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The Prophet Trilogy #3
Beloved
If you want to change a man, change his god. The Sacred Land is in turmoil, and the terrible judgment foreseen by the prophets even now wings its way over the sea. A bloodthirsty queen reigns in the Holy City, and the dragon-headed god Kimash is ascendant. For Alack, forced into unwilling service to a ruthless conqueror; Rechab, caught in a net of tragedy and treason; and Flora, delivered into the hands of her enemies, it seems all hope is lost. But hope does not die easily. The story in the stars may yet hold a surprise for all who dare read it--and for all who dare risk everything to save their souls. BELOVED is Book 3 in The Prophet Trilogy, a biblical fantasy set in a near-historical world of deserts, temples, and spiritual forces that vie for the hearts of men. If you love deep characterization, stories that make you think, and inspirational fiction that wrestles with questions and moves your heart to connect more deeply with God, this series is for you. Buy BELOVED now! Life-Changing, Inspirational Christian From the Author Hey, my name is Rachel Starr Thomson. I love Jesus and believe wholeheartedly in the power of fiction to change our lives. While nonfiction may teach us something, fiction allows us to experience it. When we’re experiencing truth, beauty, struggle, and triumph, we find our lives enriched and deepened by what we read. That’s why I write. I want my readers to discover depths of truth about themselves, about the world, and about God that stretch and inspire them. My stories are always clean, but I don’t shy away from hard questions and honest characters. Whoever you are, I believe in you. I believe your life has immeasurable worth. I believe you were personally handcrafted by a loving Creator with a vision and purpose for your life. I believe your struggles, your dreams, and your hurts matter. I believe you walk a path no one else does, one that is intended to benefit the world. I hope you’ll enjoy what you read and come back for more. Most of all, I hope that through my stories, you’ll forge a new depth of connection with the God who truly loves you. Genre-Bending Christian Biblical, Historical, Suspense, Fantasy, Paranormal, Visionary—Always Lyrical, Always Christian, Always Changing the Game Readers would be forgiven for asking what genre exactly Rachel Starr Thomson writes. Her work is described as spiritual, visionary, biblical, fantasy—and literary, poetic, and anchored in the real world. Always a clean read, her books are suitable for teens but have the depth, beauty, and characterization to keep adults riveted. They The Seventh World Trilogy (Worlds Unseen, Burning Light, Coming Day): Classic Christian fantasy in the style of C.S. Lewis. Great for teens & all readers of inspirational fiction. The Prophet Trilogy (Abaddon’s Eve, Comes the Dragon, Beloved): Best described as biblical historical fantasy. Set in a world based on ancient Israel, these books follow four believers in a time when judgment is coming. The Oneness Cycle (Exile, Hive, Attack, Renegade, Rise): Readers call them spiritual warfare fiction. They’re Christian urban fantasy, paranormal, suspense novels—but they’re also real world in their impact. If you’ve ever wondered about your place in the battle of good vs evil, this series is the place to start. These novels will challenge your perception of the world.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2015
13 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Starr Thomson
79 books174 followersRachel Starr Thomson is in love with Jesus and convinced the gospel will change the world.
Rachel is a woman of many talents and even more interests: she’s a writer, editor, indie publisher, singer, speaker, Bible study teacher, and world traveler. The author of the Seventh World Trilogy, The Oneness Cycle, and many other books, she also tours North America and other parts of the world as a speaker and spoken-word artist with 1:11 Ministries.
Adventures in the Kingdom launched in 2015 as a way to bring together Rachel’s explorations, in fiction and nonfiction, of what it means to live all of life in the kingdom of God.
Rachel lives in the beautiful Niagara Region of southern Ontario, just down the river from the Falls. She drinks far too much coffee and tea, daydreams of visiting Florida all winter, and hikes the Bruce Trail when she gets a few minutes. A homeschool graduate from a highly creative and entrepreneurial family, she believes we’d all be much better off if we pitched our television sets out the nearest window.
LIFE AND WORK (BRIEFLY)
Rachel began writing on scrap paper sometime around grade 1. Her stories revolved around jungle animals and sometimes pirates (they were actual rats . . . she doesn’t remember if the pun was intended). Back then she also illustrated her own work, a habit she left behind with the scrap paper.
Rachel’s first novel, a humorous romp called Theodore Pharris Saves the Universe, was written when she was 13, followed within a year by the more serious adventure story Reap the Whirlwind. Around that time, she had a life-changing encounter with God.
The next several years were spent getting to know God, developing a new love for the Scriptures, and discovering a passion for ministry through working with a local ministry with international reach, Sommer Haven Ranch International. Although Rachel was raised in a strong Christian home, where discipleship was as much a part of homeschooling as academics, these years were pivotal in making her faith her own.
At age 17, Rachel started writing again, this time penning the essays that became Letters to a Samuel Generation and Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord’s Prayer.
In 2001, Rachel returned to fiction, writing what would become her bestselling novel and then a bestselling series–Worlds Unseen, book 1 of The Seventh World Trilogy.
A classic fantasy adventure marked by Rachel’s lyrical style, Worlds Unseen encapsulates much of what makes Rachel’s writing unique: fantasy settings with one foot in the real world; adventure stories that explore depths of spiritual truth; and a knack for opening readers’ eyes anew to the beauty of their own world–and of themselves.
In 2003, Rachel began freelance editing, a side job that soon blossomed into a full-time career. Four years later, in 2007, she co-founded Soli Deo Gloria Ballet with Carolyn Currey, an arts ministry that in 2015 would be renamed as 1:11 Ministries. To a team of dancers and singers, Rachel brought the power of words, writing and delivering original narrations, spoken-word poetry, and songs for over a dozen productions. The team has ministered coast-to-coast in Canada as well as in the United States and internationally.
Rachel began publishing her own work under the auspices of Little Dozen Press in 2007, but it was in 2011, with the e-book revolution in full swing, that writing became a true priority again. Since that time Rachel has published many of her older never-published titles and written two new fiction series, The Oneness Cycle and The Prophet Trilogy.
Over 30 of Rachel’s novels, short stories, and nonfiction works are now available in digital editions. Many are available in paperback as well, with more released regularly.
The God she fell in love with as a teenager has remained the focus of Rachel’s life, work, and speaking.
Rachel is a woman of many talents and even more interests: she’s a writer, editor, indie publisher, singer, speaker, Bible study teacher, and world traveler. The author of the Seventh World Trilogy, The Oneness Cycle, and many other books, she also tours North America and other parts of the world as a speaker and spoken-word artist with 1:11 Ministries.
Adventures in the Kingdom launched in 2015 as a way to bring together Rachel’s explorations, in fiction and nonfiction, of what it means to live all of life in the kingdom of God.
Rachel lives in the beautiful Niagara Region of southern Ontario, just down the river from the Falls. She drinks far too much coffee and tea, daydreams of visiting Florida all winter, and hikes the Bruce Trail when she gets a few minutes. A homeschool graduate from a highly creative and entrepreneurial family, she believes we’d all be much better off if we pitched our television sets out the nearest window.
LIFE AND WORK (BRIEFLY)
Rachel began writing on scrap paper sometime around grade 1. Her stories revolved around jungle animals and sometimes pirates (they were actual rats . . . she doesn’t remember if the pun was intended). Back then she also illustrated her own work, a habit she left behind with the scrap paper.
Rachel’s first novel, a humorous romp called Theodore Pharris Saves the Universe, was written when she was 13, followed within a year by the more serious adventure story Reap the Whirlwind. Around that time, she had a life-changing encounter with God.
The next several years were spent getting to know God, developing a new love for the Scriptures, and discovering a passion for ministry through working with a local ministry with international reach, Sommer Haven Ranch International. Although Rachel was raised in a strong Christian home, where discipleship was as much a part of homeschooling as academics, these years were pivotal in making her faith her own.
At age 17, Rachel started writing again, this time penning the essays that became Letters to a Samuel Generation and Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord’s Prayer.
In 2001, Rachel returned to fiction, writing what would become her bestselling novel and then a bestselling series–Worlds Unseen, book 1 of The Seventh World Trilogy.
A classic fantasy adventure marked by Rachel’s lyrical style, Worlds Unseen encapsulates much of what makes Rachel’s writing unique: fantasy settings with one foot in the real world; adventure stories that explore depths of spiritual truth; and a knack for opening readers’ eyes anew to the beauty of their own world–and of themselves.
In 2003, Rachel began freelance editing, a side job that soon blossomed into a full-time career. Four years later, in 2007, she co-founded Soli Deo Gloria Ballet with Carolyn Currey, an arts ministry that in 2015 would be renamed as 1:11 Ministries. To a team of dancers and singers, Rachel brought the power of words, writing and delivering original narrations, spoken-word poetry, and songs for over a dozen productions. The team has ministered coast-to-coast in Canada as well as in the United States and internationally.
Rachel began publishing her own work under the auspices of Little Dozen Press in 2007, but it was in 2011, with the e-book revolution in full swing, that writing became a true priority again. Since that time Rachel has published many of her older never-published titles and written two new fiction series, The Oneness Cycle and The Prophet Trilogy.
Over 30 of Rachel’s novels, short stories, and nonfiction works are now available in digital editions. Many are available in paperback as well, with more released regularly.
The God she fell in love with as a teenager has remained the focus of Rachel’s life, work, and speaking.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 30, 2022
2022 re-read ~ Reading this series with Scott has been wonderful. Not only is this series amazing, but sharing it with Scott was wonderful. I still just adore this series.
Full review
Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for violence
Best for Ages: 13 and up
This is one of those stories that takes some time to recover from because they are so powerful. My heart was aching, and I felt so happy at the end of the book. I felt like crying because it was just that powerful. This left me so satisfied and aching that all other books seemed pale for a little bit afterward.
Thomson’s style is one of my favorites. It is lyrical, beautiful, and pulls me in quickly. I’ve read her Seventh World Trilogy, but I must say I enjoyed this setting better. It is classified as Biblical fantasy which I think is perfect. It has the feel of a Biblical story, yet wasn’t trying to parallel a certain one. It feels like a story out of the book of kings, without trying so hard that it feels like sacrilege.
The book is such a tangle of human motives, emotions, and choices. There were characters that I hadn’t liked that ended up surprising me with their virtue. There were characters that I loved at first that made poor, costly choices: In short, the characters felt real. They weren’t flat, making the expected choices; they were people who made unexpected ones.
As the climax drew close, the spiritual elements were vivid. Yet, Thomason still didn’t rush in to tell you what you needed to get out of it. The story spoke for itself in such a way that I think different readers will get different things out of it, but will all be moved.
I highly recommend this trilogy for those who like powerful stories, lyrical writing, and happy endings
Full review
Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for violence
Best for Ages: 13 and up
This is one of those stories that takes some time to recover from because they are so powerful. My heart was aching, and I felt so happy at the end of the book. I felt like crying because it was just that powerful. This left me so satisfied and aching that all other books seemed pale for a little bit afterward.
Thomson’s style is one of my favorites. It is lyrical, beautiful, and pulls me in quickly. I’ve read her Seventh World Trilogy, but I must say I enjoyed this setting better. It is classified as Biblical fantasy which I think is perfect. It has the feel of a Biblical story, yet wasn’t trying to parallel a certain one. It feels like a story out of the book of kings, without trying so hard that it feels like sacrilege.
The book is such a tangle of human motives, emotions, and choices. There were characters that I hadn’t liked that ended up surprising me with their virtue. There were characters that I loved at first that made poor, costly choices: In short, the characters felt real. They weren’t flat, making the expected choices; they were people who made unexpected ones.
As the climax drew close, the spiritual elements were vivid. Yet, Thomason still didn’t rush in to tell you what you needed to get out of it. The story spoke for itself in such a way that I think different readers will get different things out of it, but will all be moved.
I highly recommend this trilogy for those who like powerful stories, lyrical writing, and happy endings
February 5, 2016
I'm running out of Rachel Starr Thomson novels that I haven't read, which is a very sad thing.
Beloved is the final novel in a trilogy allegory of the Old Testament. The stars have long depicted the doom of the chosen people--Isha the Beloved races towards the jaws of the dragon. Beneath the night skies, the residents of the Holy City wantonly defile even the holiest places. The newest queen stirs up defiance against the Great God, ardently worshiping the dragon-headed Kimosh while her husband, king of The People, looses himself in his wine.
Yet the stars still shine on a faithful remnant. The eye of the Great God rests upon the least likely of souls. Flora Laurentii, imprisoned and forced to face the god she has spent a lifetime fleeing, hears His voice whisper Beloved to her soul and, for the first time in her life, does not feel ashamed. Quivering Recheb finds herself proclaimed the mistress of rebellion against the king, yet with the Great God watching her, she finds courage when she should be most ashamed. And Alack, the shepherd boy turned prophet, finds a glimmer of hope in his prophecy of doom.
The people must repent. The dragon is read to swallow Isha and destroy the beloved, but the Great God is still willing to save. If only the people will repent and worship Him.
Of all Rachel Starr Thomson's books and series, I believe The Prophet Trilogy appeals to the broadest audience. The setting is similar enough to Old Testament times and the laws of nature close enough to our own that readers who are not hard-core speculative fans will be able to enjoy these books.
In every review of this author's books, I try to put words to why the capture me. I don't think I've ever been successful! Thomson has a way of speaking truth through her novels that not many authors can parallel.
So go ahead. Pick up Abaddon's Eve and keep right on reading.
Beloved is the final novel in a trilogy allegory of the Old Testament. The stars have long depicted the doom of the chosen people--Isha the Beloved races towards the jaws of the dragon. Beneath the night skies, the residents of the Holy City wantonly defile even the holiest places. The newest queen stirs up defiance against the Great God, ardently worshiping the dragon-headed Kimosh while her husband, king of The People, looses himself in his wine.
Yet the stars still shine on a faithful remnant. The eye of the Great God rests upon the least likely of souls. Flora Laurentii, imprisoned and forced to face the god she has spent a lifetime fleeing, hears His voice whisper Beloved to her soul and, for the first time in her life, does not feel ashamed. Quivering Recheb finds herself proclaimed the mistress of rebellion against the king, yet with the Great God watching her, she finds courage when she should be most ashamed. And Alack, the shepherd boy turned prophet, finds a glimmer of hope in his prophecy of doom.
The people must repent. The dragon is read to swallow Isha and destroy the beloved, but the Great God is still willing to save. If only the people will repent and worship Him.
Of all Rachel Starr Thomson's books and series, I believe The Prophet Trilogy appeals to the broadest audience. The setting is similar enough to Old Testament times and the laws of nature close enough to our own that readers who are not hard-core speculative fans will be able to enjoy these books.
In every review of this author's books, I try to put words to why the capture me. I don't think I've ever been successful! Thomson has a way of speaking truth through her novels that not many authors can parallel.
So go ahead. Pick up Abaddon's Eve and keep right on reading.
February 3, 2018
A Satisfying Conclusion
As the 2 books before it, Beloved is a page turner. Full of excitement, twists and turns you do not see coming. After living in this world for 3 books, I found the end to be completely satisfying. A well rounded trilogy, buy them all because you may end up reading the all in quick succession!
As the 2 books before it, Beloved is a page turner. Full of excitement, twists and turns you do not see coming. After living in this world for 3 books, I found the end to be completely satisfying. A well rounded trilogy, buy them all because you may end up reading the all in quick succession!
October 7, 2017
Awesome books very intertaining and lots of inspiration
10
In my book. Wonderful more words very good book and all three books. Thank you so much for good reads with a message
10
In my book. Wonderful more words very good book and all three books. Thank you so much for good reads with a message
June 6, 2019
Great series
This is a good finish to the trilogy. Definitely will recommend to others. Ready for the next series books Can't wait.
This is a good finish to the trilogy. Definitely will recommend to others. Ready for the next series books Can't wait.
September 10, 2023
I'm glad I read this series, in spite of what criticisms I've made. All in all, Ms. Thomson did a sufficient job. I believe it did what I suspect she wanted it to do. Applause.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews