|
|
|
REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS FOR Out of Jerusalem: Of Goodly Parents, Volume 1
“This book was very well done. I could tell as I read it that the author had
spent a lot of time researching details, customs, geography, and learning
about the culture. In my opinion, this is the best work of historical fiction
about the Book of Mormon that I have read or seen.”
—Reviewed by Dayna Davis, “Heather Moore's work is wonderful. She is clearly up on the latest research, understands the local culture and geography today and then, and didn't get caught up in fictional elements way beyond the scriptures that only distract from a better understanding and appreciation of the Book of Mormon.”
—Reviewed by Dave Lefevre, “...Succeeds wonderfully as a faithful yet imaginative work of historical fiction. It has brought me to see in new light those pivotal days that the family of Lehi and Sariah experienced between Jerusalem and Arabia.”
—S. Kent Brown, “A vivid picture of Nephi and his family that is as captivating as it is informative.”
—Jeffrey Savage, “You'll feel joy, sorrow, and angst. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.”
—Annette Lyon, “...I found Out of Jerusalem to be enjoyable reading. Unlike so many of this genre, which are complicated to follow and heavy reading, this author's writing flows and the characters and events are credible. Having lived in the Middle East for a time, her grasp of the culture contributes to her ability to fill in the gaps and details not found in the scriptures themselves. “Moore devotes significant space to the budding romance between Nephi and Ishmael's youngest daughter Isaabel, which tends to add a bit of love interest for the romantics among us. The author also has the wisdom to paint Laman and Lamuel with a lighter stroke than most. For instance, in Book of Mormon: The Movie, these two are so vicious it is hard to accept them as anything more than caricatures. Moore presents them as people who are selfish and self centered; people like ourselves who give in to greed, human weakness, and confusion... a most enjoyable book that should appeal to a large audience—familiar with the Book of Mormon or not.”
—Charlene Hirschi, REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS FOR Out of Jerusalem: A Light in the Wilderness, Volume 2 “Once again H. B. Moore takes us effortlessly into the intriguing world of Ancient Arabia. Resting her story on her finely-tuned research skills, she places the experiences of Lehi's party into a believable setting of constant challenges, debilitating disappointments and joyous triumphs.”
—S. Kent Brown, “We may never know for sure what happened in the years it took to reach Bountiful, but Moore has provided one fascinating possibility, bringing the struggles and characters to life with freshness and vitality. You'll never think of Nephi's journey the same again.”
—Annette Lyon, “A great read... Heather Moore will take you on a journey worth every minute you spend with Out of Jerusalem. I highly recommend her series.”
—James Michael Pratt, “Out of Jerusalem is a very ambitious, multi-volume fictional narrative based on the story of the Book of Mormon. The author, Heather Moore, uses her knowledge of the Book of Mormon and of the history and topography of the Middle East to create a plausible background for the stories of Lehi and his family as they make their way to the land they would call Bountiful. “Volume One covers 1 Nephi 1 through most of chapter 16. In it we meet Lehi's family as well as the family of Ishmael. Moore gives names to all the characters, including the women, although the Book of Mormon names only Sariah, the wife of Lehi. She depicts what everyday life must have been like in Jerusalem, with observations about culture, trade and religion that bring the period to life. In particular, we meet young Isaabel, who would become Nephi's wife in the wilderness. The retelling of the sons' attempts to gain the records from Laban, and Zoram's joining the family in the wilderness, are enhanced with insights into the life of the rich in Lehi's time. “Volume Two amazingly covers only 1 Nephi 16:33 to 17:6. The author notes that the narrative in the Book of Mormon mentions that Lehi and his family spent eight years sojourning in the desert. She wonders why they spent so long before reaching Bountiful, and creates a rich tapestry of events to explain the delay. Stories of families taken into bondage, raids by passing marauders and discontent among Lehi's and Ishmael's children, blend together with the Book of Mormon's storyline to present a sometimes harrowing, but always fascinating, picture of what may have happened. . . these are good books, and deserve a wide readership.”
—Jeff Needle “This is a great book! It is a fictional account of what might have happened to Lehi's family in their travels through the wilderness. It is told mostly from the point of view of the women and it is fascinating! ...What follows is a really good estimated guess at what might have happened to Lehi's family. Obviously the author has done a tremendous amount of research to portray things as accurately as possible. I learned a lot. “I thought I would be able to read this slowly over a week or two, but once I got into it - the book was impossible to put down. I highly recommend this series if you haven't yet started it. It will make you appreciate the Book of Mormon even more than you already do.”
—Dayna Davis “The stories just grabbed me from the beginning. Although very familiar with Lehi and his family's sojourn to the Promised Land, for the first time the colors, smells and depths of emotion were skillfully woven around very plausible plots as these stories came alive. I couldn't put them down . . . I can't recommend H.B. Moore's work enough. I anxiously await the third book in her installment series.”
—Candace Salima “A conscientious researcher, Moore brings to a genre that I usually find heavy and boring a fresh voice and an imagination that creates believable characters and situations that belong to a time and place far removed from our own.”
—Charlene Hirschi REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS FOR Out of Jerusalem: Towards the Promised Land, Volume 3 “H.B. Moore may be the most exciting new writer in the LDS genre. In Out of Jerusalem, Moore takes characters from thousands of years ago and breathes life into them. I look forward to reading more from Moore.”
—Richard Paul Evans, “Moore persuasively renders a rich body of scholarship about ancient life in Southern Arabia in wonderfully imagined fiction. She conjectures why it took eight years for the families to travel only 2,200 miles and creates interactions between Lehi's family and peoples all along their journeys, from Arabia to islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are exciting, faith-centered, faith-enhancing historical novels.”
—Richard Cracroft, “If you have read my previous reviews of the Out of Jerusalem books, Volume 1 and Volume 2, you will have already concluded that I'm a fan of this series. It's kind of funny really, but each time I read another one, I think that this will be the one that can't live up to my expectations. But Volume 3 did once again live up to my expectations and surpass them. I love this series. It makes me think of the Book of Mormon in a whole new way and it helps me identify with beloved people and stories that we all know so well. “The author never misses a detail in researching these books. The customs, culture and traditions of Lehi's people and times is painstakingly investigated and it is reflected in this volume, as well as previous ones. I have never understood how Nephi's family could have stood by and watched Laman and Lemuel tie Nephi to the mast of the ship without doing something, but the author portrays a very realistic account of what might have been. It helped me to understand and empathize. I truly hope you'll enjoy Towards the Promised Land as much as I did.”
—Dayna Davis, “H.B. Moore once again brings her deft yet incisive skills to a world largely hidden from view. In her hands, the story of Lehi and Sariah nestles into its natural setting, vivid to the eye and palpable to the touch.”
—S. Kent Brown, “Overall, I find this to be a very successful book. Like Dean Hughes and Margaret Blair Young, Moore stands between the poles of Lund and Card, mixing an interesting imagined story that goes beyond the scriptures with education and emotional reward . . . Most notable about the books is that she focuses the women of the party, and native peoples the party encounters, two aspects which are left largely or completely unmentioned in the scriptural text . . . [Moore] did an exceptional job at opening up an unexpected world me, making it a very satisfying read. I look forward to reading the other volumes in the series.”
—Andrew Hall, “One cannot discount the value of the Out of Jerusalem series' narrative written by an author who has lived in the Middle East. Not only do the books come to life, but I'm learning so much about the customs and mores of those who journeyed from the old world to the new.”
—Irma Anderson,
Retired Dean, “A very compelling, well-written book. I was especially fascinated with the story of Dinah and her interactions with her sisters and relatives, which vividly portrays how women living at that time might have felt and acted. The daily life, the trials they faced, and their treatment of family deftly draws the reader in. Moreover, the devotion which the characters have in their hearts for their God lingers in my mind as example of how I would like to be. Towards the Promised Land is easily one of the best Book of Mormon novels I've ever read.”
—Rachel Ann Nunes, “H.B. Moore has done it again. I was immediately transported back to the land of Bountiful, struggling with the desire to wring the necks of Laman and Lemuel and cheering Nephi on as he took a seemingly impossible task, building a ship in the workmanship of God. Moore cleverly created characters and developed them fully into living breathing characters bringing the Book of Mormon to life. Can't wait for the next one.”
—Candace E. Salima “Moore has written a novel that expertly weaves the intricacies of Lehi's family with the trials they faced while crossing the water to their promised land. I love how she writes from multiple viewpoints so we can understand better the daily lives of the women from the Book of Mormon. I envy the author that can make such incredible research look effortless and bring it to print in a way that is both compelling and entertaining This book is a masterpiece and one not to missed!”
—Julie Wright, REVIEWS & ENDORSEMENTS FOR Out of Jerusalem: Land of Inheritance, Volume 4 “In the first three volumes of her Book of Mormon historical fiction series, Heather B. Moore showed that she could create a view of an ancient world that combines the best scholarship with a lively imagination. She does a fine job of walking the tricky line of faithfulness to the scripture and creative storytelling. She opened up the hearts of her characters in ways both remarkably touching and authentic. In this forth and final volume she does all of that, as well as writing one of the most exciting adventure tales that I have read in a while. “Moore sets the novel soon after the Lehi party's arrival in the New World, followed by the death of Lehi, the split between Nephi's and Laman's groups, and the conflict that follows that split. As in earlier volumes, she uses several male and female POV characters. Like earlier volumes, her descriptions of the native peoples the Lehi party would have encountered add great color to the work. Moore is the daughter of Book of Mormon scholar S. Kent Brown, and her careful chapter endnotes make clear that her descriptions are based on genuine scholarship. “A difficult question Moore faces is how to depict the change wrought on the Lamanites after their separation from the Nephites. Was their skin changed immediately, or was it due to a gradual intermixing with native groups? Moore decides to go with the more dramatic option of a sudden change. To soften the racist implication in linking a curse with dark skin, she introduces in her notes, and she has her characters repeat, the construct of BYU Book of Mormon scholar Catherine Thomas, who has claimed that 'the Lamanites cursed themselves when they chose to reject the Spirit of the Lord'. As a result, the Lord set a mark of dark skin upon them. 'The sore cursing was not the dark skin, but the loss of the Holy Ghost, of which the skin coloring was but a mark' (Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 7, Deseret Book, 1987). This makes sense to me theologically, and defused a potentially racist premise. “The decision sets up an effective sub-plot about Elisheba, a daughter of Lehi and wife to a son of Ishmael, who remains behind with her husband after the Nephites escape, the only believer in the Lamanite group. As the only one not to be marked with the curse because of her faithfulness, the Lamanites accuse her of bewitching them, and plot to kill her. She eventually becomes part of a multi-character inter-family chase through the jungle, an adventure set piece that Moore pulls off beautifully. As the saying goes, I was glued to my seat. “Moore does not shoot off any literary fireworks, but she more than fulfilled my expectations for a religious historical fiction novel. I will keep my eye open for her next release.”
—Andrew Hall, “In Land of Inheritance (Covenant; 336 pp.; $19.95), the fourth and final volume in her Out of Jerusalem series, Heather Brown Moore (BS ’94) recasts events from 1 Ne. 18:24 through Jacob 1:4, extrapolating from the bare-bones scriptural account an imaginative tale of New World exploration and settlement. Drawing on the rich and growing body of scholarship about ancient life in Mesoamerica (which she glosses in interesting chapter notes), Moore folds into the novel a wealth of anthropological detail about the New World, including details about existing indigenous populations at the time of the Lehite migration. While staying true to the Book of Mormon text and spirit, Moore has crafted a faith-enhancing story that revisits and vivifies Book of Mormon times and places.”
—Richard H. Cracroft, “Though the research behind this book is scholarly, it would be a mistake to assume the book is a summation of dry historical facts. It is a story of emotional and spiritual growth. It's a fascinating study of diversity within a family and the various dynamics that involves… A powerful message concerning repentance and forgiveness is given. The separation into two camps drives home the awfulness of civil war within a family where faith, love, and loyalties are tried to the limit.”
—Jennie Hansen, “Land of Inheritance truly brings the story of Nephi's family to life, giving the reader a glimpse of both the heartbreak and the triumph they must have experienced. A must read.”
—Annette Lyon, “If you're like me, it won't matter how late at night you may be reading, you won't be able to put this book down until you've read through to the end. And long after you've read the last page, you'll be left thinking of Nephi, his extended family, and the incredible events that shape the Book of Mormon.”
—Michele Paige Holmes, “Stepping onto the shores of the New World brought entirely fresh experiences to the party of Lehi and Sariah as well as a totally new look to their surroundings. H.B. Moore skillfully and engagingly leads us into the group's triumphs and challenges as this small colony struggled to establish itself and to forge a new identity on foreign soil, inescapably far from their beloved Jerusalem. This book is a terrific read.”
—S. Kent Brown, “This last book in the Out of Jerusalem series certainly does not disappoint. H.B. Moore brings the Book of Mormon to life through her meticulous research and creative talents. Moore helps us to read 'between the lines' of Nephi's account and gives us a stronger connection to early prophets through this compelling book.”
—Dayna Davis, “H.B. Moore brings the Book of Mormon to life in volume four of the Out of Jerusalem series. Not only is her research precise and well documented, but her ability to give flesh and bones to people that sometimes seems too far in our history to be real, was amazing. I was pulled into this story immediately and not released until the early morning. Everything about it was so real and so very powerful. More than an account of Book of Mormon stories, Land of Inheritance is a book about real people, facing overwhelming trials as they settle into the land they have been led to. The hardships are not sugar coated, the tone is not preachy, rather it was real and believable, yet it followed the scriptural accounts with precision. I did not expect to see myself, my trials of faith and family, reflected in the lives of these people; but I was reminded that just like me they were doing the best they could, struggling to understand, trying to do what's right amid sometimes overwhelming circumstances. I was completely spellbound by the story of Nephi and his family. If you've ever thought that knowing the story of Nephi from the scriptures was enough, you have not been blessed with the depth of H.B. Moore's writing.”
—Josi S. Kilpack, “The fourth and last book in the Out of Jerusalem series, Land of Inheritance, is a vibrant completion to a well written, poignant tale. This conclusion shows us a glimpse into the lives of Nephi and his family as they settle into the promised land. Heather has woven the scripture into a reality I can believe happened. I feel like I got to know Nephi as he carved out the scriptures. I understood passages of scripture that I had never really acknowledged before. Heather has captured the human element that is timeless, regardless of technology, geography, or race. She has made these people real to me because of how relatable they were to my own life. I cannot rave enough about this book and recommend it to anyone of everyone, male or female. If you want a satisfying read, this is the book to add to your library.”
—Julie Wright, |