Honor in the Dust (Winslow Breed #1) by Gilbert Morris

Title: Honor in the Dust (Winslow Breed #1)

Author: Gilbert Morris

Pages: 320

Year: 2009

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Howard Books

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

About the book:

     The grandfather of Christian fiction returns with the story of what happened to the Winslow family during an earlier era when the Tudors reigned; tracing the doomed rise of Stuart Winslow pithing the salacious court of King Henry VIII.

     The determined Stuart Winslow will go to any lengths to lift himself and his widowed mother out of poverty. After a distant relative manages to secure a place for Stuart in the court of King Henry VIII, Stuart quickly learns that the court is really a wicked cauldron of vices, power plays, and temptation. As Stuart rises at court, he is asked to find and deliver for execution an enemy of the king; William Tyndale, an acquaintance of Stuart’s whose sole ambition is to translate the Bible into the language of the common man. Does Stuart fall prey his dangerous ambition and accept the assignment? Or is he willing to face death at the stake for the sake of Christ?

     In Honor in the Dust, bestselling author Gilbert Morris captures the tone of the Tudor period beautifully, chronicling the period’s excesses with skill and prudence. But like Morris’s other novels, it also contrasts those excesses with the godly behavior of real-life characters like William Tyndale. In this captivating historical drama, Stuart Winslow is caught between two worlds: one that promises material and worldly success, and one that promises salvation. Is his faith strong enough to withstand such a challenge?

(This is the back cover copy that the publisher put out. Much of the second paragraph is different from the story in this book. An example is that Stuart’s mother is not a widow when he goes to court.)

My review:

     This is a fascinating historical book!

     I loved reading a book set during the time of King Henry VIII where the king was not the main character. 

     I was caught up in the story of Claiborne Winslow and his whole family. The characters are wonderful and I fell in love with them. Grace Winslow has to be one of my favorites though. She has an incredibly simple faith. Her attitude toward prayer is amazing. I would love to be able to say that mine is the same as her’s.

     There is a remarkable emphasis on relationships with others in this book. They are not all positive though. In this aspect they are very realistic. 

     I was enthralled by the growth of many of the characters as the story progressed. Much of the positive growth came about through very negative circumstances. I definitely relate to that aspect of this book.

     I am giving this wonderful story a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.