Customer Reviews

Beyond the Sacred Page (The Book of Books Series #2)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since I am only Christian in nature I did not realize that there was a time when only certain people were allowed to read the Bible and that only certain forms of it were considered acceptable. This book opened up an interesting point in history for me. I thought the relationships throughout the book - especially between the heroine and Anne Boyelan (sp?) - were very rich and deep.

The history and the story line was entertaining and interesting. The writing was excellent and definately a step above most of the Christian fiction I've been reading lately. However, there did seem to be something lacking. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the "psycho" aspect didn't fit in well with the rest of the story line. It could have been a nice compliment, however it was introduced too late in the story that it seemed out of place and extreme.

However, I'll admit that I couldn't put the book down, especially for the last half. And, I was even moved to tears at one point.

If you enjoy historical fiction this is an amazing book with the added bonus of being based on Christian history. Engaging & enjoyable!

I really enjoyed this book. I read it as part of a book club and it was a quick read. Historical, but very interesting. Well written.

Jack Cavenaugh became my favorite author after reading this series. He gets better with every book. I especially like it when, at the end of most books, separates fact from fiction. It is a great experience all around and I learn a great amount about history from him.

It's hard to put his books down. I recommend them to anyone who loves mystery, history and intrigue. I'm in the midst of his Family Portraits series and he just gets better and better as I learn more an more, while being entertained, and drawn in by spell binding, fast paced action and surprise twists and endings.

This is an excellent book for someone who likes reading about the Bible in history. Mr. Cavanaugh does a great job at bringing it all together. I have always liked reading about the time period during Henry VIII'S reign. Plus you have Tyndale, More, Martin Luther and others. It was spellbinding for me. I do wish I could find more Christian historical fiction with the intrigue of this book but without the romance aspect as so many seem to have.

Jack has put together a great story with characters you can believe. Unlike many books on the market, the characters in this book have depth--they also have problems. By delving into the thoughts, fears, goals, and triumphs of his characters, Jack helped me believe they were real. I found the surface treatment of characters in some books difficult to accept because there is nothing of substance to create the story.

The history in this book is facinating--more so because this is a weak area in my own historical reading. I knew about the real characters in the book to some degree, but this book introduced them in a new light. I feel that Jack has done a great service to the men and women who risked their lives reading and distributing the English translation of the Bible.

I couldn't put this book down in some places because the text draws you in. It's not just an action book or a dissection of the psychology of the day. Many of the scenes are so well described that you can almost smell the fresh bread and hear the Thames as it passes by.

Somehow "wow!" does not adequetly describe this book. It was a fabulous read. The history in this book fascinates me. It was also very thrilling. I think calling it "psycho" is rather extreme. I believe the hallmark of a good book encourages you to read more. For example, read about Tyndale,about the people of that time period and how they lived while helping to print and distribute God's Word. Always, any book that makes me want to read more scripture is excptional.

I couldn't put this book down. This is the first Jack Cavavaugh book I've read, but not the last. I look forward to reading more.

Fantastic character developement.

I am a HUGE fan of Jack Cavanaugh's work, but I must admit that I was disappointed in this one. The story was good. The message was good. The history was good. But something just seemed to be missing. I was very turned off by the whole "psycho" aspect of the book. It didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the storyline. I think the book would've been much better without it. The first in this series was so phenomenal that maybe my expectations were too high. It seemed to almost be a copycat of a part of his novel "The Puritans." While it still is a good read, it just didn't seem up to the calibar of his other works. Sorry, Mr. Cavanaugh! I am still a loyal fan!!