Retribution (City of God)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent sequel to "Premonition"--highly recommended
Review: "Retribution" starts a few years after the end of "Premonition". Ari has used his knowledge of physics to land well-paying work as a construction engineer, but some want him to use his knowledge to build war machines to fight the Romans. His rejection of Rabban Yeshua (Jesus) adds to the stress between him and his wife Rivka, who is a Christian. Because a botched time-travel experiment stranded this twentieth-century couple irreversibly in first-century Judea they have to fend for themselves as well as they can.

The society rejects Rivka as a witch-woman. Because she studied ancient history she uses Josephus' writings to make prophecies that usually come true. Her memory isn't perfect, and Josephus was selective in his reporting and accuracy. So her lapses have labeled her unreliable and suspect. Despite this, Berenike (sister of Agrippa, the last of the Herods) often consults with her about the future. It's an uneasy relationship.

Baruch's persistent but loving encouragement to Ari that he pray about Yeshua threatens their deepening friendship. He loves Ari as a brother, but doesn't know that Ari has reasonable cause to mistrust anything Christian. This persistence and his passionate love for Yeshua brings results that neither could anticipate.

Meanwhile, Hanan ben Hanan, the high priest who engineered James' (the half-brother of Jesus) execution in "Premonition", now has no influence due to his abuse of power. Blaming Ari and Rivka, he has Ari flogged viciously, nearly killing him.

Additionally, Rome's grasp on Judea tightens. Gessius Florus has replaced Lucceius Albinus as governor, and has brought an entirely new dimension to the concept of cruelty. In A.D. 66 he reached his zenith with an act of spectacular brutality, as retaliation for an insult by unknown offenders. This was the foundation of the Jewish revolt.

"Retribution" goes beyond the typical trapped-time-traveler tale. Mr. Ingermanson takes an often-used idea but gives it depth and content that gives his book a deeper meaning.

One of the most mysterious paradoxes of Christianity is the seeming contradiction between God's sovereignty and our free will. Add to this Ari's and Rivka's knowledge of the future, and the question grows more complex.

A compelling subplot is the contrasts between Rivka, Baruch, and Ari. Rivka and Baruch can't understand his complete rejection of Yeshua, and he cannot accept their faith in Jesus as Messiah. Like many, he blames Jesus for the failings of Christians. The more they submit to Christ, the more he stubbornly resists. The consequences of living an ungodly life become increasingly clear as the story progresses. Too late, Ari sees how the results of godlessness contrast with a life of utter faith.

Like most Judeans, Ari and the others resent Rome's growing dictatorship. Having rejected Yeshua and increasingly doubting God, Ari connects with Eleazar ben Hananyah, the Pharisee behind the Jewish revolt of A.D. 66. Eleazar knows of Ari's skill with engineering and essentially drafts him to create machines he believes will make the Jews unconquerable when they rebel. Ari is trapped: participate in the rebellion he knows is doomed, or trust God despite his misgivings.

The climax of "Retribution" focuses on forgiveness and sacrifice. Mr. Ingermanson demonstrates how far followers of Jesus might go to forgive their enemies. One in particular shows a Christlike sacrifice that stuns both Ari and the reader.

Mr. Ingermanson successfully uses different points of view. He does so smoothly, keeping the narrative intact. He interweaves several plot lines, keeping them clear and relevant to each other.

The characters are strong. The leads dominate in their scenes. Their children (Rachel and Dov, the daughter and son of Ari and Rivka, and Baruch and Hana, respectively) provide a light, almost comic relief in an intense story. Eleazar ben Arakh, a young mystic who befriends Rivka, adds a deep spirituality to a story already rich with faith. Various secondary characters add to the book's satisfying realism as well.

I rate this book PG-13. The intense violence near the end, and the adult elements to the relationship between Agrippa and Berenike, are historically accurate and essential. However, the author presents the issues without sensationalizing them, but does not dilute them either.

Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: City Of God Series started well ...
Review: ... and it just gets better!

PREMONITION was the first Randall Ingermanson book I had read. RETRIBUTION followed fast on its heels.

I liked PREMONITION, but I loved RETRIBUTION.

PREMONITION had Rivka Meyers, a Messianic Jew, and her husband Ari Kazan, an Israeli physicist, trapped back in time to 57 A.D.

RETRIBUTION jumps ahead in years, now at 66 A.D., and life in Jerusalem is no bed of roses for the Jews, or the fledging Christian church. Our heroine, Rivka, knows the trouble ahead, but will anyone listen to her? Ari faces his own problems, as Jewish zealots demand he help them in producing weapons for war against Rome. But even with the knowledge of what is to come, can Rivka successfully warn those around her of the coming danger?

The characterisations in this book are fantastic. Ingermanson has created a wonderful supporting cast for Rivka and Ari. At times they threaten to outshine the leads. The plot is wonderfully executed with enough twists to keep you guessing what will come next.

A wonderful book that leaves me eager for the next.


Rating:
Summary: A Story of Vengeance and Deliverance
Review: Amazing! Wow! I was blown away (and brought to tears) by the unpredictable events happening to and among the characters that I've grown to either love or despise. This is the best in the series so far.

Rating:
Summary: Sure-Cure for apathy
Review: Cutting back on one's daily dosage of Prozac while reading RETRIBUTION is not the best idea. Chapter twenty sent me into a well-deserved tail spin. It is a horse pill-sized antidote for apathy. Reviewers apply the term, "Must Read," way too often. Randy's City of God trilogy, and especially RETRIBUTION, is literally a MUST READ for those who affiliate themselves loosely with Christnedom.

Strike that! Any Little Christ must read these books, whether or not they normally read thrillers. The genre is trivial; the content is essential! And I am in awe of Randy Ingermanson's word-crafting skill!

Rating:
Summary: Gripping...
Review: Hate/love, unrest/peace, disception/truth, fear/courage, sorrow/joy. This book has it all. There are no emotions left out.

Rivka continues to struggle with the knowledge she carries of things to come. But is what she knows complete? Should she mention something which MIGHT come to pass for fear of being ridiculed or keep her thoughts and fears to herself watching her people suffer needlessly?

Ari is forced to make choices none of us can imagine being faced with. New faces and personalities are dropped into these two lives. They must sink or swim in an era of unrest and suffering. How will they make it? Read it and find out.

Rating:
Summary: Ingermanson does it again.
Review: Let me keep this short. You don't want to be reading reviews when you could be reading the book! The danger is getting greater, the conflict between eternal and mortal choices is heightened and within it all, the reader is pulled into a cataclysmic vortex that opens concepts we didn't even know we were in search of. Ancient lives reflect the struggles of today, but through it all we know that HaShem is in charge. This is a masterful work that will hold you and keep you wanting more. Hopefully, Ingermanson will provide.

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended!
Review: Randy Ingermanson writes with the left brain of a scientist and the right brain of a poet. His stories have scope and depth, and his style is clear and polished, powerful and rhythmic. Ingermanson creates characters who are real, three-dimensional people, and his plots twist and turn right up to the final Big Surprise. Most important, he writes about real issues that affect us all: human relationships, human meaning, the reality of God, the immortality of the soul.

Ingermanson's "City of God" novels defy classification: Are they science fiction? Historical fiction? Suspense fiction? Spiritual journey? All of the above? Forget categories and genres. Just read and enjoy. Of course, the ideal way to experience the "City of God" series is to read them in order. Yet each novel in the series is remarkably self-contained and can easily be read without having read the other two. If you've never read Randy Ingermanson before, you're in for a treat.

Reviewed by Jim Denney, author of "Answers to Satisfy the Soul" and the "Timebenders" series.


Rating:
Summary: RETRIBUTION moves you and motivates you.
Review: RETRIBUTION is no less captivating than its precursor,
PREMONITION. So far, Ingermanson appears incapable of writing
a poor novel.

RECREATING HISTORY. You will care about and learn from
history through reading this novel. The fact that the main
character, Rivka, is a time traveler from the 21st century,
makes her knowledge of the future a useful device for giving
the reader historical information without it coming across as
a dry lecture. Rivka's knowledge is woven into the plotline
rather than distracting the reader from it.

Ingermanson is very successful at making the reader feel the
cultural differences between 21st-century N. America and
1st-century Palestine. RETRIBUTION has the quality of those
stories that make us want to learn more than what the author
has presented. This form of entertainment is very effective
in making the lessons of history relevant to our lives--and
Ingermanson has become masterful at writing these kinds of
stories. (And not without touches of humour as well--look for
the scene involving the now-[in]famous 'James ossuary.' Loved
it.)

CHARACTERS. Ingermanson's main strengths are realistic
characterizations and engaging plot twists couched in abundant
historical research. A stylistic element I quite like is that
he's very strict on point-of-view; he writes each segment from
a specific character's perspective, and all of the characters
are plausibly fleshed out as if Ingermanson had lived their
lives. He is capable of making any character interesting
(albeit with perhaps a bit too much "telling rather than
showing" when it comes to characters' moods).

The main character is Rivka, and as with PREMONITION,
Ingermanson develops more of her frustration with
first-century Judaism's male chauvinists. The buildup of that
frustration makes Rivka's acts of boldness all the more
dramatic.

Realistic characterization is even more impressive when a
negative character can be made to elicit sympathy from the
reader. As this novel developed, I actually stopped hating
Hanan ben Hanan--relearning, along with the protagonists, the
necessity and value of loving the unlovable. Yet although
Hanan has been humanized, he remains a potent villain.

In some ways Berenike, the sister-queen of King Herod Agrippa
II, is perhaps the most intriguing character in this saga.
And though she can conjure up a mean streak, she is more of a
tragic figure than a villain. I have really come to
appreciate her character development and always look forward
to scenes in which she is the viewpoint character; since I
know from historical records what became of Berenike, I'm very
curious as to how Ingermanson will dramatize this.

Baruch didn't especially interest me in the previous
installment of this series, but here he comes to the fore in a
big way. If you do not tear up over his heroics, you probably
have no soul and can't be a Christian.

THINGS TO PONDER. Only rarely did I feel Ingermanson
stretched credulity, such as a few scenes in which Ari and
Rivka talk privately as if they were native 1st-century
Judeans. He also managed to raise some thorny theological
questions to which I will be anticipating resolutions in the
next installment. One of Ingermanson's greatest skills as a
writer is obscuring his own beliefs and letting his characters
work things out in a manner consistent with their backgrounds
and personalities. Through that process they strive to
understand God's guidance and trust His sovereignty in the
midst of tumultuous times; and the spirituality never comes
across as forced or preachy on Ingermanson's part.

(Caveat emptor: Is the Author's Note [p. 5] giving away the
climactic scene? I was still impacted by that part of the
story, but I think the effect would have been even greater if
I hadn't been told of that historical event ahead of time. If
you're reading this review before reading RETRIBUTION, I
encourage you to avoid the Author's Note and plunge right into
the story itself.)

Rating:
Summary: Retribution - awesome story
Review: Retribution, the third novel in the City of God series, is as spell-binding as the first two. I couldn't put it down. The obvious research on first century Jerusalem and the customs of the culture makes reading educational as well as enthralling.

More, more!!!!

Rating:
Summary: A Provocative, Endearing Tale
Review: Step into an era ages past, and feel the tension and passion of first century Jerusalem. Second in the City of God Series, Retribution follows book one, Premonition, and Ingermanson's first book in this story series, Transgression, bringing to a climax the continuing tale of Ari the Kazan and his wife, Rivka. Author Randall Ingermanson, has done an outstanding job of creating a suspenseful, dramatic, and provocative world, where the reader is carried along with each of the characters until the last page is turned to savor the satisfying conclusion. Experience the history of the early church and the years before the destruction of Jerusalem in a tale that not only educates and entertains, but inspires deep thought as well. Retribution is a provocative, endearing tale, where the growth of the characters is genuine and the memory of them lingers long after the book is closed. Don't miss it!