Book Description
Acsah is the only daughter of the mighty Caleb, Israel’s most famous spy. When Acsah can’t seem to choose a husband, Caleb feels he must step in, and she soon finds herself betrothed to a warrior. That’s the last thing she wants, however. Soldiers are never home….
Othniel has loved Acsah for as long as he can remember. When Caleb makes his unbelievable promise of picking a trusted warrior for her husband, he fights not only for Israel but for her hand in marriage.
Once safely settled in Debir, Acsah relaxes, believing Othniel can stay home and never fight again … until the giants come back and threaten nearby Anab. Can Acsah deny the people of Anab her husband’s skill and leave them to the giants … or can she trust God if her husband goes to fight once again?
My Review
½ 4 ½ smiles!
I’ve enjoyed all Carole Towriss’s books, but this was my favorite so far. I loved how she mentioned characters from her other books, almost as a wink to those of us who read them, but this biblical novel is a stand-alone read based on Caleb’s vow to give his daughter Acsah to the warrior who took a Canaanite city (Joshua 15:16-17; Judges 1:12-13).
As with Carole’s other books, her research is stunning. She’s able to describe locations (Hebron, the Negev), seasonal changes, and ancient processes (weaving, warfare) without becoming tedious. By working these details into character emotions, descriptions, and lifestyles, she gave life and breath to three people mentioned only briefly in Scripture and made me care deeply about their lives.
This morning, as I listened to the long list of “begats” in 1 Chronicles, I picked up on Caleb’s name, and knew more of his whole family’s story, because of this splendid book! Isn’t that what good biblical fiction does—make the people of the Bible walk off the pages and into your heart? Well done, Carole. Thank you for another excellent read.
