On This Foundation

24934012

On This Foundation
Lynn Austin
Bethany House Publishers


When news that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire, Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God's guidance. After fasting and prayer, he's given leave to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, not anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.

The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and halt the work. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.

Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of a number of characters, On This Foundation is a powerful exploration of faith in the midst of oppression, and hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.


     If you've been reading my reviews for a while now, you've probably noticed that I have my "favorite" authors I come back to time and again. Lynn Austin is definitely one of those--but at the same time, I've never been as much of a fan of her Biblical fiction as I have been with her other historical novels.

     That being said, I still wanted to read this book, and while it's not one my favorites of her books, I did think it was worth the read. Halfway through On This Foundation I even stopped for a moment and went, "You know, I really want to re-read the book of Nehemiah now!"

     I really liked Nehemiah's character in this book, and the plot with Chana was very interesting to me, because it was not something I see a lot of authors willing to do *SPOILER* as most would have made her betrothed either the villain or a losing side in a love triangle*END OF SPOILER*. Still, while I did like On This Foundation for the most part, it didn't capture me as much as I wanted to. However, now that this series has wrapped up, I'm very interested in what Lynn Austin's next project will be.

Rating: 7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In This Moment

Image
  In This Moment Gabrielle Meyer Bethany House Publishers Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever. In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she's asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths. While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious Brit...
Read more

The Seamstress of Acadie

Image
As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands. As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past ...
Read more

Before Midnight

Image
this is the cover of the book I had, but I thought this cover was really pretty! Before Midnight Cameron Dokey Simon and Shuster I’ve heard of this series for a long time now, but I hadn’t gotten a chance to read any of the books until just recently. I really did enjoy this retelling of Cinderella, although there were things about it I didn’t care for. However, it was one of those books whose flaws you don’t notice until you’re done reading and sit back and reflect on the story. One thing I did like about this book was the way it was written, and that it really drew me right in. The twists on the story of Cinderella were interesting, and a few were unexpected. Another thing I liked was that the main character was called Cendrillon , the original French version of the name Cinderella , and that her nickname was Rilla. However, the romance wasn’t really as great; it felt like almost an afterthought. The Prince was barely in it, and their relationship wasn’t given ...
Read more