Title: The Wanderer Scorned
Author: Natasha Woodcraft
Series: The Wanderer, book 1
Major Themes: Pre-Flood World, Ancient Times
Synopsis: Kayin did his best to provide for his family, but he didn’t feel any love from his parents, and was especially irritated with his brother Havel.
As I have stated before, I am cautious about Biblical fiction. I have read some that I really enjoyed, and some that included bits that were not accurate with the Bible. I am willing to try out new authors to see what their books are like, so when I was offered The Wanderer Scorned, I decided to give it a go.
Publisher’s description:
“It all started with the banishment. As soon as the truth was known about their disobedience, my parents were driven from the Garden planted for them by the LORD God, Yahweh Elohim. A garden pleasing to the eye and filled with every kind of food. Yet for them, it had not been enough.”
Kayin lives in the shadow of his parent’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden and its lingering cloud of shame. He believes in the Creator but struggles for affirmation. When suffering comes and sibling rivalry threatens, Kayin wrestles with God, grasping at shards of faith. But his cries drown in the noise of his own doubts and fears, until his youthful faith lies shattered, replaced by a twisted dance of pride and jealousy.
As Kayin spirals further, misunderstandings within the family dynamic dominate, and whispers of temptation slither through the cracks. Then a chance at redemption presents itself. With flames of forbidden love still raging hot, Kayin and his brother bring sacrifices to Yahweh.
No one foresees the resulting tragedy.
The Wanderer Scorned is the first installment in The Wanderer Biblical fiction series, immersing readers in the world of Genesis 4. This exploration of the first murder brings the Bible to life in a fresh way, delving into the character of the Creator God and His earliest interactions with humankind.
My thoughts:
The Wanderer Scorned really made me think. I don’t know if I agree with altogether everything the author has written about the pre-Flood world and the life of Adam, Eve, and their children, but it does sound plausible. I did really like the way she showed the way a person can get to the point of murdering a loved one. It doesn’t start with the physical action—it starts in the heart. The condition of a person’s heart and what flows out of that is the main focus of this story; it shows clearly how a person’s heart condition affects what that person does.
I also appreciated a discussion about why bad things happen. That is such a hard question! I am always thankful for an author who tackles it. There were the voices in Kayin’s head, telling him that everyone was against him. How clearly this illustrated the battle most of us have to face, to sort out truth from the lies being fed to us by the enemy. On the other hand, there was one thing I didn’t like so well: at one point, two people needed to cross a deep river, and saw trees growing together to form a bridge for them—as they watched. I know God can do anything, but I’m just not sure about this one!
Overall, I am quite impressed with Natasha Woodcraft’s research and storytelling ability, and I’ll be watching for opportunities to read further books in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Prologue: Men grabbing at a woman. Chapter 20: Man imagines touching a woman’s body. Chapter 26: A murder.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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