A Voice in the Wind & An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christianity
Length: 496 pages & 430 pages (respectively)

Reviewed by: Laurelyn Aubrey

“God, why can't I cry out the truth from the rooftops? Why don't I have the courage to speak as my father did? I love these people, but I haven't the words to reach them… Who am I but a slave? How do I explain to them that I'm really the one who is free, and they are the captives?”

Courage to speak the truth is a central theme in these first two books of the Mark of the Lion trilogy. The story that Francine Rivers starts in the first book is finished in the second, so I'll treat them as one for the purpose of this review. The narrative begins with a young Jewish girl named Hadassah surviving the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. after the rest of her family is killed. Taken captive by the conquering Roman army, Hadassah winds up a slave in the household of the Valerians, a wealthy and prominent family of Rome. Jewish slaves aren't unknown to the Valerians, but this slave is more than a Jew: she is a Christian. Although Hadassah feels weak in the faith and lost in this new pagan world, she begins to care about the family she's been forced to serve, and desperately wants them to have the hope that is within her. Her voice is small in a world of luxury and intrigue, immorality and excess, pride and cruelty, gladiators and lions... but Hadassah's simple love for others begins to prove that the Savior she trusts has the power to change even the darkness of the Roman Empire into light.

As soon as I started these books, I saw the writing itself was not going to be a big part of the story's charm. Since I'd heard the author is acclaimed, I was disappointed in the quality of her writing. Rivers fails to follow the basic rule "show, don't tell", and it sometimes seemed like she was writing for the back of a sappy Hallmark DVD instead of a serious adult novel. There are several vocabulary words she repeats as if she didn't have an editor, the plot dragged at times, and her attempts to convey the depths of human emotion didn't always bear up under their own weight. But still… despite the messiness of her brush... I found I cared about her characters and what happened to them more than I expected to. By the end of the story, a considerable amount of that human emotion managed to hit its mark with poignancy.

Once a well-known romance novelist, Francine Rivers converted to Christianity later in life, and now declares that she "yearns for the Lord to use my stories in making people thirst for His word". (A Voice in the Wind, pg.xiii) Kudos to her: there's no doubt these books have the glorious gospel of Christ at their core. Some people might say it borders on preachy, but I was surprised by how challenged I was when I started comparing my own life to the heroine's testimony, forgiveness, and heart to serve. A word on content: the backdrop of Rome is richly described, and the plot explores the consequences of human sin. Rivers isn't explicit, but sensuality, homosexuality, abortion, and gladiatorial violence play a large role in her story.

It's hard for me to explain my final opinion on these books. They were not remarkably well crafted, yet I am remarkably glad I read them. I started the books feeling vaguely annoyed, thinking they'd be nothing more than predictable, Christianized romance. But while some of my annoyance was justified, I ended the second book feeling humbled by the example left for us by the early church and martyrs. For me, the historical flavor, beautiful message, and likeable characters made it well worthwhile.

[Note: Reviewed here are the first two books in the trilogy. The third book follows the life of a side character, and despite a strong ending, I didn’t find it much worth the time.]

Persuasions by Douglas J. Wilson

Genre: Fiction, Allegory, Worldview, Christianity
Length: 95 pages

Reviewed by: Laurelyn Aubrey

Janice glared at Evangelist. She thought for a moment, and then apparently changed her mind. She walked slowly back towards us.

“Truth, eh? You believe in absolute truth?”

“Certainly.”

“I thought as much. The trouble with you Christians is that you are just like the Nazis or any other group that claims to have a corner on ‘absolute truth’. You are so cocksure that your truth is the only truth, you fill the earth with your disputes. You make me sick.” At this Janice turned to go.

Thus begins a discussion in Persuasions, this short gem by Doug Wilson. The book opens in a form reminiscent of The Pilgrim’s Progress, with a man named Evangelist on the road to the Master’s City. On his way he passes many individuals going the opposite direction, toward the Abyss. Each short, scene-like chapter of the book is made of Evangelist’s conversation with one such person, exposing their particular form of flawed reasoning, and trying to persuade them toward the Truth.

Wilson’s writing here is powerfully concise. He avoids the rabbit-trails typical of discussions on worldview, instead steering each debate right into the heart of the matter. The differing lifestyles and objections to Scripture that each character displays will be grippingly familiar to anybody who’s tried to reason with an unbeliever, and the clarity of Evangelist’s arguments does an excellent job of showcasing God’s truth in every situation.

For being a paperback one can read in half an hour, this book is a beautiful little piece of Christian apologetics. Each of the 13 chapters takes on a frequently discussed topic, including atheism, immorality, antinomianism, election, Evolution, and hypocrisy. In the space of a few pages, Evangelist takes the next dispute thrown at him and shows how it’s nothing more than rebellion in the light of God’s reality.

As a girl who’s ended up in the middle of many worldview discussions, my first thought when I read this book was wow, I wish I was that good at coming up with the right words at the right time! Obviously, Wilson couldn’t cover more than a small portion of each topic in so short a book; there are many more issues people will bring up in real life. But I certainly intend to read this book many times over in hopes of gleaning as much as I can from it. Its engaging brevity and solid material make me eager to recommend it to anyone seeking to “always be ready” to give “a reason for the hope that is in you”. (1 Peter 3:15)

Note: Doug Wilson has many written theological works, some of which are controversial, and I do not recommend everything he’s written. This book, however, stays with mainstream orthodox Christianity in its theology, and can be helpful to any believer.

The Spiritual Lives of Great Composers by Patrick Kavanaugh

Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Christianity
Length: 119 pages

Reviewed by: Emma Fitzgerald

In his book, The Spiritual Lives of Great Composers, Patrick Kavanaugh examines the testimony of faith produced by twelve master composers of classical music. Beginning in the Baroque period with J.S. Bach, and ending in the 20^th century with Igor Stravinsky, Kavanaugh delves into each composer’s spiritual life and seeks to uncover how their daily lives, music and legacy were all shaped by their faith.

Kavanaugh handles the biographical genre admirably, managing to present a good deal of information on each composer while avoiding the textbook stuffiness often associated with facts and dates. His writing is clear, flowing, and extremely readable – the perfect vehicle for his obviously thorough research. He brings color and life to biographical fact with interesting narratives, and fleshes out his description of the composers with their own quotes, writings, and the opinions of their contemporaries. In addition, there are extensive footnotes on each chapter that encourage further study.

Morally the book is very satisfactory, as Kavanaugh strives to present an honest view of each composer’s spiritual life, specifically their profession of Christian faith. His balanced approach does not ignore or excuse instances of immorality (i.e. Franz List’s numerous affairs) or other inconsistencies between a composer’s profession of faith and personal life. However, he focuses his lens on the expressions of true faith and reliance on God found in the words, actions, and even music of these great men. The end of each chapter is a reflection on a particular virtue exemplified by each composer, such as humility, generosity, etc.

As a musician, music history enthusiast, and Christian, I deeply appreciated the fresh approach Kavanaugh took in examining these composers, particularly those whose faith has been disclaimed by many contemporary music historians. His conclusion rang true, that although none of these men were perfect, their spiritual walks are worthy of study and in some cases, emulation. It was inspiring to read of how J.S. Bach inscribed Soli Deo Gloria (To God alone be glory) on many of his compositions (p. 13), and to discover that he was not the only composer to give God the credit for his incredible musical ability. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gaining more insight into the lives of these remarkable musicians and appreciating more fully the God who created them.

First We Have Coffee: And Then We Talk by Margaret Jensen

Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir
Length: 195 pages

Reviewed by: Elaina Westfield

Some travel the high road in the hills, from peak to peak, where light lingers longer. Some travel in the valleys where they walk in the darkness of their own shadow. Mama would choose to walk the high road with God.

In her book First We Have Coffee, Margaret Jensen remembers the person most central in her life: her Mama. As a young immigrant woman, Mama marries a minister and fellow Norwegian from the Baptist Mission in New York City. The call of the missionary preacher takes the couple, along with their growing family, on an itinerant circuit across North America, including posts in Wisconsin, Chicago, and the Canadian prairie. Although Mama would be content to settle in a house of her own, she chooses to follow the call, believing in her heart that “God never fails”.

The plain language and homey style of this book suit its purpose well. The reader often feels she is sitting at her grandmother’s feet, listening to tales of by-gone days, as familiar situations and characters develop naturally out of the simple narrative. The author also makes good use of symbolism that is straight-forward in meaning but deepens in poignancy upon reflection.

While the length allows this book to be read in a couple of afternoons, one might often pause to ponder the full message being presented in each anecdote. Many of the stories relate the experiences a pastor’s wife might face, such as troubled marriages, loneliness, homelessness, and depression. While the author does not shy away from these difficult realities, she keeps her remarks discreet and respectful of the persons involved; and every episode concludes with praise for the Lord’s unfailing provision in the lives of His people. In fact, one of the distinctive characteristics of Mama’s story is how even her simplest prayers (“Lord, it would be so nice to have ten cent’s worth of baloney”!) were often answered in the most unexpected ways. Most impressive was the unwavering strength of Mama’s faith. Although she struggled with many hardships and disappointments, she remained a dutiful wife, mother and servant of God. A favorite image of mine was Mama teaching her children hymns and Bible verses while she did the washing, ironing, and mending.

I found this book to be more of a challenge to my walk with God than at first expected. More than just a collection of heart-warmers, the moral of every story is to follow God with a willing heart of faith.

Note: Margaret Jensen is the author of several books, including Then Comes the Joy and Papa’s Place.

Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

Genre: Fiction, Christian Inspiration
Length: 341 pages

Reviewed by: Laurelyn Aubrey

“I determined, in the first place, to begin this journal. To be sure, I have begun half a dozen and got tired of them after a while. Not tired of writing them, but disgusted with what I had to say of myself. But this time I mean to go on, in spite of everything. It will do me good to read it over and see what a creature I am.”

Thus begins the book Stepping Heavenward, a delightful story of trials and triumphs, written by Elizabeth Prentiss. The book is written as the journal of young Katherine Mortimer, a spirited girl living in the 1800’s. Katy begins her journal at age 16, and vividly describes the people around and the emotions inside her all the way to the last years of her life. She tells of her quick temper, her struggles with friendships, her mother’s steady example, her father’s death, her marriage, children, and sickness. But most striking is her battle with the sin in her life, and her fervent desire to continue stepping heavenward.

The story is written in a warm and engaging style. Katy’s faults and joys are very easy to relate with; she will have you laughing out loud at her every-day trials and moods, and sharing in her pangs of sorrow at the hardship and sufferings of life. The language is simple and charming; once started, this book is difficult to put down.

Elizabeth Prentiss’s purpose for writing, from first to last, is to encourage women to love Christ and seek to be more like Him every day of their lives. The book is filled with good examples of this, the most outstanding of which is Katy’s mother. Mrs. Mortimer is always encouraging, forgiving, and serving the people around her; she teaches Katy by her own life what it means to take joy in the Lord’s will, even in the most difficult of times. By the end of the book, the reader is given a fresh perspective on life: one that sees the dusty work on this earth as a joy and honor to do for the sake of the King.

Certainly, this is one of the best books I have read that takes the form of a person’s journal. Even though Katy’s story is enjoyable for itself alone, it serves just as well as a devotional. I was left feeling motivated, inspired, and saying along with Katy, “…I will not rest until this struggle is over, till I can say with a smile, ‘Not my will! Not my will! But Thine!’” (pg. 324)