Summit Book Reviews is pleased to welcome author Zara Heritage as a member of our review team. For her first submission, she chose the novel MARTYR, a recent Cape Arago Press release by fellow Summit reviewer, E. G. Lewis. Zara’s debut novel, Cast Me Not Away, is currently undergoing its final edits and will be available in the near future.
*****
As a career writer I am sometimes critical of other people’s writing. When I see something outstanding, however, it makes me want to stand up and shout.
The Seeds of Christianity Series caught my attention with WITNESS, the first novel by E.G. Lewis. I eagerly read each one that followed and believe each book is better than the one preceding it. In MARTYR Mr. Lewis outdoes himself. I cannot recommend it more highly.
Although each novel stands alone, I suggest you read them all, and in order. You will fall in love with this First Century family and their interaction with Biblical events. History comes alive as Lewis weaves fact into fiction to create this memorable saga. The books themselves are not “preachy” as some Christian fiction tends to be.
In MARTYR the main characters, Rivkah and Shemu’el, are now grandparents. They relocate from Antioch to Rome with their adult children and their families. They all have to endure the horrible persecutions of Christians in that time period. However, there is also humor in this novel as well. Rivkah’s interaction with Nasica the rental agent evokes laughter while accurately representing what housing conditions were like at that time. At first, you’ll dislike their feisty neighbor, Severina, then laugh and cry as she transforms into a totally different person with Rivkah’s influence.
You will experience Nero’s terrifying burning of Rome and their chilling escape thanks to the knowledge of their son, Yudah. His time as an aqueduct apprentice in Antioch serves them well. The autistic giant, Pavlos, introduced in DISCIPLE and a major player in APOSTLE, returns in this book too. Lovable Pavlos is quite a hero. If you don’t shed tears of joy and sorrow over him you are one hard-hearted soul.
Of course, Peter and Paul, Mark and Barnabas are in this book too. How could they not be? Yet, the book isn’t about them. It is about the lives of ordinary people who lived in the First Century and how they managed to survive, maintain and spread the Christian message. Whether you are Christian or not, you will find much to like about this series. It is truly entertaining, educational and inspiring. MARTYR gets a five-star plus rating in this writer’s estimation.
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Publisher: Cape Arago Press (February 20, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 098259495X
ISBN-13: 978-0982594957
I'm crazy about this novel. Humor and excitement. Each book in the series seems to get better and better. I learned so much about first century history, but enjoyed most the exciting challenges met by a family I've come to love. Nero's burning of Rome was exceptionally well written. He was a terrible person, but his evil is balanced by the good of so many who were kind and loving.I hated to have the book end.
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