I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins (with James S. MacDonald)
Series: A Standalone (see note at end of review)
Publisher: Worthy Books (August 27, 2013)

Review by Mae Clair

Jerry B. Jenkins has written so many books I’ve loved, it doesn’t surprise me to find another­—if older­—title. I, Saul is a dual-time line thriller/suspense novel that straddles modern day and ancient Rome.

Dr. Augustine “Augie” Knox is a young seminary professor who becomes caught up in a dangerous race to save ancient parchments from antiquities thieves. Augie is drawn to Rome by Roger, a close friend who has been entrusted with an extraordinary find of historical significance.

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“All right,” Augie said. He dragged Roger to a bench in a secluded alcove and made him sit. “So what did Klaudios haul out of there?”

“You ready?”

“Enough to beat it out of you if I have to.”

“Only the memoir of St. Paul, the Apostle.”

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

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But Roger and Augie aren’t the only ones who know of the documents. Written in Paul’s own hand, the pages are an account of his life from early childhood. Augie and Roger (along with Augie’s fiancée, Sofia) become entangled in an escalating game of cat-and-mouse, uncertain who to trust, all the while dodging bullets amid narrow escapes.

The timeline shifts between Augie, Roger, and Sofia in the present, with the past focused on Paul, in Roman prison, awaiting execution. He is visited by the physician, Luke (author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts), and attended by a Roman guard, Primus. Jenkins conveys Paul’s remarkable, faith-filled spirit in a manner that grabs you by the heart. The descriptions of the apostle confined in total darkness are particularly moving, especially in his eager willingness to suffer for his faith.

Luke is also intricately drawn, a compassionate man who offers what solace he can, risking capture by sneaking food to Paul under the nose of the guards. Primus, who starts his relationship with the two by looking the other way, quickly becomes a strong supporting character, torn between his growing friendship with the men and his allegiance to Rome.

A third, smaller plot line has to do with Augie’s distant relationship with his father, a renowned Doctor of Theology, whose undisclosed past plays out over a portion of the book. Chapters alternate between these three situations and Paul’s written memoir, which ends with his conversion. The writing is tight, and chapters are short with cliff-hanger hooks. If you enjoy Biblical settings combined with contemporary suspense, this novel offers a stellar blend of both.

Note: Although everything wraps tightly, the hardcover copy I purchased referenced a sequel to I, Paul. It doesn’t appear that book was ever published, but Empire’s End, also by Jenkins, continues the story of Paul’s life after his conversion. Neither I, Saul nor Empire’s End indicate they are part of a series, but I believe the second was written to complement the first (in place of I, Paul).

I give I, Saul five enthusiastic fish.

I purchased a used, hardcover copy of I, Saul from my local bookstore.