In the Shadow of Lions (31 page)

Bibliography

God’s Bestseller: William Tyndale, Thomas More, and the Writing of the English Bible—A Story of Martyrdom and Betrayal,
Brian Moynahan (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2003).

Henry VIII
, Jasper Ridley (London: Penguin Classic Biography, 2002).

In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture,
Alister McGrath (New York: Anchor Books, 2002).

The Life of Thomas More,
Peter Ackroyd (New York: Anchor, 1999).

The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn,
Retha M. Warnicke (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991).

The Riverside Gardens of Thomas More’s London,
C. Paul Christianson (New Haven, CT: Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in Britis, Yale University Press, 2006).

Wide As the Waters: The Story of the English Bible and the Revolution It Inspired,
Benson Bobrick (New York: Penguin Books 2002)

Discussion Questions

1. Read the verse in Leviticus 20:21. Catherine married Henry’s older brother, but the brother died soon after the wedding. Catherine said the marriage was never consummated; therefore, she was free to marry Henry. Was Henry right or wrong in seeking a divorce from Catherine based on this verse of Leviticus?

2. Every character did what they believed was right and what they believed honored God. When you think of your favorite character, what actions stand out to you? Were they right or wrong?

3. Are there any true villains in this story? Sir Thomas burned Christians alive, but believed he was saving the world from heresy. Henry cast Catherine aside and beheaded Anne, but he was trying to give England an heir to the throne and prevent a civil war. Good people can do bad things in the name of God. How are we to judge between good and evil?

4. Why did everyone have such radically different ideas about serving God? How do you see this dilemma played out in the evening news? What about in your very own family or church?

5. What were you taught in school about the Reformation? Did you have a low opinion of Anne Boleyn and a high opinion of Thomas More? Who controls history, and how does this affect our judgment?

6. Can you know God if you’ve never read the entire Bible? People died gruesome deaths for the right to read the Bible. Were their deaths in vain?

7. Read Revelation 20:12. How do you feel about these books being opened on the Day of Judgment?

8. Not everyone is pleased to think there may be supernatural creatures walking with us. How does it make you feel?

9. Angels are eternal beings. They have seen the women of your family line for thousands of years. If the Scribe appeared to you tonight and gave you one chance to see a woman from your past, what woman—or what time period—would you most like to see?

10. The Bible says angels are sent to minister to believers. Have you ever had an “angelic encounter”? Are you comfortable sharing it?

About the Author

Ginger Garrett is the critically acclaimed author of
Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther
, which was recognized as one of the top five novels of 2006 by the ECPA,
Dark Hour,
and
Beauty Secrets of the Bible
. An expert in ancient women’s history, Ginger creates novels and nonfiction resources that explore the lives of historical women. A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by
Fox News,
The Good Life Show,
NPR, Billy Graham’s
The Hour of Decision
,
The Harvest Show,
and many other outlets.

In 2007, Ginger was nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award for her novel
Dark Hour
. A graduate of Southern Methodist University with a degree in theater, she is passionate about creating art from history. In her free time, Ginger likes running and biking and is wild about animals, especially dogs. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three children, two dogs, assorted fish, and a bearded dragon named Goliath.

You can learn more about Ginger and her work by visiting her on the Web at
www.GingerGarrett.com
.

What people are saying about …

In the Shadow of Lions

“Ginger Garrett has brilliantly blended fact and fiction, faith, and fallacy to create a saga so real that I hung on every word. I will never again open my Bible without gratitude for the women of faith who dared to defy the deceived that God’s Word might be read by all.
In the Shadow of Lions
is truly a masterpiece!”

Kathy Herman,
author of the Phantom
Hollow series and Sophie Trace Trilogy

“Garrett unveils history’s secrets to tell you the tale you’ve never heard about the greatest story ever told. Exceptional in every way, with characters that will haunt your dreams long after you’ve turned the last page. Don’t miss it!”

Siri Mitchell,
author of
A Constant Heart

“Angels, demons, life and death, a religion gone mad, love, murder, the power of a crazed king, and three women’s lives, two in the past and one in the present, all consumed by one mighty book that set the world aflame, sparking the Reformation. This is one of those stories that will keep you captivated to the very last page and one you’ll be thinking about long after you’re done reading it.”

M. L. Tyndall,
author of the award-winning
Legacy of the King’s Pirates series

“Far more than just a beautiful cover,
In the Shadow of Lions
drew me into the life of Anne Boleyn and presented a side to this tragic historical figure I had never considered. Elegantly, and with no small amount of intrigue, Ginger Garrett posits that history may have cast Anne into an undeserved light, which reminds the reader that it is not for us to judge others and their motivations. Enthusiastically recommended!”

Tamara Leigh,
best-selling author of
Splitting Harriet
and
Faking Grace

“An imaginative and evocative tale of Anne Boleyn’s battle for a king’s heart and her soul’s salvation,
In the Shadow of Lions
etches the eternal struggle between church and state in swift, vivid prose.”

India Edghill,
author of
Queenmaker
and
Wisdom’s Daughter

“In this beautifully written novel, Ginger Garrett honors the strength and insight of two English women willing to die for their faith.
In
the Shadow of Lions
takes readers on a remarkable journey back to the sixteenth century and shows the incredible power of a book shared in secret by women across London.”

Melanie Dobson,
author of
The Black Cloister
and
Going for Broke