Kathi Macias and Susan Wales

Dear Readers,

This has been a harder review to write, not because I didn't like the book, but because there are so many things I want to mention that I can either talk about everything, or talk about only some things and confuse you a bit. So I am going to do my best to let you know what this book is about without giving too much of the plot away.

Valeria's Cross by Kathi Macias and Susan Wales is set in Roman times about 280ish years after Christ's death and resurrection.

Valeria is an actual historical figure. She is the daughter of Emperor Diocletian and Empress Prisca. There is no actual proof that she or her mother became Christians, but details like that never stop good fiction writers. If she was a Christian there was probably no proof of her beliefs or lack thereof as during that time in history she would not have made a big deal out of it.

It was a time of great growth for the new church, but it was as we all know a time of great persecution. Christians were usually tolerated by Romans at that time, but if anything went wrong they were the first blamed. They were easy scape goats as they refused to bow down to the Roman gods and people would point out that was what was angering the gods and causing the problems.

In the book Foxe: Voices of the Martyrs on page 63-64 there is a Roman legion mentioned as a group that was slaughtered by the emperor because they refused to take an oath of loyalty to him. The story goes that first 660 of them were killed to get the rest to bow and worship him and then 600 more and yet they refused to denounce God. It is an amazing story and is woven into this story also. It all makes for an interesting read. It is a time in history that I find very few Christian fiction books written about. I guess that surprises me as it is a time that is interesting and really sets the stage for the growth and spread of the church.

The plot of the book is Valeria falls in love with the leader of the Theban Legion. When he is martyred she is forced into marriage to the man who instigated his and his troops' murders. Will she be able to live with him? Will she ever forgive him? Will she ever be able to love him? With God's help all things are possible. Maybe she is called to be the Esther of her time. Will she be able to stand up for what is right?
Happy Reading