THE UNTOLD STORY OF SAMSON & DELILAH

NOT YOUR CHILDREN'S BIBLE STORY

May 10, 2023

THE NAZARITE - THE UNTOLD STORY OF SAMSON & DELILAH

The Nazarite spins the tale of the great strongman and biblical hero—Samson. Able to slay a lion with his bare hands, defeat an army of one-thousand strong with the jawbone of an ass, lift the mighty Gates of Gaza, plus many more captivating triumphs. It’s a fantastic story of great and outrageous feats, accompanied with an intriguing love affair between Samson the Israelite and Delilah the Philistine. It was this compelling relationship that has raised many brows and questions.

Why did Samson share his sacred secret with the vixen—Delilah? A secret so dear, that his life depended upon keeping it private. Yet he confides to Delilah, and by doing so is taken captive by his people’s existential enemy. His eyes are gored out and is sentenced to be sacrificed to the Philistine god—Dagon.

Can we imagine Delilah, armed with nothing more than her exquisite beauty, and cunning deceit, enticing the lustful Samson by luring him beyond the boundaries of their intimacy? Why else would the Nazarite give up the key to his great strength, unless enticed by forbidden, erotic desires?

The novella is written through the eyes of Samson, and a Philistine scribe—Mizar, who’s given the task of writing upon parchment the events of Samson's incredible life.

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With his seemingly endless talent for absorbing storytelling regardless of time, place or culture, Neil Perry Gordon builds on his previous success with 'THE NAZARITE-The Untold story of Samson and Delilah'. Breathing life into this miraculous and fantastical Biblical account, Gordon lends an air of believability to the astonishing events in the life and downfall of Samson the Nazarite.

Conveyed through the voices of Philistine scribe Mizar and Samson himself during the final five days of Samson's life, the tale springs to life, as human longings, failings and idiosyncrasies which merely bubble under the surface of the Biblical writings in the book of Judges spring forth, giving depth to his authentically presented characters and making sense of their confessions and betrayals.

Weaving the past with the present, Gordon gently leads protagonist Mizar through a series of flashbacks as he finds himself irresistibly drawn by both Samson and his mistress, Delilah; their sensual declarations of desire and seduction culminating in his own hastily chosen actions as he is swept away by the intensity of their love story.

Evocative of the very basest of needs and desires within each one of us, 'THE NAZARITE' forces us to face the inevitable frailties of mankind, as each character faces their own test of loyalty and love. Turning up the sexual heat at all the right moments, Gordon holds his readers' attention, creating a taste for forbidden fruit as he tantalizingly brings his characters close, and sometimes over, the edge. Displaying an excellent eye for structure, he brings his tale to an absorbing and tension-soaked finale as the events turn full circle to a surprising yet satisfying climax.

With the closing lesson that faithfulness does not necessarily mean perfection, Gordon brings his poignant authentically written novella to a close. But not without a final unexpected cliff-hanger...

Well-written and effortlessly readable, 'THE NAZARITE - The Untold story of Samson and Delilah' is unreservedly recommended.

~ BOOK VIRAL REVIEW