Exiled: The Journey

by William Copeland

The series is Exiled. The first book explores the challenges of living in a city under siege and people’s efforts to protect their loved ones and retain their faith in God. Leah tries to save her son from being sacrificed to Molech. Eliyah wrestles with the idea that God would destroy his holy city, Jerusalem. Ovadyah, a scribe who wants to preserve the writings of their people. Recah, a widow who struggles with all the hardships she has faced loves someone she thinks will reject her. Perez, a wealthy and greedy man wants others to sacrifice other’s children to Molech to prevent the fall of Jerusalem. Leah a young woman sold by her father to pay off a debt runs away to avoid her child being sacrificed. Michael conflicted with the desire to flee Jerusalem or stay to help his father and the rest of the family. Enki a Chaldean soldier dying from a wound is saved by a Judean midwife Recah.

The second book in the series details their exile to Babylon and their journey to Tel Aviv. It is a story of finding hope in their God who destroyed their city and drove them away from the land he promised them. The people struggle with memories of loved ones who died, with the loss of family homes and belongings. Pedayah, a young man travels after the exiles to find his love. Enki, a Babylonian soldier, helps provide a mule to pull a wagon and seeks to learn about Yahweh, the Judeans God. Edee, a young girl is captured and raped. Jacob, a young man who lives with the aftermath of his tongue being cut off. There is the wonderment of finding a chair in answer to an unspoken prayer. Ziva, a young girl kicked away from her family for getting pregnant. David and Mara, a couple disillusioned by empty promises. Libni a talented solver of problems.

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2025

Reviews

[Olamide Usman]

Exiled: The Journey picks up where the fall of Jerusalem left off, and William Copeland doesn't rush past the aftermath. This is a book about what remains after everything you loved has been taken homes, family, the land itself and whether faith can survive that kind of devastation. What makes this second installment so powerful is the sheer range of people we follow into exile. Pedayah traveling after the woman he loves. Enki, a Babylonian soldier, genuinely seeking to understand Yahweh. Edee and Jacob carrying wounds physical and otherwise that don't simply heal because the journey continues. Ziva, cast out by her own family. David and Mara, disillusioned but still walking forward together. Copeland gives every one of them dignity, even in their darkest moments. The small, unexpected mercies scattered through the book — like the wonder of finding a chair in answer to an unspoken prayer land with real emotional force precisely because the surrounding suffering is so honestly portrayed. This isn't a story that skips past grief to get to hope; it earns its hope by sitting with the loss first.

For readers who appreciated the first book's unflinching look at Jerusalem under siege, this continuation into exile and the long road toward Tel Aviv is just as affecting. A moving, faithfully rendered piece of biblical historical fiction.