An Echo in the Darkness (Mark of the Lion #2)

This book is much darker than the first. I would not recommend reading this book without reading the third afterwords. Much of this story is graphic. Definitely not intended for younger readers. This book has many parallels to current day life. It will cause you to look at the world around you. An excellent book.

Francine Rivers is arguably Christian fiction's finest writer, and THE MARK OF THE LION trilogy is her crown jewel. They are my favorite works of fiction -- ever. While other authors may sell more books at times, none can WRITE like Rivers.

The MARK trilogy is set in the Roman Empire, shortly after the fall of Jerusalem. Using a Hebrew slave girl (Hadassah) and a German gladiator (Atretes; think the film GLADIATOR) as the main characters, three books are crafted around themes of faith, redemption, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Rivers is one of the best at writing characters and those that she creates here are absolutely convincing -- flawed and heroic on multiple layers, with developmental conflicts that relate to and parallel modern times almost seamlessly. AN ECHO IN THE DARKNESS, the middle book of the series, picks up immediately after A VOICE IN THE WIND's climax. Where A VOICE focused mainly on Hadassah and her struggle to stand for her faith, AN ECHO's main conflicts surround the Valerian family (whom Hadassah served) and their responses to the sacrificial price that Hadassah paid. The resulting journeys towards redemption play out wonderfully and, as the book progresses, become more and more moving. Though A VOICE is my favorite of the series, from a literary standpoint AN ECHO is probably the best.

You can read AN ECHO on its own, but you must read A VOICE first, and you might as well order the entire series because once you read one you will have to read them all. These books will not only grab hold of you and demand to be finished but they will challenge you to take your walk with God to a much deeper level. No other novels have ever affected me so profoundly. Forget the LEFT BEHIND series and invest in a true Christian classic. FIVE STARS.

Francine Rivers second title in the Mark of the Lion series delivers a pleasant suprise. The saga begun in "A Voice in the Wind" takes a dramatic and dark twist in "Echo in the Darkness". It stands in sharp contrast to the first book and shines in its own right.
The characters we met in the first novel are developed a great deal in the second novel and we get down to some of the deeper issues motivating these people. Almost non-existant is the frivolous debauchery seen in the first novel. In the first book Ms. Rivers lays a groundwork of the lives the main characters are enmeshed in. Here, in the second book we see the tragic consequnces of those actions. We see the ravages of promiscuity, the hopelessness of idol worship, and the sobering effects of the apathy of a society that is crumbling under the weight of its own debauchery. You can't help but see parallels to the present day. This novel, more so than the first, will make you think and examine your own walk with the Lord.
The pace is breathless, be prepared to have difficulty closing the book. I ended up taking it with me to work and reading on my breaks, I couldnt tear myself away from the story. I read the last 100 pages in one sitting ending well past 3 AM.
As far as christian fiction goes its sometimes like navigating a mine-field, you pick up a novel not knowing what the author's theology may be and what your about to be exposed to. In this novel, Ms. Rivers has done a remarkable job of presenting what true christian faith is all about. She shows various people from all walks of life coming to know the Lord. Ms rivers novel shows us that the wages of sin indeed are death, but that no matter what, God loves us, and through redemption in christ, there is life and that nothing is impossible with christ.
I strongly recommend this series but with some caution. The issues addressed are heavy ones and a younger audience probably shouldnt read it. Issues such as promiscuity, witchcraft, false religion, EXTREME violence, abortion, and sexual debauchery are all factors in the stories. While these issues are used to show just how depraved certain characters are, and are desrcibed with a great deal of vague care (we know what the characters are doing but are not forced to read graphic descriptions) they are nonetheless there. If these books were ever made into a movie I think they would be pushing the limits of a PG-13 rating. the battle sequences in the first book alone are enough to make one a little unsettled.
All in all though this series is a powerful one and one cant help but be changed by reading it. I picked up book 3 today and already I'm hooked. Enjoy!

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. Of all of the books I have read, I keep coming back to this one, it simply draws me. I have read it 13 times or more. If you haven't read it yet, please do. It is one of the few books that draws me in completely from the very beginning. I can sit down on a lazy Saturday and read nearly all the way through it. And I get so involved in the book that if you want my attention, you may as well call me by the main character's name. It is that good!!

It's been a year since the end of A VOICE IN THE WIND. Marcus is feeling restless. His life of pleasure no longer holds any happiness for him. Julia is finding that her friends really don't care for her, and she is fighting an illness that no one seems to be able to cure. Their mother, Phoebe, prays constantly for their salvation. Fortunately, God has not given up on them. And the answer might come from the strange woman hidden in veils who assists the young doctor Alexander at his shop in the poor part of town.

Francine Rivers has once again captured the Roman empire of the 1st century AD. Rome, Ephesus, and Israel come alive with compelling people and small historic details. The theme of God's love and the power of forgiveness are beautifully shown through the lives of these characters. The ending was so powerful, I'm sure it will stay with me for quite some time.

This novel is definitely a sequel to the first book in the series, A VOICE IN THE WIND. Enough of the first book is explained so you won't be lost if you choose to read this one first. However, since you'll ultimately want to read the first one, I recommend starting with it so none of the surprises will be spoiled.

These novels are some of the best Christian fiction I've ever read. If you enjoy a good story with strong characters, you'll want to pick these up and read them today.