The Gift: A Novel
By Bryan M. Litfin
After the finding of an Old Testament in book one of the trilogy, The Gift picks up the story of Teo and Ana. Exiled from their homeland and trying to survive in unknown and dangerous lands, they search for any record of the missing Testament. Their journeys lead them into the region we know as Italy. An elite society welcomes Ana, who finds she must choose between her new life and her dream of returning to Chiveis. Will Teo and Ana’s relationship withstand the circumstances and new enemies pulling them apart? And can Teo keep ahead of a powerful and mysterious force opposing his search for the New Testament?
As I feared, there’s a bit too much sexual suggestiveness to recommend this sequel to The Sword to younger readers. But I like Litfin’s “universe” (our world returning to medieval times centuries after a nuclear holocaust). Read it to lose yourself in this world for a few hours this summer and receive some Christian encouragement along the way. But don’t look for high art.