Book Review: The Rhise of Light by Max B. Sternberg
Leon Rhise was a proud commanding naval officer, until one mistake cost the lives of his entire crew. He returns home full of shame and anger at himself. Instead of finding refuge in familiar surroundings, Leon is disgusted to learn his sister is about to enter into an arranged marriage to a much older man with whom she is not in love. Then, he and his father argue about the future of the family business. His father disowns and banishes his youngest son. Leon leaves with no destination, little food, and hardly any funds.
That night, and angel named Rohiel speaks to Leon. Leon wakes up thinking the encounter must have been a dream. He continues along the path not knowing where he is headed.
Eventually, he meets a group of travelers. They become friends and allow Leon to join them on their journey. Toward the end of their journey, the pack must win the ultimate battle: defeating an army of skeletons. The skeletons represent elements of our shameful past that we must now face. The battle is arduous but vital.
The Rhise of Light is a science fiction/fantasy novel about redemption and forgiveness through the unconditional love of God. Along the journey of life, we err in judgment. Some of our sins are more egregious than others. We regret our sins and long for another chance to redeem ourselves. The wait for redemption is agonizing. We feel alone, irredeemable, and angry at ourselves. As a result, we disconnect ourselves from God, feeling unworthy of Him. Thankfully, God is merciful, but we must accept His mercy and forgive ourselves and not repeat those errors. Until then, like, Leon, our pasts will unrelentingly haunt us.