Customer Reviews

Stones of Jerusalem (Zion Legacy)

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Picking up where The Jerusalem Scrolls left off, this book starts on the night of Purim. It's been six months since we last saw these first century characters. Marcus has been in the wilderness searching for rebels, but has been called to Jerusalem for the holiday. After the trouble caused by Herod, he's relieved to head back to Galilee to observe Yeshua for Pilate. But he's not the only one. Also searching are Nakdimon of the Sanhedrin, El'azar, notorious rebel bar Abba, and the orphan Avel. When they find Yeshua, things start to heat up even more.

Once again, the Thoenes have written a moving novel that shows God's love and grace at work. They weave Biblical stories so seamlessly into the narrative it's almost a shock when they appear. In doing so, they offer a fresh insight into these familiar tales from the life of Christ. The characters, as always, are well developed and bring the story to life. I especially love their portrayal of Jesus. You can feel his love and compassion flow off the page. While this book has a moving and satisfying conclusion, they have also left things open for another novel in this time period.

While not quite as powerful as the previous book, it's still a compelling story worth reading. I'm enjoying this break in the main story line of Israel's war for independence and am looking forward to seeing what the next book holds.

It's amazing how these writers continue to create a piece of work that is so incredible. The story of Marcus and Miryam continues as more of Jesus and his story unfolds. In this edtion more fascinating characters are introduced to help in creating a picture of what life was like for those who witnessed Jesus and his miricales. As I read along, I felt like I wanted to be in their shoes. I wanted to witness these miracles for myself as I never before have. In this way, the Thoene's really outdid themselves in producting a quite memorable book.

Having been broken in by the last book, I was all braced for a first century soap opera...and got it. Yet this time, it was less painful and more fun a transition.
Still not a huge fan of these ancient history books. Avel takes the place of the young Arab boy from the first 3 books, so far as emotional searcher goes. The accounts of Jesus's miracles in the gospels are nicely brought to life and woven into a wonderful story with fictional characters. I highly recommend reading one of the gospels before reading this book, that way you can know which account's they're alluding to.
One cannot accuse Miryam of being a flat character at least in book 4...the changes wrought in book 4 were deep, and she proves it in this book. Now she's slightly skewed as the do-gooder, but the point - that the changes wrought by her encounter with Jesus were radical - is well made.
I'm not sure what certain words Jesus spoke to Marcus ended...the book just sort of ended before they were fulfilled. Odd. Anyway, a nice summer read.

I did like this book, as I liked the others in the series; however, I am a bit confused. The authors seem to join Mary (Miryam)of Magdala with Mary (Miryam), sister of Martha, to make one character. The Bible has quite a bit of info on Mary Magdalene, but less on Mary of Bethany, who was the sister of Martha and Lazarus. I realize that this book is fiction, but I was disappointed that I could never figure out which "Mary" they were referring to.

This story follows Bodie and Brock Thoene previous book, Jerusalem Scrolls, picking up exactly where it should. It tells about the feast of Purim and how Herod Antipas' stepdaughter, Salome, dances so well that she is offered anything she wants. When her wicked mother, the sly and devious Herodias, tells her to ask for the head of Yochanan the Baptizer (John the Baptist) Salome follows her mother's order. Herod sends Eglon to eliminate Yochanan. This story also picks up with Marcus, and Felix, who where there when Yochanan was executed. There are also three little boys. Emet (means Truth)a five-year-old deaf boy with no family,is a beggar.
When Emet's sister sells herself as a slave, Emet is left with no one to care for him. Avel (means Mourner) a homeless boy who is a Torchlighter in Jerusalem, had recently loss his friend Hayyim. Hayyim was trampled by Vara. When Avel meets Emet, he knows it's his responsiblity to help this poor child, even though they are both homeless, dirty, and hungry. The two boys then meet Ha-or-Tov, another boy,who is blind, and the trio become close friends. One stormy night, before Emet and Avel met Ha-or-Tov, they were stumbling down a empty road trying to find shelter, when a man, huddling in the door of wineshop, called out to them. The man gives them money, and asks them where the two boys are going. The boys are going to join the Zealots and meet bar-Abba (Barabbas). The story went on and on, but still kept my interest. Read the story and see for yourself. It's wonderful!

In Book Five of the Zion Legacy series, Moshe Sachar and Alfie Halder are hiding in an ancient archive beneath Arab-held 1948 Jerusalem. That's the frame for the story they read in one of the scrolls that they plan to study until they can safely ascend above ground again. It is the story of men and women - and children, too - in the First Century A.D., who share their world with a mysterious preacher called Yeshua.

This tale follows a Roman centurion, Marcus, who loves Miryam - or Mary Magdalene, as most readers of the English Bible know her. The authors accept the view that Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany are the same person, which is part of some Christian traditions while others hold that they were different women. The story also follows a small boy who goes only by a nickname given to him by a fellow "Jerusalem sparrow," as the homeless boys who carry torches by night are called. Avel has no name, because he had no father and his prostitute mother abandoned him in the quarry where the sparrows live. After a Roman soldier's horse tramples his only friend to death, Avel finds himself unwelcome even in the quarry. So he sets off in search of bar Abbas, a man called a bandit by some and a revolutionary by others. Meanwhile, Marcus sets off in search of Yeshua - on assignment by his commander, who wants to know whether or not the "rabbi" whom bar Abbas would like to set up as Jewish king actually poses a threat to Rome. Nakdimon (Nicodemus) also goes in search of Yeshua, on behalf of the Jewish religious leaders who also want to know the man's intentions.

For me this one started off as a rather slow read, because it took me a while to adjust to the authors' way of retelling a story I've known and loved since childhood. However, once I made that adjustment I found it too compelling to put down. The authors do take dramatic license with the Gospels - for example, Marcus the centurion winds up fulfilling the title role in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It's the same kind of dramatic license that a screen writer takes in condensing a 700-page novel into a film that runs for two hours, and it worked for me. The old, beloved story came to life in a fresh and exciting way. Excellent!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Granite Island"

This book came to me in perfect condition. The cover was in good shape, and there were no markings or tears on the inside of the book. The only thing I wish I had known before purchase is that it is a bookclub edition. I highly recommend all of the Thoene books.

Book arrived quickly and in shape described. I am very satisfied with the seller. Thanks.

Having been pleasantly surprised by the plot switch to ancient Israel in the previous Zion Legacy novel, I was hoping Stones of Jerusalem would pick up the baton. Not so. Unfortunately, the Thoenes went to the Biblical-plot well one too many times.

Whereas in Jerusalem Scrolls biblical events were feathered seamlessly with the "real" plot of the novel, this current installment tries to bash you over the head with them, as if they're popping off the page to say, "Look, here we are, you can't miss us!" Of course, that's not inherently a bad thing. The book falls flat, though, because these run-ins with Biblical events are awfully contrived, and happen at the expense of the rest of the story's development.

Also, it seemed to me like the Thoenes' writing sort of hit a wall in this novel. The past novels had been closely toeing the line of formulaic (I don't want to use the term 'bad') fiction, but the writing in Stones scoots past that line faster than creamed corn through a baby. Metaphor for the sole sake of metaphor (see previous sentence for an exaggerated example), anachronisms, and some overly ooey-gooey description make you want to stop and pick up a Philip Roth novel just to wash your brain out. I am pretty sure that people in Jesus' time wouldn't be using expressions like "seeing the bigger picture." Also, read the description of the storm while Deborah is sick and try to keep a straight face. C'mon, I dare you.

While not their best effort, I'm still looking forward to reading the final installment of the series, as I really did enjoy the first four. Maybe in the sixth one, Alfie will smack Moshe around a little bit for subjecting him to this lame story.