Deborah - the only named prophetess of Israel (I think!). What was her life like, other than the one incident we hear about? How did she come to be judge, and what did that mean? What was her family like? This book develops a potential background for Deborah that answers all these questions in a way that is unlikely to be correct, but is perfectly plausible and didn't stand out as being against what the Bible tells us in any way. If nothing else, it's the sort of book that can make one think about the characters in the Bible as real people - and I think that can be a good thing, as long as it's not taken too far. If you care about veracity, the vast majority of the contents of this book is made up (I think the battle that we hear about in the Bible makes up about the last 5-10% - and it's fictionalised too) - but there's nothing that can be shown to be incorrect, as far as I saw.

All in all, an enjoyable story quite apart from the way that it brings Bible characters to life as real people - interesting historical fiction as well as Biblical fiction. Thought-provoking, well-written, and recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

A fictional account of the biblical story of Deborah, the Fourth Judge of Israel, from Judges in the Bible. I was drawn into this story pretty quickly. While the main focus of the story is Deborah, we also learn about Barak, who is mentioned in the scriptures as well. We also learn about both Deborah's and Barak's extended families. There's a little bit of a love story for Deborah and Lapidoth, Barak's cousin, as well. The time also covers when Deborah is younger and the Israelites' earlier struggles with the Canaanites to when she is a grown woman, a mother and a homemaker, to when she becomes a Judge and the battle with the Canaanites and Sisera's death (pretty gruesome!!)..

My personal struggles with the scriptures is the language and trying to relate to the stories when sometimes it's hard to understand what is being said. I would love to read more scripture stories written this way. Even though this is fictional, I have a desire to revisit this story in particular in the Bible to learn more about it and re-read it with new eyes. As such, I was glad to see the inclusion at the end of the book of some of the King James' Version of the scriptures about so that I could see the scriptural account alongside this story as well to help put the story into perspective with the scriptures.

Moore's father is a biblical scholar, so I am sure that the research she put into this book was tremendous so that she could bring Deborah's small story (only 2 chapters in the Bible) to life as accurately and as realistically as possible!! I look forward to Moore's books, of any genre. I've only read 3 now of her scriptural fiction, but I definitely look forward to more.

I enjoyed this story of Deborah. It was entertaining and action packed. I was tired when I got done reading it. The poor Israelites suffered so much and I was getting anxiety anytime some one else was coming! The love story was so sweet but this was more of a story of a people and their leader. This is the first of Moore's woman of the bible I have read and I think I will read more. This is a story that could be read by any religion and understood. There is some violence and talk of what happens when a people concurs another. I would let my older teen read it.

Biblical history comes to life with this look at Deborah, a Prophetess of God. An ordinary shepherdess, encountering extraordinary experiences, submits her life to the will of God. Early in the story she admits to praying to God when questioned about how she does remarkable acts. While her prayers are commonplace to herself, others quickly recognize something is very different and special about Deborah. I enjoyed the creative take on what her life may have looked like as well as getting to meet her family and friends. Fans of Biblical fiction will enjoy this quick-paced story.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I will admit I didn't know much about the prophetess Deborah before reading this book. However, now I feel excited to read more about her! HB Moore has written a gripping story that follows the life of Deborah, a prophetess. I really enjoyed the subtlety of her gift and how she is so strong, gifted with a bow yet feminine too. I really appreciated the whole balance to her character. I also enjoyed the other characters in the book and didn't realize until I re-read the front, how many were real persons! The story is engaging throughout, a lovely mix of adventure, sorrow, and romance. I know I will be re-reading this book.

Oh how I loved this book!! The story line was amazing, and it was interesting delving into the customs and lives of this ancient time unfold. The sacrifices that Deborah made for her people were very brave and I came away with the opinion that she was an incredible woman! I enjoyed this book very much, thank you for the opportunity to read it NetGalley!

A historical fiction book about the Prophetess Deborah from the bible. Deborah was blessed with incredible skill with the bow and arrow and knife. She would aim and hit dead center any moving object. She started her younger years as a shepherdess. Watching over the sheep for her family. She killed a lion with an arrow to the heart. She also ran off twenty of the enemy by claiming she had a disease that could spread to them. Her actions and bravery were legend among her people. Later she would be ordained the Fourth Judge in Israel.
Well crafted story. Remarkable in it's ability to hold the interest of the reader .
Awesome read! Recommended.

Heather Moore has a of taking a handful of Bible verses and recreating the reality around them.
Deborah was a prophetess, and a Judge in Israel. She is referenced in Judges 4 and 5, but little is known about the details of her life other than her husband's name, and that Barak refused to go to battle without her. What made her so remarkable that she would be chosen as a Judge? What might her husband have thought about being married to a prophetess and judge? Why did Barak need her with him when they went to war?
H.B. Moore offers possible answers to these questions and more in a compelling read that will endear many of the characters to you, and encourage you to study the Bible further for any insights you might have missed previously.

Heather Moore is one of my favorite authors for a very good reason. Her writing is amazing! She makes the story come alive yet keeps it in the time it occurred. This is a fictionalized story of Deborah. I felt like I knew her by the end of the story. She lived an amazing life. The book was well done. The actual scripture is at the end of the book so you can see what is scripture and what is fiction. I thought the book was awesome.

What a beautiful story. I was completely engrossed and didn't want to stop reading. So, imagine my delight when I found it also on audiobook and available on a place where I have a subscription. It was so exciting. I loved being able to read and listen. I ended up having to do a lot of driving around so it was wonderful being able to keep on going from where I was at in the book. And I loved the narration. It was very well done!

I loved learning more about Deborah. This book truly brought her to life for me. Yes, I know this is a fictional book and the author has taken liberty to create the story outside of the bible verses. But the author's research and understanding of the time period created a flawless story that makes you feel as if this was truly Deborah's life and history.

I think some of my favorite parts of the book were when Deborah would pray. It was beautiful. Her trust, her learning to hear God speaking to her through the quiet whisperings of the Spirit. Guiding and directing her. I loved how the author showed several moments of Deborah being inspired and guided, especially how that helps show her becoming a Judge of Israel.

I also loved the aspect of family throughout the book. Not just Deborah's family but the other families that were interconnected with hers. These characters completely captured my heart; their ups and downs, their joys and struggles, all of it.

There is a sweet love story woven into the story. Another beautiful aspect that I felt added another great dimension to these characters and story.

There is plenty of suspense and action that will keep you riveted to the story. Between the characters, setting, history, suspense, action and the love story, this is a book that I highly recommend and will find myself returning to again and again.

Content: Clean. This is based on Biblical characters and verses so there are religious aspects throughout the story. The book deals with battles so there are suspenseful moments as well as fights.

I received a copy from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I loved this fictional book based on Deborah, 4th Judge of Israel. It was so interesting. The story immediately gripped me and I could hardly put it down. Deborah was so strong, courageous and true to her God and people. I would highly recommend this book.

I love these Biblical historical fiction novels that HB Moore does. She has such an awesome way of bringing historical truths together with complementary and plausible fiction. I imagine that some pretty extensive research goes into these.

H.B. Moore has taken a rather short story in the book of Judges and created a beautiful character and an empowering story.
Heather Moore creates in Deborah a fascinating balance. Deborah is humble yet strong. She's obedient, but strong willed.
The story it self is also a beautiful balance between women empowerment, family support, religious dedication and sweet romance.
I especially appreciated how she dealt with the relationship between Deborah and the men in her life. In spite of her prestigious calling, Deborah was respectful, loving and empowering to her father, her brothers, her husband and the military commander Barak. This added not only historical accuracy, but depth to Deborah and the other characters.
The romance, the family and the connections all build a world that connects you to the heart of what the people may have been experiencing and the type of person Deborah may have been in order to lead her people to freedom.
Just a note: The author does a fantastic job of keeping this book non-denominational. Though it is a religious book, it isn't geared to any one faith. It is a work of fiction so keep that in mind, but would be pertinent and enjoyable for anyone of any faith with a connection to this time in history.

This Bible story brings a story of the only female judge mentioned in the Bible - Deborah. Set in ancient time, when Israelites were oppressed by Canaanites: some unjustly imprisoned or forced into the king’s workforce; some children stolen during the night and used as sport in arena games; some women taken by force to work in the temples as prostitutes; all had taxes increased each year and, upon threat of death, were collected.

Deborah is a young Israelite shepherdess who lives in an isolated village of Ramah with her father and brothers. She knows her surroundings well. She knows how to listen to nature. And when danger lurks, she knows how to respond.

When Canaanites invade yet again the valley where they live, Deborah offers a solution to tell Canaanites that a plague has reached their village infecting people, animals and water.

And with that her legendary leadership skills grow.

When family members are lost, a search is set. She sees a smoke that leads her to a hiding place of those who were trying to survive hiding from enemy. Except, there was no smoke, it was a sign from God.

And with that her legend grows as a prophetess of God.

One day, two village elders come to their homestead, bringing a message for Deborah. “Shamgar, the Third Judge of Israel, has requested an audience with her.”

She is told, “Israel needs a spiritual leader to pull it out of its fallen state. (…) Upon my death, you will become the next Judge of Israel. You will be known as Deborah, prophetess and Fourth Judge of Israel.”

The second part of the book moves forward 15 years. Deborah is married to Lapidoth and they have two sons. The second part focuses on Israelites training to defeat Canaanites for good. They’ve been training in secret before, but not on this scale. This is a very dangerous mission. But they’ve been oppressed for long enough, that the determination outweighs the danger.

The day has come, ten thousand Israelites gather at the river Kishon and wait for Canaanites to fight them. God sends help of rushing waters and drowning many chariots of enemy...

This is a quick and engrossing read, bringing a vivid depiction of tumultuous times; Israelites always learning how to navigate the oppressor and how to outsmart them. They strive to “live free of fear and persecution by the Canaanites. (…) Free from the grueling days of teaching men how to fight for their lives.”

Deborah reveals many layers of her character. She is a strong woman, who at the same time is loyal and obeys her father’s wishes. She can fight like a lioness and at the same time she remembers about the respect due to the village elders.

Deborah is such an interesting character that I wished there was more to her story. The descriptions are very captivating including the tense encounters between Israelites and Canaanites, Deborah hunting down the snake that injured the sheep a day before, and Israelites training in secret.

I honestly don't think I've ever heard of Deborah before. None of the story was familiar to me at all, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Reading this book made me very curious to read her story in the Old Testament.

I will admit, a good portion of the story was kind of slow moving for me, and I could easily put it down to go do something else before coming back to it. Once the final battle neared though, I became a lot more invested in the story.

I thought this story was very well done and appreciated the chance to learn more about a person that I might not have learned about otherwise.

I was really intrigued when I read the back copy for H.B. Moore's new Biblical historical fiction Deborah: Prophetess of God. Moore has a way of bringing historical figures to life and Deborah has always fascinated me, being a female judge in Israel and leading armies. I was excited to read it!

The obvious meticulous research into everyday lives of those who lived in Biblical times really brings Deborah to life. Ms. Moore has a way of using the setting and small details to allow the reader to truly experience the scenes with the characters and Deborah is no exception.

Deborah is living a quiet life, taking care of her sheep. She knows her father and brothers are helping two men, Barak and Lapidoth, to train the Israelites for the day when they rise up against the Canaanites who oppress them. But when an incident requires her to use all of her skills with a bow and arrow to escape death, her quiet life is upended.

I was captivated by the way the story unfolded, with Deborah using her faith to provide hope for those around her and how she accepted her calling. I loved that there was a love story included and that the supporting characters were fleshed out and completely believable. I admit, I went back to the Bible to see what events were recorded in scripture of this remarkable woman. The pacing is just right as we go from preparing for war to the battle and I could hardly put the book down.

Full of action and unexpected emotional attachments, Deborah is a book you won't want to miss.

I loved everything about this book! We get to know Deborah on a personal level- her daily life and responsibilities, her family, the political climate of the Israelites and Canaanites and how it affects her. The pace of the story is anything but slow though- she is active in defense and her spiritual insights protect her and her family. It was interesting to see her spiritual gift progress as she exercises her strong faith and deepens her relationship with God. I loved the coming of age she experiences as she falls in love, marries, and embraces her role as a spiritual leader. I appreciated that Lapi and the other men in her life deeply respected and protected her not only as wife, daughter, and sister, but recognized how special and important her gift is. It's heartbreaking to learn of the abuses the Israelites suffered at the hands of the Canaanites for so many years, and I was glad to see how the Lord prepared them to finally overcome their oppressors. This Biblical story was brought to life with vivid characters and settings and I was immersed in the book the whole way through!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

This book is a fictional account of Deborah the Prophetess and Israelite Judge. It starts when Deborah is a young lady shepherdess and follows her life as she "has the ear of God". She has several revelations from God that have helped spare her friends and family from calamities mainly due to the overbearing Canaanites. She is named Judge Number 4 after the 3rd Judge died. She led Barak and the Israelites to victory over the Canaanites. This is the first book that I've read by HB Moore but it won't be the last. Realistic and kept my attention. #deborahprophetessofGod

H.B. Moore is a brilliant writer. She has taken two chapters from the Judges in the Bible and created a novel. I can't help but think what a daunting task that is to remain true to the scriptural account and the historical time period.



Deborah is a story that I do not remember from the Bible. Her story is miraculous. She was a woman of Ancient Israel who became the Fourth Judge and led an army to victory against the Caananites. In the middle of this book, I knew that I needed to read the passages in Judges 4 and 5.



This novel gives an idea of what her life may have been like. It tells of a family, hopes, and dreams. I loved the people that surrounded her, the real and the fictional characters. The story is told with such vivid detail that I could picture myself there.



The best part of reading books of fiction based on the Bible is that it leads me to want to know more. I thank H.B. Moore for bringing the scriptures to life for me.

I was completely impressed with this book! I was familiar with the Biblical story of Deborah, but this book made it come more alive for me!
Heather Moore is a very talented writer and weaves believable stories that just always keep me engaged!
The story of Deborah is a beautiful mix of true Biblical events, mixed with the author's imagination to fill in the gaps. A beautiful combination!
I love Deborah's character and felt her faith! I was inspired by her prayers and her confidence.
Even though there is not a lot mentioned in the Bible of Deborah's husband Lappidoth, I love what the author did with his character. Being the husband of the first woman Judge of Israel had to be many things - daunting, humbling, and maybe intimidating? I absolutely LOVE his courage and devotion to the Lord's calling - and his devotion to Deborah. A beautiful picture of a Godly man.
And... I love the clean romance that develops between Deborah and Lapi. Very well done.
Deborah learns to trust God more and more as she accepts her calling.
Barak is the commander of the Israelite army and I enjoyed what the author did with his character too. He's strong, but has to come face to face with his fears.
There were several supporting characters that were well written as well.
The events that lead up to the riveting ending kept me page turning long into the night!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed here are my own.
If you love historical Biblical stories, mixed with a clean romance, and several great characters, then you will enjoy this book! I highly recommend it!