THE SCROLL BY GRANT R JEFFREY & ALTON GANSKY

 THE SCROLL by GRANT R JEFFREY & ALTON GANSKY
takes place in Israel in the near future.  It is a prophetic novel with a strong Christian message, fast-paced and full of action. 
David Chambers is professor of archeology at Harvard.  He has also written books, given lectures and become quite famous with his discovery of Herod's tunnel in Jerusalem.  He used to love biblical archeology, uncovering so much proof of the truth of God's word, but gave it up and gave up on God as well, blaming his father for his disillusionment.  His father was an archeologist who stayed on in Israel at a dig while David's mother was dying of cancer.  David was very angry and believed the worst of his father without knowing the truth. He also blamed God for his mother's death and his father's supposed insensitivity. David had been engaged to Amber, also a doctor of archeology, but she broke off the engagement when he changed.  He became difficult to be with, was very volatile, and gave up on the Truth and on biblical archeology.  Amber is a committed Christian and her faith is very important to her.
David and Amber are thrown together when their friend and mentor, Abram Ben-Judah, asks each of them, without letting the other know, to join in excavations funded by American billionaire Trent and backed by the prime minister of Israel and Israeli military, to find hidden treasure from the Second Temple.  They are to follow the rather well hidden clues found in the Copper Scroll.
Nuri Aumann is also part of the team.  Nuri is a real thorn in the flesh to David, especially because of his friendship with Amber Rodgers, which looks like more than friendship to him!  They work well together, in spite of everything, but keep taking digs at each other.
The first treasure is found in an Essene cave.  David leaves in a huff when he feels they are not following correct scientific procedure and are in too much of a hurry, but Hiram Landau, who is in charge of their security "persuades" him to stay on.  the team members are fed up with David's anger, self absorption and childish behaviour!
The work is dangerous, especially when it is leaked to the media that the Jews are looking to rebuild the Temple.  A Hebrew student is shot and there is an explosion in the tunnel where the first treasure is found.
It is thought that Hussein Al-Malik, a former Jordanian archeologist turned terrorist, who has ties with Hamas, is behind all the violence and that he has infiltrated the project by inserting one of his men in the crew.  There is an exciting discovery made in a natural tunnel leading off Herod's runnel.  The enemy does all it can to destroy David and to stop the excavations.  They are not after the treasure, they simply do not want the Temple to be rebuilt.  
Ben-Judah wants to find the ancient Temple artifacts so that the Jews can rebuild the Temple according to biblical prophecy.  He feels this will make a statement to the world that Israel is here to stay.  The building of the Third Temple has been a dream of the Jews since the first century AD and could radically change the world.
David feels responsible for the deaths as he is team leader and he wonders whether the project is worth it after all, however, when he sees his mentor on his knees worshiping God, overcome by the discovery of the Holy Table of Shewbread and the Temple Menorah, he is deeply moved.
Ben-Judah is a godly man with a passion for the God of the bible.  For him archeology is "an act of worship and service to God."  This used to be the case with David too, until he turned away from God and started to see it merely as a way to make an income and be successful.  He has become a little too proud of his achievements and is surly and unpleasant to be with.  Ben-Judah says David is a passionate man and a great archeologist, and as they get more involved in the work, David's excitement mounts and he is drawn back to his love of the Lord and of biblical archeology.  He now reads the bible in order to have a closer relationship with his God and not just to find archeological clues.
In this book we are reminded of the importance of forgiveness, of self-control, of unselfishness and of not losing faith in God.  As the suspense builds up we wonder who the mole is, if the project will succeed, whether Amber will choose the more charismatic Nuri or whether she and David will get back together again.  The characters are well portrayed and the setting in the ever volatile land of Israel makes this novel an exciting read.  I can highly recommend it.





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ALLAH'S FIRE BY CHUCK HOLTON & GAYLE ROPER

ALLAH'S FIRE takes place in Lebanon. It is part of the Task Force Valor series. It is a very exciting book and has a strong Christian message. I have read all three of the novels and enjoyed them all. They can each be read as stand alone books, but I feel you get more out of them if you read them one after the other.
Liz Fairchild was brought up in Lebanon by her free-thinking parents, Charles and Annabelle, and her sister Julie. They are American, but have a great love for Lebanon and her people. Liz is a journalist and she has come back to Lebanon to interview Palestinian women in the refugee camps.
Julie, while studying in England, falls in love with a handsome Lebanese called Khalil. While living in Britain all goes well with their marriage, but when they return to live in Lebanon, their differences pull them apart. She is not as radical a Christian as her sister, but she has made a commitment to the Lord. She is afraid of telling her parents that she is a Christian because of her father's criticism of Liz's faith. It is when she is alone and afraid during her imprisonment that she learns to really trust in the Lord as her Saviour, and promises to profess her faith instead of keeping it hidden, if she manages to escape.
Julie and Khalil are at a reception at the Hotel Rowena, which is blown up by a terrorist group using a new explosive called ITEB, a liquid which explodes on exposure to air. Julie manages to escape through a window in the ladies, restroom, but she is abducted by three Palestinians.
John Cooper and the rest of the Task Force Valor team are seconded to the CIA and sent to Lebanon to find where ITEB is being manufactured and to destroy it, as it poses a terrible security threat. It is stored in bottles and looks like water.
John has always been a committed Christian, but when his friend Doc Vernon James is blown up when he is trying to help a young Islam woman who he believes is giving birth, he doesn't know what he believes any more.
When Julie disappears Liz's faith is badly shaken.
Julie and John met three years previously and lost touch with one another. They meet up again at this stressful time, and Liz, who goes off on her own to find Julie, becomes part of Task Force Valor's mission.
John and Julie not only find one another again, but their faith in a faithful God is restored.



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HARVEST OF RUBIES BY TESSA AFSHAR

HARVEST OF RUBIES by TESSA AFSHAR takes place during the reign of King Artaxerxes in Persia.
Sarah is a young Jewish girl whose father is a scribe in the royal palace, and she is the niece of Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer.  She lost her mother when she was young and her father, who is a very shy man, doesn't show her any affection, although he loves her deeply.  This makes her feel that she is unlovable.  She teaches herself to read and write, and is amazed that her father is supportive of her in this, which is unheard of for women at the time, and she feels that her value as a person is only in proportion to her ability as a scribe.  
Sarah turned from God when her mother died.  She used to recite psalms to her mother when she was dying, and later on we see how Nehemiah's wedding gift scroll comes to mean a great deal to her and how God's word helps her when she is unhappy in her marriage.
Uncle Nehemiah feels that the Lord has given her this special talent for reading, writing and languages for a special purpose, even as He used Queen Esther's beauty for the saving of the Jews in Persia when Haman was trying to destroy them.  Nehemiah is a godly man and wants her to fulfill her God-ordained destiny.
Sarah becomes Queen Damaspia's chief scribe and lives at the palace.  She loves her work and is good at it.   Her world is shattered when the queen arranges a marriage for her with a royal relation, a nobleman called Darius.  Darius' mother was Jewish and he promised her that he would not marry a woman who wasn't Jewish so the queen feels she has found the ideal candidate in Sarah.  Damaspia arranges this marriage in gratitude for Sarah's work in uncovering the truth behind a conspiracy to discredit her and cause dissention between her and the queen mother.
Sarah feels that God has abandoned her and that she has to do everything in her own strength.  She is outspoken and not good with relationships.  She has great pride in her work as a scribe and feels she will be worth nothing without it.  She feels that she is ugly and has nothing to offer her noble husband.  
After the wedding, at which she makes a complete fool of him and of herself by looking hideous - she had no patience for the preparations that women went through to look beautiful - he abandons her at his palace.  
Here she humbles herself and enjoys the beauty around her, after spending some time lying in bed and feeling sorry for herself!  Once she sees how her husband's estate is being run into the ground by a wicked and dishonest steward, she takes an interest in what is going on and puts herself in danger to get proof of his dishonest activities. 
She makes friends with the few loyal servants that are there and she also has her beloved maidservant, Pari, who is sent with her.  She also comes to love Darius's dog, Caspian. 
She learns a lot from the elderly gardener, Bardia, who teaches her that vines need to be pruned drastically in order to bring forth fruit.  She takes this lesson to heart and longs to produce "good fruit", even as she is being "pruned" in this strange situation in which she finds herself.  He also tells her a lot about Darius, who he has known since he was a little boy and who he loves dearly.  She begins to understand her husband better.  She finds Darius angry and sarcastic and is unable to make him understand that she did not hurt him intentionally.  He thinks she is a liar.  The picture Bardia paints of him is very different.  His pride was badly hurt by the wedding.
When Darius comes back he is grateful to her and she feels that at last she can be of use to him in sorting out his accounts and working as his scribe. She realizes how selfish she was on their wedding day and wants to make it up to him.   She doesn't see herself as being pretty, and cannot believe that anyone could possibly love her for herself.    
Darius and Sarah are called to the court at Ecbatana and it is there that she falls in love with him. He doesn't trust her and is about to send her away, but when she is attacked when out hunting with the queen,  he realizes that he cannot live without her.  At last she sees that, not only do people love her for herself and not for her achievements, but that God also loves her for herself.  She decides that, even if Darius never comes to love her, she is loved by the Lord, and that is enough.  
Darius is kind and thoughtful and they start afresh with what they have and leave the past behind them.  He is touched by her love for his servants, who are more friends than servants, and for his favourite dog, Caspian.
This book is rich with descriptions of life in Persia and at the king's palace.  It is beautifully written and we learn a lot from the way in which the characters deal with the situations and circumstances in which they find themselves.  We see how the Lord never lets His children go, even when they turn away from Him, and how He lovingly draws them back.  How He can bring forth a "harvest of rubies", not only from the pruned grapevines, but also in the life of someone who has learnt to trust Him  and who has become stronger through the difficulties she has been through.  I can highly recommend this novel.

THE HARBINGER BY JONATHAN CAHN

I have just read THE HARBINGER :the Ancient Mystery that holds the secret of America's Future by JONATHAN CAHN and cannot recommend it enough!  It is a prophetic book which ties up the prophecies of the Old Testament, where the Jews were promised judgment instead of blessing if they turned from the Lord and did things in their own strength, with the judgment that has come to America because of the people's willful turning away from God and pride in their own strength.  We see how the nine harbingers, or warnings, received by Israel before her destruction tie up with the warnings given to America.
He shows how in both cases "the walls were breached" by the enemy, and how Biblical prophecy was fulfilled at Ground Zero and with the collapse of Wall Street.
He shows how the Lord is a God of mercy and desires above all that all men be saved and that He longs for them to turn to Him in obedience to His Word - how He warns them and yearns for them to come to Him - in fact their very future depends upon their reaction to His warnings.  There is definitely hope here, as we see God's great love for those He has created to have fellowship with Him and to follow His ways, ways which lead to His protection and incredible blessings.
There is too much in this book, which is more of a conversation and a teaching than a novel, for 
me to do it justice, and I suggest that you look up www.theharbinger-jonathancahn.com for more information.
It is a very exciting book, and I feel that the warning is not just for the United States but for all people everywhere to choose to return to the Lord before it is too late!

TRUE DEVOTION BY DEE HENDERSON

TRUE DEVOTION by DEE HENDERSON is the first book in the Uncommon Heroes series.  
Kelly is a lifesaver who saves a young boy's life when he is taken out to sea in a riptide.  She almost dies in her attempt to save him, but is herself saved by Joe, a navy SEAL who has become her best friend. Joe was her late husband, Nick's, commanding officer and best friend.  Nick died in saving Joe's life in a mission that went wrong.  Kelly was devoted to her SEAL husband, and for three years drifts far from true devotion to the Lord as she blames Him for his premature death.  When Joe saves her from drowning she tells him she loves him, which she realizes is the truth, but she is afraid of losing him as a friend if things don't work out for them romantically.
This near death experience causes Kelly to rethink her relationship with the Lord.  She is truly grateful to the Lord for saving her life and turns back to prayer and bible reading in her desire to get close to Him once again.
Charles, Ryan's father, shows his gratitude to Kelly by giving her lavish gifts, but there is something about him that Joe doesn't trust.  He thinks it is probably because Charles seems to be after Kelly's affection.  Kelly likes Charles and both she and Joe become very fond of Ryan.
The characters in this story show friendship, loyalty, single-mindedness, determination and heroism.  There is also much fun, camaraderie and a love of life amongst them, especially in view of the dangerous work they are involved in. We see Joe and Kelly's unselfishness as opposed to the selfishness and greed of those they are up against.
The story is fast-paced and exciting, and I like the almost conversational way that it is written.  It is easy to read and gives an insight into the lives of those who lay their lives on the line in order to keep the citizens of America safe. It is a story of devotion to one another, to their country and to the Lord.


 

THE PRESENCE BY T. DAVIS BUNN

THE PRESENCE by DAVIS BUNN is the story of what happens when a man is totally obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in his life.  
T.J. Case has the support of his wife Catherine, and his best friend Jeremy Hughes, when, after a vision where he feels the Presence of the Lord very strongly, he is led to leave his law practice and go to Washington.  He is asked to come to Washington by congressman Silverwood, to work on the government's education policy.  Silverman is very ambitious and feels that having a black man who is a Republican there will further his cause. T.J has been in politics before, having run as a Republican candidate, without success, and is passionate about children's education, especially wanting government to have a programme for gifted children.  He is even more passionate about Christian parents having the right to choose Christian education for their children, and wants the government to subsidize this.  He becomes unpopular when he speaks on television about his ideas for education, and is adamant that the people of America, especially those in government, need to turn to God for the answers to the problems the country is facing.  He has also started a Bible study before work each morning, beginning with one person, Bella Saunders, the numbers rising quickly to about five hundred.  Most of the people in the office want nothing to do with him and his strange ideas, but he is well supported by John Nakamashi and two young girls who work for him who are committed Christians themselves. They feel it is an honour to be involved in the Lord's work. 
T.J. is called before the president who is about to fire him for giving interviews without permission, but T.J. is given a prophetic word from the Lord which he delivers to the president, who is struck dumb!
Jeremy is a humble man and he comes to Washington as T.J.'s servant.  He is a white man with not much education, but who has become rich through hard work.  T.J. was his lawyer and gave him good advice and they came to trust one another, both being strong believers. He becomes involved in the Community of Hope where he uses his entrepreneurial skills and his money to rebuild the dilapidated apartment buildings in the area.  Catherine becomes involved with the poor and abused children.  With the help of Senator Atterly, a committed Christian and faithful member of the morning prayer group, dishonesty in the awarding of building contracts in the area is uncovered and the Community of Hope gets even more contracts than they had originally tendered for.  
This is T. Davis Bunn's first novel and it really is worth reading.  There is so much truth in this book, it is filled with Scripture that is so relevant in this day and age, and the way in which T.J. humbly allows himself to be led by the Presence of the Holy Spirit in his life, even in the face of danger, is beautifully portrayed.  Love and loyalty, honesty, commitment and obedience are some of the subjects that are brought to light.  I can highly recommend this book.

THE INCUMBENT & BEFORE ANOTHER DIES BY ALTON GANSKY

 THE INCUMBENT AND BEFORE ANOTHER DIES by ALTON GANSKY.
These two novels are political thrillers with a definite Christian message.  They are very well written and well worth reading.  The descriptions are particularly good and make you feel you are right there!
In The Incumbent we are introduced to Madison Glenn, mayor of Santa Rita.  Her normally organized life is disrupted when three people who are connected to her disappear, one after the other, and when one of them ends up dead. 
Maddie is a widow, and she is still trying to come to grips with her loss, when she is hit by one kidnapping after another.  All the people who are missing are connected to her mayoral campaign, and, whilst she has some loyal supporters at the office, she has two who work together to thwart her at every turn. They seem to be more worried about what effect this will have on them as members of the city council than what it means to those who have been kidnapped and to their families. 
Maddie is close to her parents and to her aide Randi, and has a close friend in Dr Jerry West who she dated in college, but who is now just a friend.  Her friends and her parents are determined to keep her safe. She is afraid of being the next victim but is also determined not to be overcome by fear.  She is having trouble doing her work, which she normally loves.
When Lisa Truccoli is abducted, her daughter Celeste comes to live with Maddie, who reaches out to her from her own pain, her husband Peter having been senselessly murdered by highjackers. Celeste's estranged father is an angry man, and causes a lot of trouble when Celeste refuses to see him, and then only doing so to tell him to leave Maddie alone.  
Detective Judson West is the officer in charge of the investigations.  He is very well built and good looking, and Randi and Celeste tease Maddie about him.
There are many twists in the story.  We see how Maddie finds out something about her husband, Peter, that she didn't know, and how this affects her.  We find her committing her life to the Lord when Paul, the owner of the Fish Kettle, shares the truth of the Gospel with her.
In Before Another Dies, we find Maddie Glenn, still recovering from all she has gone through, faced with a dead man in a parked car in her mayoral parking place. When Chief Webb and detective Judson West decide that the man has been murdered the nightmare starts all over again.  There are two more murders, and there is a pattern that shows a definite connection with a late night radio broadcast with very weird subject matter.  There is reason to believe through these sinister messages that Maddie is to be the next victim.
In this novel Maddie is campaigning for congress.  Her friend and campaign manager, Nat, is a fascinating woman and she helps Maddie keep her focus.  When Maddie complains about all she has lost , Nat reminds her that she, Nat, who is confined to a wheelchair due to a car accident, has lost the use of two legs, one arm, and all chance of marriage and having children.
Maddie's new faith is a source of great strength to her, but she has always found it hard curbing her tongue, and from time to time still lashes out as she used to do before becoming a Christian.
Maddie has a new aide, Floyd Grecian, the son of her pastor.  Floyd is a lovable character, although rather scatty and unfocused.  He puts his life on the line to try and solve the murders, and we also see Jerry's devotion in saving her life.  
Maddie is a strong charactered woman, who works long hours and who is dedicated to doing what is right.  She is loyal to her family, friends and supporters, and can't bear the thought of bringing danger upon anyone through their connection to her.  With the danger she goes through she calls out to the Lord for His protection and we see Him coming through for her.
The novel is fast-paced and exciting, with much intrigue and keeps one guessing until the end.