Title: Bethlehem’s Brothers
Author: Ronald Hera
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1463431015
Pages: 308
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

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Ronald Hera’s Bethlehem Brothers has lessons ranging from perseverance, working in unity, hope, togetherness, love, and facing challenges in our lives. The setting of the book is comforting, especially for readers who are familiar with the Bible. The technique Ronald Hera used when narrating is brilliant. His framing of the text in the book makes the reading enjoyable. The author does not just introduce a character abruptly, the reader gets to follow a particular character and gets to judge them by their roles. The characters are well developed from the start, with a majority maintaining the same traits even as the story progresses. Simeon and Enoch are among the many characters that were uniquely developed. They were interesting in every way, even when the author made them go out of line.

We follow the story of siblings who are unfortunately entangled in a conflict which happens in their land. The brothers’ story is sad as the hostilities occur when they are young. This forces them to go through battles, devastation, struggles, and misery. Things are ruined and a lot of destruction occurs everywhere, as violence is among the major themes in the book. The reader is taken through minor conflicts and major wars which resort to deaths and damage. Life for the brothers is far from easy. Amidst the war and violence, the two try to find ways in which they can survive. For anyone, despondency and instability would have been the last straw; but not for the duo. Will the brothers survive? Is despair an option? As readers page on, wondering about the fate of the two, the author hits readers with a new twist in the book. The brothers encounter a revolution that changes the story. Ronald Hera’s writing is very engaging. The plot is easy to follow as the author avoided complexities in his story, everything is straight-forward. Every scene can be understood and every event is relevant to the story. The book starts simply and develops into this fascinating story which has you hooked on many levels. There is a little suspense in most chapters, which adds a dimension and a thrill.

Bethlehem’s Brothers is a great read for literature lovers who adore books with a lot of action and adventure. There is not a dull page in Ronald Hera’s book. The conversations among the characters are filled with wit, humor, strong emotions and great tones. The protagonist in the book is distinct. Readers will fall in love with some characters and loathe a few others for their cruelty along the way. The author makes everything seem real and raw. The events in the book are entertaining too and intriguing. The setting may seem obvious but the reader is up for a treat once you start on the first page. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to readers who want a quick book that is enthralling, engaging and with a setting similar to that of Jesus’ times.