I am unable to review this book because I haven't finished the first book in the series.

I am a stickler for order and I enjoy reading each book in a series carefully. This is book three of the series by Mesu Andrews.

The time frame given to me by NetGalley was a bit short for me as I am yet to read book two and this book.
I hope in the nearest future, I would be able to properly review this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

After reading 'Of Fire and Lions' and now this third book, Isaiah's Legacy, in her Prophets and Kings series, I can most certainly say I am a fan of Mesu Andrews. 

A rich, vivid piece of storytelling. Again, all I can say is simply magnificent 💖! 

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers WaterBrook and Multnomah and the author for the e-Arc of the book. 

This book was published on February 18, 2020.

Isaiah's Legacy, the third installment in the A Novel of Prophets and Kings series by Mesu Andrews, follows in a grand tradition of inspired biblical fiction that enlightens as it carries the reader to Judah for a turbulent ride through the reign of King Manasseh. A thoroughly researched and well crafted novel, but not an easy one to read, it examines a level of spiritual darkness and depravity that is often danced about, implied, but rarely addressed directly. However, these issues are very real and are critical to a true understanding of the evil that gripped King Manasseh's heart until Yahweh broke the chains that bound him and redeemed him in a glorious way.

This novel picks up after the conclusion of Isaiah's Daughter, at the end of King Hezekiah's life, as his son Manasseh prepares and eventually becomes king. We are subject to the conflict of loving certain characters while we hate the evil that works its way into their lives and shackles them apart from the loving God. Shulle had my heart from the very beginning, and my heart broke for her over and over again as she was tricked and manipulated into the sorcery that bound her while masquerading as power. Manasseh's reign of terror against the prophets and Yahwehists is a horror that was foretold, but not any easier to bear as it unfolded. Through it all, Queen Hephzibah can only pray and hope that her previous boy will someday see Truth and turn from darkness. And her abba, the prophet Isaiah, foretells his own demise at the hands of his grandson, knowing that it must be done as Yahweh says to ultimately give Him the glory.

Dear reader, know that Isaiah's Legacy is not a bit of fiction to be undertaken lightly. As Mesu Andrews toiled to bring it forth, so you will toil to digest it. And yet, it is certainly one of the most valuable and eye opening novels I have ever consumed. The understanding that comes from the scripture and the exploration of the spiritual, social, and political turmoil within reveals what is possibly the greatest prodigal story ever told. And if Shulle and Manasseh can be unchained by Yahweh, then nobody is beyond His redemptive love.

I have a lot of thoughts about this book. First of all, it is based on the story of King Manasseh or Judah which can be found twice in the Bible: 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33. It is helpful to take a bit of time to refresh your memory on what Scripture actually says about King Manasseh and his wife Meshullemeth before we get too far into this review. Kings records Manasseh as doing all kinds of evil and only mentions Meshullemeth as the mother of his son Amon who reigned after him. Chronicles recounts the same about Manasseh and Meshullemeth but also adds that Manasseh repented before the end of his life and returned to God. So this is basically all that we know historically and biblically.

Now, Mesu Andrews’s story is that of Meshullemeth. Remember, from Scripture we only know her name as the wife of Manasseh and the mother of Amon. Andrews’s story takes the little we know and turns Shulle into a character that we can care about.

We meet Shulle as a child who is devoted to Yahweh until her evil uncle brings her to Jerusalem to help teach the young King Manasseh. Her uncle manages to convince her to believe in the gods of the other nations and also forces her to do so by using her father as collateral.

The theme of the book is that Shulle must make decisions between the pagan gods and the God of Israel. She is brought up by her uncle to see the God of Israel demanding rules and sacrifices whereas the gods of the pagans are presented to her as offering choices and power. This is an interesting theme as today we see so many people making the choice between God and whatever they have made their idols.

Shulle is torn so much in this book. She is seeing her only option to keep her father safe is to lead her young king away from the God of Israel. She doesn’t feel that she has much of a choice in the matter at all. She knows she is doing something wrong at first, but she is trying to protect the people she loves. This is so analogous to today as so many people make choices they don’t fully believe in because they want to help or protect someone else.

As Shulle begins to see that maybe she made the wrong choice, she is constantly reminded that people will suffer if she reveals the truth. This is using coercion to keep her on the path that her uncle wants, a path to corrupt Judah with pagan gods.

Into this story of Shulle, we see Manasseh. Manasseh is portrayed as a very young king who wants to be greater than his father. In this quest, he is more that ready to turn to others who offer him that possibility of power. Remember, he is YOUNG, only 12 when he becomes the sole king of Judah. He is being led by advisors who want to bring back worship of the pagan gods and he has Shulle who is trying to protect her father by leading Manasseh away from the God of Judah.

This really is a story that brings up so many themes of good versus evil and the ways in which we can be manipulated. Shulle and Manasseh are both too young to truly make their own decisions when they become manipulated and instruments of others. We don’t know if this is what really happened as Scripture is relatively silent about why Manasseh makes the choices he makes, but Andrews’s presents an idea and a story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the theme of choice that was recurring.

The Old Testament comes alive once again under the pen of Ms. Andrews!  This book was probably my favorite of all the ones that she has written.  I felt like I had been given an invitation to watch the lives of these characters unfold right in front of me.  It was a story of tragedy, love, loss, and most importantly, a story of redemption.  It takes place during the last years of King Hezekiah's reign.  He was a good king and it looked like his son Manasseh would be as well.  However, Manasseh turned out to be one of the cruelest kings in Israel's history.  But his story doesn't end with his reign of terror and all his godless deeds.  God's redemption, love, and mercy is poured out on a man who didn't deserve it- but who of us does?   This was indeed a hard book to read- it overwhelmed me and made me feel all the emotions.  Many times I had to put it down and come back to it later because it was so dark.  But light came! The historical detail, the development of the characters, and the flow of the story were incredible.  Ms. Andrews is truly a master storyteller!  
Thank you NetGalley and Waterbrook Press for providing me an ARC of this book.  All opinions within this review are my own.

Classic Mesu Andrews.  Excellent biblical fiction.  Well written.  Well developed characters.  Believable.  Intriguing story line.  Experience this novel yourself.  You will not  be disappointed.  Five stars.

I have loved every books I have read by Mesu Andrews. She brings the Bible to life. I always find myself reading the actual story in the Bible afterward to determine what was fact and what was fiction. She has made me fall in love with Biblical Fiction as a genre!

Isaiah’s Legacy is based on King Manasseh’s story in the Bible. This is my first time reading a Biblical fiction novel so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect... so here are my thoughts!

I’m going to be honest. This was not an easy book to read. In fact, I really struggled reading it. Not because of the writing but because of Manasseh’s story. But before I begin my review, I’ll note that I barely read the synopsis so I didn’t fully realize what the story was about until I had begun it. But let’s talk about it. 

I like that the author tells you up front before the book even begins that it’s going to be dark and overwhelming at times. She gives you a heads up to prepare yourself. She also reminds us to focus on God’s promises throughout and we’ll reach the light of the story. 
Soon after the book had begun, darkness enters. Sickening evil and darkness. This time in the Bible, during King Manasseh’s reign and what sins he encouraged, is shown explicitly. For 70% of the book,  it was really hard for me to read from the point of view of either Manasseh or Shulle.  There were definitely times that made me uncomfortable and uneasy, times when the darkness was overwhelming and hard to read about. It definitely brought this story to life in a vivid way. 

I sympathized so much for Zibah. Actually, for most of the book, she was the character who encouraged me to keep reading. Her faith, even when things looked so hopeless, inspired me greatly.

Around the 70% mark, it became easier to read. There was more hope as Shulle began to doubt the lies she had always believed and when she finally did turn to the only One true, God, things were looking much brighter. Manasseh’s redemption story is so powerful and inspiring!! I think I’ve overlooked it before but I never will again. It shows God is faithful to His promises and He can turn anyone around and change them completely.

Now I will say, this book is most definitely for older, adult audiences. There is mature content and most of it is quite detailed (a little more detailed than I would have liked in areas, mostly regarding marriage stuff if you know what I mean.) I would recommend 18+.

Mesu Andrews brought this incredible Bible story to life and she truly did an amazing job! I’m sure this wasn’t an easy story to write but she did it well. 

*I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Good historical novel capturing the reign of King Manasseh in the days of the Old Testament. The story was good, but the writing itself left something to be desired. Also, the switch from first person with Shulle to third person in Zibah was confusing and didn't get any better. It made the novel feel as if it hadn't quite decided on one perspective or another. I liked the intrigue from seeing Shulle's tricks in her perspective and Zibah trying to understand what's going on from her own.

"Isaiah's Legacy" is a wonderful historical fiction novel of the life of Israel's most evil king Manasseh. and his wife Meshullemeth.  Prophet Isaiah is Manasseh's grandfather and is central to the book and his influence is felt throughout the book. The author places bible passages at the beginning of each chapter to reference Isaiah's prophecies and other events that took place during the time period this book is set in. 

The book is based on the accounts of 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33, however the author takes creative liberty and weaves a story that is hard to put down. Manasseh in this novel is portrayed as an autistic individual, one of the author's creative liberties and Meshullemeth is brought into his life at a young age as she has experience in her life that is useful in helping Manasseh navigate the world as her father is also autistic. 

In the beginning of the book, author Mesu Andrews indicates which characters are real and which are imagined. The story is believable and is an imagining of how Manasseh had his downfall and portrays his redemption while imprisoned by the Assyrians.  For those that enjoy reading historical Christian fiction, this is a must read in this genre. 

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher WaterBrook & Multnomah for the opportunity to read this ARC. The receipt of this ARC did not influence my review in any way.

Wow. Ok, just wow.

Guys, Mesu Andrews is officially one of my fav authors ever. I'm not kidding or saying this lightly. I seldomly speak of fav authors, but I have no words to describe how I feel after finishing the Prophets and Kings series.

I wanted to make a review of book one a couple of days ago, but I just had to see how Mesu was going to wrap up everything before giving my verdict 😂 .

This book has made me love and see the Bible in a COMPLETELY different way. We sometimes forget Bible characters were also humans with emotions and lives outside of what little we know about them, that the things God asked for them were not easier for them than for anyone of us.

Where to even start with this review 😂 ?

This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I'm not kidding, guys. It is raw, emotional, and the brutality of that age and time is shown explicitly. I love how Mesu gives a little heads up on her first pages about hanging in there, to keep reading when the book gets too dark because the light will come shining in the end.

I won't get into details about the plot because I feel this series should be approached with the least knowledge you know about it, the better. I read book one without reading the book blurb and I'm so glad I did because it kept me at the edge of my seat. I devoured the series, and even the bonus story you get signing to Mesu's newsletter.

The characters were so complex and alive! We see one character in this book with a disability, too! There is just so much hope wrapped up in one book, it is incredible. Hope for the parents who have prodigal sons, for youth who feel have lost their way, for the ones who think they are alone in this world, for those who are still waiting in God's promises. This book is for you.

I won't lie and say there were some parts that were tough to read, there is human sacrifice to idols as the Bible story says, idolatry, black magic, rape, and all the sins the Bible talks about Mannaseh encouraged in his reign. Though they aren't written in an overly explicit manner, I would not recommend this book for young audiences as some parts may be too detailed.

I absolutely enjoyed this book very very much! I want to binge read all of Mesus' book right now! I encourage you to pick Isaiah's Legacy today and rekindle your relationship with God! God didn't fail Abraham, Hephzibah, and Hezzi, and He won't fail you :)

Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 (there is rape, idolatry, human sacrifice, pagan rituals, death, blood... Though not overly explicit and very well approached, it is still there and I wouldn't recommend it for younger audiences.)

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

This book was so encouraging in many ways. It brought to life a part of history for me.  But also reminded me of God chasing after me,  looking out for me  and protecting me.  God works things for my good and His glory (Genesis 50)

I have never read any of Mesu Andrews works before this series so  I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one. But I must say I am glad to have requested the first book of this series.  and I have been hooked ever since. I just loved it this whole series.

Well researched to create the fictionalized dark story of the biblical king, Manasseh. As a young child, having loss his father, Manasseh was easily manipulated by unsavory adults. His reign of terror was truly horrific. But as this story will show God can redeem even the darkest hearts.

A totally gripping story with believable, real, flawed (oh are they EVER) characters, that gave me real insight into so many things - not the least of which is the reign of one of Judah's most evil king: Manasseh.  Her approach to this story was refreshing, definitely drawing me in and keeping me engaged. Love the redemption at the end.

Mesu Andrews is one of the few authors who can make 1st century Christianity read like a novel and not like a treatise. I enjoy every one of her books for their very human look at the times and events of such a tumultuous period.  Her descriptions give a strong sense of setting and the characters are all well-placed against the historical backdrop.

Mesu Andrew is perhaps one of the best Biblical fiction authors of today. She once again brings the Biblical history period of the prophets and kings to life based on historical and Biblical research. Her Biblical research always is the foundation with historical research adding the details.

Isaiah's Legacy focuses predominantly on King Hezekiah and his Queen, Zibah; his son who becomes King Mannaseh (aka Nasseh) and his Queen Shulle, along with the prophets we read about in Kings and Chronicles. What I found truly interesting in this story is that Mannaseh as well as a couple of other of the royal family from information found in the Bible were quite possibly high functioning autistics. Hezekiah followed the one true God, Yahweh, but his son welcomed all gods from around Judah and turned God's temple into a ediface that promoted any God the people believed in. But God dealt punishment to both Hezekiah and Mannaseh for their evil deeds and eventually brought them both as well as Queen Shulle to a love for God and his people.

Excellent conclusion to this series, and it sums sin up beautifully in this sentence: "Sin is our declaration of independence from the Creator."

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterbrookMultanoma through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Mesu Andrews is a fantastic author, and Isaiah’s Legacy is proof of that. I’m fortunate enough to have the read the bible, and Manasseh’s story in particular. I know how his story goes and ends. Andrews made me forget – and I mean that in a good way. As I was reading this story, I was so engrossed in what was happening that my mind couldn’t concentrate on anything else. Andrews pulled me into Manasseh’s world, into Shulle’s world. I was sitting on the edge of seat wondering where the story would take me next. 

One thing I appreciate about Andrews is all the research she does before writing her stories. Not only does she include biblical characters (it is biblical fiction after all), but she includes historical characters. She references things that actually happened during that time, such as rituals and traditions. She makes sure the clothing, the dialogue, and everything about her writing matches the time. And yet somehow it is easy for this modern day reader to read and understand. It just blows my mind!

Speaking of modern day, I love the fact that she gave Manasseh a “modern day” characterization (autism). Somehow it just made me connect with his character more, or it made him more real. Something, I just don’t think I can put it into words exactly. And I loved the fact that he found a friend in Shulle – someone who could comfort him. 

Shulle’s character intrigued me. I always saw a ray of light in her, even when she didn’t. She had a good heart, which at times became her downfall (in the world’s eyes anyway). I think she truly did love Nasseh, even though he frightened her at times. And same goes for Nasseh. I do think he truly loved Shulle, even though he did not have the best way of expressing it.

Isaiah’s Legacy is not just my favorite story of Mesu Andrews, it is my favorite biblical fiction novel to date. It is more than just a story. It’s a powerful message that will entice readers to study their bible more, and thank the Lord that we live in the day we do. Thank you Ms. Andrews for once again hitting a homerun!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this book it was a great story and I didn't want to put this book down once I got started. If you are a little confused in the beginning on what's exactly going on keep reading it works itself out after the first couple of chapters. Great Christian Fiction and I'm going to reccommend it to all of my Facebook reading groups!!!

In my Bible, next to the story of King Hezekiah, I have written "Good", as in he was a good king. Next to King Manasseh, Hezekiah's son, I have written "Bad". I knew he did evil in God's sight, but I don't think I had a true concept of how much evil until I read Mesu Andrews' "Isaiah's Legacy".  While I know this is a work of fiction, I also know that Ms. Andrews does an amazing amount of research for her books, so if anything, maybe she even tamed this down some.

Manasseh is portrayed as a child locked in his own mind. Shulle, whose father has many of the same tendencies as young Manasseh, is dragged from the safety of her home with her father into the intrigues of the king's palace. Her uncle, Shebna, and his maid, Belit, are the embodiment of evil, and begin Shulle's training immediately to turn her heart away from Yahweh. They see how taken Manasseh is with her and believe that she is the key to turning Judah from the one true God.

As Manasseh takes the throne of Judah, Shebna begins his campaign to rid Judah of Yahwists. As group after group is slaughtered, Manasseh's soul gets darker. It appears that he is beyond redemption, but Isaiah's Legacy doesn't end there, and neither does the biblical story. 

So, I have to say there were many places in this book where I cringed for the characters. When Belit takes Shulle - age 12 for crying out loud - to "hunt for her mandrake" and ends up sending her into "The Grove" to be "worshipped" my heart hurt for this innocent girl who only wanted to protect her father from her uncle's evil. Instead, she is drawn into a life that shatters her own innocence. When her "divining" results in the death of the prophet Isaiah, I felt her deep guilt. This is a hard book to read, but it drives home the fact that no one is beyond redemption.

If you enjoy biblical fiction, pick up Isaiah's Legacy. This is actually the sequel to Isaiah's Daughter, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Mesu Andrews brings the biblical characters to life. I highly recommend!