Review: I Am Sarah by James Davison

I Am Sarah

by James Davison

 This is the entertaining and intriguing account of Sarah, a woman who has been alive for more than a millennium. She fell ill in her nineteenth year of life, died, and was resurrected by Jesus Christ. Pursued by the authorities who view her return to life as an abomination, she has been traveling through history with two others resurrected by Jesus, Lazarus of Bethany, and Elan, the son of the widow from Nain.

 

After learning that their resurrections conveyed immortality, the three set out to discover why. While Lazarus is intent on preserving the beginnings of Christianity and Elan is happily exploring new geographies, Sarah searches for her life’s purpose. Having fought alongside Lazarus and Elan in the Crusades, she now finds her place as a teacher, mentor, and gifted healer. But her new life is soon tested in a way she wasn’t prepared to face.

 

My Take:

I Am Sarah by James Davison is an action-packed continuation in the chronicles of three people raised from the dead by Jesus Christ – Lazarus of Bethany, Elan the son of the widow of Nain, and Sarah, the daughter of Jairus. Three people who, through their resurrection, received immortality. Down through the centuries, with the guidance of the angel Gabriel, these three are given tasks to perform to ensure the preservation of the faith, becoming catalysts for change and agents of mercy or judgement. In this novel, Sarah takes over guidance of a school in Italy to assist women in learning the healing arts, while dealing with her inner demons over her participation in the violence of the Crusades. All while she and her immortal friends avoid capture by a secret faction dedicated to returning them to the grave… permanently!

Content:

Drug Content:

G – little mention of even alcohol or intoxication here.

 

Violence:

PG-13 – Torture occurs several times here. A woman is burned at the stake.

 

Language:

G – Squeaky clean

 

Adult Content:

PG-13 – Discussion is made of a rape, and an occurrence of multiple attempts at that. A man is wounded in his manhood as a punishment.

 

Christian content:

This novel is Christian in nature, and discusses multiple characters from the time of Jesus who received immortality in their resurrections. Angelic visits and guidance occur repeatedly throughout. Faith, justice, deliverance, and providence are strong themes here. The saving resurrection power of Jesus Christ is on clear display. 

 

Final analysis:

I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing adventure through the middle ages. And what’s not to like? A faith-filled fantastic journey down through the ages laced with charm and wit. The banter between these immortals and the world-changing figures they visit is engrossing and thought-provoking. The characters were realistic, the stakes were high, the action was intense, and the world building was exquisite. I Am Sarah by James Davison mixes the historic with the fantastic with grace and care. The eras described and the settings throughout history show research and vision, and I found the whole of it an immersive and enjoyable read. I highly recommend this novel to fans of faith-filled Christian fantasy. Five Stars!

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Review: The Medallion by Victoria Simcox

The Medallion

by Victoria Simcox

The 3rd installment in The Bernovem Chronicles. This time Kristina’s stayed on in the magical land, to join Hector Mysteria, in the search of the wizard, Azaril Crimson, who has hidden Bernovem’s Book of Prophecy in the forsaken land of Jalmara. Sentiz is also back and in search of a key item―the Medallion that she’ll need in order to cast her final spell to rule Bernovem. Join Kristina as she continues her adventure on her dangerous journey, where she’ll soar high above the land and seas, on the back of a dragon, as well as meet someone from her past she’d never dreamed of seeing in Bernovem.

My Take:

In this third installment of the Bernovem Chronicles, Kristina has remained in Bernovem, to join forces with Hector Mysteria and thwart the plans of the evil witch Queen Sentiz. In the second book we learn that the bullies at Kristina's school are actually from this magical land, and had come to earth to trap her for the nefarious purposes of Queen Sentiz.

Terrible plagues and blights had spread in Bernovem, turning dwarves and humans alike into ravening Irgals, bats or blood-sucking giant mosquitos. The crown prince has disappeared and nobody knows where he is, while it is rumored his parents have died in a terrible tragedy at sea. Kristina is rescued from certain death by a mysterious dragon rider, who knows far more than he will say, making her wonder if he's on her side, or working for the enemy. All the queen's focus is on finding the last piece to a terrible and permanent spell over the land - the Medallion, a mystical object that will protect it's bearer in the cataclysms of the Last Days. Kristina unknowingly carries this fabled talisman, but has no idea of its powers or how to activate them. And yet the Medallion may be the key to the queen's demise.

 

Content:

Drug Content:

PG - There's a bit of drinking in this. A drinking party leaves some of the characters with hangovers. 

Violence:

PG-13 - There is some graphic violence in this. A character drinks water that turns magically to maggots. Some people are ripped open. Some evil transformations happen against the victim's will, in some detail. 

Language:

G - The language in this book is squeaky clean. 

Adult Content:

PG - There is some interest expressed between characters. A character leads another one on for her advantage. 

Christian content:

There are good and evil powers at work in the background of this novel. Yolen, representing the creator and sustainer, is prayed to and answers prayer with miraculous circumstance. Resucca, the dark entity guiding the evil queen's wicked plans, seems to have mastery of the lands. Holy books are referred to and faith is discussed. Loyalty and self-sacrifice are on display here, and trust in the creator when all seems lost brings rescue and relief.

Final analysis:

The Medallion by Victoria Simcox does not disappoint. It is a satisfying continuation to the Bernovem Chronicles, filled with adventure and fantasy. Dwarves, monsters, fairies and magic make for a exciting fantasy romp with a solid amount of world-building. Engaging character arcs and immersive scenery contribute to a satisfying stay in this unique land of magic. Fans of clean fantasy will find this an enjoyable and quick read. Five Stars!

About the Author

I was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. I now lives in Western Washington with my husband, Russ and our three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Beside being a writer, I am a home-schooling mother of thirteen years and an elementary school art teacher of twelve years.

Website: victoriasimcox.blogspot.com