Is truth worth the price if it costs you everything?
Tribune Glabrio places high value on truth and honor. So much so that he pursues investigations with dogged determination, even when his superior hints that his job might proceed more profitably if he would leave off questioning certain high officials. When Glabrio responds “Getting to the truth and delivering justice matters,” his high morals get him transferred to a distant post in North Africa. After his arrival, he is shocked to learn that his predecessor, rather than staying on for a smooth transfer of leadership, left for Rome before Glabrio even arrived.
Meanwhile, Martina, a secret Christian in an empire where Christianity can mean the death sentence, mourns her grandfather’s recent death. Now she is under the patronage of her uncle, who is not a Christian but continues to hide her faith, even from his own wife and daughters. What will happen if the new tribune discovers her faith?
Glabrio crosses paths with Martina as he reaches out to local businessmen and dignitaries, in an attempt to learn what steps he should take to help the city progress. He is attracted by her wise but aloof demeanor, raising the ire of her uncle’s wife, who looks upon Glabrio as possible marriage material for her two silly daughters. I chuckled at these interactions, being reminded a little of the Cinderella story. But Martina is no doormat, and she quickly leaves her uncle’s home to run the glass business her grandfather left her.
I enjoyed reading about the developing friendship between Martina and Glabrio, despite the danger he presented should he realize she was a Christian. I also enjoyed the mysteries – both the one at the beginning, which was not solved, due to Glabrio’s transfer, and the one that occurred in Carthage, nearly leading to Glabrio’s demise. Those who enjoy historical fiction set in ancient times, especially the Roman era, will enjoy this book. With eleven more books in the series and more to come, the reader can binge-read to his or her heart’s content. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy meticulously researched historical fiction. Both men and women enjoy this series, as attested by many reviewers.
From the Back Cover
For Tribune Glabrio, descended from three consuls of Rome and determined to be the fourth, commanding the troops policing Carthago appears ideal for hastening his political rise. Arriving from Rome with the secretly Christian Sartorus as his aide, Glabrio discovers the man he was to replace has vanished without a trace. Was the missing tribune too close to finding the counterfeiters Glabrio is now hunting? But no matter the cost, duty and honor require him to enforce Roman law.
Orphaned as a child and taken to live with her pagan grandfather, Martina met Jesus through her step-grandmother. Their faith was a well-kept secret, even from most of their family. With both grandparents now dead, her uncle helps Martina hide the faith he doesn’t share. But after a single dinner at her uncle’s, the new tribune is determined to get to know her. No matter what she does to discourage Glabrio, he won’t leave her alone. But if he discovers her faith, will it mean her death?
When Martina rescues Glabrio from the counterfeiter’s schemes, he learns the people who risked everything to save him share the faith that got his grandfather executed. Embracing that faith could cost him the future he planned on. As an officer of the empire, it’s his duty to reject it…but what if it’s true?
Dangerous times, difficult friendships, lives transformed by forgiveness and love
The Light in the Empire series of novels should delight lovers of Biblical fiction set in Roman times and lovers of ancient world historical fiction where world views collide.
Truth and Honor is the twelfth volume in the Light in the Empire series, which follows the interconnected lives of several Roman families during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. Each can be read stand-alone. The novels of the series will take you around the Empire, from Germania and Britannia to Thracia, Dacia, Judaea, North Africa, and, of course, to Rome itself.
Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah raising the widow’s son from the dead, author Dana McNeely wondered what became of the boy. She began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from his perspective. No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
In 2021 RAIN became a finalist in The Christy Award (use the registered mark) and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award® and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award.
WHIRLWIND, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series, tells the story of a king’s downfall and a love that transcends war.
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