Prague Counterpoint (Zion Covenant, #2) by Bodie Thoene

Prague Counterpoint (Zion Covenant, #2) Reviews

• 
  Becky

  I wrote to the author and asked:
  
  why do you use real character names (such as Winston Churchill) and change names of other characters (Craine & his castle clearly refer to William Herst)?
  ----------------------------
  their response:
  Dear Becky:
  Good question! When we have interviews with real people who met historical characters (like Churchill) then we are comfortable using real names. When the setting involves hear-say reports or is purely fictional (even if realistic and true to character) then we change the names. It's one of the requirements we impose on ourselves to keep the history as accurate and reliable as possible.
  Blessings,
  Bodie and Brock
  
  ------------------------------------------
  anyway, I thought it was really good that they were trying to be historically accurate and not going overboard with creative license when it comes to actual people in history.
• 
  Natalie Vellacott

  The second book in the series continues the reign of terror prior to the Second World War. The focus is on Austria, and later Prague. The Nazis seek to hunt down and destroy a small boy born with a cleft palate after murdering his father. Elisa is forced to decide whether to become more involved in illegal activities to help those she cares about. What has happened to Murphy now that he has married Elisa and which side is Otto really on?
  
  Almost as fascinating as the first book, but I felt the romantic scenes between Amanda and Murphy were clumsy and unnecessary. This, especially as Murphy is now married to Elisa. There was also a little more violence in this book than the previous one.
  
  Still worth reading though and recommended for the historical detail. I wish we could've studied these at school, it would've brought the history to life!
• 
  Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library)

  Many years ago, before I was a Goodreads member, I discovered the Thoenes' books thanks to a book sale room at a local library. After reading just one, I started to devour any of their works I could get my hands on; I went as far as requesting some via inter-library loan or obtaining them from a library outside my city of residence.
  
  That was a while ago...and, though I still read Christian fiction rather often, I hadn't cracked open a Thoene novel in a few years. After buying a Amazon gift card recently, I thought: Why not revisit their works via Kindle? I've read so many books since I first discovered the Thoenes' works, I had forgotten a lot of the story...but, it was still just as amazing as I remembered. I hope to own the complete series in Kindle format sometime soon...and, once I do, I will revisit it again and again.
• 
  Jaimie

  SPOILER ALERT!! DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING!!
  
  Gotta say, I did NOT like the ending on this one. I mean, don't get me wrong (spoiler) the story ended happily, but there wasn't as much to it as I expected. The authors did an EXCELLENT job telling the history of Hitler's whole silent world takeover strategy and propaganda pre-WWII. They had me on the EDGE of my seat for the story of Charles and Louis trying to make it to safety. And the misunderstood love story between Elisa and Murphy had so much drama and tension that I could hardly stand it! But then the end skips over all the details (the good parts) of how the day is saved and when Murphy and Elisa finally fall in love and just kind of tidies it all up by a few short paragraphs of "the bullet misses the Czech president, Murphy is in the right place at the right time to catch Sporer, Elisa gets the love letter, all is forgiven, Elisa and Murphy are in love". I need more than that. I need last minute, desperate decisions with Murphey flinging himself, all that he has left, at the aweful Sporer who you can imagine, at that point, almost escaping (God forbid!) and dragging Murphy and Elisa into a final pit of utter despair. And I need to see Elisa return home with Murphy, not knowing or understanding everything that had happened that day. I need them both choked up with too many words to say. I need to see her eye catch the unopened letter in which Murphy had poured out his heart. I need uncomfortable, awkward silence until...finally! The truth is revealed and they are so overwhelmed they can hardly even move toward each other. You know? The end was more like, "I love you. I love you too." Great.
  
  Anyway, it was some of the best written, most historically accurate fiction I'd read. Until the end.
• 
  Kelsey Bryant

  While I may not have liked this one quite as much as the first, it was still an excellent read! I'm not completely sure why it didn't measure up to the first book in my mind... perhaps because there was more jumping between perspectives, the plot seemed less clear-cut from beginning to end, and the drawn-out confusion in Murphy and Elisa's romance frustrated me? I also felt there may have been less character growth and fewer moving passages about the spiritual, Christian perspective on the European nightmare. But that said, the nearly nonstop action and tension sure made this book hard to put down, and I really enjoyed the well-researched, well put together adventure into 1930s Europe. I'm looking forward to book 3.
• 
  Alana

  I did no research whatsoever into the historical accuracy of the story, mostly so I could enjoy it for what it is. The likelihood of all of these people being entangled in the same political events is obviously a bit far-fetched, but the storyline itself, especially that of trying to help two little boys escape, is what really draws you in. The contrast of the "purity" of the "master race" and the joy and compassion exhibited by the "undesireables" is what drives the theme of the story. It's all about not being apathetic and ignoring the evils in the world, which has led to such destruction in the past. Definitely a message that still needs to be brought to the world today.
• 
  Charyla Olsen

  You can see my review about the first book, Vienna Prelude. Bodie Thoene continues her excellent work exposing the evil as the Nazis invade Czechoslovakia and the world reels or ignores the problems.
• 
  Jen Stewart

  I read this whole series several years ago. Each book was so well written. I was captivated by the characters, their stories and struggles. It was this series that really peaked by love for historical fiction.
• 
  Luisa Knight

  I appreciated the historical research and backdrop presented in this story and how it occasionally left the main characters to show a key scene in history with Churchill, Hitler and/or Franklin. Kudos for how well this was laid out.
  
  The story itself was pretty good too, with a lot of plot and/or action happening. More of a "Hallmark Movie" feel to it, so possessing a somewhat predictable story-line with a leading female who's obviously gorgeous and a few love quadrangles thrown in, of course. What was unlike Hallmark, however, was how this book went a little passed the line of morality standards that Hallmark follows (see Cleanliness below). By the third book, I felt that the authors had pushed it a little too far for my comfort (and I was losing interest in the new characters and the bunny trails they were making away from the main characters I wanted to read about).
  
  Ages: 17+
  
  Cleanliness: Even though the books in this series are published by a Christian publishing house, I didn't really think they felt all that Christian. The characters may mention God once or twice but it's fairly trivial and most of the characters certainly don't live an obvious Christian lifestyle. If you think of these books as perhaps just clean fiction with non-Christian characters, you might not be disappointed.
  
  There is drinking and smoking mentioned throughout, and characters getting drunk to drowned their sorrows. There is kissing, lustful glances, and thoughts of adultery/fornication (not detailed or explicit). Lingerie is mentioned. There are characters thinking of suicide as a way out. There are about two swear words in each book (b*tch is one of the words used).
  
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• 
  James Burns

  At first reading I thought this was not going to be as good as the 1st book, Vienna Prelude, how wrong could I have been it's like a watching a movie and starting out again after the intermission, I just couldn't stop reading. Hitler and Germany has seized control of Vienna and the SS and the Gestapo have started terrorizing the Jews and the Nonconformist to the Nazi party, they have appointed Nazi puppets into key positions of Government of Austria and have set-up check points. Most all of the main characters are back and their missions and characters have expanded. There are some real surprises in store for the reader with some of the characters. Hitler is using occupation of Austria as a springboard to take over Czechoslovakia and seize control over the Government. Refugees from Austria who thought they we're safe from the evil of the Nazi's soon found out that they were not. This book really reminds us how really evil that Hitler and the Nazi's really are. To this day, I still find it hard to believe that the world powers stood by and did little or nothing to stop or prevent the atrocities from happening. As Sir Edmund Burke so wisely stated, " for evil to prevail, is that Good do nothing" that was true then and it is especially true today. Every person born whether healthy or handicapped has worth and deserving life and love, as Our Father in Heaven Loves us.
• 
  Beverley McPherson

  I enjoyed this historical fiction also. It really helped with an understanding of pre- WWII. It was clearly evident from the book, people Like Otto, Leah, John and Eliza who was instrumental in helping ,did a marvelous Job to twist Hilter plan. I liked Otto character and it really boosted the book ratings.
• 
  Laura

  I really liked this one...my heart was racing the last 30 pages or so as I was so anxious to see what would happen (and then to start the next in the series, of course). Lots more European history from the late 1930s and helps me understand so much more clearly Hitler's rise to power and what led to the war.
• 
  Corinne Edwards

  This is book two of the series, so you need to read book one before reading this review!
  
  We pick up right where we left off. Murphy and Elisa have made it safe to her family in Prague and Leah and Shimon are left in the newly Nazi-ized Vienna. One new and important piece of this story is a set five year old twin boys whose very existence is going to complicate matters for both Leah and Elisa. In a world where looking different is a punishable offense and Hitler's plans are becoming more and more obvious, it is time for everyone to choose what side they are on, regardless of the consequences.
  
  I have forgotten so much of what happens! I totally forgot about the twins, which really make this installment interesting and upsetting. I wish that Elisa and Murphy spent more time together, since I like their romance, but it moves along nicely and while some horrible and violent things happen, I love to see how the pieces interconnect. There is so much history here, while there is some western-European bias, obviously, the books really do a good job of getting the sequence of things straight in your head.
• 
  Sherrie

  i love the development of the characters who were introduced but not well known in the first book like otto, hershel, thomas etc. the only thing i didn't like about this book was that i felt like the plot with the twin boys dragged on. the whole second half of the book they sat in that dumb apartment. but loved this book and can't wait to get the next one...
• 
  JaNae

  After I finished #1 I kept wondering about book 2 but didn't have it yet from the library. I think I liked this one better than #1! I don't want to give anything away so I'll leave it at that.
  
  Can't wait to start #3 but the Library does NOT have that one in the series, SERIOUSLY?!?! Guess I'll be borrowing a copy soon.
• 
  Kendra

  It is amazing to read about the events before WWII. It certainly makes me wonder, what would I do in similar circumstance! The fictional characters are also very intriguing. This series has really drawn me in.
• 
  Carolyn C.

  I really enjoyed this second book in this series. Well written and again I was left feeling very connected to the characters:) Not only was I thoroughly engrossed in the story but this has been a great way for me to learn some of the history of the days leading up to WWII. Tough time to live!
• 
  Jennifer LCF

  This is the first book I've read in decades that had me so engrossed, I actually skipped ahead. After finally deciding I had to shut it at 1am, I just couldn't stand waiting to find out the fate of one of the characters. Fabulous read.
• 
  Jill K Willis

  An excellent second book to the Zion Covenant series. I really felt I was in Vienna and Prague in 1938.
• 
  Karma Hope

  I enjoyed this book - an interesting and enlightening sequel. I am half way through the third and still enjoying the story!
• 
  Kathryn

  A good book - difficult to read or should I say difficult to go through emotionally what the people experienced then.
• 
  Lawrence

  Well written. The authors develop the characters well. Heavy subject matter makes be want to take time between the books in the series.
• 
  Carmen

  Excellent book! I loved the characters and the story. Also was reminded of history. I read it in just a few days. very captivating!