Tommy Tenney Reviews

Added January 19, 2006

Hadassah: One Night with the King

Author: Tommy Tenney
Publisher: Bethany House
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: January 2005
Genre: Fiction: Historical/Contemporary/Christian
Format: Trade Paperbac
Price: $12.99
ISBN: 0-7642-2943-5
Author Email/Website: www.tommytenney.com
Reviewer: Phillip Tomasso III

Tommy Tenney's debut fiction novel, Hadassah, One Night with the King, is compelling from the opening chapter to the last. It sounds cliché I know, but there is simply no other way to explain the powerful storytelling other than compelling.

If you do not know who Hadassah is, then you might want to flip to the 17th book of the Old Testament. It is the book entitled, Esther. In those ten chapters, Hadassah evolves into Queen Esther. Though this is a novel of fiction, Tenney, known for his in-depth research, has created a historically accurate rendition of the life of Hadassah, sharing with readers the customs and traditions not fully explained in the Bible's text.

The books starts with a woman named Hadassah, from the present, who actually reads the below account of the Biblical Hadassah, prior to her marriage to Israel's prime minister.

When Hadassah's family is brutally slaughtered by foreign people displaying a symbol strikingly similar to the German swastika, Uncle Mordecai takes her in. Together they live as Persians-keeping the fact that they are Jewish a secret from all. This secret will protect them from an untold number of dangers.

When King Xerexes' wife is banished, he must find a new bride. The young, beautiful virgins in the area are, in essence, captured and brought to live at the royal palace. For the next year Eunuchs will be teach them how to prepare for one special night with the king. The king will choose, from the hundred or so gathered, one to become his wife. The rest will continue to live within the palace as concubines, but more than likely will never have contact with the king again.

Thanks to her uncle, Hadassah was raised as a devout Jew and is plagued with fear over the number of immoral objectives laid out before her. The bottom line, however, is to win the love and affection of the king, and to become queen. Through endless hours of prayer, Hadassah realizes what she must do in order to make the most of her one night with the king.

Amid evil plots to poison the women candidates, to over throw King Xerexes, and to kill all the Jews in the land, Hadassah knows she must continually stay focused and in constant contact with the one who truly matters --- God.

Exciting and insightful, Hadassah, One Night with the King, is more than the retelling of a Bible story. It is a genuine romance novel. Taut chapters keep the pages turning and well developed characters force the reader to care about what will happen next...and if you're like me, and rip through this novel, you'll be excited to hear that sequel is now out and available. The Hadassah Covenant: A Queen's Legacy. This picks up with the story of the present-time Hadassah and her exciting life with Israel's prime minister.

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Added July 18, 2005

Hadassah: The Girl Who Became Queen Esther

Author: Tommy Tenney
Publisher: Bethany House
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: February 1, 2005
Genre: Young Adult: Christian/Romance/Historical/Contemporary
Format: Hardback
Price: $9.99
ISBN: 0-7642-2738-6
Author Email/Website: www.tommytenney.com
Reviewer: Sherri Myers
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

Hadassah was a young girl when her parents were killed by intruders, and with no other relatives remaining, she was taken in by her uncle Mordecai. One of Hadassah's few memories of her parents is a beautiful medallion with a six-pointed star on it they had given her for her birthday on the night they were killed. As Hadassah grew into a woman, the medallion would remind her of her heritage as a Jew, and would be an important part of her future.

King Xerxes was looking for a new queen to replace Queen Vashti, and so he sent his men over the countryside in search of beautiful candidates. Hadassah finds herself one of the chosen and is taken to the palace of the Persians to be readied for the king's inspection. Remembering her uncle's warning to not let anyone know she is a Jew, Hadassah gives her name as Star, in honor of the six-pointed star medallion she has taken with her to the palace.

After months of preparation, Hadassah is taken before the king, and he is impressed by her beauty and gentility. Hadassah is chosen as the future queen of Persia and King Xerxes changes her name to Esther. She still must keep her true identity a secret, for fear of being killed if found out to be a Jew. When one of the leaders acts on his hate for the Jewish people, the king signs a proclamation stating that all Jews would be killed. Will Hadassah have the courage to come forward and attempt to save her people from extinction? Is this the purpose God has for Hadassah being chosen queen of Persia? Will she succeed in rescuing her people?

This young adult novel is excellent for young girls between the ages of 10 and 14, but adults will also enjoy this story. Tommy Tenney has also written an adult version of this story entitled Hadassah: One Night With the King, which is much more violent and detailed than this version. This novel also has pictures that are very nicely done and go along well with what is being read on the page. The chapters are the perfect length for middle grade readers, and the storyline is one to spark their interest from the first page until the last. Hadassah: The Girl Who Became Queen Esther is full of action and suspense, and even a little romance, with careful attention given to the historical details of the Biblical time period in which this story takes place. I very much enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to parents of young girls looking for a wonderful book that is a wholesome addition to their bookshelf.

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