Review ======

Title: Master Author: Toni Sorenson Publisher: Covenant Communications Genre: Historical Fiction Year Published: 2008 Number of Pages: 486 Binding: Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-5981152-2-2 Price: $22.95

Reviewed by Daniel Burgess

Almon is a young son any parent would be proud of, fluent in at least three languages, submissive and hard working. Unfortunately, he belongs to a single father and defected Jew who holds strong resentments of those who governed their faith. In Toni Sorenson's latest novel, "Master," the reader is taken on a journey of conversion through the eyes of this child Almon, a mute. But this conversion story is plagued with haunting details of his past and the struggle to believe that Christ could forgive someone with the secrets he clenches.

Despite his admirable qualities, Almon's less then palmary past with his father as a con artist haunts his future. At the age of nine he grew up quickly by working in conjunction with his father who was once a money changer. Skilled in disguise and fluent in languages, they lead a successful business of pretending to sell Almon as a slave to interested parties and then later escaping with son and cash in hand. This life of deceit does not rest well with Almon and will plague his conscience for years to come. This life style continues until that unfortunate and fateful day they cross paths with criminals much more deceitful and dangerous than themselves.

This is where the journey begins. While traveling on the road that leads from Egypt to Palestine, they encounter three robbers. Almon's last memory of that day is the pain of being knocked unconscious. It is not his father that nurses him back to health but instead strangers who find him helpless in the desert. Without the knowledge of his father's whereabouts, these strangers take Almon in as one of their own; his new parents are now Joseph and Mary.

Taken in by these fateful strangers, Almon learns what family is and the peculiar nature and mission of their son Jesus. Concealing his past, Almon embraces the traditions of Joseph and Mary. Though mute, they discover his understanding of languages and send him off to the synagogue where he eventually becomes a scribe. He learns more of Jesus and becomes an eyewitness and disciple of Jesus through these experiences.

"Master" is a simple novel that creatively yet respectfully bridges the lacunae in scriptural events surrounding the Savior's childhood and ministry. The lack of scriptural information describing the Savior's childhood is concerning when developing a fictional story. Unlike any other historical fiction where literary creativity is expected, here Toni Sorenson faces a challenge to represent the Savior's childhood without foisting a perfect childhood. She emerges successful.

The Author succeeds by keeping the story of Jesus' youth simple and sacred while leveraging the other characters in Jesus's youth to add texture, depth and life to the story. This was done in ways such as exploring the conversations that might have occurred in Joseph's family where they knew their son and brother was to be the Savior of the world, and showing the protectiveness they might have had for their youth. Another example was the story surrounding Jesus preaching in the synagogue as a youth and how Joseph and Mary realize that Jesus is not with them.

Although a simple story, the author does a good job with incorporating subtleties that would interest New Testament novices and the scholar. It is obvious that the author went outside the Old and New Testament text for research: References to Josephus are clearly implied when she details events surrounding John the Baptist and his imprisonment. Also, the author appears to rely on Alfred Edersheim when detailing events of the different feasts and temple traditions, as well as Frederic Farrar when describing the characteristics of Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree. This attention to detail makes the story more rich and enjoyable.

The only criticism I have of this book is the amount of time spent on the latter end of the Savior's life, his ministry. About 4/5 of the book is spent on the Savior's younger years. The last portion comes across as just a chronological retelling of major events in the Savior's life. This I felt was a missed opportunity to dive into greater detail of the Savior's miracles and ministry.

Portraying Almon as a mute allows a unique opportunity for the reader to become involved with the story; at times reading his thoughts help you feel like you were there. This literary tool real allows you to feel his struggle and relate to him. Overall Toni Sorenson presents an easy to read, believable, fun, emotional story.