An Echo in the Darkness

The first book left off on something of a cliffhanger, and since it was so well-written, of course I JUST HAD to get the second book! I borrowed it from the same friend I borrowed the first from, and I was not disappointed. The fact that Marcus and Hadassah didn't have it easy makes the story interesting.

Like the first book, this one is very well-researched and written, and I enjoyed reading about the life of the gladiators. and Roman life in general. I was actually surprised to learn about what happens to people who barely survive the gladiator arena, it was fascinating. It was gratifying to see Hadassah gain a second chance after what she had been through, and also to see what happens to Julia - despite her being a brat, I can't help show more but feel bad for her. Overall a great book, I would have given it 5 stars if the Christian message wasn't so forced, in this book at the ending the basic message is that Christianity saves all, even if you're already a good person to start with, and the miracle card (what happens to Phoebe at the end, for example) was overplayed. show less

Francine Rivers paints a detailed picture of life in the Roman Empire. She gets into who her characters are inside rather than just how they appear on the surface. The book is Christian fiction, in the best sense of the word. The main character is a Christian Jew who is taken captive when Jerusalem falls to the Romans. The story is very much about how her faith effects her life and the lives of those around her, and it is shown not by sermon snippets but by her actions. I highly recommend the book. Much of what is sold as Christian fiction couldn't be sold to those without faith because the stories are trite and the dialogue preachy. This book could be enjoyed even by someone who didn't care a bit about religion

I enjoyed the first book but felt it was a little bit tedious to get through, so I was a bit hesitant to start this one. Thankfully, this was completely different and I had a hard time even putting it down! Part of that reason was because I already knew all the characters, but the faith displayed in these pages is what truly sucked me in. It was incredible to see forgiveness and redemption in this story and I was left in tears at the end and overcome by the grace of God. He is so merciful and kind and loving and forgiving. I'm thankful I picked this one up and am already looking forward to reading the third and final book of this series.

After reading the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next! This book was a surprising read, in some respects, but also a deeply redemptive one. Watching characters choose the hard road of forgiveness over hate was powerful, and the historical context was striking, especially considering the perspective the Bible gives on certain places that feature in this book. Content-wise, I was a little disappointed at some of the sin that was mentioned in the book—although overall, it felt like a cleaner read than the first book in the series.

There was much to love and appreciate in this story, and for that, I’m grateful. I’m planning to read the last book in the series as soon as I can, even though I’m show more not sure how many other books I want to read from Francine Rivers. She is a talented author, and I greatly enjoy her style and ways of showing Biblical truth and history through the medium of story, but some of the descriptions of sin are borderline too much for me at times (thankfully, no instances appear condoning of said sin—and rarely is there more than a mention of it—but it is a common occurrence in these books). show less

Let me start by saying, "WOW, This is one of the best, most moving books I have ever read in my entire life!"

An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers is an absolute masterpiece. The story picks directly at the ending of the first book. Hadassah, now very disfigured, covers herself from head to toe in veils and does God's work as a healer, working tirelessly with Alexander, the physician who helped God save her from the arena. She sees patient after patient, day after day. And all the while, she tries to open Alexander's eyes to the wonder that is Christ. Eventually, Hadassah learns of the all consuming illness Julia has contracted and knows that God is leading her back to Julia in order to continue her work trying to make Julia show more understand the salvation God can offer regardless of her past transgressions.

All the while, Marcus is consumed with bitterness at the loss of Hadassah as he doesn't know she's still alive. He refuses to speak with Julia and no longer enjoys the pull of Rome or anything else in life. To find the truth about God, he travels to all the places Hadassah has ever set foot, yet he still finds no salvation, until one night, after attempting to drown himself, he is rescued by a man and told the Good News again. He knows now that God wants him to return to Ephesus in order that he may forgive Julia for her sin against him just as God has forgiven him his own sins.

What I Liked: THE WHOLE THING! From start to finish, I was totally enraptured. I shed a few tears but I also felt like jumping for joy. The emotional pull Mrs. Rivers exerts is absolutely astounding. Through the whole book, you are rooting for everyone to be able to find the salvation they need and to be able to see God as clearly as Hadassah. Yet you also see the vulnerability of believers, those who's faith isn't strong but whom strive to be stronger. You also feel the frustration, as Hadassah tries to import God's message as people hear the words yet don't understand the deeper meaning of what she's really trying to impart. I was very much in love with all the events in the book and how strong Hadassah is, as her faith never wavers. This series has made me a stronger believer. Thank you, Francine.

What I Didn't Like: Not a single thing.

I encourage everyone, young or old, man or woman, regardless of religion, to read this book. It will move you and show you the goodness of one young woman who touched the lives of so many. And through them, the lives of even more people. A wonderful, awe inspiring, belief strengthening book. show less

Often the second novel in a trilogy suffers from middle-book syndrome where it lacks depth and purpose. An Echo in the Darkness definitely defies this complaint. I was captivated from the first to the last page as I continued following the lives of Hadassah, Marcus, Julia and Phoebe. A beautiful and moving story - loved it!

This is the second in the Mark of the Lion series. A dear friend loaned this to me, so I feel bound to finish the trilogy. It's ok, but I feel it's a bit preachy. Still, the characters almost seem to be caracatures, not realistic. There is also an angel figure that appears briefly. I understand Rivers's goal in writing this, to bring her readers closer to Christ. I am afraid, however, that she has made it seem like all Christians are perfect, have powers that non-Christians don't have, and have angels appear to lead them to Christ. In my experience, it doesn't happen that way. The story itself picks up more than it did in the first one, although it did seem a bit draggy in spots.