Beneath the Tamarisk Tree by Rob Seabrook (Biblical Fiction Book Review)

Do you read fiction or non-fiction?

I read both!

I read fiction to get a feel for how to write fiction.

I read non-fiction to portray my historical fictional settings and characters more realistically.

Christian nonfiction frames Christian fiction. Egalitarian scholarship enlightens how to portray women in the bible in ministry & leadership.

Below are a few of the books I read this spring. This post is a book review of the biblical fiction: Beneath the Tamarisk Tree.

five recent reads

Book Review: Beneath the Tamarisk Tree: The story of a thief's redemption

Author: Rob Seabrook is a UK foster parent and a believer in second chances.

Publisher: ‎ Malcolm Down Publishing Limited, 172 pages, 2021

Genres: Religious/Christian Historical Fiction, Biblical fiction, Christian fantasy

Why I Chose It:

This book was being featured on a the blogs of authors I follow. It is a historical fiction set in the time of the Gospels, the same time period as my historical fiction.

From the Amazon book blurb:

Dismas awakes in heaven, baffled as to why and amazed by the wonder of his new surroundings. He is welcomed by Jesus and recounts his story. For the first time in his short, wretched life, he begins to discover many feelings and emotions that had been deeply buried and suppressed.

As he reflects on his past, he struggles to see the reason why he has been rescued and brought into paradise. But as his mind is renewed, he discovers that he is no different to anyone else – created special and unique by a forgiving Father; saved, healed and restored by a compassionate Son and filled with love and joy by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Beneath the Tamarisk Tree is a fictional take on the story of the Penitent Thief, a character mentioned so briefly in the Bible. But his encounter with Jesus offers great insights into the scale of the sacrifice that was made and all that is freely available to everyone who believes.

Conclusion

*Beneath the Tamarisk Tree by Rob Seabrook is a dual timeline story about the thief who dies on the cross beside Jesus. One timeline is the thief with Jesus in heaven, while the other timeline is his memories, mistakes, and regrets of his time on earth. It's a story of healing and becoming whole, a story of second chances. The man's healing journey reminded me of The Shack, another novel that I appreciate.

As he is in paradise, we experience flashbacks to the trouble and pain that led him to death as a criminal. Beware: his story may make you empathize with and care about the homeless, hungry, and criminals! The novel portrays the Holy Trinity beautifully.