Last week, I read a book that is way out of my comfort zone. It was available from my local library as an ebook, and I thought the premise was interesting.
It got to the point where I would not allow myself to read it at night, for fear I would have nightmares.
It wasn't a horror story, but it was apocalyptic. Like The Day After Tomorrow. Or I Am Legend. Knowing. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.
Really, I don't like those kinds of movies, and here I am reading a book in somewhat the same genre. By the time I realized I was uncomfortable, I was hooked on the story and the characters. So . . . no reading this one before bed.
But I'm glad I read it.
In the book, hundreds or thousands of people on earth start having dreams . . . visions if you will . . . of angels telling each of them to build an ark. They are given specific dimensions and directions. Each ark is built to hold 30 people. No more, no less.
These people are faced with a similar choice as Noah was. Do you believe what you've been told, that you're not crazy, and head to the lumber yard? Do you decide that you are crazy and ignore what you've seen and heard? Or do you believe but choose to succumb to the pressure of those around you and take no action?
I realize that the Bible clearly says that God will never flood the earth again. And so when I started reading, I found the premise ridiculous and almost not worth reading, but then I read Harry Potter and Twilight, so. . . . I kept reading, and surprisingly. the story had an explanation for this discrepancy.
What makes this different from the typical apocalyptic story is that this is clearly a religious book. I think it could make you introspective, make you wonder how you would act in a similiar situation. It also made me think a lot of the second coming, for obvious reasons. I actually didn't notice much theologically that I took serious issue with. Like I said, they even gave a plausible explanation that allowed another flood.
I absolutely do not recommend it to everyone, but if you like end-of-the-world stories, this is an interesting one.
If you've read it, let me know what you thought of it.
If you decide to read it, make sure you wait until it's not raining.
