Day of War by Cliff Graham

Day of War, author Cliff Graham's first novel, has earned him a film option for the entire book series—Lion of War—from director David L. Cunningham (Path to 9/11) and producer Grant Curtis (Spider-Man films). In ancient Israel, at the crossroads of the great trading routes, a man named Benaiah is searching for a fresh start in life. He has joined a band of soldiers led by a warlord named David, seeking to bury the past that refuses to leave him. Their ragged army is disgruntled and full of reckless men. Some are loyal to David, but others are only with him for the promise of captured wealth. While the ruthless and increasingly mad King Saul marches hopelessly against the powerful Philistines, loyal son Jonathan in tow, the land of the Hebrew tribes has never been more despondent—and more in need of rescue. Over the course of ten days, from snowy mountain passes to sword-wracked battlefields, Benaiah and his fellow mercenaries must call upon every skill they have to survive and establish the throne for David—if they don’t kill each other first.


My review:
I don't read much Biblical fiction, but this book was totally different from those that I have read, maybe because most or all that I have read was written by women and this was written by a man. Regardless of why, this book was really different from most of the Biblical fiction that is out there. It is more gritty and violent.

This is the first in a series about David's Mighty Men, the men who stood by him in the days when he was on the run from King Saul. As with all Biblical fiction, there is a lot that is written from the author's imagination that is not in the Bible, but that only adds to the story.

I enjoy books about special ops and military operations, and this book fell somewhat into that category, only centuries before there were any modern weapons and technology, which made it interesting.

I did enjoy the book  - it was a great read with a lot of action and excitement. I would recommend it more for men than for women, though some women would enjoy it also.

About the author:
Cliff Graham was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from Black Hills State University with degrees in political science and military science and did his graduate studies at Liberty Theological Seminary. His first novel, Day of War, about King David's mighty men, earned him a film option for the entire book series from director David L. Cunningham (Path to 9/11) and producer Grant Curtis (Spider-Man films). A major motion picture franchise is in production. Graham is an officer in the United States Army National Guard and a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, who is currently serving in the Chaplain Corps and living in the mountains of Utah with his wife, Cassandra, and their children.


Author Website: http://www.LionofWar.com


Day of War is available from Zondervan Publishing.

Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.