The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin

A friend recently loaned me a copy of Douglas Bond's latest book - The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. I cannot praise it too highly. It ranks as one of the best historical fiction novels I have ever read, or probably ever will read. It's a book that begs to be read more than once. Anyone studying Church history, specifically the Reformation, should have this book on his shelf. I'm already planning on getting a copy for my own personal library...

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The Betrayal chronicles the life of French reformer and scholar John Calvin, from his birth in 1509 to his death in 1564. One facet of this book instantly sets it apart from other similar novels - the story is told from the perspective of a sworn lifelong enemy of Calvin, Jean-Louis Mourin, a man who takes it upon himself to utterly destroy and ruin Calvin. To borrow the description from the back of the book, "this fast-paced biographical novel is a tale of envy that escalates to violent intrigue and shameless betrayal."  

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I've read other books by Douglas Bond, including The Crown & Covenant Series and Hostage Lands (both of which are highly recommended). However, in my opinion, The Betrayal is Bond's best work yet. Not only is it written convincingly, and with all the elements of a page-turner - suspense, intrigue, and constant danger - but Bond has also woven tons upon tons of factual, educational material into the story, making it historical fiction in the truest sense of the term. The Betrayal makes Calvin real to the reader, instead of a dry, ancient reformer of the long ago.

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To order your own copy of Douglas Bond's The Betrayal, click here

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Recommended for ages 14 and up: 

Mature content and graphic material (relating to martyrdom and persecution)
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Watch an interview with Douglas Bond on The Betrayal...
  

"Anything Doug Bond writes is, almost now by definition, a fascinating read. But to have his skills attached to the life of John Calvin is a double treat." - Joel Belz, founder, World magazine

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"If you enjoy reading the fictional works of C.S. Lewis, you will love this book." - Burk Parsons, editor, Tabletalk magazine

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"An exciting read, almost effortlessly and implicitly undoing caricatures about Calvin along the way... Calvin and his times brought to life in a page-turner!" - Joel R. Beeke, president, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

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Persevero,

Scribe