Gilead and Byzantium

I had the opportunity to do a bit of reading this summer. Below are two books that I thoroughly enjoyed.



Gilead: A Novel
by Marilynne Robinson

From Publishers Weekly
...Robinson's prose is beautiful, shimmering and precise; the revelations are subtle but never muted when they come, and the careful telling carries the breath of suspense. There is no simple redemption here; despite the meditations on faith, even readers with no religious inclinations will be captivated. Many writers try to capture life's universals of strength, struggle, joy and forgiveness—but Robinson truly succeeds in what is destined to become her second classic. ...

This book is wonderful and has great depth.



Byzantium
by Stephen R. Lawhead

From Publishers Weekly
...[Stephen Lawhead] now tells the story of Aidan, a 10th-century Irish monk sent to take the Book of Kells to the Byzantine Emperor in Constantinople. Separated from his fellow pilgrims, Aidan undergoes various exotic adventures, including capture by and life with Vikings, political intrigue in the Byzantine court, enslavement in a caliph's mine and loss of his all-important faith in God. Lawhead is a Christian writer, and here the Christian themes are integral and well developed...

This book is not as heavy as Gilead, but is very well-written and engaging.