Heather’s Bookshelf: Book of Yeshua
Author: Francis Chapman
Released: 9/26/2020
Genre: Historical Fiction/Conspiracy Thriller
“Beyond the door were marble stairs which seemed to go on and on. With each step, Elliot felt his stomach lurch, as though he were failing, and could do nothing but wait to hit the ground.”
“Book of Yeshua” introduces you to Elliot Ambrose, a young man who realizes that his life is not as ordinary as he thinks it is. Elliot soon realizes his role in an epic 2000 year battle and the truth behind The Great Lie.
The book follows two timelines. The first in present time and the second two thousand years ago. The author does well in intertwining these two timelines seamlessly to give important background and character development to the present timeline. I am not going to give any secrets away here, so I will keep it vague, but know that this novel is a fictional take on what might have happened in the past if certain aspects of the New Testament were actually inaccurate.
One of the best things about this novel is the propensity to blur the lines between the “bad guys and the good guys”. Don’t get me wrong, there are some really GOOD and really BAD guys, but there are also some characters that find themselves on one side due to their decisions or circumstances. This makes a lot of the characters likeable, multi-dimensional and interesting - regardless of what side they happen to be fighting for.
Fair Warning: There is a lot of violence (some really terrible) as well as sexual situations, adult language…really anything adult themed.
First, I would like to say that I reviewed this book as a fictional novel because that is what it is. Having said that, I did not analyze it for it’s accuracy or comparisons to the New Testament. As a fictional story, I enjoyed the book. The action and the dual time lines kept the story intriguing and moving at a good pace. I liked how the two time lines filled in background and details of the present timeline. I did find the amount of characters (with sometimes multiple names- trying not to give anything away) often confusing. However, I thought that a lot of the main characters, like Pilate, were well developed and individualized. Tavarius also makes a really terrible villain that you will despise. However, I felt the character of Elliot was rushed and the portion of the novel introducing the reader to his character felt out of place to me. The premise itself is different and intriguing enough to give this book a shot if you can keep an open mind.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
I enjoyed this action-packed, dual time line conspiracy novel. Although the amount of characters was overwhelming at times, the story was intriguing.
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with Francis Chapman
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Find it for purchase here
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