Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Voice of the Ancient (The King's Men # 1)

Voice of the Ancient
By Connilyn Cossette
Published by Bethany House

Description from the publisher:
As the eldest son of a Levite and a Philistine, Avidan is torn between his duty to his family legacy and the desire for something more. When Ammonites attack the city of Yavash-Gilead, he takes the opportunity to fight with his cousins for the newly crowned King Saul. But when one of the cousins goes missing during the battle, Avidan stays behind to search for him in hopes that he's still alive.
Keziah is the daughter of one of the most powerful clan chiefs in the territory of Manasseh. On the brink of a forced marriage to a loathsome man decades older than her, she has no choice but to run. Dressed as a boy, she takes her horse and heads for the south, hoping to find sanctuary with her mother's family.
Battling to survive the dangers surrounding them, Avidan and Keziah make a pact to travel together. As Keziah's true origins are revealed and Avidan's search for his cousin becomes increasingly futile, they must not only rely on each other to stay alive but learn to trust the true and eternal King of Israel to guide their every step.
With impeccable research and award-winning writing, bestselling author Connilyn Cossette brings to life the first years of King Saul's reign.

My Review:
Great piece of Biblical fiction and great opener to a new series--it left me totally wanting to read the subsquent books in the series to find out what will happen to Avi's cousins (who I presume will be the male protagonists in the rest of the series).
I really liked seeing Avi's journey, both physically as he searched for his cousin and spiritually as he came to know more both about Yahweh and himself, and how he came to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. I found Keziah, an Israelite who had unknowingly strayed from truly following God, coming to know Yahweh, to be quiet compelling as well. I quite enjoyed learning a bit about this period in history. I think my favorite elements of the book, though, were the reminders that Yahweh is the God who Sees and the God who Hears--and that no one is beyond His view or His hearing.
4 stars.
I read an ARC publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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