The Kingdom of Cain

Finding God in the Literature of Darkness

De: Andrew Klavan

Narrado por: Andrew Klavan

Read by the author.

How can we "rejoice always" when the world often seems so broken? Andrew Klavan explores how artists' imaginative engagement with the darkness can point the way to living beautifully in the midst of a tragic world.

In his USA Today bestselling The Truth and Beauty, Andrew Klavan explored how the work of great poets helps illuminate the truth of the gospels. Now, the award-winning screenwriter and crime novelist turns his attention to the dark side of human nature to discover how we might find joy and beauty in the world while still being clear-eyed about the evil found in it.

The Kingdom of Cain looks at three murders in history—including the first murder, Cain's killing of his brother, Abel—and at the art created from imaginative engagement with those horrific events by artists ranging from Fyodor Dostoevsky to Alfred Hitchcock. To make beauty out of the world as it is—shot through with evil and injustice and suffering—is the task not just of the artist but, Klavan argues, of every life rightly lived. Examining how that transformation occurs in art grants us a vision for how it can happen in our lives.

Klavan eloquently argues that it is possible to be clear-eyed about the evil in the world while remaining hope-filled about God's ability to redeem it all.

©2025 Andrew Klavan (P)2025 Zondervan

the beautiful ugly of the world

Andrew's perspective takes on some truly horrible events in a unique way that could only come from someone who truly wrestles with the ugliest things the world offers and yet stands firm in the grace and glory of the Almighty God who works all things to His plans. I could not put it down because it was a ride like noon I have experience before in reading.

Lightning insights into the culture we know and the deeper meanings we may not have considered

Thank you Andrew Klavan for your piercing wit and wisdom and THANk YOU for reading this work to us!

Refreshing insights into a reality as old as Genesis.

Liked the perspective: ancient and historical that Andrew Klaven brought to living in this culture of atheism. He did this wrapped up in the mystery of man who murders-I appreciated the last chapter where he spoke of the murder of man through art-really amazing-plan to give the book to many friends and family-Dislike: sometimes he spoke a little too rapidly-like his mind works-glad audible has speed controls!

A Modern Day CS Lewis Type

I love Andrew’s heartfelt, honest commentary on culture, morality, art, history, etc. I love that he doesn’t pretend to be a theologian but speaks so eloquently about his experience with God. His writing is weighty, timely, hopeful and inspiring. I get insights from his work like those I’ve gotten from CS Lewis. The closing paragraphs of this book gave me chills in its poignant wrap up of the Kingdom of Cain we live in now and the hope of the Kingdom of God.

Very insightful!

Fascinating how Klavan tied all of his concepts together. I found the book quite compelling! Thanks, Andrew!

Insightful and Wise

Once again Andrew Klavan has taken a subject I hadn’t thought redeemable and shown how it points straight to God.

Even evil is used to show us how good is necessary. That there really is good. And that good comes from no other source but God Himself.

I was fascinated by this very well written book.

Klavan Klassic

Beautiful work, if you liked ‘Truth and Beauty’ you’ll love Kingdom of Cain! I already plan on listening and reading it again to see what I may have missed.

His best yet

It’s pretty good
I like listening to his podcast
But I love this book
Give it a listen

The intelligence of the author

A well argued point that evil events are carefully considered, they lead to great good.

a triumph

a masterfully written, thought provoking, and massively inspiring journey through murder, art, and faith. if you are an artist of any kind, a patron of the arts, or if you poop out of your butt, I cannot recommend this title highly enough.