Serpent of Moses

Serpent of Moses was my first read by Don Hoesel, though I own two of his previous books. And after such a good experience I will definitely be reading them in the near future! As I saw another reviewer compare, this book does put you in mind of an Indian Jones movie. What's not to like, right?!!

Jack Hawthorne was a one-of-a-kind type of guy! While it was easy for me to grow to like him, I couldn't help but laugh at a few of his antics--such as the ability to sit back, relax (or even sleep) no matter the situation. Esperanza, Romero, and Duckey made awesome "sidekicks" for him and, really, with a guy like Jack, he needs them!

The people hunting for the staff against these characters were formidable. I loved how Hoesel gave us a peak into their operations by having several scenes from either Bouyfayed, Imolene, or Templeton's point of view. The plot, as a whole, was very well done. Things began at a rather suspenseful and climatic moment and--to my surprise and delight--Hoesel kept it steadily climbing till the end of Serpent of Moses.

The main reason I didn't give Serpent of Moses 5 stars would be because of the writing. It was different then I was used to and there were a few scenes were I became confused because of the way things were written. I had to reread it for clarity. But, really, that might just be me--and it wasn't to such a severe degree that it inhibited my experience in this book.

This newest release of Hoesel's was a very easy read--the suspense and action pushing me effortlessly from one scene to the next. The cast of characters were easy to get to know and become endeared to. And the whole "hunt for the serpent" was intriguing! So to sum it all up, a very engaging and enjoyable read!!

I reviewed this book for the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. Thanks to the publishers, Bethany House, for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

This book is a quest to find the legendary brass snake that Moses set on a pole - the same snake that the Israelites could look up on in order to get healed from snake bites. Serpent of Moses assumes that the relic was not destroyed by Moses, making it one of the most profitable finds in the archaeology world. Esperanza, his long time girlfriend, ever waiting for Hawthorne to get serious, Romero, Esperanza's brother and art dealer, and Jim Duckett, an ex-CIA agent and former colleague, will team up when Hawthorne has not shown up to an important business meeting after a few weeks. He is not the most punctual person in the world, but even he knows the limits regarding a crucial art deal. The truth is, Hawthorne has found the location of the once thought lost relic, but he is not alone in his search and is taken prisoner. Esperanza, Romero and Duckett will start a search of their own with the hope of finding Hawthorne alive; none of them could have ever imagined that they would be risking their lives.
Yes, this book is full of suspense, and as I mentioned in my previous reviews of Hoesel's books, it should come with popcorn. He is certainly skilled at building up suspense and twisting the story right at the point where everything seemed solved. This makes it a gripping, interesting read, hard to put down. As usual, the ending comes a bit too fast, but it also leaves the reader with a curiosity to see what will happen next in the character's lives. This adds to the positive aspects of this book, but I do have to say that there were moments where I felt I was reading a copy of other successes - namely Indiana Jones and Dan Brown's books. Both of these have been successful, which I guess would be a plus for Mr. Hoesel, but there is really nothing new under the sun. During the story, the team needs the assistance of people with whom Hawthorne has worked before, but it is not initially clear whether they like or dislike him; I could even picture Hawthorne with Harrison Ford's look of uncertainty more than once, or even Robert Langdon's excitement when deciphering clues when Esperanza and Romero try to find the secret location of the serpent. Do not let this deter you from reading this book; if you are looking for clean entertainment during a rainy day, this would be a good choice. As I mentioned before, Hoesel is a skilled writer, but I would have preferred to not be reminded of other stories and get involved in this one on its own.
Also, there are numerous references to Hawthorne's previous adventure in Australia; I presume that would be "Elisha's Bones," which I have not read (and which I do not feel like reading after this book). At times, it was a bit distracting, because Hawthorne's reputation is relevant in the outcome of this plot. The dots are connected in the last part of the book, so if you share my situation and are not familiar with Hawthorne's past, just wait to get to the final chapters. It comes together, and Hoesel, once more, uses his resources wisely and manages to keep the reader on their toes to the last minute, right to the lousy ending. I personally have the sensation that this book could be much, much better, but it lacks authenticity, and the way the end is presented is a bad aftertaste that dilutes all the suspense.
Regarding Christian principles, God is mentioned here and there, but none of the characters actually practice a Christian life, a constant in Hoesel's books. However, language is clean, making this book a good read for teenagers.
In short, Serpent of Moses is an archaeology adventure in search of a relic precious to different peoples who will not stop at anything to have it - just that.
Bethany Publishers provided a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. The opinion and thoughts in this review are my own and have not been biased by the latter.

As a fictional book, "Serpent of Moses" was an enjoyable read. It was fast paced with an Indiana Jones type plot and setting with action and suspense. Apparently this is the second book in the Jack Hawthorne series and I felt "Serpent of Moses" stood well enough alone without reading the first book.

Disclosure: Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

When I was a young girl, Indiana Jones adventure flicks were staple entertainment around our house. That enthusiasm translated into a minor in anthropology in college, and a fair amount of envy toward friends who went on archeological digs in the Middle East.

Obviously, then, I was pretty stoked about the chance to read Don Hoesel's latest book, Serpent of Moses - a tale of thrilling adventure and hot pursuit. Dr. Jack Hawthorne is an archeologist who sets out on a clandestine trip to Libya in search of the ancient relic Nehushtan, the serpent staff of Moses. As one can imagine, Jack is not the only person after the sacred relic and soon the staff - and Jack - are being hunted from all sides.

There were many things I enjoyed while reading this book: the genre, the plot, the author's excellent use of descriptive language, the way the minor characters are woven into the tale.

Something that was an adjustment for me was the eventual realization that this was the second book in a series about Jack Hawthorne, which explains why I felt like I was missing some pieces in their development. Also, the dialogue in the first few chapters seemed slightly less conversational than I am used to reading, but that feeling quickly faded as the book progressed and the pages practically turned themselves. I am highly interested in reading the prequel, Elisha's Bones, which surely introduces Jack Hawthorne & his friends Romero and Espy (who doesn't love a heroine who is also a linguist?! *swoon*).

The Verdict: I enjoyed this archeological adventure and the perpetual chase scene that ensued from the beginning. It is a fun read, and although considered Christian fiction, there are no overt themes of Christianity or discussions about God other than the fact that the main characters believe in Him. The language is clean, however, and would make for an interesting read for teens and adult men and women alike - this is no chick flick!

I loved this book. It took me longer then normal to read but I enjoyed it. I love the action and suspense in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Archeology, suspense and action.

I was sent this book to review by Bethany House Publishers I was not compensated in any other way.

I review books for 7 different publishers. I do not normally review fiction as i do not enjoy fiction. With that in mind, I will be easy on my review.
This is not the first book in a series it is second and I would not have read this work if i had realized it was not a stand alone read as i do not like to commit my time to so much fiction.
It read different from most fiction. The breath is not consistant. It does not have a steady rythmn. It read like an attempt to write a Mummy Returns novel.
The writer chose to take a known fact, God tells us that the staff is no more --the writer decided to pretend that teh staff is still floating around. Thats where the author lost my support: dont play what-if with biblical facts. Babalon Falling, is a good biblical fiction story but this book, Serpent of Moses was not to my liking.
If you have a young adult, and you want to get them thinking about the Bible, dont get this book. Buy a good fiction book that backs up the Bible, not one that makes a fact change: I can not get behind that.
Yes, the author puts in mystery and archeology and his characters are not flat. But I did not like it. I thought Jack was boring, I thought it was a waste of effort and time.
BUT - I also think a lot of people will like the book; I just wont endorse it because i dont like playing what if games with facts. So many things we dont know about; why didnt the author pick one of those topics?
The writing style was also not upto par. I had a go back and reread a few pages. Maybe because I did not find it enjoyable. But I thought as I was reading that it was because I do not care for fiction.
I gave this book 5 stars because I could see how someone else would enjoy it...I just do not enjoy fiction and I realize that might have been the problem.
I received a free copy of this book from bethany House publishers in exchange for my review.

The Serpent of Moses by Don Hoesel was an okay read. Here's the plot:

Jack Hawthorne is an archeologist who had stumbled upon markings that show him where the Nehushtan, or Serpent of Moses may be located. This is the brass pole that Moses used to heal the Israelites of their snake bites. King Hezekiah allegedly destroyed the item...but did he really? Add in a pissed-off girlfriend who soon might be an ex, her brother, an ex-CIA operative (probably my favorite character), an Egyptian with malicious intent, another Archeologist with his own agenda, the Libyans and the Israeli Mossad and you have a book.

I have to be honest. I did not like this book. I was not engaged or invested in the characters. The writing was poor. It was very hard to get through because the sentence structure, flow and thought processes were disjointed. There was one part in the first third of the book where 2 men are killed but you don't know it until a page later because it did not make sense. I literally had to reread the pages three times because I could not figure out where it was mentioned prior. It wasn't. Totally irritating.

Anyway, I really did not enjoy this book, and thought I would since it deals with archeology, history, biblical items, danger and excitement.

I was sent this book to review by Bethany House Publishers and was not (as you can read) required to give a favorable opinion.

Storyline - Jack Hawthorne has traveled of to Libya to procure a Biblical artifact long since hidden, and even believed to be destroyed. Unfortunately, he is not the only one looking for it and is captured. After not returning home three days after he said he would, everyone thinks Jack is just being Jack. Until Esperanza gets a feeling more is going on than meets the eye and starts to retrace Jack's steps with her brother and one of Jack's old friend's help. Jack is determined to make out with the artifact, but is it worth the price he might have to pay with his friend's lives at risk?

Personal Opinion - The mystery, action, excitement, and protagonist (even the antagonists) were crafted excellently. I was transported into the story, believed every character, and was wondering how everything worked together and was pleased by the result. I was left with a couple of questions in the end but I'll live. Saw a few point of view and showing vs. telling errors but having trouble thinking of an example so they didn't make a huge impression. In fact, the only this I wish was changed is kinda small. On the cover of the book, the Bronze Serpent is depicted and the description in the book says that it has green eyes. I would have loved it if it had the green eyes on the cover. It would have made the cover pop in a way more than it already does. Lastly, A previous book to this one was mentioned a few times but this is can be read stand-alone and understood completely. This book will have a happy place on my bookshelf and I will be looking into Don Hoesel's other books.

Disclaimer - In exchange for an honest review, I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers.

If you want a non-stop action type of book, this one is for you! The characters were continually involved with escaping, chasing and figuring out a very ancient mystery. The author did a good job of telling you just the information you needed and didn't go over the top in explaining things. I think this would have been easy to do since this book largely takes place in a part of the world where geography and local customs are unfamiliar to most here in the States.

I did have a couple of drawbacks for this book. First, the author does have another book with the same main characters. It would have been beneficial to have read that one before this one. That is my fault, though, and not the authors. Second, I felt like the historical aspect of the book was a bit confusing. Maybe he meant for that to be the case, though, so the reader would really think about and research what they know about that time in history and come up with their own conclusion. If you're looking for a book that explains the Gospel message, this one does not do that. However, if intrigue is your thing, enjoy!

I received a complimentary copy of Serpent of Moses by Don Hoesel from Bethany House Publishers.

This was a somewhat less enjoyable Jack Hawthorne adventure, when compared to the previous novel. But before I dive into the negatives of this book, let me present the positives. :-)

Hoesel begins Serpent of Moses in third person. This was different for me, seeing as the first book (Elisha's Bones) was written in first person. I freely admit I found the change confusing. Were we with Jack? Or is it Duckey? Espy? Thankfully, Hoesel revealed who it was within a paragraph, but it left a bad taste.

I found Esperanza's loyalty, when it counted, to be very, very admirable. Duckey's too. Especially after all that occurred in Elisha's Bones. In addition, I liked it when Jack had his realization that his relationship with Espy is more important than gallivanting off after artifacts. Friendship plays a big part in Hoesel's novels and it's an element I enjoy.

Now, to briefly disclose my cons. I really didn't like the change to third person. I think I understand why Hoesel did it, but it still aggravated me when I got lost. Because of the change, I struggled to keep up even more so than I did in Elisha's Bones. I also did not like all the jumping around from person to person. It just added to my confusion. Finally, though the story was fast paced at some points, in others it felt like it was dragging.

I'll conclude with one final statement: If I hadn't read Elisha's Bones first, I think I might have liked Serpent of Moses more. I give this book three stars.

I received this book from Bethany House in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done.