The Strength of His Hand

The third volume of five in the Chronicles of the Kings series by Lynn Austin is spiritually inspiring fiction. She writes so as to be accurate both to history and to the Biblical accounts, but develops the characters and dialogue in a way to bring everyone to life in interesting ways.

What an awesome storyteller. If you have ever had the pleasure of reading a Francine Rivers novel, you will enjoy Lynn Austin as well. While I meditated on Rivers novels for days and even weeks, I found Austin's stories a bit faster paced and entertaining yet at the same time thought provoking and nourishment to the soul. I greatly enjoyed the first three books and highly recommend them. I am waiting for the fourth and fifth!

King Hezekiah has returned his people to worshipping only Yahweh after the brutal paganism that highlighted the reign of his sire. With the return to praying to the One God, Judah has seen prosperity. Perhaps the only thing that has not gone right for the monarch is the lack of an heir; this especially disturbs his beloved wife Hephzibah. Desperate to bear a male child, Hephzibah visits a pagan shrine worshiping the fertility goddess Asherahl and offers a deal to this false deity. Stunned when he learns what his wife did that broke the Commandant and the key principle to his reign, an irate Hezekiah devastates the pagan shrine. However, he is severely injured because of his berserker ranting. Once calm he knows his country's future is at stake so he turns to God for help and forgiveness for him, his wife, and their people. God answers through the prophet Isaiah who provides direction to clean his house and to select his heir. The third tome of the fabulous Chronicles of the Kings series, THE STRENGTH OF HIS HAND, offers a terrific look at King Hezekiah's reign at a time of moral and religious crisis that threatens to destroy all he believed in and worked to achieve. Interestingly, the transgression of worshipping the false god by Hephzibah was done out of love for her spouse (good intentions can be an express way to hell). As Lynn Austin did with the insightful SONG OF REDEMPTION and GODS AND KINGS, fans will learn much about ancient Judah while cherishing this excellent work of biblical fiction. Harriet Klausner

I love this series so much that I have had to replace the entire set three times. I lend them out and they disappear! These are by far the finest novels that Ms. Austin has written. I was drawn into the story, and I just couldn't put the books down. Ms. Austin provides Scriptural references so it is easy to see what she is basing her story on. After reading the Scriptures, elements in the story that are taken right out of the Bible are easily discerned from those that the writer may be taking an artist license with. It breathed life into these characters and made them very relevant to me.I immediately began reading the remaining books in the series, and every one was a delight. I enthusiastically recommend the series.

Can one little lie mean so much to Hezekiah? When his wife does not produce an heir, his faith seems to flag. His wife takes desparate measures to ensure fertility but without Hezekiah's knowledge. With all that is going on in his kingdom he does not become aware of her duplicity until it's almost too late. Her betrayal of Hezekiah's love cuts to the very core of his being and his belief in God. Can Hezekiah ever recover from this deceipt, find the strength that God supplied in the past and renew his love for his wife? Where will God lead Hezekiah in his fight for correcting the wrongs of the past? Be sure to read the conclusion of this trilogy. The message depicts a conflict that is raging around us even today! See what the answers are for obtaining strength and peace in a world in conflict. Look for her next series based on the life of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah. Biblical adherents as well as those unschooled in Bible history will love these books. A clear insite into the history of Hezekiah through one of Israel's more difficult times