Title: Deborah Rising
Author: Avraham Azrieli
ISBN: 978-0062563552
Publisher: Harper Legend
Pages: 269
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Michelle Robertson
Hollywood Book Reviews
Deborah, from the young age of 13, was no stranger to hardship and remorse. She was an orphan and witnessed a great injustice done to her own sister; by the very man who decided to betrothal her. The very same man who once married her own sister had her put to death by stoning. She cannot stay with an evil hearted man and comes up with an escape plan to run away from her husband. Many obstacles are thrown in Deborah’s path as she makes her long journey on her quest to fulfill her father’s vision of her becoming a prophet of the Yahweh. Will she be able to overcome these obstacles and prevail?
“Deborah Rising” by Author Avraham Azrieli is a compelling biblical historical fiction novel introducing readers to the youthful life of Deborah, the main character who has come from the Biblical literature of the Book of Judges. As the author states in the acknowledgements, if a reading audience were to view the text within the Book of Judges, they would find no documentation, reference, or information about Deborah’s family or her childhood. They may however find themselves reading of her experiences as a military leader, judge, and prophet. With the knowledge of Deborah’s adulthood characteristics, personality, and achievements, that were well researched, Avraham Azrieli, shares with readers his notion of what Deborah’s youthful childhood, family, friends, acquaintances, and experiences, would have been like.
“Deborah Rising” is a steady read with well-developed characters and enticing scene plots. Written as a historical fiction novel, those readers who enjoy fiction, history, biblical literature are sure to find themselves enjoying each turn of the page, scene change, character dialog, and the suspenseful feel presented throughout the entirety of this book.
Finding the main character to be an actual historical biblical figure fascinated me. Growing up, not reading much from the Books of the Bible, but just listening to sermons, or masses, from preachers, priests, or a pastor, I had not heard the story of Deborah until researching and reading Avraham Azrieli’s “Deborah Rising”, I found this story of her youth to be highly intriguing, and never so disappointed to have the words “To Be Continued”, enter my train of thought as I read them from the Acknowledgement page. This story of this young woman, has moved me emotionally, spiritually, and has inspired me to re-connect with the historical persons from biblical times by conducting my own research, and studies.
As my interests have been spiked, I cannot wait to read the second book to Avraham Azrieli’s well written, highly developed, and enticing novel “Deborah Rising”.