A Book Review: The Mountain by David Lynn Golemon (Event Group Thrillers)

The biblical story about the great flood and Noah's ark is a topic causing heated debates. Archeological evidence does not support the case for an enormous flood described in the Bible. But The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian mythology predating the book of Genesis by more than a thousand years, told a similar story, almost identical in structure but different in theology, about a colossal flood and a mighty ark.

This discovery begs a question; did the bible copy the flood story from mythologies of ancient near east?

Historical context can shed light into this mystery. Modern scholars are rapidly reaching a common agreement. The flood story was very popular in the culture of ancient near east, and it exalted a pagan religion that also dominated the society at the time. During their exile, the ancient Israelites most likely encountered the flood narratives, then borrowed it, turned its theology upside down into a story exalting the god of Abrahamic religion instead. The “retelling” of the flood narratives would have served the polemic function for the nation of ancient Israel - a theological fight against their neighboring, pagan super powers, as well as provided an origin story for the Israelites.

I agree with the assessments from modern scholars. Their explanation not only fits the evidence at hand, but it also takes into account, the historical contexts, the motives, and the culture of the ancient near east. Furthermore, it would hardly come as a surprise for religious teachers to smuggle their own religion into a pagan culture, by borrowing a story about pagan gods and turning it into a story exalting their own religion instead. In fact, one can observe similar occurrences elsewhere in the history of Christianity. For example, during the Christianization of Scandinavia, in order to infiltrate and evangelize the pagan culture of Norsemen, Christian monks rewrote and retold, the Skaldic poems and the Eddas, turning stories exalting Norse gods into stories exalting Christianity instead!

These modern discoveries are raising good questions; or food for thoughts, if you like, regarding the claim that the Bible is the words from the creator of the universe. I leave my fellow readers to pondering on these fascinating questions. While the biblical story about the great flood and the prodigious ark are undergoing a reality check, but if this story is true and archeologists can unearth the remains of Noah's ark, then a mere glimpse of its glory would be enough to make a person dropping his jaw to the floor. An expedition to unearth the remains of Noah's ark may be an unattainable goal, but it certainly makes excellent materials for a thriller novel. At this point, I assure you that my introduction is relevant to the novel being reviewed today, and I hope you found the above information interesting.

Indeed, in The Mountain, the 10^th installment belonging to a series called Event Group Thrillers, novelist David Lynn Golemon weaved an electrifying, paranormal thriller about the unearthing of the world's most legendary ark at the onset of the American civil war.

Synopsis:

In 1863, the American Civil war moved towards a closure. War leaders from both the North and the South gathered to forge a secret alliance. This arrangement would charge a group of military elites, the best and the bravest soldiers from both Union and Confederate, on a secret expedition to unearth the truth behind history's greatest mystery. The expedition and its secret alliance would never enter any American history book. Nevertheless, should the expedition succeeded in its goal, the discovery alone would heal the war-torn nation.

As president Abraham Lincoln and general Robert E. Lee shake hands and sealed their secret alliance, Event Group was born. Under the leadership of Colonel John Henry Thomas, for the first time since 1861, the Northern Blue and the Southern Gray would stand alongside each other, shoulder to shoulder, and embarking on a perilous quest far away in the heart of the Ottoman empire, to unearth the fabled ark of Noah.

In the distant land, mount Ararat stood proud under the radiant sun. Its frozen peak concealed a secret, millennia old, and guarded by a dark, murderous entity who awaited for a time to unleash its horror on the planet. Would Colonel Thomas and his men uncover the ark? Or would they wake a chthonic terror and dooming mankind?

My thoughts on this book:

The world of thriller fictions is filled with tons of stories about treasure hunts. If the premise for The Mountain sounds familiar to you, then you are not alone in this. When I picked up this book from the library, I was expecting it to be another treasure hunt story too. As I buried myself into the bowels of the story, however, I soon discovered my original expectation was off centred.

I find it difficult to describe The Mountain. This book did employ the tropes from the thriller genre; the story revolves around a mysterious artifact, a pending global disaster, and a group of heroes racing against the clock to prevent the catastrophe from taking place. Yet, what The Mountain did exceptionally well is its in-depth, vivid characterization. I mean, words such as “fast-pace”, and “page-turner” usually accompany the selling points for most thriller novels on the market. The Mountain, however, vastly differs from many thriller novels because it is a character-driven thriller.

Set in the American Civil war, the author cast a handful of characters in this yarn. Some characters were Union soldiers, while the others were Confederates. These characters were forced into an uneasy alliance by their superiors, and charged with a mission to unearth Noah's ark. But tensions were strung tight in this “band of brothers”, because fighting in years of civil war had drilled too much hate and grief into both sides. Here the author depicted, so lively and wonderfully, the conflicting and dynamic relationship between these characters; how they started off as enemies but the perilous expedition gradually changed and united them. In this book, David Lynn Golemon showcased his masterful skills at character building and development.

This also means, in comparison to most books in this genre, The Mountain moved at a slower pace because the story takes its time to establish and explore the characters. It was almost if the treasure hunt was only a plot device to move the story along, but the real story was about the characters and their journey from rivalry to comradeship. This book is a slow burner, yes, but it is an unforgettable journey. This is a thriller that rewards a patient reader. On my way to return this book to the library, these characters were still lingering on my mind because I became very fond of them. If I have to describe this book in a few words, then I would say The Mountain is a unique mix between The Dirty Dozen and Indiana Jones, but set in the time period of the American Civil War.

The 10^th installment in Event Group Thrillers did not disappoint me. I think The Mountain is an excellent addition to the series. This book is a prequel, and this is highly unusual considering 9 preceding installments were telling stories set in the modern day. However, I think The Mountain should be an excellent entry point to this series, because it narrates a stand alone story with no loose end at its conclusion. I would recommend The Mountain to readers with a keen interest in the thriller genre, especially thriller novels of a paranormal persuasion.