This is an amazing look into the book of Daniel through a fictional account from his wife's perspective.  This story is so well done weaving passages of the Bible into the story and yet keeping you fully immersed in the story.  Mesu Andrews has a gift, this is the first book of her's that I've read, but now I'm going to have to check out more of her work and I'm excited at the prospect.

5 Stars!

I had finished reading this book way back in January 2020. I delayed writing a review because I wanted to take my time to come up with a review that would do justice to the book. However, after nine months words still fail me. All I can say is that this is a rich and vivid piece of story telling, description of places, events and people. The life, times, events, culture, traditions, prophecies and miracles lived and witnessed by Prophet Daniel, (Prophet Daniyal A.S. as known to Muslims), his family and friends, during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Darius and Cyrus the Great is brought to life by the sheer brilliance of the author Mesu Andrew's craft. 

Simply magnificent and breathtaking!!! 🌟💖

I received an e-Arc of the book from the publishers WaterBrook and Multnomah and the author via NetGalley. This book was published on March 5, 2019 and is the second book in the author's Prophets and Kings series.

Of Fire And Lions is a Christian historical fiction novel by author Mesu Andrews. This novel is based on the life and times of Daniel. The story is told in the first person by maid Belili a friend of Daniel’s.

This wonderful and well-researched novel is one of my favorites by this author. I could feel the characters' emotions as I read about the Babylonian captivity, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and Pagan worship.

Fans of Lynn Austin or Francine Rivers will want to read this novel. Also, recommended for fans of Christian historical fiction. My only complaint is I found the novel to be a bit too long.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Mesu has a wonderful gift to make Bible characters come to life and she certainly hit it out of the park with Daniel! The background and history of what was going on in the Middle East socially, economically, historically, was very interesting.

Of Fire and Lion’s is fiction, but it is based on what the Bible tells us about Daniel. I am hooked on Mesu’s books and look forward to the next release.

If you are interested in Old Testament history, Daniel in the lion's den, you will love the book.

I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

First Initial Thoughts

When I first opened this book, there was 3 pages list of characters. I was like… oh boy. I have to remember all these people?! Sometimes, a story with a lot of characters can be overwhelming and a little confusing. 

The beginning of the book we start off with the invasion of Jerusalem (how many times does this city get invaded?!). Abigail (later known as Belili) is taken prisoner and is made maid for Daniel and his best friends. During this time they become fast friends and are very close. But that was only for so long. 

As the story progresses though we see Belili be taken again and eventually married to a man named Gadi.  Before she became his wife, she was a high priestess. These are women who served in temples. During this time she was so ashamed of her life- and who wouldn’t blame her. Gadi is a good man. I actually did like him. He wasn’t mean or spiteful. They had a son together named Allamu, and he has an important role later on in the story. 

I liked Daniel. He was so sweet, kind, and loyal to everyone he met, despite his status. He truly had so much faith in God, and that was very inspiring. 

Setting

The last time I ever read a book about Babylon was The Odyssey back in High School. So it’s been a few years. I remember learning briefly about Babylon in my Archaeology classes but it wasn’t taught extensively. Mesu brings Babylon to life. It’s rich culture, traditions, and people were well researched and I felt like I was there right along with the characters. Also, fact of the day if you didn’t know. Babylon was once located in the present day Iraq - about a few miles south of Baghdad. I personally don’t know too much about that region so it was interesting to learn more about it. 

Final Thoughts

Poor Belili. Mesu is a master at emotion in a book. I really felt Belili’s pain throughout this book. I won’t spoil anything but I just wanted to give her a big hug! She definitely went through some major and traumatic events in her life but she kept on going. I really admired her for that. She was so ashamed of her past as a Priestess that she was too blind to see the faith she had in God all along. I am sure some people in that circumstance wouldn’t be able to carry on afterward because of the shame. 

I loved how Mesu wrote the two stories we learned as a child about Daniel. The first one being of the fireplace and God saving Daniel’s best friends from the fire. And the second being of Daniel in the Lion’s den. These stories are stories of faith and trust in God. Trusting in God when all things could go wrong. 

Speaking of trust, Daniel was ever so faithful to God the entire story. I also think he helped Belili restore her faith and provide an example of true faith. I also really liked them together. The only thing I found kind of odd was that they both loved each other at the age of 10. I just found that kind of…interesting. I for one don’t think that one could really understand love at age 10 but it was a different time back then and many women were married off by the age of 14. However, in the story their love stands the test of time throughout the entire book- so that was reassuring. 

Even though this book is only 400 pages, I felt like it was a long epic story. Some sections of the book dragged on a little too long but I think that was done on purpose to create a backstory and suspense. Even though there were a ton of characters, I didn’t feel like I forgot who each person was and how they were important to the story.

Of Fire and Lions is a new favorite. I love Mesu Andrew’s writing, her attention to detail and care in maintaining historical and biblical accuracy astound me. She has brought to life some compelling characters in this novelization of the biblical story of Daniel. Sunday school stories of the lion’s den and the fiery furnace are retold in a way that truly reinvigorated them for me. I struggled a bit with the jumping between time periods but I’m so glad I kept at it. Mesu’s books are always impeccably researched and carefully crafted but it’s the way she makes the characters real and alive that is, for me, the best quality of her work.

This is a story of the prophet Daniel and his being captured and taken to Babylon. His friends Meshach, Abednego, and Shadrack were also among the captives. We learn of his gift of being able to interpret the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar. We learn how his faith in Yahweh was complete. So much so that he did not stop praying his three times a day. Even when the punishment for doing that was being put into a den of lions. We know that Daniel's faith in the one true God saved him. An angel was sent and he closed the mouths of the hungry lions. Daniel was saved 
This is a remarkable story taken from the Bibke. It is about the life of Daniel.
Recommended!

I really enjoyed "Isaiah's Daughter" and had high hopes for "Of Fire and Lions." Sadly, I was disappointed. I am still not sure why. Is it because Daniel was portrayed as having married twice when the BIble never even indicated that he had married once? Is it because I felt that Daniel had let down Abigail, having never tried his hardest to locate and protect her? Is it because he just up and married someone else almost right after he'd found Abigail missing?

In any case, the writing is good, and I found myself glad that I did not live in that particular time and place! The  other complaint I have is the switching back and forth of the time period, which made me utterly confused.

Thank you Netgalley and WaterBrook for the review copy. This is my honest opinion.

Mesu Andrews does an extraordinary job on Of Fire and Lions. 
Well researched, tale that brings to life Daniel and his wife, Belili. The Bible doesn't indicate if Daniel had a wife, but Mesu chose to write in a wife and family.
It's the story of the Babylonian captivity. The Old Testament Book of Daniel.
Some of the fascinating characters: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, King Nebuchadnezzar, King Darius.
"Our service to God isn't about comparing yourself to others, my son, It's about measuring obedience to our individual calling." Daniel replying to his son-in-law, Shesh. In love this. We should not compare ourselves to anyone. 
This would be great for your Book Club, as it has a Readers Guide at the end. 

This book was a finalist for the 2019 Christy Award.
Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for this ARC

This is a book that kept me glued to it! This goes through the book of Daniel, but with a human interest twist; what possibly went on behind the scenes. The main characters are Daniel and Bilili (Abigail). A lot of this story has to do with Abigail. We start at the point of the exodus from Jerusalem to Babylon. Daniel, with his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were princes in Jerusalem. Abigail, who is also one who is being sent to Babylon, was put into the care of the four princes. Daniel took it upon himself to protect Abigail, who was just a young girl. Their love for each other grew from there, but there are many obstacles that keep them apart. Will they ever get together? If they do, will they remain loyal to Yahweh? You will need to read the book to find the answers to these questions and more.

Of Fire and Lions was a finalist for the Christy Award and it became available for sale March 5, 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from NetGalley for my honest review.

Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews stretches the very definition of Christian fiction.Very little research is required to find that Daniel would very likely have been among those servants who were made eunuchs to the king.Even the prophecy in 2 Kings 20:18 attests to such a likelihood.Therefore,the inclusion of a wife for Daniel should be considered outright fiction, as opposed to being scriptural in nature.
 Furthermore, the mention of Daniel going into a trance-like state when in prayer is not supported by biblical evidence, but rather is descriptive of religions not in-line with Christianity. I am aware this book is fiction, but it was difficult to read this book in it's entirety. If one wishes to enjoy Christian fiction, I do not recommend "Of Fire and Lions."


I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Of Fire and Lions takes on a biblical journey with Daniel and Abigail.  From their childhood friendship to proving their faith with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being sent into the fiery furnace for not conforming to their ways.  Now years later Abigail's secret is about to become unraveled.

Daniel has always been my favorite book of the Bible, his faith has always been unwavering and unshakeable.  This is a brilliantly written version on Daniel, and wonderful example of faith that knows no bounds.

Whenever I read Christian fiction I always judge it by its appeal to a non Christian. This book definitely bridges the gap without being preachy.
It sticks to facts about Daniels life while expertly weaving in the fictional wife and personal life.Daniel was a chosen man.This book made me revisit Daniels story in my Bible.Mesu Andrews brought him to life.
Thankyou Netgalley and Waterbrook for this ARC

In order to understand how desperately God wants a relationship with humans, sometimes we have to imagine what might have happened in between the chapters of the Bible. Reading Of Fire and Lions provided that opportunity for me. Mesu Andrews wrote about a very human Daniel and a less monstrous Nebuchadnezzar than I had assumed of before. Friendships and family dynamics were portrayed in a way that made the hero Daniel much more real to me. I know that I’ll read the book of Daniel with a bit more empathy included with my admiration in the future.

Absolutely amazing!!! I love Mesu Andrews books and this was no exception! 
Her writing transports you back to biblical times and allows you to feel what they possibly felt.
Bringing these stories to life in a fresh way is not only a pleasure to read, but gives a desire to dig deeper into the Scriptures.
Hands down one of the best books!!!

Mesu’s books keep getting better and better. I was skeptical when I first heard that OFAL had Daniel married, a eunuch as an official and not a eunuch in the sense we normally would think, but Mesu researches meticulously, and this works. A beautiful, complex novel of Daniel. Two favorite parts were when Daniel received from God the dream and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream (Daniel 2) and when he was thrown into the lions’ den. I’m going to read it a second time.

This book is great Christian Fiction! I really loved reading it. But you do have to remember it is Christian FICTION. There is a good story throughout though it did seem, to me, to drag out things a litter more than I liked, but still it’s a wonderful book if you like Christian Fiction books. It’s clean nothing I found was profane or bad to read and that means a lot. Just a really good book. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and honestly review #OfFireAndLions .

I've wanted to read this book for a long time! Having followed it since pre-release buzz first began, it's been on my radar for quite a while. The stories depicted in the book of Daniel hold a certain fascination, as they show such big works of our God in undeniable ways. I was eager to see how Mesu Andrews would bring the story to light. 

The narrative style unfortunately took me out of the story before it even began. With back-and-forth settings, we open with Daniel as an old man, then rewind to the first day he was taken captive in Jerusalem, then ping-pong back to to old Daniel. Every time things would get interesting we'd be switched to another part of the story. I'm not a fan of non-linear storytelling, and it was exhausting to keep up with which characters belonged where and what was happening at any given time.

I also found the main character unlikable, and her journey not believable or interesting. I didn't even like Daniel very much. The most interesting scenes were any in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego appeared. I would have loved to see more of them.

The author did a great job setting the stage with vivid details. I loved her version of the fiery furnace, as it brought a whole new dimension of the account to life for me. She also did a good job showing the friendly relationship between Daniel and King Darius, and how distraught the young king was when he learned that one of his closest advisers was going to be thrown to the lions. There was plenty of good, enlightening Biblical content. I just wish Abigail/Belili had won my heart and that we could have progressed naturally through the story instead of the constantly shifting timelines.

I received my copy of the book from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own

I've yet to meet a Mesu book I didn't love and 'Of Fire and Lions' fits into that niche pretty well.  Remember please that I am totally not a cover person but this cover really does do justice to the words inside.  And the words inside do justice to the Biblical references they are drawn from.  If you grew up in church you heard the story of Daniel being tossed into the lion's den from a young age.  That and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (and isn't it odd we know them by their Babylonian names and not their Hebrew names) being saved in the fiery furnace by an angel visible to all those who bore witness to the event.  As you continued through studies into youth groups and possibly even adult Sunday School or Bible study you learned about the wisdom of Daniel and his ability to interpret dreams for the kings he served and the rise to the upper echelon of government due to the truth he never withheld, even to his own detriment.  In his time he was considered a wise man, a man who always redirected back to God, a man who never lost his foundation of Jerusalem.  Mesu, however takes all of that one step farther and builds a word that shows the depth of character that someone like Daniel would have need to stabilize the life he lead.  It weaves him a life that would have been the backdrop to his government roles.  And it brings this man to life in a way no other has.

Mesu chose to write in a wife and family for Daniel, also known as Belteshazzar, his Babylonian name.  The Bible doesn't specify if he had a family but in doing so in this book it allows for the great expansion of the themes of choices and redemption and reconciliation.  the addition of Abigail (Belili is her Babylonian name) brings in the themes that we are all faced with, choosing to stay strong in our faith even when it feels dark and alone.  'Yes, I believed. . . that He answered your prayers.  But not mine.  I believed I was too broken, too stained.'  You can't tell me there has never been a time in your life you felt too broken, too stained, just too something to be chosen by God.  Abigail found herself pressed into service in a pagan temple.  She found herself trying to find a path to maintain her life in the only way she, as a human knew how.  She found herself feel separate from the same God that had shown himself to her in the Temple during the initial invasion.  She wasn't separate from God but as a human she felt she was.  And she made human choices outside of that faith.  God is able to use that darkness to bring reconciliation to a family that feels fractured.  God is able to use that darkness to bring faith the the faithless.  God is able to use that darkness to bring humility and grace to those who need it, even Daniel as he faced his own fears at the mouth of the lions enclosure.

'Yahweh's plan for His people had seasons - sowing, growing, harvest and rest.'  Through Daniel, and Abigail, we see these seasons. Through their experiences and ultimately their family they sow the seeds of their faith and they grow in those seeds.  They ultimately harvest those seeds and send them out to do the things they dreamed of since their you, the return to Jerusalem, during the years of their rest.  There is so much depth to this book, so much room for understand and growth.  There is literally something here for everyone to take away a seed of their own to sow.   A reminder that God is not a feeling or a one time experience.  A reminder that God never abandons us but keeps his promises, they just don't always look the way we may want or expect them too.  A reminder that even 'men of God' are human and sometimes do things that hurt those around them.  God is always faithfI was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley, Waterbrook Press. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review. ul, to the well known, the wise, and even the former temple high priestess.  Daniel has a lot to teach us even in today's culture.  This book will send you back to Daniel for the tidbits you missed in Sunday school stories and youth group Bible studies.  A good book will do that. . . send you right back to the basics.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley, Waterbrook Press. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

While this book was written and seems to be well researched. It just wasn't something that held my attention. I find that I'm very pickly about my Biblical fiction authors. So far I haven't found more than one I enjoy I hoped that this would have been an author I added to my list.