The Portent (The Façade Saga)

Dr. Heiser seems to have found his narrative footing in this second book, The Portent. The first book, The Facade, while enjoyable and thought-provoking, lacked the smoothness that Heiser demonstrates in his sophomore fiction endeavor. If, as a believer, you've had problems reconciling bizarre passages in your Bible with orthodox interpretations - interpretations that seem to fare badly against the apparent historical weight for Ancient Astronaut theorists - this book should, with an entertaining storyline, address many questions that you might have asked without getting satisfying answers. While this work is imaginative, Dr. Heiser has nonetheless presented an impressive amalgam of historically factual fringe knowledge that should also appeal to people who question the origins of the "source code" both for rapid technological advances, as well as for sometimes unexplainable human behavior (I now find myself looking at people for neck tattoos). The momentum of the story also builds much better in this book than the previous. The few plot holes will be forgivable if the third book's storyline has improved as much as the second book did compared to the first.

It was okay but not enjoyable. Some issues with character continuity from The Facade. Is it Lieutenant Sheppard or Major Sheppard?I had to put it down for a while as I became terribly bored with the endless theology professor rantings. Once I returned to it I found myself picking through the last dozen chapters to avoid drowning in the ocean of bottomless background research that droned on and on.Instead of fiction this book is more like a dry documentary sprinkled with tid bits of fictional story telling.I like Heiser's work. The man is brilliant, a great scholar. I enjoy pouring over his teachings, video and other books, but after forcing myself to get through these two books I don't think I will be reading anymore of his fiction.Book Three? More to come? No thank you.

I discovered Dr. Michael Heiser on Skywatch tv, and began to devour anything he taught on Youtube. I have also read his books as well. He really has put a lot of missing puzzle pieces into my understanding of the Big Picture concerning the Bible, history, and the occult. He has been such an anchor and source of calm in the midst of a Great Awakening in American culture right now. There are so many rabbit holes to go down, and so much nonsense. (not to say there isn't some really seedy, dark stuff that goes on, but I digress) With these two books, The Facade and The Portent, a lot of his teaching is mixed into the fictional story, which makes a lot of his teaching easily digestible for some. My only criticism is WHY isn't The Portent available on Kindle??? I have not been able to devour it as quickly as The Facade because late night reading is severely hampered by a paperback book, an annoying reading light and my sleeping husband. I wish somehow this was made available, and quickly. God Bless you Michael, you are a blessing to so many.

Great read.... !...A little disappointed that the riddle has been solved and I don't know the answer ??? Because I can't get to the second clue...Oh well, I'll just have to wait! Very impatiently ..I must say....VERY INTERESTING story line based on truth....You come to feel you know these characters....Riveting and tense times... The Glory and the Gory is incredible......Thank you sir !!! Your mind is amazing!!! Two witnesses?

extremely thought-provoking......heck of a cliffhanger that definitely has you wondering:"what happens next.....for real?" caution, might cause you to want to stalk the author for a preview of the next installment- that is, if in fact he's already penned one to begin with.

Mid-March 2015, I’ve been reading The Portent while The Façade is still fresh in my mind. In the story less than a year has passed but in reality, for the author, years have passed. The over-arching theme seems more developed, more polished, as years of dwelling in this realm might produce. So the story begins very aggressively, moving along at a brisk pace, with very little irrelevancy.Now, when I say irrelevancy, I’m referencing those qualities that a character possesses that are not germane to the story proper but lend the humanly identifiable aspects to the cast of characters that creates separate personalities, much as one experiences in real life.While just a third of the way into this sequel, it seems that every conversation in which these characters engage devolves into explanations about perceptions that serve to bolster the theme of the narrative. Some may celebrate this as being efficiently on-target but others, myself especially, expect a bit more. I know of no person who is so consumed by a given theme, within the context of their own lives, that they cannot have a life outside of the central theme, and whose conversation is always on one particular track, always serving to support that theme.It comes as no surprise, that the main character, modeled after the author himself, is portrayed in such a dry, impersonal and socially clumsy manner, having no depth of character with which I might identify. It follows then that if the author is like his main character, he would be clueless in the manner of creating living personalities and in this work of his, it shows.As for the story itself, I am so-far pleased with the pace of development but feel no closer to an implied truth of it all. This underlying mystery is well preserved and keeps me wanting to know what happens next, who exactly is who, and what exactly is really going on. As in the prequel, he gathers into the story an ever increasing array of conspiracy theory elements, that seem to be resolving into a cohesive whole yet whose identity is still a nebulous thing at best. Just the sort of thing that makes for interesting intrigue.

I could not put this book down after turning the first page. This book and its predecessor, the Facade, is what the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown tried to be. This book is actually based on official documents and authenticated material accepted by academia and paints a rich tapestry with shadow governments, alien agenda, high technology, high theology and ancient history to lead to reader on an odyssey into the near future and see how current events now taking place in the world might play out and enter the mind of how intelligent evil could use Christian against them.This book is a mind experiment in end times by an accredited Biblical scholar Michael S. Heiser, who holds an MA and a PhD in the Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages and MA in Ancient History. So you know you are getting a well research piece of literature.Anyone interesting in Alien Abductions, UFO phenomenon, Ancient History, Near Death Experiences, End of the World themes, and Christian Theology will enjoy reading this book. You will never know how these different themes merge together into a coherent whole until you pick up a copy and read this book!The Truth Is Out There.

Cracking read. Deals with some really interesting ideas and unpicks what you think you know about Christianity and leaves you to think some on it. Great narrative and the factual basis is fascinating. UV read similar but nothing so compelling. Read it in two days-couldn't put it down! Great for anyone.

Enjoyed reading

Amazing "roller coaster ride", a real page turner and a great inspiration and encouragement.

Though I love Dr. Heiser and loved the 1st book in this series I felt like this one was so cram packed with information and documents and names and theories that it lacked in the flow of the storyline in parts. I wanted to love it I really did but it has taken me a long time to finish it. It's brilliant, don't get me wrong, but there are parts where the storyline seems forced or missing in character development.