This is the first of a trilogy, by this author, and the story centres on 2 main characters - Hadassah (a Christian Jewish woman) and Atretes (a Germanic tribal leader) and is set in the Roman empire of 70AD.
Both these characters have been taken prisoner and sold into slavery by Roman soldiers. Haddash has been taken from Jerusalem after the city fell to the Romans after the great Jewish rebellion. Solomom's Temple was destroyed by an army led by Titus, a future Emperor, and the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, decreed that the Jewish nation should be destroyed and its people scattered. Atretes was taken when his tribe's rebellion against Roman rule was defeated.
The story tells us of how each of these characters adjusts to life in slavery; Hadassah in the household of a wealthy merchant's family and Atretes in the arena as a gladiator. Hadassah accepts her fate, earning her the affection and respect of many, Atretes is in a constant state of rebellion against his captivity and dreams of returning home. She has utter and complete faith in her God and Jesus Christ, whilst Atretes has faith in no-one and nothing.
Their lives cross when Hadassah's mistress, Julia, meets and falls in love with Atretes. Nowadays we'd say she was a 'groupie' and Julia was certainly captivated by Atretes performance in the arena and engineered a way to meet him, as Roman ladies sometimes did with their heroes. Atretes comes to admire Hadassah, although he doesn't understand her, but when she is condemned to the games by her jealous mistress, Atretes must face his demons in a much more personal way than ever.
This story is about love and faith and of how these twins can either separate or join together. In separation is loneliness and despair, whereas joining makes them both, and the people who experience them, stronger.
For lovers of historical fiction, highly recommend.
A Voice in the Wind is published by Tyndale Fiction, ISBN 10:0-8423-7750-6
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