What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thunder: A Novel on John Knox
John Knox, the Thundering Scott, lives a life of adventure and danger in turbulent, corrupt sixteenth-century Scotland. Finding himself a wanted man, Knox is besieged in a castle by French soldiers, seized, and made a galley slave. Yet he is unflinching in his stand for the gospel, even in the face of assassins and death, and even when his fiery preaching makes him an enemy of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Told from the perspective of a young student resolved to protect Knox no matter the cost, Douglas Bond's thrilling biographical novel provides a look at the harrowing life story of a giant of the faith. Discover the fascinating story of a timid man transformed by the grace and power of the gospel into one of the most influential figures in Scottish history.
Told from the perspective of a young student resolved to protect Knox no matter the cost, Douglas Bond's thrilling biographical novel provides a look at the harrowing life story of a giant of the faith. Discover the fascinating story of a timid man transformed by the grace and power of the gospel into one of the most influential figures in Scottish history.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Bond
79 books227 followersDouglas Bond, author of more than thirty books--several now in Dutch, Portuguese, Romanian, and Korean--is father of six, and grandfather of eleven--and counting--is Director for the Oxford Creative Writing Master Class and the Carolina Creative Writing Master Class, two-time Grace Award book finalist, adjunct instructor in Church history, recent advisory member to the national committee for Reformed University Fellowship, award-winning teacher, speaker at conferences, and leader of Church history tours in Europe.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 18, 2018
John Knox (1514-1572) was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of Protestant Reformation.
The story is told by a young follower resolved to protect John Knox. It starts with Knox at the age of 32 and already as being a wanted man. He is caught up in events that involved the murder of Cardinal Beaton in 1546 and intervention of the Queen Regent. He is besieged in a castle by French soldiers. They lose the battle with the French forces and are taken as galley slaves.
After hard labor and anchoring at Seine and Loire River, in 1549 they anchor at Thames River and to their astonishment they are set free. Not able to return to Scotland as Queen Regent wants Knox at the stake, he is asked to preach in London.
Soon after Knox notices “Under every steeple and on every street corner there remains so much popish deception and false doctrine.” And already making a name for himself as Thundering Scott, he is moved north closer to Scottish border “to remove him far from center of influence…and cease not to make trouble and disquietude when things are most quiet and in good order.”
The author well-portrays the strong character of Knox. Where one sees no hope, Knox sees strength in God. He continues to believe in God’s purpose. “I too quake, and fear, and tremble. Hence do we hope in God.” “One man with God is always in the majority.”
The first 90 pages are about siege and a bit slow. Once they are captured and freed and Knox’s preaching comes alive, that’s when the story becomes vivid.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
https://bestinhistoricalfiction.blogs...
The story is told by a young follower resolved to protect John Knox. It starts with Knox at the age of 32 and already as being a wanted man. He is caught up in events that involved the murder of Cardinal Beaton in 1546 and intervention of the Queen Regent. He is besieged in a castle by French soldiers. They lose the battle with the French forces and are taken as galley slaves.
After hard labor and anchoring at Seine and Loire River, in 1549 they anchor at Thames River and to their astonishment they are set free. Not able to return to Scotland as Queen Regent wants Knox at the stake, he is asked to preach in London.
Soon after Knox notices “Under every steeple and on every street corner there remains so much popish deception and false doctrine.” And already making a name for himself as Thundering Scott, he is moved north closer to Scottish border “to remove him far from center of influence…and cease not to make trouble and disquietude when things are most quiet and in good order.”
The author well-portrays the strong character of Knox. Where one sees no hope, Knox sees strength in God. He continues to believe in God’s purpose. “I too quake, and fear, and tremble. Hence do we hope in God.” “One man with God is always in the majority.”
The first 90 pages are about siege and a bit slow. Once they are captured and freed and Knox’s preaching comes alive, that’s when the story becomes vivid.
@FB/BestHistoricalFiction
https://bestinhistoricalfiction.blogs...
June 12, 2013
Douglas Bond is my number one favorite historical fiction author. [My second favorite would probably be H. Rider Haggard, author of "King Solomon's Mines" and "Pearl Maiden."]
Anything Bond writes is excellent and I'd highly recommend.
Anything Bond writes is excellent and I'd highly recommend.
August 27, 2019
A fascinating and yet instructive account of the life of the famous Scottish reformer, John Knox. Excellent read, I could hardly put it down!
June 18, 2021
Free on audible. Learned a lot.
April 13, 2013
A great novelized summary of the life of John Knox. Great for middle schoolers and up. The life and times of this reformer reminds the reader of the importance of contending for the faith.
July 20, 2024
Douglas Bond tells the biography of John Knox through a fictional character who is being tutored and cared for by Knox. The author is phenomenal in his character building and retelling of the reformation of Scotland. Listening to this book the narrator does multiple voices speaking in a Scottish accent, which only made the book more lively for me. One of the strength of the book is the authors ability to draw out the doctrine that John Knox preached and confessed. The clarity on the doctrine of justification and the law and gospel distinction in Knox’s thought was expressed. Also, I loved how the author contrasted John Knox, and John Calvin’s view of the magistrate and resistance to tyranny.
Though this is a fictional novel, the history of the book is accurate and portrays the context of John Knox’s life. The first son that the Lord gives me will be named after this great man, reformer, preacher and father of Puritanism.
Though this is a fictional novel, the history of the book is accurate and portrays the context of John Knox’s life. The first son that the Lord gives me will be named after this great man, reformer, preacher and father of Puritanism.
January 20, 2020
Mais um excelente livro da coleção Homens Piedosos. Dessa vez escrito por Douglas Bound o livro vai tratar da vida e obra de um dos reformadores mais importantes da história da igreja - John Knox. É impressionante como Deus usou esse homem ao ponto de mudar toda a concepção e rumo de um país. Apesar de sua fraqueza, Knox foi muito usado por Deus e fez a diferença para toda uma nação. Encorajador.
November 26, 2024
This is one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read. Douglas Bond does an excellent job of integrating the known facts of John Knox’s life into the story. The integration is not forced or artificial. This book could be an excellent resource to someone who wants to learn more about John Knox and Reformation theology, but who doesn’t necessarily want to read a traditional biography.
June 11, 2019
The books wording got pretty fanciful at times and could have probably edited out 30 pages of unnecessary writing. Overall it was a good book to bring to life the story for my middle school aged kids.
January 30, 2019
Muito bom! Recomendo.
July 14, 2019
This thrilling adventure through the history of the reformation is filled with great sermons and awe inspiring courageous acts. A good read.
April 6, 2022
This one was well written, but the story felt a little far fetched at times, and the ending felt unnecessary.
On the whole, a fun read, but not as brilliant as many other of Bond's works.
On the whole, a fun read, but not as brilliant as many other of Bond's works.
July 20, 2022
Excelente!
December 9, 2024
A very interesting way to get to see a biography of John Knox. Very well written and well done, even if I wish it was a little more biographical.
July 11, 2025
It is so refining to read about the giant men of faith. This story was told in an engaging way, sharing the atmosphere of the time period as well as the details of John Knox and his legacy.
November 30, 2025
This book gives life to a man that seems heart to imagine. While it doesn’t outright explain his philosophical arguments it does illustrate many by animating the man.
November 20, 2014
This was my first 'historical novel' and it was really good. I think my issues with it have more to do with what must be the 'besetting sins' of the genre. In any case, this tale ended stronger than it began and that erased some of the bad tastes in my mouth. The highest praise I can give it is that it compelled my emotions to admire and praise God for John Knox, and the things he accomplished in Reformation Scotland. It also gave a corrective to my perception of Knox as a strapping, bullnecked, hardheaded Scot. I would never have associated the words 'frail in body' with him, until this book. It was a great synthesizer as I read through, noting the dates and realizing what was happening in other parts of Europe at the time our tale is unfurling.
Purely on its merits as a novel, this book had some flaws. In essence, I think the author could have worked harder to mask his objective. It's a historical fiction and we know this up front. But at some points he writes in ways that break the 'novel' spell b/c they're so implausible. Consider this paragraph spoken by John Knox *in conversation* as he rants to his students about England's 'halting and limping Reformation':
Granted, he needs to get that info into the minds of readers who don't know the ins & outs of Roman liturgical latin, but it strained credulity to think that a person would really talk like this, even in the 15th century. Before I could put words to it, that passage was immediately suspect. This happens a few more times in the book, and were I a closer reader, I'd have marked them out. On the flip side, an example of where he puts his exposition in the mouth of a character and it works very well is in the excellent Ch. 41, when a poor woman tearfully recounts the misdeeds of the sacked papists. "Now I can see that God's judgments are just, and that no man save save where he will punish. Since I can remember, for these many years, this abbey has been a den of whoredom..." That was a place where Bond used the technique well.
Another criticism is that the character of George is paper-thin. I got really sick of the references to his big eyes by a few chapters. We get it. He has big eyes. But that was just about the only attempt to make me identify with him. It wasn't until By the same token, I liked the recounting of his struggles with lusting after John Knox's cute (second) wife. It worked in the story, and made the character of George less 1-dimensional. These are part of the reasons I thought the book ended stronger than its beginning.
One final point concerns the months spent as French galley slaves. George was around 15yrs old at the time, extrapolating from the details given of his age with respect to the young King Edward VI. How did a 15yr old boy survive the French galleys that are supposed to be the height of medieval forced & strenuous labour? That perplexed me all the way through the book. If that really was possible, then perhaps the tales of the cruelty of French slavery have been overblown.
So like I said, good novel, some of its flaws seem par for the course for its genre (though not an excuse), and it was stronger at the end. I'll read Betrayal in the future to see if Bond avoids these criticisms in that book :)
Purely on its merits as a novel, this book had some flaws. In essence, I think the author could have worked harder to mask his objective. It's a historical fiction and we know this up front. But at some points he writes in ways that break the 'novel' spell b/c they're so implausible. Consider this paragraph spoken by John Knox *in conversation* as he rants to his students about England's 'halting and limping Reformation':
"Consummatum est!" he cried. "So declared our Lord in his passion. 'It is finished!' But to duck and bend at the Table is to say that all is not finished. For poor English souls befuddled by a popish mingle-mangle of the gospel, the Supper thus observed remains a memorial reoffering of Christ's body and blood--base idolatry! As if God the Heavenly Father needs daily reminders of the passion of his dear Son! What is more, the strutting peacocks called priests claim that it is sacrificium applicatorium, a sacrifice whereby these false shepherds claim they do and may apply the merits of Christ's passion unto sinners. Saying so is proudly spoken and gives the priests the power to give or withhold peace with God at their pleasure. Though no man may move God to wrath against his chosen ones, yet would these English priests curse the simple with cross, bell, and candle".
Granted, he needs to get that info into the minds of readers who don't know the ins & outs of Roman liturgical latin, but it strained credulity to think that a person would really talk like this, even in the 15th century. Before I could put words to it, that passage was immediately suspect. This happens a few more times in the book, and were I a closer reader, I'd have marked them out. On the flip side, an example of where he puts his exposition in the mouth of a character and it works very well is in the excellent Ch. 41, when a poor woman tearfully recounts the misdeeds of the sacked papists. "Now I can see that God's judgments are just, and that no man save save where he will punish. Since I can remember, for these many years, this abbey has been a den of whoredom..." That was a place where Bond used the technique well.
Another criticism is that the character of George is paper-thin. I got really sick of the references to his big eyes by a few chapters. We get it. He has big eyes. But that was just about the only attempt to make me identify with him. It wasn't until By the same token, I liked the recounting of his struggles with lusting after John Knox's cute (second) wife. It worked in the story, and made the character of George less 1-dimensional. These are part of the reasons I thought the book ended stronger than its beginning.
One final point concerns the months spent as French galley slaves. George was around 15yrs old at the time, extrapolating from the details given of his age with respect to the young King Edward VI. How did a 15yr old boy survive the French galleys that are supposed to be the height of medieval forced & strenuous labour? That perplexed me all the way through the book. If that really was possible, then perhaps the tales of the cruelty of French slavery have been overblown.
So like I said, good novel, some of its flaws seem par for the course for its genre (though not an excuse), and it was stronger at the end. I'll read Betrayal in the future to see if Bond avoids these criticisms in that book :)
August 13, 2016
This is a novel of much worth and interest, though at times it lacked depth of character and showing scenes, and switched to a retelling more like a history book (which I suppose is necessary in some cases). Yet it was more entertaining to read than a history book, and therefore easier to learn from, in my experience.
Overall a great historical novel, inspiring one to stand strong for the gracious gospel of Christ Jesus, come what may. It reminds me that God can use anyone--weak, timid, or fearful--and make them able to stand.
Check out The Betrayal by the same author for a possibly even more compelling and interesting story!
Overall a great historical novel, inspiring one to stand strong for the gracious gospel of Christ Jesus, come what may. It reminds me that God can use anyone--weak, timid, or fearful--and make them able to stand.
Check out The Betrayal by the same author for a possibly even more compelling and interesting story!
January 15, 2016
It was good but it took me a long time to get interested in the story. I think I was comparing it too much to The Betrayal, and the main characters story in that book is much more intense and interesting.
Once I got to the second half I did begin to find it more interesting but I felt there needed to me one more chapter or at least a paragraph to wrap up my last question/frustration with the main character.
Once I got to the second half I did begin to find it more interesting but I felt there needed to me one more chapter or at least a paragraph to wrap up my last question/frustration with the main character.
July 23, 2022
The Reformation derailed western Europe and shaped Western culture. But you cannot understand the Reformation without knowing the Reformers and their theology.
This book is a great way to get to know the Thundering Scot. Knox is so often misrepresented (if you are aware he existed at all, which many aren’t), but true to form, Bond shows you Knox’s heart and personality along with the facts of his life. The audio version of this book is stellar, too—and I am infamously picky about narrators.
This book is a great way to get to know the Thundering Scot. Knox is so often misrepresented (if you are aware he existed at all, which many aren’t), but true to form, Bond shows you Knox’s heart and personality along with the facts of his life. The audio version of this book is stellar, too—and I am infamously picky about narrators.
July 22, 2012
Douglas Bond's novelization of the life of Protestant Reformer John Knox is historically accurate (he really knows his history) but its weakness is in the pacing and characterization that a novelist would bring. A fascinating life bloodlessly told.
June 1, 2016
Maria, a sanguinária - temia mais a oração de Knox, do que um exército de dez mil homens. Neste livro, Bond mostra que, apesar da saúde debilitada, o reformador escocês era um homem poderoso, porque era um homem de oração.
September 3, 2012
Not his best novel, but it was a good one by D. Bond. It contains lots of Reformed theology, but that was John Knox. The story line seems a bit strained. The history is accurate.
Read
September 9, 2016nice quick read, good historical novel
July 1, 2015
Excellent book on John Knox, cleverly presented. I enjoyed the references to places I was recently able to visit in Scotland.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews