Jan Beazely and Thom Lemmons
King’s Ransom (2004)
Authors: Jan Beazely and Thom Lemmons
Genre: Historical/Christian
Plot Summary:
This is based on a true story. It revolves around Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria during World War II in this 2005 Christy Award winner. He happens to be King at a very difficult time and in a difficult situation as war is all around him. While he makes allies with the Germans to protect Bulgaria, he does everything in this power to spare the Jews of his country and keep his troops out of the war as much as possible. Throughout the whole war he is able to keep all of them alive and within the borders of Bulgaria. There is a fictional subplot throughout this book of a romance between Dobri, a (real) member of the Royal Guard, and Daria, a Jewish (fictional) attendant to the Queen. While this subplot is fictional, it serves a purpose of showing the “plight of the Jewish people through Daria and the dilemma that Boris had in his position.
Geographical Setting: Bulgaria
Time Period: WWII 1940-1943, Epilogue in 1996
Appeal Characteristics:
There is no question that the characters are the biggest appeal of this book. All characters, Tsar Boris and beyond, are rich and full of life. Readers are able to get a glimpse of the character’s past for an understanding of their characteristics and actions of the present. It is very easy to sympathize with the “good guys” and dislike the “bad guys.” Most of the characters also are either Jewish, Catholic or Orthodox and since this focuses on the persecution of the Jews in Bulgaria, religion did have a role in this historical war. There are some scriptures quoted although it is placed in the story in a natural way that it hardly seems that one is reading an Inspirational story. Another big appeal is the historical aspect. It is highly accurate with a nice 3-4 page letter to readers explaining what part of the story is fact and what part is fiction. Possibly what could be more appealing than history and accuracy is the fact that it is a part of history that is little known, especially in the USA. It brings another dimension of WWII that one never hears about.
Read-alikes: For those who like historical fiction set in WWII with great characters but more emphasis on Christianity, While Mortals Sleep by Jack Cavanaugh is the book for you. This is set in Germany from the point of view of a Berlin pastor who is against the Third Reich. Robert L Wise’s untitled series starting with The Narrow Door at Colditz is also set in WWII Europe but from the perspective of an American fighting alongside the British. If you are looking for another book from the Jewish perspective, Mary Doria Russel’s award winning book, A Thread of Grace about a Jewish family fleeing Italy might be your style. Tricia Goyer’s Night Song: A story of Sacrifice is another WWII book to try. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky and Sandra Smith was written about WWII during WWII .
Red Flags: mild violence, mild and brief sexual references
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