‘Things Forgotten’ a biblical adventure

  Paul Kelly is a New York cop. While out investigating a crime with his partner, he is shot in the head. He wakes up in the hospital but has no memory of his own identity. He hears a voice calling, “Nahar ...”
  I walked towards the doorway and out into the hall. I felt a sudden warmth to my left. It was a sensation unlike any other, something that seeps into your soul. I looked over and saw a man standing at the end of the hall, a Bedouin. He was the man in my dream and firmly held in his right hand was the staff.
  “Nahar,” he called in a haunting voice that was not of the earth. ...
  “Come Nahar.”
  Paul awakens in the Jordan Valley as Nahar, not in present time, but in the time of the Old Testament, just as the Israelites are preparing to cross the Jordan River and begin conquering the land of Canaan.
  Nahar, a warrior with a bloody past, is forced by the Canaanites to take up arms against the Hebrews. He doesn’t wish to, but has no choice. After the Hebrews easily win the battle, Nahar is captured and enslaved as a bondman. It is during his travels with the Israelites that this story really begins.
  Thomas N. Tabback’s “Things Forgotten” is rooted in the Book of Joshua, though that might put some readers off, the tale is more than a biblical study, it’s an adventure and a love story as well as an examination of faith.
  Tabback doesn’t beat the reader over the head with a Bible or the Torah. In fact, Nahar is plagued by doubt throughout most of the book. What Tabback does do is bring the Old Testament to life in a way that truly engages the reader. Though many readers, if not most, will know the way the story goes, Nahar’s spiritual journey adds depth and a personal relatability that make the scripture more accessible.
  The book is nearly 500 pages, but those pages turn fast as the Israelites wage many battles and Nahar explores his own inner turmoil. The modern portion of the book is the only part that falters. Linking Nahar to Paul Kelly seems a bit hokey and unnecessary, but that is only a small portion of this novel.
  “Things Forgotten” is well-researched. For those unfamiliar with the Old Testament, the book offers an entertaining way to learn more. As far as the veracity, that’s what faith is for I suppose, and the author acknowledges as much.
  Perhaps the mystery of the Israelite Conquest of Canaan will never be definitively laid to rest. For those who challenge the biblical account, it is a myth akin to the Greek Iliad and Odyssey. But for believers in the biblical record, it was providence, set into motion by a man called Moses, and carried out by his minister Joshua. Whether one believes in the incredible miracles performed by God on behalf of his chosen people, a nation of Israel was indeed formed, and the promise of Abraham and his seed fulfilled.
  According to the book jacket, “Things Forgotten” will be followed by a sequel, “Rebellion.” For more information on Tabback, visit www.thingsforgottenbook.com.