My review of The Gift by Bryan Litfin!

I just finished reading a galley of The Gift by Bryan Litfin and it was an incredible journey I won't soon forget. I am not even a fantasy lover, but the medieval elements in the book make it seem more like knights in shining armor than Star Wars, so it works well for me because I adore historical fiction. Plus the fighting is intense (if not gruesome at times, but not overly-so) and the romance is breathtakingly sweet and intense at the same time. If you have read The Sword by Bryan Litfin, you won't want to miss The Gift! Pre-order it now. If you haven't read The Sword you should get a copy while you are waiting for The Gift to release. Both are incredible stories and I loved them so much they BOTH made my favorites lists. The Sword in 2010 and now The Gift in 2011. Few authors touch my heart so deeply that all of their books make my favorites list, but Bryan Litfin has done it with this series. I am hooked for life now.



About the book:

This second book in the Chiveis Trilogy continues the search for the New Testament in a world where the Bible has been lost.

The Chiveis Trilogy takes readers hundreds of years into the future. War and disease have destroyed civilization as we know it. Much technology has been discarded and history is largely forgotten. Slowly, the few survivors have begun to build new communities, and kingdoms now prosper in a kind of feudal order. But the Word of God has been lost for centuries.

After the finding of an Old Testament in book one of the trilogy, The Gift picks up the story of Teo and Ana. Exiled from their homeland and trying to survive in unknown and dangerous lands, they search for any record of the missing Testament. Their journeys lead them into the region we know as Italy. An elite society welcomes Ana, who finds she must choose between her new life and her dream of returning to Chiveis. Will Teo and Ana’s relationship withstand the circumstances and new enemies pulling them apart? And can Teo keep ahead of a powerful and mysterious force opposing his search for the New Testament?

Litfin’s imagination and fast-paced narrative style will capture the hearts and minds of all fiction readers.


My review:

The Gift is a powerfully written story about forgiveness and a desire to know the truth, no matter the cost. The author has a gift for making situations impossible and seemingly hopeless, then finding hope in every situation. I lost track of the number of times I held my breath expecting the worst, which often happened. As the story progressed I saw how even the worst circumstances were used by God for a greater purpose. There were so many spiritual truths and lessons in this novel. I couldn't imagine living in a world knowing most of the truth, but then missing the greatest portion of that truth, the person of Jesus Christ, who ties the Old Testament to the New. This story moved me to tears on numerous occasions and gave me an even greater appreciation for the scriptures. It also contained a powerful romance that was compelling because it showed the power of true love and the beauty of committing to loving one person for life, the person God intended for you. Teo and Ana exemplified sacrificial love, which always draws the unsaved to faith in Jesus Christ, Who is the model for us all. It's impossible to read The Gift and not be moved in some way. I cannot wait to read the next book in this incredible series.

The Gift is published by Crossway books and will release in April 2011!