Rise to Power (The David Chronicles, #1) in The Creative Spark with Uvi Poznansky

Dec 10, 2013 Christoph Fischer rated it it was amazing

"Rise to Power (The David Chronicles)" by Uvi Poznansky is another eye opening book, based on a biblical theme but written with a modern mind and perspective. Without corrupting the original historic-biblical story Poznansky takes us into the world and minds of well known biblical figures, such as the first King of Israel, his rivals and his lovers.
A man of flesh and blood, with sexual urges, pride and huge powers of reflection and analysis David is a superb character, real, with bite and of th ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 29, 2014 Sheila rated it really liked it

Shelves: relationships, cultural, coming-of-age, historical, spiritual

Uvi Poznansky’s Rise to Power is a tale of madmen and kings, youth and old age, prison cells and freedom’s ring. It’s drawn from Biblical history, enjoyed through the eyes of modernity, and it vividly recreates character and place as opposed to the more familiar caricature and reverence.

This David’s music affords him rock-star status in court; his imagination offers the surprise of opportunity; and his ambition drives friends, wives and story toward the well-known tale that his well-chosen histo ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2013 Dolores Ayotte rated it it was amazing

Rise to Power (The David Chronicles) by Author Uvi Poznansky

David, the would-be king, is playing his lyre in an audition before the mad King Saul...or is he really mad at all? The popular story of the young boy David slaying the giant Goliath comes to life with a unique and somewhat macabre twist in this familiar old Bible story.

Gifted Author Uvi Poznansky is up to her usual finesse of taking a well-known Bible story and giving it a modern day perspective. Trust me...she does a darn good job of Rise to Power (The David Chronicles) by Author Uvi Poznansky

David, the would-be king, is playing his lyre in an audition before the mad King Saul...or is he really mad at all? The popular story of the young boy David slaying the giant Goliath comes to life with a unique and somewhat macabre twist in this familiar old Bible story.

Gifted Author Uvi Poznansky is up to her usual finesse of taking a well-known Bible story and giving it a modern day perspective. Trust me...she does a darn good job of it! The Prologue actually explains where King David ends up. In essence...the beginning of the novel finds David a prisoner of sorts...actually a prisoner of his impotent self. David now has the occasion to reflect on his past life and he has every desire to share his story. In this fictional novel, David is speaking in the first person and is the narrator of his own past history and the events leading up to his present situation. The reader is then taken back in time with David to hear firsthand how this supposedly humble and simple boy started out.

By his own admittance, he is not so innocent after all. Even though he has many brothers, he is to be King Saul's successor...hand selected by old Samuel the "king-maker...the one who anointed Saul all these years ago". In this provocative story, David definitely appears to be far more ambitious than one would have initially imagined and his "rise to power" more calculated and well-thought out than first perceived. However, King Saul is no fool and deep down he has his misgivings about David. Therefore, even in his madness, he looks for his enemy. Is it David? Jealousy of a potential rival has endless and brutal possibilities.

In one of her previous novels, A Favorite Son... Ms. Poznansky utilizes the same technique now found in "Rise to Power (The David Chronicles)". She once again creatively and adeptly gets into the head of a familiar Bible character, and then subsequently brings him into the twenty-first century. In doing so, she manages to take her readers with her and they too are exposed to a vast array of human emotions, some more positive than others. One readily sees the ambition and calculative motives of the players and the ends they will go to achieve their own goals no matter the consequences or who they may cross in the process.

The setting in this book is in the appropriate Biblical era but the characters have what appears to be a more modern day method of thinking. Or is this really an age old way of operating and not modern at all? Ms. Poznansky is merely saying it likes she sees it. The discerning reader soon realizes a more sinister plot may have taken place as she spurs us on to think outside the box and entertain all kinds of possibilities. I re-iterate that most of us are very familiar with this Bible story about the young boy David...however, I encourage you to read this version of his story. You will get an x-ray view of not only how David's mind possibly worked but also of the way Ms. Poznansky's mind captivatingly works in order to entice her reading audience. She does not leave a stone unturned in this intriguing Biblical story as David narrates his tale with and through the eyes of Ms. Poznansky. Watch David come alive with all his human faults, frailties, and fears as he diligently searches for his path to power. "Life in the shadow of death"...is it really that exciting after all? You be the judge.

Inspirational Author & Book Reviewer ~ Dolores Ayotte
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E... ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2013 Julia rated it it was amazing

I’ve been a fan of Uvi Poznansky for quite a while. Her books are beautifully written, emotionally engaging, educational – in a good way! – and always thought-provoking and very very interesting.

This adaptation of a familiar story from the Old Testament is unique and feels very modern. From the very first line of the prologue, the story drew me in, partly because of the masterful use of the first person by the author, and partly because of her engaging writing style. The scene of King David as a ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2014 Michelle Bellon rated it it was amazing

Once again, Poznansky has taken an age old tale and breathed new life into it.

This story starts out a bit slow and even a little confusing as you try to gain ground on the emotional terrain of the characters. However, as you acquaint yourself with the prose and style you gain a whole new appreciation for the story as it unfolds.

For me, the crux of this complex story illustrates our underlying human nature and how we perceive not only ourselves, but how we see ourselves in the world. The conflict ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 10, 2014 Dave rated it really liked it

I finished this book a couple of months ago. It was a quick read that I enjoyed very much.

My taste tends towards history, but I have generally avoided the genre called historical fiction for several decades. I'm not so much interested in a story as an understanding of how human society came to be what it is. I came across the author's website when I was randomly searching for graphic art. I was impressed by her paintings, found her bio interesting, and downloaded the 1st 2 volumes of her David I finished this book a couple of months ago. It was a quick read that I enjoyed very much.

My taste tends towards history, but I have generally avoided the genre called historical fiction for several decades. I'm not so much interested in a story as an understanding of how human society came to be what it is. I came across the author's website when I was randomly searching for graphic art. I was impressed by her paintings, found her bio interesting, and downloaded the 1st 2 volumes of her David series.

As a child, I found the biblical portrayal of King David and his times fascinating, but not entirely rewarding. The raw material semed to be there: his strengths and weaknesses. But there was something missing. The story was too mythical, it didn't seem to reflect the sort of way a real person would think or act, nor did it describe David's physical and cultural environment in a plausible way. Reviews suggested Rise to Power would supply the missing dimensions. The reviews were on target. Uvi Poznansky's David is a real person.

The narrator of Rise to Power is David himself. Throughout this volume he recounts the details of his relationship with his predecessor: why the old warrior-king puts up with him for a time and then recognizes that he's a threat to the crown. In the course of this tale we learn how Goliath happened to fall forward although struck in the middle of his forehead by David's slung rock. We are also treated to a depiction of the struggle between the Jews and Philistines (I understand that the term "Palestine" is simply the Latin form of "Philistine"). For a time David and his gang of bandits are allied with the Philistines against Saul, it's particularly interesting to see the nature of that relationship.

David eventually prevails over Saul. Had I stopped reading at that time, I'd probably have given the book 5 stars. The last several pages, however, adddress the beginning of the new King's decline after he sees Bathsheba. Personally, I don't need so much narration to understand that Dave was horny, he was the boss.

One more thought, King David put me in mind of President Clinton. Both were terrific speakers, who were ultimately brought down from great power by their very human urges. ...more

1 like · Like · see review