Noah
by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
Ellen Gunderson Traylor's novelization of the life of the biblical ark-builder, humankind's second father, is a well-structured, intriguing novel. Divided into four sections – Saints, Evil, Ark, Rainbow – Noah depicts a world very different from the one we live in today.
In the early stages of the novel, Poseidon makes an appearance, stealing away a beautiful young woman to make her his newest consort. The sea-god is one of many mythical elements in the novel, making himself at home among satyrs, mermaids, giants, talking dolphins, and other such creatures. These elements will be quite welcome to readers who are curious about the nature of the Nephilim and the "sons of God" mentioned in passing in the Genesis account of the Noah story. It is an interesting take on what may have been meant by those mystifying terms.
Noah is a well-paced, well-written novel, full of lively characters. It is an exciting retelling of Noah's story, with a generous fleshing out of the biblical narrative.
Reviewed by Shelly Bryant © 2015