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Zion Chronicles #4
A Light in Zion
On the Eve of Israel's 40th Anniversary of Statehood- The fourth book in THE ZION CHRONICLES, A Light in Zion opens in April 1948, only six weeks before the final evacuation of the British from Israel. The dream for the rebirth of the Jewish nation now appears doomed to extinction. The British have almost totally withdrawn from any interference between the battles of the nearly unarmed Jews and the Arab soldiers of Haj Amin Husseni. The eve of Passover finds the Jewish sector of Jerusalem being starved into submission by an Arab siege. While Moshe and his Jewish troops risk their lives to open the Arab-held pass of Bab el Wad for a food convoy to save their people, David and Ellie search the Mediterranean for a freighter loaded with weapons for the Muslim Jihad and the bands of Arab soldiers who still vow to drive the Jews into the sea. And Rachel's mother-heart yearns over her fever-ravaged infant-. BOUND BY DESTINY YET OVERWHELMED BY ODDS, IS THERE ANY "LIGHT IN ZION"?
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1988
147 people are currently reading
1087 people want to read
About the author
Bodie Thoene
205 books1,382 followersBODIE AND BROCK THOENE (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards.
Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.
Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake Thoene, Luke Thoene, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.
Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.
Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.
Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake Thoene, Luke Thoene, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.
Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
May 14, 2023
Caveat:: my ratings are based on genre meaning this is a 3 star in the Historical Romance genre NOT as compared to a great piece of literature like O'Connor or Solzhenitsyn::
As always, the history and the things I've learned about the Jewish culture is my favorite part of these books. Glad I've read them but not books I'll probably read again. Though, maybe I will if I'm still not Home when I'm 80. One more to go in the series.
As always, the history and the things I've learned about the Jewish culture is my favorite part of these books. Glad I've read them but not books I'll probably read again. Though, maybe I will if I'm still not Home when I'm 80. One more to go in the series.
February 24, 2021
My pre-in-depth-review summary: that was very good. Heart-pounding and heart-wrenching, but very good.
Setting: Mainly Palestine, 1948--more specifically Jerusalem and Kastel, and almost half of the book covers a mere 12 hours. But one certain character flies in his plane all over the place, including Cyprus, Belgrade, and Italy. And it goes without saying in a Thoene book that the setting is flawlessly done (then again, I wouldn't know if it were not). The importance of certain locations is sufficiently emphasized, and the political concerns of each country, relevant to the time period, are at the forefront. International intrigue, that's what this book--and the whole series--is.
Characters: Perfect, as always. In this one I especially see David's character laid out in a raw manner. He's so sensitive--his title of Tinman is pretty ironic. He has the perfect, most realistic balance of self-blame, self-protection, protection of Ellie, inability to stop Ellie from doing what she wants to do, and commitment to the Zionist cause.
If David is perfect, then Moshe is even more perfect. No, really--Moshe is perfect. He's one of those larger-than-life men for whom monuments are made. Famous legends. And yet we have his perspective, so that he seems human. It's fascinating to compare him to David--it's like the two aren't even written by the same author.
Ellie and Rachel. It's a wonder--neither of them bug me. Not Ellie, when she pushes herself into dangerous situations, defying her husband's wishes. Not Rachel, when she ends up detaining Moshe from his important job. I love them both, and again, they are so real, but very different from each other.
This series often has POVs from the antagonists, but in this book such POVs actually elicit sympathy. I still hate Gerhardt (it's not sinful, he's a fictional character), but Kadar ... Thoene's writing of him is maddening, because he actually has some wisdom along with his wickedness. And then there is the POV of Sarai, which makes things doubly heartbreaking.
Plot: I felt a shift in this plot--somewhat of a contrast to the previous book. Instead of everything going wrong time and time again, some things actually went right. It made for a happier book, in the beginning, anyway, but there is no suspense lost. Then things start to get tight, and by the climax one can't help but be on the edge of the proverbial seat once again.
Faith content: Really, really powerful. I don't know if it is more so than the previous books, but I'll pretend, since this is the one I just finished. The lessons shown in the impossible Zionist cause are ridiculously timely for our American nation right now, and I am of the opinion that most Christians should read this series/book for that very reason. It is unbelievable how these characters can believe in God's promises and fight for righteousness when everything visible screams the opposite. That's the making of some admirable role models, right there.
Recommended for every single person who has read the previous three books in the Zion Chronicles series.
Setting: Mainly Palestine, 1948--more specifically Jerusalem and Kastel, and almost half of the book covers a mere 12 hours. But one certain character flies in his plane all over the place, including Cyprus, Belgrade, and Italy. And it goes without saying in a Thoene book that the setting is flawlessly done (then again, I wouldn't know if it were not). The importance of certain locations is sufficiently emphasized, and the political concerns of each country, relevant to the time period, are at the forefront. International intrigue, that's what this book--and the whole series--is.
Characters: Perfect, as always. In this one I especially see David's character laid out in a raw manner. He's so sensitive--his title of Tinman is pretty ironic. He has the perfect, most realistic balance of self-blame, self-protection, protection of Ellie, inability to stop Ellie from doing what she wants to do, and commitment to the Zionist cause.
If David is perfect, then Moshe is even more perfect. No, really--Moshe is perfect. He's one of those larger-than-life men for whom monuments are made. Famous legends. And yet we have his perspective, so that he seems human. It's fascinating to compare him to David--it's like the two aren't even written by the same author.
Ellie and Rachel. It's a wonder--neither of them bug me. Not Ellie, when she pushes herself into dangerous situations, defying her husband's wishes. Not Rachel, when she ends up detaining Moshe from his important job. I love them both, and again, they are so real, but very different from each other.
This series often has POVs from the antagonists, but in this book such POVs actually elicit sympathy. I still hate Gerhardt (it's not sinful, he's a fictional character), but Kadar ... Thoene's writing of him is maddening, because he actually has some wisdom along with his wickedness. And then there is the POV of Sarai, which makes things doubly heartbreaking.
Plot: I felt a shift in this plot--somewhat of a contrast to the previous book. Instead of everything going wrong time and time again, some things actually went right. It made for a happier book, in the beginning, anyway, but there is no suspense lost. Then things start to get tight, and by the climax one can't help but be on the edge of the proverbial seat once again.
Faith content: Really, really powerful. I don't know if it is more so than the previous books, but I'll pretend, since this is the one I just finished. The lessons shown in the impossible Zionist cause are ridiculously timely for our American nation right now, and I am of the opinion that most Christians should read this series/book for that very reason. It is unbelievable how these characters can believe in God's promises and fight for righteousness when everything visible screams the opposite. That's the making of some admirable role models, right there.
Recommended for every single person who has read the previous three books in the Zion Chronicles series.
July 7, 2021
A Light in Zion is about the warfare between the Jews and Muslims, as Israel is being born. War is not my favorite subject but it gives opportunity to ask important theological questions. For instance, when bad things happen, especially to God’s chosen people, where is God? When 6 million Jews were killed during WWII was God silent? Had He turned a deaf ear to the cries for help and deliverance? According to Moshe Sachar it isn’t God who has shut His ears:
“Yeshua. Are You truly silent, or do You answer in ways we do not hear? You, too, died under the sword of injustice. God has spoken in the silence: He sent Messiah. Yet so few hear. So few listen.” Pg. 90
“Yeshua. Are You truly silent, or do You answer in ways we do not hear? You, too, died under the sword of injustice. God has spoken in the silence: He sent Messiah. Yet so few hear. So few listen.” Pg. 90
December 10, 2020
Although this book has a good plot and continues the story of characters from earlier volumes in this series, iit is annoying. It is full of characters ruminating about place and history, back-story, etc. I am a little tired of an omniscient editor peaking into the minds and motivations of different characters from the heroes to the enemies. Still it gives a picture of the terrible struggle the Jews faced to hold the road to Jerusalem to protect their enclave in the city and stave off the overwhelming hordes of Arabs arrayed against them and the unfeeling and biased actions of the British administration.
August 24, 2023
Well, well … fourth of a series of five, and I am ready to jump into #5. My concern from book number three was that the series could become a vehicle for a Zionist view of the world and the war. But this book was written so well, with subtlety and strong characters from every political and religious perspective. And the last lines of the book sum up the problem so well. In my own words, “this is a human problem. No one system or society has the monopoly on evil or good.”
My favourite line is spoken by Grandfather, “but some of them are one of us”.
My favourite line is spoken by Grandfather, “but some of them are one of us”.
June 24, 2018
"Don't you see? It will never end. It does not matter who wins. The grave will never be full enough to satisfy our lust. Forever we will need a noble cause, a reason to kill each other." Gerhardt - P144.
Book #4 in this series is a bit stop and go but by the end I was up all night turning pages.
This book gets into the narly details of war.
This book and the series in general will be one I make my children read!
10/10 worthwhile picking up! You won't regret it!
Book #4 in this series is a bit stop and go but by the end I was up all night turning pages.
This book gets into the narly details of war.
This book and the series in general will be one I make my children read!
10/10 worthwhile picking up! You won't regret it!
April 8, 2019
I'm hooked on this series--each book is better than the previous. It seems like we are in real time: action on three different stages, constantly unrolling plot, characters lives over-lapping then drawn apart. History is coming alive. Bodie is masterful at delineating action and making it visual for the reader.
March 5, 2025
This really portrays some of the horrific stuggle they had in order to become an Israeli State. Such a terrible waste of human lives and it still goes on today. This is written from a lot of stories that the author heard from people from that time. Since I don't know the country well, it's kind of hard to follow at times but you get the point. This has been quite an eye opener for me.
December 29, 2017
I think that the book is wonderful. It had a lot of action. It was very sad but very happy story also. The story kept you on the edge of your seat. Could not put it down with all the action. Some of it was heartbreaking.
June 6, 2019
Not my favorite book of the series, but through reading this series, I have a much better understanding of the extreme struggles and the heartbreak that the Jewish people experienced during the fight for Israeli statehood. And still it continues....
November 13, 2022
my heart is with the Jews
The last 10 chapters are so powerful, if you are not cheering for the Jewish people at this point you never will. Mans inhumanity to man, on both sides is unbearable to read. End the end, hate no man,
The last 10 chapters are so powerful, if you are not cheering for the Jewish people at this point you never will. Mans inhumanity to man, on both sides is unbearable to read. End the end, hate no man,
December 28, 2017
I had a hard time getting into this one. I think it was because so much of it was about the fighting. The second half was faster for me. I love the characters. When Howard died, I cried.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2019
Excelente libro me encantó
October 29, 2019
Fourth in the series on the 1948 statehood for Israel. Drama fighting description, love and death are a part of the history of the formation of a Zion state.
August 29, 2022
A thrill to read in every way: action, adventure, romance, etc. Love the history and peril mixed with the hope and faith. Read this book!!!
June 2, 2025
As usual Bodie Thoene writes a book that is historically accurate, filled with action, and explores the faith of Jews and Christians.
September 23, 2025
Enjoying this series based on events after the Holocaust and before Israel became a nation.
November 10, 2025
I am constantly amazed how the authors keep me engaged and wanting to read more and more! Wow! Such a great book! Can’t wait to read the final book in the series!
March 13, 2017
This is book 4 of the Zion Chronicles and it continues where the others have ended. Very exciting and well written. Each volume leads into the next volume. Very hard to put down, I felt that I had to continue reading to find out what happens next. Each volume starts out with a chapter detailing what happen in Jerusalem in 70 AD, then it advances to current time, approximately 1948 AD.
January 8, 2014
The Light of Zion is yet another installment in the Zion series. I picked this series up as part of the goodreads group challenge and wasn't overly excited about it, but I am so glad I did. This series gives a wonderful perspective and the characters are very memorable.
I think each book covers a shorter period of time than the last one. This book covers only a month. I didn't realize that is only a month until the end and it makes your head spin a little bit. So much happened so quickly. I cannot imagine living through anything like what is described. These characters have been through so much and their will is unrelenting. I find their courage and strength to honesty be something almost mythical. I cannot fathom acting as bravely as they do. Though you do hear stories of such braver all the time in the military. I am glad that courage hasn't left us completely. There are still people who are willing and able to stand up for what they believe is good and just.
There is only one more book in this series and I am eager to read it. My only complaint about these books is there is almost zero review of characters and situations from one book to another so you really need to read the close together. In reality, it could read as one really long book if need be.
I think each book covers a shorter period of time than the last one. This book covers only a month. I didn't realize that is only a month until the end and it makes your head spin a little bit. So much happened so quickly. I cannot imagine living through anything like what is described. These characters have been through so much and their will is unrelenting. I find their courage and strength to honesty be something almost mythical. I cannot fathom acting as bravely as they do. Though you do hear stories of such braver all the time in the military. I am glad that courage hasn't left us completely. There are still people who are willing and able to stand up for what they believe is good and just.
There is only one more book in this series and I am eager to read it. My only complaint about these books is there is almost zero review of characters and situations from one book to another so you really need to read the close together. In reality, it could read as one really long book if need be.
September 8, 2012
The Zion Chronicles series covers the events surrounding Israel's statehood in 1948. Each book vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today. "Will there ever be peace in Zion?" The Jewish people wonder as they stream into t...more The Zion Chronicles series covers the events surrounding Israel's statehood in 1948. Each book vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today. "Will there ever be peace in Zion?" The Jewish people wonder as they stream into the British Mandate of Palestine after the devastation of World War II. What has happened to God's promises to their nation? These updated classics feature a new look and added study questions suitable for individual use or group discussion.
February 22, 2012
The reason I chose 5 stars was because this series usually I walk past, but on a friends recommendation I picked up the first book. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved this book. So much that I bought the entire series in a nice collection. I loved the History and the fact that the characters and the events are actual events and real people that lived in these most trying times of faith and perseverance. I loved the fact that this book brought this History to life for me about the creation of the Jewish state of Israel. I liked the characters and the fictional conversations. I think sometimes the folks that give this book a dismal review are probably not Christians and every book they read has to be epic of sorts. I cat wait to get into the other continuing series from Thoene.
January 7, 2017
In book 4 of this saga, things are really bad in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem as the Arabs are starving them into submission. Moshe, one of our heroes, MUST with his men capture the only pass through which they can get supplies from Tel Aviv. His wife, Rachel, is suffering her own kind of hell as their baby is deathly ill and must be taken out of the Jewish Quarter to get to a hospital. David and Ellie, in the meantime, are trying to get weapons to the Israeli's before it's too late.
It's full of suspense and even though you know that Israel became a nation, it's a page turner for sure.
Stay tune, another book after this .....
It's full of suspense and even though you know that Israel became a nation, it's a page turner for sure.
Stay tune, another book after this .....
June 10, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. I have it a lower rating than I might of because it didn't really finish anything. When I read a series I prefer to have a central plot that is core to the one book, while other strands continue on through the series. But this book had no central story within itself. When this happens I always feel a bit ripped off at the end of the book as you get no closure at all.
November 15, 2013
I loved both The Zion Chronicle series and the Zion Covenant series. Back then I probably would have rated them 5 stars but I am a little more conservative with my ratings now. Both were well written and well researched books. I learned a lot. They are clean and action packed. Some of my favorite books ever.
March 15, 2014
I always get so mad when I read the books in this series! I know the Bible, still can't keep myself from getting so emotional about how the world has turned it's back on the nation of Israel over and over again. I suppose that's a sign of good writer, who can bring that kind of emotion to the surface.
January 24, 2016
After reading four books now in the series, I am emotionally involved with the characters. I also found this book more interesting than the others. The authors do an excellent job relaying the historical information. So far I like this book the best as compared to the other books in the series.
August 29, 2016
Exciting and riveting story, with great characterization
I am continuing to enjoy the books in this series! There were many times, throughout this book, where I felt like I was watching a movie! Moreover, the authors have done a great job with characterization. I have found myself growing really attached to some of the characters in this series. I can't wait for book 5!
I am continuing to enjoy the books in this series! There were many times, throughout this book, where I felt like I was watching a movie! Moreover, the authors have done a great job with characterization. I have found myself growing really attached to some of the characters in this series. I can't wait for book 5!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews