The Firstborn: They See What Others Cannot. But None Can See the Evil They Will Face from Within. Volume 1

by Conlan Brown

Book Overview

Three supernatural gifts. Two thousand years of division. One moment of truth. Hannah's head hung, long brown hair in her eyes. Her face felt pasty with cold and fatigue and pain. Arms behind her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599796074
• ISBN13: 9781599796079
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Realms
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Don't be put off by the cover - you HAVE to read this book!

There are times that people say something along the lines of, "this book was so good I couldn't put it down." For me, with this book, I literally couldn't put it down and I read it cover to cover in one night. It's that good! Imagine if you could cross John Piper with J.K. Rowling - OK, that's icky. Imagine if you could cross the theology of John Piper with the creativity and writing talents of J.K. Rowling - what you'd get is the incredible writing ability and style of Conlan Brown. Set in the modern day, The Firstborn is a fictional tale (I think) of three groups of Christians who have similar but different spiritual gifts. Some see visions of the past, some see visions of the present and some see visions of the future. Each group distrusts the other groups because they don't understand each others giftings and so are threatened by them. Brown skilfully weaves a story of terrorists, kidnappings and power struggles with fear, mistrust and animosity and shows through it all how love, faith and obedience conquer all and are more important than anything else. Walking the reader through opposing, yet very true to life, religious and political viewpoints and exposing some of the harsh realities of life in some countries today, Brown paints a picture that we can all relate to and learn from. My wife and I generally figure that there are two kinds of books: The 'should read's' (non-fiction) and the `want to read's' (fiction). Somehow, Conlan Brown has made this a `want to read' while at the same time creating a work which I would without a doubt put on the 'should read' list. If you can read this expertly written, thrilling, fast-paced, gripping story and come away without a greater sense of the need for unity within the Church and without a greater desire to love your enemies, I will be very shocked!

Refreshing!

I had 7 hours of flight time over this week. I started and finished Firstborn in those 7 hours. It was such a great read I couldn't put it down. I devoured it quickly. I absolutely love it. I read a lot, but I have never read a book written like this. Most fiction I read is written from a first person narrative. I loved they way the story moved from narrating from different peoples point of view. Like the movie "vantage point" the narrative move from person to person. It was refreshing. I loved it. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Truly insightful and powerful reading.

Conlan has crafted a compelling story along the lines of such talent as Bronleewe, Dekker and Parrish. I am truly impressed. The creativity of this story combined with a believable plot that twists around world problems in existence today is profound. This story breathes life and truth rather than destruction. Seriously. Don't let the creepy cover fool you. Yeah, there are dark people in this story, but there is also light and self-sacrifice. Serving God rather than ourselves is a major theme, and showing just how misguided people can be when they think they know best rather than consulting God can be disastrous. This novel really makes you think. It's scary, bloody and a bit gross, but not without purpose. It's a man's man book, yet this wuss enjoyed it, too. Why? Because I enjoy an intelligent book with symbolism and truth interspersed throughout the plot. I didn't see false doctrine or new age teaching, just a storyworld with clearly fabricated spiritual gifts (this is fiction) that conveyed a real life lesson Christians need to read about and hopefully allow into their hearts. The end doesn't always justify the means, but following the God of Love is crucial. Conlan did a great job showing these things without distorting the heart of the Scriptures. Bravo!

Fantastic Debut!

For a first novel, Conlan Brown sure knows how to keep a reader captivated! I was hooked from page one and felt starved until I wrapped it up late last night. What a story! "The Firstborn" chronicles the...well...the firstborn. Gifted in one of three ways: hindsight, foresight, or insight, they came into being at the time of Christ's death. Since then, the three have parted ways. No longer united, they are also no longer effective for what they were born for. Until the murder of a Muslim holy man draws the three factions together. A terrorist plot of horrific proportions is planned, and some of those with foresight have glimpsed it. Can the Prima, the Domina, and the Ora pull together? Who is The Thresher? Who will be The Overseer? And what will come of this terrorist plot? With a jump start kidnapping in the opening pages to a cataclysmic conclusion, Conlan had me from the introduction...and these days, it's hard to get my attention! I highly anticipate more great novels from this gifted author. If you're a fan of speculative fiction, you'll love this book. If you're a fan of "Heroes", you'll devour this novel. If you just love playing 'what if'...take a chance on "The Firstborn". I truly believe you'll be glad you did. I'm giving this debut five out of five bookmarks, with a family tree as a chart. My only complaint was the plethora of characters, and keeping the families straight...but that's minor for a "Heroes" fan! Check out Conlan's site and watch some intro videos for a sneak peek into the world of "The Firstborn"!

Like candy in paper back

One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. I could not put it down, and can't wait for the sequel. If you like a well written story filled with action and smart twists I definitely recommend this book. I will be looking for more books by Conlan Brown