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Such a Time as This
Intrigue. Murder. A classic tale that brings the biblical Queen Esther to life in a way you'll never forget A sinister plot. A desperate plea. And a daring mission... Young Esther never thought her life would turn out like this. All she ever wanted was a quiet life in her Jewish community...and a loving husband and children someday. Then, one frightening day, she's stolen off the streets by the Persian king's guards and forced into the competition to be Xerxes' next queen. Catapulted against her will into life inside the harem, Esther's simple world becomes complicated. There's her chief rival, Isis, who is out for blood.and the king's mercurial temperament. Then a dastardly plan gains momentum that will make all evil pale in comparison. And Esther is the only one who may have the power to stop the bloodshed....
164 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 21, 2019
Rebecca Velez does a fine job of imagining life in the time of Esther in Such a Time as This. For one thing, Esther was so young when she was swept into the harem of a volatile, capricious Persian king. And I've never given any thought to the other girls vying for a place at his side, some willingly, some not. Ms. Velez weaves an engaging story that honors the Biblical text. I really appreciated that because Esther is one of my favorite books. If you're a reader of Biblical Fiction, I highly recommend this one.
December 25, 2024
A bit more crass in a few places than I would’ve liked, not overtly so but still more than I prefer. Though it’s a novella, it still seemed a bit rushed in some places and left out so much in others. Esther’s story is one of my favorites so when I saw this book, I automatically wanted to read it. Though the author did a great job in keeping me interested in the story, I felt as though so much more could’ve been written about.
April 30, 2021
Reading this series made me think allot . How the Lord wants us to forgive family an there worth to him an us , the love shown was remarkable. I enjoyed All these books it will take you back in time .This books view of the women in the old testament an how they loved, forgave, an faith in Our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Blessings
May 8, 2021
I love the story of Esther and so decided to give this book a try. It fell short in many ways for me, while the graphic details were contained were likely accurate, it felt more to be telling me the story than my experiencing it. It is a quick read, if you are looking for a debut novel to try out.
June 21, 2010
In "Such A Time as This," Ms. Velez retells in unique style the delightful tale chronicled in the Biblical book of Esther. She takes us from the young girl Hadassah’s warm and peaceful home in Susa’s Jewish enclave, to the guile and intrigue of the royal harem in Xerxes' palace. Along the way we’re given glimpses into the tender mind of Hadassah as she copes with her capture by Xerxes’ soldiers, her preparation for his bed, and finally with her prominence as his queen.
Ms. Velez appoints a poignant cast of characters to add color to the story, some as close allies of Queen Esther, some as scheming enemies. Together, we tread the streets of Susa, the halls of Xerxes’ palace, and the gentle corners of Hadassah’s mind as her role in God’s plan for his people in exile begins to unfold. Reminicent of Tommy Tenney's A Night With the King, Ms. Velez takes the story further along, as the family of the disgraced and executed Haman plot revenge against Mordecai and the Jews of the realm.
The story of God’s deliverance of His people from the evil Haman’s genocidal plot through His fragile servant Hadassah is well known. But the ‘what’ of the story is not the draw of Such A Time as This, it’s the ‘how’.* The precious thoughts of this most humble of God’s servants carry us gently along the storyline, imbuing a poignant pathos—even empathy—into Hadassah’s experiences at the hands of a moody and unpredictable king, an often hostile court, and growing in her devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Each of these experiences matures a young, sometimes naïve, Jewish girl, who, in the fullness of time, blossoms into a competent queen—a woman of substance prepared to give her life for her people and her God in ‘such a time as this’.
Ms. Velez appoints a poignant cast of characters to add color to the story, some as close allies of Queen Esther, some as scheming enemies. Together, we tread the streets of Susa, the halls of Xerxes’ palace, and the gentle corners of Hadassah’s mind as her role in God’s plan for his people in exile begins to unfold. Reminicent of Tommy Tenney's A Night With the King, Ms. Velez takes the story further along, as the family of the disgraced and executed Haman plot revenge against Mordecai and the Jews of the realm.
The story of God’s deliverance of His people from the evil Haman’s genocidal plot through His fragile servant Hadassah is well known. But the ‘what’ of the story is not the draw of Such A Time as This, it’s the ‘how’.* The precious thoughts of this most humble of God’s servants carry us gently along the storyline, imbuing a poignant pathos—even empathy—into Hadassah’s experiences at the hands of a moody and unpredictable king, an often hostile court, and growing in her devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Each of these experiences matures a young, sometimes naïve, Jewish girl, who, in the fullness of time, blossoms into a competent queen—a woman of substance prepared to give her life for her people and her God in ‘such a time as this’.
January 22, 2008
Such a Time as This is based on the Biblical book of Esther. The Book of Esther has always been one of my favourites, so I was thrilled to get the chance to read this novel and had great hopes for it. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint.
In Such a Time as This the Jewess Esther is kidnapped by palace guards while she’s at the marked, shopping for her sick grandmother. The Persian king has just discharged his queen in disgrace, and all the beautiful girls of the city are rounded up and brought to the castle to join the king’s harem and compete for the position as a possible replacement.
By the grace of God Esther is chosen as the new queen, placing her in a position to fulfill God’s plans for her life and intercede for the Jews when a malicious assistant to the king sends out a decree to kill all Jews.
Such a Time as This is a fascinating retelling of a well-known story that brings the characters of the Book of Esther to life as never before. It is written in a way that is accessible and easy to understand even for people not familiar with the Biblical tale.
According to the author, Rebecca Velez is currently working on a sequel to Such a Time as This, and although it will obviously be based on free speculation rather than a true story, I am already looking forward to reading more of her work.
In Such a Time as This the Jewess Esther is kidnapped by palace guards while she’s at the marked, shopping for her sick grandmother. The Persian king has just discharged his queen in disgrace, and all the beautiful girls of the city are rounded up and brought to the castle to join the king’s harem and compete for the position as a possible replacement.
By the grace of God Esther is chosen as the new queen, placing her in a position to fulfill God’s plans for her life and intercede for the Jews when a malicious assistant to the king sends out a decree to kill all Jews.
Such a Time as This is a fascinating retelling of a well-known story that brings the characters of the Book of Esther to life as never before. It is written in a way that is accessible and easy to understand even for people not familiar with the Biblical tale.
According to the author, Rebecca Velez is currently working on a sequel to Such a Time as This, and although it will obviously be based on free speculation rather than a true story, I am already looking forward to reading more of her work.
January 28, 2009
A nice story of the biblical Esther, but unfortunately I have read the best books on her (by the Danish writer Paul Hoffman) which no other book can compare with. The problem with this book was that it had too many unfulfilled potentials.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews