Adventure of Biblical proportions
919904
There are some really good, and some quite bad, novels out there that depict end of days and incorporate Biblical references into their story lines.  This is definitely one of the good ones.  Author Alex Lindsey's "The Man of Lawlessness" takes us through a suspenseful journey based on the Book of Revelation and brings to life the anti-Christ.  Because this is modern-day, there is modern technology, weapons, etc.  This is a fantastic story that spans the globe, has elements of adventure, romance, suspense, action and much more.  An incredibly well-written and well thought out story that has me anxious for the next book in the series.
2626607
Geraldine Brooks has done a great job at bringing the Biblical story of David to life in this novel.  By writing from the viewpoint of the Prophet Nathan, a man who David entrusts with the writing of his biography in the beginning of the book, she has made it believable that he could write everything without needing to witness it.  For those familiar with the books of Samuel and the Psalms, there won't be anything new, but for those who have never read the Bible, it is an excellent starting place.  And unlike certain other fictional accounts of David's life, this one is quite clear on his close relationship with God.  Now, as this is a fictional account, there are some things in it that don't appear in the Bible, but they are minimal, and most of which are believable.  There are only two problems some people may have with this novel.  First is that she uses the Hebrew versions of the names, like Shmuel for Samuel, Shlomo for Solomon, Yoav for Joab, etcetera.  The other is a description of the relationship between David and Jonathan, which is believable, though most rabbis and pastors would say wasn't in the manor she portrays.  Also to be noted is that Jesse isn't portrayed well when it comes to his treatment of David, and two of the people Nathan goes to get information from on David's life before they met are ones that had reason to despise David for one reason or another.  All in all, a good read and a great fictionalized biography of one of the most famous people in the Bible.
4271510
Great narrative following on in the series. Eagerly awaited the arrival of this book and not at all disappointed. The book fleshes out and fills in the earlier days of David, anointed but persecuted by King Saul, on the run and includes the days spent with and around the Philistines. I had seen the scripture that Johsua rid the land of giants and their ilk and in then one verse it says he left some in Gad and Gaza and I had wondered why Joshua did not kill all of them. This remnant part of the serpent seed, beyond Goliath was left for David and his gibborim, (mighty men of renown) to deal with.
The extensive notes and biblical references at the end are the Highlight for me! Thanks!
2919951
This novel has a definite masculine theme covering David, one of the most colorful fascinating characters of the Old Testament written by an author who is not only a military man, but also a chaplain.  As he says, he has studied everything he can to come as close to the real story of David as possible.  Many authors take stories of the Bible and then fictionalize them like Mr. Graham by dramatizing the battle scenes, strong character building, and interjecting thoughts and conversations in simple dialogues for simple people.

I am not recommending this book because of its Biblical implications, but on its own merits as it is a well-written, action-packed story of men of old warring, killing, wounding and dying.  There are some metaphysical and miraculous events thrown in and the physical stamina and killing ability of the heroes stretch the imagination, but like all novels, that is why we enjoy them.  Things can occur in stories that most of us never experience in real life.  Even the Bible at times may stretch some believability, especially the old Testament.  All myths and folk tales are passed down through the ages because they are so intriguing and even Joseph Campbell said that the truth is often a little different as it is retold many, many times.

Be that as it may, I truly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and although I never read the first book in this "Lion of War Series," there were enough flashbacks that I could catch up.  I highly recommend this book as one of the better books being published this year.
4831879
Power by MaryLu Tyndall  Protectors of the Spear should be another great adventure series if this first book is any indication. The story is well written portraying  Biblical principles being lived out by true Christ followers, therefore incorporating a clean romance as well as a challenge, for all who call themselves Christian, to live it out. The characters and theme are well developed, both reflect the constant contrast between good and evil, a waging of spiritual war.  My only issue is the constant attention to the drinking of wine, which is not edifying to young readers as watered down means little considering this is a major social addiction among youth and teens today. I say this because the Introduction made mention to the making of a young friends sisters name Amelia into the main character of this book. PG rating
4699912
Boy this book sure is swell. The awesomeness is truly biblical.
1656290
Although the novel is based on the Book of Samuel, in the Old Testament, in reality it is more than just another biblical story. This could easily be classified as a military historical novel. The emphasis is on the campaigns of King Saul against the enemies of Israel. They are seen through the eyes of Beral, shield bearer for King Saul's oldest son, Jonathan and later, David.

At the same time the author breathes life into these and other characters from the biblical past, that otherwise would be viewed as remote and in the eyes of many, mythical.

He realistically describes not only life in the barracks and battlefield, but love, deceit and treachery at the king's court.

Most of all, the author depicts the devotion, loyalty and friendship that does not know the difference between class or status as seen throughout the entire novel. A well deserved five stars.
4544305
Wow. This is Biblical fiction at its best! Biblically and historically based with the author's well-crafted fiction to fill in the gaps. It has been a.long time since Biblical fiction grabbed my attention and made me feel like I was in the story.
1518847
I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, and it was absolutely worth the read.  It was an advanced reading copy, which I imagine will differ very little from the definitive book.

It's very nice biblical history, and a nice story too. All the bible tells us about Solomon is there, and more to boot, too. It's all very plausible ande well told. The invented parts and characters (we don't know that much, after all) could perfectly be true, and are interesting.

So much so, that I'd gladly read a second part telling us about the fate of all the main characters: Solomon's daughter and grandaughter, the scheming Nicaule, etc.
3104178
The City of God is an enjoyable adventure tale enriched with spiritual philosophy. The reader lives in the mind of Nathaniel Grey, a man with a monumental dilemma: Are his spiritual beliefs a lie? Is the society he has fought to protect all that it seems to be? And are those with contrary beliefs really so wrong?

This fascinating novel amounts to a journey. Serving as an officer in a city akin to a spiritual utopia, Grey witnesses an event that begins to unravel this perfect existence. Worse, he finds himself involved by association with the unraveling, and is forced to flee the city in the company of two outsiders. This exodus spans the desert and its unusual, primitive outposts. Throughout, Grey is compelled to examine his own beliefs while in the company of witches. Binding it all together is the Aether, a spiritual force that's the heart of religion and magic.

I enjoyed this novel. An original plot and solid characterization makes for a memorable read, and the spiritual conflict is pertinent to today's world of religious disparity. The narrative suffers some imperfections of a novice author (for example, a dependence on adverbs and cliches), but most readers will enjoy this work for its powerful story. The City of God, the first book of a series to come, fashions the itinerary well for the upcoming sequels.
457709
I love to read, but seldom have the time. I found the first book in the trilogy at a discount store at greatly undervalued price. I read it in one day...couldn't put it down. A search on Amazon the next day found this, the second book of the trilogy, on Kindle. I've now read two books in less than a week! Both books follow the biblical story of the Hebrew people as they escape from Egypt and are lead toward Canaan. The author fleshes out both biblical and fictional characters in such a mesmerizing manner that you feel you are reading an actual biography. I hope the third book will be out soon and that Mrs. Towiss will continue writing biblically based books.
1491379
I have an insatiable appetite for Biblical novels, books containing the word of God woven into an expanded scenario. Thank you, Jill.
1311971
I got this book for free after seeing it on the Kindle Buffett list.  I did know the author; however I know the Bible well so I felt like the book would be something I would enjoy. This is the first time I read Biblical fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not find any errors so if they were there I was too engrossed in the story to notice.  I finished this book in one day I enjoyed it so much.

This is the fictional account of Claudia  (daughter of a wine merchant and dream seer) and her marriage to Lucius Pilate and his career advancements over the years that then get him assigned as the Prefect of Judea. In Judea we see Pilate's dislike of the Jews and his heavy handed approach to staving off insurgent rebellions by the Jews; his relationship with the high priests; and King Herod.  Ultimately, they learn about Jesus and Claudia starts to believe in him while Pilate does not and  then events occur before and after the crucifixion.

I like the way the story captured Pilate's love for Claudia and her respect for Pilate even when she found his decisions and actions detestable.  I loved the loyalty and relationship between Claudia, Avram and Libi.  I especially liked seeing how each person came to their own conclusion about whether Jesus was the true messiah.
4652015
I was a bit hesitant about picking up this series and reading them. To me, it sounded a bit more geared towards a Young Adult crowd, or those more into religious stories, than I am. But I found my self a bit intrigued.

Godawa has made a well-known story from the bible into a sensational action story. Based on facts and strong deductions about biblical history, the story of Noah and how he completed God's Will to build the Ark at the time of the Great Flood. Based on what I remember from Sunday School, this story was so much more interesting than our learnings. I also see that there are a couple other books out, and I think I shall have to read them as well. Any action/thriller reader would love to sit down with this one.
1981506
I thoroughly enjoyed both books in the series and hope for further adventures.  This is indeed a story of intrigue and mystery surrounded with fascinating biblical references.  A joy to read and thrills and action abound.  Recommend to any and everyone.
3469689
It's hard to put the book down thanks to its nice blend of action and its biblical setting.
2761969
If you like a good treasure hunt, this book is for you. I could not put it down! It appeals to readers of every religious denomination because it revolves around an ancient copy of a hand-inscribed Bible.

The Aleppo Codex story&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Aleppo-Codex-A-True-Story-of-Obsession-Faith-and-the-Pursuit-of-an-Ancient-Bible/dp/1616200405/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible</a>&nbsp;spans several decades but Matti Friedman weaves them all together so expertly that it reads like a spy thriller. The people,  places, and times come alive for the reader with the threads of each constantly interwoven so one never loses track of where one is in the story. This could so easily have gone awry in the hands of a less skillful writer. Syria in the 1940s, Israel in the years soon after Independence and the modern State as we know it, are evoked beautifully. The key players - Syrian and Israeli - most of them operating in the shadows, become real people in the pages of this book. The "When", the "Why", and the "Who" of the disappearance of important pieces of this priceless Bible are painstakingly unravelled from documents which were themselves hidden away for decades and are still cloaked in secrecy.

If you are looking for a neat resolution at the end of the story, you will not get one. This is an on-going mystery that awaits another denoument. We can only hope that the wide reading of this novel helps to bring about positive developments to advance the story.