As night falls, a scarlet-robed man emerges from the temple and a hush falls over the waiting crowd. Studying the hooded figure with enmity, Alma recognizes that this is the man who incites rebellion among the people of Zarahemla. This is the man who dares preach from the very place where King Benjamin uttered his final blessings upon the people of the church. Defiling the tower with his very presence, the man who embodies evil raises a hand to silence the drums, then calls to his followers through the eerie quiet. And that’s when Alma realizes the terrible truth: this man is his son.Alma the Younger, son of the aging high priest, once was taught by the wisdom of prophets. Now the young man is a thief — ensnared by the wiles of strong drink and harlots; a bitter dissenter determined to overthrow the church, to lead the people into new “freedoms.“ He has gathered a strong army to create a revolution, which only begins with the desecration of the temple and will escalate to calamity once he captures King Mosiah’s daughter. But en route to his malicious mission with his royal henchmen, Alma is halted by an unexpected opponent: an angel of the Lord, a messenger of the very God he has sought to defame. And what unfolds is a story of miraculous redemption, a story building on the poignant Book of Mormon account to show how even the vilest of sinners can be transformed by the Savior’s amazing grace.
My Review
The past few weeks have been very stressful for me. I had some difficult decisions to make and knew my choice would not only effect me, but my co-author and others as well. With all of this weighing on my mind, it was interesting to pick up Alma the Younger and read about someone else who made choices - albeit not good ones - then learned how the consequences of those choices effected everyone he associated with.
Learning more about Alma the Younger and the type of man he could have been was fascinating. If this book is on your to-read list, I highly encourage you to read the Preface. In this section, H.B. Moore talks about all of the questions she asked to figure out who Alma the Younger was as a man, what type of person and characteristics he possibly had. When she talked about Alma being very intelligent and well educated, but not able to develop faith in something he couldn't see - it was like there was an audible "click" in my head. I've known so many people who struggle asking Heavenly Father simple questions because to them, the answer was obvious. Why ask Heavenly Father for approval? That's just wasting their time. Going along this course, H.B. Moore brought to life a man I could relate to today. I learned how Alma the Younger's life, his choices, the consequences he faced, and the change of heart that came over him is absolutely relevant to today's society. Not just my neighbors or youth I know who are struggling - but to me and every other faithful member of the Church out there as well.
Now, lest you think the book is sounding non-fictiony and dry, let me reassure you that it is just as suspenseful and filled with drama with a touch of romance as H.B. Moore's other books. Alma the Younger is very well done - excellent even - and an inspiring read that will stay with you long after you reach "The End."
For more information about H.B. Moore and her books, you can visit her website or her blog.
You can purchase Alma the Younger at DeseretBook.com, Amazon.com, or your local LDS bookstore.
