What might the world have been like before the Flood? What if fallen angels could have had children with human women? How did the world become so bad in Noah’s day that God decided to send such a severe judgment? J. S. Helms explores these questions in Gods They Had Never Known. Its colorful story-world portrays angelic guardians who abandoned their guardian responsibilities so they can get close to human women. Children born to them are a rather wild bunch, even when they are dead. While the narrative provides plenty of extra-biblical speculation, it strongly supports biblical morality and the truth of how sin distorts goodness.

Best for: Older readers.

Discern: Some horrific and almost lewd imagery; readers may also consider why, in this story-world, metalworking, medicine craft, and fabric-making is forbidden to humans, as opposed to God’s allowance of this knowledge and skills in our age.