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Anonymous
Posted October 20, 2007
Gods and Kings'and the next four books in this series by Lynn Austin' are wonderful! They incorporate Old Testament history in exciting and theologically correct novels. Each book in this series helps the reader 'go deeper.' I often found myself stopping during a particularly inspiring passage and praying. These books are faith- builders. The books incorporate excellent examples of God's laws and God's mercy and forgiveness. These books were so special because they are easy to read yet give the reader an understanding of how God works in our lives. They also inspire a yearning for a deeper relationship with God and lead us to want to know God's will for our own live. I have never been a great fan of the Old Testament and Psalms but after reading this series, I picked up my Bible and starting with Psalm 1, I began to underline verses that I found meaningful. I had to push myself to begin reading this series because I thought it would be too dry and dull but I quickly became engrossed and sometimes read a whole book within a 24 hour peried. I also learned so much about this time period in history that I feel as if I can speak intelligently about who these Kings were and how they lived.
61 out of 64 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 22, 2007
Wow, I could go on and on about this book. I loved it! We were supposed to read this for history for extra credit i didn't read because I thought I would be wasting my money. Later on, my friend lent me all five books. My, was I wrong! Gods and Kings starts off exciting, which helps you get into the book and ends in an exciting way. It makes you keep on wanting to read it. I urge you to read all the books. They're great! I'm on #4! ='
22 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 4, 2011
I'm not a religious person but I found mysekf enjoying this novel. Perhaps the modern part that so many other reviewers disliked is what attracts readers like me. Being able to look at the characters and understand the motivation or the way they lived without the boring dialogue is refreshing. The simplicitynof the nivel and the dramatization made me want to read the other chronicles.
15 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.2.5 stars (maybe) The dialog (including internal) seemed way too modern and jarring to the ancient setting of Jerusalem. While reading, I did not get a feel for the times, (Jerusalem at the time of the Assyrian Empire). I also felt the portrayal of everyday life and the traditional major life events and ceremonies were poorly researched and related. Too much cardboard melodrama and predictable snapshot scenes. I'm thankful this novel was so short. I will not continue reading this series.
10 out of 20 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 28, 2012
I didn't know what to expect....i thought another bible story....but this book was exceptional. Reminds us that redemption is possible! God understands our struggles and allows us free will to choose...hoping we will choose the right path. There are times we will fall from grace but it' s getting back up that matters. Don' t allow other humans to judge you or hold your emotions hostage...
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 6, 2012
I agree with the other readers who said that some of the language use for that time period are not appropriate and the grammar structure is pretty simplistic. It sounds as though this was written for a fifth grade student. Other than that, the story is captivating and does make me want to check out Chronicles in the bible.
9 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 4, 2011
This was an excellent book. I literally could not put it down. I was up one reading it at 2 a.m ! I am getting the other 4 books to this and plan to read ALL her other books.
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 24, 2010
the way this biblical story is captured is so amazing. i could relate. i wish there were more series like it
9 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 31, 2011
The modern-sounding dialogue was too jarring. I just can't handle biblical characters saying "okay" all the time and using "baby" as a term of endearment. While the whole "questioning" in the head is a good tension-building device, it was WAY overused. (How would he know what to do? Would he ever stop hating his father? Would her husband ever love her? blah blah)
While it seemed decently researched, I didn't get a very good feel for the world of the time. It seemed flat. That being said, the opening scene was VERY effective and hooked me in. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there.
I also felt that there was too much Christianity bleeding through the theology. The understanding of Judaism seemed lacking. It was probably part of the ascribing modern dialogue and sensibilities to ancient characters. It probably makes them more accessible to many modern readers, but the impact is diminished.
I was looking forward to the series, but I won't be continuing on.
7 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 10, 2011
loved how she characterized young hezekiah and captured his boyhood
7 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 5, 2012
I loved this book. I purchased the 2nd in series , it is just as good as first. Planning on reading the 3rd book. Great job of describing customs and lifestyles of past.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 6, 2012
I loved this book and the others in the series. I read them prior to completing a Bible study based on Chronicles and Kings and they were very useful tools. I highly recommend this book/series. The author was factual with the biblical aspect while providing thoughtful insights and a compelling story. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 2, 2011
I loved Gods & Kings. Lynn Austin brought the Bible to life for me in this amazing story of the Kings of the Bible. I don't know how historically correct they are but I read my Bible daily and intend to go back to Chronicles and read it again and again....
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 20, 2012
So good!!! If you loved the Red Tent then you'll love this just as much.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 18, 2012
I as a mother wept and took courage in Abijah! Wow.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 23, 2012
I loved this book. I've studied these events in my bible study but now they are very real to me.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 21, 2012
If you enjoy historical fiction, you'll LOVE this book! Looking forward to the sequel...
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Believing Yahweh as a myth of his ancestor King David and desperate to appease the idol Molech that he believes is the power, Hebrew King Ahaz of Judah decides to sacrifice his last son Hezekiah. By killing his son in sacrifice to Molech, Ahaz hopes to gain favor to win a war that has so far devastated his army and people. Only the lad¿s mother Abijah might be able to save her son¿s life, but she trusts no one yet needs help to keep Hezekiah safe. That help comes in the form of a miracle when Yahweh the true God makes his presence known at the altar............................. Surviving his evil father¿s excesses when he was a child, Hezekiah is now the king with only two people loyal to him out of love for him; his mother and his wife, but they know they must allow him to rule. Besides showering him with love, they pray to Yahweh to guide their beloved; for both knows his male role models have been abominations including his dead father, drunken grandfather, the power hungry disbelieving High Priest and foreign born instructor. Yet he must also deal with the Assyrian invasion and the scorn of the Great Prophet Isaiah............................ This is a terrific work of Old Testament historical fiction that provides an insightful look at two intriguing Hebrew descendents of David Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah; the former prayed to an idol while his son implemented needed religious reforms and a return to the One God. The story line is very entertaining while bringing to life a fascinating segment of the bible. Lynn Austin entertains her myriad of fans with her first of five book Chronicle of Kings series................... Harriet Klausner
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 11, 2012
Loved this book! It brought the Old Testament to life! I admired Abijah's courage. Also, as I was reading this, I realized the events in this book can be compared to present day. What will happen to our nation / world if we don't turn to God?
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 5, 2012
Overall it was a pretty good book. It was well written and only had some minor spelling problems (it was free, so i didn't mind), but some of it's historical content was incorrect from a Biblical standpoint. I used the references that she had put into the book and was able to find those minor mistakes (like a name or something) fairly quickly. It is historical FICTION after all so I guess it's not that significant if she mixes up a couple of names. But I'm annoyed that I now have to pay for the next book in the series, which the reviews say is better than the first one.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Overview