But to rewrite one of the greatest stories ever pletely different than the Bible? I had a HUGE problem with that. I understand that the author usually takes liberties in telling the story. While I feel the author did a fantastic job of conveying the horrors of the rule of the Roman empire, that was about all I felt he got right. 'Readers who've enjoyed religious fiction from Taylor Caldwell and Francine Rivers will particularly enjoy.' As his family’s faith and hopes are threatened by scandal and scorn, James struggles between the boy he is and the man he must become.īefore Bethlehem is an eye-opening account of the Nativity story told in a suspenseful, historical context that dares to ask the question: If Joseph should have turned Mary over to be stoned, why didn’t he? His profound answer is one that forever changes the life of his son, James. He and James witness abhorring violence at the hands of the Romans, and outlandish abuses of power by their own religious leaders. Joseph fights to maintain his spiritual integrity while trying desperately to keep his family together and his farm alive. By accepting the Rabbi’s request, Joseph unknowingly thrusts himself and his family into a bitter and emotionally draining life-or-death conflict. With crisp prose, tangible description and thought-provoking insights, Before Bethlehem takes readers on a vivid journey to the dusty Galilean village of Nazareth, where Joseph is summoned by Rabbi Boethus, a Sadducean high priest, to marry an orphaned virgin in Jerusalem. This spellbinding work of historical fiction offers the eyewitness account of 15-year-old James, son of Joseph bar Jacob, and the dangerous and heartrending choices they must make in the days leading up to Joseph’s relationship with Mary, and the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Pinnacle of History, Through the Eyes of a Boy

Before Bethlehem by James Flerlage