The Stone of Ebenezer, Book I: Trilogy of Kings Saga
Begin a journey with Susan Van Volkenburgh back to the time of 1 Samuel in her debut novel The Stone of Ebenezer. Tread the ancient lands of the Israel and Philistia through a novel replete with descriptive prose. Before you begin, let me say, I've yet to come across a biblical fiction novel so saturated with scripture and biblical history.
Within the first few chapters, it became evident that The Stone of Ebenezer was written from the heart of an educator. Van Volkenburgh does not limit the scope of her story to the book of 1st Samuel, but chooses to illustrate God's protection over his chosen people by including historical accounts of God's deliverance. These include, but are not limited to deliverance: from Egypt (Exodus), into the Promised Land (Joshua), and from the hands of both the Philistines and the Canaanites (Samson, Barak & Jael from the book of Judges). At times, the flashbacks coupled with generous descriptions of the territories weighed down the tale. Nevertheless, their inclusion gave a sweeping view of God's redemptive power.
As far as characters go, Nagad was my favorite as he was the most thoroughly developed. I also liked the way the author switched back and forth, recounting the events from both sides. While the ark lingered in Philistine territory wreaking havoc, I was reminded of how God does not need me to accomplish His purposes, but rather He allows me to witness and participate in His work. Overall, the struggle against our flesh (the desire to do things our way) and how we need to humble ourselves so that God can act on our behalf are some of the messages I cherish from the book.
Generally it's easy to recommend an audience to whom I think would enjoy a particular title. This one was a little tougher. If you tend to lean towards titles with a romantic flair, this may not be the book for you, because love didn't enter the scene until 2/3 of the way into the book, and even then it's not a driving factor for our hero. I believe this title would appeal to readers with an academic leaning: history buffs, bible teachers, and even high school-aged students as long as their parents approve of wartime violence."
— Shelf-Esteem