Rebekah: The Second Book of Orson Scott Card’s Women of Genesis Trilogy

"And when she came to the well, Eliezer, was she wearing the veil? Or did she have a face then?"

"She had," said Eliezer, "the loveliest face I have ever seen."

"Ah," said Isaac.

"But that is not why I chose her," said Eliezer.

"No, of course not," said Isaac. "God chose her."

They walked in silence for a little while.

"But I have one question," said Isaac.

"Yes?" answered Eliezer.

"If she had been ugly, would you have asked her for a drink?"

During a time when women were considered as male possessions and were severely restricted from expressing any modicum of human sentiment, this woman championed all odds including a poor, miserable family background -- Rebekah was chosen by God for a great destiny and grew up with stunning attractiveness.

Chosen by God at the well when she met the servant of Abraham, Rebekah left her household and married Isaac, the son of Abraham who was born to him at an elderly age. Married into the house of faith, Rebekah only found herself caught up in a series of rivalries: first the struggle Isaac and Ishmael, the half-brother of Isaac, and later the conflict of her two sons, Esau and Jacob. This was a story of faith as she struggled to find her place in the family of Abraham. Despite all tribulations she was able to carry the burden with the love for God and did her best to serve God’s will for the purpose of those whom she loves.

In this second novel in a trilogy on the women of Genesis, author Orson Scott Card has created an entirely believable cast of characters well-meaning men and women, burdened with human foibles, who struggle much as we do to do the right thing in their family relationships and be true to their covenants with God. Rebekah is herself an astonishing personality, complex and intriguing, and her story will engage your heart as it captures your imagination.

"Although this novel stands on its own, it is a sequel to Sarah, published in 2000, which took the chapters from Genesis 11 to Genesis 23 and expanded them into a 400-page fictional version of Sarah's life. Just as he did with the book on Sarah, in this new narrative, Card invents scenes, adding characters and intrigue to the life of Rebekah . . . Card's fleshing out of the concise biblical story is helpful . . ." -- Jerusalem Post

"Biblical narratives are meant to inspire questions for ancients and moderns alike. In Rebekah, Orson Scott Card shows that these stories offer serious challenges for our lives. I look forward to reading the next book in Card's Women of Genesis series." -- Greensboro News & Record

"As in the first novel in the series, Sarah, Card has created a riveting story exploring the relationships, the settings, and the stories of the Old Testament." -- Rocky Mountain News

ORSON SCOTT CARD is the author of the national bestsellers Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, and of the beloved classic of science fiction, Ender's Game. He has won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus and World Fantasy Awards. He lives with his family in Greensboro, North Carolina.

By Tony C.