Monday, November 4, 2013

"Ruby Ring" by Karen Rees (Tyndale's Battle for an English Bible - a novel)


ISBN-13: 9781936746460    
Publisher: CrossLink Publishing
 
The year is 1524. Priest-scholar William Tyndale makes the fateful decision to produce an English Testament without Church permission. He knows that a vernacular scripture will free the common people from spiritual domination by a corrupt and ignorant clergy. If Tyndale is caught, he’ll die at the stake. So will anyone found assisting him. Owen Alton, a London grocer’s heir, catches Tyndale’s vision. But if he helps Tyndale, he’ll be disinherited and lose Jane Horne, the minor-knight’s stepdaughter he loves. Jane has defied her family in her desire to wed Owen. If he now should leave her for Tyndale…. As if she doesn’t have enough troubles already, Jane discover the he shocking secret behind her mother’s ruby ring…
 
Review:  I previously reviewed a short biography of William Tyndale and his quest to get the Bible into the hands of the English speaking peoples in their own language and was interested to see just how author, Karen Rees would handle this jewel of history via the novel Ruby Ring. Actually before reading the book, I wondered just how a ruby ring would factor into Tyndale's story of bringing the Bible to the people in their own tongue.
 
After reading this enjoyable book, I realized that it is a sweet romance that happens to take place during the time of Tyndale and involves the smuggling of Bibles into English speaking countries - primarily England. There are strong scenes of persecution that are quite moving and yet most likely still do not reveal the true terror of the times. Those were brutal times in history and Christian factions were truly at war with one another and all over control of placing God's Word into the people's hands for their own reading.
 
The practice of arranged marriages and pursuant struggle of actual love relationships to thrive is interesting and historically based. This is a clean, sweet romance with a strong historical setting.
 
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for this review and received no compensation to review the book. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

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