What do you think?
Rate this book
The King's Men #0.6
The Blind Scribe
Shalem abhors when his cousins, Avidan and Gavriel, along with their friend Zevi leave him behind during their adventures. So, when the boys hear about a mysterious visitor to the mountain of Kiryat-Yearim, where the Ark of the Covenant has been hidden for many years, Shalem refuses to be left out of their mission to find out what the man is up to. What Shay doesn't anticipate is getting caught. Swept up in the mystery of the stranger and driven by his thirst for knowledge, he finds himself in an unexpected partnership which will change the course of his life. However, when his schemes are uncovered, the cost of his deceit may be too high.
Come along on another adventure with our future heroes long before the fateful day when they witness Saul's anointing in The King's Men series from Bethany House Publishers.
**The Blind Scribe is currently available only for those who have pre-ordered Shield of the Mighty (The King's Men Series)**
Come along on another adventure with our future heroes long before the fateful day when they witness Saul's anointing in The King's Men series from Bethany House Publishers.
**The Blind Scribe is currently available only for those who have pre-ordered Shield of the Mighty (The King's Men Series)**
74 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2024
127 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Connilyn Cossette
18 books2,714 followersConnilyn Cossette is a Christy Award-winning and bestselling author of stories that illuminate the ancient world of the Bible, in hopes readers will dig deeper into the Word and encounter the Great Storyteller himself within its pages. She is blessed to be the adopted mother of two graduated homeschoolers and is a recent breast cancer survivor. She and her husband of nearly thirty years live just north of Charlotte, NC when they aren't traveling around, exploring the world together!
Connect with her at ConnilynCossette.com
Connect with her at ConnilynCossette.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 3, 2024
“Knowledge is the most important currency.”
The Blind Scribe is set a few days before Pesach (Passover) in the woods of Kiryat-Yearim (about 9 miles outside Jerusalem) and takes place after both Between the Wild Branches and The Wedding Gift: A King’s Men Novella and a few years before Voice of the Ancient.
Cossette perfectly captures the innocence and curiosity of young boys and makes spending more time with Shalem, Zevi, Avidan, and Gavriel from The Wedding Gift a real treat!
You may remember Shalem (Shay) in The Wedding Gift and how he was hailed a hero. Well, this eight-year-old boy imagines that he’ll be rewarded for protecting Kiryat-Yearim from foreigners (and monstrous ones at that!), so when he finds two strangers camped out in the woods, he decides to spy and report back. Unfortunately, his plans don’t go according to plan!
While I did enjoy reading more about the boy cousins and their adventures, I really appreciated the lesson about the dangers of judging too hastily. It’s one of my weaknesses. I could also identify with Zevi as he took his adoptive father’s name and was overbrimming with the joy that comes with belonging to something bigger than himself. I thought of how we take our Heavenly father’s name, are adopted into his family and can rejoice in living in such a manner that we don’t tarnish His name. Like Zevi, I feel I have big shoes to fill.
This free gift with the purchase of Shield of the Mighty bridges the Covenant House Series and The King’s Men Series and is one you’ll want on your reading list!
The Blind Scribe is set a few days before Pesach (Passover) in the woods of Kiryat-Yearim (about 9 miles outside Jerusalem) and takes place after both Between the Wild Branches and The Wedding Gift: A King’s Men Novella and a few years before Voice of the Ancient.
Cossette perfectly captures the innocence and curiosity of young boys and makes spending more time with Shalem, Zevi, Avidan, and Gavriel from The Wedding Gift a real treat!
You may remember Shalem (Shay) in The Wedding Gift and how he was hailed a hero. Well, this eight-year-old boy imagines that he’ll be rewarded for protecting Kiryat-Yearim from foreigners (and monstrous ones at that!), so when he finds two strangers camped out in the woods, he decides to spy and report back. Unfortunately, his plans don’t go according to plan!
While I did enjoy reading more about the boy cousins and their adventures, I really appreciated the lesson about the dangers of judging too hastily. It’s one of my weaknesses. I could also identify with Zevi as he took his adoptive father’s name and was overbrimming with the joy that comes with belonging to something bigger than himself. I thought of how we take our Heavenly father’s name, are adopted into his family and can rejoice in living in such a manner that we don’t tarnish His name. Like Zevi, I feel I have big shoes to fill.
This free gift with the purchase of Shield of the Mighty bridges the Covenant House Series and The King’s Men Series and is one you’ll want on your reading list!
July 11, 2024
I loved this novella and it made me even more eager to read book two next month, if it were even possible to be MORE excited for Zevi’s story. I love these four cousins and their family so much. ❤️
April 23, 2025
This was a terrific prequel to the "King's Men" series.
December 13, 2025
I absolutely loved this, and getting to see Shalem before he disappeared. He is such a sweet kid with a heart of pure gold. He is curious, has a mind that most would literally want to have. I love Shalem, and I need him to be found in the final book !!!!!
This novella follows Shalem and his cousins as they come across a blind man. There are many rumors about who the man is, but through an encounter, Shalem learns that the man is a Babylonian Scribe who is almost blind. He grows a friendship with him and his aid and begins to teach and share the Torah with them while also learning from them.
Shalem is amazing. We need more of his pureness.
This novella follows Shalem and his cousins as they come across a blind man. There are many rumors about who the man is, but through an encounter, Shalem learns that the man is a Babylonian Scribe who is almost blind. He grows a friendship with him and his aid and begins to teach and share the Torah with them while also learning from them.
Shalem is amazing. We need more of his pureness.
December 13, 2025
I absolutely loved this, and getting to see Shalem before he disappeared. He is such a sweet kid with a heart of pure gold. He is curious, has a mind that most would literally want to have. I love Shalem, and I need him to be found in the final book !!!!!
This novella follows Shalem and his cousins as they come across a blind man. There are many rumors about who the man is, but through an encounter, Shalem learns that the man is a Babylonian Scribe who is almost blind. He grows a friendship with him and his aid and begins to teach and share the Torah with them while also learning from them.
Shalem is amazing. We need more of his pureness.
This novella follows Shalem and his cousins as they come across a blind man. There are many rumors about who the man is, but through an encounter, Shalem learns that the man is a Babylonian Scribe who is almost blind. He grows a friendship with him and his aid and begins to teach and share the Torah with them while also learning from them.
Shalem is amazing. We need more of his pureness.
September 12, 2024
The Blind Scribe A Wonder !!
This is a wonderful Addition to this series ! A Must Read to get more Acquainted with the characters in the Kings Men Series. Shoshana Gavi- Zevi - Natan-Shey they All become Like family . You learn with each book the rich character of each person , lovem so rich . This Series will go down the in history just Like "Mark Of The Lion series from Francine Rivers Books ! history making !!!
This is a wonderful Addition to this series ! A Must Read to get more Acquainted with the characters in the Kings Men Series. Shoshana Gavi- Zevi - Natan-Shey they All become Like family . You learn with each book the rich character of each person , lovem so rich . This Series will go down the in history just Like "Mark Of The Lion series from Francine Rivers Books ! history making !!!
October 12, 2024
Absolutely loving all these little novellas giving a sneak peek into the 4 cousins lives. This one gives so much insight into Shay’s life leaving so much to be
Imagined about what drove things that happen to him. My mind is whirling with possibilities to how his future ends up with his inquisitive mind. Thank you for giving us these snippets. I can’t wait to read what comes next.
Imagined about what drove things that happen to him. My mind is whirling with possibilities to how his future ends up with his inquisitive mind. Thank you for giving us these snippets. I can’t wait to read what comes next.
September 17, 2024
Amazing Novella
The Blind Scribe is short, yet full of truth. Follow along as you see Shalem, Zevi, Avi and Gavi adventure as children. This story gives a beautiful introduction to Shalem and his fascinating mind. I’m excited to see what happens with his story as his love for Yahweh reminds us of the importance of sharing willingly the good news of our God. Well done, Connilyn!
The Blind Scribe is short, yet full of truth. Follow along as you see Shalem, Zevi, Avi and Gavi adventure as children. This story gives a beautiful introduction to Shalem and his fascinating mind. I’m excited to see what happens with his story as his love for Yahweh reminds us of the importance of sharing willingly the good news of our God. Well done, Connilyn!
July 19, 2025
Great novella
I enjoyed the story about the scribe from Babylon learning from a young Levite boy with great intelligence. Thanks for these novellas. I love this author and am excited for her next book to come out.
I enjoyed the story about the scribe from Babylon learning from a young Levite boy with great intelligence. Thanks for these novellas. I love this author and am excited for her next book to come out.
August 31, 2025
Couldn't stop reading!
I enjoy getting to know Shay,Avi, Gavi and Zeti so much It is very interesting to get a glimpse of how people lived in biblical times. Great read. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and imagination with us
I enjoy getting to know Shay,Avi, Gavi and Zeti so much It is very interesting to get a glimpse of how people lived in biblical times. Great read. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and imagination with us
September 1, 2025
Cossette uses this novella to give details about the childhood of some of the characters we meet in another series. In this novella, Shay meets a stranger and shares his knowledge.
Sometimes a child can be wiser than parents.
Sometimes a child can be wiser than parents.
October 2, 2025
Wonderful!
I love this continuation of the Levite family! Shalem is such a fun character to follow. His curiosity and wisdom are great examples! And he's so gifted! Zaidu was an interesting character as were his companions. The ending was great!
I love this continuation of the Levite family! Shalem is such a fun character to follow. His curiosity and wisdom are great examples! And he's so gifted! Zaidu was an interesting character as were his companions. The ending was great!
September 19, 2024
Loved this little story-
their values.
I continue on to # 2, in the series. ( should have read before the "Blind Scribe")
their values.
I continue on to # 2, in the series. ( should have read before the "Blind Scribe")
October 18, 2024
Great “Bridge” between two series!
I loved the first two books and am looking forward to reading A King’s Men soon. Thank goodness for such interesting stories.
I loved the first two books and am looking forward to reading A King’s Men soon. Thank goodness for such interesting stories.
April 18, 2025
Really enjoyed this novella that added to other books I’ve read. I usually really enjoy books set during Bible times and early church era!!
July 14, 2025
Can’t wait for Splendor to be released!
January 6, 2026
These are fun little reads! I see how God used Shay's misfortune, that happened in the actual series, to fulfill parts of Shay's longing for adventure!
January 21, 2025
I actually received The Blind Scribe as a gift for preordering Shield of the Mighty, but had a lot of trouble locating the file (for some reason, it never downloaded onto my Kindle properly). So, I ended up reading this prequel *after* the excellent novel, but as I said, The Blind Scribe was worth the wait.
First off, again, I loved being reunited with The King's Men cousins as little boys. More importantly, in this installment, I absolutely loved Shalem. Of the four, he is the one I identify with most, and that was cemented here. We are both scholars, and we both love languages and words and music. In The Blind Scribe, I got to see a little more of his character--his photographic memory, for instance, and the way he has been chastised to keep his constant questions and deep thoughts to himself. Throughout the story I kept thinking, "Yes, that was me." It still is, in a way. My heart knit to Shay's, broke for him, and cheered for him.
Beyond that, I loved the new characters in The Blind Scribe and the friendship Shay formed with them. Zaidur and Gaidar now feel like new friends to me, too. I especially appreciated Connilyn's examination of Zaidur's condition in a time period where it wouldn't have been known, let alone diagnosed, and how she nevertheless united it with a love of words and reading. Like Shay, my heart broke for Zaidur because I could picture myself in his position. But I never pitied Zaidur or saw him as a victim. Instead, he, Gaidar, and their mission intrigued me. I rooted for these characters to find what and Who they were looking for, and to find community and acceptance. Plus, yeah, I'm gonna say it. Connilyn gets brownie points for the inclusion of the big cat bodyguard! (I would have adopted her in a heartbeat--*after* having a nervous first meeting of, "Good kitty...niiiice kitty...")
Finally, I want to commend Connilyn's spiritual threads in this story. They come through much more overtly than in The Wedding Gift, but here, that's a plus. I won't go into everything for fear of spoilers, but let's just say Shay, who so longs to be the hero and treated as a young man, gets his desire in an understated, yet vital way. The Blind Scribe is an Old Testament story, but the Gospel echoes in it, especially throughout the last chapters. I wanted to come into the book and tell Shay, "Wait until you hear Who is coming. You may not be on earth for that, but you are doing a great job preparing the way for Him and He is so proud of you." Plus, I loved how, stern though they were, Shay's dad and grandfather so gently, expertly mixed the natural consequences of reckless behavior with acknowledgment of the great thing Shay provided the catalyst for.
Maybe because this is a Kindle book, I did notice some writing issues. There are a lot of comma splices throughout, especially in the early chapters. There's a place where Eliora inexplicably refers to her husband as Eben, not Ronen (or else she was actually talking about Shay's father Eben, but because the uses of male pronouns weren't clear, I got mixed up). Also, there's a place where Maranhu, who is female, is inexplicably called "he" or "him," then switches back to female. Ordinarily, I'd take a star for that, but that seems a bit picky.
Overall then, The Blind Scribe is a confident 4.8 to perfect 5. I'm growing to love and anticipate these short stories and hope Connilyn has at least one more for us (maybe they can be an omnibus sometime)? And I'll admit it: As much as I want to know what happened to Gavi, I am now *bursting* to know Shay's whole story. Whichever "king's man" Connilyn chooses though, I'll gladly wait with anticipation. In the meantime, open your reading and spiritual eyes to this beauty!
First off, again, I loved being reunited with The King's Men cousins as little boys. More importantly, in this installment, I absolutely loved Shalem. Of the four, he is the one I identify with most, and that was cemented here. We are both scholars, and we both love languages and words and music. In The Blind Scribe, I got to see a little more of his character--his photographic memory, for instance, and the way he has been chastised to keep his constant questions and deep thoughts to himself. Throughout the story I kept thinking, "Yes, that was me." It still is, in a way. My heart knit to Shay's, broke for him, and cheered for him.
Beyond that, I loved the new characters in The Blind Scribe and the friendship Shay formed with them. Zaidur and Gaidar now feel like new friends to me, too. I especially appreciated Connilyn's examination of Zaidur's condition in a time period where it wouldn't have been known, let alone diagnosed, and how she nevertheless united it with a love of words and reading. Like Shay, my heart broke for Zaidur because I could picture myself in his position. But I never pitied Zaidur or saw him as a victim. Instead, he, Gaidar, and their mission intrigued me. I rooted for these characters to find what and Who they were looking for, and to find community and acceptance. Plus, yeah, I'm gonna say it. Connilyn gets brownie points for the inclusion of the big cat bodyguard! (I would have adopted her in a heartbeat--*after* having a nervous first meeting of, "Good kitty...niiiice kitty...")
Finally, I want to commend Connilyn's spiritual threads in this story. They come through much more overtly than in The Wedding Gift, but here, that's a plus. I won't go into everything for fear of spoilers, but let's just say Shay, who so longs to be the hero and treated as a young man, gets his desire in an understated, yet vital way. The Blind Scribe is an Old Testament story, but the Gospel echoes in it, especially throughout the last chapters. I wanted to come into the book and tell Shay, "Wait until you hear Who is coming. You may not be on earth for that, but you are doing a great job preparing the way for Him and He is so proud of you." Plus, I loved how, stern though they were, Shay's dad and grandfather so gently, expertly mixed the natural consequences of reckless behavior with acknowledgment of the great thing Shay provided the catalyst for.
Maybe because this is a Kindle book, I did notice some writing issues. There are a lot of comma splices throughout, especially in the early chapters. There's a place where Eliora inexplicably refers to her husband as Eben, not Ronen (or else she was actually talking about Shay's father Eben, but because the uses of male pronouns weren't clear, I got mixed up). Also, there's a place where Maranhu, who is female, is inexplicably called "he" or "him," then switches back to female. Ordinarily, I'd take a star for that, but that seems a bit picky.
Overall then, The Blind Scribe is a confident 4.8 to perfect 5. I'm growing to love and anticipate these short stories and hope Connilyn has at least one more for us (maybe they can be an omnibus sometime)? And I'll admit it: As much as I want to know what happened to Gavi, I am now *bursting* to know Shay's whole story. Whichever "king's man" Connilyn chooses though, I'll gladly wait with anticipation. In the meantime, open your reading and spiritual eyes to this beauty!
December 11, 2024
It was so much fun to pick up this book and get to know the main characters of The King’s Men series before the series started! Shay is quite the intrepid character; I loved watching him learn and discover through this story. This wasn’t a stand-out story, and I wouldn’t say you miss out on much (as the series stands) without reading it, but if you’ve enjoyed the series and want something to help keep the characters alive for you while waiting for the next book to release, I’d recommend you check this out. It’s a short, fast, easy, sweet read. I found it a nice companion to unwind with several evenings in a row. I doubt I’ll ever read it again, but it was a fun read.
August 11, 2024
I absolutely loved this glimpse of the early years of the cousins/friends who grow up to be the lead characters in the King's Men novels. As with The Wedding Gift, this is told in 3rd person narrative from Shalem's point of view. As the youngest of the 4, he is often the one left out when the boys embark on more "grown up" adventures, and so it is fitting that he continues to find himself in the greater adventures. This story, though incredibly short, was chock full of ALL the things - good plot line, good character development, good convicting message on the importance of sharing the gospel, a beautiful adoption story embedded within, and a thorough whetting of the appetite for more of this series! I'm so excited to dive in to Shield of the Mighty! Special thanks to the author for the gift of this e-novella. I was not required to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
September 3, 2024
I love how these novellas about Avi, Gavi, Zevi, and Shay as boys are fun to read on their own while adding so much to the understanding of the characters as I read their full-length novels of them all grown up! I think my sons will really enjoy these novellas now and then in a few years will enjoy reading the series about these young men! Also, as a linguist myself, I can't wait to see what Shay does with all the language and culture tidbits he keeps picking up in these novellas!
August 11, 2024
A wonderful story of young boys coming of age. Very nice to read. Perfect to read on a quiet afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews