The Royal Artisan: Queen Esther’s Court, Book 2

I really love books written by Tessa Afshar. She writes exceptional inspirational historical fiction novels, weaving in actual characters from the Bible, in this case Queen Esther and several others, alongside fictional and believable characters. This book had mystery, subterfuge and ‘edge of the seat moments’, enemies, eg Haman and his sons; Roman e and more. I can highly recommend it.

I enjoyed learning about the making of pottery, in this story. Esther bravely twarts Haman's edit to have all Jews killed, but his 10 sons still live to threaton further violence. Jason is head of Esther's securrity. He works to remove the threats and guards Sasana, the Jewish potter. The celeof Purim comes from this story. As always, the author has written an interesting book using history, culture, and God's miraculous ability to come to our aid.

Tessa Afshar's books are always a favourite of ours and love that there is a new one!

I am waiting expectantly for the last book in this series. These books are truly brilliant and addictive!

Great Book, Great Story & Great Characters! A Genuine Joy to Read. Tessa’s books are so good! She weaves fact with fiction so beautifully. She also takes a portion of the Bible & brings it to life. I can’t say enough good things about her books & this one is no exception. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

ANOTHER PAGE TURNER! As always, Tessa Afshar's writing is exquisite. Very historically educational. The character development and romance are done at a good pace without feeling rushed. Very clever wording of conversations. And most of all, there is spiritual inspiration to lift my heart and spirit. Because God is so so amazing and Tessa let's that shine in her writing. For me - this book, as was to be expected, is a page turner. For me to finish it in 3 days says a lot!!!

I see Tessa Afshar, and I buy it! I love the imaginative way Tessa brings Biblical stories to life. She takes a basic story from the Bible and expands it to what might have happened, and how life might have been for people at that time, How procedure in royal courts was like. Always displaying the heart of God, as He works through us to fulfill His purpose. I see the original story in my mind and picture how this could have been played out.

Excellent! A captivating story and well researched. I love how Tessa Afshar brings ancient times “to life” for us today. Her books are so worth reading and the stories stay with you long after you finished reading her books. This book was exciting, suspenseful and heart melting. And you walk away from it feeling like it added something to you… something of value.

Rich biblical history in this novel. I read the first book in the "Queen Esther's Court" series, and it was amazing. The second book, The Royal Artisan, is along the same lines. This series is not specifically all about Queen Esther but about those with whom she associates. I loved the diary entries that were in Queen Esther's words. It gave me new insight into who she truly was.I loved the story of Sanza and Jadon. There is a rich biblical history in this novel. The feeling overall is one of fear, hope, and faith. The mystery and political intrigue behind the plot shed new light on ancient Persia during the reign of King Xerxes I. Sanza is gifted at making high-quality pottery but has suffered many losses in life: her family and her betrothed. When she and her uncle are threatened by Haman, Queen Esther sends a member of her security called the Immortals. Jadon goes to his new appointment to only find his lost love. This aspect brought about a beautiful depiction of a second-chance romance.Readers will immerse themselves in the drama, mysteries, heartache, risks, and sweet romance of this heartfelt biblical tale. I look forward to reading book three and more stories within Queen Esther's Court.

Realistic characters with lots of suspense! My favorite author for Christian fiction! She brings a Middle Eastern flavor to her books, and they are very difficult to put down. Her characters and writing are so realistic, I feel like I have stepped into the book when I read! I love how suspense filled this story was and found it very difficult to stop reading till it was completed!

Another cherished favorite from Tessa Afshar's novel From the very first page, the world of ancient Persia comes alive. The story is rich, engaging, and filled with characters who feel real—people facing hard choices, discovering who they are, and learning to trust God even when the bigger picture isn’t clear.One of the things I love most about Tessa’s writing is how naturally she weaves faith into the story. It never feels forced. Instead, you’re gently reminded that God is often working behind the scenes, even in moments of uncertainty or struggle.I've read every one of Tessa Afshar’s fifteen novels, each one a jewel of seasoned storytelling. The Royal Artisan is both heartfelt and beautifully written, and it stayed with me long after I turned the last page. If you enjoy biblical fiction with depth, warmth, and hope, this book is well worth your time.

A Beautifully Crafted Book Fit for a Queen Once again, Tessa Afshar proves herself a pro at writing not only Biblical fiction, but Biblical fiction that is faithful to Scripture while mixing in nods to other genres. The Peasant King, for instance, was very much a romantic road trip story. The Royal Artisan is Biblical fiction with all the elements of a murder mystery and intriguing puzzle story, with some nods to ancient political thriller.The deft, subtle meshing of these plot types is nothing short of masterful. Sazana, Jadon, Esther, and other characters never lose their central focus on preserving a generation and worshipping Adonai in an environment that's ambivalent at best, hostile at worst. Within that, they're constantly working together to unlock and piece together clues. They're confronting external and internal questions about the past, present, and especially the future. They're unraveling tensions that are literally centuries, generations, old. All this adds up to a fascinating story, one that kept my pages turning even in environments where it wasn't easy to focus.The characters are, naturally, as well-crafted as the plot. Sazana and her external and internal stakes captured my attention immediately. She has to protect herself and her loved ones much like Esther did, if on a smaller scale--but that smaller scale makes her a bit more relatable, a bit more down to earth. Moreover, I loved watching Sazana's strength and her spiritual growth in real time. This woman has been through a relentless series of losses, and in her place, I don't know if I could anchor myself to God as much or as well as she did. Nor do I think I would be quite as open to risk and learning as she was, though I hope so.However, Tessa Afshar surprised me during The Royal Artisan because at times, Jadon's arc intrigued me more than Sazana's. During the last 20% or so, I found myself identifying with his questions and struggles so much, I had to put the book down and pray, in gratitude and in realization of things I was learning. This is especially poignant because Jadon, as a highly trained member of the royal Immortals retinue, comes across as invulnerable and tries to live up to that. But it's when he opens up, when he uses "old keys to unlock new doors," that he is at his best.Esther too, shines more in The Royal Artisan than in The Queen's Cook--which is saying a lot since she was written excellently there, too. But here, we get to see her seek and nurture real friendship with a woman outside royal circles. We see that she is no respecter of persons, but also knows how to wield royalty and etiquette with a breathtakingly expert hand. Tessa's "secret scrolls" chapters especially give nods to her character that, while not in the Bible, make perfect sense for her time period and her experiences.I also want to applaud Tessa for the "mystery" elements of The Royal Artisan. I can't go too deep for fear of spoilers, but what I will say is, the clues to the Cyrus cylinder and Arta's personal secrets layer perfectly on top of each other. Some are so seamless I gasped in pleasure because I didn't expect them to be integral parts of the story. And while a lot of women talk about reading romance while giggling and kicking feet, I must admit: my "brainy Christian" side was doing this same thing, especially when I caught the clues to Haman's family, heritage, and motives. I had a similar reaction when I discovered Arsash's role in the story--in fact I said out loud, "I knew it!"Finally, I want to give particular kudos to Tessa's spiritual threads. I think they might be some of her most thought-provoking ever. As noted, they inspired me to pray, to dig deep into my own spiritual life and journey, during at least two points. And even the threads I couldn't personally relate to, such as physically being an orphan, touched my heart because like Sazana, I have lived as a spiritual orphan without realizing it. The spiritual threads are rich, organic, and at times almost too much to digest--but I mean that in the best way possible.As you can tell, this is one of those "can't say enough" reviews. In fact, I'm forcing myself to stop here. I'll simply close with the exhortation to read this book if you haven't already, and to catch up on The Queen's Cook and Tessa Afshar's duology concerning a young King Cyrus. You will love them all!