A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion #1) (Paperback)

by Francine Rivers (Author) "The city was silently bloating in the hot sun, rotting like the thousands of bodies that lay where they had fallen in street battles..." (more)
Key Phrases: tipped her chin, elimination match, other gladiators, Claudius Flaccus, Lady Julia, Julia Valerian (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Francine Rivers puts readers right into the history of the moment..." -- Romantic Times

"Franicine Rivers without a doubt is one of the finest storytellers of our generation. She transports the reader to another time another place with such skill that one feels every emotion, every trauma, every life. Her adventures captured me from the first page until I breathlessly closed the book in absolute awe of her God-given talent. Francine unlocks the longing in each one of us to connect to God in a deeper, life-changing way. No one reading her books will ever be the same again." -- Debbie Macomber, New York Times Best-selling Author

"The Mark of the Lion series was my first introduction to Francine Rivers, and since its introduction I've been reading everything Francine writes. Her stories are not only gripping entertainment, they are life-changing adventures. As we `watch' Hadassah and Atretes struggle through first-century trials, we learn how to handle similar situations in the twenty-first century. The `costumes' may vary, but our Victorious Lord does not change." -- Angela Hunt, Award-Winning Author of Doesn't She Look Natural

"Francine Rivers writes from her heart to touch the hearts of her readers. Her books are essential reading for all who love Christian Fiction..." -- Bodie Thoene, winner of 8 ECPA Gold Medallion Awards for Christian Fiction

"More than a dozen years ago, a bookseller urged me to read the Mark of the Lion trilogy. I devoured each novel, drawn into Hadassah's world and challenged by Hadassah's faith. Page by page, I walked the streets of Jerusalem, of Rome, of Ephesus, led by a sure hand. Not only did Francine thoroughly research her setting; she also plumbed the depths of God's Word and the desperate corners of the human heart to create a story so gripping, so spiritually and emotionally satisfying, it could only come from a pen wholly dedicated to God. In a word, Francine redefined Christian fiction--honest, unflinching, powerful, life-changing--demonstrating why storytelling is the most effective way to communicate God's truth. Every Christian novelist writing today owes a debt of gratitude to Francine Rivers for lighting the way." -- Liz Curtis Higgs, author of the best-selling Lowlands of Scotland series

Product Description
Rome comes alive in this tale of Jewish Christian slave girl Hadassah. Her story encourages readers to represent Christ in their world.

Spanish available

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Product Details

• Paperback: 515 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers; 10th edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0842377506
• ISBN-13: 978-0842377508
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,146 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 1 in The Mark of the Lion Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An awesome book but....., May 25, 2005

By	Timothy (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews

I just finished "A Voice in the Wind" this evening and I'm already plowing through the second novel in the series. I read Francine Rivers first novel for the Christian market, "Redeeming Love", and was impressed with it. The Mark of the Lion Series lives up to the rave reviews, but I do have a few words of caution.
The novel is set in the Roman Empire of the first century and deals quite frankly with the society of the time. The story opens with the destruction of Jerusalem in 79 AD. Here we meet Hadassah and her family, trapped in the city by the Roman army. When Roman legionaires enter the city and slaughter its inhabitants, Hadassah's starving family is among their victims. Hadassah herself is taken prisoner and sold into slavery. The descriptions of death and war violence are vivid and this somewhat shocking opening sets the pace for the story to come.
Ancient Rome is probably one of the more captivating periods in history. The romance and splendor of the empire have been depicted in countless films and novels. Ms. Rivers effectively places the reader in the midst of this world, with all of its decadence and debauchery. While Hadassah is technically the main character, a great deal of time is spent developing the other characters in the story. These characters include Hadassah's owners, the Valerians, and a German gladiator named Atretes. Ms. Rivers deals very frankly with the sensual nature of ancient Rome. Many of the characters are promiscuous and the descriptions of the gladiator matches are graphic enogh to make you cringe. In all honesty I would have preferred less vivid detail. Sexual content is present. We don't read every lascivious detail, but we know that characters have slept together. The story deals with murder, abortion, idol worship, witchcraft and various forms of sexual depravity. Some have criticized the graphic nature of the stoty. However, as the novel draws to a close, we can see that Ms. Rivers has used these elements to show how depraved some of the characters are, throwing other character's virtues into sharp contrast.
Hadassah herself seems to represent what Christians should be. She falls just short of being too perfect, but one can't help but connect with her just the same. The climax of the novel is heart wrenching. This story is not about happy endings and we see virtually nothing resolved with the novel's cliff-hanger ending. However, we do see Hadassah mature into a model of Christ-like behavior that we should emulate. Aside from the graphic depictions of violent battles and the seemingly endless stream of debaucherous behavior, the story is engaging and powerful and will leave you with a great many things to think about in your own walk with the Lord. I would not recommend this novel for a young audience, however mature older teens might be able to handle it. Have the second book on hand as you'll race rather quickly through the last few chapters.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Did I Wait So Long?, January 21, 2002

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The year is 70 AD. Hadassah has been captured at the fall of Jerusalem. Taken to Rome, she is bought to serve the Valerian family. The Valerians are having their own problems. Decimus, the father, is very traditional, yet his children, Marcus and Julia, embrace all the decadence Rome has to offer. Hadassah wants to share her faith in Jesus the Messiah with this family, but she cannot find the courage to do so. Meanwhile, Atretes has been captured in Germany and taken to Rome as a gladiator. As their lives intertwine, they will all face problems that will challenge who they are and what they believe.

I just read this book for the first time, and can't believe I waited so long to do so. This is an amazing novel. The characters are strong, the writing is crisp, the plots are remarkable, and the detail given to ancient Rome makes it come alive. Every time I picked up this novel, I was drawn into its world and had a hard time putting it down.

This was my introduction to the books of Francine Rivers, but by no means will this be my last. I am looking forward to finishing this series and exploring her other novels. She is truly a gifted author.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Instant Classic, December 6, 2000

By	Michael Janke "www.xanga.com/mikeknaj" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In a short time Francine Rivers has become one of our finest Christian authors, and THE MARK OF THE LION trilogy is her crown jewel. Quite simply, these are my favorite works of fiction - ever. While other authors may sell more books at times, none can WRITE like Rivers.

The trilogy is set in the Roman Empire, shortly after the fall of Jerusalem. Using a Hebrew slave girl (Hadassah) and a German gladiator (Atretes; think the movie Gladiator) as the main characters, three books are crafted around themes of faith, redemption and sacrifice. Rivers is one of the best at writing characters and the ones she creates here are absolutely convincing -- flawed and heroic on multiple layers, with developmental conflicts that relate to and parallel modern times almost seemlessly. A VOICE IN THE WIND, the first and best of the series, lays the groundwork for the trilogy but stands tall on its own merits as well. The character of Hadassah, in particular, shines most bright in this part of the trilogy. You can read it on its own, but I guarantee that you will have to order the rest of the series when you're through.

These books will not only grab hold of you and demand to be finished but they will challenge you to take your walk with God to a much deeper level. Do not read this series unless you want to be changed. No other stories have every affected me in such a deep way. Forget the LEFT BEHIND series and invest in a true Christian classic. Five Stars.