Reviewer Comments: Ms. Capshaw takes us to ancient Rome in the year 81 AD. Christians are thrown to the wolves literally in the Colosseum. The Christians must either give up their faith in God and Jesus or face the wolves and lions in a battle to the death. It was not a generous or forgiving era. The emperor put all who questioned his authority to death.
Entering the story is Pelonia Valeria, a woman of noble blood, who is sold into slavery by her greedy uncle after her father’s death. Pelonia is not only a woman alone without any protection, she is also a Christian. She knows that her faith is dangerous and that if the wrong people learn of it, she will be sent to the Colosseum to fight for her life. Pelonia vows to find a way to escape the man who bought her and to gain her freedom. She doesn’t count on Caros not letting her leave.
Caros Viriathos is a former gladiator who now runs a training school for those who fight in the arena. He fought hard for his freedom from slavery and the right to run his life as he sees fit. Caros doesn’t know why his new female slave draws him toward her. He knows that they cannot have a life together. Although he doesn’t fault her for her religion, he doesn’t understand how he can believe in the same God that she does. Caros knows that no God will forgive him for the men he has killed in the arena. His sins are too great. Yet, as he learns more about Christianity, Caros finds himself more and more intrigued with the peace that the followers of Jesus find in their daily lives.
Ms. Capshaw brings to life an era that many of us know very little about. I have never thought about what life was like for people in ancient Rome or how the different religions existed together in that city. I never thought about gladiators and what their lives were like. Ms. Capshaw’s telling of this historical period draws her readers in and we feel as though we know her characters. Her knack for sharing details of life in ancient Rome within the context of the story helps it to flow along nicely.
Ms. Capshaw admits that she is a Christian writer and that this book is an inspirational romance. Although it does revolve around the treatment of Christians and the unrelenting faith that Pelonia has in her religion, the book does not come off as preachy or too religious. Pelonia’s beliefs are elegantly entwined within the plotline and stem from the things happening within her own life. When she is faced with the realities of being a slave and losing her very identity, she turns to God for help and solace. The religious conversations that she has with Caros build the inspirational piece of the story while also building the romantic part.
