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3rd out of 948 books
—
1,427 voters
A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion #1)
Torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, a young slave girl clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of decadent Rome.
Paperback, 520 pages
Published
February 18th 1998
by Tyndale House Publishers
(first published July 27th 1993)
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This was my first foray into Christian Fiction and I had very low expectations, anticipating a preachy text with so-so writing and the occasional miracle thrown in. And at times, this book can be all those things.
But Rivers' trump card is her characters, and before I knew it I was in love, really in love, with these people. I was shocked at how much I cared, and how quickly. I've enjoyed better writing, and not all of Rivers' points hit the mark for me, but I've come across few characters that...more
But Rivers' trump card is her characters, and before I knew it I was in love, really in love, with these people. I was shocked at how much I cared, and how quickly. I've enjoyed better writing, and not all of Rivers' points hit the mark for me, but I've come across few characters that...more
Oct 07, 2008
Gracee
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
willing to be entertained involving a Christian theme
Recommended to Gracee by:
Margi
Shelves:
own
Wonderful book. Francine Rivers used to write secular novels, but found her calling was with Christian stories.
I found myself pulled into the story, wanting to know what happens next, and being fascinated with the Roman way of life. Knowing how Francine Rivers writes, I'm sure the historical accounts of everyday Roman life is pretty accurate. Yes, there is love and romance, but only hints of sex. Nothing tawdry. The descriptions of the Roman gladiator fights were fairly graphic, not to mention...more
I found myself pulled into the story, wanting to know what happens next, and being fascinated with the Roman way of life. Knowing how Francine Rivers writes, I'm sure the historical accounts of everyday Roman life is pretty accurate. Yes, there is love and romance, but only hints of sex. Nothing tawdry. The descriptions of the Roman gladiator fights were fairly graphic, not to mention...more
18 likes · like · see review
I read this book back in 2003 and LOVED it. It was possibly one of the best books I have ever read. I never got around to reading the next two in the series, so I am re-reading it now, so that I can continue with the series.
***update***
Just finished re-reading this and I am so glad I did, because I had forgotten so much of the plot! If possible, I forgot just how MUCH I love this book. I think it is my number one favorite book ever. I can't wait to continue with book number 2, and eventually rea...more
***update***
Just finished re-reading this and I am so glad I did, because I had forgotten so much of the plot! If possible, I forgot just how MUCH I love this book. I think it is my number one favorite book ever. I can't wait to continue with book number 2, and eventually rea...more
18 likes · like · see review
The only reason I gave this book four stars (4.5, really) is because it is not for the innocent. In my opinion, perhaps Rivers could have kept certain things from mingling with the main characters' lives and only mentioned them briefly... but otherwise, a very well-written, attention-grabbing piece of literature. It has inspired me to get over my writer's block on my own Roman story. But there was an inaccuracy with the story plot: According to a biblical prophecy, no Christians were killed duri...more
I have a different perspective than most of the Goodreads reviewers of A Voice in the Wind. An avoider of the romance genre--both Christian and secular--I loved the first part of the book, depicting the fall of Jerusalem and Haddassah's transition to Roman slavery. I previously dispassionately stored in my mind the historic fact that losers in wars became the slaves of their conquerors, but Ms. Rivers' long, emotive description made the horror and depth of that trauma real to me in a manner I ha...more
7 likes · like · see review
Jan 02, 2008
Bambi
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who needs something to believe in no matter the situation
This is the first book in a series of three. I read this one and the second one, but not the third. The storyline/characters change in the third and those characters didn't intrigue me like the characters/main theme in books one and two.
This is Christian fiction. Francine Rivers came highly recommended and I tried to read a couple of her books on several occassions but just couldn't get into them. That was not the case with this one. It started with a bang and was a page turner until the end. I...more
This is Christian fiction. Francine Rivers came highly recommended and I tried to read a couple of her books on several occassions but just couldn't get into them. That was not the case with this one. It started with a bang and was a page turner until the end. I...more
6 likes · like · see review
I can't believe I've kept putting off reading such an amazing book. No wonder my friends have been so caught up with this trilogy.
This is Christian fiction. A story about a Jewish Christian slave, Hadassah, and her struggles to live amidst the affluence of the pagan Roman empire, including finding love in Marcus, a Roman citizen bent on his pursuit for wealth and pleasure.
I was deeply fascinated by the ancient Roman way of life, most especially the descriptions of gladiators and gladiator fight...more
This is Christian fiction. A story about a Jewish Christian slave, Hadassah, and her struggles to live amidst the affluence of the pagan Roman empire, including finding love in Marcus, a Roman citizen bent on his pursuit for wealth and pleasure.
I was deeply fascinated by the ancient Roman way of life, most especially the descriptions of gladiators and gladiator fight...more
5 likes · like · see review
Beautifully written, vivid, and brutal. This is what immediately comes to mind when I think back on this book. The author doesn't sugar coat anything and you definitely get a good picture of the fall of Jerusalem, slavery, and the decadence of ancient Rome.
I'm a bit cynical so some of the book was a bit sugary sweet for me. I found Hadassah a little unreal. She just seemed too perfect for such a young girl facing such trauma and horror.
I didn't realize that this was the first book in a series...more
I'm a bit cynical so some of the book was a bit sugary sweet for me. I found Hadassah a little unreal. She just seemed too perfect for such a young girl facing such trauma and horror.
I didn't realize that this was the first book in a series...more
2 likes · like · see review
I LOVE THIS SERIES! Francine Rivers has done amazing things in these books. What an inspiring character! I just kept finding myself wanting to be like Hadassah. It's hard to love others like Jesus did...more than myself. I am all the time reminded of my shortfalls and selfishness. But, Hadassah reminds me of many of the characters in the Bible. I am amazed by the tough choices that she makes and wondered if I could do the same thing in similar circumstances. The historical aspect of the book is...more
6 likes · like · see review
Beautiful i loved it the only thing was that i felt like Rivers took the whole sensual roman lifestyle WAY too far. do we really need such a detailed description of every prostitute and lustful act? no..it curdled my blood shiver. oh and also i hate cliffhangers i literally slammed the book down in the middle of class. (no seriously i did)
The summary says nothing about this book. it says nothing. Hadassah as a character started out weak and unsure then suddenly she has all these wonderful qualit...more
The summary says nothing about this book. it says nothing. Hadassah as a character started out weak and unsure then suddenly she has all these wonderful qualit...more
1 like · like · see review
I was adamantly opposed to reading a Historical fiction book. Just having the name historic in the genre turned me immediately off. After enduring months of constant badgering to give this book a shot by my sister in law, I caved and began the book. Not only did I fly through this book absorbing every vividly written detail, I was so caught up in the lives of the characters and the beautiful way that Francine Rivers illustrated God's unfailing love that I immediately went out and purchased the o...more
5 likes · like · see review
my mom kept bugging me to read an auther by the name of Francine Rivers, and i kept putting her off. Then one day i was about 5 months pregnant and bored, so i picked up the first book in the Mark of the Lions trilogy and read the first sentence. These are not thin books but suffice it to say, i finished all three in about 4 days. and i have read them several times since. all of her books are powerful in different ways, but these three and Redeeming Love have affected me and the way i approach m...more
May 17, 2013
Arlena
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
5-stars,
adult-read,
christian-fiction,
ebooks,
historical,
inspirational,
my-reviews,
religous,
romance,
series
By: Francine Rivers
Published By: Tyndale House Publishers
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Blog For: GMTA
Series: Mark of the Lion #1
Review:
"A Voice in the Wind" by Francine Rivers was a mighty good read. I found it was historical, inspirational, romantic as well as christian fiction read. It seemed a little slow in the beginning but as I read on I found this to be a very compelling and dramatic novel. This author really knows who to keep our attention with all of the descrip...more
Published By: Tyndale House Publishers
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Blog For: GMTA
Series: Mark of the Lion #1
Review:
"A Voice in the Wind" by Francine Rivers was a mighty good read. I found it was historical, inspirational, romantic as well as christian fiction read. It seemed a little slow in the beginning but as I read on I found this to be a very compelling and dramatic novel. This author really knows who to keep our attention with all of the descrip...more
I am flabbergasted that this book gets so many positive reviews. The writing is so bad that I can't believe the book was even published. Maybe it's not fair to compare this book to masterpieces like The Color Purple or All the King's Men, but I can find stories for free on the internet that are written better than this. (For example, why describe a direct quote as "terse"? You just told me the whole quote! And surely no book needs the word "sardonic" in it ten times.) I didn't fully appreciate w...more
This is the first romance novel I've ever read. I picked it up because 2/3 of our congregation's library is full of Christian romance novel. I'll be happy if I never read about someones "skin heating up in response to his touch" or his voice "growing husky" ever again.
But romance commonplaces aside, I found that A Voice in the Wind opens up the first century world of Rome in a way that I can only wish I did from the pulpit. The first century was just as dirty as the twenty-first! Rivers gives an...more
But romance commonplaces aside, I found that A Voice in the Wind opens up the first century world of Rome in a way that I can only wish I did from the pulpit. The first century was just as dirty as the twenty-first! Rivers gives an...more
As an avid reader, I usually have an appetite for book series like The Hunger Games, Twilight Saga, The Uglies etc and was not very interested in Christian novels because I assumed they'd be preachy and corny and unrealistic, but A Voice in the Wind defies those misconceptions. In fact, when I was given this book a year prior, it rested on my shelf, untouched. Mind you, I LOVE to read. But lately I hadn't had anything spark interest in me, even when I was offered old classics. Then one day as I...more
I actually did not finish reading this book. The setting of Ancient Rome--the sexuality and immorality--was portrayed in so vivid and realistic a manner as to rather disgust me. The noble intentions of the story did not sweep along quickly enough to counteract the slow descriptions of the characters' lives of debauchery. There were noble themes mixed throughout the ignoble, but the merit of these was rather drowned by the author taking far too long to make those themes come to fruition. The main...more
If the Folio Society (my current bookish obsession) ever does a print of A Voice In The Wind, I will join their membership straight away and get it. I first read this book when I picked it up by chance in the library, and I love it so much. It's a wonderful story that I couldn't put down. Literally, I was walking everywhere with my iPad (more than usual, I mean).
A Voice in the Wind follows Haddassah, a Jewish-Christian who becomes a slave in a Roman household.
One thing I noticed upon this re-rea...more
A Voice in the Wind follows Haddassah, a Jewish-Christian who becomes a slave in a Roman household.
One thing I noticed upon this re-rea...more
Nov 12, 2012
Delicious Strawberry
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
francine-rivers,
historical-fiction
Being a non-religious person myself, I am typically jaded about Christian literature, having read some Christian novels that come across as very preachy/cheesy/cliched, but this book (and the rest of the series) was actually surprisingly enjoyable.
The book itself is very well-researched, and I actually learned some new things about the historical period that this book was set in, and the author herself has good writing ability - so a well-researched AND well-written book is always a plus to find...more
The book itself is very well-researched, and I actually learned some new things about the historical period that this book was set in, and the author herself has good writing ability - so a well-researched AND well-written book is always a plus to find...more
This epic novel sweeps us into the tumultuous time when the Roman Empire ruled with an iron fist and the first-century Christians were still in the early stages of Christianity's inception. I loved reading this novel. The cover and synopsis hooked me right from the start. This novel swept me away to a time in history I have studied intensely, but it also frustrated me. How can I both love a book and be frustrated by it? Read on.
The story opens up with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. Hada...more
The story opens up with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. Hada...more
This entire series is a beautifully woven tapestry with colors both light and dark. The first book chronicles the events in the life of Haddassah, a Christian Jew living as a Roman captive and slave after the fall of Jerusalem. It is a tale tenderly told, and often times painfully realistic in it's depiction of what life would have been like for this young woman. My heart broke for her as she struggled to share her faith with the wealthy Roman family she works for and has grown to love. Haddassa...more
I was a little surprised to read that so many reviewers were put off by Hadassah's "perfection" when in fact, I saw her struggle with fear throughout the near entirety of the book to be a main theme. Her fear flared up in different ways throughout, but most notably and consistently in her ability to verbalize her faith - in full. To share the Good News. As the book progresses, she becomes more bold - she becomes more sanctified, more holy - but that's not to say she was perfect.
I think our stand...more
I think our stand...more
A Voice in the Wind provides excellent insight into the suffering experienced by those who endured the misfortune of Roman conquest. Ms. Rivers deposits her readers spot in the middle of the action. I could feel Hadassah's terror as she waited while Roman soldiers went from house to house in Jerusalem, murdering the inhabitants. I could picture myself next to Atretes in battle. I could smell the stench in the pit of the ship and in the catacombs under the arenas. I could feel the warmth of the s...more
I'm normally not a person who goes ga-ga over this type of book as the faith and political aspects generally deter me from picking it off the shelf.
However... Francine Rivers just has a way with words in this style of book that makes me go INSANE. The first book of hers that I read was Redeeming Love, and that was absolutely phenomenal. I then looked for more of her books and found this one. Not knowing exactly what to expect, because I couldn't find a detailed synopsis besides what my family an...more
However... Francine Rivers just has a way with words in this style of book that makes me go INSANE. The first book of hers that I read was Redeeming Love, and that was absolutely phenomenal. I then looked for more of her books and found this one. Not knowing exactly what to expect, because I couldn't find a detailed synopsis besides what my family an...more
I love reading historical fiction because I learn so much about the culture, be it positive or negative aspects, of a particular people during a particular time. Learning about the Roman Empire and all that it entailed, i.e. conquering other countries, enslaving those conquered, the opinion of the general populous towards early Christians, the brutal treatment of gladiators and the "games" themselves, etc., was fascinating albeit horrific.
I thought the story line was really depressing though. N...more
I thought the story line was really depressing though. N...more
The opening fall of Jerusalem scene was confusing and slow, and I blogged about that when I finally reached Chapter 2 (my comments are at the end of this review.) But it picked up after that scene. I finished the book by reading for maybe four or five solid hours to get through to the end. Rivers is clearly a good storyteller.
But she's a chronic head-hopper, which is annoying and confusing. Several times, I had to re-read passages to figure out who thought what or did what or said what to whom,...more
But she's a chronic head-hopper, which is annoying and confusing. Several times, I had to re-read passages to figure out who thought what or did what or said what to whom,...more
I wish one could hide only part of a review when there were spoilers. I would say this outside of the cut: I am so freaking disappointed. And the rating doesn't reflect some really good things about this book.
Anyway, there will be a spoiler. I will warn you before it happens and you can stop reading there if you don't want to be "spoiled."
My mom gave me this book and I've put off reading it for a long time. Some books, you just have to look at every once in a while and wait for the feeling that...more
Anyway, there will be a spoiler. I will warn you before it happens and you can stop reading there if you don't want to be "spoiled."
My mom gave me this book and I've put off reading it for a long time. Some books, you just have to look at every once in a while and wait for the feeling that...more
2 likes · like · see review
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The Mark of the Lion series is my favorite set of books by any auther...EVER. Francine Rivers made me a lifelong fan. I have read nearly every book she's written, and have KEPT THEM. In fact, I have loaned them out, not gotten them back, and repurchased them just so they'd be on my bookshelves. The first two books of this series are the best fiction books I've ever read. Period.
I love Hadasseh's beginnings...daughter of a man Jesus raised from the dead, from a devout family who are killed by th...more
I love Hadasseh's beginnings...daughter of a man Jesus raised from the dead, from a devout family who are killed by th...more
2 likes · like · see review
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is this a book for guys? | 15 | 45 | May 18, 2013 12:37pm | |
| Any books like these? | 17 | 161 | May 16, 2013 03:24am | |
| more books like this? | 10 | 11 | May 09, 2013 11:06am | |
| Made for Movies | 8 | 59 | Feb 28, 2013 05:50pm |
New York Times best-selling author Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English and journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market, and her books were highly acclaimed by readers and reviewers. Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter...more
More about Francine Rivers...
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“We bear the consequences for what we have done to ourselves, and for the sin that rules this world. Jesus forgave the thief, but he didn't take him down off the cross.”
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165 people liked it
“True beauty is rare, and seldom recognized by the one who possesses it.”
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Jul 24, 2012 08:50pm
Jul 24, 2012 08:50pm