This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Edward N Brown is a storyteller with a background in science, philosophy, theology, and engineering. His technique is to blend the interesting nuggets of history, fiction, science, biography, design, romance, poetry, spirituality, and personal drama – all mixed together into an informative, but easy-reading, faith-based tale of inspiration and wonder. Years of personal study exploring the great mysteries that connect the secular with the spiritual, coupled with an educational background of three advanced degrees (PhD + two MS) with a focus on systems thinking, have contributed to his insights on Reality, Origins, Creation, and Christianity. Classified as historical fiction, his works represent a speculative fusion of style – one that will both entertain and inform readers of all ages.
Reviewed by Cecelia Hopkins for Readers' Favorite
The Passion of Thecla by Edward N Brown tells the story of a young woman believed to have become a follower of the Apostle Paul. Thecla rejects the marriage her mother had arranged for her and faces persecution as she strives to take up a missionary path. Several times she is miraculously saved from pursuit and captivity. She retreats to an isolated place, where she can pray and teach. She never marries because she believes in chastity. Near the end of her life, the earth opens to receive Thecla and protect her from martyrdom. Brown has compiled and fleshed out the few existing accounts of Thecla’s exploits to create a complete life story. He explains why Thecla was considered a saint by the early Christian community and is still remembered by the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
The Passion of Thecla by Edward N Brown is an extraordinary story that is fantastically simple; charming and instructive simultaneously. Brown’s scholarship would be of interest to a New Testament specialist; however, the narrative is accessible enough for anyone who enjoys inspirational fiction. I really enjoyed Brown’s insights into the life and times of the apostles and the interplay between canonical and apocryphal accounts. His footnotes were scholarly, informative, and almost as readable as the narrative. The discussion of women preaching and baptizing was fascinating. I can recommend The Passion of Thecla by Edward N Brown to anyone who enjoys reading about the late Roman period, increasing their knowledge of Christian folklore, or investigating the lives of the saints.
