A tremendously moving conclusion: "On This Foundation" by Lynn Austin
about the book....
Stone by Stone, the Wall Will Rise Once More Around God's City
When news reaches him that Jerusalem's wall is shattered and its gates burned with fire, a distraught Nehemiah seeks God's guidance in fasting and prayer. Granted an unexpected leave from his duty as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah sets out for Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall--never 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 stop the wall's reconstruction forever. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, with 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 Foundationis the powerful conclusion to The Restoration Chronicles. This exploration of faith in the midst of oppression offers hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.
When news reaches him that Jerusalem's wall is shattered and its gates burned with fire, a distraught Nehemiah seeks God's guidance in fasting and prayer. Granted an unexpected leave from his duty as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah sets out for Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall--never 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 stop the wall's reconstruction forever. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, with 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 Foundationis the powerful conclusion to The Restoration Chronicles. This exploration of faith in the midst of oppression offers hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.
my review....
I'm not sure why, but every time I pick up a Biblical fiction book I somehow expect that I am going to be heading into a slower-paced read. But such is not the case with "On This Foundation" which I honestly found to be so completely absorbing that I read the entire thing in one day (including late into the evening of course!) Lynn Austin has skillfully woven together the story of Nehemiah with a number of supporting characters to create a spell-binding tale that has given me a new appreciation for how the Jews rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem following their exile from the land. The hardship the people endured, the difficult lessons they learned as they turned aside from worldly ways to follow God - all comes to mmarvelous life in this final book of The Restoration Chronicles. The characterization is fantastic, and the plot zooms along with plenty of surprises thrown in. The best part is that the writing is absolutely faithful to the story of Scripture, with some extra sub-plots thrown in to add even more tension and drama to the story. "On This Foundation" is very well written, and though it is over 450 pages in length, not for a moment did I feel that the story was dragging under the weight of its longevity. Rather, I was sad to see the story end, as I wanted to peer further into the lives of these Biblical characters and watch them grow and learn and make the same sort of mistakes that we all do - all while seeking to give God the glory for their lives and his calling upon them.
Lynn Austin continues to be one of my favourite authors to watch, and as this series draws to an end, I am greatly anticipating what tale will next emerge from her fertile imagination. If it's anything like this latest offering, it will be wonderful indeed. 5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
I'm not sure why, but every time I pick up a Biblical fiction book I somehow expect that I am going to be heading into a slower-paced read. But such is not the case with "On This Foundation" which I honestly found to be so completely absorbing that I read the entire thing in one day (including late into the evening of course!) Lynn Austin has skillfully woven together the story of Nehemiah with a number of supporting characters to create a spell-binding tale that has given me a new appreciation for how the Jews rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem following their exile from the land. The hardship the people endured, the difficult lessons they learned as they turned aside from worldly ways to follow God - all comes to mmarvelous life in this final book of The Restoration Chronicles. The characterization is fantastic, and the plot zooms along with plenty of surprises thrown in. The best part is that the writing is absolutely faithful to the story of Scripture, with some extra sub-plots thrown in to add even more tension and drama to the story. "On This Foundation" is very well written, and though it is over 450 pages in length, not for a moment did I feel that the story was dragging under the weight of its longevity. Rather, I was sad to see the story end, as I wanted to peer further into the lives of these Biblical characters and watch them grow and learn and make the same sort of mistakes that we all do - all while seeking to give God the glory for their lives and his calling upon them.
Lynn Austin continues to be one of my favourite authors to watch, and as this series draws to an end, I am greatly anticipating what tale will next emerge from her fertile imagination. If it's anything like this latest offering, it will be wonderful indeed. 5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
About the author..
Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home in western Michigan. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.
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