Book Review: Proof by Ted D. Berner

*I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I’m leaving a voluntary review*

As always – be aware of spoilers.

Plot: Tyler Larson comes across a verse in the Bible, sending him across the world hunting for the truth about what he’d grown up to believe was myth.

Before I go on in detail about the plot, let me just say, this book surprised me. I walked into this one a bit hesitantly, seeing as it it’s about hidden mysteries found in the Bible, I wasn’t quite sure which direction it would take. I’m glad to say it’s an amazing mystery novel, that I really liked!

Longer plot: Ty Larson comes across a a verse in Genesis 6:4 that reads (among other things): “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

Ty is doing a course in archaeology at college, and decides to focus his assignment around this verse. He begins following up on the verse by visiting his old priest, (who dismisses the verse as nonsense), but the Deacon at the Church leads him down another path. The more research Tyler does, the more convinced he becomes, there’s something bigger behind this – talk about giants, Nephilim, about old civilizations moving giant megaliths with ‘magical’ powers. Eventually, his father and the CIA becomes involved, when they realize Tyler is being followed. Who’s trying to get to him, and why are they surveillancing him? Who’s pulling the strings in this mystery, and are the giants of mention in Genesis real? Did they ever exist?

As I mentioned – this novel surprised me. It’s really, really good. I didn’t expect this much, but I really couldn’t put it away. I was nearly late for work one morning because I’d been up trying to get through this. It’s so intricate, so detailed, and the hystorical/archaeological/mythical is so well put together and thought through. I can’t really say much about the religious aspects, because I don’t know anything about that, but I guess it’s not for nothing that Berner spent 4 years researching for this book. It’s such a well written and captivating book, it really does make you want to carry on reading.

Was there things I didn’t like? The pace can be seen as a bit slow I suppose at some times, but it’s not that really bothered me. There was a chapter that’s essentially just Tyler’s assignment, listed in full, which serves as a good rounding up of what he’s thinking and the research he’s done, but might come across as a bit of an info dump, depending on how much attention you’ve been paying. I can imagine some people have problems with the ending – I won’t reveal too much, but let’s just say I assume there’s a follow-up book. There’s more than a few things left unsolved, and personally, I thought the ending might go in a completely different direction. Though I really enjoyed the historical aspects of where the ending does go (he said, trying not to give away anything), I thought maybe more things would happen in the second to last country Tyler ends up in. (This is probably very confusing if you haven’t read the book – go read it!)

Regardless, it’s a magnificent story that I’d happily recommend to any fan of historical/archaeological/Biblical/religious/mythical mysteries. Top shelf stuff – Go check out Proof the Novel by Ted Berner!