Book Review: A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (Mark of the Lion #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Characters, plot, writing - pretty much everything

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Trip to ancient Rome

Danger romance adventure

Keep pages turning

Why Did I Wait So Long?

The year is 70 AD. Hadassah, a young Jewish woman, has been captured at the fall of Jerusalem. Taken to Rome, she is bought to serve the Valerian family. The Valerians are having their own problems. Decimus, the father, is very traditional, yet his children, Marcus and Julia, embrace all the decadence Rome has to offer. Hadassah wants to share her faith in Jesus the Messiah with this family, but she cannot find the courage to do so. Meanwhile, Atretes has been captured in Germany and taken to Rome as a gladiator. As their lives intertwine, they will all face problems that will challenge who they are and what they believe.

I just read this book for the first time, and can't believe I waited so long to do so. This is an amazing novel. The characters are strong, the writing is crisp, the plots are remarkable, and the detail given to ancient Rome makes it come alive. Every time I picked up this novel, I was drawn into its world by the engrossing writing style and had a hard time putting it down. There were no downsides to this engrossing tale.

A Voice in the Wind was my introduction to the books of Francine Rivers, but by no means will this be my last. I am looking forward to finishing this series and exploring her other novels. She is truly a gifted author.