Jon Hopkins (2)

Authors and identical twin brothers, Jon and Thomas Hopkins have an advantage writing about the two young boys in the first book of their Long-Aimed Blow series, The Princes of Albion. Set during the first century in Rome and Britain (Albion), this novel is a graphic and gritty imagining of historical characters who have taken on legendary reputations. The book follows the ruthless Caradoc who challenges Roman authority and seeks to defend his beloved Albion from foreign influence. Other historical characters are included in the narrative, as well as fictional characters who flesh out a story that is drawn from the mists of time.

The story begins in 10 AD on the streets of Rome and continues throughout the years of Caradoc’s life. The Hopkins present a believable explanation of the fierce hate that Caradoc harbors towards Rome. The time represented is barbaric — human sacrifice, physical abuse, slavery — yet the hearts of men are not much different in our own civilized day. One character stands out. Alexenah is the slave-wife of Caradoc and the mother of the two princes, Jachin and Boaz. She begins the story as a young Jewish woman living freely in Rome, until treachery places her in the slave market. Her faith in God and His promise of a Deliverer keep the story from being completely brutal. I have to admit I had trouble at first with the names of the characters. Although the authors very helpfully include a pronunciation guide along with their who’s who, I still struggled. That is the fault of the character’s parents, not the authors, since many of the characters are historical and those were actually their real names! I also winced a bit (or a lot, depending on the scene) at the merciless treatment of men and women at the time. Most Christian fiction isn’t so graphic. Although, I am sure the authors were restrained in their depiction — it probably could have been a lot worse.

A different kind of story than readers usually encounter in the Christian fiction market, The Princes of Albion, is unabashedly realistic in its portrayal of life in first century Britain. This is a story that may appeal to those looking for gritty realism.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the authors for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (altro)