Book Review: Behold the Dawn by K.M. Weiland

Marcus Annan, a tourneyer famed for his prowess on the battlefield, thought he could keep the secrets of his past buried forever. But when a mysterious crippled monk demands Annan help him find justice for the transgressions of sixteen years ago, Annan is forced to leave the tourneys and join the Third Crusade. Wounded in battle and hunted by enemies on every side, he rescues an English noblewoman from an infidel prison camp and flees to Constantinople. But, try as he might, he cannot escape the past. Amid the blood and sweat of a war he doesn’t even believe in, he is forced at last to face long-hidden secrets and sins and to bare his soul to the mercy of a God he thought he had abandoned years ago.

As my sisters can attest, I was–yes–squealing with delight the first time I read this. (In fact, screaming with delight would probably be more accurate, but we’ll leave that aside.) And–what's more–it almost made me cry, something in my life that only about three other books have ever been able to do.

First off, some particulars: it’s very well-written in an excellent style (if the two can ever be separated). There’s an occasional modernism (particularly in the dialogue), but it’s not too jarring and overall works well. I particularly appreciated Weiland’s clear-eyed, balanced view of the Crusades, and how she brought out both the strengths and weaknesses of the medieval church.

As a whole I’d say it’s for mature readers (adult or older high-school). It’s never disturbing or indecent, but it is intense and there’s quite a bit of violent action and corresponding romance. At the same time, it’s written in such a way that the exact import of certain situations would go right over your head if you didn't know what they were talking about (another instance of the excellence of the writing).

And now on to the rest of it…

My sister and I have come to the conclusion that it's a whole lot easier to convincingly incorporate biblical language and conflicts into medieval literature. Whether or not that’s accurate, Behold the Dawn is a superb example. God and the worship of God are very present–as well as each of the main characters' personal calling to serve Him.

Spoilers may be inevitable in the following and I’ll try not to give too many (hence I won’t give names), but I do want to delve a little deeper here than a basic review warrants–into the metaphors and matter that good stories are made of–the matter that calls for tears and laughter.

In Behold the Dawn the stakes are high and the characters complex. Redemption and damnation are played out together: bad characters change for the good, and good characters go downhill and stay there–highlighting the danger. It’s realistic: rosy endings aren’t handed out to everyone. It’s weighty: details are told by inference, insinuation, and allusion, creating a depth where you fill in the blanks for yourself and establishing that give-and-take between the author’s and reader’s imagination which all good literature incites.

There are messy, sinful situations, but the writing tone never crosses the line of dignity, descending into mush. The romance between the main characters is powerful, clearly (and pointedly) coming to what it should be between a man and wife, but never going blatant. Also (and this is very well done), their relationship isn’t in an encapsulated bubble, but is a part of and affected by the entire overarching story as a whole.

Now–all that being out of the way–we come to the part that really starts to thrill. The protagonist is a sinner, but due to metaphor (for which you can check out last week's post), he is also a Christ-figure and through the entire story the glimpses of a redeemer-kinsman are absolutely incredible. He literally covers her and–in essence–really does die for her–laying down his life as a faithful husband–passing through death for her.

And of course, there’s the redemption aspect: the tingly, knock-you-down, hard-as-rock redemption–played out in time and space with mounting tension. The climax hits and you’re caught up in a breathless whirlwind of joy–the joy that calls for tears. Joy at the root of which lies grace–pursuing, cutting grace, razor-sharp–the grace that grabs hold and will not let you go.

P.S. K.M. Weiland is a Christian author living and writing in Nebraska. On her writing blog, Helping Writers Become Authors, she describes herself as, “A fighter, a writer, a child of God.” Isn’t that a wonderful description?