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The Seeds of Christianity #2
Disciple
Book Two of The Seeds of Christianity Series. Experience life in the early Church through this well-researched and historically accurate novel as these first Christians struggle to live out the teachings of Yeshua in an often hostile environment. Sit beside the twelve apostles as they partition the world. Encounter Saul of Tarsus, the scourge of the early Church, and Stephen, the first to die for his faith. Journey to Antioch with Peter and the other disciples.
324 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2010
8 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
E.G. Lewis
14 books21 followersEdward (E. G.) Lewis was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a young man he lived and worked in Kentucky and traveled the back roads of its Appalachian hill country for many years. Memories of this wonderfully wild place and its people became the inspiration of his novel, PROMISES.
A former newspaper editor and publisher, his articles have appeared in many national and regional magazines. He writes both Commercial fiction and Christian/Biblical Fiction. Two — PROMISES, Commercial Women’s Fiction, and WITNESS, Book One of the Seeds of Christianity Series™ — are currently available. Disciple, Book Two of the Seeds of Christianity Series™, is slated for release in Spring of 2010 followed by LOST, a Commercial Novel.
He holds a graduate degree in Economics from Ohio State University and worked in planning and corporate management before deciding to become a fulltime novelist. He's currently working on another in the Seeds of Christianity Series™ along with a love story set in occupied France during WWII. He and his wife, Gail, also a writer, live on the Southern Oregon Coast with more pets than he thinks they need.
A former newspaper editor and publisher, his articles have appeared in many national and regional magazines. He writes both Commercial fiction and Christian/Biblical Fiction. Two — PROMISES, Commercial Women’s Fiction, and WITNESS, Book One of the Seeds of Christianity Series™ — are currently available. Disciple, Book Two of the Seeds of Christianity Series™, is slated for release in Spring of 2010 followed by LOST, a Commercial Novel.
He holds a graduate degree in Economics from Ohio State University and worked in planning and corporate management before deciding to become a fulltime novelist. He's currently working on another in the Seeds of Christianity Series™ along with a love story set in occupied France during WWII. He and his wife, Gail, also a writer, live on the Southern Oregon Coast with more pets than he thinks they need.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 16, 2011
Disciple is the second book in Ed Lewis’s Seeds of Christianity series. Book one, Witness, introduced readers to Shemu’el and Rivkah, Bethlehem shepherds, parted by war and slavery, then re-united by love. In the background, Christ is born in a manger, grows up, and dies on Calvary. The author’s ability to bring historical periods to life is as powerful in book two as in book one. His characters become part of a Judaic sect who believe in Yeshua HaMashiach—Jesus the Messiah. Moving to Jerusalem, they interact with famous people from the Bible—Peter, Stephen, Saul, Gamaliel…—all called by their contemporary names, all beautifully researched. The feelings of ordinary people, struggling to survive under Roman rule and religious persecution, are as contemporarily relevant as they are historically real. The cities and countryside are beautifully described. And the different civilizations are filled with human depth and authenticity.
Author Ed Lewis has a wonderful skill with his writing, hiding deep and serious research under simple, honest story-telling. There’s no feel of being overwhelmed with teaching in this novel—neither religious nor historical. There’s no defensive “This is how it must have been.” But there’s a powerful sense of “This is how it could have been.” Famous events take place off-stage, and family events revolve round love and hope. Even the prayers are simple—no super-hero God answering each gloriously uttered prayer, but serious concern for real people, cries for help, desperation, and assistance recognized only after the event, as in real life.
The story travels from Bethlehem to Antioch, where followers meet in a carved-out-cave (there’s a wonderful picture on the author’s website!), till better accommodation is offered them. Wonderful new characters join those remembered from book one. New storylines grow out of old experience. And the whole comes to a delightful close, even while leaving the reader longing for more.
While the author works on book three, Apostle, readers are invited to read historical notes at the end of the book. To research so deeply and tread so lightly with his fiction is a wonderful talent, and Disciple is another wonderful book, for Christians to share how it might have been, and for the curious to follow a fascinating journey.
Disclosure: I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Author Ed Lewis has a wonderful skill with his writing, hiding deep and serious research under simple, honest story-telling. There’s no feel of being overwhelmed with teaching in this novel—neither religious nor historical. There’s no defensive “This is how it must have been.” But there’s a powerful sense of “This is how it could have been.” Famous events take place off-stage, and family events revolve round love and hope. Even the prayers are simple—no super-hero God answering each gloriously uttered prayer, but serious concern for real people, cries for help, desperation, and assistance recognized only after the event, as in real life.
The story travels from Bethlehem to Antioch, where followers meet in a carved-out-cave (there’s a wonderful picture on the author’s website!), till better accommodation is offered them. Wonderful new characters join those remembered from book one. New storylines grow out of old experience. And the whole comes to a delightful close, even while leaving the reader longing for more.
While the author works on book three, Apostle, readers are invited to read historical notes at the end of the book. To research so deeply and tread so lightly with his fiction is a wonderful talent, and Disciple is another wonderful book, for Christians to share how it might have been, and for the curious to follow a fascinating journey.
Disclosure: I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2010
Disciple is a worthy sequel to Witness, EG Lewis's well researched and skillfully told novelization of the early Christian Church as recounted in the Biblical book of Acts.
This second book in the "Seeds of Christianity" series finds Shemuel and Rivka becoming followers of The Way of Yeshua. In doing so they endure the persecution of the ruling religious elite and shunning by their common Jewish brethren. No longer able to sell his lambs to the Temple, Shemuel moves his family to Jerusalem, only to discover life is no easier as a wood carver and physician there than shepherding was in their hometown of Bethlehem. When the twelve apostles spread out through the known world in obedience to the Great Commission, Shemuel and Rivka accompany Peter to Antioch. There they meet both tribulation and victory as they plant and nuture the congregation that will become the first to be dubbed as "Christians." The plot tightens and reaches its catharsis in intense crises affecting not only Shemuel's personal life, but that of the young church.
Mr. Lewis faithfully tracks the events of Acts, filling in realistic scenarios and vibrant characters that propel the New Testament accounting in a fresh and entertaining way. If you enjoyed Witness, you can't help but revel in Disciple. Well done, Ed!
This second book in the "Seeds of Christianity" series finds Shemuel and Rivka becoming followers of The Way of Yeshua. In doing so they endure the persecution of the ruling religious elite and shunning by their common Jewish brethren. No longer able to sell his lambs to the Temple, Shemuel moves his family to Jerusalem, only to discover life is no easier as a wood carver and physician there than shepherding was in their hometown of Bethlehem. When the twelve apostles spread out through the known world in obedience to the Great Commission, Shemuel and Rivka accompany Peter to Antioch. There they meet both tribulation and victory as they plant and nuture the congregation that will become the first to be dubbed as "Christians." The plot tightens and reaches its catharsis in intense crises affecting not only Shemuel's personal life, but that of the young church.
Mr. Lewis faithfully tracks the events of Acts, filling in realistic scenarios and vibrant characters that propel the New Testament accounting in a fresh and entertaining way. If you enjoyed Witness, you can't help but revel in Disciple. Well done, Ed!
September 18, 2010
What was it like to live in the days of the early Christian church -- a time of great persecution and great faith? In Disciple, book two in the Seeds of Christianity series, Author E. G. Lewis's fine writing gives a glimpse into the lives of real people facing hardships and challenges in the name of Yeshua. The story follows the travails of Shemuel and Rivkah as the very fabric of their faith is tested. Their daughter, Channah, suffers crushing loss. Another daughter, Hadassah, rejects the Way. Can they survive amid unrest and persecution?
Lewis's fine writing and attention to detail breathes life into Biblical figures like Simon Peter, Saul of Tarsus, Mary the Mother of Jesus, John the Beloved and Stephen. Vivid characterizations will cause the reader to weep with the likes of young Eleana as she makes a shattering decision, Pavlos the Giant -- cast away as a child -- and the fading prostitute Zeeta faced with hunger and scorn. All the stories woven together to make this boo give a message of hope.
I highly recommend Disciple for readers who enjoy Biblical fiction. This book is teen-approved for its honest portrayal of the difficulties faced by youth living in a hard age.
*Our thanks to the publisher for providing Book Readers Central with a complimentary copy of this book.
Lewis's fine writing and attention to detail breathes life into Biblical figures like Simon Peter, Saul of Tarsus, Mary the Mother of Jesus, John the Beloved and Stephen. Vivid characterizations will cause the reader to weep with the likes of young Eleana as she makes a shattering decision, Pavlos the Giant -- cast away as a child -- and the fading prostitute Zeeta faced with hunger and scorn. All the stories woven together to make this boo give a message of hope.
I highly recommend Disciple for readers who enjoy Biblical fiction. This book is teen-approved for its honest portrayal of the difficulties faced by youth living in a hard age.
*Our thanks to the publisher for providing Book Readers Central with a complimentary copy of this book.
September 17, 2014
I love this book as much as as I loved the first book in the series, Witness.
After reading that book I did something I almost never do. I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded this book and the other two books in the series. I had picked up Witness when it was free, and I have almost 500 free unread books in my Kindle. Yet, I hurried to pay full price (albeit an extremely reasonable price) for three more books and read them right away.
I felt like I was right there with the followers of Jesus in the days after the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Although there were editing errors, especially homonyms, they did not take away from the reading experience.
I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys a good story well-told and who likes to learn about the early days of Christianity.
After reading that book I did something I almost never do. I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded this book and the other two books in the series. I had picked up Witness when it was free, and I have almost 500 free unread books in my Kindle. Yet, I hurried to pay full price (albeit an extremely reasonable price) for three more books and read them right away.
I felt like I was right there with the followers of Jesus in the days after the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Although there were editing errors, especially homonyms, they did not take away from the reading experience.
I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys a good story well-told and who likes to learn about the early days of Christianity.
July 8, 2016
Book Two introduces my favorite character, Pavlos, the autistic giant who is rescued by Rivkah. He repays the favor many times over. This novel is not to be missed, but read then all in order. They are amazing! Sensitive and beautiful.
April 13, 2017
One of the best historical fiction accounts of New Testament times that I have read. Biblical and historical events a seamlessly woven into the story. The characters are alive and believable, and the author deals with issues of today that were also faced by the early Christians such as abortion, rape and prostitution. My one little gripe about the story is that I felt the author compressed the timetable a little too much. For example, less that two months after the first Pentecost the Apostles had a baptism rite that is almost word-for-word what is used today. But I will gladly overlook such leaps for such as wonderfully told story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews