by Larry Huntsperger

A fictionalised retelling of the gospel story through the eyes of Peter, as he tries to correct the misinterpretations and distortions that have grown up between Jesus’ death and his own death, which is imminent. The story begins when his brother, Andrew, first tells him about the prophet from Nazareth and ends in his prison cell as he awaits execution. No liberties are taken with either the actions or the words of Christ, Who speaks straight from the Bible. Everyone else thinks and speaks, sometimes jarringly, as a modern American – the resurrected son of the widow of Nain awakes crying, “Hey Mom, I’m hungry!” I suspect this is done in an attempt to give the story immediacy for the modern reader, as the author’s stated aim is to create a frame through which he hopes his audience “will be able to see history with a new clarity.” Certainly the central message is in no way trivialised or sugar-coated – Simon Peter’s struggles as he finds out what Christ is about and how to relate to Him are the struggles of us all. Very readable.

Review by Diane Morrison (30/08/11)

Paperback
Price: £9.99
Publisher: Revell imprint of Baker Pub from Lion
Published: July 2011
ISBN: 978-0-800-75844-8

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Martha

by Diana Wallis Taylor

Of course anything not in the Bible is a figment of someone’s imagination, but there has always been serious study of background information to make the story as plausible as possible, and this is what has been done here.
Incidents recorded in the Gospels have been woven together to make a story of Martha that just could be true. It really doesn’t matter. It probably didn’t happen this way – but it might have done!
What the book does well is to describe what it was like for a family living in Bethany at that time. The day to day routine, the way the community behaved, and what befriending Jesus meant for them when the Temple authorities were intent to kill Jesus and wipe out any support for him.
I had never seriously considered what this would mean for Lazarus, or the healed leper who returned to thank Jesus. A book like this makes us stop and think of these people and how their lives will have been changed. Yes, Lazarus was raised from the dead. Yes, the leper was now able to return home, but what then?
I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (11/08/11)

Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher: Revell imprint of Baker Pub from Lion
Published: August 2011
ISBN: 978-0-800-73465-7

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The Damascus Way

- Acts of Faith Book 3

by Davis Bunn & Janette Oke

I have so enjoyed this series. Each one I have thought could not be bettered, but I was wrong, my enjoyment has increased with each book. The historical research that lies behind any fictional re-telling of Bible times, means you can learn a great deal, and this is certainly so with this trilogy. The fear among the Christians in Jerusalem after the stoning of Stephen and the appearance of Saul with his mission to destroy them is palpable, and that fear follows them as many flee the city into remote parts of Judea and Samaria. Here they find others of like persuasion who are willing to help them, and in this story we follow Stephen’s widow and child to a new life at a trading post on the edge of the desert. The description of a journey through a sand storm in this desert and many other incidents in the story help us to understand more fully, the background to this part of the Gospel story.
We meet with many familiar characters and new story lines and characters are introduced which makes for a thoroughly good read.

A boxed set of these books is available for £25, ISBN 978-0-764-29509-6

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Review by Mary Bartholomew (31/05/11)

Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher: Bethany House imprint of Baker Pub from Lion
Published: February 2011
ISBN: 978-0-764-20866-9

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Ave Maria

by Françoise Slater

This book is described as “a fictional tale”, in other words, a novel. It covers the whole Gospel story from the Annunciation to the birth of Jesus on that first Christmas. Much research went into the preparation of the novel and the bare facts of the Gospel story are fleshed out with dialogue, background and the day-to-day life of the characters. The central character is Mary. Her home and family life are intimately described and the importance of Joseph as protector and as Jesus’ earthly father is emphasised. What are just names in Scripture - Zebedee, Zechariah, Hannah, Salome and many others - become real flesh-and-blood people and are given individuality and personality. It is a retelling in a new way of the greatest story ever told. It is a bold undertaking and it works.

Review by John Irvine (10/03/11)

Paperback
Price: £6.99
Publisher: Austin Macauley from Gardners Books
Published: November 2010
ISBN: 978-1-849-63055-9

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Abigail

- The Wives of King David: Book Two

by Jill Eileen Smith

This passionate story of one woman’s struggles kept me page turning from the outset. Filled with historical and biblical detail we follow Abigail, King David’s third wife, a God fearing woman from her loveless first marriage into the love and protection of King David’s arms. Life not being a fairytale, we watch Abigail as she comes to terms with not being David’s only wife, her apparent barrenness and other tragedies life throws at her. Her story is a rollercoaster of emotions and Jill Smith tells it so well you can’t help identifying with Abigail and long for God to make things right. For those who are a fan of fiction this is a must. Brilliantly written and now I need to go back and read Michal.

Review by Zoë Stevenson (20/09/10)

Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher: Revell imprint of Baker Pub from Lion
Published: 01 March 2010
ISBN: 978-0-800-73321-6

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J -The Woman Who Wrote the Bible

by Mary F Burns

‘J’ is the initial given by German scholars to the unknown writer of the early books of the Bible. Mary Burns has thought up a fictional character, Janaia, the eldest daughter of King David, to become that writer. The story follows closely the ones recorded in the Bible, using many biblical characters (listed helpfully at the back of the book) and many invented to fit the narrative. The result is a work of fiction that is very readable and plausible, but not intended to interfere with our belief of Scripture.
I enjoy stories like this but can understand that some others find them objectionable. I find that the atmosphere evoked, of the times the stories are set, opens a new understanding of the people involved and how God dealt with them and worked among them and I have no problem sorting fact and fiction in my mind. A thoroughly good and enjoyable read.

Review by Mary Bartholomew (31/07/10)

Paperback
Price: £11.99
Publisher: O Books imprint of John Hunt Publishing Ltd
Published: July 2010
ISBN: 978-1-846-94324-9

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The Hidden Flame - Acts of Faith, Book Two by Davis Bunn & Janette Oke
ISBN: 978-0-764-20742-6 Price: £8.99	Published: 2010
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Michal - The Wives of King David: Book One by Jill Eileen Smith
ISBN: 978-0-800-73320-9 Price: £8.99	Published: 2009
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The Centurion’s Wife - Acts of Faith: Book One by Davis Bunn & Janette Oke
ISBN: 978-0-764-20514-9 Price: £8.99	Published: Autumn 2009
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Journey To The Well by Diana Wallis Taylor
ISBN: 978-0-800-73309-4 Price: £8.99	Published: April 2009
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Tell Me The Story - The Carpenter by Alex Macdonald
ISBN: 978-1-845-50285-0 Price: £6.99	Published: 2007
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Divine by Karen Kingsbury
ISBN: 978-1-414-30935-4 Price: £8.99	Published: April 2006
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Seven days to the Sea by Rebecca Kohn
ISBN: 0-141-02051-2 Price: £7.99	Published: 20 July 2006
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Jesus - A Novel by Walter Wangerin
ISBN: 0-745-95203-8 Price: £9.99	Published: 20 October 2006
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Fourth Dawn - A.D.Chronicles by Bodie and Brock Thoene
ISBN: 978-0-842-37516-0 Price: £7.50	Published: 2005
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Sparrow Story by David Rhodes
ISBN: 0-281-05790-7 Price: £9.99	Published: 17 February 2006
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The Day the Sky Opened by Andrew R Guyatt
ISBN: 1-844-27220-6 Price: £8.99	Published: January 2006
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The Road Home - The Story of the Prodigal Son by J. John
ISBN: 1-904-72653-4 Price: £5.99	Published: December 2005
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The Last Disciple by Hank Hannegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer
ISBN: 978-0-842-38438-4 Price: £7.50	Published: 2004
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Jesus by Walter Wangerin
ISBN: 0-745-95202-X Price: £14.99	Published: 21 October 2005
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God’s Reality Show by Mike Coles
ISBN: 1-841-01367-6 Price: £6.99	Published: 18 February 2005
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Oriel in the Desert - An Archangel’s Account of the life of Moses by Robert Harrison
ISBN: 1-844-27091-2 Price: £7.99	Published: 09 September 2004
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Hadassah - One Night With the King by Tommy Tenney
ISBN: 0-764-22892-7 Price: £12.99	Published: Spring 2004
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Oriel’s Travels - An Archangel’s Travels with St Paul by Robert Harrison
ISBN: 1-859-99786-4 Price: £6.99	Published: September 2003
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Coming to Life - Stories of God in the Everyday by David Brown
ISBN: 0-281-05563-7 Price: £7.99	Published: 17 April 2003
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Lost Letters of Pergamum - A story from the New Testament World by Bruce W Longenecker
ISBN: 0-801-02607-5 Price: £11.99	Published: 01 January 2003
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The Red Tent - The Oldest Love Story Never Told by Anita Diamant
ISBN: 0-330-48796-5 Price: £6.99	Published: 2002
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Oriel’s Diary - An Archangel’s Account of the Life of Jesus by Robert Harrison
ISBN: 1-859-99684-1 Price: £6.99	Published: 04 October 2002
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The Old and the New Bible Stories retold by David Kossoff
ISBN: 0-007-12808-8 Price: £8.99	Published: 04 March 2002
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Jabez – A novel by Thom Lemmons
ISBN: 0-340-78693-0 Price: £7.99	Published: 22 November 2001
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The Bible in Cockney - Well bits of it anyway by Mike Coles
ISBN: 1-841-01217-3 Price: £5.99	Published: 2001
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Paul - A Novel by Walter Wangerin
ISBN: 0-745-95055-8 Price: £7.99	Published: 2005
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Dear Paul… - Am I the Only One? by Bridget Plass
ISBN: 1-841-01038-3 Price: £5.99	Published: Spring 2001
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The Book of God - The Bible as a Novel by Walter Wangerin
ISBN: 978-0-745-95539-1 Price: £9.99	Published: 20 May 2011
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