Herod - Between Two Loves

King Herod is a fascinating and one of the most controversial and tragic figures in the history of the Jewish people in their ancient homeland, Judea. The novel Herod - Between Two Loves is based on an in-depth study of Herod in his youth, at the end of the Hashmonean dynasty era, an exciting and fateful period for the Kingdom of Judea, in the 1st Century B.C. King Herod is known as the greatest builder in the history of the Holy Land; a grand visionary who rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem, a builder of new cities, aqueducts, the ancient world’s largest artificial harbor, magnificent temples and grand palaces in the Roman style. The novel Herod - Between Two Loves reveals the never before told story of the young Herod; a completely different man from his later notoriety as the cruel ruler who killed his wife Miriam and their sons; a man who sought the love he never received from his people, a man often depicted in history as a demented and haunted tragic figure. The book traces Herod’s early years and his rise to power under the Roman Empire. His image appears to us through his own voice, human and lively, as if contemporary. The experience of reading the book is similar to that of touring a familiar yet unknown country. Landscapes, towns, names, customs, and tastes are resurrected with literary talent, exceptionally depicting Herod and his contemporaries vividly and compassionately. The author Yoram Kol, has been fascinated with King Herod for many years. This book was written in painstaking detail, following years of thorough research of the period.