The first two books, A Rooster for Asklepios and A Bull for Pluto, follow the lives of two men at opposite ends of the social structure, a slave and an aristocrat, as they journey across first-century Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in a desperate quest for healing. The third book (not yet written) will take the main characters to Israel in the years leading up to the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66-73 AD.
Religion—Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian—plays a vital role in the series as Stanley paints a realistic and historically accurate picture of the competition that the apostle Paul faced as he sought to spread the message about Jesus in a pagan culture. Along the way, he helps readers to see how odd Christianity appeared in a world where the worship of many gods was woven into every facet of life and the idea of a Jewish Messiah bringing salvation from sin and judgment was a foreign concept. Through this carefully crafted and engaging story, readers will gain a solid understanding of why some people accepted and the majority rejected what to them was an odd new religious cult.
Countless other aspects of life in the Roman world are vividly illustrated in this fascinating and well-researched series that is receiving five-star reviews on Amazon from both scholars and ordinary readers. The reviews, which include more information about the contents of the books and their relevance for early Christianity, can be viewed A Rooster for Asklepios: A Slave's Story, Book 1 and at A Bull For Pluto: A Slave's Story, Book 2.
Sound interesting? Be one of 100 lucky people who get to read it for free! The author is giving away 100 free copies of the Kindle version of A Rooster for Asklepios during the month of October through a Goodreads Giveaway. But you’ll have to act quickly since the contest ends on October 31.
To enter the Giveaway, go to Book Giveaway For A Rooster for Asklepios: A Slave's Story, Book 1. You must have an Amazon account (to receive the free copy) and a Goodreads account to enter. It's easy to sign up for a free Goodreads account.
To learn more about the series, visit the author’s website, A Slave's Story, where you can read plot summaries, an author bio, comments from other scholars, and a vast amount of historical material relating to the world in which the stories take place. An audio version of the first book is also available on Audible, though it's not part of this Giveaway. The Audible version of the second book should be ready in time for Christmas.
For more information about the author and his books, visit Author Christopher D. Stanley at Amazon.
