Silver Chalice

I love historical fiction (the kind with a real story, not the smutty kind) and no one does it better than Thomas Costain. The Silver Chalice is a fascinating story of the East in the century after Christ and offers a glimpse into the lives of historical figures as viewed by the fictional main characters.

I am a prolific reader and The Silver Chalice is one of my all time favorite books. It has suspense, history, greed, romance, love, longing, spirituality - the list of in depth emotions that the main character experiences is amazing. Basil is adopted by a wealthy family at a young age and upon his adopted father's death he is sold into slavery. The story of how he meets Luke, the great physician, Joseph of Arimathea, and many other bibical characters and their influence on his life is astounding. This is a must read book that you will want to read many times.

This book was given to me over the summer by my mother who read it when she was young. From the moment I opened it, I couldn't put it down. The story of Basil's journey from Antioch to Jerusalem is one of great courage and faith. The fictional characters are well developed, and the historical ones are portrayed quite uniquely with qualities of real people one seldoms sees in Paul and Luke. This book has led me to read more of this genre, including Taylor Caldwell's "Dear and Glorious Physician". The awkward situation Basil finds himself in between Helena and Deborra is a believable situation, and it provides great insight into the mind of an intelligent, and proud young man. I recommend this book to those who are fascinated with history, the Christian religion and excellent writing.

The Silver Chalice" is wonderful for many reasons. The history is accurate and interesting. The characters are wonderfully developed. The story is romantic. But most of all "The Silver Chalice" is incredible because of the faith and devotion that it illustrates and promotes.

I loved this book!!!! It was one of the few of the many, many, books I've read that I could'nt put down. It is completely fiction, and I love reading bibical fiction because it makes the old stories come alive with new meaning. The story of Basil a poor boy who was adopted by a rich, notable, family in Palestine is one rich with hidden meaning and it also, amidst the plot of the story, contains a beautiful love story. One of the best books I've read. A MUST!!!!