Alpha and Omega

By: Harry Turtledove

Narrated by: George Guidall

"The standard-bearer for alternate history" (USA Today) now turns his potent imagination to the End of Days in this gripping novel about a discovery in the Middle East that turns the world upside down.

What would happen if the ancient prophecy of the End of Days came true? It is certainly the last thing Eric Katz, a secular archaeologist from Los Angeles, expects during what should be a routine dig in Jerusalem. But perhaps higher forces have something else in mind when a sign presaging the rising of the Third Temple is located in America, a dirty bomb is detonated in downtown Tel Aviv, and events conspire to place a team of archaeologists in the tunnels deep under the Temple Mount. It is there that Eric is witness to a discovery of such monumental proportions that nothing will ever be the same again.

Harry Turtledove is the master at portraying ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, and what is more extraordinary than the incontrovertible proof that there truly is a higher force controlling human destiny? But as to what that force desires...well, that is the question.

©2019 Harry Turtledove (P)2019 Recorded Books

No Spoilers

This is a different work than I’m used to from the author. Characters less well examined than the events but this is an event/idea novel & the characters did their jobs.

Did not like end

good story good build up. end was anticlimatic. perhaps he is setting up for a follow on book.

Left me wanting more, but not in a good way.

I have been a huge fan of Harry Turtledove for several years, and still continue to be. That being said, "Alpha and Omega" is not one of his better works IMHO
As with the rest of his stories this one shows a great deal of research or love of the subject.
A good strong start in first two-thirds of the book then it starts to scatter finally just stopping with not a very satisfactory ending and no real foreshadowing that there is another book coming to follow. Personally I hope there is as I would love to see his portrayal of Satan or Evil and how it is finally defeated in the last days.

To those that have alleged some kind of bias by Mr Turtledove against fundamentalist Christians in other reviews, I think you're well off base. He treats the three religions in this story with equal respect and as I said earlier it does show that he is done a great deal of research on this subject.
Even if he had, bear in mind that this is not anything other than an alternative history and that means that the story didn't necessarily unfold before these events the same way as it did in our reality.

Unique

Brilliant! A very interesting take on eschatological fiction. I truly hope there will be a sequel.

Thought Provoking

I read about this book before listening to it, and I have to say it is not for everyone, but if you want to know what could happen in the future, religiously at least, then this is a must read.

Unlike Other HT Novels. One of His Best.

Everyone digs a free pleasant surprise, right? Alpha and Omega is surprisingly good. And it's free.
The writing is excellent. HT tackles the complexities of religion with an inimitable brand of humor (although sometimes overused, particularly re unnecessary sexual innuendos. Minus 1-star for those cringeworthy obiter dictums). The story is both serious and fun. George Guidall's narration is perfect, as usual.
Highly recommended.

surprisingly optimistic

interesting speculative fiction scenario, what if the abrahamic religions were incontrovertibly proven to be true? Would love a follow up book.

Ouch...Not the well thought out storyline...

Not the well thought out storyline I would expect from the author. I am a tremendous fan of H.T., and have read or listened to many of his books. This one simply was not in his wheelhouse. I think he would have been better off writing some alternative history about religion if that’s what he wanted. Perhaps if the apostles would’ve taken the gospel to Asia rather than Europe? I don’t know, this simply wasn’t very good.

very good,might not be 100% biblically accurate

very good,might not be 100% theologically accurate so if you're going to get spun up over that might not be the book for you.

characters were interesting so was story line

I enjoyed it

Leaves You Thinking..Needs Sequel

Narration was wonderful, which helped me continue through some of the "questionable" parts of the story. I fully understand why so many reviews say there needs to be a sequel, because it definitely does. This is clearly an "alternative"version.... that's why the author uses some super-stressed hyperbole to make points without having to develop the thought more intensely, because that would lead to way too many rabbit trails. The story is told from several points of view... Jewish (frum) believers, Muslim extremists, Christian pre-trib rapture evangelicals, secular archaeologists from all 3 faiths who'd rather stick to science while looking at historical artifacts that are religious in nature, media hounds and two young teen boys who have been raised within their cultures yet are, like most teens, questioning everything they've ever been taught as they charge towards manhood. All of these groups recount seeing the same events from their own particular viewpoint. If you're looking for an exact Biblical interpretation, this isn't the book for you.

It starts with finding the Ark of the Covenant and the Red Heifer then moves to the Temple Mount and the inevitable clashes that great changes make. This was written in 2019 so many parts of the story are, as it's been said, "ripped from the headlines." To say any more would be to give out spoilers that would ruin the story. Let's just say, it leaves you thinking about it long after the story ends.