Book Reviews Comments:

“The Victor: A Tale of Betrayal, Love, and Sacrifice from fresh new author Marlayne Giron, is a riveting and romantic tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat and the overlap of eternity from start to finish. As lovely as it is meaningful, The Victor is a book you’ll want to read more than once—and buy copies as gifts for others.”
- Kathi Macias www.kathimacias.com
(Bestselling author of nearly thirty books, including: “How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I’m Surrounded By Loose Cannons?” (New Hope Publishers); “Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today” ( New Hope Publishers); “My Son, John” (a novel) (Sheaf House).

“LOVE your new book!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t put it down, so it’s finished….my house is a mess and there is nothing to eat, but I finished the book . Your parallels were fabulous, and I love the scripture included. Now I want to look up the ones I’m not familiar with. Must have been a lot of historical research???” - Anja Parker

 
“Marlayne, I absolutely loved your book! It has been a long time since I looked forward to snuggling up with a good book at bedtime, and I happily looked forward to it every night until I finished it. Thank you for finishing the story. I would love to hear more about their reign!” - Michele Fritzler (sister of Barry Henriot to whom the book was dedicated)

“In the rich tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, The Victor is an action packed adventure novel of love, friendship, betrayal and sacrifice set in Medieval times.  Girls will love the romance of rescued love while boys will devour the scenes of jousting, knights and battles.  Using ancient literature as the template, The Victor teaches lessons of enduring love, loyalty
and reward in an exciting drama laced with unforgettable characters.” - Lillian Jones, Library Media Specialist III, Laguna Beach High School

 “As a writer of mostly Western Fiction, I picked up ‘The Victor,’ by Marlayne Giron, with a bit of hesitation, suspecting a mushy Historical Romance book.  However, once in my hands, the book totally captivated me, as it was filled with more than love, it contained the daily life and struggles during the days of Kings and knights.  The action and excitement, motivated by greed, hatred and power, began right away and each chapter ended in such a way that I just had to read one more.  Marlayne Giron is a very talented woman, a master of her trade, who may just have a series on her hands.” - Gary L. Benton, Published author of 10 books and retired military Senior Non-commissioned Officer.

“I really enjoyed reading the Victor! I loved all its relation to Scripture. It is a wonderful and exciting depiction of the Lord Jesus and all He has done and is yet to do for us. It is so full of imagination and astounding creativity, and yet its story of the Truth is so real and apparent. It is more than a one-time read!!” - Ashlyn Lindsay, Christian Teen

Reviews from Amazon.com:

“I enjoy medieval stories and haven’t come across a good one in a long time. This story is suppose to be an allegory with Christ and his Bride. I tried to keep that in mind as I read it and I wondered, as the story unfolded, how Marlayne would accomplish it. I was pleasantly surprised. This book is well-written and the biblical references are great. I definately refered to them if I struggled with some of the story and the allegory. (Allegory’s are not my thing but this book was.) I highly recommend it.” - Wendy Marple (Delano, MN)

“I had a bit of difficulty getting into this story, because there isn’t a character to identify with for a while-Joshua and Llyonesse are not at the center of the action at first, but once over that hump, I enjoyed the book. It’s a romance, definitely, and will appeal to female readers more than male, I expect. I found a few copy-editing errors, not enough to detract. The characters are idealized-the bad guy is very very bad, and the good guys are very very good and good-looking too. However, the plot is more complex than that. One of the “good” characters falls to temptation, and another falls seeking to please his wife. - Phyllis Wheeler

“There are underlying Biblical themes brought out by footnotes linking to Bible passages. The book contains plenty of actual Bible quotes, worked into the story line. I like this; I am happy to read the Bible and see it applied. So the work provides a very satisfying read for me, a Christian.” -

“This is a marvelous book! It starts a little slowly, but don’t give up at the beginning. The vivid description of the activities and surroundings give you the feeling you are actually experiencing medieval times. The sweet, clean way the romance between two of the main characters is developed and described is excellent, and the way the characters are developed involves you with them emotionally. They are the perfect representation of the relationship between Christ and His church. This is very fitting, because I don’t think I’ve ever read about a relationship that I’d rather be a part of than this one.

The story works well both as a tale of conflict between a kindhearted King and an evil opponent who is trying to usurp his power, and as a Christian allegory. This is a book that can be enjoyed both by teenagers and adults, and one that I intend to read again.” - Barbara Peacock

“This medieval fantasy is a battle between good and evil combining adventure, action, allegory and romance at its best. The author exhibits a command of the period with authentic language, bloody manners of battle, sumptuous royal feasts that make the mouth water, clothing details and so much more. But she also masterfully creates imaginary visions of things which seem impossible. - Sheryl Young, Tampa, FL

“The main characters are fleshed out not only in physical description but also their deepest emotions, honorable intentions and dastardly deeds. The reader becomes invested in the trials of the hero and heroine, anxiously awaiting the spine-tingling resolution against the absolute evil of the villain.

For those who are familiar with the Bible’s Gospel message, there is a clear parable in the characters and storyline. For those who are not, this is still a story not to be missed. It’s a real page turner. Move over, Christopher Paolini and J.K. Rowling. If Marlayne Giron writes more of these, you’ll get a run for your money!”.

“As one who appreciates fiction such as The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, I found myself transported in time and enjoying every page as the story developed.  There is evidence that much research was done to develop the story for this period.  Marlayne has a huge success in her first effort as a writer.  Her references to the Bible scriptures add a new approach and meaning.” - Rose Cote

“The General Review: The Victor is a fantastically written story about how good triumphs over evil. Filled with conflict, despair and heartache, this novel depicts that love conquers all and to not lose hope.

Likes: The medieval world that Giron creates is captivating, and after the first few chapters (see below) I was sucked in. Her descriptions are brilliant; I did not want to put the book down.

Dislikes: The Prologue and 1st chapter are long and a little slow. I almost lost interest. I think the author should have broken up the prologue into a few chapters.

Closing Comments: Though The Victor is an allegory of major Bible events, you do not have to be religious to appreciate the fantasy world that the author has created.” - Crystal http://crystalperspective.blogspot.com

“The Victor” was a spellbinding and thrilling novel, filled with unexpected twists and enchanting characters. This story will keep you turning its pages late into the night.  I received this book for Christmas and started reading it right away. I was completely overjoyed by the great allegory in it! The list of Bible verses in the back was a pleasant surprise. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was such a perfect balance of action, romance, adventure, and Christianity. A torn love, valiant and sacrificial deaths, a prince destined to become king, and a battle of good against evil.” - Brenna Dixon

“I first heard about this book through a giveaway hosted by Cathy@Word Vessel. Although I didn’t win the book, the author emailed me and asked me to tell her a little about myself, which I did. From there we became friends and she sent me a this book to review. I’m ashamed to say it took me way to long to read it, and I apologize to her for that.

“Since I’m not a fan of medieval fantasy, it took me about 3 chapters to get into in the book, but once I did, I was hooked. This is a story about the battle between good and evil. It’s full of action, fighting, adventure, love, hate, betrayal, loyalty and is the best allegory based on the Bible that I’ve ever read. The cover is beautiful and the first page of each chapter is illustrated beautifully also.

“The characters were amazingly well written as is the story and I found myself being drawn into what I was reading as if I was with them on their adventures. As I sit here writing this review, I am thinking about the book and how much I loved it. I can’t believe it, I not only read a medieval fantasy, but actually loved it!!! Although I may still not be a fan of medieval fantasy, I am if it is written by Marlayne Giron. She has a wonderful gift when it comes to writing and I hope this is the first in a long line of books from her.” - Vicki Newell

Here is a comment from Amy Gaskell Crombie, Michelle Fritzler’s niece, who read The Victor:  ” Hi Michele - almost done w/ the book Victor and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Excited to finish it tonight. I stayed up way late last night because I couldn’t put it down. I plan to share it w/ lots of friends & family. Thank you ooooodles!”

“I attended a well known Christian university back in the 80’s. While I was there I must have began C. S Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia” half a dozen times. I also attempted “The Screwtape letters” and even Tolkin’s “Lord of the Rings”, but just couldn’t force myself to trudge trough them. (I loved Chronicles and Lord of the Rings as movies, but just couldn’t read them.) 

“I mention that to say that on the surface “The Victor” appears to be another one of those books I just couldn’t get done. I almost didn’t make it through the introduction, but had decided that at 46 years old I should be able to persevere. Part way through the second chapter I was connected. The characters were well thought out and very well written. The emotional roller coaster of the story was captivating! I couldn’t believe it, I was actually enjoying medieval fiction. Wait a minute, I was actually enjoying Christian medieval fiction. The biblical allegory was so clear and had no “holes” which is what bothered me with the other books /movies that were supposed to be Biblical allegories.

The Victor is an absolute “literary masterpiece” that should be required reading in High Schools across the land. In fact if there was a required reading list for Christian, The Victor would have to be on it.” - Bob Heath, Kids for Christ USA

“The Victor is a lesson of love and caring. Set in a time of Chivalry and Knights in Shining Armor. Jousting and Sword fighting are just a small but interesting part of the story. The real message is Love. The all encompassing love of God. But it’s written into a fairytale romance of epic proportions. - A. Rose Tracy

You will find it hard to put this book down once you pick it up. Truly an out of the frying pan and into the fire story with the Knights, The Seraphim, truly in shining armor.Who are battling against evil and loving their King, Eloth, willing to lay down their lives in his name to protect all that is right and good. A son, Joshua, willing to lay down his life to protect his people even after they had turned their backs on him. There is even a love so deep and true it lasts through separation, time, imprisonment and reports of the death of the lady Llyonesse.

One of the most beautifully crafted stories I have read in years.”

 

The Victor, a Christian fantasy similar to King Arthur books, is set in Medieval times, ably written by Marlayne Giron, Ms. Giron got the idea for this book 30 years before its publication upon hearing the song “Fairy Tale,” sung by Amy Grant (written by Amy Grant and Brown Bannister). She wanted to write the story of a knight in shining armor fighting a black knight for the bride, and has successfully accomplished her purpose in this enchanting book. The similarities between Jesus and Joshua, Eloth and God the Father, the Bride of Christ and Llyonessa, and Lucius and Lucifer are well-drawn, creating a parable of nearly the whole New Testament of the Bible in an action-packed 260-page book sure to keep your eyes glued to the print!

If you like King Arthur-type tales, if you enjoy the stories of Jesus, if you prefer your entertainment to also be uplifting, you will love this book. - Anne Baxter

The Victor…my new favorite book, next to the Bible!    Right away I was enthralled with the characters, and Marlayne Giron has a gift for drawing you into the personalities of each one.  Unlike some of the reviews I’ve read that said it took them a few pages, or maybe a few chapters to get into the story, I was captured by the first page.  I’m not a literary critic in ANY sense of the word, but the wonderful story and imagination that Marlayne has produced in this retelling of the Gospel is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end. The “good” guys are clearly led by their strong moral convictions and the “evil” ones, well Marlayne has NOT held back on the true meaning of the word in the character of Lucius.

I had the pleasure of meeting Marlayne originally at a book signing and subsequently bought The Victor. After corresponding with her, she graciously took the time to come and share at our Women’s Fellowship. What a blessing to hear first hand the inspiration for this wonderful book.

 I heartily recommend The Victor to anyone, whether or not they enjoy reading about Knights, swords, gallantry and the like.  I’m convinced it will entertain and enlighten anyone who reads it from start to finish. Thanks so much, Marlayne, I will be telling as many people as I can about The Victor! - Jan Weeks, Amazing Grace Church, Anaheim, CA