Hadassah: One Night With the King

Rating:
Summary: The Best Historical Christian Fiction I Have Read This Year!
Review: "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" --- Esther 4:14b

While researching for his book, Finding Favor With The King, bestselling author Tommy Tenney became fascinated with the material. Tenney's fascination resulted in writing Hadassah: One Night With the King, a fictional but biblical sound novel based on the book of Esther. Readers will find a fresh and exciting spin on the familiar story by the writing team of Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen.

The story begins in present day Israel where a young woman, Hadassah, named after her "great" grandmother of centuries before, is being presented with a very special wedding gift. As a family tradition, an ancient heirloom was to be revealed to a bride during her wedding week. This secretly hidden heirloom was a letter written by Queen Esther (Haddassah).

Some of the sketchy areas in the bible, Tenney has taken creative license to fill in such details as how Mordecai becomes Esther's legal guardian. Weaved into the story are history lessons on the hatred spewed on the Jews by the Amakelites, the crude manner in which young men were made eunuchs and women concubines, and the sense of power behind the kingship of King Xerxes. Readers will be thrilled to read this rich history in between being enchanted by Esther humble approach to her "one" night with King Xerxes. Love indeed is a powerful force as Queen Esther risks her life to save her people.

--- reviewed by Tyora Moody for Christian Bookshelf

Rating:
Summary: The Best Historical Christian Fiction I Have Read This Year!
Review: "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" --- Esther 4:14b

While researching for his book, Finding Favor With The King, bestselling author Tommy Tenney became fascinated with the material. Tenney's fascination resulted in writing Hadassah: One Night With the King, a fictional but biblical sound novel based on the book of Esther. Readers will find a fresh and exciting spin on the familiar story by the writing team of Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen.

The story begins in present day Israel where a young woman, Hadassah, named after her "great" grandmother of centuries before, is being presented with a very special wedding gift. As a family tradition, an ancient heirloom was to be revealed to a bride during her wedding week. This secretly hidden heirloom was a letter written by Queen Esther (Haddassah).

Some of the sketchy areas in the bible, Tenney has taken creative license to fill in such details as how Mordecai becomes Esther's legal guardian. Weaved into the story are history lessons on the hatred spewed on the Jews by the Amakelites, the crude manner in which young men were made eunuchs and women concubines, and the sense of power behind the kingship of King Xerxes. Readers will be thrilled to read this rich history in between being enchanted by Esther humble approach to her "one" night with King Xerxes. Love indeed is a powerful force as Queen Esther risks her life to save her people.

--- reviewed by Tyora Moody for Christian Bookshelf

Rating:
Summary: This fall from ABC: "The Bachelorette: Queen of Persia!"
Review: Dozens of beautiful would-be royal hopefuls...one year...one night...one King. The catch: You have to impress the royal robes off the king in just one night...and if you're in the gilt shoes of Hadassah of Susa, you must hide that you're Jewish, because certain ancient tribes hate you and have slaughtered most of your family. Part tender love story (though a small part), part beautiful religious awakening, part palace thriller, and thoroughly a woman's heroic odyssey.


Rating:
Summary: Awesome Story!
Review: Great book. It's a vivid portrayal of Queen Esther. Not only does it have a good message, it holds its weight in the literary sense as well. Very well-written.

Rating:
Summary: fantastic retelling of the story of Jewish holiday Purim
Review: Hadassah fails to grasp the ritual that her father puts her through until he provides her a letter handed down by generations of her ancestors and written by the biblical legend Esther. In ancient times, Esther's family is slaughtered because of their religious beliefs. Her cousin Mordecai adopts the young and they flee to Persia. Mordecai teaches his ward about being a Jew, but also warns her to hide her religion from others if she wants to live.

The King of Persia orders all virgins to come to the palace so he can choose a new queen. Esther using the name Hadassah is among the participants. She vows to G-D (written in reverence this way) to risk her life to free her people if she is the chosen one. Though selected as the next queen, Hadassah realizes how foolishly dangerous it would be to reveal her Jewishness. Still, her people including her beloved Mordecai are in trouble so Esther no longer can remain silent in the lap of luxury much longer even if speaking out means "If I perish, I perish".

Once the changing between eras stop (until one final turn) with biblical Esther taking center stage, readers obtain a fantastic retelling of the story of Jewish holiday Purim (just past) that provides deep insight into the heroine. The key that takes the tale beyond the strong retelling of Esther the queen (often told) is filling in the blanks of her childhood and her learning to become the monarch's wife. Aimed at a religious audience, anyone who appreciate a powerful rendition of a classic bible tale will enjoy eating Hamentaschen while spending one night with Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Deserves to become a beloved classic!
Review: HADASSAH is a stunning retelling of one of the best-loved accounts in the Bible, the story of Esther, that will have the reader entranced from beginning to end. Opening with a modern-day introduction, the story then spins back in time to the days when the Kingdom of Persia was at its greatest height. It was during these days that a young Jewish girl was destined to go forth and overcome her own adversity to save the lives of her people, in simple obedience to God without thought for her own life.
Readers will come away seeing relationships with God and family with a fresh perspective, be compelled to re-read Scripture in a new light, and have a greater sense of purpose and destiny in their own lives. Such an inspiring novel deserves to become a beloved classic. For those who loved Francine Rivers' REDEEMING LOVE and her Lineage of Grace series, and those who enjoy Gilbert Morris' Lions of Judah series, this novel is a must read. ~~Ellie Schroder, owner of The Christian Fiction Site

Rating:
Summary: A Great Work of Historical Fiction
Review: Hadassah: One Night with the King instantly grabs your attention. The story opens with Hadassah following her father through an apparent maze to take part in a family ritual.

She doesn't grasp the significance of the ritual right away. That is, until she realizes that a part of the tradition is reading a private letter written by Esther, a famous queen of the Bible and for whom she is named (Hadassah translated means "Esther"). The remainder of the story details the contents of the letter that Esther wrote to a young woman to communicate the importance of her forthcoming marriage.

Esther's story begins with her becoming an orphan after her family is killed because of their religious affiliation. Her cousin, Mordecai, takes care of her and they flee to Persia.

He instructs her in Hebrew history and tradition but tells her to conceal her Jewish roots to avoid succumbing to the same fate as her family. Mordecai obtains a position with the King of Persia and Hadassah is able to obtain a glimpse of the environment of royalty, both good and bad.

When all virgins are summoned to replace the queen, Hadassah spends a year preparing for the day she would meet the king. Within that time she obeys all the instructions she is given and when requested by God, vows to free her people. She is successful but the path to success tests her devotion.

When the story returns to modern day, the present day Hadassah finishes the story and embraces the message conveyed in Esther's letter.

In Hadassah: One Night with the King, Tommy Tenney presents a great piece of historical fiction. You can't help but to become enthralled in the predicament Esther is tasked to overcome and inspired by her devotion to God and her people.

Tenney's story has all the elements of a drama; it contains romance, adventure, suspense, and irony. When you finish reading the story you will want to read the biblical version of the story from which it is influenced.

Rating:
Summary: Esther Re-Told
Review: Hadassah: One Night With the King is a fascinating read from the start of page one to the end of page three hundred fifty.

In the beginning, you are introduced to a young girl named Hadassah who is part of the royal lineage of Queen Esther. A few days before her wedding, she is given a letter (Hadassah: One Night...) from the actual Queen Esther since it is the tradition in their family. The next chapter begins with Esther's early life and the brutal murdering of her parents.

From there, she is adopted by her cousin Mordecai and lives a happy life until the Persians come looking for all eligible beautiful virgin girls. After being taken by the soldiers, Esther is sent to the harem to prepare for her "one night with the king."

After successfully winning the king's heart, Esther is crowned Queen of Persia. Shortly after her success, however, Haman issues a decree allowing people to hunt down and murder any Jew they come across. Through her faith in God, Esther is able to tell the king of Haman's brutal plan and saves her people.

Tommy Tenney is an inspirational writer. Originally writing "Hadassah" to better appreciate his wife, he has captured the essence of a woman's emotions, feelings, actions, and her direct connection to God.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome and Gripping
Review: I bought this book quite some time ago. I read the first few chapters then got distracted and it lay virtually forgotten for some time. Then, late one night, I happened to see a preview for the upcoming movie adaptation of the book and decided to dig it out and give it another shot.
I picked up where I left off and found I couldn't put the book down. I was riveted. The story breathes fresh life into a story I have been familiar with since childhood.
Tommy Tenny does a wonderful job of bringing to life the world of Hadassah, the lonely Jewish girl, ripped from all she knows to be compete for the throne of the Queen of Persia. While I have read the book of Esther a few times, the book Hadassah gives a fresh perspective on just what Esther may have gone through.
Taken from all she knows and thrust into a world of treacherous politics and court intrigues, she must hide who she is and draw ever closer to the God of her people. It is here that she discovers her purpose and ultimately the redeeming love and mercy of the God who works all things together for good.
The characters and settings are richly fleshed out with a few minor glitches. The world Hadassah moves through in the book is described in stunning detail. You can almost see the sun-drenched courtyards and inner chambers swathed in silks and permeated with the scents of myrhh and frankincense.
Even though I know how the story ends I found myself on the edge of my seat as Esther went into the king for her one night and as she risked her life to go before the King and plead for the life of her people.
Tommy Tenney's book is a must read for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the story of Esther. I found it deepened in many ways my own walk with God. For those wanting a good read with action, romance, suspense and drama, then Hadassah: One Night with the King, will be a gem of a read. Like any good book this one ends all too soon, and leaves the reader wanting more.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible and Enlightening!
Review: I can't get over this book! It is so awesome and just plain good. I gave it four stars because at times it can go on and on about one thing and get a little dull. Overall great writing. You will not regret buying this book. It really clears up your outlook on Esther.