What do you think?
Rate this book
Forsaken Sons #1
The Three
In the Chronicles of the Kings, there are stories of a band of elite warriors. But before their daring feats became legendary, David's mighty men were teenage boys serving an upstart king.
Benaiah toils in the burial trenches of stinking battlefields to earn enough food to fill his belly. He's an outsider in the land of Israel, set apart from God's chosen people by fair skin and eerie eyes. But an angel and a prophet unveil a startling destiny. When he travels with Samuel to anoint a shepherd boy from Bethlehem, Benaiah swears to see David safely to his throne. But not alone.
He must seek out the Three, a trio of warriors whose monstrous strength makes them unstoppable. Clues to their whereabouts have been laced through the lessons of Job. Poetic descriptions of a valley of horses and the storehouses of snow lead Benaiah into the hidden fringes of heaven. But his quest twists into a flight to the finish when whispers of the boys' existence reach their Fallen fathers.
A covertly anointed shepherd boy. A trio of half-human mongrels. And the captain who would lead them into legends.
Benaiah toils in the burial trenches of stinking battlefields to earn enough food to fill his belly. He's an outsider in the land of Israel, set apart from God's chosen people by fair skin and eerie eyes. But an angel and a prophet unveil a startling destiny. When he travels with Samuel to anoint a shepherd boy from Bethlehem, Benaiah swears to see David safely to his throne. But not alone.
He must seek out the Three, a trio of warriors whose monstrous strength makes them unstoppable. Clues to their whereabouts have been laced through the lessons of Job. Poetic descriptions of a valley of horses and the storehouses of snow lead Benaiah into the hidden fringes of heaven. But his quest twists into a flight to the finish when whispers of the boys' existence reach their Fallen fathers.
A covertly anointed shepherd boy. A trio of half-human mongrels. And the captain who would lead them into legends.
480 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Christa Kinde
21 books172 followersThreshold Series - complete in 4 volumes
Pomeroy Family Legacy Collection - ongoing
Forsaken Sons Trilogy - ongoing
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 9, 2018
When I first heard about “The Three” by Christa Kinde, I was excited. Here was another Christian fantasy series dealing with spiritual warfare: angels vs. demons. It takes place in historical Israel through the eyes of Benaiah, a real character from the Bible, who tells the story of King David’s legendary mighty men of valor. Plus, it recently won a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, which is exciting.
Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. The writing is definitely geared towards younger readers so perhaps if I were younger, I may have appreciated it more. For a historical setting, a lot of the dialogue was too modern. It was also kind of boring. It took the entire book for something interesting to happen and when it finally did, I had lost interest.
The author does a wonderful job when it comes to talking about topics such as light vs. darkness, who God says we are, friendship, courage, and many others. If you’re looking for a book that points readers to God and Biblical things, then this would be a good one.
For the most part, it is clean, but there are several mentions of “crud”, and “idiot”. There is also mention of a harem. Although it doesn’t go into detail, I thought that was a little odd for a children’s book.
I recommend reading this with discretion as I’m not sure whether it is one I would recommend or not.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. The writing is definitely geared towards younger readers so perhaps if I were younger, I may have appreciated it more. For a historical setting, a lot of the dialogue was too modern. It was also kind of boring. It took the entire book for something interesting to happen and when it finally did, I had lost interest.
The author does a wonderful job when it comes to talking about topics such as light vs. darkness, who God says we are, friendship, courage, and many others. If you’re looking for a book that points readers to God and Biblical things, then this would be a good one.
For the most part, it is clean, but there are several mentions of “crud”, and “idiot”. There is also mention of a harem. Although it doesn’t go into detail, I thought that was a little odd for a children’s book.
I recommend reading this with discretion as I’m not sure whether it is one I would recommend or not.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 27, 2019
This is a young adult fictionalised account of the establishment of King David’s ‘mighty men’, the 37 warriors who served as his personal protection detail. This story focuses on the ‘three’, the ones who become even closer allies and friends to David, plus the ‘one’ who recruits them, Benaiah. It is his story to tell.
There are a lot of fun elements to the story, which are likely to grab a younger reader, however, I felt the story got bogged down in some angel and demon conflicts that distracts from its greater purpose and plot.
Yes, Kinde visualises the ‘four’ to be ‘super humans’, half human, half demon; Nephilim that survived the [Noah’s] flood. It’s a novel concept and the battle at the end in the Valley of Elah is especially fun as these super humans make merry with the Philistine army. Kinde stays true to the names of the four as listed in the Bible and I believe the known skills each was supposed to possess.
I liked that she kept some details consistent making the story more than just fantasy. However, I felt the language often didn’t represent what you’d expect in Old Testament times and the modern day references (“we’re not in Kansas anymore”) were simply inappropriate and took you out of the story. The humour is good allowing for some banter between the key players, particularly that involving David.
My favourite scenes were those involving David, many of which are borrowed from the Bible, for example, his anointing and selection by Samuel, and slaying of Goliath.
The story was engaging for the first 150 or so pages as Benaiah goes off to recruit the ‘three’, however, simply lost its direction when Benaiah was called into the heavenlies. I struggled to read it, however, because it is written in an easy-to-read style geared to its intended audience, I was able to persevere.
The last fifty pages were the best as the ‘four’ arrive at a pivotal moment in David and Israel’s history. It’s all action, with good humour and draws us back to the original purpose of the series. I believe the story would be a lot tighter if it was something like 300 pages long with some of the more fantastic scenes in heaven eliminated or significantly reduced.
I love David’s story and I enjoy reading about him but I’m not inclined to read the second instalment in the series.
There are a lot of fun elements to the story, which are likely to grab a younger reader, however, I felt the story got bogged down in some angel and demon conflicts that distracts from its greater purpose and plot.
Yes, Kinde visualises the ‘four’ to be ‘super humans’, half human, half demon; Nephilim that survived the [Noah’s] flood. It’s a novel concept and the battle at the end in the Valley of Elah is especially fun as these super humans make merry with the Philistine army. Kinde stays true to the names of the four as listed in the Bible and I believe the known skills each was supposed to possess.
I liked that she kept some details consistent making the story more than just fantasy. However, I felt the language often didn’t represent what you’d expect in Old Testament times and the modern day references (“we’re not in Kansas anymore”) were simply inappropriate and took you out of the story. The humour is good allowing for some banter between the key players, particularly that involving David.
My favourite scenes were those involving David, many of which are borrowed from the Bible, for example, his anointing and selection by Samuel, and slaying of Goliath.
The story was engaging for the first 150 or so pages as Benaiah goes off to recruit the ‘three’, however, simply lost its direction when Benaiah was called into the heavenlies. I struggled to read it, however, because it is written in an easy-to-read style geared to its intended audience, I was able to persevere.
The last fifty pages were the best as the ‘four’ arrive at a pivotal moment in David and Israel’s history. It’s all action, with good humour and draws us back to the original purpose of the series. I believe the story would be a lot tighter if it was something like 300 pages long with some of the more fantastic scenes in heaven eliminated or significantly reduced.
I love David’s story and I enjoy reading about him but I’m not inclined to read the second instalment in the series.
June 3, 2019
This is the story of Benaiah, half angel and half human. His appearance marks him as different so those around him don’t trust him. He is living by working in the trenches at the battlefield. But then a prophecy sends him on a journey to anoint the shepherd boy. Benaiah decides to do whatever it takes to help David get to his throne so he goes to gather the three men that are to be David’s warriors.
I have to admit that I don’t know as much about all of the different stories in the bible but I do know the story of David and Goliath. I really liked this story. I felt for Benaiah for being shunned by his difference. I loved his travels and all the different things he does and the various people he meets.
I have to say the thing I really liked was how you see humanity in these characters as they have their own abilities and weaknesses. Watching them grow as character and seeing them become the warriors gave this story that step from a religious story to one that I could relate to.
I think this is a great start to a new series and I am very excited to see where it is going to go from here. I will definitely be checking out Christa Kinde’s other books as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
I have to admit that I don’t know as much about all of the different stories in the bible but I do know the story of David and Goliath. I really liked this story. I felt for Benaiah for being shunned by his difference. I loved his travels and all the different things he does and the various people he meets.
I have to say the thing I really liked was how you see humanity in these characters as they have their own abilities and weaknesses. Watching them grow as character and seeing them become the warriors gave this story that step from a religious story to one that I could relate to.
I think this is a great start to a new series and I am very excited to see where it is going to go from here. I will definitely be checking out Christa Kinde’s other books as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
June 21, 2018
Benaiah is shunned by the people of Israel because he's different. Forced to take odd jobs in battlefields and burial grounds, he's used to working behind the scenes. When Ben is given a life-altering choice, he becomes an ally to a shepherd boy with a giant destiny, and leader of a quest that will affect the entire nation.
Part one in the Forsaken Sons trilogy, The Three starts off strong with compelling and complex characters, cinematic landscapes, fallen angels, and living legends. A refreshing blend of fantasy themes and historical events, The Three gives new life to the familiar story of a shepherd boy named David that will appeal to fans of quest stories and mythology.
Benaiah is my favorite part of this book. His struggle to fit in and become a leader makes for a unique and relatable series hero. Snippets at the beginning of each chapter give us more insight into his personality and perspective and I just couldn't get enough of them. I look forward to getting my hands on the next installment!
Part one in the Forsaken Sons trilogy, The Three starts off strong with compelling and complex characters, cinematic landscapes, fallen angels, and living legends. A refreshing blend of fantasy themes and historical events, The Three gives new life to the familiar story of a shepherd boy named David that will appeal to fans of quest stories and mythology.
Benaiah is my favorite part of this book. His struggle to fit in and become a leader makes for a unique and relatable series hero. Snippets at the beginning of each chapter give us more insight into his personality and perspective and I just couldn't get enough of them. I look forward to getting my hands on the next installment!
October 13, 2018
I love Christa Kinde’s books and is was so cool to get another perspective on Benaiah and The Three.
I connected a lot with Benaiah and loved seeing how he struggled and learned to fit in his new role with the others. Friendship has always been something ive struggled with, and God used this book to remind me to not let my fear of failure keep me from stepping out.
I can’t wait to see where it goes in the next book :)
I connected a lot with Benaiah and loved seeing how he struggled and learned to fit in his new role with the others. Friendship has always been something ive struggled with, and God used this book to remind me to not let my fear of failure keep me from stepping out.
I can’t wait to see where it goes in the next book :)
June 3, 2018
Wonderful new story!
This was a wonderful tale, a close up imaginary view that remains true to biblical accounts. Psalms of David interspersed in song and sayings seemed so natural. I always wondered about the children of the fallen angels. (I even wondered if Goliath had been a descendent). I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book from Christ's Kinde!
This was a wonderful tale, a close up imaginary view that remains true to biblical accounts. Psalms of David interspersed in song and sayings seemed so natural. I always wondered about the children of the fallen angels. (I even wondered if Goliath had been a descendent). I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book from Christ's Kinde!
May 24, 2018
Benaiah doesn't fit in. Half-human, half-angel, with looks that mark him a foreigner to the Israelites among which he lives, he scrapes out a living. But a single choice grants him unexpected opportunity---and the potential for deadly peril. His life tangles with a young shepherd boy named David, and soon Benaiah has a mission, a purpose, and a growing collection of misfits . . .
I loved this. It's the story of a boy caught between worlds by his father's choice. Lonely, weary, and uncertain, Ben is just trying to live as best he can. I liked the difficulty he has in being a leader. He stumbles multiple times in front of those he'd rather impress. And as half-Messenger, he's not exactly cut out to be a warrior. Or a Captain, with the lives of others under his hand. But being a leader is about more than being the strongest---which ironically is what David also reveals to him, time and again.
Although this is in some ways historical fiction, the majority of the story is following the angelic side. So even familiar stories like David and Goliath feel fresh, as it offers an angel's-eye-view of the proceedings. I really liked David, too. He's so personable but also young, and not all that wise in some ways.
And the three Benaiah goes to collect are also amusing. I like that they all add something different to the growing group, different personalities and skills . . . and different ways they were broken by who they are. Benaiah isn't the only one terrified of his father, or fiercely determined not to follow his Fall. And they are just such great fun.
Overall this was another excellent adventure. It fits into the wider world the Threshold series established but this is a perfectly fine place to begin. I rate this Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
I loved this. It's the story of a boy caught between worlds by his father's choice. Lonely, weary, and uncertain, Ben is just trying to live as best he can. I liked the difficulty he has in being a leader. He stumbles multiple times in front of those he'd rather impress. And as half-Messenger, he's not exactly cut out to be a warrior. Or a Captain, with the lives of others under his hand. But being a leader is about more than being the strongest---which ironically is what David also reveals to him, time and again.
Aleff cocked his head to one side to admire the final effect. “Scars tell a warrior’s story for him.”
“Mine all say, ‘frequently in need of rescue.’”
Although this is in some ways historical fiction, the majority of the story is following the angelic side. So even familiar stories like David and Goliath feel fresh, as it offers an angel's-eye-view of the proceedings. I really liked David, too. He's so personable but also young, and not all that wise in some ways.
And the three Benaiah goes to collect are also amusing. I like that they all add something different to the growing group, different personalities and skills . . . and different ways they were broken by who they are. Benaiah isn't the only one terrified of his father, or fiercely determined not to follow his Fall. And they are just such great fun.
Josheb tugged at his chin. “What can you do, Shammah?”
“Destroy things.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“I am unstoppable.” Shammah’s delicate fingers knotted together. “Stopping is difficult.”
Overall this was another excellent adventure. It fits into the wider world the Threshold series established but this is a perfectly fine place to begin. I rate this Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews