Book Review: Mark of the Lion series

Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers
Books: A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, As Sure as the Dawn

I don't think I post a review that glows with enough adoration and appreciation to do this series justice. This is one of my all-time favorite book series. I am seriously considering reading this book every year because of the profound impact it has had on the person that I am and desire to be. Many readers of Christian fiction appreciated Rivers other book Redeeming Love, but I found that this work of historical fiction far surpasses that in quality. Not to say that Redeeming Love was bad, this was just so much better.  

I would recommend this book to anyone. I think Christians and non-Christians alike could enjoy this series. Following the endeavors of Hadassah just made me want to be a better person. For Christians, this book is a reminder of how we should serve others through prayer, complete devotion, and unfailing love. For non-Christians, this book is a picture of what Christianity is supposed to look like when lived out, not what modern, hipster Christians actually do. 

Many readers completely despise Julia but I found that her character was integral to this book. She is a reminder that there is always a chance to find something good in each person, no matter what happened in the past. While Hadassah is what I strive to be, Marius and Rizpah were the more relatable characters to me personally. Their questions and their faults depicted the way that most people struggle with God. I think that Atretes was a character to which people who come back from military tours could more easily relate. 

She did a fantastic job researching for this book. There were times when I just felt disheartened because I could never do such great research. I loved how she included the apostle John with such vivacity. The lifestyles of the wealthy Romans reminded me of modern Americans, and led me to ponder the fate of our nation considering the disaster that followed the fall of Rome. Her ability to depict the trade industry in the Mediterranean was an impressive feat. My only critique of this book, as a history nerd, was that when talking about the slaves in the colosseum, she mentioned corn, which was only found in the New World at this time and had not yet made it to Europe or Asia. Only after trade began with the Mexican Aztec and Mayan civilizations did corn appear in that area. There might have been one other similar mistake but they would only distract you if you had extensive knowledge on the subject. 

All in all, a fantastic work that is worth anyone's time.