Customer Reviews

Gods and Kings (Chronicles of the Kings #1)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hezekiah, prince of Judah, lives in a kingdom under siege from hostile forces within and without. His father, King Ahaz, has abandoned the worship of Yahweh and led his nation into idolatry. Gods & Kings chronicles Hezekiah's coming of age, detailing his turbulent childhood when he saw his father sacrifice his older brother Eliab to the pagan god Molech. Overwhelmed by fear, Hezekiah first encounters the life-changing touch of God through the love and teaching of his grandfather, Zechariah, a Levitical priest. These seeds of faith are all that Hezekiah has to guide him in a kingdom threatened by invasion and corrupted by idolatry. But surrounded by threats to his very existance, can he hope to survive and be given the chance to change the future of his country?

This is one of the best biblical fiction series out there, easily on par with Angela Hunt's Legacies of the Ancient River series. I don't feel that Austin's writing is as strong or her characters quite as well-developed as is evident in her later books (such as the Christy award-winning novels Candle in the Darkness and Fire By Night), but that's a very minor issue. Austin does an excellent job bringing the world of ancient Judah to life in all of its color, pageantry, danger, and intrigue. She breathes fresh life into the character of Hezekiah, creating a flesh-and-blood man whose struggles and weaknesses make his triumphs as one of Judah's greatest kings all the more inspiring. And the book lives up to perhaps the best measure of whether or not biblical fiction succeeds or fails - it inspires study of the actual biblical text.

When reading this book (incidentally this was my second time), I was struck by how timely the story felt. Hezekiah was one small drop in an overwhelming sea of danger and false gods, but God used his life to literally change the course of an entire nation and people. So read, study, and be inspired as Austin helps to bring to life the truth of 2 Chronicles 7:14 -- "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Every now and then, I enjoy "escaping reality" by reading a good Scriptural (and historical) based novel. I purchased the first book, "Gods and Kings" at a discount store, not even knowing that it was part of a series, and could not wait until I found it's sequels! I have read all 5 of the "Chronicles of the Kings" series and I hope that Lynn Austin writes more sequels to this particular series.

I did get a bit confused at Amazon's website while looking for the rest of this series, so I am going to list them here in order for the convenience of future buyers:
book 1 "Gods And Kings"
book 2 "Songs Of Redemption"
book 3 "The Strength Of His Hand"
book 4 "Faith Of My Fathers"
book 5 "Among The Gods"

Another author whose sequel I am eagerly awaiting is Ellen Gunderson Traylor's "Jerusalem The City Of God - Part Two", also set in Old Testament times. These types of books really "take you back in time" to the way that things really were.

I loved this book (series) because not only was it a very interesting read, but more importantly because it gave me such a good insight into life during the Old Testament. The stories of Kings Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manassah have never been so real to me as when I read that book. I will never again read the Biblical accounts the same way!

Ms. Austin has taken the reader on a journey back into time weaving truth with fiction in such a way that she has managed to pen a read that is not only descriptive but good as well.

This is the story of Hezekiah who will eventually assume the role of king as a descendent of King David. This story opens with Hezekiah as a young boy and we grow with him as he faces many challenges to both his life, and his faith. His father is King Ahaz, and he has plotted to sacrifice Hezekiah in order to gain the favor of the gods, and win the war that has currently decimated his army and killed his own brother. Hezekiah's mother Abijah will do all that she can to spare her last son from his father's evil machinations. She has only two men that she can rely on, but can she trust them to save her beloved son?

Hezekiah is destined for great things and manages to survive his childhood but he is now a man and the dangers to him have not dissipated. He is now King, and his mother and his wife, two women that love Hezekiah, must now stand back, and wait to see if his faith is strong enough to help him survive the treachery and violence that surrounds him. Will he be strong enough to stand by his beliefs and save his country?

This was a very moving read as well as being very descriptive. Fans of Christian novels will find no fault with this vivid story and characters. Ms. Austin has managed to bring the Old Testament to life in a way that is not only entertaining, but educational as well.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

The Chronicles of the Kings series are THE BEST Biblical novels I have ever read. Lynn Austin's writing is so captivating, you won't be able to put the book down! While reading this series, I actually had to make myself not even touch the book before I went to work - because several times I did just that, lost all track of time and wound up arriving late to work!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It really fleshes out certain Biblical characters and events, enabling you to really feel involved with the Biblical accounts. They become more than just words on a page in a history book - they become living, breathing people that really walked this earth. I was pleased that the author stayed very true to the Bible. I have read novels in this genre before that took great liberties with the facts as presented in the Bible. I did not feel that this was one of those. In fact, the author uses direct quotes from the Bible at all times when the prophets delivered their prophecies! At the front of the book, the author lists the scriptures used to write the story and encourages you to study it more deeply.

This is a well-written, page-turning, true-to-the-Word book that will keep you reading for hours and deepen your appreciation for God's love and grace. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I couldn't put this book down. Went out a few days later to purchase the next one. I am now on Book 5. My husband is now reading them. He loves them too. I hope the series continues. The story that I have heard before in the Old Testament comes to life. The characters are wonderful. Start reading you will not be dissappointed.

This book was awesome, in the truest sense of the word. The writing was so fantastic, I was unable to put it down and stayed up half the night for 2 consecutive days to finish it. It brought the Old Testament to life in a way that you don't find often. Despite the fact that I try to limit my Kindle reading to the free stuff, I have already bought book 2 and can't wait to start!

Ms. Austin is a skilled and polished writer with a well-developed knack for grabbing a reader in the first two pages and pulling them in by presenting a dire situation for characters we have only just met, yet somehow, we already care about. In this case, the book opens with gentle children being threatened by a band of tough soldiers who storm into their bedrooms and take them captive.

The horrible plans for those children quickly become apparent - they are to be burned alive as an offering to a pagan god. And the author does not flinch from the brutality, or let her readers look away. She dutifully has the young boys tossed into the brass maw of a bestial idol, where they scream horribly as they are engulfed by flames.

If this sounds like raw, edgy, cutting edge fiction, well, maybe it is, but this is Christian literature. I almost never read this genre because I am not a Christian, but I am willing to read anything with an open mind as long as a compelling story is being told. And this book delivers that - for the most part.

For me, again, not a Christian, I found many of the scenes rather preachy and repetitive of the basic Christian themes that the "True God" is one of "endless love and compassion" and that those who turn away from Him to worship false gods will face calamity in their lives, and so on. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this - it's what Christian readers enjoy reading and what they want to read. They enjoy reading a compelling story, while also having their belief system reinforced for themselves. I'm all for it! Go for it!

However, as an objective reviewer, I have to make other readers aware of what they are getting when they purchase this book. Yes, it's a historical novel, a take on the ancient Kings of Judah in and around the years 700 B.C. to 800 B.C. - but one needs to know that this is historical FICTION, but more accurately, fiction as seen through the lens of and colored by a modern day, mainstream Christian belief system.

So if you are a believing, practicing Christian, this might be a 5-star read. For the rest of us, well, I'll give it 3 stars.

I was given this book to read as part of a Book Club with the ladies of my church. I let out an audible groan....historical biblical fiction. This was going to be a chore, like Shakespere in Igh School. I was wrong. I was quickly drawn into this story, and couldn't wait to read more. This story brought the Old Testament to life. It gave feeling to the stories had read multiple times. A great read!!!!

A series of books that I pass on to others because there are so good. Thank you so much Lynn for writing this book series, it is one of my favorites. It taught me so much in history and of God's Word. I likely would read them again. Our entire family of 5 has enjoyed them and my 16 year old son has it down as his favorite book series. I highly recommend these books.