In A Lever Long Enough, a near-future Israel struggles with growing numbers of followers of the Way, whose unrest threatens an upcoming peace treaty with powerful international politician Marc Raseac. Their unrelenting dedication to a man long-dead – Yeshua Ha’Maschiach – has driven the Israelis to search for a way to stem their rapid growth. Realizing that the crux of the belief these followers have in Yeshua is based upon his purported death, burial and consequent resurrection, a last ditch effort is made to disprove his resurrection.

A highly skilled team consisting of a linguist, strategist, doctor/archeologist and stargazer are brought together, members of Israel’s military, save one. Assembled in a secret staging area where all communications have been cut off, they prepare for an unprecedented mission. Together they will depart for the past in a largely untested time machine to reveal the truth concerning the man we commonly refer to as Jesus.

Sabotage strikes as an unknown element seeks to prevent the mission from launching. Tensions rise within the base as suspicion runs rife. Departing at last for lands near, yet long past, the team has only 72 hours to record enough evidence to undercut the claims of Yeshua’s followers and enable them to strike a fatal blow to their faith. The traitor is still at work in the base, and it remains to be seen if he will succeed in his mission, or be discovered.

Debut novelist Amy Deardon has penned a unique title that is neither typical biblical-era fiction or time-travel science fiction, but a hybrid of the two. A Lever Long Enough is rife with military and espionage oriented detail and suspense; she integrates a number of genres successfully in a solid novel that demonstrates her skilled use of clipped, action filled prose.

Once the team led by Benjamin Feinan arrives in first century Jerusalem, Deardon alternates scenes from the past and present. Feinan and his crew are immediately plunged into danger beyond what they expected, and their task seems insurmountable. Meanwhile, the security team in the military complex works to unearth the mole behind the continued chaos there.

Deardon’s writing is realistic and filled with detail, whether describing the technical aspects of the time machine, or evoking the dusty, worshipper-filled streets of Jerusalem past. Her depiction of this biblical time period is grittier than any I’ve read before, filled with sand, dust, sweat and distinctly Jewish followers of Jesus. This depiction of detailed, authentic Jewish culture and surroundings was much deeper than many I’ve read.

Though Deardon herself was once a skeptic who came to faith through studying the historic circumstances surrounding the death of Jesus, her work doesn’t draw any firm conclusions. The evidence is laid out and explored through the highly effective medium of a fictional novel that is delightful in it’s own right. The claims for Christ’s resurrection are woven unobtrusively throughout the text, never detracting from the smooth flow of story.

From the conclusion, it would seem a sequel is in the offing. Some threads are tied off nicely, but other major themes such as a potential romance are left unclosed. I found the fascinating blend of high-tech and ancient settings intriguing. Deardon’s contribution to the expanding field of Christian literature serves to push its territorial boundaries a bit further.

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ublisher Info:

Title: A Lever Long Enough
Author: Amy Deardon
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Publisher: Taegais Publishing, LLC (January 12, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0981899722
ISBN-13: 978-0981899725