My debut novel kicking off The Heavenly War Chronicles.
As a young man in Sunday School and confirmation classes, my imagination was captivated by the concept of a war in Heaven between the host angels and Lucifer’s fallen followers. Combining that later with my love of history, cinematic action, and first-person narrative structure, I created the story of Sabrael, an angel swept up into the conflict who would find himself witnessing various eras in human history as he comes to terms with his destined purpose.
The novel is one of my proudest achievements as a writer (so far), and at some point I’d like to adapt it for the screen.
Sent to Earth as part of a secret force to protect the newborn Christ, the angel Sabrael and six of his brothers soon discover the fallen are searching for a lost gateway that leads directly into Heaven. Knowing the damned intend to use it to bypass Heaven's fortified walls, the angels embark on a race to find and destroy the portal, leading them to a massive battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell for the throne of creation and the fate of the souls of all mankind.
"An enthralling piece of fiction" (Cheryl E. Rodriguez, Readers' Favorite Reviews), The Sabrael Confession is the action-packed account of one angel's experiences in a war spanning millennia, using real historical detail to put the reader into the thick of ancient cities and civilizations, tracking Sabrael as he masquerades as a human from the dusty walkways of first-century Jerusalem through the forests of tribal Europe and Chichén Itzá to the streets of modern day. Featuring pulse-pounding battles and shedding light on details behind Biblical events from the perspective of a character who witnessed them firsthand, Sabrael's story "catapults you through time, leaving a lasting, reverential impression, to wonder what is battling just beyond our human realm" (Cheryl E. Rodriguez, Readers' Favorite Reviews).
Selected Reviews
"I was really blown away by this book. It covers human history from the fall of Lucifer to modern times with so many ingenious plot twists and fascinating snippets from history I literally couldn't put this book down."
— G. Benest, USA"Great story telling. Very well written. One of those books you wish was 1000 pages. Shout out to the author of this book!"
— George, USA"Originally I stumbled upon this book while searching for something to fill the emptiness after finishing Good Omens and BOY AM I GLAD I GAVE IT A TRY. The dynamics between the characters and the descriptions made this book SO enjoyable. I was in awe, happy, sad, angry, frustrated, gripping the edge of my seat... Basically everything I could've asked for."
— Kindle Customer, GermanyThis is an amazing book. Stephen Smith creates an epic story that seamlessly weaves together the world of the distant past with the present and the heavenly realm. The book spans the beginning of time up through present day and is an engaging story of angels, war, biblical history and mythology. I particularly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of ancient lands and times, the details of day-to-day life in Jerusalem or ancient Mayan Mexico adding to the vividness of the story. The tale of Sabrael brings the existence of an angel to life in a fascinating way, creating an existence no one has described before. It was riveting the whole way through!
— Bridget, USA"Well written. A great story. A perspective on catechism that was what you remember but still mixed with new and interesting facts. I absolutely loved the characters as well. Mr. Smith’s prose and character development remind me of Anne Rice and I loved and miss Anne Rice. "
— James Rodd, USAI found this to be a very intriguing an memorable read. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it. Both the story and the main character Sabrael, were unique, refreshing and completely reeled me in. Sabrael has definitely earned a spot on my "to keep" shelf...
— Belinda Knight, USA