| Title | : | The Gates of Zion (Zion Chronicles, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1414301022 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781414301020 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 400 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1986 |
This first book in THE ZION CHRONICLES vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today.
The Gates of Zion (Zion Chronicles, #1) Reviews
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The reason I chose 5 stars was because this series usually I walk past, but on a friends recommendation I picked up the first book. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this book. So much that I bought the entire series in a nice collection. I loved the History and the fact that the characters and the events are actual events and real people that lived in these most trying times of faith and perseverance. I loved the fact that this book brought this History to life for me about the creation of the Jewish state of Israel. I liked the characters and the fictional conversations. I think sometimes the folks that give this book a dismal review are probably not Christians and every book they read has to be epic of sorts. I cat wait to get into the other continuing series from Thoene.
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This book was like reading a "B" movie. Some books can seamlessly blend historical fiction, romance, adventure, suspense, cultural issues--this is not one of them. The closest is comes to fulfilling any of these would be historical fiction. The characters are generally stereotypical and shallow, the premis is grossly biased, and I have to balk at any theme that makes one race of people 'the bad guy'; it takes a subject that is complex, historical, and sensitive and reduces it to the cognitive level of a fourth-grader. One redeeming area can be found in a few religious (Judaism-vs-Christianity)conversations between various characters. Yet, it's easy to feel that these islands of intellect are there to bolster the progaganda of the book rather than from the depth of the characters' personality.
There is really no feeling of suspense when there should be, and with the possible exception of Reb Lebowitz and Yacov, who are minor characters, you could really care less who loves who or who lives or dies. -
My High school English teacher recommended the Thoenes to us, but I never got around to reading them then. I recently opened The Gates of Zion and could not put it down. As a history lover, I appreciate their approach to being as historically accurate as possible. I walked away with more understanding of Israel's struggle for a nation. As a reader, I loved the plot; full of suspense, action, intrigue, and some romance for good measure. For me, any historical fiction that makes me want to study out the subject more is an excellent read. This one fit the bill. Can't wait to read more by this talented husband/wife team!
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A great book from beginning to end. A wonderful story of the Jews attempting to settle in Jerusalem in the post World War 2 area after the fall of Nazism. The persecution followed them even to their homeland where the Moslems continued to persecute from where the Nazis left off. No dull moments in this story but action from the beginning to the end. I am looking forward to reading #2 of the Zion Chronicles.
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3.5 stars:: I found this on my grandma's bookshelf and brought it home to read. I remembered reading the authors Zion Covenant series over twenty years ago and really enjoying them.
First, this is the authors first novel and the writing reflects that. It's a bit disjointed and sometimes it felt like she would've done better to leave out some characters. No one in particular, it just had too many to seem cohesive. On the other hand, I did enjoy the way she wove so many of them together.
Second, the historical facts in the book are what kept me hanging in there. I'm not one to just go read a romance novel, I find them generally boring so the history is the reason I wanted to read it in the first place. That was definitely my favorite element of the book. I found myself wanting to know more about the events and what were factual. Many of them were and others were based on actual events. Characters were based on real people or WERE real people. For example Golda Meir has a scene, and David Ben-Gurion, the Mufti and others are characters.
Lastly, my favorite characters were Yacov, Miriam, Rachel, Moshe and Rabbi Lebowitz, and out of those only Moshe is a main character.
I will continue reading the series since I enjoyed it enough and I like to mix in quick reads with my headier books. I am hoping the writing improves with each one though. -
This book covers an interesting and often overlooked piece of history, the establishment of Israel for the Jewish people after World War II. Unfortunately, the characters failed to draw me in or make me care about them. The women are so beautiful it is difficult for the men to decide which one they love, and the women suffer similarly because both men are handsome and courageous. The dialog is unrealistic and at times cringeworthy. As others have pointed out, the "bad guys" are all ignorant and cruel while the "good guys" are intelligent and virtuous. If only people were truly that easy to figure out and categorize. I found myself wanting to learn more about the historical events but hoping to read about them somewhere else. As much as I enjoy reading a series, I am not sure if I will continue with this one. Thoene's AD Chronicles was much better in my opinion.
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I wasn't so sure I was going to like this book. It was a book club selection so I was coerced into reading it. I was greatly surprised to find it very interesting and enjoyable. I don't think I will read the rest of the series, but I am glad I read this one. I liked that I learned about an event in history that I never-ever thought about before, the partition of Israel and Palestine or rather the creation of modern day Israel soon after the holocaust (definitely biased towards the Jews and Christians and not the Muslims). Now I have the desire to learn about it in more depth.
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A historical fiction novel filled with truth. I loved every second of this book. Set in 1947, we learn the story of Ellie Warne and how she came to love the Jewish people. She learns to trust her heart even in the midst of incredible pain. You won't be able to set this book down. These two authors are fantastic writers who weave the story and the truth into a blend of perfect reading.
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A little slow to start, but picks up and then you can't put it down.
My favorite line from the book is "Would she have ever known that God's love was bigger than heartache?"
What a powerful and precious thought! -
I loved this book. I thought that the beginning was a bit slow but now I see why it had to be like that. This wasn't the type of book that you can guess the ending, which I think is nice. I can't wait to read the next book!
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This is one of my favorite series and I really think y'all need to read it. :) Wonderful story. Highly recommended.
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4,5 sterren - Dutch paperback
Evil circles closer,
threatening even those
who survived the Holocaust.
The Gates of Zion was a pleasant surprise! I've read plenty of historical books about this time and place in history, and I found this book to be accurate throughout: not only with the facts, but also with the character's perceptions.
This round out the history into a compelling story with plots that pique the reader's interest, characters and situations one can sympathize with, and an overall sense of 1940's drama that seems like a film from that time period.
I was especially impressed with the accuracy of the history and geography of Jerusalem; I can tell they have at least visited the city before!
I found the characters to be pretty believable as well: sort of a cross between Leon Uri's "The Exodus" and Indiana Jones personalities. There all interesting.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the other books in this series, and then diving into some of the other Thoene books! -
Definitely not my usual kind of book, but a friend lent me the whole series and said I’d love it.
It took me a little bit to get into it, but by the time I got halfway though, it was a real page turner! -
The following is a quote about The Gates of Zion, from goodreads, about this book. It says it well.
“This first book in THE ZION CHRONICLES vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today.”
I enjoyed this book's real characters and suspenseful fast moving story. It gave me an appreciation of Israel, the Middle East and its history. -
Good hospital and post hernia operation reading. Too pro-Israel anti Arab for my liking. But was set after World War 2 so Jewish prejudice was still running high in many quarters. Convincing 'Christian spy' genre. Virtually my first Christian fiction, recommended by my wife who has read all the five books in the series, and pronounced 'I think these are more you than me.' May pick up again vol 2 in next hols... Worth a read if you are into fiction.
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Takes a while to get going, and rather political; based in 1947, in Palestine around the time when Israel became a nation. Violent in places, and a bit biased, though mostly well researched - but overall a good story, which became much more interesting after the early chapters.
Three and a half stars, really. -
I first read this series in 7th grade. I love historical fiction, I felt compelled to re read the series and was surprised at how much I remember. Love Ellie and her character. The "romance" felt a bit more contrived this time but I like the aspects of history and faith.
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Wow ... that was a wild ride. And it's only just begun.
This is just the type of book that I needed to read: informative and instructive, chocked full of historical details, and heart-rending at the same time. I've been largely heartless with the books I've read recently, but there was no way I wasn't going to love these characters. David, Moshe, Uncle Howard, Rachel ...
Granted, there were times where they bugged me. Rachel was highly annoying in the beginning(how dare she be rude to Moshe!) Then Ellie bugged me, and then I realized David was an arrogant jerk. (Moshe was the only one perfect from the beginning) But the way I grew to love them all reminded me of how we should treat others in real life. They may annoy us with their first impression, but there's always stuff going on in their lives. (They may not have been an S.S. prostitute, but nobody's perfect) David's courage was great, and he was a pilot, and his banter with Michael was precious. (How dare they make me laugh right before the tense climax! I guess I didn't completely lose my heartlessness) And Rachel was a dear, and her eventual friendship with Ellie was nice, too.
I guess Moshe wasn't perfect in the beginning, but his conversion was awesome. I don't use that word particularly lightly, and the way he explained the Messiah and everything was great. His relationship with Uncle Howard was also a nice touch.
Oh, and the history. I just want to devour all the Thoene books, but I know that I can't, that I have to digest everything in this book. Some people like to have a break from school during the Summer, but I'd rather not have my brains turn to mush. This book certainly guarded my brain from the mush; the political situation in the Middle East--the British, the Arabs and Haj Amin, the Jews, the Zionists ... all the factions, and how they interacted and were affected, was really interesting and instructive to read. The terrorism was sickening, but the good works of the Zionists was encouraging. But there are still so many problems!
It's true: this is only the beginning. -
Time Period: 1947
Setting: Jerusalem, Israel
A few years ago I read Bodie Theone’s series, “The Zion Covenant.” I know, I know...I’m way behind reading these CF classics! But it was my first time to read Thoene’s work and I immediately fell in love with all the characters. I vaguely made the connection that the “Zion Chronicles” was a spin off series, but mostly, I just knew I wanted to read it too because of how much I enjoyed “Zion Covenant.” You guys, I waited way too long! The connections in this series to the “Zion Covenant” are outstanding and so many characters have returned, I’m just thrilled!
So, before I go any farther, I’ll quickly make the connection between the two series. The Zion Covenant series has nine books. Book four is “Jerusalem Interlude,” and from there, we have a host of connections to the “Zion Chronicles” series. In fact, there are sooooo many meaning characters and parts of the story that cross over, I would dare say you should read “Jerusalem Interlude” before reading this series.
“The Gates of Zion” begins with a girl after my own heart, Ellie Warne, who is a photographer living with her uncle in Jerusalem. (He’s an archeologist.) And get this, the opening scene ties in a theme with the Dead Sea Scrolls. (Insert heart thumping emoji!) But what I love about Thoene’s writing is that these books just don’t cover one or two characters - there’s several people who play major parts in the story and they just don’t break down into the traditional hero and heroine plot. Now, if I were to tell you of Moshe, David, Yacov, Miriam, Rachel, Grandfather and others, it would sound a bit overwhelming. Yet, when you read this novel, everything flows so well, you feel like you’re right there, living this reality out with each person. It’s truly amazing and one reason I’ve committed to read this whole series too!
Conclusion: I absolutely loved the start to this series! There were moments when I thought this was just a new series, with new characters and new plots and then the author would slip something in that made me go, “Wait, was that just?...Oh!” And wham, there was a connection to “Jerusalem Interlude” that made me sit on the edge of my seat. And that’s what made me give this book five stars. Even though the subject matter with Israel’s political situation added some heart wrenching truths, the author made this an enjoyable read. So much history! But above all, it felt real. And that’s why I can’t wait to continue the series. -
The first in this series, what an intriguing and vivid story teller Ms Bodie is! She had me at the first word and I'm starting book three already as I write this review. Hard to put down to see what happens next, this most adventurous storyline of what it was so very likely like for the first gen Jews as Partition took place in Jerusalem in 1947 forward., What it had been like for them up to that point for the past 1/2 decade, and a tinge of what it was probably like in A.D. 70 when the tabernacle was last destroyed for the 1st Century Jewish Christ followers. I can't help but get lost in the reality of it all as it was back at the times of the first church and the times of the beginning of the Aliyah, the return to Zion last century. Very true to life, heartfelt emotions, very exciting and suspenseful to read, as well as most informative to those timelines. We've grown so comfortable in our America, we've created an Americanized Jesus. We've not been taught much about our Jewish Messiah. When did we get distracted from the plan? Messiah is returning. His name is Yeshua. He was Jewish. He said He was returning in the same manner in which He departed this earth. To the same spot, Jerusalem. Mount Zion. To the Jews first. That's what the Bible says, He wrote it, He is the Word. I want to learn more of Him, the ways of His chosen people, and the land Jehovah God held dear to His heart. This series is a beautifully written glimpse into all that America minimized. Thank you Bodie and Brock for bringing these stories to life! I was rooting for Moshe and Ellie, but Rachel and David are finding their own way with such a need for rescuing.
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Technically, a 3-4 star book.
This book series has been laying around my house forever and I finally picked it up to read. I will definitely be reading the entire series.
The Gates of Zion mostly focuses on an unusual group of people. Ellie is a young American photographer. Together with Howard, Moshe, David, and Rachel, she experiences the birth of the nation of Israel and all of the trials and tribulations that came from that. This historic fiction is definitely from a Christian perspective (I'm OK with that, but I know other readers may not be), and as such the "good guys" are all Jewish and Christian, and/or American. The "bad guys" are Muslim or German, with the occasional "British traitor." It's very black and white in that respect.
I could have done completely without the romance aspect. It felt forced and the triangle that sort of became a rectangle was so full of unnecessary "confused feelings" every which way detracted from the rest of the plot for me.
I definitely had to suspend belief for some of the action. The many close calls did keep the book exciting, though. The ongoing battle between the Jewish Haganah and the Muslim Jihadists is "contained" during the British occupation, but once the United Nations votes to partition Palestine, the fighting ramps up, knowing the British are becoming less inclined to interfere before their departure.
I have become interested in learning more about this topic because of this book. -
There are four main characters the story focuses on and they are well established and unique, definitely recognizable as individuals. As for the historical accuracy of the series, I am not sure. But the cultural accuracy of the Jews and Arabs versus the Americans of the era, as far as I can tell, is well accounted for.
The book starts right where the holocaust left off. For most Americans, little is known of the Jews who survived the death camps, but this series does a fantastic job relating the events that followed. How the Jews attempted to reclaim their lives after years of darkness, what their homeland was like before the war, and what they had to face after the war's end. For the Americans, the war ended in September of 1945, but for the Jews it only continued and has not stopped. Even unto the present day, there is an outcry for the deaths of all Jews.
The main characters run across great historical figures and the authors do a fantastic job retelling how a nation defended itself against the world with ancient weapons, misfit soldiers, and faith in Almighty God.
I would recommend this series for an age range between 18 and 25. The average eighteen-year-old (based on what I remember being eighteen years old myself at one time) would be mature enough to handle the mature content which is not explicit in the intimacy shared between the two young couples. And the dialogue is nothing like what you'll find in Cyrano or Jane Austin for your older adults above twenty-five, but, the strong suit of this series is the history of a nation of people. It also focuses on the growth of the characters and how they find God in their broken lives.
If you like drama, action, suspense, romance, history, culture, and travel, then I would recommend these books for you. -
It's interesting reading this series after having read most of the Zion Covenant, since this was published first, but is chronologically second. So I'm seeing the stories in order, but if I'd read them in published order, I would have already known some of what was going to happen to the characters in the Covenant series, which is more of a background of less prominent characters in this one.
The writing improved from this book to the Covenant series, but it's not bad. It's a look into a world that we don't hear much about, the recreation of a Jewish nation in Israel post-WWII and the politics worldwide that were involved, and the drama and grief that happened within the country, the test of loyalties, which governments and individuals to trust, which laws to break in the pursuit of higher good, etc. It's a little more preachy than the later books, but not unbearably so, and the characters do grow on you after awhile. -
The Gates of Zion has been one of the best books I've read in a while. It tells the story of true Middle-Eastern historical conflict, in an adventurous, action packed sort of way, that makes it fun to read. I enjoy the manner in which the writer integrates fictional characters and events into real history. The main protagonists, though a motley group, are quite likeable, in my opinion. They are strong willed and seem quite Genuine. One thing the writer does well, I think, is that she is not afraid to kill off her main characters, fictional or real. It keeps you on your toes. It makes you genuinely worried whenever there is a seemingly life-threatening predicament that the protagonists manage to find themselves in. Overall, The Gates of Zion is a book I highly recommend you read, especially if you are the kind of person who enjoys historical action.
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This was another series that I loved in junior high and high school and haven't returned to since. It's actually pretty good for the most part, decently well written and set in an interesting historical period. I like the romance quadrangle? rectangle? less now than I did as a boy-crazy teenager, but thankfully that gets resolved in this first book. I really love some of the supporting characters, particularly Grandfather Lebowitz and Uncle Howard, and I was surprised to find that parts of this book still have the power to make me emotional. 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up for not disappointing me after a 10+ year absence.
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A well-written story with a suspenseful plot about archaeology during the time of the formation of Israe3l from the British mandate. A realistic appraisal of events during that terrible time as seen through the eyes of Ellie, a young American photojournalist, David the estranged pilot who loves her dearly or does he, Moshe, the archaeologist with a secret working with senior American archaeologist Howard, Rachel, a rescued girl from the holocaust, and a young orthodox boy and his dog. Plus numbers of evil characters.
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This was a great historical, Christian novel about what it took to set up the new Jewish nation of Israel in 1947. There were so many refugees, transitioning from the British and the United Nations rule, and hostile Arabs — the first Jihad………There were so many interesting lead characters of the story - an American archeologist, a former WW11 fighter pilot, a photographer of Life magazine. Also, there were several Jews - a rabbi, a professor, an immigrant, a young boy and his dog. Like many Christian novels, it told of their personal struggles, and their paths toward redemption.
