I just finished reading a 5 book series by Lynn Austin called the Chronicles of the Kings. The series takes place in Judah during the reigns of King Ahaz, King Hezekiah and King Manasseh. From “A Note to the Reader” in the first book, “Gods and Kings”:
Gods and Kings
Shortly after King Solomon’s death in 931 BC, the Promised Land split into tow separate kingdoms. Israel, the larger nation to the north, set up its capital in Samaria and was no longer governed by a descendant of King David. In the southern nation of Judah, where this story takes place, David’s royal line continued to rule from Jerusalem. The narrative centers around events in the lives of two kings of Judah: Ahaz, who ruled from 732 to 716 BC, and his son Hezekiah, who ruled from 716 to 687 BC. Careful study of Scripture and commentaries support the fictionalization of this story.
I thoroughly enjoyed the reading of these books this summer and I believe my interest in that time period has grown. Isaiah the prophet (if you are following our Bible reading plan you are reading Isaiah this month of September) is one of the characters in the series, and his prophecies are quoted extensively. The main characters all grapple with knowing God and they struggle with questioning why God does what He does. Trusting God through painful circumstances, learning to forgive and let go of anger, following God and obeying Him in the face of opposition, struggling with raising families…these are all themes woven throughout the series.
Here is another glowing review:
“Pulling the facts straight from the Bible, Lynn Austin breathes emotion into the Old Testament story of Hezekiah. A king, bent on rebellion against Yahweh and on stopping an invading army, sacrifices his firstborn to Molech. A mother, determined to protect her surviving son, must live a pretense as wife to her child’s murderer. A retired priest buries himself in his wine, but it does nothing for his remorse of not preventing his grandson’s death. A child watches his brother burn to death, knowing that he is now the next in line–for throne or sacrifice. And Judah’s enemy still approaches.
That’s just the first two chapters. Austin continues the drama throughout the rest of the book–palace intrigue, fatal choices, arranged marriages, conquering empires. But those sparkling elements only provide the plot for her superbly-drawn characters. From the helpless grasping of a corrupt king to the high priest’s slow compromising, biblical characters come alive in vivid detail. Description enriches the story without preventing it from being a page-turner. If you don’t think you’d like biblical fiction, try Gods and Kings. Lynn Austin might just change your mind.” —Christian Book Previews.com
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