Title: The Book of Enoch
Author: Efren Gamboa
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media, LLC
ISBN: B098ZYQ5Y5
Pages: 294
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
One of the toughest things to come to terms with in this world is one’s own personal faith system. Whether you are a staunch defender of a particular religion such as Christianity or Judaism, or if you are more of an atheist or agnostic, one’s faith comes down to how they view the world and their place in it. The Christian faith is one of the most prevalent and widely regarded in our modern times, and although it is not the oldest form of faith in the world, it has withstood the test of time. Part of that faith comes from trying to understand the collected works which make up the Bible, and the Hebrew faith has one book that the standard Christian Bible doesn’t have: the Book of Enoch. This book serves as the ultimate test of faith, and as Voltaire once said, “Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.”
In author Efren Gamboa’s The Book of Enoch, the author goes on a spiritual journey with readers to show both his own personal journey of faith and belief, and his decoding of the mysterious Book of Enoch. Finding a means of connecting the book’s writings and faith-based knowledge to our modern understanding of the world, from the Watcher’s identity as what we know as “aliens,” to the true intelligence of our ancient ancestors and our true place in the universe, the author hopes to bring a better understanding of the world and share this unique book of the Hebrew Bible in order to make it truly “holy.”
The author did a spectacular job of thoroughly exploring each and every chapter and verse within the Book of Enoch. The balance found in the book between the actual verses and chapters with the author’s vivid and imagery-heavy definitions and interpretations of those verses was great to see, and the authors ability to share the passages that most higher-ups in organized religions don’t want readers and the faithful to read was mind-opening to behold. Something that fascinated me was the author’s ability to include some rarely-seen topics in a religious book into the author’s work. An exploration Enoch Chapter 32 for example showcased the authors study of how Enoch was taken into space and studied the gates of space to determine what we would know as the Zodiac and the seasons of Earth, which has a lot to do with astrology as a whole.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy religious texts and books, in particular scholarly pursuits of an author who utilizes years of experience to interpret a secretive and rarely referenced book of the Hebrew Bible. This book will also be highly creative and thought-provoking to non-faith-based readers, as the exploration of the origins of Aliens and ancient cultures was so descriptive and well-written that it would be hard to put down.
Engaging, thought-provoking, and a strong test of faith, author Efren Gamboa’s The Book of Enoch is a must-read book. The religious-forward book does an incredible job of hooking readers immediately and adds a level of mystery and intrigue to the narrative as it studies a rarely-seen book of the Hebrew Bible that will create a buzz for readers to become invested in. A great story that is both monumental in scale and yet felt very personal to the author and their experiences, this is one book religious-readers will not want to miss.
