In Jana Dearden's debut novel, Echoes on the Rock (a story in three parts...), we are transported back to Italy in the 1400s. It's where the story of the heretic Waldensians, a group of religious people who are at war with the Pope, his church, and the Pope's army. Families battle to save their homes and their beliefs. Dearden's vivid descriptions of how they lived, fought, and died transported me to a land I've never known...the avalanche scene along with the stories of battles were especially engaging.
Part Two of the story takes place almost one-hundred years later where a people are persecuted again for what they believe. Fast forward almost three-hundred years for Part Three when descendants of the Waldensians travel from Italy to America after converting to an American religion and joining other saints in Utah. Having lived in Utah almost all my life and having heard the story of the pioneers all my life, many of the stories as the families traveled west were eye-opening and informative.
Echoes on the Rock is extremely well-researched with creative details that puts the reader back in time during fascinating periods of history. If you're familiar with the Mormon Pioneers, for example, you may find--as I did--new incites into their plight. I also learned about a culture and time I knew nothing about. And after all, isn't that what good writing is supposed to do?
If you'd like to check out Jana's book for yourself, and if you're a fan of historical fiction (especially religious historical fiction...), I highly recommend her book. You can order it from Amazon by clicking: HERE.
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