My favorite book of 2012 (so far)

The 13th Tribe is by Robert Liparulo, who is also the author of popular YA series Dreamhouse Kings.

Their story didn’t start this year . . . or even this millennium.

It began when Moses was on Mt. Sinai. Tired of waiting on the One True God, the twelve tribes of Israel began worshipping a golden calf through pagan revelry. Many received immediate death for their idolatry, but 40 were handed a far worse punishment-endless life on earth with no chance to see the face of God.

This group of immortals became the 13th Tribe, and they’ve been trying to earn their way into heaven ever since-by killing sinners. Though their logic is twisted, their brilliance is undeniable. Their wrath is unstoppable. And the technology they possess is beyond anything mere humans have ever seen.

Jagger Baird knows nothing about the Tribe when he’s hired as head of security for an archaeological dig on Mt. Sinai. The former Army Ranger is still reeling from an accident that claimed the life of his best friend, his arm, and his faith in God.

The Tribe is poised to execute their most ambitious attack ever and the lives of millions hang in the balance. When Jagger’s wife and son are caught in the crossfire, he’ll stop at nothing to save them. But how can one man stand against an entire tribe of immortals?

 

The 13th Tribe is my first book by Liparulo and it blew me away! It’s an awesome story about people struggling to understand God’s plan, both for the world and for them each individually. (Hey, you know that recurring question about why bad things happen in a world that a good God created–am I the only person who’s sick of trying to tackle that monstrousity of a discussion? It’s just so hard to understand or explain and there are so many BAD answers out there, and it’s so easy to hurt feelings, plus maybe you aren’t really all that sure about it yourself…Anyway, back to the book.) Liparulo tackles that head-on in this amazing tale populated by awesome character, thoughtful discussion, carefully plotted backstory, and twists so crazy you will have to stop reading to process them! At one point I literally sat up and was like, “NO WAY!” The 13th Tribe is, hands down, so far my favorite book of 2012.