The Old Testament book of Daniel comes to life in this novel for readers of Lynn Austin’s Chronicles of the Kings series or Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series.FINALIST FOR THE CHRISTY AWARD®Survival. A Hebrew girl first tasted it when she escaped death nearly seventy years ago as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took their finest as captives. She thought she’d perfected in the many … She thought she’d perfected in the many years amongst the Magoi and the idol worshippers, pretending with all the others in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Now, as Daniel’s wife and a septuagenarian matriarch, Belili thinks she’s safe and she can live out her days in Babylon without fear–until the night Daniel is escorted to Belshazzar’s palace to interpret mysterious handwriting on a wall. The Persian Army invades, and Bellili’s tightly-wound secrets unfurl with the arrival of the conquering army. What will the reign of Darius mean for Daniel, a man who prays to Yahweh alone?
Ultimately, Yahweh’s sovereign hand guides Jerusalem’s captives, and the frightened Hebrew girl is transformed into a confident woman, who realizes her need of the God who conquers both fire and lions.
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Once again Mesu Andrews delivers captivating biblical fiction. I connected with these characters as this fictionalized story from the book of Daniel unfolded. Andrew’s characters are real and flawed, learning deep lessons along their journey. While facing uncertain and extremely difficult circumstances, their faith was tested. Although they did not always remain faithful, they discovered that God is always faithful. And so, hope was found. That is only one of the many lessons that I want to take to heart from this book. I felt that Andrews handled scripture carefully, as well as, historical details in imaging the life that Daniel faced many years ago. For me, reading this book added depth to my understanding of the book of Daniel. I highly recommend Of Fire and Lions to anyone who is looking for strength to face their own difficult circumstances. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
You all remember sitting in the Sunday school rooms growing up and hearing the tales of young Daniel and the Lion’s Den? Or what about the story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Adednego? I definitely do! Mesu Andrews has taken those stories straight from the Old Testament and weaved them with the perfect amount of fiction, to make the story come to life and play out like a movie on the big screen.
I loved learning more about Daniel and his life. It wasn’t an easy life, that’s for sure! Andrews tips the scales with his story. It takes places during Babylonian times, and the garb that was worn then is richly detailed, so I could envision the way the people may have been then. The words that were used during that time are beautifully portrayed in this story. The action of the times, Daniel being thrown in the lion’s den, the furnace of fire, all of it is intricately woven together to tell the tale of having a faith the size of a tiny seed in the Almighty God, and how it can bring you through anything.
I loved how Andrews told this book in parts. It really helped to fully feel the emotions, see the different times, know what was happening. The research that is put into this story is richly evident. Her passion for her characters and story is felt through out the book.
This is most definitely worthy of 5 stars. If you are one who may have trouble understanding the stories of the Bible, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Andrews’ Old Testament story of Daniel. Her unique penning of The Lion’s Den will have you understanding things in a whole new like, allowing you become Daniel for a time. Your faith in God will be strong by the end of this book, and it will leaving you wanting more. Mesu Andrews, wonderful job on your story of faith and hope and trust in God! I can’t wait for you to write another amazing novel!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook & Multnomah and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*Mesu Andrews
I really enjoyed reading this biblical fiction based on the life of the prophet Daniel. I loved learning more about the context within the culture of Babylon.
I have always shied away from Biblical fiction because of my fear of the author’s interpretation on a character or event of the Bible taking away from the truth of God’s Word. Of Fire and Lions was my first taste of Biblical fiction and there are things that definitely threw me off, the biggest being the fact that Daniel is married. Since the Bible doesn’t say anything about him being married I’ve always assumed that he was single, and though I did appreciate the author’s explanation and reasoning behind making him married, this fact was a little bothersome to me.
What redeemed the story for me was Daniel himself and the story as a whole being full of emotion but connecting to Abigail was tougher for me. I’m not entirely sure why but I undeniably felt a disconnect with her character. I also felt like the entire narrative was disjointed, the reader being switched from the past to the present, back and forth like a ping-pong ball, and being expected to keep up with the changing settings, characters, and situations.
I fought to love this book but sadly it was a disappointing read for me. Maybe I had too high of expectations or it wasn’t the right season for me to be reading this book, but it was a struggle to make it through, and solidified my doubts for reading Biblical fictions in the first place.
*I have reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from WaterBrook. All opinions are completely honest, and my own.
“Truth. It is the only purely righteous thing on earth giving it power over the excesses of wine, unrighteous kings, and disagreeable women. Truth alone prevails forever without partiality or preference.”
–Zerubbabel
Mesu Andrews takes the biblical life of Daniel, beginning his story as a young man of Jewish royalty, and spins it together with creative storytelling to give him a lovely young maid named Abigail/Belili, and further enhances the tale with plenty of historical detail. Daniel’s capture by King Nebuchadnezzar and his years of service in Babylon begin the detailed story of Daniel and Belili’s life both together at times and apart.
The story is very detailed and the reader will encounter many Biblical characters, such as Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego and the angels, Gabriel and Michael, as well as the historical figures such as King Nebuchadnezzar and his wife. The story weaves back and forth from their younger past to their older life as they near the end of their time in exile. Readers of biblical fiction and detailed historical biblical fiction will enjoy this book. It is not a light read, but it is a very interesting account of Daniel’s life as it could have been.
This copy was received from Waterbrook Press. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
After reading Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews, I will never read the Book of Daniel the same way again. It.brought to life Daniel’s story in a way I had never imagined it before and explained how the Biblical events might have occurred. While Daniel’s prophecies are included and applied in certain situations, this novel doesn’t tackle explaining the end-time prophecies in the book of Daniel.
Of Fire and Lions captivated me from the beginning with family tension and Belili’s mysterious past. The story jumps between different times in Belili’s life and sometimes that jump threw me off, but it did serve to stir questions and heighten my interest.
Abigail/Belili, my favorite character, is brilliantly written. Belili’s narrative voice differs with age – not only in her perception of events around her, but also in her outlook on life. She develops and grows, changing and learning through experiences. The changes she embraces and even those she fights, ring with authenticity. Themes about Yahweh’s never-ending love and His inexhaustible forgiveness play out as Belili wrestles with her circumstances and questions. Her faith journey is life-long, just like ours.
Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews boasts an eye-catching cover, but the stunning story inside reaches beyond the page to touch the reader’s heart with it’s themes. I highly recommend this Biblical fiction novel. My husband also read and enjoyed it, so it’s appeal is not limited to women.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Mesu Andrews NEVER disappoints. “Of Fire and Lions” is no exception! This story of Daniel’s wife, Abigail, their family and her journey by Daniel’s side throughout the years is engrossing. Mesu does a great job of researching and bringing Scripture to life. Every time I read her work, I am drawn back to the Bible to read the Scripture her books are based on. The fleshing out of these biblical men and women facing often overwhelming odds leaves me caught up in the story, curious to know how the multiple connections will be drawn together.
Within the story, there are messages of love, grace and second chances. Each character goes on a journey of struggle, joy, pain, acceptance and repentance. God works in every circumstance, even though the characters might not realize it until years later.
“Of Fire and Lions” is a book that begins with the biblical stories we know then takes the characters far deeper than I expected. Having read her previous books, I know Mesu works very hard to keep her writing as close to what could/would have actually happened within the culture of Scriptural times. I love feeling like I have learned more of the people behind the stories from the Bible…perhaps God has given Mesu insight that we would all wish to have. You can’t help but root for these every day people, given such big tasks to wade through, all while being faithful to Yahweh in a culture that asks them to be unfaithful to Him.
I believe that any book we read that causes us to take time for self-reflection and that provides reminders of the hope we have in Christ is worth reading. I truly enjoyed being an early reader and am thankful I was able to preview “Of Fire and Lions,” thanks to #NetGalley and Waterbrook Multnomah. All opinions are my own.
The only bad part about this book is that it came to an end! This was an absolutely amazing read, I could not put it down! Mesu Andrews did a great job creating the world of Babylon and unfolding the life of Daniel. The fictional story of Abigail and Daniel create such a sweet reprieve from the continual violence and upheaval of a conquering nation. An Absolute Must Read!
Mesu Andrew’s Of Fire and Lions tells the story of Daniel. It is told from the POV of Daniel and Belili. While the Bible tells us that Daniel maintained a strong walk when faced with persecution, many Hebrews in captivity struggled to maintain a close relationship with God. Ms. Andrew’s chooses to give Daniel a wife and family. In Belili, the author gives us a heroine that has learned to be strong and courageous in order to survive. The story spans the full seventy years of Hebrew captivity. Through Belili’s journey of faith, the author describes the hardships many Hebrews endured in captivity and the difficult decisions they made in order to survive. The author deftly describes life in Babylon at the time, filled with political intrigue of the court and the various rulers Daniel served under. While the retellings of the escape of Shadrach,Meshach and Abednego from the furnace and Daniel from the lion’s pit were fabulous, I was most touched by the retelling of Nebechadnezzar’s transformation.
Mesu Andrew’s continues to write biblical fiction in a way that maintains the integrity of the biblical foundation, expertly utilizing historical research and weaving these all together in a hauntingly beautiful story of the Hebrews in captivity. Her writings challenge me as the reader to visit these stories in the Bible, reading them with a new perspective. Not a perspective that diminishes God’s Word, but one that challenges the reader to wonder how they would respond if placed in a similar fate.
A few of my favorite quotes:
” In that moment, I knew my greatest failures as a mother hadn’t been protecting my children too fiercely or even holding back secrets. My most dire mistake had been neglecting to trust Yahweh’s power and sufficiency in both their lives and my own.”
“Because uttering meaningless words to a false god shriveled my soul.”
“No fear of physical or emotional pain could compare to an everlasting separation from the One who always showed me mercy.”
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.