Alpha and Omega

By: Harry Turtledove

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

"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

Terribly misinformed

Stopped at the point the author wrote that people in MAGA caps call Blacks Rastas. If you're ignorant enough to believe that, enjoy. If you're not swayed by such lies, do like I did and return this book.

Universally demeaning to all faiths

Terrible book that tears holes in every faith tradition in existence. Theologically unsound from the standpoint of Christians, Muslins , and Jews. I have no idea what Harry Turyledove was trying to accomplish with this book but this is definitely a miss.

Great read

One of the best end-time stories ever! I wish I would have known about it earlier.

surprisingly optimistic

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

Scratching my head?

The reviews made me choose this book. Uptight over an Alternate History story? Loved it! Thanks you guys & Harry Turtlrdove. Another book is needed.

Well written, excellent narration!

enought poor theology to equally offend people of any faith, yet kept my interest throughout.

More crap from this author

Seems to have been written by a dumb child! I’ve made my last mistake given this fool my money

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.

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

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.