Eric Wilson’s Field of Blood is getting a bit of controversy. I enjoyed it. Some people didn’t like that his protagonist, Gina, was such a sinner. But didn’t we all start out there? Don’t we all struggle with sin? Doesn’t that make Gina more real to most readers? I’m not a big fan of Christian novels where the main character gets saved in book one. It just feels preachy and forced most of the time. I’m not trying to say it never happens that way in real life, but, well, as a Christian author, sometimes it’s difficult to choose who you’re writing for: the saved or the lost. Eric Wilson did present the gospel message in Field of Blood. His protagonist just wasn’t ready to hear it yet.

The story is about a group of Collectors who have been waiting to awaken some dead bodies that were buried at the Akeldama, the place where Judas Iscariot died. Collectors are Wilson’s representation of demons. Since these particular Collectors chose dead bodies, rather than possessing living ones, they must feed off the blood of the living in order to survive. Thus they are vampires. Gina is a young woman who is being hunted by the Collectors because they think she is one of the Nistarim, those immortal beings who rose at the death of the Nazarene to protect mankind.

What a creative idea! I was so impressed with how certain historical events inspired this story. And Matthew 27. How many times have I read the death of Jesus and skimmed right over this:

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” –Matthew 27: 51-53 [emphasis added]

Holy people were resurrected and seen by many people? Way cool. I loved Eric Wilson’s creativity and how he uses facts to make it all seem so possible. Check out my book review of Field of Blood to learn more.