Review of Kugelach Stones for a Dagger

[Okafor Prosper]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Kugelach Stones for a Dagger" by Lanton Hamby.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Set in ancient Isreal, Kugelach Stones for a Dagger by Lanton Hamby is a historical fiction novel that revolves around Abijah. The book channels the story of Jesus on Earth. Amidst the birth of a new star and the fulfillment of the prophecy of the birth of the Messiah that would save Isreal from the tyrannical rule of King Herod and the Romans, there lived an inquisitive, bright Abijah who was dearly loved by his mother. His love for his mother was also evident, along with his love for studying the scriptures and playing a game called Kugelach. After the untimely death of his mother, Abijah would be forced to face the harsh realities of life, as his father abandoned him on a farm. While he would cross paths with the Messiah a few times, he would face a lot of difficulties that would see him eventually trade his kugelach stones for a dagger.

This was quite an entertaining read, and I must applaud the author for masterfully incorporating Abijah's story into one of the most fascinating periods in history. I will also say that Abijah turned out to be one of the characters from the story of Jesus, but you will have to pick up the book to find out who. I am sure you will be as surprised as I was.

The story is told from the first-person perspective, as Abijah takes charge of narrating events, and another part of the book the author excels in is drawing us into his story. We follow Abijah from his childhood and get first-hand experiences of the influences around him. While his mother showered him with love, his father did the opposite. While he would benefit from the guidance of an older friend, he would witness the massacre of a group for their religious belief and the murder of his mother. These experiences, along with his father's harsh lessons on life, shaped who he became as a man, and I found myself understanding and relating to the reasons behind all his decisions. The effort put into his father's character depth is also admirable.

The story is also not short of suspenseful moments, as Abijah and his family's travels across cities in Isreal constantly put them in danger in this dog-eat-dog world the author has created. The only aspect of the book I did not like was that Abijah spent a substantial amount of time narrating Jesus' story in the first half of the book. I was already familiar with the aspects of Jesus' story narrated, and there was nothing new in those parts, so I couldn't wait for the focus to shift back. Besides that, I completely enjoyed reading this book.

Also, Kugelach Stones for a Dagger is a professionally well-edited book. While reading, I found just three errors that didn't affect my reading at all. Therefore, I rate this book four out of four stars. Readers who enjoy historical fiction novels will find this book highly engaging, and I would recommend it to them.

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Kugelach Stones for a Dagger
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[Lucy Vera]

Not a fan of historical fiction. However, this book does seem to contain suspense, of which I am a strong fan of. I would love to read this.

[Shivansh_Reviews]

I always enjoy and good historical fiction book when it's well written, and this one seems to have an angle for suspense as well. So I'll definitely try to get my hands on it. Thanks for the review.

[Edet Joy]

Nice and compelling review. Would love to try it out!
Please check out my review <3