Great Christian Reads!

I have found myself getting very excited reading
 Biblical Historical Fiction and Christian Fantasy.
So I thought I might share with you some of my favorites.

***

I am slow sometimes to discover great things.

Like author Ted Dekker.

 I see his newest books AD 30 and AD 33

all over the place, but wasn't really interested.

But then I saw a book he wrote called "Black"


and thought I'd give it a try.

It is the first in the "Circle Series"

And I liked it so much that I read all 4 books of the Trilogy in 2 weeks

(yep, 4 books---trilogy)

In the first book  we meet Thomas Hunter


(the series has been turned into a graphic novel)

He is living in Colorado and while being chased by bad guys

he gets a grazing shot to the head.

He makes it to  his sister's house, she is an ER nurse

But since she is not home, he falls asleep while waiting for her.

And immediately wakes up in another world...with Amnesia.
(this only makes sense if you read the 4th book, Green)

Thomas Hunter treks back and forth
 between these 2 worlds  each time he sleeps.   

The new world is Earth 2,000+ years in the future.

In both worlds humans are in jeopardy.

In our world a genetically altered virus is unleashed
and Thomas Hunter has the use knowledge from the future

to save our world.

It is the future world that held my interest.

I have always wondered what if God 

created other worlds throughout the universe?

I think if He has, He would create humans in His image

and place them in a Garden of Eden.

And what if those Humans choose not to sin?

Would paradise exist forever?

Would there be death or would the people live forever?

That is what the future is like in this book.

Thomas first finds himself in a very dark, evil place.

But it is outside of a beautiful garden.

He escapes the evil place and enters the garden.

It is paradise and many people are living there.
There is no illness, no death, no sadness.

Is it Heaven?  Or is it a New Garden of Eden?

It is the latter. 

And as long as no one leaves the garden and 

drinks the water in the evil place

it will continue to be paradise.

Well, you know us humans.

Towards the end of the first book one of the leaders

of the Garden leaves to confront the evil dwellers of the dark forest

and is tricked by the leader of the evil beings into drinking the water.

Sound familiar?


Paradise is over run with evil and life gets very difficult for mankind.

In the 2nd and 3rd books of the Trilogy

(White and Red)

the story continues--the battle to save our world from the virus
and the battle to defeat evil in the future.  

The parallels will be obvious....not just between
the story line, but between the future world and our world.

It is a story of Redemption.


And a Redeemer.

The 4th book, "Green"  kind of stands alone.

It is not necessary for the overall plot line.

But it does complete the "circle" of this "Circle Series"

The story helps you to make sense of what it means to be a child of God.

It gives you a different idea of who God is.

And it gives you a knew way to understand God's love for all of us.

Even those who are so evil that our first thought is to annihilate.


Try it out, I think you will enjoy it!!

***

The City of God Series

  

By Randy Ingermanson

There is so much to say!

First, the author is a unique person---he has a 

PhD in Theoretical Physicist

and he is a believer!

Second,   the series is not only entertaining as 

historical fiction, it is also inspiring.

In the first book,  Transgression,

we meet the main characters, Rivka,
 a brilliant archaeologist
and Ari a physicist working with
Damien, another physicist
 to create a wormhole that could allow them to go back in time.

Damien has evil intent,
he wishes to go back to ancient Israel,
about 57 a.d. and assassinate Paul,
aka Saul of Tarsus. 

Of course they succeed in their time travel
and of course our heroes, Rivka and Ari save Paul.
Damien dies and the worm hole collapses leaving
Rivka and Ari  trapped in ancient Jerusalem.

As over simplistic that description is,
there is actually a lot of action
and you will develop a real connection with these characters.

The book ends in such a way that you can easily stop there.

But don't!

If you are a believer (either Christian or Jew) 

or want to learn more about it, 

you must read the next two books.

In the second book, Premonition,

Rivka and Ari are married, still living in Jerusalem.
Rivka is well studied in ancient languages
and the Torah
and related historical readings such as those by Josephus.

Because she knows much of what is about to happen,
she is considered a seer woman-----and quickly becomes a part of it.

In the third book, Retribution,

This book leads us right up to the fall of Jerusalem,
but stops short of encompassing it.  

But this book is the most spiritual,
I felt I learned much about forgiveness
and what Christ did for us on the cross.

Or at least a different appreciation for it.

As a Christian, I found this book was the best of the series

It has been a long time since a book has effected me on such a level

that I felt a part of the story.

If you like Biblical based historical fiction, 

mixed with science, philosophy and theology

then this series is a must read!!

The only negative I have on this series is it did not truly end.

The author's note at the conclusion of Retribution claimed the publishers did not want to continue the series, but Mr. Ingermanson did.


So I put on my sleuth's hat



and searched his personal web site,

( click here )

hoping for continuation of the series in the form of
a blog, or e-book,
and found nothing.   

So I emailed him!

On Sep 19, 2015, at 2:08 PM, Jenifer Deitterick <tiggerkat101@gmail.com> wrote:

Just finished the City of God trilogy.....at the end of the ebook

Retribution you hinted to further stories in this series........do you still

plan to do so?

And he emailed back!!

Hi Jennifer:

Yes.  I spent 5 weeks in Israel this summer on a research trip.  2 of the weeks were spent working on an archaeological dig in Jerusalem just a few hundred yards from Ari and Rivka’s house.  

So I will be continuing the City of God series and will also be working on the Crown of Thorns series (about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.)  

--

  (this is Mr. Ingermason's avatar)

So I guess I will just have to be patient!  

NOT  by strong suit!!

***

I just recently finished a book called:

The Centurion’s Wife

By: Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

Leah is the niece of Pontius Pilate given into servitude

 to Pilate’s wife, Procula.

It is the week after the crucifixion 

of a radial rebel leader, 

Jesus of Nazareth.

 Procula is haunted by nightmares and migraines, 

fearing an innocent man have been put to death. 

  And she is increasingly suspicious that this man 

may have been much more than a man.  

She orders Leah to infiltrate the followers of this rebel

 to learn if the rumors are true,

 that this man, who was dead, 

now lives.

Alban, the centurion, is an ambitious man,

 hoping to obtain Leah’s betrothal to elevate his own status.  

He has never met her, but knowing she is Pilate’s niece, 

his marriage to her would give him rise in stature

 in the eyes of Rome.   

The centurion is favored among the Jews as a God Fearer. 

He has been righteous in many of his deeds

 and respectful of their religion.  

When Alban approached Jesus the Healer

 in hopes to have his beloved servant healed, 

Jesus proclaimed to all that Alban had great faith.

Pilate is troubled by the rumors that the rebel, 

Jesus may somehow still be alive 

and a threat to Rome 

and his own position of power.   

He needs someone to infiltrate the followers of Jesus to find out.  

That is the condition he lays upon Alban

 in order to be allowed to wed Leah.

Leah does not want to be given in marriage.  

She has seen her sisters enslaved and degraded

 in loveless marriages

 and would prefer to stay a maid servant to Procula.  

But she has no power and the decision has been made for her.

Separately, and without knowledge of each other, 

Leah and Alban enter the hidden world 

of the followers of Christ 

and their lives are turned upside down

This is a beautifully told love story

 as well as a story of how Jesus can change your life.

   

*****

This next series I have read is historical fiction, but actually Christian Fantasy.

It is a trilogy called:  Books of the Infinite

Written by:   R.J.Larson

The Infinite refers to God.

The three books in the Trilogy are:

Prophet



(I love this picture of Ela, so pretty!!)

Judge

King

The first book, a young woman (age 17), Ela,  is chosen by God to be his prophet.

She Hesitantly accepts because Prophets often have short, tragic lives.

But she does agree because one should always Trust in God

 and have Faith

that He will be with you and Guide you.

So she is sent by God to other nations



to condemn them and warn them to repent.


This sounds like all other prophet stories in the Bible.

What makes this fantasy are the presence of some fantasy type creatures.

There are the dreaded  deadly Scalns



And magnificent huge horses  called Destroyers

that everyone fears but their riders

And the horse chooses his rider and the 2 are inseparable.

While on her first mission, Ela is captured and while imprisoned

She meets Kien who becomes her love interest.

Kien is a good guy but does not believe in the Infinite.

But after spending time with Ela, he not only becomes a believer,

He becomes a prophet.

Kien is the main character of book two, in which he is both Prophet and Judge.


Ela and Kien meet a rebel leader who is a follower of the Infinite.

This leader becomes King and is the main character in the third book.

This series will consume you!

It is well written, you will love these characters!

I highly recommend this series!!!

See More when you Click Here!!


I see there are 2 more books coming to this Series!!!!




So Excited!!!!

****

Lions of Judah

by: Gilbert Morris



Is a 6 book series that begins

with a young Noah and ends with Rahab of Jericho

Through out the series there is a mysterious gold Medallion

that is handed from one generation to the next.

The keeper of the Medallion does not choose who to give it to.

When that person is soon to die, God speaks to them in a dream

and tells them who should receive it

One side of the Medallion is a Lion

The other side is a Lamb.

Those possessing it feel it is a promise of One to Come and Redeem them.


The 6 books are as follow:

Heart of a Lion

No Woman so Fair

The Gate of Heaven

Til Shiloh Comes

By Way of the Wilderness
Daughter of Deliverance

Don't be intimidated by there being 6 books, they are quick reads.

Each one puts you into the times of the main character

and you see life through their eyes

It is an interesting (albeit fictional) look into

the hearts and minds of some of our favorite people

in the Old Testament.

***

The Ark Chronicles

By:  Vaughn  Heppner

People of the Ark

People of the Flood

People of Babel

People of the Tower

The main character in this series is Ham, the youngest of Noah's three sons.
 He is a very old man imprisoned in Egypt and must save the Pharaoh from God's curse.
The Pharoah was cursed because he had taken Sarai,
the wife of Abraham, as his own wife.
But first Ham must convince the Pharaoh of God's power,
so Ham tells him the story of his life.

The first book, The People of the Ark,



begins when Ham is young
and Noah is Building the Ark.
You are transported to that time period and see the world
 reigned by evil and the struggles of
 the last man of Righteousness and his family.


The second book, People of the Flood,



covers the struggles
of being the only people on the New Earth.
The ark has landed on the mountain top and the animals are freed.
The families grow in numbers and sin re-enters the world
as jealousy and vanity cause problems between the young, new tribes.


The third book, People of Babel



covers the establishment of the
city of Babel along the Euphrates River
 and Nimrod's rise to power.

The fourth and final book, People of the Tower,



covers the growing rivalries between tribes
who are on the brink of war and the building of the infamous Tower of Babel.
 And as the tower grows, so does the influence of evil.

This series puts you right into the action,
you get a real feel for what the time period was likely to be.
Biblical and Historical people come to live and gives you so much to think about!

***


"Esther Queen of Persia"



By Jim Baumgardner

This is a historical fiction re-telling the story of Hadassah, who became Queen Esther.

It covers the entire Biblical Book and really brings that story to life!

I would read the book, then match it with scriptures and was happy with
how closely this fictional story stayed true to the Bible.



Hadassah is such a loving girl, innocent, beautiful and smart.  You will love her and relate to her in so many ways!  You will get a feel for the time period, so much more so than you can from the scriptures.  See, the Bible is written in quick facts and basic dialogs to get the points of the story across. Authors of Biblical times were not trying to rev up the imagination of their readers.  They didn't need to.  They were writing for their contemporaries and didn't need to describe the setting and culture the way books do today.  But if they did, it would read exactly like Mr. Baumgardner's story.

If you are not familiar with the story of Esther, it is amazing!

A beautiful young girl brought to the King's Haram
among 100's of others so he can choose his new queen.




Esther is an orphan, raised by her Uncle Mordecai who works for the king.

Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill the king and with Esther's help saves the king's life.



A royal official plots the destruction of Mordecai and it backfires in a most hilarious way!
But not before this official orders the annihilation of the Jews,
and it is up to young Esther to save them!




It is better than Hollywood.  And better yet because it is true!


Download it on your Kindle or Nook today, open your Bible
 and start your journey back in time!

****

 "The Reluctant Demon Diaries"

  

By Linda Rios Brook

In this Trilogy + One  we have a mysterious and very nervous stranger bringing ancient scrolls to a world renowned archaeologist, Samantha Yale,  who specializes in ancient translations.   

He leaves the scrolls and mysteriously disappears

As she translates the scrolls, she quickly realizes that they may be the most significant find in history!  

 It corroborates the Book of Genesis, but told from a very different point of view.  

 The ancient scrolls are revealed to be a diary of an angel 

who believes he was mistakenly cast from Heaven during Lucifer’s revolt.  

Thus he is now a demon, banned from Heaven for eternity.

The little demon is a meek creature, but with keen insight into the newly created world of humans.  

Satan tasks him with being a watcher.  

So he watches mankind and reports significant events to his master, 

Satan, all the while lamenting that God may never forgive him 

for his sin of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This series is a fast passed retelling of Genesis with humor sprinkled in.  

You will not be able to put it down!

So go now, download this book on your kindle, nook, tablet 

or purchase from a store,

 or check it out from your local library!