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Children of the Last Days #4
Father Elijah: An Apocalypse
Michael O'Brien presents a thrilling apocalyptic novel about the condition of the Roman Catholic Church at the end of time. It explores the state of the modern world, and the strengths and weaknesses of the contemporary religious scene, by taking his central character, Father Elijah Schäfer, a Carmelite priest, on a secret mission for the Vatican which embroils him in a series of crises and subterfuges affecting the ultimate destiny of the Church.
Father Elijah is a convert from Judaism, a survivor of the Holocaust, a man once powerful in Israel. For twenty years he has been "buried in the dark night of Carmel" on the mountain of the prophet Elijah. The Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State call him out of obscurity and give him a task of the highest sensitivity: to penetrate into the inner circles of a man whom they believe may be the Antichrist. Their purpose: to call the Man of Sin to repentance, and thus to postpone the great tribulation long enough to preach the Gospel to the whole world.
In this richly textured tale, Father Elijah crosses Europe and the Middle East, moves through the echelons of world power, meets saints and sinners, presidents, judges, mystics, embattled Catholic journalists, faithful priests and a conspiracy of traitors within the very House of God. This is an apocalypse in the old literary sense, but one that was written in the light of Christian revelation.
Father Elijah is a convert from Judaism, a survivor of the Holocaust, a man once powerful in Israel. For twenty years he has been "buried in the dark night of Carmel" on the mountain of the prophet Elijah. The Pope and the Cardinal Secretary of State call him out of obscurity and give him a task of the highest sensitivity: to penetrate into the inner circles of a man whom they believe may be the Antichrist. Their purpose: to call the Man of Sin to repentance, and thus to postpone the great tribulation long enough to preach the Gospel to the whole world.
In this richly textured tale, Father Elijah crosses Europe and the Middle East, moves through the echelons of world power, meets saints and sinners, presidents, judges, mystics, embattled Catholic journalists, faithful priests and a conspiracy of traitors within the very House of God. This is an apocalypse in the old literary sense, but one that was written in the light of Christian revelation.
597 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Michael D. O'Brien
41 books710 followersMichael D. O'Brien is a Roman Catholic author, artist, and frequent essayist and lecturer on faith and culture, living in Combermere, Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
July 15, 2011
This book established Michael O'Brien as one of my favorite Christian writers. This quote was he novel's response to the commonly asked question, "Why would a good God permit evil?"
“The problem is not only one act of evil, but many such acts. Let us say, six million Jews and six million Gentile Poles, and tens of millions of others. That is just the Second World War. Let us say that our cosmic terrorist pushes harder and harder against the integrity of God. Let us say he uses a Stalin- now we are considering perhaps fifty million, some say sixty million people, dead at the hands of this one tyrant. Should God destroy the moral structure of the Universe in order to save the physical universe? That would be a superficial defense and an ultimate self-defeat. Should He give in because of the quantity of the victims?
“You are overstating the situation. I don’t see what you mean.”
“It is something like this. Satan holds the chosen people hostage. He holds a gun to their heads and he says to God, ‘Well, aren’t you going to do something! Aren’t you going to stop me! Aren’t you going to break one of your own insignificant laws to save your darlings?’ God replies, ‘I will not break the laws I have written into creation, for that would bring a different kind of destruction for my beloved ones.’
“Satan answers, ‘All right, watch this!’ He squeezes and crushes and rips with his jaws until the chosen ones begin to cry out to their Creator, ‘Save us! Where are you? Why do you not come?’ Satan looks at God and says, ‘Well?’ But God is silent. He is so silent that the darkness seems to spread over the world. Satan believes he has forced God to back up. He has argued Him into helplessness. He thinks that God has nothing left to say. He thinks he has won the cosmic battle and has obtained power over God. He thinks himself above God. But all the while a tremendous thing is happening within the heart of God. But all the while a tremendous thing is happening within the heart of God. A Word begins to form. A Word that is so immense, so much larger than the entire created Universe, which rests like a golden apple in His hand. This Word is so fast, yet so simple, that none can hear it. Satan will not hear it; man cannot, for he has been deafened with the screams of his own agony. Matter itself can only feel it without knowing it.
‘I will go down into my own creation as once I did long ago, when I walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. As I did when I came to Jerusalem as a man. I will go down into my creation and I will suffer in it. I will suffer with it. And this shall be my Word as once it was My Word on Calvary.” –Chapter Seven
“The problem is not only one act of evil, but many such acts. Let us say, six million Jews and six million Gentile Poles, and tens of millions of others. That is just the Second World War. Let us say that our cosmic terrorist pushes harder and harder against the integrity of God. Let us say he uses a Stalin- now we are considering perhaps fifty million, some say sixty million people, dead at the hands of this one tyrant. Should God destroy the moral structure of the Universe in order to save the physical universe? That would be a superficial defense and an ultimate self-defeat. Should He give in because of the quantity of the victims?
“You are overstating the situation. I don’t see what you mean.”
“It is something like this. Satan holds the chosen people hostage. He holds a gun to their heads and he says to God, ‘Well, aren’t you going to do something! Aren’t you going to stop me! Aren’t you going to break one of your own insignificant laws to save your darlings?’ God replies, ‘I will not break the laws I have written into creation, for that would bring a different kind of destruction for my beloved ones.’
“Satan answers, ‘All right, watch this!’ He squeezes and crushes and rips with his jaws until the chosen ones begin to cry out to their Creator, ‘Save us! Where are you? Why do you not come?’ Satan looks at God and says, ‘Well?’ But God is silent. He is so silent that the darkness seems to spread over the world. Satan believes he has forced God to back up. He has argued Him into helplessness. He thinks that God has nothing left to say. He thinks he has won the cosmic battle and has obtained power over God. He thinks himself above God. But all the while a tremendous thing is happening within the heart of God. But all the while a tremendous thing is happening within the heart of God. A Word begins to form. A Word that is so immense, so much larger than the entire created Universe, which rests like a golden apple in His hand. This Word is so fast, yet so simple, that none can hear it. Satan will not hear it; man cannot, for he has been deafened with the screams of his own agony. Matter itself can only feel it without knowing it.
‘I will go down into my own creation as once I did long ago, when I walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. As I did when I came to Jerusalem as a man. I will go down into my creation and I will suffer in it. I will suffer with it. And this shall be my Word as once it was My Word on Calvary.” –Chapter Seven
November 20, 2023
I loved this story when I first read it back in 2018. It was my first encounter with this author and my only regret was that this was the second to last novel of the series. Had I known that, I would have read the others first.
However, it was the freebie on Formed and I had seen the author’s books for years and was curious about him. Apocalyptic literature is not usually my favorite genre, but that didn’t seem to matter with this book. The writing is wonderful. I loved the Carmelite main character, Fr. Elijah, his English friend, Fr. Billy, the lawyer, Anna and the slow-fast pace of the story. It is rich in spiritual wisdom and wonderful dialogues to savor.
The second reading was even better since I understood so much more about Fr. David Schaeffer Elijah, his Polish background and its importance to everything which is happening to him.
So you can read this book on its own, but it is so much better if you have read Sophia House first.
On to, Elijah in Jerusalem.
However, it was the freebie on Formed and I had seen the author’s books for years and was curious about him. Apocalyptic literature is not usually my favorite genre, but that didn’t seem to matter with this book. The writing is wonderful. I loved the Carmelite main character, Fr. Elijah, his English friend, Fr. Billy, the lawyer, Anna and the slow-fast pace of the story. It is rich in spiritual wisdom and wonderful dialogues to savor.
The second reading was even better since I understood so much more about Fr. David Schaeffer Elijah, his Polish background and its importance to everything which is happening to him.
So you can read this book on its own, but it is so much better if you have read Sophia House first.
On to, Elijah in Jerusalem.
January 10, 2022
”Christ in Gethsemane,” Michael D. O’Brien
An apocalypse is a work of literature dealing with the end of human history. For millennia, apocalypses of various sorts have arisen throughout the world in the cultural life of many peoples and religions. They are generated by philosophical speculations, by visions of the future, or by inarticulate longings and apprehensions, and not infrequently, by the abiding human passion for what J.R.R. Tolkien called subcreation. These poems, epics, fantasies, myths, and prophetic works bear a common witness to man’s transient state upon the earth. Man is a stranger and sojourner. His existence is inexpressibly beautiful and dangerous. It is fraught with mysteries that beg to be deciphered. The Greek word apocalypsos means an uncovering or revealing. Through such revelations man gazes into the panorama of human history in search of the key to his identity; in search of permanence and completion. — from Michael D. O’Brien’s Introduction to this novel
This moving apocalyptic journey was, to me, a story of friendship, and sometimes sacrificial love — with nods to The Lord of the Rings. (It may also be inspired by Lord of the World which I haven’t read yet.) It was a joy to find a living novelist who treats the Catholic faith, the sacraments — and faithfulness itself — earnestly. I loved the way dreams, visions, angels are woven into the tale seamlessly. The audiobook — audio drama, really — by voice actor Kevin O’Brien — was phenomenal and addictive — even if the Polish-Israeli Father Elijah sounded a bit British and the President of the European Parliament sounded American. Overall, the novel is uneven, but powerful, redeeming some of its own flaws. I think it was O’Brien’s first novel.
At times, the prose sings. The closest relationships -- Elijah’s friendships with his fellow priest Billy and the European Supreme Court Justice, Anna, come alive -- mostly through intimate conversations. Much of the novel is dialogue. A deathbed exchange with the infamous Count Smokrev is deeply moving — perhaps inspired by Dostoevsky.
Caveat:
I did not plan to read this book, but I’m glad I did, and definitely will read more of O’Brien’s works. My plan was actually to read first his Strangers and Sojourners which seemed to be calling to me. But while waiting for S&S to arrive in the mail I took an auditory “peek” at this book on the Formed.org app — and was hooked.
__________________________
Image source: https://www.ncregister.com/interview/...
May 31, 2009
I read Father Elijah ten years ago, and recalled how refreshing it was to read a story set in the late 20th century that was infused with the sacramental acts of God. I also recalled not being able to put it down. Would the book be as I remembered? Could I add this to my gift list for friends and family? Would this help or hinder their belief in the Christian God of love?
Our hero, Father Elijah, is a Carmelite monk, his past forged in the fires of brutal suffering. As David Schafer, a holocaust survivor and promising Israeli statesman-attorney, he experiences even more tragedy. But he finds redemption in Christianity, becoming a monk and priest. He takes the name Elijah and lives a life of prayer in a monastery near Jerusalem. As the story opens he is called out of his seclusion and into the world by the Pope. His mission? To convert the President of Europe, thought to be the Anti-Christ. Who could be better qualified for such a mission: A converted Jew pulled from the desert, a humble, prayerful soul who wrestles with God through the demons of his past, a man with a powerful intellect trained to argue and understand.
The plot twists and turns with suspense, and Michael O'Brien's clean prose adds to the pace. Yet we slow down in passages that recall Dostoyevsky's Grand Inquisitor scene in The Brothers Karamazov (an apt epic comparison) and these dialogues, while heavier in style, are theologically rewarding. Possibly a challenge to modern readers, they are profound essays on God's redemptive purposes and worth the thoughtful pace.
Along the way, the author has moments of rich poetry and profound metaphor, Scriptural allusions pulled together to form a whole, leaving the reader with glimpses of truth, as though windows suddenly open. He speaks of the power of God to work through lowly matter, through image and sacrament:
He speaks of our broken world and the half-lies that twist our vision of reality, as good clashes with evil that is disguised as good,
And of the nature of sin:
Elijah's spiritual journey asks the big questions: Where was God during the Holocaust? What is truth? Are the Endtimes near? Indeed, twelve years after the publication of Father Elijah, it is chilling to see how our world mirrors the world described in this novel. Prophetic, to be sure, and as Elijah struggles with assassins and secrets and the demands of love, as he strives to win souls through logic and self-sacrifice, he glimpses darkness in his own heart:
Characters, knowing and not-knowing, are sharply drawn: an old Franciscan with bleeding hands; a simple monk who is more than he seems; a lax priest who sacrifices all, a female judge who cannot believe. Scenes are vividly rendered as we climb to Tiberius' Leap on Capri, step back in time in the Warsaw ghetto, pray before the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi, and walk the dark alleys of Rome and the bright halls of the Vatican.
Father Elijah is not only a good story, laced with danger and death, of a humble priest meeting a formidable adversary. It is not only a prophetic warning and a celebration of weakness over strength, the small over the great. It is a journey of the soul, indeed, the reader's soul, in a quest for God, as the universal becomes the particular. The Apocalypse of Scripture (and the author knows his Scripture) becomes our own apocalypse, as we face our own numbered days. This novel is a deep examination of the heart of man, what he is made of, where he has been, where he is going, and most importantly, the map he needs to get there.
I'm putting Father Elijah on my gift list. My precocious nephew and granddaughter, juniors in high school, as well as several adult friends, will not be able to put it down. And it might open their eyes to the past, the present, the future, and yes, the immense love of God.
And I might even read Father Elijah a third time, and a fourth, and a fifth . . . to catch all the levels and allusions I missed.
For more about Michael
Our hero, Father Elijah, is a Carmelite monk, his past forged in the fires of brutal suffering. As David Schafer, a holocaust survivor and promising Israeli statesman-attorney, he experiences even more tragedy. But he finds redemption in Christianity, becoming a monk and priest. He takes the name Elijah and lives a life of prayer in a monastery near Jerusalem. As the story opens he is called out of his seclusion and into the world by the Pope. His mission? To convert the President of Europe, thought to be the Anti-Christ. Who could be better qualified for such a mission: A converted Jew pulled from the desert, a humble, prayerful soul who wrestles with God through the demons of his past, a man with a powerful intellect trained to argue and understand.
The plot twists and turns with suspense, and Michael O'Brien's clean prose adds to the pace. Yet we slow down in passages that recall Dostoyevsky's Grand Inquisitor scene in The Brothers Karamazov (an apt epic comparison) and these dialogues, while heavier in style, are theologically rewarding. Possibly a challenge to modern readers, they are profound essays on God's redemptive purposes and worth the thoughtful pace.
Along the way, the author has moments of rich poetry and profound metaphor, Scriptural allusions pulled together to form a whole, leaving the reader with glimpses of truth, as though windows suddenly open. He speaks of the power of God to work through lowly matter, through image and sacrament:
(In the Eucharist) There had been a burst of ecstasy, a brief parting of the veil that separated the human from the divine, that line of division and union running inexorably through the center of the heart.
He speaks of our broken world and the half-lies that twist our vision of reality, as good clashes with evil that is disguised as good,
Unity (of the Church, the world) can be authentic only if it is founded upon truth. We cannot pretend that there are two conflicting truths, both of which are right. This is madness. It destroys . . . the human person.
I thought that darkness had only one or two faces. It took me a long time to learn that it has many, and that its worst face masquerades as light.
And of the nature of sin:
Every sin is a choice to turn a miraculous being into an object for consumption. It flattens the human person, one's self and one's victim, into a one-dimensional universe.
In every person's soul there is an icon of what he is meant to be. An image of Love is hidden there… Our sins and faults, and those committed against us, bury this original image. We can no longer see ourselves as we really are.
Elijah's spiritual journey asks the big questions: Where was God during the Holocaust? What is truth? Are the Endtimes near? Indeed, twelve years after the publication of Father Elijah, it is chilling to see how our world mirrors the world described in this novel. Prophetic, to be sure, and as Elijah struggles with assassins and secrets and the demands of love, as he strives to win souls through logic and self-sacrifice, he glimpses darkness in his own heart:
Before his eyes was the fundamental problem of his soul: he had been given everything and it did not suffice. And yet . . . the ancient scar of Adam within his nature dragged him inexorably back, again and again, to his desire for certainty . . . Not-knowing was the way to ultimate union with the Love whose embrace was the filling of every doubt, the binding up of all wounds.
Characters, knowing and not-knowing, are sharply drawn: an old Franciscan with bleeding hands; a simple monk who is more than he seems; a lax priest who sacrifices all, a female judge who cannot believe. Scenes are vividly rendered as we climb to Tiberius' Leap on Capri, step back in time in the Warsaw ghetto, pray before the tomb of Saint Francis in Assisi, and walk the dark alleys of Rome and the bright halls of the Vatican.
Father Elijah is not only a good story, laced with danger and death, of a humble priest meeting a formidable adversary. It is not only a prophetic warning and a celebration of weakness over strength, the small over the great. It is a journey of the soul, indeed, the reader's soul, in a quest for God, as the universal becomes the particular. The Apocalypse of Scripture (and the author knows his Scripture) becomes our own apocalypse, as we face our own numbered days. This novel is a deep examination of the heart of man, what he is made of, where he has been, where he is going, and most importantly, the map he needs to get there.
I'm putting Father Elijah on my gift list. My precocious nephew and granddaughter, juniors in high school, as well as several adult friends, will not be able to put it down. And it might open their eyes to the past, the present, the future, and yes, the immense love of God.
And I might even read Father Elijah a third time, and a fourth, and a fifth . . . to catch all the levels and allusions I missed.
For more about Michael
March 27, 2015
This is a profound and impressive book. It is also quirky and, at times, challenging. The author knows this. At the beginning he warns the reader: "This book is a novel of ideas. It does not proceed at the addictive pace of a television micro-drama, nor does it offer simplistic resolutions and false piety. It offers the Cross. It bears witness, I hope, to the ultimate victory of light." That it does, and I'm glad to have read it.
But the warning proves true. It's a long book, very heavy on dialogue and light on action. The dialogue, while stiff and formal in places, is mostly rich and well done. It explores the most important themes of humanity, love, and faith.
As a theological matter, the book is squarely Catholic. There are constant hints of mystical spiritual battles, from Satan to angels to Mary. Some of the most riveting plot lines involve the Pope and the politics of the Catholic Church. It's a fun glimpse into the Vatican.
I recommend the book, because I recommend serious consideration of what the book addresses. If you're looking for cheap thrills, look elsewhere. If you're looking for clear conclusions, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a profound and artistic study of the world nearing its end -- a book that will mesmerize and enchant and uplift -- you should read Father Elijah.
But the warning proves true. It's a long book, very heavy on dialogue and light on action. The dialogue, while stiff and formal in places, is mostly rich and well done. It explores the most important themes of humanity, love, and faith.
As a theological matter, the book is squarely Catholic. There are constant hints of mystical spiritual battles, from Satan to angels to Mary. Some of the most riveting plot lines involve the Pope and the politics of the Catholic Church. It's a fun glimpse into the Vatican.
I recommend the book, because I recommend serious consideration of what the book addresses. If you're looking for cheap thrills, look elsewhere. If you're looking for clear conclusions, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a profound and artistic study of the world nearing its end -- a book that will mesmerize and enchant and uplift -- you should read Father Elijah.
June 4, 2019
gripping. i will remember this book on my deathbed. wish i hadn't waited so long to read it. and now I have to buy strangers and sojourners again (for some reason it bored me to death years ago when i tried to read it) along with the rest of the series. so much in this book. family, love, friendship, loss, spiritual warfare, answers to non believers' questions, the strange ways we meet each other and become part of each other's lives, etc. not as depressing as Lord of the World.
September 28, 2009
Though I am not Roman Catholic and this book very certainly is, this is the most incredible "end times" novel I've ever read -- in fact, it's one of the best depictions of a real spiritual life I've ever read. Authentic, moving, not afraid to grapple with doubt, infused with the love of God.
September 20, 2024
I've been a hater of this book for awhile, but Nick finally tricked me into reading it. However, I still stand by the initial reasons for my resistance to it - weird/creepy cover art, weird typeface and print, "apocalypse" just makes me think of zombies, etc.
All these things aside, it was unlike any book I've read and I'll probably continue with the series - that is, after I take an intermission and read some fluffy novel to give my brain (and soul) a break.
Also, wouldn't recommend reading this before bed. It would make me feel like I needed to recite exorcism prayers or sprinkle holy water around our room or go pray for 4 hours in Adoration.
All these things aside, it was unlike any book I've read and I'll probably continue with the series - that is, after I take an intermission and read some fluffy novel to give my brain (and soul) a break.
Also, wouldn't recommend reading this before bed. It would make me feel like I needed to recite exorcism prayers or sprinkle holy water around our room or go pray for 4 hours in Adoration.
March 17, 2024
“Love itself is not loved enough”
This might be my new favorite book. It portrays man’s struggle for God, or lack thereof, so poignantly. It is a commentary on both the downfall of society and the humanity of man. Good versus evil. Light versus dark. God versus the Devil. Man versus Himself.
This might be my new favorite book. It portrays man’s struggle for God, or lack thereof, so poignantly. It is a commentary on both the downfall of society and the humanity of man. Good versus evil. Light versus dark. God versus the Devil. Man versus Himself.
June 19, 2024
A profoundly edifying spiritual reading in every capacity, hidden within a novel. Whole pages of dialogue are left to stand free, uninterrupted by unnecessary color commentary. The way Elijah and Billy, the Pope and the Cardinal, and many others speak and articulate their experience of faith is powerfully masculine.
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. And I am incredibly grateful that I can say I have. What a joy it is to be reminded that the way God has chosen to address the chaos of the modern world, is to provide His little flock with an army of fathers. Broken ones, struggling ones, even doubting ones…but Fathers all the same.
Some notable quotes (all taking place in the span of a few pages…)
“The faces of those [Elijah] had loved came to him with increased poignancy then, and he felt a sob within himself that could take no exterior form. They were gone. A fixed landscape of absence. Yes, he understood the message of the cave that the small woman, the firstborn daughter of Zion, was a sign of the resurrection of the flesh on the Last Day. But now it had dwindled to a promise, a word he had once heard, an event that lay in some distant and possibly abstract future. He believed that God would draw the beloved faces after her into the sky, swirling up like birds, up and up into a voluminous light that poured down to greet them. The vast panorama of man's history would become a memory, a simple tale told swiftly and soon over All grief would slip away, and all questions would be remembered as the uncomprehending wails of a newborn who did not grasp the meaning of his existence and hungered only for milk.”
“As long as man remained man, there would arise again and again the machinations of those who had no hope beyond the tactics of worldly power; always they would kill the gentle in their desperate efforts to rearrange the furniture on the stage. Metaphors collided in Elijah's mind, swarming, clashing, breaking apart into confused designs, like the shattered glass of an image that had once reflected the hidden face of God, and which now bore only the imprint of a boot.”
“Let me then make the seed of a second spring, seed not of the flesh but of the spirit, bringing dead men to life again. For You have made me this way, and You have told us that we are wonderfully made. You have planted this longing within me. You have created this soul who pleads with You. Give us a while longer to speak the word that shatters lies. When the tyrants and the propagandists and the experimenters have all gone, when the hatred and hopelesness have exhausted themselves, the earth will grieve and be born again. Let it be this way, Father, let it be that Your Bride the Church will remain. Let those who have sown in sorrow reap a harvest in joy."
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”
Come, Lord Jesus.
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. And I am incredibly grateful that I can say I have. What a joy it is to be reminded that the way God has chosen to address the chaos of the modern world, is to provide His little flock with an army of fathers. Broken ones, struggling ones, even doubting ones…but Fathers all the same.
Some notable quotes (all taking place in the span of a few pages…)
“The faces of those [Elijah] had loved came to him with increased poignancy then, and he felt a sob within himself that could take no exterior form. They were gone. A fixed landscape of absence. Yes, he understood the message of the cave that the small woman, the firstborn daughter of Zion, was a sign of the resurrection of the flesh on the Last Day. But now it had dwindled to a promise, a word he had once heard, an event that lay in some distant and possibly abstract future. He believed that God would draw the beloved faces after her into the sky, swirling up like birds, up and up into a voluminous light that poured down to greet them. The vast panorama of man's history would become a memory, a simple tale told swiftly and soon over All grief would slip away, and all questions would be remembered as the uncomprehending wails of a newborn who did not grasp the meaning of his existence and hungered only for milk.”
“As long as man remained man, there would arise again and again the machinations of those who had no hope beyond the tactics of worldly power; always they would kill the gentle in their desperate efforts to rearrange the furniture on the stage. Metaphors collided in Elijah's mind, swarming, clashing, breaking apart into confused designs, like the shattered glass of an image that had once reflected the hidden face of God, and which now bore only the imprint of a boot.”
“Let me then make the seed of a second spring, seed not of the flesh but of the spirit, bringing dead men to life again. For You have made me this way, and You have told us that we are wonderfully made. You have planted this longing within me. You have created this soul who pleads with You. Give us a while longer to speak the word that shatters lies. When the tyrants and the propagandists and the experimenters have all gone, when the hatred and hopelesness have exhausted themselves, the earth will grieve and be born again. Let it be this way, Father, let it be that Your Bride the Church will remain. Let those who have sown in sorrow reap a harvest in joy."
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”
Come, Lord Jesus.
November 25, 2024
Father Elijah might be my favorite fictional book I’ve ever read. It contains a plethora of depth, insight into the human condition, and is delivered in a beautifully written and captivating manner. O’Brien writes this end times piece in the form of an apokalypse which he defines as a piece that uncovers or reveals while “yearning forward through the medium of art toward the fullness of Truth.” It is brimming with Biblical references, poetry, drama, and wisdom.
Father Elijah covers themes such as spiritual warfare, loneliness and love, suffering, healing, and grief, sin and evil, and Divine Providence. This final theme was especially prominent. Aspects of O’Brien’s theology and story-telling reminded me of Fr. Walter Ciszek’s “With God in Russia” and “He Leadeth Me.” I loved how Father Elijah captured fighting to trust in the Lord: “And yet… and yet, the ancient scar of Adam within his nature dragged him inexorably back, again and again, to this desire for certainty.”
I fell madly in love with the characters, their back-stories and was overly-invested in their well-being (to my detriment, given the genre I was reading). My only gripe is that there were a few “loose ends” in some of the characters and plot-lines that I am left questioning, but if I am not mistaken there is another book that follows Father Elijah so perhaps they will be answered in that story.
Father Elijah covers themes such as spiritual warfare, loneliness and love, suffering, healing, and grief, sin and evil, and Divine Providence. This final theme was especially prominent. Aspects of O’Brien’s theology and story-telling reminded me of Fr. Walter Ciszek’s “With God in Russia” and “He Leadeth Me.” I loved how Father Elijah captured fighting to trust in the Lord: “And yet… and yet, the ancient scar of Adam within his nature dragged him inexorably back, again and again, to this desire for certainty.”
I fell madly in love with the characters, their back-stories and was overly-invested in their well-being (to my detriment, given the genre I was reading). My only gripe is that there were a few “loose ends” in some of the characters and plot-lines that I am left questioning, but if I am not mistaken there is another book that follows Father Elijah so perhaps they will be answered in that story.
July 3, 2024
was recommended to me countless times. didn’t want to give into the hype, but once i gave it a chance, became my favorite book ever. this book kept me engaged and constantly jaw dropped. cried multiple times. 10000/10 recommend.
March 1, 2019
ENGLISH: As its title indicates, this is an apocalyptic novel, obviously influenced by "Lord of the World," by Robert Hugh Benson, which takes place around the same time (towards the millennium), but exhibits certain differences, due to the fact that that it has been written much closer to the time it is describing (it was published in 1996).
It introduces a few contemporary elements, such as the Pope, evidently based on John Paul II, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, obviously based on Ratzinger, and Don Matteo, clearly based on St. Pius of Pietrelcina (although this detail is willingly anachronistic, because St. Pio had died much earlier).
Altogether, this novel must be considered in the genre of "alternative history," although rather than history, it is about an alternative present. In short, the situation described is this: What would have been the world of 1995, with an anti-Christ, a man possessed by the devil who would be willing to put an end to the Catholic Church, under the pretext of achieving world peace?
If I had been in the author's place, I would have placed the plot about 20 years later, in 2015, when things could be thought to have changed somewhat, without changing too much.
ESPAÑOL: Como su título indica, esta es una novela apocalíptica, obviamente influida por "Lord of the World" de Robert Hugh Benson, que tiene lugar más o menos por la misma época (hacia el milenio), pero que denota ciertas diferencias por el hecho de que ha sido escrita muucho más cerca de la época que describe (se publicó en 1996).
Introduce algunos elementos contemporáneos, como el papa, evidentemente basado en Juan Pablo II, el cardenal Prefecto de la Congregación de la Doctrina de la Fe, obviamente basado en Ratzinger, y don Matteo, claramente basado en San Pío de Pietrelcina (aunque ese detalle sea anacrónico, porque San Pío había muerto mucho antes).
En conjunto, esta novela debe considerarse perteneciente al género de la "historia alternativa", aunque más que historia trata de un presente alternativo. En resumen, la situación descrita es esta: ¿Cómo habría sido el mundo de 1995, si en él hubiera surgido un anti-Cristo, un hombre poseído por el demonio que estuviera dispuesto a terminar con la Iglesia Católica bajo el pretexto de conseguir la Paz Mundial?
Si yo hubiera estado en el lugar del autor, habría situado la acción unos 20 años más tarde, hacia el 2015, cuando se podía pensar que habrían cambiado algo las cosas, aunque sin cambiarlas demasiado.
It introduces a few contemporary elements, such as the Pope, evidently based on John Paul II, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, obviously based on Ratzinger, and Don Matteo, clearly based on St. Pius of Pietrelcina (although this detail is willingly anachronistic, because St. Pio had died much earlier).
Altogether, this novel must be considered in the genre of "alternative history," although rather than history, it is about an alternative present. In short, the situation described is this: What would have been the world of 1995, with an anti-Christ, a man possessed by the devil who would be willing to put an end to the Catholic Church, under the pretext of achieving world peace?
If I had been in the author's place, I would have placed the plot about 20 years later, in 2015, when things could be thought to have changed somewhat, without changing too much.
ESPAÑOL: Como su título indica, esta es una novela apocalíptica, obviamente influida por "Lord of the World" de Robert Hugh Benson, que tiene lugar más o menos por la misma época (hacia el milenio), pero que denota ciertas diferencias por el hecho de que ha sido escrita muucho más cerca de la época que describe (se publicó en 1996).
Introduce algunos elementos contemporáneos, como el papa, evidentemente basado en Juan Pablo II, el cardenal Prefecto de la Congregación de la Doctrina de la Fe, obviamente basado en Ratzinger, y don Matteo, claramente basado en San Pío de Pietrelcina (aunque ese detalle sea anacrónico, porque San Pío había muerto mucho antes).
En conjunto, esta novela debe considerarse perteneciente al género de la "historia alternativa", aunque más que historia trata de un presente alternativo. En resumen, la situación descrita es esta: ¿Cómo habría sido el mundo de 1995, si en él hubiera surgido un anti-Cristo, un hombre poseído por el demonio que estuviera dispuesto a terminar con la Iglesia Católica bajo el pretexto de conseguir la Paz Mundial?
Si yo hubiera estado en el lugar del autor, habría situado la acción unos 20 años más tarde, hacia el 2015, cuando se podía pensar que habrían cambiado algo las cosas, aunque sin cambiarlas demasiado.
March 20, 2009
A great reflection on the Book of Revelation, but the "thriller" parts of the story are unbearably clunky, and the other two books in the series I've read, Stranger and Sojournerd and Eclipse of the Sun are worse in this regard. O'Brien is a brilliant storyteller but he should stick to slow-moving relationship plots (as he does wonderfully in Strangers and Sojourners) and steer clear of writing about car chases, tunnels under Vatican buildings, and black helicopters.
April 25, 2018
I first read this some twenty years ago. This time around I think I got much more out of it - pretty close to spiritual reading.
January 12, 2024
One word: wild.
August 9, 2024
Fascinating and thought provoking, but not for everyone.
May 10, 2022
This is the modern apocalypse novel par excellence. I have yet to find one better.
O'Brien weaves a plausible tale of the last days, as told through the eyes of his protagonist, a Catholic priest wrongly accused of a crime.
Catholic readers will love it. Many protestants as well. I'm not so sure that agnostics will find it appealing, as it is richly steeped in orthodox Catholic dogma.
O'Brien weaves a plausible tale of the last days, as told through the eyes of his protagonist, a Catholic priest wrongly accused of a crime.
Catholic readers will love it. Many protestants as well. I'm not so sure that agnostics will find it appealing, as it is richly steeped in orthodox Catholic dogma.
June 25, 2022
“Do you see these wounds? These bruises?”
“Yes.”
“They are my joy.”
“Pain is your joy?”
“The pain in itself is not joy. It is simply pain. But the meaning of the pain, that is joy.”
“Yes.”
“They are my joy.”
“Pain is your joy?”
“The pain in itself is not joy. It is simply pain. But the meaning of the pain, that is joy.”
May 14, 2023
Unbelievably good. After the Lord of the Rings, it's possibly the best novel I've ever read.
January 17, 2024
let’s start by saying WOW. a page turner if i’ve ever read one!! a friend of ours recently recounted his memory of his own mother reading these books, wherein he and his 8 siblings became orphans until she was finished. i do not yet have 9 children, but the level of relatability i have to her experience is close to shameful.
this is one of michael o’brien’s most popular/well-known books, and i understand why: it’s charged with action, political commentary, christian thought, and it’s just downright thrilling. i was super excited to read it knowing that the story had come to o’brien while in prayer in front of the blessed sacrament. that said, it’s on the lower end when it comes to my michael o’brien favorites. i really didn’t get SUPER into this book until count smokrev’s conversion and the introduction of the character of anna. i found the beginning a bit dull — took a while for the story to really take off. i also could have done without some of the added details, like honestly the whole fr smith plot line didn’t do much for me?? i always felt like it was in the way of the part of the story that i wanted to get to. and, as much as i love to pitch my tent in many of the camps that are presented here, i tend to favor o’brien’s spiritual and poetic insights more than his political ones. for me, this book lacked much of the poetic juice that i love and expect from him. he really wasn’t squeezing that stuff out until the end.
i’m also terribly upset about the ending — like, actually kind of mad because if Elijah in Jerusalem is a continuation of this story, why not just make it part of this book??? the last chapter is titled ‘Apokalypsis’ — i was geared up and ready for St Michael to bust out those scales and instead all i got was 2 monks going into jerusalem????? color me PEEVED. i can muster up a little bit of appreciation for the literary calm and suspense at the end of this book but DAAAANGG. he wrote those novels decades apart and it’s an agonizing cliff hanger.
anyway, this is still the fastest 600 page book anyone will ever read, and it’s wild and crazy and inspired. 4.5 out of 5 stars, and that’s my review.
this is one of michael o’brien’s most popular/well-known books, and i understand why: it’s charged with action, political commentary, christian thought, and it’s just downright thrilling. i was super excited to read it knowing that the story had come to o’brien while in prayer in front of the blessed sacrament. that said, it’s on the lower end when it comes to my michael o’brien favorites. i really didn’t get SUPER into this book until count smokrev’s conversion and the introduction of the character of anna. i found the beginning a bit dull — took a while for the story to really take off. i also could have done without some of the added details, like honestly the whole fr smith plot line didn’t do much for me?? i always felt like it was in the way of the part of the story that i wanted to get to. and, as much as i love to pitch my tent in many of the camps that are presented here, i tend to favor o’brien’s spiritual and poetic insights more than his political ones. for me, this book lacked much of the poetic juice that i love and expect from him. he really wasn’t squeezing that stuff out until the end.
i’m also terribly upset about the ending — like, actually kind of mad because if Elijah in Jerusalem is a continuation of this story, why not just make it part of this book??? the last chapter is titled ‘Apokalypsis’ — i was geared up and ready for St Michael to bust out those scales and instead all i got was 2 monks going into jerusalem????? color me PEEVED. i can muster up a little bit of appreciation for the literary calm and suspense at the end of this book but DAAAANGG. he wrote those novels decades apart and it’s an agonizing cliff hanger.
anyway, this is still the fastest 600 page book anyone will ever read, and it’s wild and crazy and inspired. 4.5 out of 5 stars, and that’s my review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2024
Bro didn’t have to leave me on a cliffhanger like that
April 1, 2024
“But Christians should always keep an icon of the impossible in their hearts. Right?”
June 10, 2021
Quizá esperaba mucho de este libro, quizás no era el mejor momento para leerlo. Me he aburrido un montón y algunos diálogos se me hacían interminables y artificiales, cómo queriendo enseñar algo, pero que me provocan aburrimiento. Cómo alguien que te intenta enseñar todo el rato y no sabe divertirse y parar
February 1, 2023
“‘Father Elijah, our adversary is subtle. He buries his arrows deep in men’s hearts. So deep that they are almost invisible.’
‘What are the nature of these arrows?’
‘They strike where one’s humanity is most weak. I cannot read souls as well as Dom Matteo does, but I see that in your past you have suffered from the great wound that afflicts modern man.’
‘Which is…?’
‘The temptation to absolute despair.’”
This book was such an enjoyable read! Unlike other Christian apocalyptic fiction (*cough cough* Left Behind series I am looking at you) this book was in no way trying to predict events or stir up conspiracy theories intertwined with dispensational theology. O’Brien simply urges every Christian to remain steadfast in faith, constant in hope, and fervent in love. The whole book was a reminder shouting “Keep watch! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith!”
While this book was a fun and easy read, it was a strange mixture of poignant and profound theological reflection and somewhat unrealistic and awkward interactions and thoughts. Sometimes it felt like the author was trying too hard to get a point across, while other times the story felt effortless which made it incredibly moving and powerful. It was so odd. This book is also deeply Roman Catholic, which in some ways was really wonderful and made the theological reflections uniquely beautiful. However, other times it came off a bit strange and he is clearly trying to make a point about the necessity of papal authority in combatting the antichrist which is definitely interesting to say the least.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a strange mixture of spy thriller and monastic mysticism. I would probably give it is 3.5
‘What are the nature of these arrows?’
‘They strike where one’s humanity is most weak. I cannot read souls as well as Dom Matteo does, but I see that in your past you have suffered from the great wound that afflicts modern man.’
‘Which is…?’
‘The temptation to absolute despair.’”
This book was such an enjoyable read! Unlike other Christian apocalyptic fiction (*cough cough* Left Behind series I am looking at you) this book was in no way trying to predict events or stir up conspiracy theories intertwined with dispensational theology. O’Brien simply urges every Christian to remain steadfast in faith, constant in hope, and fervent in love. The whole book was a reminder shouting “Keep watch! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith!”
While this book was a fun and easy read, it was a strange mixture of poignant and profound theological reflection and somewhat unrealistic and awkward interactions and thoughts. Sometimes it felt like the author was trying too hard to get a point across, while other times the story felt effortless which made it incredibly moving and powerful. It was so odd. This book is also deeply Roman Catholic, which in some ways was really wonderful and made the theological reflections uniquely beautiful. However, other times it came off a bit strange and he is clearly trying to make a point about the necessity of papal authority in combatting the antichrist which is definitely interesting to say the least.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a strange mixture of spy thriller and monastic mysticism. I would probably give it is 3.5
March 19, 2019
I cannot finish this. I have tried. I have prayed about it and meditated on it prayerfully, but it is too distasteful and offensive.
It starts out well, but ends up being a diatribe against anything modern or progressive in the Catholic Church. According to the premise of this book all of that comes from Satan. Liberal Catholicism is evil. It is one with New Age mysticism. Never mind that the church itself has had, and still does have mystics.
I have a sister who embraces this school of thought.
Just, no.
It starts out well, but ends up being a diatribe against anything modern or progressive in the Catholic Church. According to the premise of this book all of that comes from Satan. Liberal Catholicism is evil. It is one with New Age mysticism. Never mind that the church itself has had, and still does have mystics.
I have a sister who embraces this school of thought.
Just, no.
February 21, 2023
4.5 stars. This book stressed me the heck out. But I suppose the fact that it was able to do that is the mark of a very well-written book. The only real warning I would give is that this is definitely a Catholic story so if you are not interested in religion in any way, then this is not the book for you.
I loved it though.
I loved it though.
April 17, 2011
One of the finest Catholic novels ever written. As serious literature it doesn't get much better than this.
February 24, 2020
This was an awesome adventure and a great thriller. I had no idea that so much WWII/Holocaust history would be involved, and it was a great background to the story. It's also inspired me to pray more, which is powerful. I am kind of sad that the ending left off where it did because I wanted to follow through with everything until the actual very end! but it was, all in all, a very satisfying read! I definitely want to read more of O'Brien's stories.
Also I know it says "book 4" but this is the first one I read and it worked out great, I think.
Also I know it says "book 4" but this is the first one I read and it worked out great, I think.
April 27, 2024
AMAZING 🙌🏻
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