Leprosy sounds like a terrible disease. To be stricken with a disease that slowly (well...or quickly sometimes) eats away at your body with nothing to stop it would be debilitating. If it were me - I'd have to motivation to live.During the first century lepers were outcasts. They were shunned from society. No one had anything to do with them - no one talked to them or treated them like normal people, let alone touched them seeing as the disease was communicable. Lily and Cantor were 2 such lepers. Living in the Valley of Mak'ob, they were surrounded by others like them. The community of lepers lived outside of the city - left to themselves to suffer and die together. They had all heard about Yeshua and wondered if He would come to them. But of course not. There was no way He would come to them. If He touched them He would be unclean. But that's the beauty of Jesus and the redemption He came to offer. He didn't hang out with the religious people. He spent His time among the sinners, offering life and hope. And He went to the lepers and touched them, giving healing in His touch.This series is fascinating. Even though the characters aren't always the same in every book I'm finding myself getting caught up in their story. I've always wondered what it would've been like to be alive when Jesus was on the earth. To see Him do the things written about in the Bible. Through the words of these books I can catch a small (albeit fictionalized) glimpse.Surely He took up our infirmitiesAnd carried our sorrows.
Wow! What a powerful book! As you would probably know, I love historical fiction, but I especially loved this book as it was biblically based. A really well written book that had you fully in touch with the characters and living their life, feeling their pain etc. It was actually quite a hard book to read in light of the leprosy described in the pages. The writers really delved deeply into how a leper is treated and hardest of all, how it affects someone physically. I always knew that leprosy would be something horrible to succumb to, but had no idea of the true impact. I assume that the writers would have researched the disease, so believe I have a deeper understanding of the infliction. So sad, and as I mentioned above, so hard to read about. The writers went into a lot of detail at times, so it wasn't easy to read. Over all, a wonderful book and I look forward to more of the AD Chronicles.
no they're free in the kindle library. so i've been alternating between the physical library and the kindle (you can only check out one book per month from the kindle library).
—Tara Page
2nd in the AD Chronicles series, the concept is interesting and potentially insightful. I've counted a few historical/Scriptural errors, though they're fairly small. And there is NO CONSISTANCY with picking spelling for foreign names (I'm a linguist, so this is a constant distraction from narrative flow)! The writing is over-the-top at times, conveying more emotions than realistic, and not enough at other times. Otherwise, the story concept is great: personalize the Gospels about Jesus using informed imagination to draw the reader's engagement and investment in Scripture and history. Writing: B- Vocabulary: B Plot: A Worldivew: Christian
—Josiah
I really liked these books the first time I read them. The second time through they all seem a bit more on the average side. As usual, the Thoenes are master storytellers. The complexity yet comprehensibility of their narratives is pretty amazing. However, sometimes I think they try a little too hard. It's in this book that they first introduce what will become a staple of this entire series, the idea do the significance and meaning of specific numbers and specific letters in each word. It's almost as if everything HAS to mean something. To an extent, I believe that God designed significant meanings behind specific numbers and words. I also believe that He may not have, that the simple reason behind something may be simply to give Him glory. I think that the difference in my theology and that of the Thoenes likely affects my perception of their works, this book obviously included. They are definitely talented writers though, much better than most other authors of Christian fiction. (I hate that I need to say that with each one of their reviews but it's simply the truth. Maybe the industry will catch on? Probably not)I do recommend these books. They are well written and if you can read with discernment, a difference of theology will not be a significant stumbling block.
—Jeni Enjaian
