Controversial novel ‘Noah Primeval’ asks, “Did God wipe out a race of giants with the flood?”
LOS ANGELES, CA (EPB) – Brian Godawa, the award-winning screenwriter of To End All Wars, says, “The most bizarre passage in the Bible that I never understood was Genesis 6:1-4 about what led up to the Great Flood. I mean, angels mating with humans and creating giants? What is that all about? Can that be real?”
But when the author of the popular book Hollywood Worldviews studied the passage in depth, Godawa soon discovered that not only was it real, but it was an important narrative thread that weaves through the Bible all the way to the New Testament. The Nephilim giants of the Bible have been a hot debate by scholars and religious leaders through history. In his research, Godawa found new insight into the ancient Near East that sheds light on this controversy.
Godawa decided to write a Biblical fantasy novel, similar in vein to The Lord of the Rings, about this wild discovery. That novel is titled Noah Primeval. It’s the first in a series called Chronicles of the Nephilim and is now available in e-book and paperback formats on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
Noah Primeval is a fantasy retelling of the beloved story of Noah for a new generation. In an ancient world of darkness, fallen angels breed giants and enslave mankind to evil. Noah, a tribal warrior, has been prophesied to save humanity from the coming destruction of the world. But Noah’s wife and son are captives of these dark forces – and he’s not going anywhere without them.
Godawa is known as an author who both entertains and educates. He has included special appendixes in the book that explain the Biblical research behind the novel such as the Sons of God, the Nephilim, Leviathan, and the ancient Near Eastern Biblical worldview. Reputable Biblical scholar and author of the book Inspiration and Incarnation, Peter Enns calls the novel, “Imaginative yet well-researched.”
Noah Primeval joins a growing body of creative output from those in Hollywood who are examining Biblical stories and themes including the forthcoming films Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, Scott Derrickson’s Goliath, and producer Dan Lin’s Moses.
The novel is already getting the praise from scholars and Hollywood heavyweights alike:
“Wizard schools and teen vampires are child’s play. This is the origin of sorcery and vampire tales. Noah Primeval will keep you on the edge of your seat with its primal struggle of good and evil. Supernatural fiction, fantasy, and Biblical speculation all as a cinematic novel. It reads like a blockbuster movie!”
—Ralph Winter (X-Men, Planet of the Apes)
“Anyone who has read the Lord of the Rings trilogy has silently mused about how fantastic it would be if it were all real—a place on earth that transcended our own mundane reality, a time when the unseen world was tangible. Noah Primeval made me stop wishing and start believing. Brian Godawa re-imagines the supernatural storyline of the Biblical Noah blended with Mesopotamian epics. The result is a stirring tale of gods and men that confronts us with biblical reality through mythical fantasy. Noah Primeval is what Tolkien called “sanctifying myth” that we need in our own place and time.”
—Michael S. Heiser, Ph.D. Hebrew and Semitic Languages; Academic Editor, Logos Bible Software
“A great, spiritual fantasy full of thought and imagination. Noah Primeval is a provocative look at what could have been the life and times of Noah. The cinema-like action and suspense will keep you turning pages until you are finished, while the themes and concepts will remain long after you’re done.”
—Bill Myers, bestselling author, The God Hater
“Imaginative yet well-researched. As a Biblical scholar, I have a great appreciation for imagination in religious storytelling of the past. I was enthralled with Godawa’s grasp of the Mesopotamian world and enchanted with his modern adaptation of antiquity into an entertaining action fantasy. Such a fictional adaptation may be a big problem from some religious believers with strict views of the Bible, but in my book, Godawa brings to the surface the drama of the original story. He gives to us the Noah of the Bible in a fresh and provocative way.”
—Peter Enns, PhD. Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations; Author Inspiration and Incarnation
“When it comes to supernatural fiction, all the publishing industry seems to think about these days are vampires. Then, fortunately for us, along comes Brian Godawa to shake things up and remind us all where good and evil really come from. Noah Primeval is the kind of story that will make you think, and allow you to see the world in a different way. Brian Godawa’s imagination is incredible. When he writes, he conjures up worlds that make you re-think what’s possible. Noah Primeval is a fascinating new take on an ancient story that makes the word ‘epic’ seem far too small. Pick up the book, but don’t expect to put it down until you’re finished.”
—Phil Cooke, filmmaker, media consultant, author, Jolt! Get the Jump on a World that’s Constantly Changing
“Noah Primeval represents the new generation in novel writing. It’s compact, concise, and fast paced. Intelligent yet entertaining. Godawa brings a screenwriter’s sensibilities to the material that will draw in a postmodern audience that prefers books that read like movies.”
—Jack Hafer, Chair, Cinema and Media Arts, Biola University; Producer, To End All Wars
“Here is a disturbingly powerful novel that “sings the Lord’s song in a strange land” at the same time it sings a strange song in the Lord’s land. Godawa captures the spiritual and theological truth behind the biblical story of Noah with an action packed fantasy adventure that reminded me of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia, or the graphic novel Watchmen. If you are religious or not, believe the Bible or not, know the story of Noah or not, but you have an imagination, you will love this novel.”
—Leonard Sweet, best-selling author, professor Drew University, George Fox University, Chief Contributor to Sermons.com
“Noah as a Robin Hood-type rebel in the forest? I’m skeptical about some of the exegesis but not about the essential worldview nor the future of this rollicking tale: Every page screams Movie!”
—Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief, World Magazine
Additional works
Books by Brian Godawa
Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment (Intervarsity Press)
Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story and Imagination (Intervarsity Press)
Movies written by Brian Godawa
To End All Wars
The Visitation, from the novel by Frank Peretti
Alleged
Change Your Life
Documentaries written and directed by Brian Godawa
Wall of Separation: The Phrase that Divided America
Lines That Divide: The Great Stem Cell Debate
School’s Out: Academic Freedom Vs. Political Correctness