A Light in the Wilderness

Out of Jerusalem #2

by H.B. Moore, Heather B. Moore, David L. Walker (Narrator)

The exhilarating tale of Lehi and his family continues in A Light in the Wilderness, the second volume of the acclaimed Out of Jerusalem series. As they travel toward the promised land, dangers and tempests beset Lehi’s and Ishmael’s families, until the unthinkable a marauding tribe abducts Lehi’s daughter, Elisheba.

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

319 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

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

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my own book, so it was strange to determine a star rating. Since this is the 2nd in the Out of Jerusalem series and took a greater tangent than the first volume (Of Goodly Parents), I've had some readers balk. But I do explain the research in the Preface. Also, the research on this book was incredible and took probably twice as much time as actually writing it.

Really, this is a story of loss and incredible faith. When Ishmael dies, I can't imagine anything more sad than a family having to bury their father in a foreign land, knowing they'll never return to pay respects at his gravesite.

Still makes me sad think about it.

[Idamae Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book series!!! It was wonderful to follow Nephi and his family through their journey to the Americas. The author used the actual story of Nephi and his family but gave their wives names and personalities. It was adventurous as the family encounters the dangers of their journey but it was also emotional to experience the family breakup and all the troubles that brought. I highly recommend this book series!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book & love this series! It really brought the Book of Mormon to life for me. I feel like I know the people in the Book of Mormon better & I understand the culture & environment of the time much more than before.
The only problem now is remembering which parts are fiction and which parts are scriptural!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series! I found all four of the books in the series rivetting! I was obsessed about getting them read, and finished them in 5 days.
These books are based on the story of Lehi and Nephi and their family's journey through the wilderness to the promised land.
A great read!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it just as much as the first one!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume deviates from scripture quite a bit, but it was nice to get to know all of the characters better.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d never given much thought to the 8 years sojourning in the wilderness, figuring it must have just been a long slow journey. It was fascinating to read details about nomad life & to consider the kinds of things that could have happened to them in that time.

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second installment in Heather B. Moore's series "Out of Jerusalem." Thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. The author has Lehi and his family in servitude for five years in order to obtain the release of one of the daughters, Elishaba, who was captured at a oasis. I wondered about this and I found out from Heather's father, that he had suggested this plot twist to her. The journey normally takes a few months to complete and they were gone for 8 years! If you go online to the website maxwell.institute.byu.edu and type S. Kent Brown, you can read his excellent essay on "Lehi's bondage in Arabia" which provides clues as to why this could have been a very real possibility. So fascinating!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moore has researched various scriptures and fictionalized the reason it took eight years for Lehi's family to travel through the wilderness. I often felt a similarity between Lehi's family (particularly Laman and Lemuel) and their lack of desire to follow the Lord's commandments compared to the Children of Israel who wandered for 40 years. Anyway Moore gives ideas of problems that could have occurred during their travel to the land of Bountiful. I loved Moore's research and references to geography. Helped the Book of Mormon come to life a little more.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the second book and it was still just as good as the first! Heather Moore stated she wishes that the readers will study and ponder for themselves the Book of Mormon. Again, she did a very good job of portraying the familie's feelings, their situations, and the scenery and such.

[Megan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy speculation, Batman! I don't know. Interesting theory and fanciful read. I don't believe OR disbelieve the theory of Lehi's family being in captivity at some point during their 8-year sojourn in the wilderness. Guess I'll find out some day! Can't wait to ask them!

[Markandjillhimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is good too.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book mostly because when I did my scripture study, the people were so real to me now. It really made the scriptures come alive.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was cool. Even though I knew what was going to happen I was still wrapped up in the story.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way the author grabs the reader. I could barely put this book down. I love gaining new insight into what Lehi's family probably endured on their desert journey.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the insight this book gives to the culture of the time that Nephi and Lehi lived. I never before appreciated how much it might mean to their family to arrive in the land Bountiful.

[Kandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm liking this series very much! I can't wait to read the 3rd book!

[No, David! No! · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to make up stories for people that happen between established events. You have to develop something interesting, but ensure that it doesn't conflict with the cannon. Overall, the author does a fairly good job in this regard. I don't know if I really believe some of these types of events occurred, but generally things seem plausible.

My two disappointments with this book: 1) no emotional surprises; 2) continuity issues. Regarding emotional surprises... if the reader is familiar with the original story, then the reader already knows many / most of what will happen. (These are the "established events.") So, no matter how desperate a situation appears, the reader already knows which characters will for sure survive / overcome based on the cannon. In my opinion, the story would be more powerful if something surprising happened to one of the "unknown" characters. Let someone die, or fail, or end up alone. If there are no surprises with the unknown characters, then the book loses its suspense/

In my opinion, this particular author often runs into continuity issues. Whether this is time lines not lining up, or an event not matching in a later chapter, there just seem to be too many of these that the author / editors missed. Maybe I am being overly critical, but this bugs me. Let me give a specific example from this book: The author makes a big deal that they family brought seeds from Jerusalem, and even points out in the chapter notes that at the first stop, they used different seeds, not the ones from Jerusalem. The seeds aren't mentioned again for the rest of the book. There are multiple events where the seeds may have been lost - possessions burned, slavery, starving to death, etc. No mention of the seeds in any of these situations. Then suddenly in the next book, the seeds are there. And the author says that they were buried / hidden with the other valuables. First, why not mention that at some point. Second, these are seeds to plant crops... lots and lots of crops. This doesn't fit in a 1 foot cube box like the other valuables. Just doesn't seem thought out.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

This is the second book about Book of Mormon prophet Lehi and his family. As HB Moore indicated, not much is known about their sojourn in the wilderness. Moore does an exceptional job of using historical research and sources to create a plausible narrative of what might have happened. Her writing has really added to my appreciation for the real life family and their experiences in ancient times. (600 BC)

[Marj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of 4 -- A Light in the Wilderness charts Lehi's family's exodus into the Arabian wilderness.

As with Book 1, I am "following along" in The Book of Mormon. The parallels in Moore's historical fiction and The Book of Mormon are quite unique.

I will continue with Book 3...

[Gail Tavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Really enjoyed reading this second book in the series of Lehi and his family journeying to the new land. It is fun to read this story as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints starts to read the Book of Mormon.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book series. It makes the Book of Mormon come alive. Fun read, kept me interested the whole way through.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series and look forward to the next book. Heather Moore takes true stories from the Book of Mormon and adds her own imagination to the details not written down.

[Carolyn Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lehi's family travels in the wilderness.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I am very familiar w the story of Lehi and his family, this is a quick read. I appreciate the author's notes at the end of the book, citing the scholarly works she has used.

[Josephine M Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

I love these books. They make everything real and understandable. It is like you are there with them. Thank you Heather.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictional look at Lehi's family sojourn in the wilderness. What may have happened during those 8 years it took to get to Bountiful

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story.

Content: clean - mild violence, references to the possiblity of sexual assault

[Angieluila Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A continuation of the journey. Had some twists I didn't expect but stayed to the basic facts of the events. My son is still engrossed in it.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Light in the Wilderness” is #2 in the “Out of Jerusalem” series. It continues the journey of Lehi and his family into the wilderness, paralleling 1Nephi 1-16. For those who are familiar with the Book of Mormon story, (which I am) it is most interesting. I especially like this series because I get to be an invisible participant in the lives of an ancient family that faces important historical and spiritual challenges.

I like learning and experiencing the culture, traditions and history of a people that I can only imagine in an age and land far from my knowledge. Religious details and Mosaic laws are explained so I better understand Lehi and Nephi’s incredible faith, their trials, and why their journey was so important. I can only add that I’m glad I am part of modern time, and not enduring the ancient challenges that they faced.

I am enjoying this series and especially appreciate the documentation and details in the back of the book. I read a chapter, read the corresponding documentation, then read the corresponding Book of Mormon sections. All are fascinating! On to #3…then #4…