Customer Reviews

When the Lion Roars

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
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This is a story of passion. Passion for a country and a people in pain. Passion for children in a war-torn place. Passion for a God who leads heroes into desperate, dangerous places and provides their protection.

And it is the story of one woman who is brave enough to stay in a country not her own.

When Paul Farid lands a plane packed with food and medical supplies in war-ravaged Sudan, he is surprised to learn that his contact, Dr. Larson Kerr, is a woman - a light-haired American woman.

With the dying and wounded all around her, Dr. Kerr's days are brightened only by two Sudanese children, inspiring sixteen-year-old Rachel and protective twelve-year-old Nyok, who help her in the straw-roofed medical clinic.

Dr. Kerr discovers much about herself as she attempts to fight off the God she once knew. But what secret from Dr. Kerr's past continues to torment her? And will Colonel Ben Alier of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army, a man who hates Paul Farid because of his past, tell her of Paul's true identity?

Although I knew nothing about Sudan before reading this book, Mills' colorful imagery brought this African nation to life for me. I could almost smell the "cup of hot sweetened karkaday tea, made from a variety of crushed hibiscus."

DiAnn Mills has told a gripping story. One I hope will stir up support for today's heroes. For the men and women who are brave enough to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of those living in war zones. Many still fight to survive the danger which lurks in the darkness, but God's light shines when the lion roars.

I recommend this book - a very worthwhile read.

Where the Lion Roars is a dramatic novel about a challenging topic-the civil war in southern Sudan. In her easy reading voice, DiAnn Mills presents an intense fictional tale of a young Sudanese girl's rescue from slave traders. Ms Mills has skillfully crafted three very unique and diametrically opposite characters: Dr. Larson Kerr, an American physician; Paul Farid, a Christian Arab who flies for FTW (Feed the World); and Colonel Ben Alier, a leader of the SPLA (Sudanese People's Liberation Army) guerilla forces.

Larson, Paul, and Ben also wrestle with personal spiritual wars as they search for Ben's sister, Rachel. Paul, like his Biblical namesake, is guilt-ridden by his persecution of the Sudanese Christians before he renounced his royal family. A bitter Larson is running from her childhood faith and turning a deaf ear to a God who allows bad things to happen to good people. Ben's rage at the atrocities against his people is at constant odds with his Christian faith.

Ben and Larson openly distrust all Arabs, and Paul must constantly strive to prove himself at the same time keeping his ties to the Khartoum's Islamic government from Larson. Because of their individual desire to provide hope for the people of Sudan, the three set aside their prejudices and form a most unlikely alliance to execute a daring rescue of Rachel. And, in the process, find themselves caught in a tenuous love triangle.
Simultaneously, the reader follows the struggles of Nyok, the young boy Ben has assigned as Larson's "warrior-protector." Larson and Paul believe Nyok should get an education, Ben believes he should fight with the SPLA. Nyok must determine how God wants to use him to bring peace to his beloved southern Sudan. Clearly, Ms Mills uses Nyok to represent a type of the true hope of Sudan for a peaceful future.

When the Lion Roars is not an easily categorized book. It has suspense, though it's not a suspense novel. It hints at romance, but it's not a romance and it's not a mystery. It is a well-written fictional novel based on what's happening in Sudan. The story gives clarity and a sense of understanding to a complicated part of today's world. That Ms Mills has spent many hours researching is obvious. The basic Sudanese conflict unfolds in an understandable manner without over-simplification of the complexity of the issues surrounding the conflict. She minces no words in her portrayal of the GOS's human rights abuses, and, through her three main characters' point of view, you feel the agony and frustration of the situation in Sudan.

Her skill as writer comes through in the fast-paced opening pages and well-crafted scene hooks. As a reader, you want to keep going to see how the story ends. Her commitment to her faith is apparent as her characters struggle to find the purpose for their lives and in their work. Yet, these Christian issues do not overpower the plot.

I've read many books by Ms Mills and found this one to be an incredibly enlightening read. An unexpected adventure! I think you will too, and I highly recommend its purchase. For those of you looking for a book club selection or small group study book, When the Lion Roars even has a Christian-focused discussion guide to use.

I found this a riveting story, based on factual happenings in Sudan. The characters were so real they literally walked off the page into my heart. This is a book that will entertain you but also change your perspective and make you care about the plight of others. Highly recommended!

Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, brings humanity and the sweeping power of God's love to life in this riveting story set in Southern Sudan during the ongoing civil war, where three very different characters (an American physician, an Arab-born Christian, and a commander in the Sudanese People's Liberation Army) must put aside prejudice, fear, and pride in order to find and rescue the commander's 16-year-old sister who has been captured by slave traders. After reading this novel, you will never think of the struggle and sacrifice in Sudan in the same way.  It will no longer be simply a headline or a news story in the daily paper.  You may even make a decision in invest some of your time and money to bring hope to this suffering population.

Of her books, DiAnn Mills says, "Expect an adventure," and her latest novel When the Lion Roars fulfills that promise. Based on extensive research and true-life accounts, this story is taken from today's news, although unfortunately not from front page headlines of American newspapers or lead stories of television newscasts.

In When the Lion Roars, the tragedy of Sudan's religious and racial wars is brought to light in a powerful, moving human drama that is sure to challenge every thinking reader. The story is told through the eyes of an American doctor, an Arab-American missionary pilot, a southern Sudanese warlord, and a village boy-warrior, each one bringing a fresh perspective to the narrative. When Rachel, a gentle Christian teenager, is kidnapped and sold into slavery by northern Sudanese, the four protagonists join forces to free her, even if it costs them their lives.

While this story may be fiction, it paints the true and tragic portrait of the war-torn land of Sudan where slavery, genocide, and wanton destruction threaten to snuff the life out of simple people who wish only to live in peace.

Devoid of sensational ploys, but skillfully and articulately written, When the Lion Roars - and the people who inspired it - is a book you will not soon forget.

DiAnn Mills vividly brings to our attention the very real horror going on in the Sudan area of Africa....but by creating a very plausible story, using characters that we come to know and appreciate, we do see how there is a glimmer of hope. An American doctor, an Arab-born Christian and a Commander in the Sudanese People's Liberation Army come together to help the Sudanese, all the while working through some personal issues that ultimately show them God's purpose for their lives. Their adventures take place in a land that some of us may never see; DiAnn's details bring right there. It is both a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story, but one that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

When Paul Farid pilots his plane loaded with relief supplies into one of many southern Sudanese bomb-battered villages, he's prepared to face almost anything... or so he thinks. He's prepared for tough-yet-pretty Dr. Larson Kerr's distrust of Arabs. He's prepared for guerilla Colonel Ben Alier's hatred of anyone once connected with Khartoum's Islamic government. He's even prepared for martyrdom if it will release him from the guilt haunting his tireless missions aiding the people of his homeland. .......... What no one is prepared for is a surprise attack by Government of Sudan (GOS) helicopter gunships. Paul's plane is riddled with bullets, leaving him stranded. Ben's young sister is kidnapped, and in his attempt to save her, Paul is wounded more seriously than he initially realizes. .......... In the wake of their grief, tensions escalate. Ben's rage grows hotter against the Arabs, Paul included. Wrestling with a God who seems to allow bad things to happen to good people, Larson relies more and more on Nyok, the young boy Ben has assigned as her "warrior-protector." And Paul finds himself snared in the fragile web of a possible love triangle. .......... WHEN THE LION ROARS caught me up with a fast-paced opening energized by well-crafted scene hooks. My favorite is the lion scene near the beginning. With the stakes unexpectedly elevated in that scene, it was impossible to put the book down until I found out what happened next. .......... Then the story rapidly changed gears. I realized, after some lingering confusion about the story's momentum, the book was not suspense or adventure (as suggested by the back cover). It was a story of decision akin to a coming-of-age story. The larger portion of the book revolves around Nyok (the one major viewpoint character not mentioned on the back cover), who symbolizes the soul and future of Sudan. Will he join the guerillas or pursue an education? .......... I found the theme reminiscent of Rick Warren's THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE; in nearly every scene the characters' thoughts touch on finding purpose in life: Paul, hounded by guilt, has found his purpose but keeps trying to trade it for something more significant; Larson, cast adrift from her childhood faith by bitterness, feels aimless and lacking purpose entirely; Ben's rage has corrupted his purpose and threatens his destiny. .......... The GOS's human rights abuses, while vividly portrayed, lack intense emotional impact. Mills' story is more successful at simplifying the basic Sudanese conflict for mass understanding without over-simplifying the complex issues radiating from it. Includes a Reader's Guide at the end with discussion questions. .......... 3-1/2 stars for overall story, 4 stars for writing style.

Excellent - keeps you on your toes. Recommend to all. And the folow up book by Diann Mills, When The Nile Runs Red.

Lots of other people left great reviews so I will just add that this was a book you MUST READ! You are introduced to the three main characters. An unlikely trio. See how they all struggle with their individual efforts. They quickly grow on you as you are GLUED to the pages to see what is going to happen next. I couldn't turn pages fast enough.

My heart goes out to the people of southern Sudan. What awful things they suffer for their faith.

I highly recommend this book if you like action, romance and suspense. You will not be disappointed.

"We are blessed," Joseph said with a smile. "God is good, and He continues to meet our needs. My prayer is that He will touch the hearts of those who are able to give, so these refugees can have some sort of dignity and hope for tomorrow."
The situation Paul left at the refugee camp settled heavily on his heart. The age-old question swelled within him: Why must the innocent always be the ones to suffer?



Not a light-hearted romance, When the Lion Roars draws it's readers into the current conflict in Sudan. Torn by greed and separated by the continuous clash between Islam and Christianity, the Sudanese in this eye-opening novel endure famine, torture, and disease.
Three very different characters are drawn together when the warring Northern Sudan Army attacks and takes a precious girl into slavery
Dr. Larson Kerr is on the run from God only to find that even the darkest regions of Africa house the Almighty.
Paul Farid, a former Muslim and persecutor of the faith, seeks to appease his conscious by putting his life on the line to aid those he once despised.
Colonel Ben Alier, consumed with hate for those who seek to over-run the oil rich Southern Sudan, fights with more than just holy wrath. Can God reach his hardened heart and draw him back into fellowship with Him?
. DiAnn Mills takes you on a journey through violent battles, lion attacks, crocodile infested waters, and the ever-present spiritual battles that plague Christians of all walks the world round.
This tremendous novel provokes the reader to pray for the situation that is still unfolding in Africa. A line from a beautiful song comes to mind upon reflecting the lessons learned from this book. "Though wars never cease, I am at peace with God."