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Centurion
Hauntingly compelling, Centurion gives life to Abenadar, the man who was entrusted with the controversial and potentially explosive crucifixion of Christ. A longing heart. An unlikely friendship. Love...and the bitterest of betrayals. The son of a Galilean concubine-a Jewess-and a Roman ambassador, Abenadar suffered disapproving stares in the village of Natzeret, but so did the boy Yeshua, son of Yosef and Miryam. Perhaps it wasn't unusual the two became fast friends. As Abenadar rises through the ranks of the Roman Legion to assume the rank of Centurion, he finds love with Ruth, a woman he rescues from the streets of Jerusalem. She believes the prophet Jesus is the One-the Messiah-everyone has been waiting for. Abenadar is dubious. He's seen too many messiahs.and they all died on Roman crosses. But what if Jesus is telling the truth? As advisor to Procurator Pontius Pilate and a Roman, Abenadar has a duty to uphold...but it may cause him to lose everything.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2008
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 3, 2016
My favorite novels tell a fascinating story while providing information about a turning point in history. Centurion, by L. D. Alford, is just such a book, told from the perspective of a Roman centurion in Judea during the time of Jesus. With skilled use of research, Alford combines history, military, religion, and romance into an intriguing tale. This is the kind of story that sticks with you long after you reach the end.
June 21, 2010
Okay, now we're talkin'! I bet you all thought I'd gone soft with all the romance reviews. Well, my guy card raced gleefully back into my wallet with this one.
L.D. Alford has outdone himself, in my estimation. Centurion has it all: captivating storyline, impeccable research, plenty of action, and a great balance between the harsh realities of 1st-century AD everyday life and the ideals of a radical fledgling faith. Oh, okay, and there's some romance, too, but it didn't intimidate me.
Abenadar is a half-breed bastard (literally) of a Galilian mother and a Roman sire. I say "sire" instead of "father" because there's more to being a father than simply siring a child--and Abenadar had no father. His mother, an outcast living on the outskirts of Nazareth, finds her only friend in Mary, the mother of Christ--also an outcast. Abenadar and Yeshua become friends during their formative years. And before Abenadar leaves to seek his future as a Roman soldier, Yeshua exhorts him not to forget his God--Adonai.
Abenadar finds his calling in the austere life of the Roman camp. His military acumen and prowess are quickly revealed--and tested. In battle after battle, Abenadar distinguishes himself, accumulating honors and accolades that advance him to the unexpected rank of Centurion--a position normally reserved for only those of full Roman blood. But inside, he is a man caught between two worlds; fully a Roman warrior, but fully a child of Galilee, who adheres to the precepts of his God, Adonai.
He is posted to Jerusalem, where he rescues Ruth, a woman of the streets, from an abusive client. Captivated by her beauty, he seeks her out and rescues her from her life of forced harlotry. The stigma he carries as half-Roman, and hers as a Judean whore, bring them together against a world that accepts neither one of them.
Yeshua enters the picture once again, and Abenadar's and Ruth's respective worlds collide in the draw of this unlikely prophet. How does the love of a Roman soldier, bound to his oath to Caesar, and a Jewess, bound to her faith in God and the promise of His Messiah, survive through the passion of the King of Kings? The answer lies in the pages of Centurion.
L.D. Alford delivers an extremely well written and meticulously researched story that won't let you go. Steeped in Roman martial lore, you'll learn more about the Empire's military organization, weapons and battle tactics than you ever realized existed. But the learning never comes at the expense of the story. If fairness still exists anywhere in this world, Centurion is destined to become a classic in Christian literature--it's got to.
L.D. Alford has outdone himself, in my estimation. Centurion has it all: captivating storyline, impeccable research, plenty of action, and a great balance between the harsh realities of 1st-century AD everyday life and the ideals of a radical fledgling faith. Oh, okay, and there's some romance, too, but it didn't intimidate me.
Abenadar is a half-breed bastard (literally) of a Galilian mother and a Roman sire. I say "sire" instead of "father" because there's more to being a father than simply siring a child--and Abenadar had no father. His mother, an outcast living on the outskirts of Nazareth, finds her only friend in Mary, the mother of Christ--also an outcast. Abenadar and Yeshua become friends during their formative years. And before Abenadar leaves to seek his future as a Roman soldier, Yeshua exhorts him not to forget his God--Adonai.
Abenadar finds his calling in the austere life of the Roman camp. His military acumen and prowess are quickly revealed--and tested. In battle after battle, Abenadar distinguishes himself, accumulating honors and accolades that advance him to the unexpected rank of Centurion--a position normally reserved for only those of full Roman blood. But inside, he is a man caught between two worlds; fully a Roman warrior, but fully a child of Galilee, who adheres to the precepts of his God, Adonai.
He is posted to Jerusalem, where he rescues Ruth, a woman of the streets, from an abusive client. Captivated by her beauty, he seeks her out and rescues her from her life of forced harlotry. The stigma he carries as half-Roman, and hers as a Judean whore, bring them together against a world that accepts neither one of them.
Yeshua enters the picture once again, and Abenadar's and Ruth's respective worlds collide in the draw of this unlikely prophet. How does the love of a Roman soldier, bound to his oath to Caesar, and a Jewess, bound to her faith in God and the promise of His Messiah, survive through the passion of the King of Kings? The answer lies in the pages of Centurion.
L.D. Alford delivers an extremely well written and meticulously researched story that won't let you go. Steeped in Roman martial lore, you'll learn more about the Empire's military organization, weapons and battle tactics than you ever realized existed. But the learning never comes at the expense of the story. If fairness still exists anywhere in this world, Centurion is destined to become a classic in Christian literature--it's got to.
December 1, 2015
A well done narrative of a contemporary of Jesus who knows him as a child, becomes a Roman soldier and meets him again in his final days. Well-crafted and interesting. Lots of details about Roman military organization, training, equipment, food and more - maybe a bit too much, but I did not find it tedious. It certainly did not hinder the impact of the storyline.
March 10, 2013
Personal friend -- amazing detail! The story of the crucifixion, but throught the eyes of the Roman soldier. Loved it! Recommended to several family and friends.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews