The Christian Sentinel
May 2003 issue
"The Christ Clone Trilogy" by James BeauSeigneur
Reviewed by Jackie Alnor
ã 2003 Christian Sentinel
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Bible prophecy enthusiasts will enjoy the latest end-times
novel, a trio of books called "The Christ Clone Trilogy."
The author
James BeauSeigneur is a compelling story teller and writes with a
sophistication that makes it very believable. His background as a
newspaper publisher and intelligence analyst for the National Security
Agency gives authenticity to the books that footnote actual news
articles throughout.
The Trilogy begins in Book One, "In His Image," with the protagonist Decker Hawthorne, an agnostic news reporter, joining the scientific team that studied the famed Shroud of Turin. He uses the actual findings of the team before launching into his fictional account of the discovery of Jesus’ DNA in the dirt left in the heel of the shroud’s image. One of the scientists, Harry Goodman, an avowed atheist, uses the divine DNA to discover a miraculous healing elixir before taking it even further by making an actual clone of the man on the shroud in secret. The only person he reveals his secret to is Decker Hawthorne. |
| The Christ Clone of course turns out to be, not the
incarnation of Christ, but the incarnation of the Anti-Christ, who
counterfeits the miracles and outward piety of the original Jesus of
Nazareth. His name is Christopher, so named not after Christ, but after
Christopher Columbus whom the surrogate father/scientist sees as the
founder of the New World in the hopes that this miracle boy will walk in
the same path.
The Christ Clone Trilogy’s second and third books, "Birth of An Age" and "Acts of God," follows the rise of Christopher through the United Nations, an organization that the writer is an obvious expert on. The behind the scenes political intrigue in the UN Security Council is reminiscent of today’s headlines. Even though this was written before the war with Iraq, France was pegged as an opposer of progress and Iraq as a big problem for peace. There are so many twists and turns in this book that you won’t find in other end-times scenarios. The rapture of the church is not the great disappearance as seen in other prophecy fiction, but is called "The Disaster," when millions of people die for no apparent reason. BeauSeigneur also parts from traditional eschatology with his portrayal of the two witnesses from the book of Revelation. One of those men turns out to be a 2,000 year-old man from the New Testament -- the Apostle John -- of whom Christ had told Peter, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that you you?" (Jn 21:22). The Anti-Christ becomes so believable in his rhetoric against true Christianity that the author inserted footnotes after his speeches warning the reader to keep in mind who is doing the talking. And the other personalities in this book are equally believable, especially Decker Hawthorne who ends up raising little Christopher when his surrogate parents are killed in a plane crash during "the Disaster." The reader identifies with Decker who is the real star of the Trilogy. What makes this novel more gripping than others in the Christian End-Times genre is that it does not read preachy with gospel messages. A non-believer could enjoy The Christ Clone Trilogy without getting the impression that it’s a ruse to sneak in the Gospel. Yet at the same time the reader will be left with the impression that Bible prophecies of the latter days are credible and today’s world events testify of Bible prophecy’s truthfulness.
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