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.
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