Gods and Kings

Engrossing Book, Not Just for Female Readers

I noticed all of the reviews for this book on Amazon, though very high, were written by females. My question was, "Is this a book only for chicks?" The answer is, "No."
Gods and Kings is one of the more engrossing books of the 50 or so I have read from Audible. Obviously, you have to be a Christian or Jew to accept the story; however, I find the book to be much deeper and more moving than most Christian literature. I particularly like the believable scenarios offered for priests that slip into idolatry gradually, a king that spirals down to the abyss of sin, and a young king that forgets and then rediscovers his God. The involvement of the prophets Isaiah and Micah are particularly well done.
The only negative to this selection is that the reader does a poor job on about half of the male voices, particularly that of King Ahaz. Other than that, good reading and great writing!

42 people found this helpful

This was a GREAT listen!

I work at an incredibly mundane data-entry job. Monday I started listening and by Wednesday I had finished it and purchased the 2nd in the series! It was so entertaining! At first, the narrator was sort of annoying, but I was quickly absorbed by the story and characters and didn't even notice it anymore.

Although the book was written a few years ago (not to mention the "original" book thousands of years ago), the themes are very much relavant to today. Between wars and treachery, greed and apathy, this story could be written about many public figures today along with other individuals in our own lives.

Book 2 has been equally entertaining. I'll download the 3rd in the series by the end of the weekend!

18 people found this helpful

A fun way to learn Biblical history

Any additional comments?

For me, reading the Old Testament is...difficult. I have a tough time piecing together the major events while navigating the "so and so begat so and so" chapters. And as a consequence - I don't know much about the Old Testament.

Lynn Austin brings the Bible to life by piecing together scripture and filling in the gaps. Like all good historical fiction writers, Austin uses the facts where available and sews them together with a plausible and interesting storyline. This was my first Lynn Austin listen and I have since completed several more books in this series. They're all interesting and they're all beautifully written.

This book covers the early life of Hezekiah, future King of Judah. This youngster will eventually change the course of history and this book leads up to that. So if you're like me and sometimes struggle reading scripture, give Lynn Austin a listen. You'll enjoy the story and find out that you're learning along the way.

12 people found this helpful

Couldn't stop listening!

At first the topic of this book series didn't seem very interesting, but I love Lynn Austin's other books, so I thought I'd try out the first book in this series. It was so good, I couldn't stop listening! She really brings the characters to life, and I found myself looking them up in the Bible to see what more I could find out about them. Like "Does Hezekiah become a godly king or continue in the idolotry of his father?" I loved this book because not only is it a great story, but it's based on actual events and people, with some fiction to fill in the blanks. I can't wait to get the next book in the Chronicles series!

12 people found this helpful

Chronicles of the Kings Series is now my favorite

I have listened to all 5 of the books in this series at least 4 times. I am addicted to them. The first time I listened to them, I had to go back to the Bible and see how accurate they were. After researching for myself, I am amazed at how close these books are to the truth. I promise, if you listen to them, you will not be the same.

9 people found this helpful

King Hezekiah Did What Was Pleasing to God

This historical account of King Ahaz who turned away from God to worship false idols and brought about the ruin of the nation is very applicable to current times. His young son, Hezekiah watched as his father sacrificed his brother to Molek. Hezekiah, terrified, prayed to the one true God that he, too, would not be sacrificed in the fire. God spared his life. Hezekiah succeeded his father as king of Judah and listened to the prophet Micah and returned the nation to worship the Lord.

6 people found this helpful

WOW!!

What did you love best about Gods and Kings?

I had been looking for a good book series to follow and she truly satisfied my thirst.

Have you listened to any of Suzanne Toren’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She is truly talented. Her versatile tones make her perfect for a large cast.

Any additional comments?

This woman can write...and this whole series is inspired!

5 people found this helpful

Great Book

I truly enjoyed this book. It really makes the scriptures come to life. It also adds a human factor to the Bible that you know is there in the Bible. After reading this book and then reading this portion of the Bible it really gave me a better view of this timeframe. I really appreciate that Lynn took the time to sit down and do the research on this and then write a story about it..

7 people found this helpful

Gods and Kings

This series includes five books. More enjoyable if read in order. A wonderful story. These books made me see the ancient times so differently. I began to identify with these biblical characters as real people. I could not put these books down and was sorry to say goodbye when I finished the book.

6 people found this helpful

Might Have Found A New Favorite Author

Other than the book being very descriptive at times, I found the book very good. This is the first time I heard Suzanne Toren's narration. She is very good at differentiating between the different characters. You can hear the empathy, etc in her voice in the various characters.

2 people found this helpful