As a Lily Among Thorns

A Story of King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and the Goddess of Wisdom

Christian - Historical Fiction
281 Pages
Reviewed on 01/27/2014
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

After retiring from Business and having more time to read and listen to the news in depth. I began writing Letters to the Editor to express my opinions and over 30 have been published in the Chicago Tribune. I often wondered what King Solomon's opinion would be about all the folly we read and hear about enacted all over the world today. and decided to write a novel to promote his philosophy to think wisely before making a foolish decision. I pray that readers of my novel will receive a numinous touch to help them make wise choices to benefit themselves, their family, friends, and communities.

Rudy U Martinka attended Northwestern and Elmhurst Colleges. Born 1940, currently residing in Elmhurst, Illinois, he participated in civic associations of Boy Scouts, Elmhurst Safety Council, and Elmhurst Auxiliary Police. Married, with three children and eight grandchildren.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Bruce Cook for Readers' Favorite

In his historical novel, As a Lily Among Thorns, Rudy Martinka has accomplished a milestone in documenting the life of King Solomon. His novel is unique in its historical and archaeological accuracy, its clear chronology of events, and its variety of perspectives on events during these historical times. I commend Rudy Martinka for telling his story through a first person account by King Solomon. Too often the third person approach to history makes for difficult reading. Martinka’s approach makes the story come alive.

He uses italicized passages in which characters relate historical and philosophical information that would be far more difficult to read if presented in standard format. Throughout this book, the author provides an impeccable description of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba during a visit the queen made to his palace. The text is replete with conversations between them in which she questions him regarding his background, riddles, and philosophy. These dialogues are invaluable in helping the reader understand the history and beliefs of the times.

The story becomes intensely personal and dramatic as a love relationship between Solomon and Bilqis continues. The juxtaposition of events in the story offers a clear account of what happened and when in a way that other historical accounts could not do. Many know something about King Solomon, the queen of Sheba, their son Menelik, David and Goliath, the Ark of the Covenant, or Solomon’s wise decision between two harlots who came to his court, both claiming to be mother of a child. But few have an idea of these stories in relationship to each other in time and place. This brings the story together in a way that the best novels do with their situations and characters.

A preface and epilogue give evidence of the careful scholarship the author devoted to the writing of this book. Here the scholarly and archaeological research that underpins the story is clearly explained. This book is a powerful statement and should be read by anyone interested in learning about the Old Testament and King Solomon.