Chronicles of the Kings

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the Kings of Judah?  Do you think that the stories in I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles are not very intriguing? In December, I found a historical fiction series based on the life of King Hezekiah. I  downloaded Gods and Kings: Chronicles of the Kings #1 onto my Kindle for free, became immediately hooked, and after finishing it I had to get the other books in the series (five in all). Lynn Austin makes the story of Hezekiah come alive! What I love about these books is you can then go back to Scripture and read the storyline.  Some of the books actually have Scripture references at the beginning so you know which parts of the Bible are covered in that particular novel.  I love the fact that Lynn has done her research and has included the prophets that would have interacted with the kings in the plot.  So far I have read about Isaiah and Micah. The way Lynn writes brings the story to life and helps connect in my mind the different parts of Scripture to the storyline. She has tried to be accurate historically/Biblically.

Here is a quick overview of the five books:

Gods and Kings (Chronicles of the Kings #1) - The story of King Ahaz (the father of Hezekiah) and how his reign leaves Judah devastated because of his idol worship.  The book closes with Hezekiah getting married and becoming king.

Song of Redemption (Chronicles of the Kings #2) - The beginning of Hezekiah's reign and how he seeks to follow God's Laws unlike his father.

The Strength of His Hand (Chronicles of the Kings #3) - God rewards Hezekiah for his faithfulness.  His wife, though, resorts to idolatry because she is barren.  The Assyrians are approaching which causes more stress for the king.

Faith of My Fathers (Chronicles of the Kings #4) - Hezekiah's death brings his son, Manasseh,  to the throne.

Among the Gods (Chronicles of the Kings #5) - A remnant of Jews flee to Egypt to escape King Manasseh's tyranny.