Jesus said that, at some point, His followers would face not just opposition, but persecution. It started early in the Church’s history, and though it has gone up and down in history, persecution is still present. We hear about news reports about Christians being beaten, arrested, and even killed, but that’s all some place else. Isn’t it?

I sometimes think about what would happen if things like that happened in the “land of the free,” but don’t want to dwell on it. It isn’t a cheery thought to start the day with.

Reading Persecuted by Robin Parrish (based on a film by Daniel Lusko) brought those thoughts to the front of my mind. Though it is a work of fiction, I could imagine something like it happening. Christians everywhere, including in the US, are facing close scrutiny, and, at times, intolerance. I had to stop and think how I would react if I were put in a similar situation. Would I buckle under the pressure, or would I decide to speak out for what is right?

I found Persecuted to be hard to put down. Even when I knew I had to take a break from reading, I wanted to pick it up again and read more. The action was fast paced, but easy to follow. The descriptions made it easy to imagine and relate to the characters.

Oftentimes, books that have this type of action get graphic before the end. Even though it had violence, it was not detailed enough to be gory. It was refreshing to have action that wasn’t a verbal bloodbath.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for this review.