BOOK REVIEW

This book tells a story of experiences of prophet Elijah who was 23 years old. Feeling threatened by Queen Jezebel who wanted to kill him. Elijah fled from Israel to the beautiful city, Akbar (Big City), boarded at the home of a widow and her son. When the city was threatened by war, Elijah called on God to save the city and its people, but God seemed not to hear. When he asked God to save the woman he loved, as if God had turned away indifferently. All this makes the temptation to question Elijah’s love and mercy of God, and encouraged him to take one decision: against God until He answers.

Although the story is taken from footage of the episode in the Bible, the theme is universal, which discusses the relationship between man and God, and the importance of faith and hope. As Elijah, when misfortune came and went, we had often wondered, "Why did this happen to me?" "Why God does not hear me?" There are people who become stronger after experiencing misfortune, others simply gave up and refused to get up again. There are so left of God, There is also become closer to God.

That theme raised by Paulo Coelho in The Fifth Mountain brilliantly. Like the other Coelho books, The Fifth Mountain is a book that will inspire readers to live their daily lives.

SUMMARY 1

He is Elijah, a prophet in the age of Queen Ezebel. At that time, the unbelievers of Baal would have murdered. The whole folk must be Baal worshipper. Queen Ezebel was one who considered Baal as the only God in universe. The prophet existence would have become a threat for Queen Ezebel’s empire.

In his early age, Elijah did not realize that he was the chosen prophet. He often heard charming noises of an angel and saw the unseen. He told her parent about his strange feelings. His parent then came to see a priest telling about what happened to their son. Elijah’s parent noticed that he should not tell anyone about what had gone to him. They were worried about Elijah, moreover they had known that their son would become the next prophet. They rejected faith of the revelation. The past prophets who disbelieved in Baal had been murdered. Elijah’s parent were frightened that such this misfortune could happen to their son.

There was no another choice, he followed her parent’s order. He felt unable to be a prophet who must be wearing an alb the whole hours and tortured. The young Elijah strived hard to obey his parent. Eventually, he didn’t feel anymore about strange things as before. His life was going well. Being a carpenter was his job untill 23 years of his age.

Once day, after long hours working on furnishing, Elijah felt very exhausted and got dizzy. All of sudden, the room was blackout and gloomy. He then heard some voices, a little words were told to him. “Say to King and Queen Ezebel, that this land will be in dry season for long

days if they still reject faith,” an angel told. Finally, the light came over while he was musing the message. He got encouraged by the message, his fear was vanished and directly went to King and Queen’s Ezebel palace for the sake of message.

Sitting in throne, the queen was glowering at him. He didn’t care about what would the queen act against him. Elijah wished he would be engaged to a pretty woman like Queen Ezebel. She reigned her soldier to get move on killing Elijah. Fortunately, he got hiding in a mews with Lewian who was considered a prophet too. He said that death absolutely come to each people, it only happened once. He was not afraid of death. Elijah had the opposite feeling. He did not want to die young, he wanted to be alive and marry somegirl he loved.

The Lewian got killed by arrow shot on their arms. He screamed loudly. Elijah was startled. The soldier moved to shoot Elijah but it did not work. The shot arrow was turned far away from Elijah’s body. “I am the most talented soldier in archery ever, I had never missed my target, your Lord may still give you chance to live. Go away from me!!,” The soldier adviced. He immadiately went out and left away the land of Israel.

SUMMARY 2

Elijah was ordered to go to Akbar city in time he escape, he would meet a widow as his savior. He followed the Angel’s order. The hunger and thirst were crawling in his stomach along the journey though he must eat slice of meat remained from bird.

Finally he met the widow, while she was looking for the fire-wood. “Please give me a meal and let me stay with you” Elijah begged. The woman was little bit scared of him. “How can I save you though I am a poor woman,” the woman refused. Elijah begged her anymore and suddenly fainted. The woman had heart to help Elijah and brought him to her shelter.

Where Elijah hid, it was known by many people in the city. The Governor intended to arrest and surrender him to Qeen Ezebel with a sack of golds as retain.

Once day, the widow’s son who helped Elijah was suffering the dangerous illness. His mother was sad and thought that Elijah brought them to bad condition. “Ask help to your God, to give health to my son, surely I will be thankful and respect to you,” The widow said. Unfortunately, the death came to the son, his mother and all people in the village hated and against Elijah. He intended to disbelieve his God to fulfill his fault. The Governor and people in the village ordered him to climb the fifth mount and beg forgiveness for his fault. Nobody able to conquer the fifth mount. He gave up while he almost reach the fifth mount. In that time, he heard the message form the angel. “Go back to the widow’s house and beg three times to your God for the sake of son. Surely, he will be alive,” The angel said.

Elijah turned to slope of the mountain and went to the widow’s house. She rejected ordered him to leave. “Go away from my house,” the widow said.

Elijah tried anymore asking her to permit him. “Let me save your son and I will ask my God to make him alive,” Elijah said.

If the son were alive, the widow would be thankful and happy. Then, they began to love each other.

SUMMARY 3

Elijah was ashamed because the angel could know what was in his mind. “Love is dangerous,” He said. They only able to feel what in their own hearts. He noticed that King Israel left his God to marry beautiful Queen Ezebel. King Solomon almost lost his throne because of a strange girl. Because of Delias, Simson had been arrested and his eyes were grubbed by Filistin people. History was full of tragic stories. If Elijah had a wife from Israel, he would have been difficult to leave the town as what God ordered.

Elijah had amused sick people, visited prisoners, fed the hungry and brought peacefulness to people. Besides, soldier Asyur built many tents around the Akbar city. It was developing through the days. There were two different pretensions, some people included sellers wanted peace, while others wanted to fight. The Akbar city became the prominent city, Venezia. It’s major led his people wisely.

Once day, a spy was arrested and judged in public judgement. “What is your aim to be here?,” The major asked. “I am not spy, I am a general of my troops, I come to offer an agreement. Asyur just wanted to ask permission for passing this land to reach Zidan and Tirus land,” the General explained.

“Whoever wants pass my land, they have to fulfill tax as what sellers did,” The King required.

On the contrary, the prisoners did not want to pay the tax, General Asyur and his troops were killed at once at that time.

There would be a huge clash between general Asyur and people in Akbar city, the city then became silent and dark. The Great leader and the woman Elijah loved were killed that night. Only few people still alive included him and widow’s son.

Elijah accused God was injustice. The God didn’t listen his prayer and did not save the city and woman he loved. Elijah decided to disbelieve in God. He and other people began to rebuild the city. What he considered as a challenge was actually brought him to God.

Once night, Elijah was hiking to peak of fifth mount. When he reached the peak, he was talking to the angel. “Today is a the day of peace, I have sins, but God also don’t keep people’s belief. God took out my lovely woman and destroyed my city, God has made our livelihood gone, your cruelity has driven me to disbelieve in you,” Elijah declared.

At that time, he heard angel’s voice. “You have done, the God accepted your rejection,”

With the tears on his face, he got on knees and smell the ground’s surface of dried meadow.

“Keep struggle untill God order you to go back to Israel,” an angel ordered.

Elijah became a major of Akbar city. The life was going so well. Once day, his guardian angel came to him, he was ordered to return to Israel. Next day, Elijah, his lovely woman and her son were going to the fifth mount. As they reached the peak, “If we were in high place, we will see all things were small,” Elijah explained.

They were going to the down and staying in the meadow. The son was sleeping on Elijah’s arm. Before he woke up, Elijah had left the Akbar city.

When he arrived at Israel, he assembled the prophets and killed them who had rejected faith. The attack against Israel caused the murder of King Ahad and his wife, Ezebel also killed herself. Elijah still stayed in the east part of the fifth mounts untill he died. In Alkitab, once day, when Elijah was talking to Elisa, the chosen prophet after him, suddenly the train and unicorn came to him. He then was brought to heaven through the storm wind.

THE END