Esther the Queen

Biblical Novels

by H.B. Moore, Heather B. Moore

She is a beautiful young Jewess, content in her life of anonymity... He is the most powerful king in the world... When chance brings the two together, the course of history is forever altered.

The glittering court of the Persian Empire serves as the backdrop for one of the most poignant tales of courage in the Bible, brought vividly to life in the pages of bestselling author H.B. Moore’s sweeping saga. And it begins on a dusty road in the Jewish Quarter . . .

An unexpected meeting between Esther and King Xerxes results in an immediate and unmistakable connection. When Esther is summoned to enter the king’s harem—the first step toward becoming his wife—Esther is torn between her desire to be with Xerxes and the knowledge that they will forever be divided by the secret of her Jewish heritage. Encouraged by her family to do what she must to help her people, she deftly navigates her new position in the palace, quickly becoming beloved by all—including Xerxes.

But when a treacherous plan threatens to engulf the kingdom in violence, Esther must choose between love and duty.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Religion, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Lds Fiction, Romance, Historical

217 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy publications. She writes historical novels and thrillers under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact

Blog: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com

Website: HBMoore.com

Twitter: @heatherbmoore

Instagram: @authorhbmoore

Facebook: Heather B. Moore All About Books

Literary awards: 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner

Alternate Goodreads Page: Heather B. Moore

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!!! I would happily give this more than 5 stars if I could!

I have always loved the story of Esther, her faith and trust in the Lord. Her willingness to go before the King to save her people. The author's portrayal of Esther in this novel was so well done and absolutely beautiful. The amount of information given in the Biblical story makes one wonder about the relationship that Queen Esther had with the king. I've always thought and hoped that they truly loved each other, especially with how the king reacts to Esther approaching him during the time of sequestering.

Author H.B. Moore really did a fabulous job with her research and writing of Esther and the many people in her life. Yes this is a historical fiction but honestly it brought these historical figures to life for me and had me thinking and picturing them differently. I thought the way she portrayed the love story between Esther and Ahasuerus (the king) was beautiful. A story of love and redemption.

Ahasuerus has become king after his father. How does he live up to the life that his father lead, his kingship and ruling? Is he a good king? Has he had failures and mistakes? What will he do to correct his mistakes and move forward to be a fair and good king? I loved the person that H.B. Moore portrayed Ahasuerus as being. I really contemplated him in a different light, as well as why he sent for Esther and why he chose her as Queen.

Honestly it was beautiful. I wish I could tell you all about it here but then that would be defeating the purpose of reading the book yourself and experiencing the beautiful writing and story of two people who were guided and directed by the Lord.

Read it!!!!!!!! If I'm not emphatic enough about saying how much I loved it then I'm going to say it right here again...I Absolutely Loved It!!!!!!!!

Content: Clean. There is a character who has an affair (a side character who plays a big role in this story). The affair isn't graphic but it sheds a light on a character's motives. There is talk about marital relations but very tastefully written and not graphic.

I listened to an audiobook on my Deseret Bookshelf account.

Happy Reading!!!

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to reading Esther the Queen ever since I knew author H.B. (Heather) Moore would be writing the fictional account of Esther from the Bible. Esther has always been one of my favorite stories from the Bible. I knew that the retelling of her story would be in good hands. I was not disappointed at all. Heather is famous for writing stories of the people from the Book of Mormon like Abinadi, Ammon and the Daughters of Jared and many more.She has also received awards for these novels. Her experience as a writer shows in the magnificent story she has told about Esther.

I so loved the way that Heather brought Esther to life. I always knew how brave Queen Esther had been in order to save her people. The story leading up to that pivotal point in her life has always been a guessing game. I enjoyed Heather's take on the type of person that Esther was. She is portrayed as being kind, unselfish, and very accepting of all people. As a reader you can't help but love Esther. King Xerxes (Asahuerus) was also written to my liking. I feel he was a good man in the long run, despite being a Persian King with concubines and a harem. I could see how Esther fell in love with him so quickly. Bad guy Haman deserves the scorn he has received. He truly was a wicked man to call for the destruction of a group of people. Esther's cousin Mordachai was also written very well. This humble man listened to God and followed promptings from the spirit.

Esther the Queen will enchant you from the first pages. You will be drawn into the splendor of the royal court, and the humble circumstances that the Jewish people lived in. This well researched book will open your eyes to the great sacrifice that Esther made for her Jewish people. I hope that Heather is planning on writing about more heroes from the Bible. Any book written by this author, will for sure make a very satisfying read.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Beautifully written. I immediately loved Esther and Ahasuerus. I loved the chapters when they are first meeting after the haram. Heather did a fantastic job with these characters. I loved their relationship and how they learned to love each other. I also loved how Esther's example of bravery and kindness shined through. Hamam was very well written too, he freaked me out. Full review coming soon.

[Lucinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. Esther and Ahasuerus were well developed main characters that came to life. I loved the way their relationship progressed. The setting was expertly done and interesting to read. Queen Esther's loyalty and courage were admirable.
It inspired me to read the book of Esther when I was done.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope you'll enjoy my first Biblical novel, ESTHER THE QUEEN. I'm no stranger to writing historical fiction, but this is my first in a Biblical setting. Esther and the King of Persia are amazing people to research, and the Persian Empire creates a fabulous and intriguing backdrop.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a rich historical about Queen Esther, one of my favorite biblical heroines, and really made me stop and think about how courageous this woman had to be in the face of what she was asked to do.

The thing that always impresses me about Moore's work is how meticulous she is in her research. I felt like I was there, down to the small details of the pistachio trees and food that was eaten. It adds so much to the story when you have a background like that. Esther is portrayed as a woman of faith, but someone who has hopes and dreams. She wants to follow God's will, but she's afraid. She loves her family, cares for those around her, and does her best to follow the commandments, but sometimes doesn't quite measure up to what's expected. I loved how relatable she was and how much better I felt like I understood her, though the book is fiction.

It starts out with Esther's normal life, helping with children and going to a festival to possibly find her future husband. Through a chance meeting, King Xerxes takes an interest in her and she is asked to join his harem. There are so many political and spiritual threads at play from that moment on, it was hard to put the book down. The characters are three dimensional and the issues facing them in their personal choices and where they will draw the line are still some of the same issues we face today. This is a book that will make you think while making you laugh and cry along with the characters.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction.

(Originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm betting that most of you have heard the story of Esther from the Bible--a recounting of a woman with extraordinary faith and courage. Now I'd like to invite you to delve into the story deeper than you could ever imagine. Heather has an incredible work ethic when it comes to research. In Esther the Queen, she brings Persia to life with all of its traditions and conflicts. This isn't a preachy doctrinal book though--this is a fictionalized account of Esther, her marriage to King Ahauserus and the very real threat the Jews faced at the time. Heather writes in such a way that you will experience the romance, struggles, and resolution of Esther.

After reading Esther the Queen, I felt a renewed respect for this woman and her faith in God. If you're looking for an incredible read that is uplifting AND will keep you glued to the pages, get this one.

[AnneMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved this scripture story, but it came to life in this story. Absolutely loved it. LOVED IT. Well worth a read.

[G.G. Vandagriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have written very highly of Moore’s writing in the past, however Esther the Queen is truly her masterpiece. It is a mighty love story, a tale of unbounded faith, and a novel with great spiritual dimension. When Esther says,” If I perish, then I perish,” the words go through the reader with soul stirring admiration.
As we follow this young girl and all her insecurities through the heights and depths of her marriage to the King of Persia, we witness her personal growth and the evolution of her faith, to the point where she will risk death to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands. She embraces her destiny with the invincible courage that has grown in her as she has risen with only the Lord’s help to be a true queen.
Moore’s writing is clearly inspired, as she undertook the writing of his novel with a very near deadline. More than ever before, she has proved that she is a master scriptorian and author of powerful historical novels.

[Cami Checketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did a beautiful job of weaving an inspiring Biblical story with a fabulous romance. I loved the way she portrayed Esther and King Xerxes and I loved learning more about this time period and people through a quick-paced and exciting story. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

[Jenilee White · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. Esther has always been my favorite scripture hero. I love how this book brought the story to life and gave me perspective. I’m sure the author did a lot of research regarding Persia and how some things were done back then. Just like the amazing tv show, the chosen, this book gave life and background to the characters and helps you realize that they were real people with real lives, thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the scriptures don’t give us much but the basics that took place. I want to read more of her books.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a delightful retelling of the story Esther which happens to be one of my favorite bible stories.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting telling of Esther’s story. Significant creative licensing taken such that it only loosely ties fact and fiction. I also did not like Haman’s backstory. Reading the actual biblical text leaves more to my own imagination to fill the story gaps and this was kind of like seeing a movie after reading a book and things not fitting his it was pictured in the reading. Most of my time was spent wondering how the author would portray the next part of the story.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather has an incredible talent for bringing life and depth to scripture stories!
This book is SO. SO. SO. GOOD!
You will LOVE Esther EVEN MORE!

We know Esther was a strong woman.

She had a love of her people.
She had a love for her King and husband.

She was a Jew...He was the most powerful man in all of the kingdom.

When the two meet he cannot think of anyone else.

Having already put one wife away Esther is afraid to tell him who she really is.

"Esther is torn between her desire to be with Xerxes and the knowledge that they will forever be divided by the secret of her Jewish heritage."

But when her people are threatened to be destroyed she risks her own life in pleading for their safety.

This book gives you greater understanding of what took place and how the events unfolded.

Heather brings in a personal feeling of what Esther might have done on a daily basis.

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. IT.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite stories and in this book it is retold by one of my favorite authors. What more could I ask for???? I absolutely loved it. Heather's research is always wonderful, keeping the story from the scriptures as pure as she can. Being that it is historical fiction, she has to add details to make the story come to life. She does this beautifully. The story is engaging and hard to put down. I saw new insights into what life might have been like for Esther. As always with historical fiction based on scripture, I was inspired to go back to the scriptures themselves and reread the story. I read it with new eyes, seeing details I had missed before. I have several daughters who love princesses of all kinds. I couldn't help but think this is one of the best princess/queen stories I have ever read.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this re-telling of Esther's story! I love the details that Heather Moore adds to make this more of a novel than a scripture story. I love the way this story sparks my imagination about how things would have been for Esther, first living among the Jews and then in the palace. How drastic the changes must have seemed to Esther. How much courage she had to even be able to have gone to the king's palace. Obviously, I knew how the story was basically was going to end, because I know the scripture story, but there was plenty of twists and turns to keep me from wanting to put this book down. I read it quickly, in an afternoon, because I was so excited to see just where Esther's story would take me. I highly recommend this book!

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been intrigued by Esther in the Bible. This is a lovely retelling of her story that made me appreciate her courage even more as I learned about the time period she lived in and the heavy responsibility placed upon her shoulders. It's essentially a love story, beautifully told without the cheesiness found in some of these kinds of books. I fell in love with Esther along with the king and the rest of Persia as I read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should start by saying I am a sucker for anything Esther. I love her story. I felt like this was a lighter version of her story. It was well written, but focused on the positive of her situation while glossing over the bad. It is a good introduction for younger readers than Hadassah or some of the other books about Esther.

[Tenille · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT! I am a fan of all of Heather's books, but this one is my favorite. Esther was a brave woman and I loved reading about the struggle she had to stand up for her family and her people. Great Job Heather!

[Erika B. (SOS BOOKS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute! I am a sucker for Queen Esther stories! Every time I see a book or movie about it I have to give it a whirl! It's my favorite bible story because it's romantic and also Esther was an amazing example of bravery! I always love the epic line of "and if I perish, I perish."

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather, I don't know how you can take a few verses of scripture and write them into the most accurate, believable, and enjoyable stories. I look forward to reading everything that this author has written. I HIGHLY recommend Esther the Queen.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! I didn't want it to end. :)

[Charity Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really sweet retelling of this story. I really enjoyed how it really showed the struggle of what it was like to be Jewish and the struggle of being married to someone with different beliefs and how that can be frightening. I really enjoyed the personal touches and the emotion and real character of Esther and the king.

One thing did really bug me though. She gives the villain a great motivation in addition to what is in scripture, but according to Jewish tradition, it was also because he was an Agagite (sorry if I spelled it wrong) which is super important to the story of Esther to the Jewish people. Ms. Moore normally researches so well, so having missed that huge bit that I learned as I've studied the story of Esther, it was a really annoying plot point.

It actually put me off reading it for a while, but once I got over it, I really enjoyed the softening of Esther and the raw emotion and struggles of being in such a relationship.

[Rebekah Donaldson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super sweet. Recommend. I just go crazy with how she didn't catch in her research why it's important that Hamen was an agigite and how that motivated him to want to eliminate the Jews. Her other explanation was good too. But it still was annoying.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent! I loved the story of Esther and this book really humanized her!

[Summer Naylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story of Esther and enjoyed reading the story in this novel format because it helped me relate and love the main characters more, especially Esther and Ahasuerus.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this easy read, but of course I've always loved Esther and how brave and powerful a woman can be...especially in a time when it took notable courage to be so brave. Enjoyed this more than The Paper Daughters of Chinatown written by the same author. I went back and read the Book of Esther from the Old Testament afterwards. The author made some time changes (which she noted at the beginning of her book) that I feel like distracted from the story instead of added to it, but they weren't major. Just curious about the alterations.

Though the book is written so the reader will really like King Ahasuerus and he is portrayed as a kind and loving husband, I couldn't help feeling like he was The Bachelor--definitely not my ideal of matchmaking. I questioned how he could let Haman beguile him so easily. Nevertheless, an easy light read.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely liked the portrayal of Esther in this book as a kind and powerful woman. It was fun to imagine Esther's personality in greater detail than we have in Biblical accounts.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esther the Queen is biblical fiction written with sensitivity and historical detail. I love reading fiction where it’s obvious the author has taken time to research facts that build a realistic setting and add depth to the description. Here’s an example:

One of the dishes held meat that looked like pork with an orange glaze, which Esther couldn’t eat because of the law of Moses. There was also a milk mixture with bits of meat—probably squirrel or rabbit. Esther bypassed that one too. She reached for the moist figs and scaled fish, both of which were permitted. Every thing inside Esther seemed to have shrunk, and she could only eat a little. Fortunately, Nan didn’t comment on her food choices.

Heather has a gift for creating characters that are believable and likeable, or downright despicable. I found myself caring for Esther and her people and wanting to know more of her story even when it ended. On the flipside, characters like Biniti, one of the king’s concubines, leave you wondering who put sour milk in her cereal.

“The boy is awake,” Bitini said, her emphasis on boy.
Following the woman to the basket, Esther peered down on the tiny infant. Another innocent child of the king. Biniti picked up the child and thrust him at Esther.
She nearly grappled to hold on to the child; he was so light in her arms. Even Samuel hadn’t seemed so small as an infant. Esther looked down into the babe’s murky gray eyes. She didn’t exactly know what she was supposed to say or do, but perhaps Biniti didn’t either. “What’s his name?”
“Ramin,” Biniti said in a proud voice. “It means warrior.”
Biniti’s tone stung. “I know what the name means,” Esther said.

This is a mixed tale of romance and political tension. Although it mentions concubines, harem life, and even a wedding night, these topics are handled briefly and tastefully. As for politics, the timing of events is explained at the beginning of the book, and events that occur as the story proceeds are clear and well defined.

I would recommend Esther the Queen to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or fiction in general.

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-done historical fiction fleshes out the biblical story of the Jewess Esther, her cousin, Mordachai, King Xerxes (Asahuerus), and wicked Haman. I've read the story of Queen Esther many times, but this account was fascinating because the author wove research into the story that helped me envision the time period and Persian culture better so that the characters came to life.

Moore is a master at character development. I came in with preconceived ideas about how the characters would act and feel, but she wrote in such a way that helped me put those aside. Even though I knew the story of Queen Esther, and how it ends, it didn't make this book boring. Rather, that knowledge gave me a foundation to build upon as I filled in holes I've wondered about when I read this Bible story.

Moore's careful emphasis to the characters' feelings and life-changing events made this book captivating. Queen Esther is amazing...so kind, generous, thoughtful, selfless. You can't help but love her. The king, too, works his way into your heart, and you get a glimpse into the stresses and strains of life as a royal. I found the workings of the Persian court very intriguing--the harem, the living quarters of the concubines, the royal court, personal chambers, royal holidays, etc. The character I really enjoyed reading about though was Haman. The plot and back story Moore created for him made for a good villain and a believable motive for wanting to kill all the Jews.

This is my 2nd book I've read by Heather Moore, and I'm sold on her writing skills. Her style is clean, fresh, vivid, thought-provoking, and well-paced. I felt enriched and uplifted by Esther the Queen, and would give it a double fudge brownie sundae rating (which is the best I give). I look forward to reading more by Heather Moore in the future.