Servant Of The Gods [Paperback]

Amy Wolff Sorter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2005

When Devorah b’Shiri first lays eyes on Aryeh ben Abinoam, she sets in motion events leading to the ultimate survival of the Tribes of Israel...

The inspirational “Song of Deborah,” from the Book of Judges in the Bible, describes the victorious tale of how, against all odds, a rag-tag army commanded by Deborah and Barak conquers an extraordinarily powerful enemy force to lay claim to Israel and its people. Deborah's Song is one of courage, tenacity and divine intervention, from the defeat of hostile forces to the death of the Canaanite leader, Sisera, at the hands of Jael.

In Servant of the Gods, Amy Wolff Sorter goes beneath the legendary Biblical tale to focus on Deborah, the woman behind the divine myth. Set against the conflicted and violent backdrop of Ancient Israel, the novel details Deborah’s torturous road from her birthright as Canaanite priestess to her final destiny as a staunch defender of the Israelites; a female leader in a patriarchal society who, despite her own self doubts, is driven to use her incredible powers to save her people.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...an exciting novel, packed with powerful insights and memorable moments...certain to capture readers!" --Joyce Handzo, In the Library Reviews

“...the delivery done with sure, solid, visionary prose from a talent that is nothing less than phenomenal.” --DeborahAnne MacGillivray, author of A Restless Knight

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (November 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592797709
• ISBN-13: 978-1592797707
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,984,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A profound tale, with gripping dialogue and a firm grounding in scripture, June 7, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Servant Of The Gods (Paperback)

Servant of the Gods is a historical fiction novel that brings to life the events of the Song of Deborah, the Biblical story of how Deborah and Barak led an army to defeat the Canaanites and lay claim to Israel. Written to give the reader a closer insight into the life of Deborah herself, Servant of the Gods follows her from her birthright as a Canaanite priestess to her role as a female leader in a patriarchal society. A profound tale, with gripping dialogue and a firm grounding in scripture.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's not to like?, December 27, 2005

By 

Tedde Ready "reader at large" (Atascadero, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Servant Of The Gods (Paperback)

While not a student of the bible, I could certainly feel a sense of history from the beginning to the end. Sorter let us KNOW the characters, as well as the time and place. The ongoing intensity was amazing. We are grabbed in the beginning, and sustained throughout by brilliant narrative, and believable dialogue. Were this a movie, I'd say I sat on the edge of my seat thru' the whole thing, and felt as if I held my breath till the very end!
Bravo !!!!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical romance with Biblical background, November 14, 2006

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Servant Of The Gods (Paperback)

Servant of the Gods by Amy Wolff Sorter was not the book I was expecting. Deborah the prophet from the book of Judges in the Bible is best known for The Song of Deborah and her leading troops into battle with Barak. Sorter gives this story a historical romance treatment that may have Christians who are expecting traditional Biblical fiction up in arms. But this is a book that needs to be accepted on its own terms. Devorah (Sorter's name for the character) is a priestess of Anat about to undergo a major ritual for her people when she encounters Aryeh, a Mosesite from the tribe of Simeon. Both are shaken by the meeting and soon are fleeing for their lives from the repercussions. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it's full of twists and turns. Some of the connections between characters are a bit soap opera-esque, but the romance between Aryeh and Devorah is compelling. The sex in the book is similar to that of other historical romances on the market, but would be a bit of a surprise to the traditional Christian fiction reader. I really enjoyed how Sorter made the characters human. Although Devorah had a close relationship with God, she still struggled with lust, doubts, and the need for revenge. The other characters evince their weaknesses believably as well. There is a tendency among Biblical fiction writers to keep their characters a bit too clean, but as seen in the Bible itself, God worked best among those who struggled and sinned. Read this book with your eyes wide open, knowing what to expect, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.