The Death of Kings (Children of the Lion)
Yet another addition to the biblical fiction series Danielson has been churning out for over a decade, this newest title deals with King Saul's progressive deterioration and jealous pursuit of the heroic young David. Set against a backdrop of Philistine aggression and laced with assorted subplots featuring ambition and treachery, passion and lust, this novel has the potential for vivid reading, and it sometimes is. Danielson has taken shortcuts, though, often resorting to safe, conventional prose and--in lieu of dramatized revelations--to straightforward summaries of what his characters are doing and why. Here, for instance, is one view of David: "But he had no ambition to replace Saul on the throne, and he deferred to Jonathan as Saul's heir. He was loyal to Saul, to Israel, and to his god." Appropriate for genre devotees whose literary demands are not too high, but not an essential purchase.- Elise Chase, Forbes Lib., Northampton, Mass.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.