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Crown of Thorns #1
Son of Mary: A Tale of Jesus of Nazareth
Nazareth has been cruel to my mother, more cruel than any village ever was.
All the village says that my blood father is not the man who married my mother.
They have shamed her on the matter all my life.
Every woman asks which man of the village is my blood father.
Every man scowls and says he was not the one my mother seduced.
My mother will not tell who is my blood father.
My mother will not speak on the matter.
My mother bears her shame in silence.
Some righteous man, a prophet, said a word over me when I was a babe in arms. He told how I will redeem Israel when I grow to be a man.
Now I have grown to be a man, but I do not know how to redeem Israel. The scriptures do not explain the matter.
My people say that the man who redeems Israel must take up the sword and throw off our enemy, Rome, which we call the Great Satan.
My family says I must take up the sword.
Only I am no man of the sword. I wish with all my heart to redeem Israel, but HaShem, the God of our fathers, must tell me how.
Lately, there came a new prophet to Israel, who immerses for repentance at the river Jordan.
I went to ask the prophet how I should redeem Israel.
He said I am to smite the four Powers.
I asked what are the four Powers.
He could not say, but he said HaShem will reveal the matter to me.
I wish HaShem will reveal the matter, only I am not a prophet. Not yet.
But I will be.
Here is what I know. Every hour of every day, I feel the Presence of HaShem.
I do not know why I should feel the Presence always. My mother does not. My village does not. Even the prophet of HaShem does not.
I think the Presence will teach me the way to redeem Israel.
But I am afraid to redeem Israel.
To redeem Israel is to leave my mother to the scorn of the village.
The rage of the village.
My mother begs and cries on me to make a justice for her.
To make a justice on the village.
I do not know how to make a justice on the village.
I do not know how to redeem Israel.
But HaShem will show me the way.
I will learn how to be a prophet of HaShem.
I will learn how to redeem Israel.
I will learn how to make a justice for my mother.
I will smite the first Power.
Or I will die in the trying.
All the village says that my blood father is not the man who married my mother.
They have shamed her on the matter all my life.
Every woman asks which man of the village is my blood father.
Every man scowls and says he was not the one my mother seduced.
My mother will not tell who is my blood father.
My mother will not speak on the matter.
My mother bears her shame in silence.
Some righteous man, a prophet, said a word over me when I was a babe in arms. He told how I will redeem Israel when I grow to be a man.
Now I have grown to be a man, but I do not know how to redeem Israel. The scriptures do not explain the matter.
My people say that the man who redeems Israel must take up the sword and throw off our enemy, Rome, which we call the Great Satan.
My family says I must take up the sword.
Only I am no man of the sword. I wish with all my heart to redeem Israel, but HaShem, the God of our fathers, must tell me how.
Lately, there came a new prophet to Israel, who immerses for repentance at the river Jordan.
I went to ask the prophet how I should redeem Israel.
He said I am to smite the four Powers.
I asked what are the four Powers.
He could not say, but he said HaShem will reveal the matter to me.
I wish HaShem will reveal the matter, only I am not a prophet. Not yet.
But I will be.
Here is what I know. Every hour of every day, I feel the Presence of HaShem.
I do not know why I should feel the Presence always. My mother does not. My village does not. Even the prophet of HaShem does not.
I think the Presence will teach me the way to redeem Israel.
But I am afraid to redeem Israel.
To redeem Israel is to leave my mother to the scorn of the village.
The rage of the village.
My mother begs and cries on me to make a justice for her.
To make a justice on the village.
I do not know how to make a justice on the village.
I do not know how to redeem Israel.
But HaShem will show me the way.
I will learn how to be a prophet of HaShem.
I will learn how to redeem Israel.
I will learn how to make a justice for my mother.
I will smite the first Power.
Or I will die in the trying.
657 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2020
198 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
R.S. Ingermanson
5 books25 followersSee also Randall Ingermanson and Randy Ingermanson
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 12, 2020
Profound and Deeply Moving
With Son of Mary, Randy Ingermanson joins the ranks of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, and Dostoevsky as a writer of first-class Christian fiction. He's taken on a challenge that has defeated quite a few famous authors, writing a fictionalized account of the Gospel story, and succeeded in a way only possible for a writer whose pen (well, keyboard, actually) was guided by the Holy Spirit. This is a book that will have you crying or laughing or simply awe-struck in every chapter, and, after 565 pages, wishing it were far longer--but consoled by the knowledge that it's the first of four volumes in the complete Crown of Thorns saga.
Ingermanson has been researching first-century Palestine for nearly forty years, so I wasn't surprised at the compelling way he evokes its sights and scents and sounds. He's a talented writer, so I took it for granted that the Gospel characters would be convincingly portrayed as three-dimensional human beings, with motivations and emotions I understand and relate to. Others, such as Anne Rice and Nikos Kazantzakis, have done that as well, if perhaps not so movingly as in Son of Mary (I would have a hard time choosing between Jesus, his mother Mary, Mary sister of Martha, and the Blessed Disciple as my favorite character) . But what sets this novel apart is Ingermanson's profound feeling for and insight into the Gospel. In fact, if I could give my young son only one book to read to accompany Scripture when he comes of age, this would be it.
Early on in Son of Mary, Jesus--who only gradually comes to understand his destiny--learns that as Messiah he must defeat the Four Powers (finding out the identity of the First Power is one of the novel's many thrilling moments). By choosing to tell the story in four volumes, Ingermanson gives himself room to create an epic. If I were still a betting man, I'd put serious money on the proposition that people will be reading the Crown of Thorns books one hundred years from now, just as they'll still be reading another classic it reminds me of, Lord of the Rings.
Merged review:
Son of Mary: A Tale of Jesus of Nazareth is a profound and deeply moving novel that ranks with some of the finest Christian-themed fiction ever written. I was led to Christ by the writings of George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis, so when I tell you this book is on par with their works, that’s the greatest compliment I can give. It had me crying or laughing or simply awe-struck in every chapter, and, after 565 pages, wishing it were far longer--but consoled by the knowledge that it's the first of four volumes in the complete Crown of Thorns saga.
Writing a fictionalized account of the Gospel story is a challenge that has defeated more than a few famous authors, from Norman Mailer to Nobel laureate José Saramago. Randy Ingermanson succeeded in a way only possible for a writer guided by the Holy Spirit. He’s been researching first-century Palestine for nearly forty years, so I wasn't surprised at the compelling way he evokes its sights and scents and sounds. He's an award-winning writer, so I took it for granted that his Gospel characters would be convincingly portrayed as men and women with motivations and emotions I understand and relate to. Other authors, including Anne Rice and Nikos Kazantzakis, have done that, if perhaps not so movingly as in Son of Mary. But what sets this novel apart is the author's profound feeling for and insight into the Gospel. In fact, if I could give my young son only one book to read to accompany Scripture when he comes of age, this would be it.
First-person narration is one of the keys to the novel’s power. Most of Son of Mary is told through the eyes of six characters: Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus), Miryam of Nazareth (his mother Mary), Yaakov of Nazareth (his brother James), Shimon of Capernaum (Simon Peter), thirteen-year-old Yoni (John, son of Zebedee), and Miryam of Bethany (Mary sister of Martha).
As one might imagine from the book’s title, Miryam of Zazareth (along with Yeshua) is central to the story, which begins and ends with her narration. In this version of the Gospel story, neither she nor her husband ever told their son or the village of Nazareth the true story of his birth (people then were no more likely than people today to respond well to a teenage girl, pregnant out of wedlock, telling them some wild story about a meeting an angel). As a result, the townspeople—who might cut her some slack if she’d only own up to the truth and tell which man really got her pregnant—despise and torment her. Miryam in turn is filled with a fierce, bitter resentment, and how she (and Yeshua) deal with those emotions is at the heart of volume one of Crown of Thorns.
Of course, any retelling of the Gospel will succeed or fail based on its portrayal of Jesus. Ingermanson’s Yeshua deals with uncertainty and doubt, but his charisma, compassion, and courage are beautiful and utterly convincing. I’d have a hard time picking a favorite among the other characters.
Yaakov of Nazareth, filled with a mighty macho spirit, is eager to take on the mantle of Messiah himself and bring the fight to the Romans. He’s a sharp study in contrast to his brother, whom Yaakov views as utterly unfit for the job of liberating his people. This is a good example of how Ingermanson takes full advantage of the reader’s familiarity with the Gospel story, because this portrayal of James heightens our anticipation of—and longing for--the man he will one day become.
Yoni—short, of course, for Yohanan (John)—often steals the show. It makes sense that in the year 29 he would only have been a young teenager, given that his Gospel was almost certainly written at the end of the first century. His brilliance, sensitivity, and youthful exuberance are a delight.
Miryam of Bethany, divorced by her husband because she is barren, treated disrespectfully by her sister, is one of the novel’s most moving characters.
Shimon, the Rock, is well drawn; we love him at the same time we’re frustrated with him, and we see that Peter’s legendary obtuseness is more a reflection of first-century Israel’s misunderstanding of what sort of man the Messiah would be. And Shimon’s flashes of insight in Son of Mary are appropriate for the man who we know will one day correctly answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”
But that’s for a later volume, because Son of Mary ends with the Messiah being rejected by the people of Nazareth, as depicted in Luke 4:16-30, when Yeshua was hustled out of the temple and taken “to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.” I don’t do spoilers, so all I will say is that this scene is replete with both high drama and rich theological insight. And if it doesn’t reduce you to a puddle of joyous tears, well, you’re made of tougher stuff than I am!
By choosing to tell the story in four volumes, Ingermanson gives himself room to create an epic. If I were still a betting man, I'd put serious money on the proposition that people will be reading the Crown of Thorns quartet one hundred years from now, just as they'll still be reading another classic it brings to mind, Lord of the Rings.
--Jess Lederman
With Son of Mary, Randy Ingermanson joins the ranks of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, and Dostoevsky as a writer of first-class Christian fiction. He's taken on a challenge that has defeated quite a few famous authors, writing a fictionalized account of the Gospel story, and succeeded in a way only possible for a writer whose pen (well, keyboard, actually) was guided by the Holy Spirit. This is a book that will have you crying or laughing or simply awe-struck in every chapter, and, after 565 pages, wishing it were far longer--but consoled by the knowledge that it's the first of four volumes in the complete Crown of Thorns saga.
Ingermanson has been researching first-century Palestine for nearly forty years, so I wasn't surprised at the compelling way he evokes its sights and scents and sounds. He's a talented writer, so I took it for granted that the Gospel characters would be convincingly portrayed as three-dimensional human beings, with motivations and emotions I understand and relate to. Others, such as Anne Rice and Nikos Kazantzakis, have done that as well, if perhaps not so movingly as in Son of Mary (I would have a hard time choosing between Jesus, his mother Mary, Mary sister of Martha, and the Blessed Disciple as my favorite character) . But what sets this novel apart is Ingermanson's profound feeling for and insight into the Gospel. In fact, if I could give my young son only one book to read to accompany Scripture when he comes of age, this would be it.
Early on in Son of Mary, Jesus--who only gradually comes to understand his destiny--learns that as Messiah he must defeat the Four Powers (finding out the identity of the First Power is one of the novel's many thrilling moments). By choosing to tell the story in four volumes, Ingermanson gives himself room to create an epic. If I were still a betting man, I'd put serious money on the proposition that people will be reading the Crown of Thorns books one hundred years from now, just as they'll still be reading another classic it reminds me of, Lord of the Rings.
Merged review:
Son of Mary: A Tale of Jesus of Nazareth is a profound and deeply moving novel that ranks with some of the finest Christian-themed fiction ever written. I was led to Christ by the writings of George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis, so when I tell you this book is on par with their works, that’s the greatest compliment I can give. It had me crying or laughing or simply awe-struck in every chapter, and, after 565 pages, wishing it were far longer--but consoled by the knowledge that it's the first of four volumes in the complete Crown of Thorns saga.
Writing a fictionalized account of the Gospel story is a challenge that has defeated more than a few famous authors, from Norman Mailer to Nobel laureate José Saramago. Randy Ingermanson succeeded in a way only possible for a writer guided by the Holy Spirit. He’s been researching first-century Palestine for nearly forty years, so I wasn't surprised at the compelling way he evokes its sights and scents and sounds. He's an award-winning writer, so I took it for granted that his Gospel characters would be convincingly portrayed as men and women with motivations and emotions I understand and relate to. Other authors, including Anne Rice and Nikos Kazantzakis, have done that, if perhaps not so movingly as in Son of Mary. But what sets this novel apart is the author's profound feeling for and insight into the Gospel. In fact, if I could give my young son only one book to read to accompany Scripture when he comes of age, this would be it.
First-person narration is one of the keys to the novel’s power. Most of Son of Mary is told through the eyes of six characters: Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus), Miryam of Nazareth (his mother Mary), Yaakov of Nazareth (his brother James), Shimon of Capernaum (Simon Peter), thirteen-year-old Yoni (John, son of Zebedee), and Miryam of Bethany (Mary sister of Martha).
As one might imagine from the book’s title, Miryam of Zazareth (along with Yeshua) is central to the story, which begins and ends with her narration. In this version of the Gospel story, neither she nor her husband ever told their son or the village of Nazareth the true story of his birth (people then were no more likely than people today to respond well to a teenage girl, pregnant out of wedlock, telling them some wild story about a meeting an angel). As a result, the townspeople—who might cut her some slack if she’d only own up to the truth and tell which man really got her pregnant—despise and torment her. Miryam in turn is filled with a fierce, bitter resentment, and how she (and Yeshua) deal with those emotions is at the heart of volume one of Crown of Thorns.
Of course, any retelling of the Gospel will succeed or fail based on its portrayal of Jesus. Ingermanson’s Yeshua deals with uncertainty and doubt, but his charisma, compassion, and courage are beautiful and utterly convincing. I’d have a hard time picking a favorite among the other characters.
Yaakov of Nazareth, filled with a mighty macho spirit, is eager to take on the mantle of Messiah himself and bring the fight to the Romans. He’s a sharp study in contrast to his brother, whom Yaakov views as utterly unfit for the job of liberating his people. This is a good example of how Ingermanson takes full advantage of the reader’s familiarity with the Gospel story, because this portrayal of James heightens our anticipation of—and longing for--the man he will one day become.
Yoni—short, of course, for Yohanan (John)—often steals the show. It makes sense that in the year 29 he would only have been a young teenager, given that his Gospel was almost certainly written at the end of the first century. His brilliance, sensitivity, and youthful exuberance are a delight.
Miryam of Bethany, divorced by her husband because she is barren, treated disrespectfully by her sister, is one of the novel’s most moving characters.
Shimon, the Rock, is well drawn; we love him at the same time we’re frustrated with him, and we see that Peter’s legendary obtuseness is more a reflection of first-century Israel’s misunderstanding of what sort of man the Messiah would be. And Shimon’s flashes of insight in Son of Mary are appropriate for the man who we know will one day correctly answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”
But that’s for a later volume, because Son of Mary ends with the Messiah being rejected by the people of Nazareth, as depicted in Luke 4:16-30, when Yeshua was hustled out of the temple and taken “to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.” I don’t do spoilers, so all I will say is that this scene is replete with both high drama and rich theological insight. And if it doesn’t reduce you to a puddle of joyous tears, well, you’re made of tougher stuff than I am!
By choosing to tell the story in four volumes, Ingermanson gives himself room to create an epic. If I were still a betting man, I'd put serious money on the proposition that people will be reading the Crown of Thorns quartet one hundred years from now, just as they'll still be reading another classic it brings to mind, Lord of the Rings.
--Jess Lederman
April 26, 2020
I should start this by saying that you don't need to be a Christian to read this story, nor do you need to be particularly religious. I think it is likely to mean more to you if you are.
This story tells the tale of a young man in Nazareth, being raised by his mother (the woman we, in the West, know in Anglicised English as "Mary", mother of "Jesus"). She has spent her life being told she's a dreadful person because she became pregnant before she was married, but what was worse was that she never revealed the father, which means (in their eyes) one of her neighbours is the father...
Told from the perspective of several of the key characters in the life of Jesus, we see the pain and frustration of a group of people, desperate to throw off the shackles of an oppressive regime... While their leader only speaks of peace and forgiveness... What is worse is that he behaves the same to men as he does with women, and worse, "lewd" and fallen women, bringing apparent shame and scandal on his followers.
It's a really well written, researched and emotive story that tells the human side of the growth of the prophet, holy man, and (some say) Messiah. I look forward to reading the other three books in the story when they're released.
This story tells the tale of a young man in Nazareth, being raised by his mother (the woman we, in the West, know in Anglicised English as "Mary", mother of "Jesus"). She has spent her life being told she's a dreadful person because she became pregnant before she was married, but what was worse was that she never revealed the father, which means (in their eyes) one of her neighbours is the father...
Told from the perspective of several of the key characters in the life of Jesus, we see the pain and frustration of a group of people, desperate to throw off the shackles of an oppressive regime... While their leader only speaks of peace and forgiveness... What is worse is that he behaves the same to men as he does with women, and worse, "lewd" and fallen women, bringing apparent shame and scandal on his followers.
It's a really well written, researched and emotive story that tells the human side of the growth of the prophet, holy man, and (some say) Messiah. I look forward to reading the other three books in the story when they're released.
May 14, 2020
This is by one of my favorite authors and it will give you a lot to think about. It's very different than his other books; written in a completely different style, and that was hard to get used to. But it's a great book.
I didn't care for the book at first, mainly because it was written so differently from his others... it wasn't at all what I was expecting.
Once I got over the shock and got used to it, I began to like it.
Another problem at first was my realization that he wasn't following scripture all the time like he usually does. In the scenes where he doesn't follow scripture, he tries to get us to see what the people of that time might have been feeling and thinking; and the many things that Jesus had to deal with. As I said before, he makes you think.
Another thing that was hard for me to deal with was that he used all Hebrew names and cultural nicknames. Most looked nothing like the names we're used to seeing and hearing. So even though I'm very aware of the names of the disciples and of all they did with Jesus, it was very confusing to try and figure out who was who and at what point in His life they were at. In retrospect it would probably be better if you just r you don't know their names and just accept the books names for them.
It's a very good book and I'm sure the series will be too. You just have to read it with an open mind and let it be a new experience.
I didn't care for the book at first, mainly because it was written so differently from his others... it wasn't at all what I was expecting.
Once I got over the shock and got used to it, I began to like it.
Another problem at first was my realization that he wasn't following scripture all the time like he usually does. In the scenes where he doesn't follow scripture, he tries to get us to see what the people of that time might have been feeling and thinking; and the many things that Jesus had to deal with. As I said before, he makes you think.
Another thing that was hard for me to deal with was that he used all Hebrew names and cultural nicknames. Most looked nothing like the names we're used to seeing and hearing. So even though I'm very aware of the names of the disciples and of all they did with Jesus, it was very confusing to try and figure out who was who and at what point in His life they were at. In retrospect it would probably be better if you just r you don't know their names and just accept the books names for them.
It's a very good book and I'm sure the series will be too. You just have to read it with an open mind and let it be a new experience.
May 18, 2020
A shift
This book was fun to read. It really makes you see the people from the Bible as humans, not just tales. I would highly recommend reading this book and can't wait for the next one!
This book was fun to read. It really makes you see the people from the Bible as humans, not just tales. I would highly recommend reading this book and can't wait for the next one!
May 9, 2020
'Son of Mary' is a captivating and lively retelling of the story of Jesus Christ (Yeshua in the book). The author is a disciple of Christ himself. His purpose is to retell Yeshua's story in a manner that people of our times can easily relate to and enjoy, yet, as true to fact as possible. Consequently, his book would fall in the category of books like Fulton Oursler's 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' and Anne Rice's 'Christ our Lord: Out of Egypt', not rogue or scandalous ones. So, have no fears about buying/reading this book if you love Jesus Christ!
Did you feel the gospels paint a rather scattered and a not too smoothly connected story of Jesus? And some parts were a bit too brief or abstruse, so you would have liked a little more detail or explanation on it? If yes, here's a book that renders the gospel account of Christ in one clear, expanded, well-connected, continuous story form! It's highly improbable that you won't fall in love with it!!
Did you feel the gospels paint a rather scattered and a not too smoothly connected story of Jesus? And some parts were a bit too brief or abstruse, so you would have liked a little more detail or explanation on it? If yes, here's a book that renders the gospel account of Christ in one clear, expanded, well-connected, continuous story form! It's highly improbable that you won't fall in love with it!!
September 20, 2020
The author quickly draws the reader into first century Galilee and Judea using first person viewpoint for every character. Familiar Bible stories come alive in the dialog and inner dialog of Jesus, his mother, his brothers and sisters, and his disciples. At first the reader must learn the meanings of unusual names and words used to refer to what is familiar. Pressing down on the unfamiliar words in Kindle brings the definition and context onscreen. On the downside, every character approaches situations with the same mindset using the same phrases in inner dialog, "That is a good thing." "That is a bad thing." "That is a paradox." Nevertheless, the book is never boring and compels the reader to keep turning to the next page or screen.
An overwhelming amount of research and reading was conducted by the author in preparation for writing this story. The result is that Bible characters are brought alive in true-to-scripture form. The writer is a genius of sorts and deserves a great deal of credit for making this a truly epic project.
An overwhelming amount of research and reading was conducted by the author in preparation for writing this story. The result is that Bible characters are brought alive in true-to-scripture form. The writer is a genius of sorts and deserves a great deal of credit for making this a truly epic project.
April 25, 2022
This book promotes a radical view of who Jesus might have been in his daily life outside the biblical narrative. The author has done much to understand the language, authentic naming of places, and possible explanations for things we read about in the gospel narratives that are left as holes for our imagination to fill in. It is gritty and thoughtful, a good read if you want to be challenged about who you thought Jesus might be like if you met him on the byways and streets of Palestine.
Very well written and imaginatively put together to create a compelling page turner. At times if felt a bit dark, which, even with my own willingness to suspend my own perceptions, went a little too far in characterizing the protagonist, but it is worth the read if you are willing to be adventurous and have your imagination challenged.
In all, Ingermanson holds the line on the biblical narrative which should not offend believers, but makes the story compelling and fast moving for those who are not so sure about the historical nature of Jesus.
Very well written and imaginatively put together to create a compelling page turner. At times if felt a bit dark, which, even with my own willingness to suspend my own perceptions, went a little too far in characterizing the protagonist, but it is worth the read if you are willing to be adventurous and have your imagination challenged.
In all, Ingermanson holds the line on the biblical narrative which should not offend believers, but makes the story compelling and fast moving for those who are not so sure about the historical nature of Jesus.
May 21, 2020
I loved the City of God trilogy so I was excited for this one to be released. My first thought is that this is not for the "Christian police." If you're the kind of person who gets all bent out of shape over anything that doesn't fit into your little box of thinking, don't even bother. (Like God being a black woman in The Shack) But if you have the maturity to intellectually explore a topic in a fictional context, this is a very interesting story. The author tackles the questions of how the characters in the biblical narrative may have responded to their situation. What was Mary's life experience in her village being an alleged adulterer? What did the disciples think of Jesus at the beginning? When did Jesus know who he was? They are flawed human characters. (Except Jesus of course) Not perfect saints. I enjoyed this speculative exploration of a historical event
June 17, 2020
Randy Ingermanson’s extensive research into the geography, language, customs, and Jewish faith and practice of first century Israel is astounding, yet unobtrusive because it is so seamless & natural. The syntax & diction of the characters take a little to get used to, but as the author himself tells us in his own words, it effectively reminds us that we are the foreigners, we are the guests. Ingermanson makes us witnesses to a story that we may have made too familiar, too western, an ancient story that we may be tempted to believe we know inside & out. We do not, for there is great mystery here. He weaves together familiar elements with compelling story of how it might have been. He made me see things in a new light & hear with new ears. I do not like to have to wait for the next book in the series!
July 2, 2020
With this novel, Randy Ingermanson has completed the first book in the series that will, I believe, become his magnum opus and will define not only his career as a novelist but also his place in literary history. SON OF MARY is a compelling, heart-stirring story, authentic in its writing and transformational in its impact. You will weep, worry, laugh, and learn as the story immerses you in the pivotal days when Jesus Christ walked the earth. I highly recommend this novel to all fans of Biblical fiction—and non-fans, as well--and look forward to reading the next one in the series. ~ MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist
November 30, 2021
I was enthralled from the first few paragraphs. I’ve only read 4 other books on Kindle and this makes the fifth. Slowly adjusting.
Having read the author’s “City Of God” series, I knew this was going to be a great read only to want book 2 all that more.
While reading some of the passages of Jesus communing with HaShem, I felt the stirring of the spirit of God move in me as if to say the passages captured what it was like for Jesus to walk the land while observing the Jewish customs.
I would strongly recommend this read to all my Christian friends to possibly see how the customs of that time had an effect in the telling of the gospels.
Having read the author’s “City Of God” series, I knew this was going to be a great read only to want book 2 all that more.
While reading some of the passages of Jesus communing with HaShem, I felt the stirring of the spirit of God move in me as if to say the passages captured what it was like for Jesus to walk the land while observing the Jewish customs.
I would strongly recommend this read to all my Christian friends to possibly see how the customs of that time had an effect in the telling of the gospels.
April 26, 2020
Nazareth had been cruel to Mary. They say that Jesus is not Joseph's blood son. Mary bears her shame in silence. This is the story of Jesus.
Probably the most misunderstood man of all time. Jesus, from the beginning, had an uphill mission. His family, his neighbors, and his peers did not understand.
This is an insightful book of the greatest man in all of history. Through the eyes of each person who knew Jesus makes this a unique read. I feel I know the culture of the 1st century a little more. Gives the reader a front seat view. Very good book.
Probably the most misunderstood man of all time. Jesus, from the beginning, had an uphill mission. His family, his neighbors, and his peers did not understand.
This is an insightful book of the greatest man in all of history. Through the eyes of each person who knew Jesus makes this a unique read. I feel I know the culture of the 1st century a little more. Gives the reader a front seat view. Very good book.
June 6, 2020
There is a perspective given in this book that I had not considered. How would the village of Nazareth have reacted to Mary (mother of Jesus) having a baby in less that 9 months of marriage? This was in a time when judgemental attitudes were deadly. The grace and mercy demonstrated by Jesus was very misunderstood in that time. Could have happened this way. I enjoyed this and recommend it for other biblical fiction readers or those interested in Jesus.
February 2, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Crown of Thorns Book1. Son of Mary. This book transported me to a place and time, that if I could time travel to, I would! The author brought life and emotion to the characters superbly. R.S Ingermanson, mission accomplished! Looking forward to reading your continuing series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2020
Son of Mary: A Tale of Jesus of Nazareth
Interesting and thought provoking fiction. Unfortunately it is full of malarkey wrapped around Biblical stories. The characters weren't always even believable. But like the author claims, I wasn't there so how do I k how for sure.
Interesting and thought provoking fiction. Unfortunately it is full of malarkey wrapped around Biblical stories. The characters weren't always even believable. But like the author claims, I wasn't there so how do I k how for sure.
June 9, 2020
Mixed feelings
I had a hard time figuring out how many stars to give. It was interesting in the beginning and I liked the end, but in between it kind of lost my interest. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around Jesus not understanding who he was, and the biblical inconsistencies.
I had a hard time figuring out how many stars to give. It was interesting in the beginning and I liked the end, but in between it kind of lost my interest. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around Jesus not understanding who he was, and the biblical inconsistencies.
November 10, 2021
Wonderful
Thought provoking. How did Mary handle her immaculate birth? How did others treat her? Did they believe it was a virgin birth? How did Jesus win others to the true faith of God, love kindness?
Thought provoking. How did Mary handle her immaculate birth? How did others treat her? Did they believe it was a virgin birth? How did Jesus win others to the true faith of God, love kindness?
May 9, 2020
The review by Jess Lederman is far more eloquent than one I could write.
I agree with every word.
I agree with every word.
October 31, 2020
Crown of Torns
This was definitely a different way of viewing Jesus. It definitely portrays Mary in a different light. I enjoyed it a lot.
This was definitely a different way of viewing Jesus. It definitely portrays Mary in a different light. I enjoyed it a lot.
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