Kindle Edition Saguaro Books Saguaro Books Category:  Historical Fiction Publisher: Saguaro Books, LLC ISBN-10:  057869249X Type: Fiction Pages: 254 Copyright: July 18, 2020 ISBN-13: 9780578692494 Price: $4.99 (eBook) Through the author’s proficient style of building depth in each character through their deeds, conversation, and thought processes, the reader is skillfully drawn into the story; a modern-day take on an old story of good and evil. In this historical fiction story, the author weaves the modern Darwinian theory into the fabric of the biblical Genesis story of the (Garden) Valley of Eden which has its origins in the ancient Sumerian Gilgamesh epic and the Mesopotamian epic, Atrahasis. The story takes the reader through an imaginative path from Adam and Eve’s life before the Valley of Eden, the mythical encounter in the Garden, the expelling from the Valley, their life outside the Valley raising their family and, finally, the consummation of their lives. Through the author’s proficient style of building depth in each character through their deeds, conversation, and thought processes, the reader is skillfully drawn into the story; a modern-day take on an old story of good and evil.    Excerpt Chapter 1 Eve Volcanos were spewing lava and ash as Eve decided to leave her homeland. Her family meant nothing to her now. My mother hates me. She curses me daily for driving my father to other camps where available females welcome him. Why it was my fault, I’ll never know. Eve ran from the only life she knew west to where, she did not know. She just kept running until the volcanic mountains were a distant glow behind her. She could hear a far-off roar like thunder from a distant storm; but the real storm, her mother, was far behind. Eve settled into a nearby cave for the night. Plants she recognized grew along the riverbank, which provided sustenance. Sleep came easily to her after the long run of the day. She was too tired to form a plan. I’ll leave that for tomorrow, she thought as she drifted off to sleep. Morning seemed to come early for Eve as the sunbeams slid into the cave opening. Is this a day to keep running or should I develop a plan? Probably best to make a decision as to where I should go. The river seems to be getting larger so it must be heading for a larger river or a bay of some kind. There is plenty of food on this bank and caves seem to be plentiful. I think I’ll follow the river for a few more suns and see what I find. Eve was not afraid of being alone. She’d spent much of her childhood alone, exploring the mountains of her home. Though this was not similar to those mountains, she knew most of the plant life that would give her energy and keep her alive. After a swim in the river, a morning meal of plants and dates from a nearby date palm, she continued her trek, a trek that would last several more uneventful suns. Finally, the river she had been following led to another, large river. Eve could tell it was a large river by the ridged riverbank. It was large, at least during part of the year; now, it was just an oversized stream, not much larger than the one she’d been following. Yet on the other side were lush green trees and bushes along with grasses, vines and blooming flowers of yellows, blues, pinks and white. Such a bountiful island of life she had never seen. This was going to be her home. Eve was not aware this was the Valley of Eden, not yet anyway. She crossed this new river on foot, just mid-calf at its deepest. The green Valley with its soft grass under foot and the bushes with berries and trees with nuts, figs and palms with dates were all a welcome sight. She had run and walked far enough to know her homeland was a distant memory. She’d seen fur covered hominids on her way here but they seemed to ignore her, or, at least, were not threatening. So far, she thought this could be a place to call home, at least for now. She continued to walk and explore. By late afternoon, she found a cave with a wide, open mouth. She explored the inner parts of the cave, found no evidence of other animals or hominids. This would make a good shelter. There’s a hidden place in the back to sleep and plenty of fruits, berries and leaves to eat. I can use some of the leaves to weave a sleeping mat and some baskets.

A Fictional Version of Adam and Eve
Mary Jo Nickum has written a delightful book about Eve, Adam and their family. Her portrayal of Eve as an independent, adventurous young girl is set in the ancient Biblical world of Genesis, but is also modern in the use of language and thoughts by the characters. Mary cleverly entwines the science of evolution with the religious concept of creation into a story that speaks to the emergence of multiple races and cultures that merge. The book is a great history of how people may have lived and survived in ancient times in the deserts and mountains of North Africa and the Middle East. The author did a good job meshing fact and fiction, making it easy for the reader to feel part of the story. It could be a plot that takes place anywhere today or many times over the past thousands of years. I recommend it as a quick, good read.

Bold new look
Author, Mary Nickum takes a bold new look at the biblical story of Adam and Eve. If we are to accept any of the traditions of religion and evolution, it is important to take a look at the intersection of theology and science. As Nixum notes, the Bible only gives us limited information into the life of the mother of all civilization. What happened next? Here we learn about Eve's family, she and Adam's life; her emotions as imagined by this creative author. We see the strength of Eve as a woman and her backbone as a woman. This is different from our historical view of Eve as causing the suffering of womanhood, and the fall of man. Here she is divinely human as is her relationship to Adam. She has never heard of God and had purpose to her disobedience.
It is also interesting how time is measured in suns and moons, before the Gregorian calendar again emphasizing the point that evolution is not the enemy of theology.

Discovering Eve
Even if you have read the Old Testament all your life, you will be intrigued by Ms. Nickum's evocative portrayal of the familiar Genesis characters Eve, Adam, and their children. As the title character, Eve is brought to life as a brave and competent problem-solver. She is a force to be reckoned with, and springs from the page as an independent person with strong opinions about her role as a woman, a wife, and a mother--in other words, as humanity's first feminist. This unique story of early woman and man stays true to science, while nudging the reader to imagine both the fine details of their daily lives and the interplay of their personalities. I highly recommend this fascinating, well-written book.