Land of Inheritance

Out of Jerusalem #4

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

Book by Moore, H. B.

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

324 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

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

[No, David! No! · Rating 2 out of 5]

The final book in the series, and I found it more disappointing than the others. The main thing again was continuity. Below are several examples from this book. If you don't mind them, it is interesting to finish the story line, but overall, I didn't enjoy this one.

1 - Eve is concerned because she believes Jacob's "nose and cheekbones" are broken. His face is so swollen he is deformed. Then, as he is being treated / healed, his face isn't mentioned at all. No worries about it at all. Just his other injuries.
2 - At one point, the author talks about them walking all night, and Eve seeing the sky start to lighten. The next paragraph, they decide to stop and rest. The following paragraph she walks into the trees to get a drink. The next paragraph "it is starting to get dark" -- what happened to the day?!?!
3 - Nephi and Zoram are gone, at most, two weeks. In this time, they make ALL the weapons, start building the walls, dig a new well, harvest all the food, etc. They are still harvesting the food when Sariah suddenly prophesies Nephi is almost home. In walks Nephi, and the camp is empty. Not just empty, it is described that "nobody has been there for many days." How can that even be?
4 - Ramaah is so disfigured and destroyed he can hardly live. They don't have emergency medicines here. They have some herbs. Somehow, he recovers with just a limp?
5 - The grandparents all die before age 60. At the end, Nephi is 71, and barely holding on. Ramaah (the same one just almost dead) goes wondering past just fine... Ramaah is at least ten years older than Nephi. How does that work?

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my own book and it's kind of strange to rate it. I'd probably give it 4 stars to be humble, but then I realized that there's nothing out there that quite covers what this volume does.

It explores the dynamic of an incredible family--well, incredible on one hand and self-destructive on the other.

I was amazed at how the themes and the basic character emotions came through--and saw how they related to our modern-day families.

Lehi dies, after conferring the patriarchal title on his 4th son, Nephi. But shortly after Lehi's death, the family falls apart.

I think the crux of the story is Sariah--mother to 6 sons, and grandmother to many. When she follows Nephi, she is departing from the rest of her family--including grandchildren! How heartbreaking for her!

Also, to explore the change in the color of skin when the followers of Laman were cursed. One of the wives doesn't suffer a change in color and she is ostracized because of it. Her husband is forced to choose--his wife or his children.

This book covers the first official physical division in Lehi's family, and this division would NEVER heal. Not in Nephi's lifetime, not hundreds of years later in Mormon's lifetime. Hundreds of years of hatred.

And this is where it began.

[Krista Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this creative and insightful version of a scripture story I already know well. Heather's characters were real to me, and their world was brought to life in a way that made me feel I was discovering the story all over again.
I also appreciated Heather's notes at the end of the book, seeing her research and how she chose to apply it.
I have just started reading LDS fiction, and I find myself wondering how to rate some I have read against classic works and mainstream bestsellers, but I gave this 5 stars without hesitation, because the writing was clean, emotional, gripping, well-paced, descriptively and narratively (is that a word?) balanced, original, and the story will remain with me.
Thank you, Heather B. Moore, for this introduction to your writing.

note: I haven't read 1, 2, or 3 of this series, but it didn't matter. It would to someone unfamiliar to the scripture story it is based on.

[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!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I’m not sure exactly why, but I didn’t enjoy this volume as much as #2-3. Perhaps the storyline didn’t seem as likely to me? But I am glad I read this series, & I enjoyed the end notes, as usual.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect, yet heartbreaking conclusion to this series.

[LuAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth and final book in the Out of Jerusalem series, Land of Inheritance, by H. B. Moore is as satisfying to the heart of a romantic as reading the scriptures is to the soul of the believer. Through meticulous and documented research, and a flair for a well-told story, Moore takes readers into the trials and triumphs of the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi and members of his family as they at last reach the New World, a place more foreign than any land they crossed before. Readers will find themselves pulled into the story immediately, and they will feel well-fed when they are done.

Heather Moore brings an interesting personal background to this series. Although she was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and spent most of her childhood in Orem, Utah, her family traveled back and forth between the Middle East and Utah. “I lived in Israel when I was seven,” Moore says. “We traveled with a BYU student group and my mother home-schooled us. We moved to Egypt for a year, and I remember having friends from all different countries.” At the age of eight, while living in Egypt, Moore was baptized in the Red Sea.

When she was 16, her family again lived in Jerusalem. “Life is much different there,” she adds, “from the food, to the clothing and living conditions. Most people live in small apartments. The women dress very modestly. It wasn't uncommon for me to take a sharoot (shared-taxi) to go meet my friends. I went to a private high school where only nineteen people were in my grade. All my friends spoke two or three languages and had traveled the world.”

Moore’s personal experience is evident in the richly told details of her series. “Since I've lived in the Middle East, I know the sights, sounds, smells, etc. of those countries,” she explains. “I've always marveled at authors who are able to travel to the countries they set their stories in. I guess you could say I was able to do the same thing with the first book in the Out of Jerusalem series since Lehi and Nephi lived in Jerusalem. In the subsequent books, I've relied on watching documentary films set in Arabia and Guatemala.”

“I rely heavily on research when plotting and developing my stories,” Moore continues. “Of course my series is unique in the fact that it follows the events in the Book of Mormon. I stay as close to the scriptures as possible, and by reading my chapter notes, you'll find that if something didn't actually happen, it was very plausible. As historical fiction, my books must be as accurate as possible. If there is a large issue I am dealing with, I'll explain my approach in the preface and follow-up in the chapter notes found at the end of each book.”

The daughter of noted scholar S. Kent Brown (FARMS), Heather Moore has an inside track when it comes to research. “I continually consult with my father about locating the most updated and most respected research that is available from Book of Mormon scholars and historians of ancient civilizations.” And that research and knowledge shows.

“I've had readers tell me that I make the Book of Mormon come to life. This would not have been possible if I didn't have articles, essays, and books by scriptorians and historians to base the story on. I am the creative thinker, but I owe the richness of my stories to the scholars who have dedicated their lives in careful study. Reading my series, the reader will be able to picture the geography, understand the complex family relationships, and ponder the important role the women played in the journey from Jerusalem to the promised land. I also hope the reader will be touched by the incredible perseverance of Nephi. There is something in each book that readers will be able to relate to, whether it's sibling rivalry, developing a testimony, relying on the Lord, remaining faithful in the midst of trials—all things Nephi dealt with.”

Readers who have enjoyed the Out of Jerusalem series will be glad to know that more novels will be coming. “I'm currently writing a new series set in Book of Mormon times. The first book introduces the prophet Abinadi as a young man. He receives his call to be a prophet in his mid-twenties, and subsequently will be put to death before he reaches the age of thirty. There is no hint to Abinadi's age in the scriptural text, which made me consider a new approach. Most LDS art has depicted Abinadi as an elderly man, but I thought it would be more compelling to tell a story about a young man who dies for his faith—and still has his entire life ahead of him.”

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. This is a book that I lost a night of sleep over. I just couldn't put it down. This book concludes the "Out of Jerusalem" series. I loved the story and the things I learned about this family. It makes me think of what might have been. I especially enjoyed Jacob and Eve's characters. Elisheba and Rammah's characters make me think, because the 'Book of Mormon" talks about Ishmale's sons following Laman and Nephi's sisters followed Nephi. How did that work? HBM offers a possible explanation.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the others in the series, this book is well-researched and insightful. It moves at a good pace and the characters are interesting. It is also a little sad (since the true story it is based on is quite sad). There is a lot of speculation, but the author does a great job making you think about what it would have been like to divide a family (this book covers the period of time after Lehi's family reaches the Promised Land - including Nephi being told to take those who will follow him and leave). In all, I'm glad I read the series.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoyed this series. I appreciated the way the author described the accounts of Lehi and Nephi's families. Some aspects of their lives had never really come to mind before while reading the Book of Mormon. I like how the stories made me consider how things had been for them on a more personal level.

[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 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the last book as much as I did the previous books. I didn't like some of the loose ends. MOre needed to be resolved and I wanted to hear more details of the promise land. But i thouroughly enjoyed this series and I want to read more books by Heather Moore.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this series. Some of the authors ideas seemed a little far out, but it did help me think a lot more about what Lehi's family personal lives may have been like.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series of books. This last volume was a page-turner and I loved the characters and the storyline!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series. It brought the story of Lehi's family even more to life in my mind.

[Alice M · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 out of 5 stars for Vol. 4
5 out of 5 stars for the collection of Vol.1-4, though it is deserving of much more.

“AN EPIC STORY WITH UNIVERSAL TIMELESS APPEAL”
This is the final volume in H.B. Moore’s Out Of Jerusalem saga. Having personally purchased and read all four of the volumes, I offer my review as totally unbiased. This final volume primarily follows the blended families of Lehi and Ishmael and their posterity once they have concluded their long sea voyage and reached what they feel is their land of promise. Volume four begins in the land of promise and recounts their experiences as they discover and geographically explore their new home land, and establish an ecosystem and social system among their growing family. The often illustrated friction among the male characters illustrated throughout the first three volumes continues in volume 4 cohesively portraying the reality of this family’s struggle to survive together, yet eventual fracture in order to flourish. Discord and struggle for leadership in the family, primarily among the four oldest sons of Lehi, is escalated upon Lehi’s death. At that point, a divide is formed and it propels the story through the end of volume 4. The two main factions being, one follows the leadership and inspiration of God and the scriptures, and the other most certainly does not and would rather lead by their own desires for personal gain through physical dominance and intimidation. An interesting element is the inclusion of the preexisting inhabitants that are encountered in the land of promise, as well as their variation of language, values, culture, and intelligence. The additional individual characterization of the female members of Lehi’s and Ishmael’s families adds a wonderful dimension to the strong dynamic of interpersonal relationships and provides much interest to the reading. I found myself feeling very satisfied in seeing how each of the individual characters, both male and female, both young and old, vividly embrace their own role in their new life in the land of promise, and how their personal choices ultimately determine their fate.
H.B. Moore is a masterful story teller and it is obvious that she has tremendous command of the English language. To complement this asset is the obvious detail with which she can paint a picture that leaves the reader feeling as though they are experiencing the story in a minimum of 4-D. Her attention to historical fact, scripture accuracy, and the plausibility of other related scenarios makes for a smooth ground for the storytelling of her well-presented saga. Significant effort is poured into each character leaving the reader with an abundance of richly constructed characters; the differences in personality and traits are stark, and the similarities are comforting. The element of personal voice is strongly portrayed by the characters and it facilitates catalyst in moving the story forward.
The human experiences in this epic story are generously portrayed through conflict, strife, courage, betrayal, combat, capture, deceit, disobedience, arrogance, humility, devotion, sacrifice, obedience, joy, pride, dominance, persecution, injury, culture, superstition, sorrow, death, birth, grudge, forgiveness, promise, and hope. With such a vast epic story, it takes a very skillful writer to create an original work of fiction by using a historically documented account as the basis for the creative literary work. H.B. Moore most certainly stands out among any colleagues in her field of historical fiction when her ground for fictionalizing is the scriptures, primarily, The Book of Mormon. The magnitude of her research is vast and it is thoroughly documented in the chapter notes at the back of each of the four volumes. Though the author takes artistic license incorporating details into the story, the depth of character development, and ancillary side stories of daily life, there is vivid adherence to the main thrust of what is factually known from The Book of Mormon text and other reputably supported texts from scholars of ancient records.
It is also evident that H.B. Moore has a personal connection to the story of this family’s journey, as her passion for the story is undeniably consistent throughout the literary work of all four volumes. As a reader, I am impressed; when many seasoned writers would only dare present the facts as a geographic or historical travel log, H.B. Moore’s manuscript is a humanistic experience, a spiritual experience, and an illuminating experience for the reader. Many readers of The Book of Mormon have often expressed the desire of wanting to know more about the lives of the people who authored the writing of the ancient text. H.B. Moore’s efforts bring a glimpse into what certainly is a panoramic revelation yet to come.
All of the four volumes are well written, well researched, and well presented. Having read all volumes, I found all to be enjoyable reads and I felt a sense of awe, reverence, and respect for what these people may have endured in their real lives. The fictionalized approach was richly complemented with factual information and the blend was seamless. Though this four volume work of historical fiction would have significant appeal to those individuals who accept The Book of Mormon as scripture, H.B. Moore’s work carries interest beyond those boundaries to include readers of all faiths who enjoy faith-based historical fiction, and other readers who enjoy historical fiction of Mesoamerica.
IN CONCLUSION, I would highly recommend volume 4, Land of Inheritance, as well as all four volumes of the Out of Jerusalem collection. Though it is currently (2015) rare to find new hardback editions, all four volumes are available in paperback. This collection does not disappoint. On the contrary, it is an exhilarating read and it has left this reader with a feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to have taken such a magnificent epic journey.

REVIEWED 7/29/2015
BY: Alice M. Batzel
Published Playwright, Journalist, Freelance Writer
www.alicembatzel.com
Writer@alicembatzel.com
ladyalice53@msn.com
www.facebook.com/alice.batzel

[Marj · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last of the four Out of Jerusalem series was the most difficult to read. Here is where Lehi's family is fractured because of pride and a refusal to follow the commandments of God. Laman and Lemuel and their families are cursed for their iniquity.

Nephi, now the leader of the settlement in the "new world", leads the family (Lehi has now died) away from his brothers, who want nothing to do with the commandments of God, but want to be the leaders.

After reading all four novels, these characters became real to me. Their world was brought to life, especially as I read The Book of Mormon account along with it.

One of my favorite aspects of these four novels was Heather's notes at the end of each book. Seeing her research and how she chose to apply it, as I read The Book of Mormon, added a layer of value to my reading of both texts.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful companion to Book of Mormon

I have really loved this series. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have read the Book of Mormon often. It shares the stories of the inhabitants of South America and their testimony of Jesus Christ. Brown has done a wonderful job creating historical fiction about these stories. I appreciate the thoroughness of her research. She is a phenomenal storyteller who does a wonderful job of blending historical facts with her storytelling skills. She is a truly gifted author.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite in the series, by far. So much was going on and I was anxious to see what would happen. I wish that we knew what happened to a couple of the characters at the end, but I guess we were supposed to assume for ourselves. I liked the epilogue and was glad that the author included it. I was sad to see the series end.

[Gail Tavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I just loved the whole series, and as we are reading The Book of Mormon this year, the books go right along with it. The final book was so good I had a hard time putting it down.

[Tenille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to a fabulous series. I have enjoyed this series so much, I've learned about the customs of the days, and can understand the stories in the scriptures a little better.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to imagine what life would have been like for Nephi and his family. I like the chapter notes with info from scripture scholars.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now in the Promised Land the family finally separates into Nephites and Lamenites. Reasonable account of what might have been the history behind the scriptures

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this perspective on the story...

[Daryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

[Brent Huntley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy fiction read but gives some potential humanity to the story of Nephi, etc.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story.

Content: clean - mild violence

[Angieluila Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one went fast. It was not as long as the other books or maybe it was and it just didn't seem like it. I kind of felt like it left ya hanging. I want more. My son enjoyed it right up to the end.