Publisher and Publication Date: Sam Grosser Books. November 20, 2018.
Genre: Historical fiction. Christian fiction.
Pages: 393.
Source: I received a complimentary copy, but was not required to leave a positive review.
Rating: Recommend. Excellent.
Audience: Readers who love: historical fiction, Christian fiction, history of the translation of the King James Bible, and 17th century England.

Amazon Kindle edition is $5.99

Blog Tour landing page at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Summary:
Connected by love, divided by faith. A novel of faith, friendship, and betrayal set against the religious turbulence of 17th Century London.
England 1604
Two men, once friends, have long since gone their separate ways. But when the new King James commands a fresh translation of the Bible, their paths are fated to cross again.
For biblical scholar Richard Clarke, the chance to work on the new translation seems like a gift from God, a way back in from the cold where his friendship with Separatist Ben Kemp has kept him for many years. But Richard soon discovers there is a price to pay for his new-found favour, and that price is betrayal. Caught between love for his friend and his faith in his Church, Richard must make a decision that could cost him his soul.
Set against the background of the writing of the King James Bible, and inspired by true accounts of the community who became the Mayflower Pilgrims, The King James Men is a vivid portrayal of the religious struggles of the age, and the price of being true to your faith.

About The Author:
Historical fiction author Samantha Grosser originally hails from England, but now lives on the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney with her husband, son and a very small dog called Livvy.
Combining a lifelong love of history with a compulsion to write that dates from childhood, Samantha is now bringing her passion for telling compelling stories to the world.
Samantha has an Honours Degree in English Literature and taught English for many years in Asia and Australia. She is the author of wartime dramas Another Time and Place, and The Officer’s Affair. The King James Men, set during the turbulent years of the early years of 17th Century, is her third novel.

My Thoughts:
I love this book! And several reasons led me to award this book an excellent rating.
•The additional two sections in the back of the book hold:
-Bible quotations used in the book, they are listed by chapter; and they are from the 1611 King James Version.
-A list of further readings on this subject.
•The relationship between two men who were best friends when younger. These men loved each other as brothers in Christ Jesus. They felt compassion, commitment, and loyalty to one another. However, when the men grew older they adhered to different religious beliefs that drove them apart. Each man feels the love they have for one another, but they are also steadfast in their beliefs. This is a strong point in why this book is special. The strong love of the two men versus their strong beliefs in religion, and this brings turmoil in the book.
•Books have been written about love between women who are friends. Has a book been written about love between two men who are friends? I have not heard of another book like this topic. This topic brings originality to the story.
•Richard Clarke works as a translator for the King James Bible. His work of meticulous details, praying, and painstaking research to translate the Bible is fascinating.
•Family life, marriage, and the domestic life of the early 1600s gave me a strong view of this era.
•Ben Kemp and Richard Clarke’s thoughts are heavy in the story. Their memories, feelings, fear, trepidation, apprehensions, loneliness, and insecurities. These things increase their humanity in the story. It is the strongest reason I became immersed.
•The use of the environment to tell the story. For example, “a new chill” compared to a new, cold, daunting assignment.
The King James Men is one of the best books I’ve read in 2018! Thank you Samantha Grosser.