least four stars was the editing. Whoever finalized the Kindle edition permitted extraordinarily strange word breaks that sometimes left floating single letters or even periods crossing to the next line. It made it really hard to read at times. And it wasn't just a one-off occurrence - it happened throughout the entire book, and it was very distracting. It's hard to hold immersion in a story when the wor-ds are broke-n in odd plac-es or periods float mysteriously to the next line. Otherwise, it's a decent read and gives one much to think about.

[AISYAH NASIR]

Here is my thought on the book. Killing Abel: Volunteer Review