SONG OF DEBORAH: Daughters of Valor series

Building up dialogue and scenes around two short chapters in the Book of dges, the author has added another dimension to the story of Deborah and her childhood friend Barak. The powerful, tempestuous atmosphere of ancient Israel has been vividly captured; the people of Deborah's town, Kedesh, are lively and in-gorating, and make a strong backdrop for the ""first act"". Some scenes seem disjointed, and at times the material gets out of control, but in Act II-- the exodus of women and children under Deborah's leadership -- the momentum increases and builds to a climax in the battle of Israelites (led by Barak) against the Canaanites. After victory, Barak at last claims the ""Hebrew Joan of Arc"" for his wife. In spite of the flaws here, the author is to be commended for avoiding the temptation to overwrite in the face of successive dramatic events.