I've already been a fan of Bodie & Brock Theone, and this third book in the Zion Covenant series was no disappointment for what I've come to expect from their compelling story-telling and engaging historical references. The writing style is such that the chapters flow along quickly and end with suspense that keeps me up much past my bedtime turning the pages for more. Main characters such as the beautiful Austrian violinist Elisa Linder, who finds herself in the thick of intrigue and incognito from the Gestapo, or her husband, American journalist John Murphy who fights for the right for Jewish refugees to be granted asylum after sailing from Germany, are portrayed as heroes, yet with very relatable personalities. Facts from history play out in scenes between some characters that may be fictionalized, yet the mix with real-life historical figures provides a seamless set-up of the events happening between Euorpean nations in the late 1930s just before World War II. There are some sinister characters, too, and they made my skin crawl. Then there are noble characters like Elisa and Murphy, or New York newspaper publisher, Trump, and a stalwart Jewish grandmother, Bubbe Rosenfelt, who give warmth to a story that would otherwise seem hopeless in the face of Nazi oppression. It may be historical fiction, but the fiction is written to be just as believable as the facts one would read in a volume of WWII reference books.Finally, there are some Christian/Messianic-Jewish tie-ins that are paced in such a way to make them significant, punctuating moments with truths that gave me goosebumps as I read. I would give this a full five stars, but a scene at the end, while I really liked the outcome, seemed to materialize a bit too conveniently without much explanation or with as much of a twist as I was hoping there would be. I highly recommend the first two books, but if you only had this third book with which to start, another commendable talent of these authors is that they fill in enough snippets of background references so that you know what's been happening already in the whole story (or remind readers who read the previous installments over a year ago and have forgotten a few things).
Once more I was held captive by this book. Elisa and the struggle of the Jewish people is clearly portrayed in this book. Though it is fiction, often I forgot this as I read as I recognized many of the key events from the Holocost we incorporated into this book. Brock and Bodie Thoene showed us the great struggle as the few tried to raise the alarm to Hilter's dark nature. Murphy was an unforgettable character as he tried to get American's to open their eyes to the suffering and horror of the Jews, Elisa's own struggle to deliver messages with the hope to open the eyes of the people of England, Anna (Elisa's mom) who's heart was opened to the refugees, all of these characters will stay with me always.
What do You think about Munich Signature (2005)?
I liked this one better than the last and I'm still enjoying the history lessons surrounding WWII. I feel like Elisa is finally coming into herself - finally. I did not like that some of the Jewish characters were converted to Christianity. Not because I don't believe this may have happened during this tumultuous time but because the authors (Christian authors) didn't explain or explore any more of their conversion other than the fact it happened. This is a huge life change that would affect characters friends and families both negatively and positively. None of this was expressed. Maybe in the next book.
—Nicole
When I was a teen, a young man told me about his parents being on a ship and traveling from country to country. Everyone turned them away and they were finally made wards of the United Nations. Some of the events in Munich Signature could have been their story. His parents too were fleeing from Nazi controlled territories. The book is part of the Zion Covenant series of historical fiction covering WWII. Munich Signature relates events in the European Theatre in the late 1930's as Hitler expanded his powerful grip into Austria and Czechoslovakia. I felt so much a part of the unfolding story with the key facts that the Thoenes included. The characters pull you into the story so much that I felt dismay when they wanted to go to Poland or France to escape from the Nazi's. I enjoyed Thoene's storytelling so much that I will probably read the other books in this series.
—Ruth Ann
#3 of the series. Still fascinating, emotional, and gripping.First was Berlin, then Austria, then Czechoslovakia..and onto Europe - part of Hitler's "success" was the "it won't happen here" attitude, and the "as long as we're alright, we need not be a part of their disputes.." These allowed Hitler to march into many of these places with hardly a shot fired. Men that knew better, that knuckled under to this mad-man. The "rounding up" of "non Aryan races" really didn't make riveting news in America's newspapers thanks to Nazi propaganda. People didn't believe it, until it happened to their neighbors, their families, themselves. Then it was too late. These are the human stories of Europe's involvement in WWII. This is, of course, a fictional story - but the "bad guys" were very very real.Will definitely read #4
—Gracee
