Book Review of Rescue the Prophet

by Melanie Goldmund for LDS Fiction Readers Group

Rescue the Prophet

By Rob Ficiur

For much of my life, I've wished I had my very own time machine to

whisk me back through the ages so that I could experience things and

people as they really were. But since I'm unlikely to run across one,

I have to take the next best thing – and in the case of early Church

history, that's definitely this book. Tom and Becky Long are in

Palmyra to see the Hill Cumorah pageant and take in a sightseeing tour

at the Grandin Building, where the first copies of the Book of Mormon

were printed. But Tom couldn't hear everything that the tour guide

was saying, so Uncle Daniel whips out his Time Travelers – little

devices that transport the bearer through time -- and comes to the

rescue with a promise of a quick trip to the past. Just an hour, he

says, but then they run into Joseph Smith himself.

After saving the young prophet from an attacker, Uncle Daniel is

called to accompany Joseph Smith on a mission. He tries to send the

kids back to the present, but in his excitement, he sets the Time

Travelers incorrectly, and Tom and Becky are transported all of three

hours into the future. Now they're stuck in September, 1830, with no

money, no food, and no place to stay. Worse, Joseph Smith's attacker

is back, and wants a rematch.

Help comes in the form of Martin Harris, who takes both children home

to his farm and later finds them a job helping out at the Grandin

Building. Tom and Becky can't believe their luck – all they wanted

was a tour, and now they're actually helping to sew together copies of

the Book of Mormon! It seems that they're all set to wait until Uncle

Daniel comes back and finds them, but of course, things can never be

that simple. Tom and Becky are caught up in the persecution of the

early Church, not only by uneducated street thugs, but also by

sheriffs and pastors and other "law-abiding" citizens.

This book was quick-paced and exciting, just slowing down long enough

for the reader to catch a testimony spoken by one of the historical

characters, or to give quick explanations about things like

book-binding, the game rounders which later evolved into baseball, or

what church was like before the first ward houses were built. There's

plenty of confrontation for Tom and Becky to deal with, but they also

get to meet faith-promoting figures such as Oliver Cowdery and Emma

Smith. The historical figures are woven neatly into the story so that

they have important roles to play in helping the children, for

instance, when Tom is framed for shoplifting and thrown into jail.

The children also have their chance to help certain members of the

church. The narrative is never boring, and readers will absorb church

history without even trying.

I particularly liked the humour in this book. Tom looks at a man and

thinks to himself: "His stubbly beard made me think there were no

razors in 1830 – just garden shears." (I had a mental image of

Brigham Young being pruned like a topiary exhibit.) I was also amused

at Becky finding out that the members met for church in the kitchen of

the Smith home. "So much for hoping I could sit in the back and sneak

out again without being seen."

I particularly liked the depiction of Lucy Harris, Martin's wife. I

don't know why I've always had a mental image of her as a veritable

shrew, but this book, although it showed some shrewishness, also shows

a softer side to her that makes her more three-dimensional. At one

point in the narrative, she even admits that sometimes, she does

believe. Another good character is Uncle Daniel, although we see very

little of him. I liked the way he snapped up the chance to go off

with Joseph Smith, and was so excited that he was practically jumping

up and down. Although Daniel doesn't get much screen time, we do find

out that he has some rules about time travelling, which he apparently

never keeps. He's quite charming about it, though, as shown when he's

speaking to his niece and nephew. "I might not be quite finished

breaking those time travelling rules," he freely admits, and then

later in the book, he strikes a bargain with Tom and Becky. "If you

two don't report me to the time travel police, I won't report you."

This book is the second in the series Time Travelers in Church

History, but knowledge of the first volume is not necessary to enjoy

this one thoroughly. If you're like me, though, the tantalizing hints

of what happened in that adventure, and the sheer desire to read more

about Tom, Becky, and Uncle Daniel, will make you want to get your

hands on it anyway. Although this book is actually meant for middle

grade readers, I'm sure adults will love it, too. I know I did.

Melanie Goldmund

by Michele Ashman Bell

Miridian Magazine Book Reviewer

Rescue the Prophet, by Rob Ficiur, Vol. II in the Time Travelers in Church History series,

Covenant Communications, 239 pages.

Fresh off their first time travel adventure with their eccentric Uncle Daniel, Tom and Becky journey to Palmyra in 1830 to witness the first printing of the Book of Mormon.  But when Daniel defends Joseph Smith, and is then called to go on a mission, he decides to send Tom and Becky forward in time to the present day.  But he mistakenly sends them just a few hours ahead. Now they’re stranded in 19th-centruy Palmyra with no money, no food, and nowhere to stay.

But that soon becomes the least of their problems.  When Tom comes to the aid of Emma Smith, big trouble follows in the form of an anti-Mormon and a crooked sheriff, the kind of trouble that could keep them in the 19th-centruy permanently.

This second novel in the thrilling Time Travelers in Church History series takes young readers through some of the most fascinating and exciting events in LDS Church history, and is a thoroughly entertaining way to learn more about our storied past.

From the author, Rob Ficiur:

Our church history is full inspiring stories than can help develop and strengthen our testimonies.  As I wrote Time Travelers in Church History, my goal was to have these moments in church history come alive to the reader. 

I want you to feel like you were there when Oliver Cowdery talked about what it was like to translate the Book of Mormon.  I want the reader to feel Martin Harris' testimony of seeing the angels and the plates.  I want the reader to feel the conflict that Martin had with his wife.  She cannot understand why he would mortgage everything they have for the hoax of the century.  (Before we judge her — not many wives today would like their husband mortgaging everything we have).  I want the faith and testimony of Emma Smith to shine as she relates the struggles and trials they have been through.

The highest compliment I have received on my novel is that the history is seamless.  To me that means these stories come alive — not as cold historic facts, but as the real life experiences of these key players in church history.

Reviewed by Jeff Needle

6/19/2007 9:40:25 AM

________________________________________

I have been a reader since my earliest days. I can remember the first real book I ever owned — a copy of “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens, given to me by the librarian of the public school I attended. She knew I was in the library for hours on end. My fascination with books has never gone away. My dear Jewish mother, never one to miss an opportunity to exaggerate, once told a neighbor, “My Jeffrey has read every book that was ever written!” I tried, in vain, to disabuse her of this misconception.

Contrast this with friends who hate reading. When I offer them a book, the first question is always, “Does it have any pictures?” If not, forget it. Words hold no attraction for them

To me, illustrations can go a long way in broadening a reader’s interest in a book. But some writers are able to construct their prose in a vivid and lifelike manner. They can bring images to the reader’s mind that obviate the need for pictures. This volume is a good example of such writing.

Rob Ficiur (pronounced “Feature”) has written a perfectly marvellous little book for young Latter-day Saints. This is the second volume in the “Time Traveler” series. The premise: Tom and Becky are brother and sister. Their uncle Daniel has access to instruments that allow them to go back in time, to personally witness events that happened long ago. As Latter-day Saints, they naturally want to go back to the time of Joseph Smith and the founding of the Church. They are not permitted to alter the course of history, but they can interact and learn from the people who shaped the Church in its formative years.

This, their second journey, puts them in Palmyra in 1830. There they meet Joseph Smith (for the second time — they had met him during their first journey). They talk with Emma, and work with Oliver Cowdery at the Grandin printing house, learning the mechanics of producing the Book of Mormon.

All of this is rolled into a nifty story of persecution, a crooked sheriff, a town that rejects Joseph Smith and his “gold Bible,” a town bully and his cohorts, and the heroism of some in the face of extreme danger. The story rolls along very quickly. There are some vivid fights, a painful jailing of young Tom, opposition from the town’s clergy, and a plot to imprison Cowdery on false changes. Tom and Becky play key roles in seeing that justice is finally done.

Based on historical accounts, this little book is a wonderful way for children to learn a bit about Church history. So many details are discussed, so much retrospective in the minds of the time travelers is shared with the reader. I found myself just loving this book. Ficiur is a very talented writer, bringing to mind some vivid, clear pictures of life in Palmyra in 1830. But this never overwhelms the storyline. He is good at making his point and bringing to it power and clarity.

The most surprising character to me was Mrs. Harris, wife of Martin. I have never seen any LDS writer describe her in such sympathetic terms. She comes across as, yes, opposed to Martin’s mortgaging the farm to pay for the printing of the Book of Mormon, but in fact also as a loving and accepting woman. I’m not clear how accurate this is. Others will know better.

“Rescue the Prophet” is a great book for kids and young adults. It’s exciting, entertaining, and above all, filled with the richness of the history of the LDS church. I’m so pleased to recommend it.

I do have one complaint: Hey, Covenant, why didn’t you ever send me the first volume??