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The Gift, Chiveis Trilogy Series #2

By: Bryan M. Litfin

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In This Series

Description	Price	Availability	AddInclude
The Kingdom, Chiveis Trilogy #3	$11.49 Retail: $15.99	In Stock	Add To Cart
The Sword, The Chiveis Trilogy #1	$11.99 Retail: $15.99	In Stock	Add To Cart
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Product Description

After the finding of an Old Testament in book one of the trilogy, The Gift picks up the story of Teo and Ana. Exiled from their homeland and trying to survive in unknown and dangerous lands, they search for any record of the missing Testament. Their journeys lead them into the region we know as Italy. An elite society welcomes Ana, who finds she must choose between her new life and her dream of returning to Chiveis. Will Teo and Ana's relationship withstand the circumstances and new enemies pulling them apart? And can Teo keep ahead of a powerful and mysterious force opposing his search for the New Testament?

Product Information

Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 416
Vendor: Crossway Books & Bibles
Publication Date: 2011
Dimensions: 9.00 X 6.00 (inches)

ISBN: 143352516X
ISBN-13: 9781433525162
Availability: In Stock
Series: Chiveis Trilogy

Publisher's Description

Teo and Ana journey into new lands in search of the New Testament. In the midst of dangerous terrain, elite societies, and new enemies, will they be successful in their mission? Second in the Chiveis Trilogy.

Author Bio

BRYAN M. LITFIN is the author of The Sword, book one of the Chiveis Trilogy, as well as Getting To Know the Church Fathers. He is associate professor of theology at Moody Bible Institute. He and his wife, Carolyn, have two children.

ChristianBookPreviews.com

Bryan M. Liftin's The Gift tells of temptation, courage, love, and faith in a future where global nuclear war has all but destroyed the evidence of Christianity. Anastasia and Teofil are two of the blessed few who have rediscovered portions of the forgotten belief in Deu, their name for God. Their openness about Deu garners hatred from the lost and the malicious, leaving Teo and Ana with nothing but their faith and each other.

Even though the chapters range from 20 to 30 pages, Liftin divides them into shorter segments by switching between narrators. This keeps readers attentive throughout the long chapters. Liftin also creates French and Latin translations of Scripture throughout the story, particularly stressing Jeremiah 29:11-14. The relationship between Ana and Teo realistically portrays a close friendship, while letting the reader wonder if this bond will develop into something more romantic. Teo and Ana's reunions throughout the book were my favorite scenes.

Teo and Ana travel toward a city of the Ancients, Roma, in search of the missing New Testament and the truth it holds about the mysterious Pierced One. Their journey is hindered by a powerful cult called the Exterminati, forcing the two friends to choose between denying Deu and holding fast to their faith.

Ana's femininity and naivete reveal her dependence on Teo, as well as show how much she relies on Deu's strength to guide her. Teo is heroic and talented, almost to the point at which he seems slightly unreal, but that does not diminish his significance as Ana's rescuer and protector. By interacting with various characters, Teo and Ana learn much about themselves and their importance in the restoration of Christianity.

Whereas The Gift has its own story arc, the ending teases the reader about the sequel. Liftin's descriptions are a healthy balance between general overviews and minute details, giving the reader just enough information mentally to picture the scenes. Some may find the rapid swaps between narrators hard to follow, but I didn't mind. I really enjoyed this book; it contains romance, fantasy, action, and a little mystery, making it a great choice for a broad range of readers. Angela Griffin, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

Product Reviews

The Gift, Chiveis Trilogy Series #2 4.7 5 10 10

This second book in the The Chiveis Trilogy Series moved the story along very well, kept me intrigued and turning the pages. I'm usually weary about middle books, because they can easily become fillers without adding much to to story line, but this was not the case. We got to know more about the characters, their struggles with the journey as well as with each other and God. Good read and I can't wait until the last book comes out. May 23, 2012

An enthralling read! Loved, loved, loved this book!!! Not only is the cover awesome (I love the colours, not to mention the exciting/scary scene) but the entire book was enthralling from start to finish. I found that the author wrote much more smoothly than in the prequel, and the dialogue was less stilted. The fast-paced move of the book was suitable for the storyline, which is really brilliant. I love the idea of reverting to a medieval world because of a massive nuclear war(the details of which are outlined in The Gift). I liked how it was divided into 3 parts:Solidarity, Extravagancy and Victory. They all symbolised certain aspects which occurred in the story. Ana and Teo's character develops further, and both good and bad desicions are made. What I really liked was the theme of sacrificial love which was repeatedly displayed; a love which was willing to lay down reputation, and even its life, for the sake of another. Teo and Ana are faced with even more danger than they were in the last book. They face a new foe in their new life, one which is even more dangerous than the high priestess. Their peril intensifies as they seek the NewTestament, which the dark forces are determined to destroy. There is both action and adventure, love and war. There were stark contrasts in this book: between the elite society ana is pressured into, against the lowly status Teo is forced to maintain. There was also a group called the Exterminati which, loyal to their name, literally exterminated people who were considered inferior or 'unwhole' in some way. This aspect of the story was pretty freaky, and seemed like a dark echo of the WW2 Nazi concentration camp-type thing. This book is more emotional and portrays more suffering than its prequel. The characters uncover more about the Christ figure who is Deu's son. There is a greater cast of characters introduced, and even the least adds an important aspect to the story. I think Bryan Litfin has a winner in this series! January 1, 2012

A Welcome Improvement In part two of the Chiveis trilogy (begun with The Sword) Bryan Litfin leads readers in Ana and TeoÃ¢ÂÂs continuing journey in The Gift Ã¢ÂÂ out of their beloved Chiveis and into a post-apocalyptic Italy where beauty and sensuality reign supreme. Here they encounter yet further persecution and realize that not only is DeuÃ¢ÂÂs religion prohibited in their homeland, but has also been targeted by powerful leaders in other lands. As the pair strive to rediscover the missing portion of DeuÃ¢ÂÂs Word (the New Testament) and unravel the secrets surrounding the Pierced One, their character continues to be refined and tested by many trials. Thankfully Litfin has done much to improve the depth of his characters, giving them more realistic flaws while drawing them closer to their Creator. No longer is Ana a seemingly sinless young woman as she comes face to face with her own previously hidden weaknesses and failings. The tender Ã¢ÂÂ if confused Ã¢ÂÂ feelings between Teo and Ana also continue to build on a firm, if still somewhat platonic bond of affection. It is exciting to see that Litfin has clearly been working on improving his craft, and as such, I am looking forward to reading the continuing adventures of Ana and Teo which are bound to be as exciting as those contained within this installment. Disclosure: I received a physical copy of this title for review. September 8, 2011

A Hard Act To Follow... Last year I read a book that took me quite by surprise. I did not expect to like it. I actually expected to dislike it. But, I found that I loved it! It was The Sword by Brian Litfin. It fits into a genre of fiction known as speculative fiction. Essentially, the world goes into a future dark age when a virus wipes out most of the world's population. This is deftly described in a very concise few pages at the beginning of The Sword. God's Word has been lost and so has faith in Him. It has been replaced by Idolatry and the worship of many Gods. The Sword is the story of Teo and Ana and their discovery of part of God's Word. I knew when I began reading The Sword that it was to be the beginning of a new trilogy and that I would have to wait a year for the second installment. The Gift was published in April of this year. I have looked forward to reading it and I finally got a chance to read it this week. I'm not sure quite where to begin. So, I'll begin with the cover. I was surprised by how the cover affected me. It reminded me of a Harlequin type fantasy romance novel. It set me ill at ease and didn't appeal to me. But, I opened up the book and began reading. The story picks up where the first one left off. There is a 2 page prologue that is brief but complete to set the stage for this second book in the trilogy. This book can be read independently as an engaging story, but I would recommend beginning with the first one simply because it is a really good story. The Plot: I enjoyed the plot immensely. The plot, with all its twists and turns, is engaging and interesting. Some of the twists are predictable, but many are not. In this book, Teo and Ana set out to find more of the sacred writing of Deu. They found a portion of the Old Testament, but know that there is a second part of the book that is missing. This book tells the story of their continuing quest. The Writing: I did not find this book to be as well written as the first. It is difficult for me to say exactly why. The language and grammar seemed too casual--too much like how we talk today. Every culture seems to have its own colloquialisms and I didn't notice any in this futuristic culture. At one point in the story, I couldn't picture Teo and Anna saying "Yeah, sure." when it was included in the story. It didn't fit with their characters for me. I was pleased, however, with how easily Mr. Litfin was able to convey when the characters were speaking in different languages while keeping the story fluid. I think perhaps my misgiving about the cover is linked foretold of the amount of romance that would infuse the story. I'm not sure that it was vital to the plot to include as much description of the women's clothing and their body movements as there was. It made me somewhat uncomfortable at times. The descriptions were a bit more like modern romance novels than Jane Austen's novels. My discomfort reminded that this is an adult fantasy fiction book, not one for middle or high school students. I enjoyed this story and am glad to have read it, in light of my one misgiving. I do look forward to the third installment of the trilogy next year. I would not, however, recommend this series to teenagers. I know that young adult fiction now reads like adult fiction, but I am still of the opinion that teenagers shouldn't have to be adults yet and their books should be appropriate for their levels of maturity. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crossway Publishing for review. June 8, 2011