About the book: For as long as Jarem can remember, the war between the Nephites and Lamanites has raged on. But for the young Nephite, there is security in the knowledge that the ruthless Lamanite warriors would never dare cross the border into his village—until the unthinkable happens. A Lamanite raiding party defies boundaries, destroying the village and killing Jarem's family. Enslaved to his enemies, Jarem must rely on his faith in God as he endures unimaginable hardships at the hands of the Lamanites—including being cruelly separated from the woman he loves.
But even amid trials, there is goodness to be found. When Chemish, Master Healer of the Lamanites, takes ownership of Jarem, the young man discovers unexpected kindness. Jarem becomes the healer's apprentice, and soon Chemish finds his soul stirred by the Christian faith of his student. But even as the bond between the two unlikely friends grows, the hatred of the Lamanites spreads. It is no longer enough for them to own the Nephites—they want to exterminate every one of them, and even personal slaves are no longer safe. Now, Jarem's only hope of survival is a dangerous escape that will take him through the heart of Lamanite land . . .
My review: This book was so great! I loved everything about it!
This book is set in Nephite times, it follows the experiences of Jarem, a young Nephite. I loved how it shows him as a normal young man trying to fit in, at the beginning. He's joining a secret society, but things go horribly wrong when his village is attacked by a group of blood thirsty Lamanites who leave virtually no survivors. I loved Jarem. He grew up so fast when he realized just what had happened in his village. I loved the way he was watching out for the kids that were taken at the same time he was. He never forgot or gave up on any of them. I loved how selfless he was during the book. There were several times when he was more concerned about those around him.
I liked Chemish. He's a selfless Lamanite healer who saves Jarem several times throughout the story. Just when I thought all was lost for Jarem, Chemish was there to save him. So great! And I really love how his story ends.
There's also Zanesh. She isn't in the story from start to end, but Jarem is certainly thinking of her from the point he knows her in the story to the end. I love her strength and willingness to do anything she can for Jarem.
The plot of this one was so great! I loved the whole story line. Jarem would never have chosen to have dealt with what happened to him, but just like all of us, he grew so much from the things that he went through. I don't know what he would have said, but I suspect that he wouldn't have changed his circumstances if he could have.
This is such a great book, I didn't want to put it down!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
About the author: Gregg Luke was born in Bakersfield, California, but spent the majority of his childhood and young adult life in Santa Barbara, California. He served an LDS mission to Wisconsin then pursued his education in biological sciences at SBCC, UCSBB, BYU, and subsequently graduated from the University of Utah College of Pharmacy. His biggest loves are family reading, writing, music, science, and nature.
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Labels: Covenant Communications, Gregg Luke, LDS Historical Fiction
About the book: For as long as Jarem can remember, the war between the Nephites and Lamanites has raged on. But for the young Nephite, there is security in the knowledge that the ruthless Lamanite warriors would never dare cross the border into his village—until the unthinkable happens. A Lamanite raiding party defies boundaries, destroying the village and killing Jarem's family. Enslaved to his enemies, Jarem must rely on his faith in God as he endures unimaginable hardships at the hands of the Lamanites—including being cruelly separated from the woman he loves.