C. L. Smith

CL Smith’s Trouble in the Ruins, # 3 Stones of Gilgal, gripped my heart with terror and wonder. Terror of the Anakim in the land. I wondered as Smith describes the Anakim and their devotion to Baal if I would have been faithful to follow Joshua and Caleb’s urging to conquer the Promised Land (although that actually occurred in a previous book, we see so much of the Anakim, I can understand the Israelites’ fear. If only they could KNOW that their God is greater...) Wonder at the greatness of God.
“Night after night, the stars declared Yahweh’s message. Israel did not face evil alone. God would provide a deliverer. It was the message of Passover.”
Evil abounds, whether in Jericho, or in the Anakim, or the hearts of man, not fully committed to God. We travel with Israel and observe the wondrous defeat of Jericho, only to see the treachery that causes the defeat at Ai. I love how each character is presented as realistically, struggling, and sometimes failing, in their walk with Yahweh. Yet we see several attaining redemption, while others reject Yahweh and rail against Him. I liked how even the “good” characters like Caleb’s daughter Acsah and her friend Abihail find they need forgiveness and cleansing. Sometimes those who think themselves most righteous have to re-examine God’s Word for guidance on how to treat others.
My heart yearned in agreement with statements about the young people:
“Passover is not their story, but it must become so. It is the birth story of our people. I must tell it and retell it. Make it theirs. Tell it every year until I die—my parting gift to future generations.”
So many touching quotes. So many competing storylines, yet they work. Especially if you have read the first two books, which I had not, or are familiar with the Biblical Exodus. I give Ms. Smith points for putting the map in front (where I believe all maps belong) and the lengthy character list in back, where one can refer to it, once you have enough knowledge to hang your hat on. Otherwise, I find a list of names at the front off-putting. Add footnotes to Biblical allusions and references, great! At times the prose is not only compelling, but it is also melodic. This is a book that was hard to put down, as I followed each character and grew to love them.
Of course, with so many characters getting their turn in the sun, many did not see the ending I was hoping for. Fortunately, we are promised two or three more books to bring this Israelite saga to a satisfying conclusion. I went and bought the first two stories. I would have bought the sequels if they were available. If you like exciting Biblical fiction, give Trouble in the Ruins a try.
Notable Quotables:
“...we must not let the living force of the story be lost.”

“God transforms tears into jewels. He has a new plan for me than the life I imagined. A higher place, and it will be good.”

“Welcome to a place where identity and dignity are found in covenant with Yahweh.”

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. (I also bought my own copy.) All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.… (altro)

The Israelites have finally reached the promised land. Now life will be good, right? Perhaps, but not necessarily. After following the direction of the Lord in conquering Jericho, the people are excited to see how the Lord will continue to fight for them. There is, however, ‘achor’ or trouble in their midst. How will this affect their ability to continue to conquer the land? The current inhabitants are nervous and are making new alliances, hoping to be able to send those Israelites back where they came from.

The author has done a fabulous job of fleshing out this period in Biblical history. The characters bring the story to life, and make one feel like you are right in the middle of the narrative. The fulfillment of the tales of their grandparents once again help the people realize how incredible Yahweh is. Lack of faith had dream-crushing consequences for them - how will this play out in the lives of their children’s children?

The celebration of the Festival of Weeks brings a brief interlude where they feel like they have breathed the rarified air of heaven. What lies ahead for the people of Israel? The story continues in the next book in this series.....

This digital copy was received through CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.… (altro)

“Grandpa’s generation, the Exodus generation, found significance in teaching their children to live in covenant with Yahweh. You are the Gilgal generation. The shame of failure is rolled away, and tonight, we celebrate a new beginning.”

Biblical fiction is a difficult genre to write, and in my experience, it tends to be either hit or miss. Enough detail to inform readers about the time period and pique their interest, but without ever adding to the inerrant word of the Bible. Telling a story that will lead readers to the Bible to learn more without compromising THE story. Despite the challenges, I’m glad that there are authors who are willing to produce books set in this era, to make us examine Scripture more closely and to develop an understanding of what life was like for the people who actually lived the Bible.

Book three in The Stones of Gilgal saga, “Trouble in the Ruins” details the Israelite take-over of Canaan after their miraculous crossing of the Jordan. Author C.L. Smith again writes an engaging, page-turning novel replete with action, reality, and faith. In my case, I know that I tend to become so familiar with accounts from the Bible that I can gloss over them without really studying them and considering the details, whether there are any provided or not. That is part of why I love this series so much. I feel as if I am truly an eyewitness to what is unfolding as the scenes and characters come to life on the pages. “Trouble in the Ruins” focuses primarily on Rahab and the fate of Jericho, including its aftermath. I recently read “Rahab: Woman of Jericho” by Diana Wallis Taylor, but I felt that Rahab was portrayed there with a much cleaner backstory and an overall too-much-improved image. Here, on the other hand, Smith presents Rahab as a former prostitute who is nervous and unsure, a refugee along with her family. She is unfamiliar with Israelite customs but willing to learn, which I think may be a part of the reason that she was spared and later given the honor of being in Jesus’ lineage. This also raises a connection to society today: Even if you come from a sketchy background or have a sinful past, all that is needed is to repent and accept the Lord as Your Savior. He will turn every broken piece of your life into a beautiful masterpiece.

A few other facts particularly drew my attention, too. For some reason, my mind never fully grasped the fact that the cord hung in Rahab’s window was scarlet for a specific purpose, as well: “The color of blood and death. The color of Passover faithfulness.” Just as Yahweh miraculously saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, led them through the forty years in the wilderness, brought them safely across the flooded Jordan, and delivered Jericho into their hands, His supernatural providence and power provided for them again as Rahab and her family transitioned into life with the Israelites. This, along with the parts of the narrative that feature Salmon and other Israelite characters, underscore the human-ness of the characters, who face fear and doubt but stand behind the God who protects them. Also, the Israelite purification ritual made much more sense to me after realizing that they did this in order to remain clean while in the presence of God, Who inhabited the Ark of the Covenant. I also can’t help but think that America in 2020 greatly resembles Jericho, with its corruption, chaos, and rampant sin, and I think that we would do well to heed Rahab’s story and repent and follow the Lord before it’s too late.

Included at the end of the book is a List of Characters, a very useful guide to both the true and fictional people in the story (I personally think it would have been more useful to place this at the beginning, but that’s just my preference).

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.… (altro)