“THE MOSES CHRONICLES: Bondage, Vol. 1,” by H.B. Moore, Covenant Communications, $16.99, 236 pages (f)
H.B. Moore has taken scriptures, sometimes just a few verses, and created a story around what the lives of those mentioned in the verses may have been like, including Nephi and his family, Ammon, Alma the Younger, Abinadi, and the daughters of Jared from the Book of Mormon and Eve and Queen Esther from the Old Testament.
Now she’s taking on the story of Moses from the book of Exodus in a three-part series titled The Moses Chronicles.
The first installment, “Bondage,” starts with Miriam, who is a little older than the typical marrying age, and her family in the Hebrew slave camps and Moses as a young man and an up-and-coming royal in Pharaoh’s household.
Miriam tries to discretely find out as much information as possible about Moses, her brother who was hidden in a basket in the river and adopted by one of Pharaoh’s daughters and raised as her son.
The story is told from the perspectives of Miriam and Moses and explores both their lives — Miriam as her family encourages her to be safe and get married and Moses and his growing responsibilities in the palace. There are also a few chapters from the perspective of Moses’ adopted mother, Bithiah.
The storyline covers only a portion of Exodus 2 and stays true the scriptural account. Moore also weaves in other elements, including invaders from another country, the judicial system, the process of engagements and betrothals for both Egyptians and Israelites, and the culture clashes between the two groups. (She thanks her father, S. Kent Brown, a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, for his help in the acknowledgements.)
It’s an engaging and interesting story that feels authentic to the time period and cultures, which Moore seamlessly uses in the story to her advantage.
“Bondage” has no swearing. Violence and war are alluded to or generally described, and sex is referenced and there is sexual innuendo, including mentions of the harem and sexual assault, though nothing is described.
Moore is a Brigham Young University graduate and also lived in the Middle East for several years. She is also the author of several contemporary thrillers and romances along with inspirational nonfiction.
Email: rappleye@deseretnews.com, Twitter: CTRappleye