Michael S. Heiser: It's Finally Here! The Portent (sequel to The Facade) The Book We've Waited Over 10 Years For (in ebook format)

I just ordered mine this morning. Got it from Vyrso Christian books for $7.95 after receiving the email offer from Mike Heiser.

EDIT TO ADD:  Be aware that this is an EBOOK and requires a reader APP to be downloaded before you can read it.

You can get The Portent from Vyrso for $7.95 or you can get it from Amazon for $16.36 so it seems like a no-brainer to order from Vyrso. If you decide on Vyrso and don't have a LOGOS Bible Software account you'll create a log-in and password at checkout. I got my email receipt already and I didn't have tax or shipping so this is a deep discount special for us M. Heiser followers.


https://vyrso.com/product/44933/the-portent?utm_source=facade&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4735973&utm_campaign=promo-theportentlaunch2014

http://www.amazon.com/Portent-Fa%C3%A7ade-Saga-2/dp/1577995619/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409320153&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Portent

Book Notes wrote:

Ancient conspiracy. Relentless evil. The hunt for answers continues.
The climactic ending of The Façade left Brian Scott and Melissa Kelley with only each other—and the terrible secrets they carry. The Portent finds them living under new identities, their future clouded by constant fear of being exposed.
Follow Brian and Melissa into the center of an unthinkably vast, centuries-old conspiracy, conceived to turn the faith of millions against itself. Revelations from ancient tombs, long-forgotten Nazi experiments, UFOs, occult mythologies, biblical theology, and godlike technologies converge in answer to a terrifying question: Now that “they” are here, what do they want?
By the time Brian and Melissa learn they’re being watched, their carefully constructed lives will be over.

Thought I would get this interview with Mike Heiser up for y'all as well. I can't wait to get my copy of book (already ordered).

http://blog.vyrso.com/2014/08/27/ufos-conspiracies-and-biblical-theology-an-interview-with-dr-michael-heiser/

Heiser Interview wrote:

UFOs, Conspiracies, and Biblical Theology: An Interview with Dr. Michael Heiser

• by Chuck McKnight
  
• August 27, 2014
  
• Authors,Ebooks,Interviews
  

Today’s interview is with Dr. Michael Heiser, who is the academic editor for Logos Bible Software, Bible Study Magazine, and the Faithlife Study Bible. His latest book, The Portent, picks up where the cliffhanger ending of The Façade, left off.

1. For those who have not yet read the previous book, can you tell us a little about The Façade?
The plot of The Façade is driven by the fate of a team of scholars who were “recruited” for an above-top-secret project against their will by a mysterious cabal of military insiders referred to only as “the Group.” Comprised of experts in fields as diverse and unrelated as psychology, atmospheric science, bovine biochemistry, environmental biology, apocalyptic cults and militia groups, and the Hebrew Bible, the team is only told that they represent the last line of defense against a global climatic disaster.
In order to gain the team’s trust, the Group authorizes successive levels of disclosure and access to classified documents, technologies, and artifacts. But it soon becomes apparent that nothing is what it seems at their undisclosed location—and the reason they’ve been assembled is quite different than what they’ve been told. The Façade follows the team as they unpeel layer after layer of deception and counter-deception, heading toward a shocking revelation that will alter mankind’s perception of itself forever—if they can discern which lie to believe.
Fundamentally, The Façade asks two questions: (1) If humanity learned that intelligent extraterrestrial life existed and had been to earth, how would that impact traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs? (2) What if the beings everyone thought were extraterrestrial life were something worse?

2. For those who have read The Façade, what new things can they expect from The Portent?
The Portent picks up several months after the ending of The Façade. Brian and Melissa have managed to maintain anonymity in view of their circumstances at the end of The Façade. They’re trying to build new lives, while living in constant fear of exposure. But they’re in it together, and they’re absolutely committed to each other, though there’s a lot of personal uncertainty about what that means for the future. As readers of The Façade will know, they both have issues.
Eventually the unthinkable—but inevitable—happens. A series of seemingly disconnected and unanticipated events leaves them vulnerable to exposure, forcing them to make more life-altering decisions. One of the things I want readers to think about in The Portent is the role of providence in our lives. Brian and Melissa get caught up (again) in circumstances beyond their control that converge in both advantageous and deadly ways.
Like The Façade, the sequel takes readers into all sorts of subjects. For me, writing fiction is like writing a thesis. I do an enormous amount of research for all the elements in the story. Just like it was in The Façade, every ancient text, every quotation from historical figures, every academic study or journal article, and every government document in the story is real. The Portent takes readers into the intellectual roots of ancient astronaut theory (philosophical, religious, occult), technological achievements during the second world war and the Cold War era that are not part of mainstream knowledge, and true elements of Cold War conspiracy. But the sequel—along with its plot and sub-plots—involves much more. The Portent draws from serious scholarship in biblical studies, archaeology, Vedic studies (Indo-Aryan origins), astronomy, Nazi occultism, Gnosticism, Minoan studies, human migration, genetics, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology.

3. The word portent refers to something ominous coming in the future—an omen—why that title?
I picked the title because the plotline of The Portent gets into the future plans of the adversary introduced in The Façade. The Portent gave me an opportunity to put myself in the place of intelligent evil and ask how I might use common expectations and beliefs to accomplish my ends. How might I simultaneously confirm and undermine what people believe and think—and to what end? The agenda has something to do with the extraterrestrial and theological breadcrumb trails that were part of the storyline in The Façade.

4. What prompted you to write these books?
I’m interested in all the subjects touched on in The Façade and The Portent. They all connect to biblical theology and biblical history. Too many Christians isolate the Bible from other disciplines and subjects. I want Christians to see how theology and these other ideas are more inter-related than they suppose. I also want my readers to know that there’s a lot of mystery in the world. The truth really is often stranger than fiction, but sometimes it takes fiction to get people to realize that.

5. To what extent are the things described in these books based on reality?
As was the case with The Façade, all of the data points are real—historical figures, ancient texts, research that characters refer to, government programs and documents, etc. Readers often doubt this, so I’ve provided a pretty extensive bibliography. In the case of The Portent, all that data is available in a separate handbook, which is available through my website. I use the novel to connect the data points together in a story driven by fictional characters.

6. What would you like people to walk away with after reading The Portent?
I’d like them to see that Christian fiction can be intelligent and unpredictable. I want to challenge readers to think carefully about cutting-edge ideas and technology that will alter our perception of who we are, human destiny, and the role of faith in the future. I also want readers see that the spiritual world they think they know would be thought of quite differently if we viewed Scripture through ancient eyes. I use the discoveries, conspiracies, and technologies of the “black” world of the military industrial complex to help readers understand that the spiritual world is closer to us than we realize, emphasizing the importance of careful theological thinking.

* * *

Pick up Dr. Heiser’s new book The Portent today! And if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to get The Façade to read first.

I appreciate you announcing this as I've been looking  forward to Heiser releasing this followup to the Facade, which I really liked. I just wanted to point out that the version listed under Vyrso is the ebook version that requires their particular software to read, while the Amazon version currently listed is the paperback edition- I couldn't locate a Kindle version. I was able to install the Vyrso reader on the Android tablet I do most of my reading on, and The Portent was available immediately after my purchase through the site. There is a Vyrso reader also available for IOS (iPhone and iPad) as well as a software that runs on your PC. The only thing to be aware of is if you have a Kindle reader it appears you would need to wait until a Kindle version is released. Heiser released a Kindle version of the Facade, so The Portent might be released in a Kindle version later as well.

Hmmmm, I think you are right, DiveTheSky. The email nor the web site linked in that email said anything about this being an ebook. I'm a tad miffed about that. Also don't have a link in my confirmation email to even get to the book. I'm not real happy to learn that this book requires a special propitiatory reader either. I didn't see a Kindle version either and as I have a PaperWhite Kindle I can't install the reader on it. Looks like the Kindle Fire is supported though.

Seems you've had some luck with getting the book, DiveTheSky. Want to instruct us on how to get ours as well?

Meanwhile I think I'll just go get the print version from Amazon. Installing a zillion ebook reader programs on my computer is NOT an option. I already have a Kindle reader and that's enough.

To all folks . . .  sorry if I lead you on a wild goose chase. I meant well. I'm glad that the PAPERBACK is available (finally) so I'll just roll with the Amazon co$t and find happiness in that.

Researcher- I noticed when I went to buy the book at Vyrso that it specifically stated it was an christian ebook site, and when I completed the purchase it gave me an option on the web page to start reading the book. I clicked on the link and it gave me an error, but it also had me log in with credentials I had already created before for Logos software so I knew it must be affiliated with that. I looked through the Vyrso site and found the links to the e-reader and info. I used the Google Play Store and just searched for the Vyrso app and installed it. I found it in the Apple store as well. Once you install the app, just go to the Library section and the book shows up at the top of the list.

I use multiple e-readers for different book formats, and this one works the same as pretty much all of them with text size, margins and background settings. I get what you are saying about not wanting to install another e-reader and I am in the same boat with not being able to load it on my Kindle Paperwhite as well, but I am a computer guy and have other tablets so I am okay with the install in this case. I agree the email could have contained a link or better instructions on the need for the e-reader software. If you happen to have the Logos software on your PC I think you may be able to use that for reading the book as well. I did notice that there are a number of books and Bibles bundled for free when you load the Vyrso app. I noticed some by John Piper but I don't think I recognized the other authors off the top of my head. Let me know if I can be of more help.

Vyrso links:

https://vyrso.com/download

Also, if you have purchased The Portent through Vyrso you can read it on your PC without installing any software: Go to Biblia.com and log on with the same account you used at Vyrso, choose Library on the top left, then it will be listed on the right under other in alphabetical order.

OK folks, I edited my original posting. Sorry for any confusion I might have caused. Guess I'll get the reader on my PC then I should (hopefully) be able to download the book in that strange file format - .lbxlls - and the first thing I intend to do with it is try to crack it and convert the dang thing into a .mobi or similar file format. Since I paid for it I won't have any conflict of conscience if I am successful at converting the file format. Meanwhile I have the print version on the way from Amazon so you might say that I've double paid for this one.

Thanks. The Biblia.com site brought the book up fine. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to get rid of that split screen. The book is on the right and Genesis chapter one is on the left. I'm tryin' to get to 'just the book'. Seems there isn't a way so far.

researcher wrote:

Thanks. The Biblia.com site brought the book up fine. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to get rid of that split screen. The book is on the right and Genesis chapter one is on the left. I'm tryin' to get to 'just the book'. Seems there isn't a way so far.

Bring the book up on the Left column, click on the book icon in the display, then change the option from Single Column to Stretch across Both Columns.

Thanks, found it.