Out of Jerusalem is a very ambitious, multi-volume fictional narrative based on the story of the Book of Mormon. The author, Heather Brown, uses her knowledge of the Book of Mormon and of the history and topography of the Middle East to create a plausible background for the stories of Lehi and his family as they make their way to the land they would call Bountiful.

Volume One covers 1 Nephi 1 through most of chapter 16. In it we meet Lehi's family as well as the family of Ishmael. Moore gives names to all the characters, including the women, although the Book of Mormon names only Sariah, the wife of Lehi. She depicts what everyday life must have been like in Jerusalem, with observations about culture, trade and religion that bring the period to life. In particular, we meet young Isaabel, who would become Nephi's wife in the wilderness. The retelling of the sons' attempts to gain the records from Laban, and Zoram's joining the family in the wilderness, are enhanced with insights into the life of the rich in Lehi's time.

Volume Two amazingly covers only 1 Nephi 16:33 to 17:6. The author notes that the narrative in the Book of Mormon mentions that Lehi and his family spent eight years sojourning in the desert. She wonders why they spent so long before reaching Bountiful, and creates a rich tapestry of events to explain the delay. Stories of families taken into bondage, raids by passing marauders and discontent among Lehi's and Ishmael's children, blend together with the Book of Mormon's storyline to present a sometimes harrowing, but always fascinating, picture of what may have happened.

I stress here "what may have happened," and Moore is no less diligent to make sure the reader knows that the vast bulk of these books is the product of her mind, informed by study and memories of a childhood partially spent in Egypt (she was baptized in the Red Sea!).

As I read both books, two thoughts entered my mind. First, I thought I had come to know the characters much better than I had before reading Moore's interpretation. They emerge as multidimensional individuals, in particular Laman, a more complex person than I had imagined. Lehi also becomes a more textured leader. Nephi is a big, strapping youth who comes to the rescue of his father when the citizens of Jerusalem seek to take his life.

But my second thought was more sobering: these books are works of fiction. Plausible? Sure. Part of the problem is that the Book of Mormon offers so little detail, opening the field to a creative writer who is willing to invest the time and effort to recreate a series of possible scenarios, a background describing what *might* have happened. This is particularly true of the eight years they spent in the wilderness.

If we can consider these books to be "historical fiction," somewhat like The Work and the Glory, then readers must beware of falling prey to what I have called the "Steed Syndrome." Most will have heard at least anecdotally about members going to the Temple to have work done for the Steeds. The temptation to let fiction overwhelm scriptural fact is very strong. There is danger in confusing what the Book of Mormon actually says with a fictional recreation of the people and the events.

But if the recreation is based on legitimate research, then I think there is value in this kind of endeavor. Moore's father is S. Kent Brown, a notable scripture scholar. Moore acknowledges the invaluable contributions her father, and others in the field, have made to ensure that her hypothetical narrative, while not provable, is at least plausible. And even if she's completely wrong in her application of these ideas to Lehi and his family, we do benefit from learning much about life in the Middle East during those years.

I was particularly touched when, toward the end of Volume Two, Lehi celebrates the Passover with his extended family. It is a nice reminder of how important the holy days were to devout Jews, even when faced with scarcity and danger all around. The children of Lehi's sons are as playful as we would imagine, while the adult celebrants take a sober look at their situation, sometimes wavering in their faith, but ultimately hopeful that God will protect them during their journeys.

Moore also does a nice job of portraying the complex social relationships of the time. Rivalries between siblings, the impatience of youth and the wisdom of age, the amazing experience of bearing children in the wilderness -- all are brought out in vivid detail. I began to feel labor pains myself!

We also learn much about the climate and topography of the region. Dangers are everywhere, and enemies can come from any direction. Whether it be roving thieves, blinding sandstorms, painful hunger and thirst, or poisonous snakes and scorpions, the travelers must be vigilant at all times.

I do have one minor grouse, and perhaps this will be fixed in future volumes. As I read, I encountered many words that will be unfamiliar to some readers. Most are words of Middle Eastern origin. There were a few I didn't recognize. I was annoyed that the author did not supply definitions for these terms. It wasn't until I reached the end of Volume One that I found a section of notes, indicating the scriptural and scholarly sources for the chapters, along with definitions of these words. I would have liked a note in the introduction indicating that these notes were available at the back of the book. It would have been helpful in reading the story. Of course, I had it all figured out by the time I began Volume Two.

Given that the first two volumes cover only 1 Nephi 1-17, it's hard to imagine how many entries will fill out this series. At the rate Moore is writing, "Out of Jerusalem" may very well exceed "The Work and the Glory" in heft and size. And that would be quite an accomplishment.

These books will be appreciated by anyone wanting to learn more of the background of the Book of Mormon stories. But I emphasize again that, while based on research and the sage advice of scholars, the story is, after all, a product of the author's imagination. Taken in that light, these are good books, and deserve a wide readership.

-----------------------------------

Jeff Needle
September 23, 2005