Sword and Serpent eBook Taylor Marshall
Download As PDF : Sword and Serpent eBook Taylor Marshall 
Every Legend Has A Beginning
The year is A.D. 299. Diocletian rules the Roman Empire. And the gods have suddenly fallen silent.
17-year-old Jurian doesn’t have time for the gods. He’s trying to hold his family together after his father died in disgrace, and piety -- even to the Christ -- just isn’t practical. But then a ruthless enemy targets his family, forcing Jurian to make a choice will he pursue the glory he’s always wanted, or will he sacrifice everything to protect a faith that was never really his own?
On the other side of the Empire, the young priestess Sabra shields her people from the terrible vengeance of the old god she serves. But even as she offers the dark and bloody sacrifices the god demands, visions of desolation haunt her dreams. As suspicion tightens its stranglehold on her city, Sabra must unravel the mystery of the god’s portents before everything she’s ever loved is destroyed.
Fear of the gods’ silence sparks a bloody persecution that will soon consume the Empire. As the fires of suspicion and hatred ignite around them, Jurian and Sabra are drawn together by a mysterious prophecy...one that will set them on a journey to battle an evil beyond imagining.
Saints aren’t born.
They are forged.
Sword and Serpent eBook Taylor Marshall
As a teen, I loved to read fantasy novels. As an adult, I still enjoy fantasy, myths, and legends, but I rarely find new books in those genres that are enjoyable. Most of the books I come across are just not very good. Some are shallow or juvenile. And still others are too graphic. I am not even sure whether Sword and Serpent is classified as historical fiction, fantasy, or legend, but I loved it!The characters are great. Several are based on well-known saints, including St. George, St. Christopher, and St. Nicholas. Marshall does an excellent job honoring those saints, but also elaborating upon them in interesting ways. This book was intellectually stimulating and mature without being overly complex or graphic. It was also neither too fantastic nor too ordinary. I worried that George's meeting with the Dragon would either be over-the-top or boring, but it was very, very well done.
Marshall did an excellent job balancing history, legend, and his own ideas to write an excellent story. I am thrilled to find fiction that is truly Catholic. We (the Church) really need more of this (unapologetically Catholic myth, legend, and storytelling) for our modern times.
I loved this book and I look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
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Sword and Serpent eBook Taylor Marshall Reviews
I wasn't sure if I should give this three or four stars, but settled on four because it is a fun read. I don't think this book will ever count as literature, but it might get a reluctant reader to read. I could see the 10-14 crowd enjoying this book. There's a lot of great research about ancient living that I found interesting and enjoyable, but there were parts where I definitely rolled my eyes.
*SPOILER ALERT*
I had to roll my eyes when the pope gives George Excalibur. It was such a beautiful and awe-filled scene...until they pulled out that sword...... But I can see how a 10-year-old boy would enjoy it. There were a couple other places where I had to really work to suspend disbelief but I think that was the worst.
Overall, it got me to read the next book, though it also suffers from stiff characters. I'm just a sucker for historic, Christian themes and sometimes we all need a light read to give the mind a break.
This book was absolutely wonderful. It is well written and fast paced with characters that are extremely well done. I loved the inclusion of various figures from early Christianity. It is not always obvious, but if you know the names of some common early saints like Nicholas, you will find them included in this book. Jurian is exceptionally well done. The female lead character felt a bit forced at times and that part of the story didn't seem to fit quite as well nor to be quite as natural, but in the end it worked out quite well.
My only complaint is that there are not more books done in the same line as the characters continue to develop. It is a great read and I definitely recommend it.
I've heard the legends of St. George and St. Christopher (introduced here as the giant Menas) from my early years in Catholic schools. But the images of George as the patron saint of Great Britain had me imagining him as a medieval knight, and had to do an intriguing bit of rethinking to see him as a young recruit to the legion, named Jurian, boldly standing before Emperor Diocletian at the beginning of the Roman persecutions of Christian martyrs. The dragon cast as the Old Testament pagan deity Molech was another twist, but not surprising, as he represents the timeless entity that must always seek to devour the innocence in every age to assert itself. Sabra was a new element but she and Jurian's saintly sister take him out of his self-doubt and cynicism to a realization of his calling and help him understand the new Christianity his family has embraced. Other familiar figures are seen in a new light St. Nicholas, St. Helena and her son Constantine, Pope Linus who succeeded Peter, round out a beautifully retold novel of the early building of Jesus Christ's Church that has remained a strong influence on our world from its inception. I am now re-reading the second book, and eagerly anticipating the publication of the third. No matter what your faith, Marshall's novel is a gripping read.
Not sure what took me so long to purchase this book. I have read Dr. Taylor's other books and love his writing style. He processes that unique gift of imparting vast amounts of knowledge in an easily understandable way. I absolutely loved this story. Saints George (Jurian), Christopher (Menas), Blaise, Nicholas and Cyriacus have become friends. I have gained an understanding of the Roman and Christian world as it existed at the end of the 200's when the Christian were entering another (and in the end severest) persecution under the Emperor Diocletian.
When I finished this book I was thrilled to see that there was a sequel which turned out to be every bit as good as the first book. I cannot wait until the third book in this series gets published.
These books are definitely a recommend! You will enjoy them!
I enjoy Taylor Marshall's blog, podcasts, and YouTube clips, and I love British myths and legends. So, when I caught sight of this book, I was intrigued but perhaps just a little skeptical. I was wrong. The story is well-imagined and well researched. I was really intrigued with the author's interpretation of the legend of St. George and the Dragon, and I found myself pretty well captivated by the story. Sometimes the dialogue didn't ring quite true, because it sounded a bit too modern to my ears, but that was not a serious distraction. I'd certainly recommend the book to lovers of Arthurian-like legend.
As a teen, I loved to read fantasy novels. As an adult, I still enjoy fantasy, myths, and legends, but I rarely find new books in those genres that are enjoyable. Most of the books I come across are just not very good. Some are shallow or juvenile. And still others are too graphic. I am not even sure whether Sword and Serpent is classified as historical fiction, fantasy, or legend, but I loved it!
The characters are great. Several are based on well-known saints, including St. George, St. Christopher, and St. Nicholas. Marshall does an excellent job honoring those saints, but also elaborating upon them in interesting ways. This book was intellectually stimulating and mature without being overly complex or graphic. It was also neither too fantastic nor too ordinary. I worried that George's meeting with the Dragon would either be over-the-top or boring, but it was very, very well done.
Marshall did an excellent job balancing history, legend, and his own ideas to write an excellent story. I am thrilled to find fiction that is truly Catholic. We (the Church) really need more of this (unapologetically Catholic myth, legend, and storytelling) for our modern times.
I loved this book and I look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
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