Name: A Valley of Betrayal
ISBN: 9780802467676

Tricia Goyer

Caught up in the escalating events when the route to safety is blocked, Sophie takes refuge with a brigade of international compatriots, and among these volunteers, she pledges to make the plight of the Spanish people known around the world through art. Original. 10,000 first printing.

A Valley of Betrayal

Jeni Enjaian

*update* Upon a second read, I discovered nothing extraordinary about this book. In fact, I found the overall format gratingly similar to nearly every other Goyer novel I have read. Too many characters who are ultimately brought together in ways that sometimes smack of deus ex machina. A nefarious German no-good soldier of some sort who crops up periodically throughout the narrative to pose problems. Goyer's writing is decent, avoids all clichés, and doesn't become preachy. However, once you've read one, it appears that you have read them all.

Once again I find a gem hidden on my own bookshelves. After an unsuccessful reread of a Tracie Peterson book (I gave up...it wasn't worth wasting my time to reread it) I was hopeful for something decent enough to make it worth my while to read all the way through.

This book more than exceeded that low expectation.

I love it when an author lets a tale unfold only as much as it needs to. Tricia Goyer releases pertinent information about her characters almost as if by accident. She doesn't belabor long background descriptions setting the story. Instead she drops the reader down in the middle of an already unfolding story and lets the diverse story lines come together naturally, unhurried and at just the right time.

While several distinct story lines seem to have no connections when first introduced, that serves to make the path crossing of these characters that much more profound. When the characters meet, interact (and in some cases go their separate ways), these connections mean more and tell more of a story than if the backstory had been given in advance.

As a historian (and Spanish speaker) the setting is absolutely fabulous. Not many people know much about the Spanish Civil War that occurred just prior to World War II and especially about Germany's involvement in that war. Tricia Goyer crafts a beautiful story that helps explain that history as well. It's fabulous and I can't wait to dive into book two.