Rating: 
Summary: A compelling page-turner!
Review: "Lost Stories for All Ages" is a delightful book, in the grand tradition of C.S. Lewis! Not only do I see something new every time I read it, but in the classic Lewis style, I also see myself on every page!These `lost stories' are truly for readers of all ages, gripping you and pulling you back in time, then, once the stage is set, the curtain lifts to unfold the unique dramas of our biblical past. W.K.S. creates an intriguing and compelling page-turner by dropping clues, foreshadowing events, and weaving a golden thread throughout the entire trilogy. It's a fascinating, thought-provoking, sometimes humorous, sometimes sobering, portrayal of ourselves, all painted against the backdrop of biblical history. "Lost Stories for All Ages" is simply a must-read book!
Rating:
Summary: Ancient Text Made Comprehensible
Review: "Lost Stories for All Ages," by W. Kent Smith, is an incredible book. Finally, someone has taken the dry, ancient texts of history and made them comprehensible and interesting to read. Thanks to Mr. Smith, the personalities of each story are once again rendered in flesh and blood and their dwellings of brick and mortar have substance. What I like most about the book is that he tells the complete story by drawing upon a multitude of secular and theological records. A prime example is "Trial by Fury: The Condemnation of Pontius Pilate" (my favorite of the three stories). Here Smith weaves together the letters of Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas, Tiberius Caesar, and the "Gospel of Nicodemus" (a.k.a.: "The Acts of Pontius Pilate") into a seamless, flowing narrative, which reveals a truth that is neither taught in history books, nor preached from the pulpit. Indeed, Smith proves he is not only a fine writer, but also an excellent academician. One needs only go to the library to view the source material to prove that. The result: an epic that is entertaining, informative, and, most importantly, accurate.
Rating:
Summary: A Mind Blowing Experience
Review: As to why the literature we know today as the Holy Bible came to be assembled as it was, one can only speculate. Compiled from jewish texts and scrolls, a series of main books emerged as the finished work. In its grand history, it has only been recently that other writing and chronicles of central characters were discovered. For whatever reason,they were deemed APOCRYPHA (related to but not included in the main text). When the author first brought me the "Lost Stories...", I admittedly had to work through a bit of personal prejudice. Down through the years many self proclaimed Apostles have had religions to themselves founded on their own unique publications, Joseph Smith and Mary Baker Eddy to name examples and I quite frankly, thought it a little pretentious. I'm happy to say it falls nowhere in that category. It exists as an abridged compilation most notably of writings by Enoch and a few letters of the Imperical government of Rome in power at the time of Jesus' life on Earth. It struck me that current anti-semitic prejudices of today might well be founded specifically on the myopic views expressed in the letters to Pilate from Tibeius-Caesar. As much as it overshadows Gethsemane, these writings may well be an accurate translation of Roman views. And do I really need to know how suicidal Adam was in dealing with his exile?? The first chapter alone for whatever reason is a sloggy soap-opera of a read, but the same can be said at many points in the Old Testament. The question of translation accuracy is also a valid concern especially in the wake of Babel. Have past scribes given us a clear picture of God's message in ANY available texts?? That issue is for the heart alone to judge and with no concrete guarantees, I rated the book as I did. I don't know whether I would've used the insights of Gene Scott who has always impressed me more as an old Texas Carnival Barker than a man of biblical letters, but with the Swaggarts and the Hargises and the Bakkers muddying up the waters I suppose he's none the worse for wear and even in the face of re-printing known material as opposed to many other apocryphal sources that hold historically conflicting views, "Lost Stories..." boils down to a good snack for an open mind.
Rating:
Summary: Lost Stories - Thumbs up!
Review: Lost Stories For All Ages is a charming book. It consists of 3 interlinked stories discovered in an ancient manuscript in 1768.
The first begins at the time when God began to create and when he created Adam and then Eve from one of his ribs. They live a charmed life at first, enjoying all the delights of the Garden until their first encounter with evil in the form of Satan. This is what leads to their expulsion. Following this they must endure living in a cave as well as all sorts of temptations and tricks played on them by Satan. But God makes a promise to them . . . The story unravels very cleverly and leads into Fire and Blade, a story about Nimrod, the first to dare rebel against God after the flood, and Abram. The story starts just after the flood and tells of how Nimrod became a great warrior and fought his way to becoming King. He builds a kingdom Shinar, and a Palace. His power became so great that his name spread over the entire world and the population began to speak in one language. This is shortly followed by an example of the quote, "Men are not evil in themselves, it is what they do that is evil . . ." Abram is born soon after this and his birth heralds a spectacular omen in the night sky witnessed by Nimrod's sages, who clearly understand it's meaning but attempt to keep the king from finding out. But self preservation prevails and they all go to the King to give him the news so that they cannot be accused of hiding the truth if he ever finds out. Upon hearing what the Omen signifies he summons the child's father, Terah, and offers him great riches in exchange for his son's life so that he may never pose a threat to Nimrod. . . You'll have to read the book to find out what happens next. As well as being an excellent storyteller, W.Kent Smith paints an enlightening picture of times then with some powerfully ivocative passages. God's promise is carried through to the final story, Trial by Fury, which reveals the tribulations of Pontius Pilate in a place called Canaan, the ancient name for Israel. Pilate receives a letter from Herod in which he begins by explaining that all is not well with him since the passing of Jesus, and why he believes that it is God who is punishing him for his evil deeds. His family are sick as he is himself with dropsy and
he asks Pilate to pray for him and encourages him to praise Jesus too. Following this the details of the crucifiction come to light during Pilate's trial and W. Kent Smith will keep you turning the pages right to the epilogue, as he did me. Lost Stories is both refreshingly entertaining and enlightening. Ray Smith [No Relation]
Rating:
Summary: Splendid!
Review: Lost Stories of the Ages is an enchanting book. Since it is based on authiticated ancient manuscripts it is especially intriguing. I had not previously considered the political repercussions that Pontious Pilot suffered related to Jesus being killed on his watch. Up to this point Pontious Pilot went outside of my frame of reference soon after he washed his hands of the Jesus's murder. Lost Stories of the ages changed all of that. Pontious being a Roman through and through, documented everything about the happenings on that Passover, published the record and inserted it is his house library. The professional way he handled the account could be used as testimony in many courts today, and was used in this book. The word perspective comes to mind when I consider "Lost Stories of the Ages." Each of its three stories gave me a new and refreshing view of old and familiar parables of the bible. Since we all offer a different and valuable perspective of the elephant of life, this work adds magnificently to that overall view. My world was rocked when I read Adam and Eve were as naive as my two year old twins, when they were separated from the Garden. I had not considered that the trauma of their expulsion from the Garden rivals or equaled each of our expulsions from our mothers womb. Lost Stories of the Ages clearly illustrated how I am thoroughly connected with the people of ancient times through feelings and fears. How did they figure out how and what to eat. In the Garden they did not have to eat to live, only eat to experience. Their first night. Their loss of Spiritual sight. Even the basic requirement to defecate. All these things that I have in common with Adam and Eve I had not considered. I personally believe that some of the last words that Jesus said on the cross, "Forgive them Father For they know not what they do"...can be extrapolated to continue as, "...or what they say, or where they are." "Lost Stories of the Ages" can help the understanding of where and who we really are in this life.
Rating:
Summary: CONGRATULATIONS!
Review: Someone has finally taken the time to find the "Lost Stories" behind the stories of the Bible.
It is obvious that the author has spent countless hours researching, and had the good sense not to clutter up his pages with "Be-Gats" and the double-talk of an ancient language. His tales are in plain English. A Job Well Done Kent Smith! George K.
Rating:
Summary: CONGRATULATIONS!
Review: Someone has finally taken the time to find the "Lost Stories" behind the stories of the Bible. It is obvious that the author has spent countless hours researching, and had the good sense not to clutter up his pages with "Be-Gats" and the double-talk of an ancient language. His tales are in plain English. A Job Well Done Kent Smith! George K.
Rating:
Summary: It's about time!
Review: This excellent book was written for people who, like me, have a difficult time reading the Elizabethan style of the King James Bible. "Lost Stories for All Ages" eliminates that awkward style by merging several different biblical stories into one complete story, and adapting it all into modern-day English. Bible translators, please take notice. Normally, I don't find biblical stories interesting, because they tend to ramble and are usually difficult to follow. This book, however, was unlike any religious book I've ever read. I found it absorbing and very easy to understand. I'm already recommending it to all my family and friends.
Rating:
Summary: It's about time!
Review: This excellent book was written for people who, like me, have a difficult time reading the Elizabethan style of the King James Bible. "Lost Stories for All Ages" eliminates that awkward style by merging several different biblical stories into one complete story, and adapting it all into modern-day English. Bible translators, please take notice. Normally, I don't find biblical stories interesting, because they tend to ramble and are usually difficult to follow. This book, however, was unlike any religious book I've ever read. I found it absorbing and very easy to understand. I'm already recommending it to all my family and friends.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid!
Review: Three stories are retold in W. Kent Smith's Lost Stories for All Ages, each one in my opinion, better than the last: Dawn of Time - This simple story of Adam and Eve's innumerable challenges after being banished from the Garden of Eden is one of profound hope and compassion. If you've ever wondered if Eve was the mother and grandmother of any offspring, this story answers that question and many others. Smith's second story, Fire and Blade, chronicles Abram's fascinating life. I saw God's promises to Abram come to fruition and, just like a good novel, it ended and left me wanting more. Trial by Fury - After Pontius Pilate sentences Jesus to death, Cesar won't rest until he finds out whom the man called Jesus really was. This last spellbinding story will captivate you as it unfolds the stunning testimony surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. This story, like the others, is extremely well written and researched, but has something inexplicably more. So far, I've read the book twice and enjoyed it both times. Hope the author has another book in the works.
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