Sword and Serpent is a Christian YA novel belonging to that most retro of genres: sword and sandals Christian historical fiction. A retelling of the ancient story of Saint George and the dragon, it takes place during the early days of Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. Driven from their home due to their family's faith, Jurian and his sister Mariam travel across Anatolia and the Mediterranian to Rome to fulfill their mother's dying wish. However, they are not alone. Jurian's rival Casca is hunting them and wants them dead. Luckily, they make some familiar friends (i.e. saints you'll recognize) along the way. Meanwhile in Libya, Sabra is priestess of her city's local god—a god who has been demanding child sacrifices for years, something that is becoming less and less bearable for her. An old prophecy will bring her and Jurian together, just in time for the fight of their lives.

A clean YA historical read. Its Catholicism is rather blatant, but that's usually the case in Roman Empire Christian persecution novels. The cliffhanger ending promises at least one more book, and I think it will be interesting to see where the author goes with the story. Highly recommended for those looking for interesting Catholic historical fiction. ( )