Gr. 6^-9. The first book in the Seekers Series, this takes place during the Dutch Reformation in the sixteenth century. Two young people, Pieter-Lucas and Aletta Engelshofen, who have grown up together and fallen in love, are wrenched apart because of the politics of the times: Pieter is banished from his home for his refusal to support the Beggars, a violent and radical Calvinist fringe group of which Pieter's father is a leading member; Aletta is forbidden to see Pieter because of his family's dangerous connection to the Beggars. Much of the novel's tension comes from the young people's efforts to meet in secret, and the story is melodramatic at times. It is also peppered with purple prose, which seems stilted and contrived, though it is no doubt meant to reflect the language of the period. Still, the story is steeped in convincing atmosphere, and there is sufficient character development to make the reader truly care what happens. An ultimately satisfying book, especially for readers who enjoy historical romances.
Shelley Townsend-Hudson
About the Author
Ethel Herr is a writer/historian, writing instructor, women's speaker, and the founder/director of Literature Ministry Prayer Fellowship. She is a member of the Institute for Historical Study.
Ethel was born in the state of Washington. From a parade of excellent teachers, Ethel gained a solid education and learned to love books, delighted in making outlines, and found her greatest joy in studying and creating stories.
From her grandmother, Ethel learned to pray, to laugh, to feed her soul with the Bible. And because Grandma prayed, Ethel ended up at the Multnomah School of the Bible preparing for whatever live service God had in mind for her. Then, she studied Home Economics at college, where she met her husband, Walt. He entered the Air Force and after their marriage, they worked together with military chaplain programs and began raising three children.
In the early 1960s she lived with her husband and children in the Netherlands for three years. The family lived in one side of an ancient three-story house in a historic section of town. They learned the language, and adopted the country as their second home.
Since then she has been a serious student of both Dutch history and historical fiction as an art and a craft. In her research Ethel discovered that Holland, like Germany and England, had a Reformation. Filled with color and intrigue, the unexpected stories led her past Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli and John Knox to men as diverse as Menno Simons, Dirck Coornhert, Jan van Leyden, and dozens of others.
"Why did no one ever tell me of these special Dutchmen? She asked, "and of the invaluable contribution they made to the development of our evangelical theology and practices?" Twelve years, dozens of articles and poems and six published books later, she began her series The Seekers to tell their story.
Ethel's published books include Chosen Women of the bible and An Introduction to Christian Writing.
Ethel's children are grown now, raising their own families, pursuing their own spiritual journeys. Ethel and her husband live in California.
size : 5.4 x 8.3
