Customer Reviews

As Sure as the Dawn (Mark of the Lion #3)

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although this book was different from the 1st two books in the trilogy, I must say that I did enjoy it. The 1st 2 books were dramatic, intense, heart wrenching, & tearful. While this one made me laugh out loud many times, especially in the beginning. This book is definitely not a tear-jerker like the first two.

It was hysterical trying to picture some of the scenes described in the early part of the book. For example, Artetes, a total barbarian, arrives to live in a lush villa after living in a cave for 5 months. Some of the descriptions of his behavior and the responses of his slaves are priceless.

Another hysterical description is when Artetes wants to confront the apostle Paul on an issue. He finds Paul at a gathering in which he is preaching to a large crowd. In the beginning Artetes sits under the tree waiting for the service to end. He gets tired of waiting and decides to interrupt. He breaks through the crowd, heading for the front to confront Paul at the same time there is a call for anyone to come forward who wants to be baptized. So, as Artetes is breaking through the crowd everyone is cheering him on and encouraging him, thinking that he has just given his life to Christ and wants to be baptized. His reaction to this and other interactions with believers is extremely funny.

In contrast to Hadassah (the main character in the 1st two books), who is gentle, soft spoken, and humble, Rizpah is independent, spirited, and strong-willed. This results in amusing interactions between her and Artetes.

I did feel pretty sad at how Artetes treated his wife near the end of the book and wish more was written on his remorse. But other than that, I enjoyed the book. It really takes your mind off all of the drama that occurred between Hadassah, Marcus & Julia from the 1st two books. It was a nice way to bring closure to this amazing, well worth reading trilogy.

Alot of the people reviewing this final installment in the 'Mark of the Lion' series are saying how it is disappointing compared to the other two. This book seems to stand in a place by itself. To be fair you can't exactly take it as a continuation of the second book in the series but more as an alternate sequel to the first book.
Let me explain: 'A Voice in the Wind' introduces us to all of the characters in the series, primarily revolving around the slave girl Hadassah and the german chieftan Atretes. Both of whom are captured and sold into slavery. The end of the first book leaves much in question and very little resolved. It is here that the story diverges into two directions. In 'An Echo in the Darkness' we continue the story of Hadassah and the Valerian family to which she belongs. We hear almost nothing of Atretes save a few passing references from other characters. We never know what Atretes is up to as the events of this story unfold. By the end of this book, most of the threads have been tied up and the book closes completely the story of Hadassah.
'As Sure as the Dawn' picks up around the same time that 'Echo' does. This story picks up the thread of Atretes again and we see the story exclusively from his perspective. Here the other characters we met in the series such as Hadassah and the Valerians are referred to only in passing, like Atretes was in 'Echo'. The story starts in Ephesus and then follows Atretes and a woman named Rizpah (whom we met briefly in the first book) as they journey north the Germania in search of Atretes' family.
The romance and grandeur of the Roman Empire that gave the first two novels such a wondrous backdrop is almost non-existant here. Like Rizpah being uprooted from her home and taken to Germania, we are pulled out of what is familiar with this series and taken on a trip with uncertain results.
Elements of the story are predictable, but others will leave you guessing.
Some have critcized the use of the miraculous in the story. There are several events that occur that are miraculous, but keep in mind that these elements existed as well in the other two novels. Nothing Ms. Rivers describes seems to be out of line with scripture. None of the miraculous events occur casually, and they are treated with a great deal of respect. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where nothing short of a miracle will save us, and Ms. Rivers does a good job of portraying just that.
There are some dark elements that show the battle between good and evil. Atretes and Rizpah have to contend with pagan religion and witchcraft in the later half of the story. One character is demon possessed at one point, and the account is a little unsettling, although the spirit is eventually driven out in the name of Jesus. However, the power of God prevails in all things in this story.
Ultimately the novel is one that I read through rather quickly and was just as engrossing as the first two.
Each novel in the series seems to have a different flavor to it, each unique. Like any series or collection, each individual reader will have their favorite installment.

This is the third and last entry in the Mark of the Lion trilogy. I felt that Atretes had slipped a little from his softening in the previous book, but as the book went on I could see how necessary his hardness was. The character of Anomia is a bit cliched, but to tell the truth, she's a well-written cliche and some people are truly that self-centered. I admired Rizpah's strength throughout the book and how her love for Atretes softened her and allowed the Lord to use her for great works. The level of detail in 1st century AD daily life is astonishing. Rivers fills the book with breath-taking descriptions and detail so that it's easy to fall into that world. I held off on reading this series despite the good feedback I'd heard about it, because I was concerned that it would come off as too stiff or so full of trying to preach that the story would be neglected. I should know better from Rivers. She never makes the story secondary to the message; they are always entwined so carefully and completely that one without the other would fall flat. And I've yet to read a Rivers book that falls flat. This whole trilogy is definitely a must read for Christians. We're blessed in this country that we have freedom of religion. These stories of people who have to hide their faith or die for it is amazing.

Atretes : Mighty German warrior who was arrogant, fierce, hot blooded - until God changed him.
Rizpah : A beautiful widow who was has a tongue like fire and a shady past.
Theophilus : A Roman Centurion who has a heart and mind for God.
Anomia : Younger sister of Atrete's dead wife who is beautiful to behold but like Satan in character.
Rolf : Young Chatti warrior, caught by the deception of the Chatti god, Tiwaz.
Freyja : Atrete's mother, who is a high priestess of the Chatti god and shudders at the name of Jesus.

This novel is about a mighty German warrior named Atretes who was help captive by Rome as a gladiator after his village was raided. When he finally earned his freedom, he found out that his son who was supposed to have died, was alive and in the hands of a widow named Rizpah. Rizpah had lost her own baby and was a woman after God's own heart. Atretes finds the widow and demands to have his son back. Rizpah did not want to let the boy whom she had named Caleb go. After certain circumstances she was allowed to live as a hired hand to take care of Caleb.

Atretes found out that the persons who had taken him captive and thrown him in the ludus wanted to have him fight in the arena as a gladiator once again. He did not want to and therefore fled Rome with Rizpah and his son to go back to his homeland, Germania. With the help of a Roman centurion, Theoliphus, who was a Christian, they were able to travel to Germania and back to Atretes' people, the Chatti where deception, evil spirits, murder, and redemption occur.

I will leave it at there. I do not wish to reveal too much. This book is filled with adventure, romance, resurrection and spiritual warfare where God prevails. I would recommend this book to anyone.

As Sure as the Dawn is the third and final book of Francine Rivers' series of fictional Christian novels. Rizpah, a young Christian widow living in Ephesus, is given an unwanted baby shortly after the tragic death of her husband and only child. The baby, named Caleb by Rizpah, is the son of a renowned ex-gladiator name Atretes. Caleb's real mother lied to Atretes and said the baby died during childbirth. When Atretes finds out his son is alive, he demands to have him back. Because of Rizpah's love for Caleb, she is hesitant to return him. Although Rizpah gives the baby back, Atretes still needs her to feed Caleb because of the baby's refusal to nurse from anyone else. When Atretes decides to return to his home in Germany with his son Rizpah follows. Theophilus, a Christian and retired Roman centurion, guides them to Germany. The journey they take is not only physical but more importantly spiritual. In Germany the group spreads the gospel to those who will listen and overcome their own personal dilemmas.
The main characters were well developed and realistic. By writing with omniscience, the author gave the feelings and emotions of the other characters. The setting in Rome and Germany during A.D. 79 was interesting. It gave insight into the period's culture and the difficulties that they faced. I especially liked the character of Rizpah who is a good role model for Christian women today. The overall theme of the book describes the struggle for Christians to witness to an unbelieving world and overcoming difficulties.
Compared to the preceding novels, this one was a disappointment. It was not nearly as exciting or romantic as the other two. One weakness was the use of miracles for every turning point in the novel, making it slightly predictable. Overall the book was inspirational and enjoyable. I look forward to reading another Francine Rivers novel in the future.

This book was real good. The characters were believeable. It was well written. The characters faced problems, that we face in our every day lives. But I was apprehensive about the miracles that happened in this book. I believe miracles do happen, but I felt that the author used miracles in this book, to show that the characters did have hardships, but to make sure that everything turned out okay in the end. It was good, but 'A Voice in the Wind' is my favorite book out of the entire series.

An interesting but uneven telling of an improbable, but possible, story. AD 79, starting in Ephesus. The heroine, a widowed Christian given a rescued baby to care for, is one of the leakiest characters I've found. She's either weeping, speaking through a throat "tight with tears," exhibiting eyes glistening with tears, or nursing the baby. (She had lost a baby and could be a wet nurse). The ex-gladiator whose baby she was given shows a twitching muscle in his jaw every few pages. Oh, editor, how could you?
The Scripture woven into the account is carefully done; the apostle John is shown with deep respect. The struggle of the early church is clear. We do move a little swiftly over the incredible journey to Germania and a little incredulously over the inexhaustible funds of Theophilus, a retired centurion. The baby develops at a peculiar rate as well.
The crown of the novel is the conversion of the gladiator, and it is accomplished by a miracle, the raising to life of the young widow, fatally shot by an arrow as the little travelling party is ambushed. For shame - even Jeffrey Dahler's conversion didn't require that. This is a good series, though.

Since I read the first two of the Mark of the Lion series, I had to read this. It was a wonderful story and brought closure to the lives of those met in the first two books. It was a gut-wrenching story from beginning to end, even if there were some lighter moments along the way. I thought the book could possibly have had better impact if she had made it into two books. There was too much drama and suspense for one book. On the other hand, her presentation of the gospel was without flaw. No one could ever read As Sure as the Dawn and face God saying, "I never knew." I did get bogged down a bit in the section where Theophilus gives his detailed summary of the Bible. People who are familiar with the Bible have the advantage of skipping beyond and picking up on the dialogue and action, but those unfamiliar might respond better with an even briefer summary...not an easy thing for a writer to do. I would certainly recommend As Sure as the Dawn to serious readers, as I would any of Ms. Rivers' books.

I enjoyed reading As Sure As the Dawn. It was so exciting that you dont want to stop reading it. Although the second book in the series is still my favorite, I think As Sure as the Dawn is definately worth your time.

Some of the reviews say that this is not as good a book as the 1st and 2nd in the series, but believe me, it is just as wonderful! I liked this book just as much as the others. Of course, their story only took up one book and not 2 like Hadassah, but that doesn't mean that it is in any way worse! I totally loved it! Wow! It's great, and anything less than 4 stars is a total injustice of a rating!!!