Book Review: The Kingdom of the Rings by Duane R. Lindberg, PhD

If you enjoy books steeped in history and filled with family traditions, faith, and mystery then you may find The Kingdom of the Rings by Duane R. Lindberg worth reading.

Beginning in the thirteenth century and ending in the twentieth century, this saga takes readers on a fantastic journey through time and across oceans following three golden interlocking rings discovered in the Magi's gift to the Christ Child.

The premise behind this story fascinated me: three rings that were part of the Magi's gift to the Christ Child are separated and handed down through centuries until they reappear in America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the possession of two Norwegian families and a family descended from Egyptian Mamelukes.

The symbolism behind the three rings is easy enough to comprehend. The families who protect these cherished rings pass them from generation to generation, along with the stories behind them. For Christians, this aspect will be meaningful, as will the book's conclusion.

Inside these pages, the characters confront issues such as slavery, immigration, racism, and abuse. Modern day readers will relate and may connect with this aspect of the story.

What this reader struggled with is the delivery. Dr. Lindberg clearly has a great deal of knowledge regarding these subjects and holds a PhD in American Studies. He is also a man of faith. His ancestry plays a role in The Kingdom of the Rings, which makes the early years of this story the most vivid for me. It simply doesn't read like a novel. It is pages and pages of narration, as one would expect from a history book. Read any Civil War narrative by James M. McPherson and you'll get an idea of what to expect for how it is put together. It even has a bibliography and page citing photographs, maps, and artwork used.

The Kingdom of the Rings remains a fascinating story. It just isn't what I expected and, as a character-driven reader, there isn't a lot of getting to know the people in the story. As one would expect, historical figures are woven into the fictional ring carrier storyline. If, you're more of a plot person, some of the things I struggled with may not concern you. Give it a try and see for yourself.



Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Nordskog Publishing (October 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0990377423
ISBN-13: 978-0990377429

I received a copy of this book from the author's publicist. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Spotlight: The Kingdom of the Rings by Duane R. Lindberg

The KINGDOM OF THE RINGS is our American story-the story of our people-of the 55 million who emigrated from Europe to North America in 19th and 20th centuries. This story focuses on the victories and defeats, joys and sorrows, of those who broke the sod of the prairie plains, built the farms and ranches, towns and cities, schools and churches. This is the story of the Faith in and the Vision of God's promised fulfillment which strengthened and sustain them as they face the trials and tribulations, the challenges and opportunities of life in the New Land. As symbolic of all immigrant groups-from the British Isles, the German states, the Latin lands, the Slavic nations and the Scandinavian countries, I have focused on the nearly 1 million immigrants from Norway-their Christian Faith which inspired them, their commitment to hard work, honesty, individual initiative, and respect for law which drove them, and the tensions which they experienced, created by their desire to adjust to their new homeland without losing their identity......This is Your Story and My Story
— Dr. Duane R. Lindberg

"Combining the best of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Rolvaag's Giants in the Earth, and Moberg's The Emigrants, Lindberg's saga spans nearly a millennium beginning with the last of the Crusades to nineteenth-century Norse immigrants to America's cultural acclimatization including the struggle to maintain their faith in an increasingly hostile climate...A connecting thread throughout the saga...three interlocking golden Rings." (from the Forward by John Eidsmoe)

"The Kingdom of The Rings is a brilliant story, tracing back to the Middle East and linked to Norway before ending in America. The Norway part of this fascinating story is from the time of the late Middle Ages, and very much related to Ringsaker area in Hedmark County, east of Lake Mjøsa and Ringerike County, west of Lake Mjøsa. The author, Duane R. Lindberg, PhD reveals a very good knowledge and insight regarding society and church of the time, and how faith and life traditions in Norway came to expression in everyday life and dreams.
(Ole Amund Gillebo Pastor, Ringsaker, Norway)

Purchase at:

Nordskog Publishing
Amazon


In addition to his 50 years of pastoral ministry, Rev. Lindberg has served as the Presiding Pastor (Bishop) of the American Association of Lutheran Churches from 1987 until his retirement in 1999. As Presiding Pastor, he was instrumental in founding the American Lutheran Theological Seminary and served as adjunct professor in areas of church history and systematics. He also taught medieval history at Upper Iowa University.

Duane and his wife Mardell reside in Waterloo, Iowa. They are blessed with five children and eleven grandchildren. In their retirement, the Lindbergs are active in their church and the American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC). They volunteer in their community through the Sons of Norway, Rotary, and Valley Lutheran School. They are encouraging their grandchildren in their commitment to their faith and in many activities, including academics, sports, music, and the study of the Norwegian language and culture.