Risen

Angela Hunt has written the book "Risen" which is a Christian fiction.  The author is qualified in this genre because she has her doctorate in Biblical studies.  In 30 AD the Jewish religious leaders encourage Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea to seal and post guards at the tomb of Jesus of Nazarath.   Jesus had foretold that he would rise from the grave three days after his death.  Our story begins with Jesus missing from the tomb.  The author tells her story in the first person through two main characters.  Clavius who was a Roman Tribunal under Pontius Pilate, and Rachel who was a Jewish widow.  Pilate had ordered Clavius to investigate the disappearance of Jesus and to find his body.  Clavius questions the guards posted at the tomb, and many others who claimed to have witnessed the resurrected Jesus.  He eventually meets with the disciples of Jesus.  Even though they came from different cultural backgrounds Clavius and Rachel's lives became intertwined because both are driven to learn more about this Jesus.  What they found profoundly changed their lives.  The characters seem real and fit will into the Biblical story.  I liked the fact that the author tells about the history and culture of the Roman and Jewish people of that time period.  The author gives many scriptural quotes from both Jesus and his disciples through out the story.  The quotes seem accurate, but the author does take literary license as to when and where the words  were spoken.  I purchased "Risen" from Amazon and would give it four stars.  I enjoyed the story and would recommend reading it.  The story has been made into a movie, and I am looking forward to viewing the movie to see whether it follows Angela Hunt's work.