The Lilium

“What Anne Rice did for vampires, Pablo Omar Zaragoza does for succubi-demons.”

“Zaragoza deftly crafts the story of the Lilium killing legendary monsters and meeting historical figures during their global travels.”

According to legend, Lilith, Adam’s first wife, rejects his domineering ways and leaves him, only to be condemned to a cave except during a full moon, when she bears demons, save for three who escape and circle the globe to destroy the horrors their mother spreads. The Lilium cannot eat, bear children, or age, yet they grow attached to people and learn the heartache of loving and losing. Being human is all they desire. Between fierce battles and tender moments, the Lilium render TLC to all they meet, be they kings or paupers, and use acquired medical knowledge to minister to the sick and dying in the ancient world. They meet Nimrod, Confucius, Buddha, and finally Jesus, who influence this brave band.

Reviews

Reviewed By Dan M. Kalin for Readers’ Favorite

The Lilium is the story of the first of Lilith and Satan’s children, Naamah, who escapes being eaten after birth by hiding within Lilith’s cavern prison underneath the ocean. Lilith’s birthing is characterized by a large number of infants, most if not all would be immediately be eaten by their famished mother. Naamah is able to save a sister (Secunda) and brother (Primero) when God destroys Lilith’s prison in response to the death of Abel and Lilith’s role in it. Separated from mother Lilith, the Lilium survive by spiritual predation on mankind and are immortal unless killed. Unlike their mother, the three siblings grow closer to loving and helping humans as their endless years progress. So when more demonic monsters appear, Lilith is clearly still breeding.

The three Lilium travel the world to cleanse it of their monstrous siblings as well as deal with their mother once and for all. Along the way, the Lilium, despite their origin, hope for redemption in God’s eyes. Written in the first-person perspective of Naamah, Pablo Omar Zaragoza’s story tie together many of mankind’s myths into one narrative.

The Lilium is a compelling well-written redemption story told in a single volume. I personally enjoy it when authors take history or myth and create new ways to view the putative events. Pablo Omar Zaragoza deftly craft the story of how the Lilium weave their way through killing monsters out of legend and meeting many historical figures during their quest travels. Writing a story in first-person is difficult to do, but the authors pull it off and have created something I found very difficult to put down before the finish. What Anne Rice did for vampires, Pablo Omar Zaragoza does for succubi-demons.

2019 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards

The Lilium by Pablo Zaragoza is a fascinating story that takes readers across time and through centuries, following three offspring of one of the primeval creatures, the woman called Lilith. This biblically themed story captures the adventures of the rebellious first wife of Adam — Lilith — who, shunning her husband’s control over her, leaves the Garden of Eden and runs away. Condemned to live in a cave, Lilith only comes out during the full moon. She gives birth to demons who escape and roam the earth, causing havoc. But there are three, who set out to counter the evil born of their mother. From the fall of Babel, these supernatural creatures travel the unknown landscapes of the world, through time and space, to stop Lilith from bringing to life more demons and monsters. Follow them as they discover new civilizations, and meet historical personages like Nimrod, Confucius, Buddha, and even Jesus. Can they stop Lilith from infesting the world with demons and can their longing to be like humans ever be fulfilled?

It is delightfully haunting, at times mind-bending, and it features an adventure that will definitely ensnare any fan of supernatural adventure and mind-bending thrillers. The premise of the book is compelling: the author introduces a controversial historical character in Lilith and the fact that she is the first wife of Adam immediately arouses any reader’s curiosity.  The Lilium introduces an exciting alternative narrative of the proverbial conflict of good vs evil, with characters that are sophisticated and a conflict that is phenomenal. The narrative is brimming with both historical and biblical hints and the author succeeds to create pulsating moments of adventure, surprising readers at every turn with details and unexpected twists. The prose is gorgeous and the wisecracking narrative voice makes this tale a hypnotic one, with the stunningly imagined settings, larger-than-life characters, and a conflict that is deftly handled. It is an irresistible brew of adventure sprinkled with thought-provoking moments, expertly developed themes of good vs evil, mortality vs eternity, and the beauty of humanity.