Wolves Among Us: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)Shades of Salem Witch Trials! This historic novel so scared me, that I actually had to put it down and walk away. Of course, I did pick it back up and finish reading it. I am so very thankful that I live in the 21st Century and not the 16th.
I quickly connected to the protagonist, Mia, and her sickly child, Alma. What a heavy load of problems Mia bears. She's married to hard-to-please Bjorn, the stern sheriff and cares for his bedridden mother. Even the ladies of the small village shun her. This gives Mia a very lonely existence. I hurt for her. As the plot unfolds, I feared for her.
An extensive Author's Note section, along with Discussion Questions and Supernatural Housekeeping are all included at the end of the novel.
Thank you to Bonnie at Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and David C. Cook for my copy.

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This richly imagined tale takes readers to a tiny German town in the time of "the burnings," when pious and heretic alike became victims of witch-hunting zealots. When a double murder stirs up festering fears, the village priest sends for help. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, village fear, guilt, and suspicion of women take a deadly turn. In the midst of this nightmare, a doubting priest and an unloved wife—a secret friend of the recently martyred William Tyndale—somehow manage to hear another Voice…and discover the power of love over fear.

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Chasing Pharaohs I: The Rise of the Maahes Review

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(More customer reviews)Thoroughly researched, artfully and sometimes even poetically told, breathtakingly exciting - this is novel writing as it was always supposed to be. If you like your stories rich and deep, full of ancient history and spiritual resonance, th...en this is for you. It is a must read book for anyone who is looking for a more substantial kind of storytelling. Here at last is a more lasting voice for this ephemeral generation of throwaway, airport novels. I can't wait for the next two books in what I strongly suspect will be a widely appreciated trilogy that will defy the sands of time - even the sands of ancient Egypt.
Dr Mark Stibbe, best selling and award winning author

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"Ancient Egypt during the eighteenth dynasty is ruled by the house of Thutmose. It is a time of uncertainty as the death of the first King stirs a group of Noubadian and Uronarti tribesmen in the south. Their leader, the Dark Rebel, assembles a faction to exploit the shift in power, but the uncompromising protection of the Pharaoh fills the advancing rebels with an overpowering rage that rouses the demons of the god Ienpw. Thutmose II, a fragile and suspicious individual, endeavors to keep his throne by exchanging the guards of his inner sanctum. A Semnan bowman from the black kingdoms, a scribe and interpreter of dreams from Yisra el, and the stealthy commander Shoshenq, the King s permanent shadow, comprise an enigmatic threesome. They scrutinize all breaches to the palace and its surrounding precincts and unleash a force of inestimable strength to the peaceful land of Kemet.Can the sly commander rid himself of such a powerful adversary whose claim to the throne would shake an entire dynasty? The Rise of the Maahes begins the first book in the Chasing Pharaohs series. It is a vivid story of faithfulness, forgiveness, humility, and love. "

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Memoirs of Pontius Pilate: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle) Review

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(More customer reviews)Although it is a work of fiction, "Memoirs of Pontius Pilate" comes close to deserving a place in the history section. Much of this well-researched book is devoted to Pilate's own biography of Jesus; nevertheless, there is enough supplementary material here to leave the reader a bit more knowledgeable on the history of Roman Palestine.
Mills' Pilate begins with an introductory discussion about the Jewish people (written from a perspective that feels authentically Roman). The rest of the book traces the life of Jesus from the Nativity to the Crucifixion, after which the exiled former procurator adds his own views on the events that he had just described. Throughout the work Pilate remains sufficiently sceptical of the miracles and odd "coincidences" that his spies report to him, but the reader soon realises that this Roman is at least open to the possibility that the "strange carpenter" may actually be who he says he is.
A word of caution, though: readers who insist on seeing a cruel, heartless tyrant of a governor in this book will be sorely disappointed. Though the historical Pontius Pilatus may have been a man who truly deserves the wicked reputation he is cursed with today, would he have written about himself that way? In all certainty he would have described actions we now see as barbaric within the context of his own culture and upbringing; that is, he would have said that he was simply "doing his job" when he mowed down the Samartians on Mount Gerizim and threatened to hack a crown of Jews to death in Caesarea. Out of his love for Rome, his loyalty to Caesar and perhaps even his own strange form of concern for the well-being of the Jewish people, he did what he felt he had to do.
I am no relativist. From the very little that we know about Pilate, there is no doubt that he was -- to put it bluntly -- a very bad man. But it would be ridiculous to assume that he would have seen himself as anything other than a devoted public servant who tried to do his duty well.

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Separate Roads (Ribbons West) Review

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(More customer reviews)I really, really, really enjoyed this series. All three books of the Ribbons West series. The characters are delightful. They are well developed. I have recommended this book to others.

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Beyond Corista (Shadowside Trilogy, The) Review

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(More customer reviews)Oriannon and her friends barely managed to escape the danger on Corista and are now headed to a way station. Oriannon's mentor, Jesmet, has given her a mission: warn the different way stations that the Troikans are coming. Her friends aren't as supportive as she'd like, and soon Oriannon wonders if the threat is real.
This story stands alone fine apart from the trilogy. In fact, it might be better if you haven't read the first two. Elmer creates a fascinating space world of way stations and different races. This book didn't take place on Corista at all, though. The story seemed to end too soon. As the third book in a trilogy, I wanted a bit more closure, especially as to what was happening on Corista. Margus is my favorite character and I wanted to see more of him. Oriannon struggles to do the right thing and learns some good lessons about forgiveness and obedience in the face of opposition. This was a fun trilogy that I recommend to teens who love science fiction.


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In the Shadow of Lions (Chronicles of the Scribe, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ginger Garrett's "In the Shadow of Lions" tells the story of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in 16th century England. She tells her tale through two main characters. The first, Rose, a fictional creation, is a despairing young woman ready to give up on life. The second is Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry the Eighth. Their stories are dictated by a supernatural being called the Scribe to a dying woman in the present day.
I found this book to be a frustrating, unfulfilling read. A major flaw in the novel is the portrayal of Anne Boleyn. I've read many, many books about Anne over the years, both fiction and non-fiction. Anne Boleyn was a woman who not only fascinated a king, but has also fascinated historians and readers in the centuries since her death. In Garrett's portrayal, she's a rather flat and uninteresting character. I never got a sense of why Henry became so obsessed with her or how she was able to keep his devotion for so long. There was nothing to explain her allure. Henry himself never emerges as a very well defined character.
"In the Shadow of Lions" also contains the most negative portrayal of Sir Thomas More I have ever read. There's no doubt More could be virulently anti-Protestant, but this book takes his actions to the extreme. His daughter, Margaret, is an extremely inconsistent character, one moment treating Rose as an ally and at others treating her more as an enemy. I felt very removed from this book; it was hard to truly feel involved with the story or the characters.
There were many other things about this book that bugged me, but I'll just mention one more. Anne and Henry's daughter, Elizabeth, was born on September 7, 1533. In this book, Anne is two months pregnant shortly before Christmas. There's no way the timeline would work out for a September birth. Garrett never gives a date for Elizabeth's birth, but she does say she's born in winter. A woman can't be over two months pregnant in late December and give birth in a winter month unless the baby is extremely premature, which was not the case, or the baby is in the womb for over a year. I kept thinking I was missing something but I've read it over twice. It just absolutely makes no sense.
I suppose this book might be more appealing to a reader of Christian fiction than to a reader of historical fiction. The historical oddities, at any rate, might be less off-putting.
I really wanted to like "In the Shadow of Lions." I was looking forward to reading about Anne Boleyn from a different viewpoint, one that explored her role in the Protestant Reformation. Unfortunately, the poorly developed, inconsistent, and often unlikeable characters made this more of an exercise in frustration. One of the first things I noticed about this book was the beautiful cover. It's too bad the contents inside didn't live up to it.


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The Scribe: Silas (Sons of Encouragement Series #5) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I was a child, I became an avid reader when I picked up my first secular novel, and I was particularly facinated by historical novels because of my love for history. When I became a Christian, I was in such love with my Savior Jesus Christ that I couldn't get enough of Christian literature. I put aside novels for years. I never thought that there were good Christian novels available, except for romances and the like which only seemed to arouse in me sinful passions and desires. I ran across Francine Rivers somewhat inadvertently. It had been so long since I read a novel that I decided to try once more. "The Scribe" was the second of her books that I read within a couple-week period. I was shocked by the expertise of skill of her writing. She intrigued every facet of my interests, from a good story, to a historical drama, to a Biblical edification. Though much of the story of Silas's personal life in this book is fictional, the concept behind the fiction is so real-to-life for any Christian, that I was greatly helped in the Christian walk. This book is particularly a story of encouragement. Its center is God and the glorious strength that He gives to pick up His despondant servants. The book exalts Jesus Christ and magnifies the unchanging faithfulness and goodness of the Lord. I highly recommend it!

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Behind the men who shaped history are the heroes who forever changed it. The Scribe, the fifth and final book in the Sons of Encouragement series, beloved author Francine Rivers illuminates the life of Silas. Like the other Sons of Encouragement, this book tells the story of a lesser-known biblical character who made an impact on eternity. The Scribe tells the story of Silas, the man behind the spotlight who recorded most of the New Testament Scriptures we read today. In classic Francine Rivers style the story lets readers grasp the Scriptures in a whole new light-from a perspective never before imagined. Along the way readers will be captivated by the growth of the early church and the trials Paul suffers before he is martyred for the cause of Christ.

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