Steve Alten, Resurrection

Resurrection

Steve Alten

Forge, Feb 2004, $25.95, 416 pp.

ISBN: 0312875584

Five centuries ago the Mayan Popul Vul predicted that Michael Gabriel will sacrifice himself to save Earth from an alien invasion in 2012. The Mayan forecast also included that Michael would sire twin supermen. Finally the prophecy included a third super person born at about the same time as the twins. All three come true by 2013.

With the heroic Michael dead, their mom raises Jacob and Immanuel in a haven sponsored by the American government. The third special child, Lilith Eve Robinson, is not as fortunate as the twins as she is raised in a strict God fearing atmosphere by a sexually abusive parent. She turns away from his hypocritical religious fervor as she finds solace in the dark side. Lilith confronts the twins for ownership of all human souls while Jacob and a reluctant Manny must find the means to resurrect their dad if they are to defeat evil.

Though intriguing as an apocalyptic tale based on the Mayan mythos, the ethics and anti-ethics of the two antagonists seem more Judeo-Christian. In turn it is the angels vs. the devil war that makes the twins especially Jacob and Lilith Eve seem too stereotyped in a good and evil confrontation. Still the story line of RESURRECTION moves rapidly whether it occurs on earth or in an afterlife underground Xibalba so that fans of wars between heaven and hell with battlefield earth as one of the fronts will appreciate the sequel to DOMAIN.

Harriet Klausner