Chasing the Lion

Sword of Redemption, Book 1

By: Nancy Kimball

Narrated by: Joseph Narducci

Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

From the blood-soaked sand of the Roman arena, a divine destiny will rise.

For as long as Jonathan Tarquinius can remember, everyone has wanted something from him. His half-brother wants him dead. His master's wife wants his innocence. The gladiator dealers want him to fight - and die - for their greed. Rome's most famous prostitute wants his love. And the gentle slave girl who tends the wounds on his body and the hidden ones on his soul, longs for him to return to his faith.

What Jonathan wants is simple. Freedom. But God wants something from Jonathan too - something more than anyone would ever imagine. The young warrior's journey will push him to the limits of human endurance and teach him that true freedom is found within.

The greatest battle Jonathan must ever fight will not come in the arena, but deep within himself as he is forced to choose between vengeance and mercy - with the fate of an empire and the life of the woman he loves hanging in the balance.

©2014 Nancy J. Diekmann (P)2014 Nancy J. Diekmann

Wow!

Chasing The Lion by Nancy Kimball is about a man named Jonathan in 1st century Rome. Johnathan began life in poverty, then met his father a roman senator and began a wonderful life. But when his vindictive & violent brother turns jealous he is sold into slavery and eventually becomes a gladiator. This book is sort of a mix of the story of Joseph from the Bible and the movie Gladiator. This is one of the best stories I have read in a long time! And to top it off the narrator is excellent! I cannot wait for the next installment in this series!

Excellent excellent!! 5 stars all around

I loved this book! I highly recommend it to all who love Roman history & love God ❤️

Great story , distracting narration

Really loved the journey of suffering that led to great joy and forgiveness. Didn't care for the reader so much. He has a William Shatner style of pausing, in strange, places. Distracting at times. But didn't keep me from listening to it twice. LOL

i loved it

i wish there was a second part. it was an awesome tear filled and exhilarating book

very good

this was a solid book. although the amount of sexual descriptions was a little rough.

A fighting faith story

If you enjoy Roman history and finding faith stories, you will enjoy this one. A sweeping saga following the story of Joseph loosely, we see Jonathan’s journey from believer through trials that destroy his faith to love that redeems it. Excellent portrayal of life as a gladiator in Domitian’s Rome with a wealth of history and premiere storytelling. The narrator is top-notch. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Spiritual Struggles & colorful characters

I could hardly put it down. Well woven and intriguing. A story I was anxious to shar we.

Great story

However many times Johnathan is hurt to the brink of death God heals him and the author ends the story beautifully.

Joseph is to Lion as Jim Dale is to Harry Potter

If you could sum up Chasing the Lion in three words, what would they be?

Gladiator Love Story

What was one of the most memorable moments of Chasing the Lion?

There are so many. I'm not a fan of spoilers, so I'll go with an early one. The scene with Jonathan and the lion (how the book got the title "Chasing the Lion") is pretty epic.

What about Joseph Narducci’s performance did you like?

Not only did Joseph Narducci nail Jonathan's voice, he aged him. Also, every other character is distinct and well-executed. There's extreme talent for one person to make Caius sound sinister and Nessa sweet.

If you could rename Chasing the Lion, what would you call it?

I'm a fan of short titles (one word, if possible) "Devotio" - In Roman history, it's the act of a general sacrificing himself for victory. While the origins are tied to Roman mythology, it's the origin of the English word "devotion". There are aspects to Jonathan's character and story that make this a fitting title.

Any additional comments?

I am a huge audio book fan. Jim Dale, the narrator of Harry Potter and The Night Circus among others is who I consider to be the gold-standard for audio book fans. Voice talent makes or breaks the audio version of a book.
Joseph Narducci is another one of those narrators. I will seek books he narrates because I know it will be an excellent production.

Great Story!

This book was really great! I loved the underlying theme of love, forgiveness, redemption & being a warrior. I can't wait until the sequel.