“Against the Giant” is the dramatized story of David and Goliath by new author Christy Hardman. Taking her cues from the Bible account but also blending in a great deal of research into the land and customs of the time, Christy created a story that comes alive in the reader’s mind.
We’re all familiar with the story of David and Goliath, so I won’t go too deeply into that aspect of the story. The book itself doesn’t, either, but rather focuses on the back story of David’s family—his widowed father, his self-absorbed brothers, the way David was always overlooked as being too small, too young, not smart enough. We see the status of the country at that time, the lack of a king, the way the people pressured the prophet Samuel into anointing a king unto them, even though he told them it would be their downfall. He anointed Saul, knowing the Lord did not desire a king for His people, and hated seeing what became of it. We learn of the army’s movements, the tension between the warring factions, and what their battles meant to the people of the land.
Between all this, Christy wove the scent of the kitchens, the smell of the animals, and the textures of the fabric. She painted the scene so well and with such evocative language, I felt as though I was there. This truly was a well-done piece of historical fiction.
I did wish, however, that we had just a bit more time exploring the battle between David and Goliath. It takes place right at the end of the book and, while well written, was over so quickly, I felt the lack. I would have liked to see a little more attention paid to that battle, more focus on the reactions, and so forth. I don’t know if the author plans to do a sequel showing David’s rise to the throne, but I certainly hope so and I will most definitely review it should it come to pass.
(This book was published in 2008 by Bonneville Books.)
Liken the Scriptures: David and Goliath