Sarah: A Novel (The Canaan Trilogy, Book 1)

Sarah is very graphic and has no Biblical references.

There are so many "stories from the Bible" novels out there right now, and I have read most of them, but Sarah really stands out from the crowd, and while it's based in the Biblical story, it never hits you over the head with religious dogma. Sarah is really the story of the journey of Sarai from a pampered daughter of a rich lord to the wife of the nomadic prophet Abraham of the book of Genesis. She's known for her beauty, but is remarkably gutsy and intelligent, and acts as a full partner to the charismatic and determined Abraham. There's a wonderful love story to be found in these pages, the love of two bold and adventurous people who risk everything for each other and for what they believe in. The descriptions in this book are marvellous, from the opening pages in the great Babylonian city of Ur to the palaces of the Pharaoah and the wide open fields of Canaan. The author has a talent for bringing places and people to life without loading down his work with lots of adjectives and flights of fancy--all the images are vivid and real, and it makes for a great "curl up and enjoy" kind of read.

I so much enjoyed "Sarah" that I read it in twenty-four hours. The day before I read the "Red Tent". If you are searching for a historically accurate portrayal of the story of Sarah and Abraham you won't find it here. What you will find is an entertaining historical novel focusing on the women in biblical times. The male author does a really good job (contrary to one reviewers opinion) of writing in a famale voice. I felt he understood the trials and tribulations of women at that time very well. This book is about Sarah so to say it would have been better if it had been written about another character is ludicrous. The ongoing debate between reviewers about the relationship between Sarah and Abraham is also ludicrous given that there is no way to know exactly if they were related or not. The Bible is filled with historical inaccuracies and exaggerations as it was written by men who had an agenda of their very own to protect. The point I'm trying to make here is that this is a fictionalized version of the story of Sarah and Abraham. It is enjoyable, fast paced and gives an overview of life at that time. If you are looking for biblical truths you won't find it here and no amount of arguing will change that.

I really enjoyed this novel--it's not only entertaining as an afternoon read, it gives the reader a lot to think about without ever being didactic.Ignore the reviewers who argue over whether Sarah was Abraham's sister (they had a child together, so I'm guessing that unless the Bible sanctions incest, they were not. And honestly people, did you even bother to READ the book?) This is a very well-written book that takes a look at the life and times of an influential woman, without ever losing sight of her essential humanity and the beauty of her spirit. Sarah's constant wrangling with God's will and with whether or not to believe in an invisible God speaks a great deal to what all of us deal with in our own lives, even if we don't go to church or synagogue regularly. It's also a terrific love story between a very intelligent, mystical, headstrong man, Abraham, and his bold, intelligent, practical wife, Sarah. I am glad to see a book that celebrates the love a man can have for a woman who is not only beautiful, but who challenges his worldviews and acts as a total partner with him in his journey to find God. I highly recomment this book to anyone who likes a good novel, especially a historical one.

I was a bit skeptical about whether I would enjoy a novel based on one of the characters of the Bible, but I was really moved by Sarah's story. The author, Marek Halter, beautifully recreates the world of the ancient people of Sumeria, including Sarah and her family. A beautiful young girl, Sarah panics and refuses to marry the man her father has chosen for her. A chance encounter leads her to Abraham, a young man from a tribe of nomads who sculpt the idols that Sarah's people worship. Although she is drawn to him, they do not consummate their relationship until several years later, when Abraham returns to Sumeria to find that the girl he once knew is now the high priestess of Ishtar and the most powerful woman in her society. But Sarah has a premonition, and feels called to leave her life of great luxury in Ishtar's temple and join Abraham and his tribe. Abraham claims that God speaks to him, although no one else can hear it, and little by little, his people come to believe his prophecies. Sarah, however, remains skeptical, and it is only after many years that God reveals himself to her as well, and brings her the same power and grace as her husband. She has many adventures along the way, including a marvelous episode with the Pharoah, which read like a great scene from a movie.This is a novel about an amazing woman, and it truly takes you back in time to the long-ago world that she lived in. It also gives you some clues to how and why our spiritual way of thinking came to be, although it's not a book about religion at all. This was a very thought-provoking read and an entertaining one as well, like watching a good epic mini-series with a female hero. I highly recommend it to others.