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Book of Mormon #1
Abinadi
Raquel has a secret. As the daughter of one of King Noah's priests, she enjoys a luxurious life and the admiration of powerful men. But her heart belongs to a commoner, a man with no earthly wealth but rich heavenly gifts. When King Noah demands that Raquel join his harem, she flees the only life she has known and marries her secret love. His name is Abinadi. The couple finds abundant joy in their community of believers and in their firstborn son. But when the Lord calls Abinadi as His prophet, their faith is tested to the outermost limits. Abinadi's commitment to the Lord requires them both to give their all even unto death. Yet if Alma, the newest priest in King Noah's court, chooses to overcome his troubled past and cleave unto the truth, their sacrifice may yield rich fruit. With vivid detail and poignant emotion, this historical novel pulls readers into a fiery tale of love, courage, and faith that is difficult to put down and impossible to forget.
260 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2008
32 people are currently reading
1291 people want to read
About the author
H.B. Moore
35 books339 followersHeather 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
November 14, 2008
What would you give up for your religion?
I'm the author--so don't think I'm too presumptuous to give my own book 5 stars. I'd probably actually give it 4 since I'm no genius writer, but I took into account all the hard work and the nearly next-to-nothing paycheck and it tallied to 5.
Plus, the novel is based on one of the most incredible prophets of all time. A man who knowingly and willingly returns to the city of Nephi (at the Lord's bequest) to preach repentance to the people. Abinadi already has a death warrant on his head, so he knows his death is a sure thing. It's only a matter of time.
I'm the author--so don't think I'm too presumptuous to give my own book 5 stars. I'd probably actually give it 4 since I'm no genius writer, but I took into account all the hard work and the nearly next-to-nothing paycheck and it tallied to 5.
Plus, the novel is based on one of the most incredible prophets of all time. A man who knowingly and willingly returns to the city of Nephi (at the Lord's bequest) to preach repentance to the people. Abinadi already has a death warrant on his head, so he knows his death is a sure thing. It's only a matter of time.
July 12, 2013
3.5 stars! I had two thoughts before I started this book! 1-So if you grew up LDS when you hear the name Abinadi I bet 99% of the time this image come to mind!
King Noah and his hard core pet cheetahs and Abinadi being the most ripped 80 year old man ever! So when I read the back of the book and saw that it was a love story all I could think was...
DOOMED!!!!! Any scripture reader would know this! BUT I still plunged into the story and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the journey to the "iceburg" at the end of the story! (Funny how it's actually fire and not ice at the end!) Noah wasn't portrayed as old! hahaha Thank goodness! The love story was sweet. I have to give mad props to Heather Moore for breathing new life into scripture! I think it's very imaginative!
King Noah and his hard core pet cheetahs and Abinadi being the most ripped 80 year old man ever! So when I read the back of the book and saw that it was a love story all I could think was...
DOOMED!!!!! Any scripture reader would know this! BUT I still plunged into the story and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the journey to the "iceburg" at the end of the story! (Funny how it's actually fire and not ice at the end!) Noah wasn't portrayed as old! hahaha Thank goodness! The love story was sweet. I have to give mad props to Heather Moore for breathing new life into scripture! I think it's very imaginative!
December 7, 2008
Whenever I sit down to read the scriptures, I have mental pictures of how the persons depicited looked. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the paintings throughout the volume. :) But I've always pictured Abinadi as being an older man. LDS author H. B. Moore challenges this theory in her new novel, "Abinadi," just released by Covenant Communications.
In her research, she could find no evidence that Abinadi was elderly. In fact, she found no reference to his age at all. And so, like all good novelists, she used her imagination and asked the classic literary question: "What if?" What if Abinadi was a young man? What if he had a wife? What if his life was cut short by the hand of King Noah when he still had years ahead of him?
It took me a couple of minutes to wrap my mind around that idea. After all, I've been looking at the painting of an elderly Abinadi for years. But as the story unfolded, I was sucked in. Moore has a way of placing the reader within the story and adding details that lend to authenticity without making it seem forced or unnatural.
I enjoyed the way she depicted Abinadi, his personality and his strength. I also liked the way she wove Alma into the story, showing us how easy it was for him to get roped into King Noah's service, and how sick he felt when he realized what he had done. I liked the juxtaposition of these two characters and how, in the end, we see them become of one mind.
This novel is Moore's best, in my opinion, and I'm eager to see what she produces next. I understand "Abinadi" is the first in a new series, and I'll be keeping my eyes open for the next installment.
In her research, she could find no evidence that Abinadi was elderly. In fact, she found no reference to his age at all. And so, like all good novelists, she used her imagination and asked the classic literary question: "What if?" What if Abinadi was a young man? What if he had a wife? What if his life was cut short by the hand of King Noah when he still had years ahead of him?
It took me a couple of minutes to wrap my mind around that idea. After all, I've been looking at the painting of an elderly Abinadi for years. But as the story unfolded, I was sucked in. Moore has a way of placing the reader within the story and adding details that lend to authenticity without making it seem forced or unnatural.
I enjoyed the way she depicted Abinadi, his personality and his strength. I also liked the way she wove Alma into the story, showing us how easy it was for him to get roped into King Noah's service, and how sick he felt when he realized what he had done. I liked the juxtaposition of these two characters and how, in the end, we see them become of one mind.
This novel is Moore's best, in my opinion, and I'm eager to see what she produces next. I understand "Abinadi" is the first in a new series, and I'll be keeping my eyes open for the next installment.
March 31, 2009
I was in bed reading and 3/4 of the way through Abinadi when I decided I should go to sleep. It's probably 11-11:30 PM, I thought to myself. I put the shut the book and looked at the clock.
It was 1 AM.
I couldn't put the book down! I needed to know what would happen to Abinadi, Raquel, and Alma.
Heather Moore has taken a small but significant scripture story from the Book of Mormon and enlarged it to a rich scriptural novel.
The story begins with a young Abinadi who has a small crush on a local girl who happens to be the daughter of a high priest in King Noah's court.
King Noah is an adulterous, greedy whoremonger who bullies his court and people. He doesn't like being told he is sinning. He doesn't like being told he and his people must repent. And when Adinadi starts preaching about sin and repentance, King Noah doesn't like him.
One of King Noah's high priests, Alma, learned the gospel while he was young. He struggles with what is right and wrong but gives in to the carnal temptations of the court. When Abinadi preaches to King Noah and his priests, Alma knows the prophet is speaking the truth and tries to stop his death. But King Noah will have both men killed. Alma must run for his life.
Heather has added a couple of fillers for this lean scripture story. She filled out Abinadi's life with a mother, wife and baby. Abinadi's wife, Raquel, is the only child of a wealthy couple. Her father is Amulon, high priest to King Noah. There are also other religious leaders like Gideon, who have wives and families. Their fictional parts in the book help bring real emotion to the story.
Heather's attention to detail is woven well throughout her book. Reading about the food, clothing, customs and ceremonies in Abinadi's time brought richness to her story. The historical details helped move the story along and make it realistic without taking me out of the story.
Abinadi is a book everyone will want to buy for their personal libraries. A book that can be read again and again.
It was 1 AM.
I couldn't put the book down! I needed to know what would happen to Abinadi, Raquel, and Alma.
Heather Moore has taken a small but significant scripture story from the Book of Mormon and enlarged it to a rich scriptural novel.
The story begins with a young Abinadi who has a small crush on a local girl who happens to be the daughter of a high priest in King Noah's court.
King Noah is an adulterous, greedy whoremonger who bullies his court and people. He doesn't like being told he is sinning. He doesn't like being told he and his people must repent. And when Adinadi starts preaching about sin and repentance, King Noah doesn't like him.
One of King Noah's high priests, Alma, learned the gospel while he was young. He struggles with what is right and wrong but gives in to the carnal temptations of the court. When Abinadi preaches to King Noah and his priests, Alma knows the prophet is speaking the truth and tries to stop his death. But King Noah will have both men killed. Alma must run for his life.
Heather has added a couple of fillers for this lean scripture story. She filled out Abinadi's life with a mother, wife and baby. Abinadi's wife, Raquel, is the only child of a wealthy couple. Her father is Amulon, high priest to King Noah. There are also other religious leaders like Gideon, who have wives and families. Their fictional parts in the book help bring real emotion to the story.
Heather's attention to detail is woven well throughout her book. Reading about the food, clothing, customs and ceremonies in Abinadi's time brought richness to her story. The historical details helped move the story along and make it realistic without taking me out of the story.
Abinadi is a book everyone will want to buy for their personal libraries. A book that can be read again and again.
August 24, 2009
Set in Book of Mormon times, Abinadi explores the (fictionalized) life of the prophet for the three years before he was martyred. Moore includes wonderful gems of cultural history, including the clothing, the food, and even a wedding ceremony.
The story line itself is obviously predictable, since the fact that Abinadi dies by fire is...well, a fact. The love story is also predictable: Raquel loves Abinadi but thinks he won't like her because she's rich and not a believer, and Abinadi loves Raquel but thinks she won't like him because he's not rich and is a believer. Any questions how it will play out? Didn't think so.
Perhaps the most interesting character was Alma. I was a bit surprised at what a big part he had to play, since I thought it was Abinadi's story, but it sets up the second book, Alma, quite nicely. Alma was so multi-faceted and interesting. Raquel and Abinadi were far from flat, but they definitely weren't as dynamic. Their romantic relationship didn't feel quite genuine or real to me, until the end when they said goodbye. Moore did a good job of capturing the emotions of a husband and wife separating for a time.
The book fits the genre of historical fiction. Not a heart-stopping thriller with nail-biting page-turners, but historically fascinating and enjoyable. I look forward to Alma. I think this book will be even more satisfying.
The story line itself is obviously predictable, since the fact that Abinadi dies by fire is...well, a fact. The love story is also predictable: Raquel loves Abinadi but thinks he won't like her because she's rich and not a believer, and Abinadi loves Raquel but thinks she won't like him because he's not rich and is a believer. Any questions how it will play out? Didn't think so.
Perhaps the most interesting character was Alma. I was a bit surprised at what a big part he had to play, since I thought it was Abinadi's story, but it sets up the second book, Alma, quite nicely. Alma was so multi-faceted and interesting. Raquel and Abinadi were far from flat, but they definitely weren't as dynamic. Their romantic relationship didn't feel quite genuine or real to me, until the end when they said goodbye. Moore did a good job of capturing the emotions of a husband and wife separating for a time.
The book fits the genre of historical fiction. Not a heart-stopping thriller with nail-biting page-turners, but historically fascinating and enjoyable. I look forward to Alma. I think this book will be even more satisfying.
October 20, 2009
Wow. Kudos to Heather for taking on the challenge of expounding on the story of one of the Book of Mormon's most amazing prophets. Sorry, but Abinadi is a favorite of mine and this book brought him to life.
He's human. He has weaknesses. He loves. He sorrows. And he believes. And I cried. :)
I know the story. I knew what would happen in the end. Even if I'd never picked up the B of M I just finished reading Alma. But I still cried. I know Abinadi knew what was coming. He accepted God's will in his life, even though he may have felt others more qualified.
But on to the book. Fantastic, engaging, incredible. I can understand why it won 2008's Whitney Award. Heather breathes life into a scripture story and tells it from a new perspective.
He's human. He has weaknesses. He loves. He sorrows. And he believes. And I cried. :)
I know the story. I knew what would happen in the end. Even if I'd never picked up the B of M I just finished reading Alma. But I still cried. I know Abinadi knew what was coming. He accepted God's will in his life, even though he may have felt others more qualified.
But on to the book. Fantastic, engaging, incredible. I can understand why it won 2008's Whitney Award. Heather breathes life into a scripture story and tells it from a new perspective.
July 1, 2009
No one writes Book of Mormon fiction like Heather. I love that I can not only read a great book, but learn more about past prophets and teachers. She puts flesh on the bones of people I've read about all my life and truly makes them come alive. I felt entertained and educated all at once. Definitely a tear jerker, it really makes you think about the sacrifices some have made in order to bring about God's purposes. Great book.
August 30, 2010
What a great book. My heart hurt reading it, because of course, I know the ending. The author chose to depict Abiniadi not as an aged man as we see him in the paintings and pictures artists have made of him, but as a young man, in his late 20's, newly married with an infant son. It makes you think differently of his sacrifice. An older man who has already lived a full life, it is indeed a sacrifice, but how much more is he sacrificing when he is a young man in the prime of his life?
March 30, 2009
Excellent version of Abinadi's story. Heather has a way of richly weaving this time period into a "hard to put down" novel. I am so impressed with the research and deep knowledge Heather puts into her writing. She is a Master at writing the Book of Mormon stories.
December 11, 2008
What if Abinadi were a young man with a wife and child and everything to lose by bearing his testimony of Jesus Christ to evil men who aim to kill him?
An intriguing and powerfully thought provoking book.
An intriguing and powerfully thought provoking book.
January 17, 2011
On the back cover:
"Raquel has a secret. As the daughter of one of King Noah's priests, she enjoys a luxurious life and the admiration of powerful men, including Alma, the newest priest in the king's court. But her heart belongs to a commoner, a man with no earthly wealth but rich heavenly gifts. When King Noah demands that Raquel join his harem, she flees the only life she has known and marries her secret love. His name is Abinadi.
The couple find abundant joy in their community of believers and in their firstborn son. But when the Lord calls Abinadi as His prophet, their faith is tested to the outermost limits. Abinadi's commitment to the Lord requires them both to give their all-even unto death. Yet if Alma chooses to overcome his troubled past and seek out the truth, their sacrifice may yield rich fruit.
With vivid detail and poignant emotion, this historical novel pulls readers into a fiery tale of love, courage, and faith that is difficult to put down and impossible to forget."
In the preface of this book Heather asks a question I never thought to ask. "Is there any information within the scriptural text that hints at the age of the prophet Abinadi?" When thinking of Abinadi as an elderly man I was so grateful for his sacrifice. When thinking of Abinadi as a young man giving his life to the Lord I am not only grateful but in awe of all he did and gave up.
This Book of Mormon story comes to life. Vivid details bring you to places you've never been but now feel like home. Descriptive smells, foods, and clothing all bring you right into the book. The characters keep you turning pages.
Abinadi was very hard to put down. A wonderful historical fiction story helping us to bring the Book of Mormon to life.
"Raquel has a secret. As the daughter of one of King Noah's priests, she enjoys a luxurious life and the admiration of powerful men, including Alma, the newest priest in the king's court. But her heart belongs to a commoner, a man with no earthly wealth but rich heavenly gifts. When King Noah demands that Raquel join his harem, she flees the only life she has known and marries her secret love. His name is Abinadi.
The couple find abundant joy in their community of believers and in their firstborn son. But when the Lord calls Abinadi as His prophet, their faith is tested to the outermost limits. Abinadi's commitment to the Lord requires them both to give their all-even unto death. Yet if Alma chooses to overcome his troubled past and seek out the truth, their sacrifice may yield rich fruit.
With vivid detail and poignant emotion, this historical novel pulls readers into a fiery tale of love, courage, and faith that is difficult to put down and impossible to forget."
In the preface of this book Heather asks a question I never thought to ask. "Is there any information within the scriptural text that hints at the age of the prophet Abinadi?" When thinking of Abinadi as an elderly man I was so grateful for his sacrifice. When thinking of Abinadi as a young man giving his life to the Lord I am not only grateful but in awe of all he did and gave up.
This Book of Mormon story comes to life. Vivid details bring you to places you've never been but now feel like home. Descriptive smells, foods, and clothing all bring you right into the book. The characters keep you turning pages.
Abinadi was very hard to put down. A wonderful historical fiction story helping us to bring the Book of Mormon to life.
October 31, 2011
Raquel a nobleman's daughter is sought out by the wicked King Noah as an option as a wife or an addition to his concubines. Meanwhile, she watches Abinadi, a poor farmer, everyday hoping he notices her. Abinadi does notice her and has gained feelings for her, but refuses to admit it. When Raquel refuses the proposle given to her by King Noah, she must flee or get killed by King Noah's soldiers. She flee's to Abinadi's house and and finds out that he is apart of the "elders". A group of priests that teach the true gospel of Christ. In the course of the story she runs away and finds Abinadi. They admit to eachother the love they have had. Abinadi is called by the Lord to teach repentance to the Nephites, he has to leave Raquel before their marriage. Abinadi has to flee for his life when the people of Nephi run him out of the city. He returns and Raquel and him get married. A few years later Abinadi is again commanded to teach repentance to the Nephites. He has to leave behind Raquel and their son. He is captured by the wicked King Noah and is condemed to death. Raquel goes to the city because she feels she needs to do something or she would be responsible for what happened to her husband. She watches her husband get burned at the stake. Yet, his suffering was not in vain. He influenced one of King Noah's priests, Alma, who was searching for the truth. Alma knows that he must continue the work that Abinadi started and flee's to the city of Mormon with a group of followers. Exellent book. I loved the journey Alma took to find God!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2009
When I recently read and rated this book, I didn't have time to do a proper review. I figured I should do so now that Heather is in my friends list!
I really liked the novel for the way in which it makes Abinidi seem like a real person. He has likes, dislikes, friends, enemies, even a romantic interest. Also impressive to me was the amount of research that Heather put into the book. Swords of wood and obsidian, characteristic of the regional setting of the story, along with many other archaeological morsels like this example, made the book very interesting. I like a story which has an accurate sense of place - see it, feel it, hear it, smell it. I am not even close to being an expert in Meso-American traditions, dress, etc., but Heather sold me. I figure it must be just like she shows it.
I realize the main character is Raquel, a completely fictional person, but I thought the religious discussions, the struggles of all the characters, and the conversion of Alma were all handled in a way which were doctrinally believable. I think I only went to the Book of Mormon once to verify the plausibility of something (can't remember what it was), and yet I came away satisfied by the way the author handled it.
I would recommend this book to any reader mature enough to properly deal with some of the "sin and wickedness" portrayed. It was truly a "goodread".
Thanks for signing my copy Heather!
I really liked the novel for the way in which it makes Abinidi seem like a real person. He has likes, dislikes, friends, enemies, even a romantic interest. Also impressive to me was the amount of research that Heather put into the book. Swords of wood and obsidian, characteristic of the regional setting of the story, along with many other archaeological morsels like this example, made the book very interesting. I like a story which has an accurate sense of place - see it, feel it, hear it, smell it. I am not even close to being an expert in Meso-American traditions, dress, etc., but Heather sold me. I figure it must be just like she shows it.
I realize the main character is Raquel, a completely fictional person, but I thought the religious discussions, the struggles of all the characters, and the conversion of Alma were all handled in a way which were doctrinally believable. I think I only went to the Book of Mormon once to verify the plausibility of something (can't remember what it was), and yet I came away satisfied by the way the author handled it.
I would recommend this book to any reader mature enough to properly deal with some of the "sin and wickedness" portrayed. It was truly a "goodread".
Thanks for signing my copy Heather!
August 29, 2013
Most people think of Abinadi as an old man with white hair because of that famous painting we all know. But no one knows how old was in reality. Heather B. Moore chooses to make him a young man in his middle twenties, with a wife and baby. This brings into focus that he would have had the most to lose and it magnified his calling as a prophet to the people of wicked King Noah. Alma is also a younger man at the court of King Noah. It was a little shocking at first to remember that he was leading the court's lifestyle, which would be on par with a modern reality TV show, unfortunately. I mean this without disrespect to the scriptures. Wild and wicked lifestyles are not an invention of the modern world. It's just that it is magnified now with the help of modern technology. I really connected with this Abinadi and what courage it took to leave all that is most precious to him and preach the word of God to a wicked people, especially towards the end, when he realized he would lose his life and leave his family behind. As for Alma, you can understand even better how painful it must have been for his own son, Alma the Younger, to start to lead a sinful life and even persecute the church later on. It must have been a bitter pill to swallow. Kudos to reader David Walker who brings so much passion to the book.
February 4, 2016
Reading this book deepened my understanding, respect, and love for Abinadi, the Book of Mormon prophet. H.B. Moore has done an incredible thing in this fictionalized account of a true prophet who lived thousands of years ago--she brings him to life in a way that I'd never considered before. His sacrifice was acute and terrible and he did it because he wanted people to know about the Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, don't think that this is a preachy book. It is not at all that. In fact, people who know nothing of the Book of Mormon will love this book because Moore has written it in a way that transports you back in time to a people who lived like the ancient Mayans. She portrays the hardships, way of life, and challenges to seek and study religion and live beyond the servitude that so many people had to endure during the reigns of kings.
I have read the entire series of Moore's books that develop from prophets and religious leaders in The Book of Mormon and The Holy Bible. Each is excellent in its own right and your time will be well spent in reading these novels.
I have read the entire series of Moore's books that develop from prophets and religious leaders in The Book of Mormon and The Holy Bible. Each is excellent in its own right and your time will be well spent in reading these novels.
February 26, 2016
This is an interesting interpretation of what the Book of Mormon says about Abinadi, and the author applies what else is known of the period and cultures of Mesoamerica. But the author is not, as my father liked to say, "encumbered by too much information," so she had to make up a lot and extrapolate a lot more from what is known. Among the things she made up was the idea that Abinadi was not the wiry ancient as portrayed in the Arnold Freiberg painting, but a young man who had much more to leave when he died: a wife, a son, a mother and brother. This, of course, made his sacrifice all the more poignant.
What worked the best for me in this story was the depiction of the decadence of King Noah's people, and how fear and guilt helped to escalate the wickedness. It's a book I'd recommend to those who would like to imagine more about the people we meet in the Book of Mormon. This is one of many possible ways it might have happened.
What worked the best for me in this story was the depiction of the decadence of King Noah's people, and how fear and guilt helped to escalate the wickedness. It's a book I'd recommend to those who would like to imagine more about the people we meet in the Book of Mormon. This is one of many possible ways it might have happened.
February 18, 2016
This is another great book by H. B. Moore! I like the characters that she created and the story that she tells of well-known people from the Book of Mormon. It was interesting and compelling that the author chose to make Abinadi a young man. The life that Ms. Moore designed for him intrigued me. What I loved best about the novel is that it isn't just a retelling of facts from the Book of Mormon, but rather an engaging narrative of what life was like during ancient times.
I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery of the city, the people, the clothing, the time period, etc., that we were immersed in. The author includes some chapter notes at the end of the novel to help the reader understand more about the time period and customs of the people.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery of the city, the people, the clothing, the time period, etc., that we were immersed in. The author includes some chapter notes at the end of the novel to help the reader understand more about the time period and customs of the people.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2009
I appreciated that this book made me think about people in the scriptures as real people with feelings and families.
I found the book easy to read and enjoyed that it moved right along.
I did get a bit tired of the marriage the author made up for Abinadi. It seemed a bit contrived. I have a hard time believing that he would have married the daughter of one of the wicked high priests, a high priest who was a major character in not only the novel, but also the scriptural account. Would they really have known each other and gotten together?
That said, I think that anyone would enjoy the book, including people who have not read The Book of Mormon account of Abinadi. In fact they might enjoy it more, since they wouldn't bring any preconceived ideas about him.
I found the book easy to read and enjoyed that it moved right along.
I did get a bit tired of the marriage the author made up for Abinadi. It seemed a bit contrived. I have a hard time believing that he would have married the daughter of one of the wicked high priests, a high priest who was a major character in not only the novel, but also the scriptural account. Would they really have known each other and gotten together?
That said, I think that anyone would enjoy the book, including people who have not read The Book of Mormon account of Abinadi. In fact they might enjoy it more, since they wouldn't bring any preconceived ideas about him.
July 27, 2009
Having enjoyed Heather B. Moore's "Out of Jerusalem" series, I couldn't wait to read "Abinadi". I bought the book in April, but got caught up with the daily happenings of life and didn't sit down to read the book until last week. Once I started to read the book, I could barely put it down!
The book is, of course, about Abinadi from the Book of Mormon. His story in the Book of Mormon is a small but important one. Heather Moore took this story and brought it to life for me by adding family ~ mother, brother, wife, child, in-laws. She also included a lot of vivid detail about clothing, customs and ceremonies of the time that took me into Abinadi's story.
Another great book from Heather B. Moore that I would highly recommend to my friends!
The book is, of course, about Abinadi from the Book of Mormon. His story in the Book of Mormon is a small but important one. Heather Moore took this story and brought it to life for me by adding family ~ mother, brother, wife, child, in-laws. She also included a lot of vivid detail about clothing, customs and ceremonies of the time that took me into Abinadi's story.
Another great book from Heather B. Moore that I would highly recommend to my friends!
October 7, 2009
I have had this book sitting in my nightstand for several months, and now I've finally read it. I was hesitant to read this book because reading about Abinadi in the Book of Mormon always makes me sad, and I knew what was going to happen at the end of the book. Still, I've enjoyed Heather Moore's books before, so I wanted to read this one. I was not disappointed. As with the "Out of Jerusalem" series by Moore, I enjoyed the journey imagining about the story behind this well-known Book of Mormon prophet. The book had a good balance of romance, adventure, and tragedy, and even though I cried at the end, I found it inspiring and uplifting. I am excited to read the sequel.
April 12, 2012
WOW! I really enjoyed this book! The richness of the descriptions made me visualize King Noah's court so well! I really enjoyed the entire premise of Abinadi being young and having a young wife. I enjoyed the story of who Raquel was, and her father's name was vaguely familiar.....then it hit me who he was. HOLY COW!
Absolutely fantastic book. The author never gets lost in the descriptions of the area, court, or surroundings, but gives enough that you are able to picture it perfectly. The characters are very well developed, and evoke strong emotions throughout the book. No preaching, only teaching which was absolutely well done.
I can't wait to read more of her books!
Absolutely fantastic book. The author never gets lost in the descriptions of the area, court, or surroundings, but gives enough that you are able to picture it perfectly. The characters are very well developed, and evoke strong emotions throughout the book. No preaching, only teaching which was absolutely well done.
I can't wait to read more of her books!
September 2, 2016
This was a book that I did not think was my style and turned out to be much better than I thought.I've never had much desire to read novelizations of scripture stories, especially not ones with footnotes about historical research, but this book changed my mind. I was especially intrigued by the characterization of Alma and how the author portrayed both his time in King Noah's court and his repentance. Our modern conception of prophets and their lives is quite different from many of those in ancient scripture. I thought she did a good job fleshing out all the characters and really bringing the story to life.
March 17, 2009
I adore historical fiction so I knew I would love this book. The characters were believable and true to the time period. I loved the way the author wasn't afraid to show the dark side of the story. It gave the characters depth and gave me a certain understanding of why Alma was sucked into a lifestyle he knew was wrong. Overall this was a fantastic read. It was a wonderful glimpse into how Abinadi's life might have been. I look forward to reading more from this author once I get some cash to buy some more books!
March 12, 2009
There was much more action in this book than I expected, making it fast-paced, and I liked that. I liked the premise of Abinadi being a fairly young man, with a wife and son. It's interesting looking at things from another angle, and it very well could have been that way. I enojoyed the fact that she included a storyline for Alma -- how he got where he was, how he gradually became dissatisfied and started working to extricate himself. It added an extra dimension to the book and kept it from possible slumping. Definitely a book I would recommend.
January 7, 2009
I had never heard about H.B. Moore or her novels, but I was pleasantly surprised by this story. She writes at the beginning that we don't know much about the prophet Abinadi's personal life. He has been depicted as being far along in years in paintings, but she chose to write tell "his story" as if he were young and had much more to lose (wife and child). She did a great job with the character development. I knew Abinadi would be killed, but I still kept hoping that maybe he wouldn't because I cared for him and his family so much.
I'm looking forward to reading her other novels.
I'm looking forward to reading her other novels.
August 12, 2009
This was a historical fiction novel based on the life of Book of Mormon prophet Abinadi. Since there isn't much information about his personal life, the author places him as a young man in his early 20's instead of the older one that is often depicted in paintings who has lived a long life before his death. His story of commitment and sacrifice has always touched me, but to think of him in this case made it even more so. Alma's life previous to his conversion is also examined, and it makes me wonder if the author will continue the story in another novel.
January 10, 2016
I got through this book really quickly. It's an interesting fictional take on the life as Abinadi, depicting Abinadi as a young man instead of an older one as he is commonly depicted. So of course, he has more to lose - a young wife, an infant son...
The author writes a whole story based on 6 (I think) chapters of the Book of Mormon so there is A LOT of fiction in this - much more fiction than fact.
I really love the Alma storyline that is brought into this and his character struggles and his feelings about right and wrong...
The author writes a whole story based on 6 (I think) chapters of the Book of Mormon so there is A LOT of fiction in this - much more fiction than fact.
I really love the Alma storyline that is brought into this and his character struggles and his feelings about right and wrong...
July 27, 2010
I was surprised at how well-written this book was. I admire Ms. Moore for taking on such a immense literary project as writing a historical fiction about Abinadi. She chose to cast Abinadi as a young man, on the verge of first love, someone for whom, martyrdom was no small sacrifice. Though very little of his actual life is gleaned from the Book of Mormon, Moore creates a believeable, well-researched tale full of action, romance, and history. Reading it changed me a little, which is the goal of literature. Worth a spot on your to-read shelf!
February 15, 2009
It took me awhile to get into this book. I had other holds from the library come in and I would switch to them. But once I really got going, it was a good read. I liked having a younger Abinadi and the story of Alma. I never really thought much about how King Noah was wicked and I think the way that Moore portrayed his character was probably pretty close to how it was. I really have enjoyed how Moore has brought these Book Of Mormon people to life in her books.
September 14, 2010
It makes the story of Abinadi even more powerful to consider him as a married man with children. Obviously we don't know much about Abinadi's family, but the author does a good job of making us think of what might have been. She has obviously done extensive research on the customs of the time and possible location of the people of Noah. I especially enjoyed the notes at the end about the people at the time.
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