The Stone of Ebenezer, Book I: Trilogy of Kings Saga

Old Testament history is not really my field - I am much more at home in the Roman Empire and the New Testament era - but I do appreciate good historical fiction when I come across it, and the field of Christian fiction is littered with so many genuinely bad works by well-meaning people who just don't have enough understanding of the era they are writing about! Suzan Van Volkenburgh understands the world of the Old Testament; she is steeped in the geography and history of the region, as well as what archeology has recently revealed to us about Canaanite culture. She brings the twilight of the era of the Judges to life, much as I tried to bring First Century Judea to life in THE REDEMPTION OF PONTIUS PILATE, my second novel. The clamor and noise of battle, the heartbreak of death on the battlefield, and the anguish of losing the Ark of the Covenant are portrayed with accuracy and heart.

The dialogue is a bit stilted at times; much of it is lifted either from Scripture or from Canaanite inscriptions and comes across as unnecessarily formal and poetic. I caught a few minor grammatical and syntax errors, but these were few and far between. Overall, I found this an enjoyable work and look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to my nephew Jeff for picking this one up for me!"

— ​​​​​​​Lewis Smith
(Review based on the first edition. The revised edition has addressed minor issues.)​