6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction done right, March 2, 2006
The third book in the Bunns' Heirs of Acadia series is destined to become just as popular as its predecessors, and with good reason. This is historical fiction done right --- rich in detail, abounding in authenticity, and lacking in mush. THE NOBLE FUGITIVE shows once again why T. Davis Bunn has become a household name among readers of Christian fiction and provides plenty of evidence that Isabella Bunn is likely to become the same.
Serafina is a young Venetian woman who has given her heart to her art tutor, a dashing young man named Luca. ("ER" fans may have a hard time not thinking of Dr. Luka Kovac, which is just fine. The image fits.) Her mother discovers the two together in a questionable but innocent situation, and Serafina is punished with the nineteenth-century equivalent of a grounding, locked doors and all. With the help of a conspirator, she escapes in search of her beloved. But she is found and forced to set sail for America with her parents.
This simply will not do. She has not seen Luca since the day their relationship was discovered, and Serafina is determined to find him so they can begin a life together. The ship her family boarded in Italy makes a stop in England, and with the help of another conspirator, Serafina makes her escape. After finding her way to an aunt's house outside of London, the girl who was born to privilege ends up working long and hard hours as a chambermaid.
Meanwhile, John Falconer, a slave-trader-turned-Christian, is on a quest to make right all that he has done wrong in his former life. He leaves the Caribbean, where he is wanted on a murder charge, and seeks refuge with an anti-slavery family in the United States before finding safe passage to England. There, he intends to provide evidence that the slave trade is continuing to flourish in those Caribbean islands that are part of the British Empire, despite British laws against slavery. He ends up at the very mansion where Serafina is employed. If you sense a romance in the making, well, you won't be disappointed. But in the skillful hands of two seasoned writers, the course the romance takes isn't all that predictable.
One historical figure who looms large in the background of Falconer's story line is one of my personal heroes, William Wilberforce --- the man whose relentless opposition to slavery is credited with nearly single-handedly ending the slave trade in the British Empire. The Bunns, who, as an aside, are thorough researchers, seamlessly weave in the actual historical events, as well as the influence and significance of Wilberforce, without making readers feel as if they've just sat through a history class.
Finally, one more strength (do the Bunns have any literary weaknesses? I think not) is the convincing settings they manage to create --- no mean feat, considering the distinctly different geographical areas in which the action takes place. The Caribbean islands, South Carolina, Venice, the ports and countryside of England, as well as London --- all are vividly depicted and ring true to what we know of those places at that time.
If you've never read historical fiction, this book is a great one to start with. Though part of a series, it's definitely a stand-alone. There's no need to read the other books in the series, though I can't imagine not wanting to.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Strong Historical Read!!!, September 25, 2005
There is nothing I enjoy more than reading a historical novel where the reader can tell that a fair amount of research has gone into the details. Any fan of historical novels will find this element in "The Noble Fugitive."
Serafina is the youngest daughter of a well respected Venetian leader. She is aware that she must do her duty and marry, but she has already given her heart away to an artist named Luca. After her mother catches her in a compromising situation they sequester her until they decide what to do with her. Her father and mother than decide to start a new life in a new place...America. Serafina goes along with this plan on the surface. Secretly she has made plans...plans that she will see through. But when she escapes the ship that is bound for America she realizes sooner rather than later that her dreams of love and a happy life with Luca are just that...dreams. With no other recourse she finds herself a chambermaid at Harrow Hall where she meets John Falconer. John seems like a kindered spirit. He has his own scars both externally and internally, and his life is in danger due to his stance on slave trading. Together a bound forms that neither expected. But will they be able to find a balance and will faith and love be enough when outside forces press in?
As a fan of anything historical this read truly fed that aspect of my soul. Serafina and John are such wonderfully created characters that the reader will truly care about what is going to happen to them and their bond is truly unique and special. Although this is book three in a series it is still a strong stand alone read and the authors have done a fine job setting up the next in this series. This is a entertaining read and one that I recommend.
Official Reviewer for Romance Designs
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This series should be made into a movie!, October 6, 2005
This third book in the series "Heirs of Acadia" is generally on par with the award-winning first.....the one that got me hooked on the series.
Keeping a series going, and keeping my interest, is not easy. By the 3rd book of Left Behind I was in the "lets get it over with" mode. But The Noble Fugitive somehow manages, once again, to knit a tale of romance and morality together with historical accuracy, and come out with a winner. Each of the 3 books stands on its own. One really need not read the previous two to follow this one, nor have to wait for the fourth in the series to answer dangling questions; rather, it is complete enough in itself. Yet, each book is so enjoyable, with the primary characters becomming comfortable friends, its hard not to anticipate the next.
Most romance novels with a female lead tend to paint her as a delicate flower who wilts under too much heat, and then needs to be rescued. The combination of Davis's ability to construct these sudden twists and turns in Serafina's life that seem natural and not at all contrived, and the obvious influence Isabella brings by steadily developing the strong character of Serafina in a manner that a woman can identify with...even look up to....makes this wonderful and edifying reading.
I suppose we all look for different things from a fiction book; I love the way Davis and Isabella can carve out a moment in time and take me back to an era I would like to have lived in. And, just like in real life, chapter by chapter new faces come and most go, each with their own special influence on Serafina's life.....though she might not have realized their impact as it was unfolding.
This is quick moving, yet thought provoking, reading; and it demonstrates how only God can bring together strange situations and an unlikely variety of people for a common cause that surely is under His watchful eye and ever-guiding hand. I recommend this to my Christian bretheren, especially, because its not easy, anymore, to find an interesting book that reflects our values and hopes, yet does so in a way that isn't blatantly idealistic or merely a disguised sermon.
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