By The Waters of Babylon: Stories of courage, cruelty and humour in the Old Testament

It is hoped anyone reading this product description will be familiar with In the beginning… volume one, the reason being that “By the Waters of Babylon” is the second half of a project although it stands in its own right.
While reading the Old Testament the author of these stories became intrigued with the idea of enlivening a plain text which he thought had great dramatic potential. He found the material fascinating through its epic events and character conflicts. In the beginning… volume one, set out to exploit the drama, to give characters a voice by which to express themselves and become full human beings.
However, one sees in By the Waters of Babylon that characters are drawn not only by what they say but also by what they do. Hence in this second volume the emphasis is on the actions of characters, how they take decisions and what consequences ensue. For example, King Saul is reluctant to be a king but carries out his role despite mental turmoil. In contrast, David is a golden prospect for kingship. The tension and rivalry in clashes between these two makes for powerful drama. Then there is Judith, high priestess as she is called , a strong woman determined to save her nation, taking a great risk to do so and emerging triumphant.
The actions of these characters can be described as heroic but life is not only about heroic deeds. It has many elements of comedy too. We see this in Daniel’s affectionate relationship with the old Persian king in Babylon or in the antics of the Dark Angel who dares to challenge the authority of Heaven to have mischievous adventures.
The theme of action and doing is central in By the Waters of Babylon. The objective in the two volumes has been to reveal the nature of characters both through their ability to speak articulately as well as through the actions they perform. The author hopes that aim has been achieved and readers will find the stories stimulating and engaging, entertaining and enjoyable.