Journal of the Angelic

Mark A. Raborn
Wingspan Press (2007)
ISBN 9781595941640
Reviewed by Mary Simmons for Reader Views (8/07)

Drawing from the biblical account of the fall of Lucifer, author Mark A. Raborn delves into how such a schism could occur in Heaven under God’s watchful presence in his novel, “Journal of the Angelic.”  The book is narrated by Karmus, an angel of the Kingdom of God, who is awakened by the sound of his name being called in the opening pages.  I should explain that I refer to Karmus as a male, following the author’s convention and logic as explained in the introduction, “Because all angels are created beings, there exist no anatomical genders among the angelic; therefore, it should be noted that masculine pronouns are for convenience only.”

As the angel awakens and is welcomed into the fold, Raborn creates an atmosphere that conjures up music and dance. As I read, I could see the movement, colors and the swirling, tangible sense of peace and serenity covering everything. As the angels sing their praises to the Almighty, an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder comes over the reader as well as the character. “The voices singing so beautifully were united in love and submission to this one Most High, and the sounds of praise echoed throughout this place of perfect love. For a while, nothing else seemed to exist, save the spirits enraptured in worship to the King of Kings.”

Using more sophisticated, formal language than the casual jargon we encounter in our everyday lives, Raborn elevates the novel to a biblical level, transporting us to the heavenly realm where the angels reside.  To help us navigate through this journey, a glossary of names and unique terms is located at the back of the book.

As Karmus lives and grows, we share his new experiences and understanding of the worlds around him. He participates in the development of planets and we are honored to learn alongside him. “I was there when worlds were planned and witnessed the dreams of the angelic as they were borne out upon the kingdom of the Lord God of Heaven.”  This peace is shattered when Lucifer and his followers fall, resulting in the Wars of Heaven and God’s ultimate decision to cast them out of Heaven.

Raborn reconciles his imaginative fantasies with his biblical knowledge to draw an intimate picture of another realm. “Journal of the Angelic” is a majestic literary endeavor that brings a piece of Heaven to Earth, while managing to be entertaining, awe-inspiring and thought-provoking. In exploring the familiar passages from the Bible, the author suggests a context that will have readers turning back to the Book that inspired it all and contemplating the nature of God, angels and humanity from a new perspective. While some may question the theology, it is a magnificent work of speculative fiction.

Reviewed by Richard R Blake for Reader Views (12/06)

Questions and “puzzlements” of his childhood motivated Mark Raborn to use his “sanctified imagination” to explore questions like:  What was God doing in eternity before the creation of the earth, and man as we know him today?  Why aren’t the angels in heaven required to die? Why were we born with a “seed of sin” and not them? How could so many angels fall away from God?  Why did Lucifer really fall away after having been exalted by God Himself? 

Mark’s descriptions of heavenly beings and unique creatures inhabiting a myriad of planets could well have been taken from the Old Testament prophecies of Ezekiel, Isaiah, or from the New Testament book of Revelation.  They might have come from the apocryphal writings, or from modern day science fiction.

I enjoyed the way Raborn vividly painted word pictures of the celestial environment, “The enchanting spectrum of colors was optically stimulating and seemed to reduce the peaks of one’s concerns to a more manageable plateau.  Violets, carcerindans, oceoles, blues, and deep, dark reds dominated the terrain.”
 
Written in a first person journal format, Karmus recounts details from the past, from the time of his awakening and maturing as an angel. He tells of the fall of Lucifer, and the war in heaven. I was drawn into the intensity of the battle as I read, “The guttural groans of wounded brethren were only momentary distractions from the piercing lights of zerthex swords and the realization that history of epic consequence was being accomplished with each passing moment.”

Through the narration of Karmus, Raborn presents a detailed account of the Adamic dispensation, a story of brokenness and love as God’s plan for man, and His eternal kingdom are unveiled.  Karmus recounts the words of God, “At the appointed time, I will send my Son to earth to be born of purity and appearing as a man…He will not succumb to Satan’s efforts to taint his spirit.”

Although this is acknowledged as a book of fiction Mark Raborn has conscientiously researched the scriptures to insure that anything in the book would not conflict with Biblical truth.

The glossary of unique names and terms provided is extremely helpful as most of the places, names, and other significant terminology are original creations of the author

“Journal of the Angelic” is a great book for lovers of the C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien fans.

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