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Biblical

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diamondlil
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2642
Joined: August 2008

Post by diamondlil » Sun April 5th, 2009, 8:31 pm

I just heard yesterday that Kathryn McGowan has a new book out, which I think is a sequel to The Expected One.

For me the pinnacle of biblical literature is probably The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I have also read the trilogy by Marek Halter, which started out well enough with the first book and then was progressively worse by the time it got to the third book. I also read In the Shadow of the Ark by Anne Provoost a number of years ago which was an okay read.

I haven't read any biblical fiction for ages.
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annis
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4585
Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Sun April 5th, 2009, 11:14 pm

Recently tracked down Lion Feuchtwanger's 1958 novel "Jephthah and his Daughter" ( also titled Jephta and his Daughter), a story based on that of the Old Testament military commander (from the Book of Judges) who vows to sacrifice to God the first living thing he sees on returning home if he defeats the enemy. Tragically, he is greeted by his only child, his beloved daughter.
Lion Feuchtwanger is brilliant- I can't understand why his historical novels have fallen into obscurity.

There are a lot of Bibilical sagas around. Something about Biblical stories seems to bring out the Cecil B. De Mille in authors :) I recently came across a whole series in this epic OTT style about the heirs of Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, called "The Children of the Lion", written under the name Peter Danielson. In fact there have been several different authors over the years, a writer best known for his Westerns, James Reasoner, being one of them.
Last edited by annis on Sun April 5th, 2009, 11:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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rockygirl
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Posts: 349
Joined: August 2010
Location: Upstate New York

Post by rockygirl » Sun September 19th, 2010, 12:46 am

Recently tried to read Zipporah, Wife of Moses. The writing was so pedantic, I couldn't get past the first two chapters.

I do like the Wives of King David series by Jill Eileen Smith. She's done Abigail and Michal, and next is Bathsheba. As a side note, the covers are all kinds of gorgeous.

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Michy
Bibliophile
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Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Sun September 19th, 2010, 1:11 am

I read both of Jill Eileen Smith's books -- I thought they were both "ok." Abigail was somewhat better-written than Michal, but both were only 3-stars for me. I will read Bathsheba only because I want to finish the series but, unless her writing is dramatically better, it will be my last book by her.

As for Moses -- if you want to read a good book about him told from the female point of view, I recommend The Shadow Women by Angela Elwell Hunt.

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lauragill
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Joined: July 2011
Location: Southern California
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Post by lauragill » Mon July 11th, 2011, 6:56 am

I like India Edghill's novels: Queenmaker (about Michal daughter of Saul), Wisdom's Daughter (the queen of Sheba), and Delilah. They're so lush and gorgeous. I heard she's working on a novel about Queen Esther.

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