Thunder from Jerusalem (Zion Legacy Series #2)

by Bodie Thoene, Brock Thoene

Overview

"The Thoenes once again provide suspenseful adventure tinged with the sorrow of reality." (Library Journal)

Early on the morning of May 19, 1948, the long siege of Jerusalem's Old City is lifted as patriot soldiers break through the Zion Gate. But the celebration is short-lived-a long battle ensues. Moshe Sachar, a professor and strategist for the Haganah group, must keep the movement's momentum alive in the face of a dissenting mayor and a disguised SS assassin who has infiltrated the group. Meanwhile, Rachel, his pregnant wife, tends to the growing numbers of wounded at the hospital.

Bodie and Brock Thoene bring to life the stories of a striking cast of characters in an epic story of heroism, tragedy, romance, and faith set against a momentous turning point in the history of the world's most sacred city.

Author Biography: Bodie & Brock Thoene are the authors of thirty-five novels, including the bestselling series The Zion Chronicles and The Zion Covenant. Together they have won eight Evangelical Christian Publishers Gold Medallion awards.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780670892068
Publisher:	Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date:	10/02/2000
Series:	Zion Legacy Series , #2
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.48(w) x 9.52(h) x 1.02(d)

About the Author

Bodie and Brock Thoene, with degrees in creative writing and history, respectively, are the authors of Jerusalem Vigil and Thunder from Jerusalem, the first two volumes of the Zion Legacy series. Their other thirty-three novels include the best-selling series the Zion Chronicles and the Zion Covenant. Together they have won eight Evangelical Christian Publishers Gold Medallion awards. The Thoenes live in Nevada and London, England.
Bodie and Brock Thoene, with degrees in creative writing and history, respectively, are the authors of Jerusalem Vigil and Thunder from Jerusalem, the first two volumes of the Zion Legacy series. Their other thirty-three novels include the best-selling series the Zion Chronicles and the Zion Covenant. Together they have won eight Evangelical Christian Publishers Gold Medallion awards. The Thoenes live in Nevada and London, England.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

The DC-4 had been flying in total blackness for hours. American Colonel Michael Stone was in the copilot's seat. Square jaw tense, head aching, the forty-five-year-old Stone did his best not to sound nervous.

*****

At twenty-nine minutes into David Meyer's half hour he blithely announced, "There it is." Swinging the transport plane in a wide turn, he dropped the port wing so Stone could see the beacon of Haifa Harbor. The rest of the port city and the countryside around was blacked out. "Glad to see the Boss doesn't believe in giving the Egyptians an easy target," he said, swinging the craft back toward the south. "Eighty miles to go. Better roust Bobby...if he isn't too drunk."

*****

At twenty minutes after two o'clock on the morning of May 19, 1948, salvation came to the besieged Jewish Quarter of Old City Jerusalem.

*****

The voices of celebration surrounded Rachel Sachar and Lori Kalner as they pushed through the human tide that clogged the twisted lanes of the Old City.

*****

The seventy-four-year-old Mother Superior of Soeurs Réparatrices Convent sat alone in the lightless bedchamber at the Latin Patriarchate.

This is what the Lord, says:

"I will restore the fortunes of

Jacob's tents

and have compassion on his

dwellings;

the city will be rebuilt on her ruins,

and the palace will stand in its

proper place.

From them will come songs of thanksgiving

and the sound of rejoicing."

*****

—Reprinted from Thunder from Jerusalem by Bodie and Brock Thoene by permission of Viking Books, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc. Copyright (c) 2000 by Bodie and Brock Thoene. All rights reserved. This excerpt, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Editorial Reviews

In this pulpy sequel to Jerusalem Vigil, the Thoenes provide a bit more intrigue and a bit less bathos, but continue to serve up the same jaw-dropping anti-Arab, pro-Israeli bias as before. This novel picks up when the first ended--in May 1948 Jerusalem, as Arab Muslims from varioius nations attempt to reclaim nascent Israel by way of several bloody yet unsuccessful offensives. Characters from the first novel return to fight for Jerusalem's Old City, and while they remain one-dimensional, the suspense builds as multiple cliff-hangers keep readers guessing about what they will do next and whether they will survive. A heroic Old City defender named Jacob, for example, cheats death repeatedly, though each of his action sequences seems like it could be his last. The Thoenes portray these Jewish-Arab battles, however, as an extension of the Nazi Holocaust; the Arabs here lust after Jewish blood while the Jews are morally above reproach and regularly protected by God and his angels. All other characters fit into one of these categories, depending on which side has their allegiance. A historical novel that takes a position is understandable, but one that canonizes the good guys and demonizes the bad guys as uniformly as this one does is heavy-handed in the extreme. These twin stereotypes, though, are the beating heart of the Thoenes' Jerusalem. Readers should look elsewhere for fiction that acknowledges and explores the gray, complicated areas of history. 100,000 first printing; 6-city author tour. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The Thoenes' Jerusalem Vigil (LJ 4/1/00) covered the first five days of of the new state of Israel and the Arab opposition in a fast-paced, explosive tale. Picking up where the story left off, this book takes us to the besieged city of Old Jerusalem, which cannot stand without reinforcements. Yet the barricade around the city prevents needed supplies and troops from prevents needed supplies and troops from entering. As a traitor works from within the city to end the siege, Moshe and Rachel Sachar work steadily to keep morale up and losses down. Stocked with characters from the first book and an in-depth, albeit biased, view of the war, the Thoenes once again provide suspenseful adventure tinged with the sorrow of reality. For all collections.

Library Journal

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