Jonathan’s Shield
By Channing Turner
Genre: Biblical Historical
Beral's only goal is to serve loyally as Jonathan's shield bearer and protect his prince through whatever battles may come. But Jonathan needs a friend as well, a man he can trust while navigating the precarious footing of his father's court. Being that friend puts Beral's life in danger and stretches his loyalty to the breaking point. For what Jonathan wants is to do Yahweh's will, whether that be through defying his increasingly paranoid father, King Saul, or supporting the aspirations of young David, whom Jonathan believes is the rightful heir to the throne.
As he competes with David for the hand of the king's daughter, Beral struggles to hold true to his loyalties, even while he watches King Saul descend into madness.
If Yahweh withdraws his protective hand, Beral and his men will be all that stand before their gathering enemies. Only one thing is certain: Beral's fate, as well as the future of Israel, is tied to the virtue of their king, and Saul's honor has long since fled.
Author Bio
A son of the South, Channing Turner grew up in Arkansas and Louisiana before graduating from Louisiana State University in Psychology. He did graduate work in marine biology and became an estuarine biologist along the Texas coast. After retiring from the petrochemical industry where he worked in Louisiana and Montana as a laboratory analyst, he managed the 2010 US Census in Montana and northern Wyoming. He now lives in eastern Washington with his wife, Barb.
Channing served in the army and was discharged as an Armor captain. Reading and writing are his sedentary pursuits, but he also enjoys riding his Tennessee Walker in the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon.
Website: www.channingtbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/channingturnerbooks
On Red Adept: http://bit.ly/RAPJShield
MY REVIEW:
I usually approach religious fiction with extreme caution. I grew up with Roman Catholic faith and, even after leaving that church, I kept up my religion and my beliefs. So I have to make a conscious effort to ignore what I've been taught when I receive a religious book, be the faith Christian, Atheist, or Jewish. Or anything else.
This book took familiar Biblical characters and, while it didn't change them or give us a new outlook on their messages, it improved them. It added a level of humanity to them. It made them three-dimensional.
This is fiction, and I strongly caution Christian readers to remember that. It's not real. It is Mr. Turner taking the story he grew up with (as did many of us) and doing what authors do best: embellishing. There is an added level of romance that some readers might find offensive depending on their preference, but nothing in this book disappointed me. It was a beautifully written tale of love and loyalty.
5/5--excellent!
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