Splendor of the Land (The King's Men, # 3)
By: Connilyn Cossette
Publication: August 5, 2025 by Bethany House Publishers
400 pages
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction
Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)
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Goodreads description--Gavriel, a soldier in the elite company of Yonatan--son of King Saul--dreams of forging his destiny through crafting weapons with his own hands. Despite earning his place among Israel's finest, he is haunted by a dark past that no distraction can dispel. When his reckless behavior forces Yonatan to present him with an ultimatum, Gavriel is sent on a mission to persuade a distant tribe to sever their ties with the Amalekites.Zahava, a gifted goldsmith hidden behind her father's legacy, lives in the shadows due to her physical affliction. Her talent, unmatched and unrecognized, is a closely guarded secret within her family. Disheartened by a love that seems unattainable, she resigns herself to a life of obscurity. However, when Gavriel arrives in her village, they're tangled together in a way no one could have imagined. As they navigate through unforeseen dangers and enemy threats, Gavriel must confront his past and either bend his knee to the One True King or lose his love forever.
Set against the backdrop of ancient Israel, bestselling author Connilyn Cossette breathes life into the Old Testament era with this exhilarating tale of redemption, courage, and sacrifice.
Gavriel is a character that I've struggled with in the previous books. Zevi and Gavriel didn't seem to care about Shalem being missing when Avidan brought them evidence that he might have survived when they thought him dead. But then Zevi also has an experience that lends more credibility to this. Yet Gavriel is so wrapped up in his own ambitions that he doesn't pursue Shalem. This is a running subplot that ties all of the books together. It isn't the right time for the boys to pursue Shalem, so they don't. But their reasoning doesn't leave me feeling good about any of it.
Gavriel has been a part of Yonathan's (Saul's son) unit, but he's turned to women and drink more and more. Yonathan is sick of it and sends Gavriel on a mission with his friend Emmet. It's "complete this mission well or you're done." The mission is to relocate a group of Kenites away from Amalekite territory before Saul comes in to destroy the Amalekites.
Zavah has been learning her father's metalworking craft as he's slowly going blind. It's a secret that a woman is working in this way. And he's also passing down family trade secrets on how to create red-gold pieces, mostly used in jewelry. Zavah thinks she wants to marry her father's apprentice Rahm as he's the only man she believes will allow her to continue working in this way. Of course, we know that Gavriel would be amenable to that since he, too, has a metalworking background. And we find out that Rahm is more interested in making money and growing his powerful connections than in Zavah.
Zavah and Gavriel are forced to marry, but I do love a marriage of convenience or forced marriage story. Even though neither party wanted this marriage, I love how they both adapted to it quickly to make the best of their situation. Gavriel immediately becomes protective of Zavah and assumes his role as the protector without hesitation. They don't jump into a physical relationship, but the two team up pretty quickly and steadily head in a promising direction.
Now I will say that Zavah makes a decision that causes conflict that must be overcome. The decision is one of self-sacrifice that I suppose is honorable even if it isn't well thought out. These actions frustrate me. I don't find them heroic. Mostly, I just think of how many other people will be put in jeopardy to save you from yourself. But I suppose it was necessary to advance the story.
Favorite quotes:
-For those who feel unseen: The One who lit the stars aflame is calling you by name.
-But sometimes, when I stared at the vastness of the starry host above and listened carefully, it was as if there was a knowing deep in my bones I could not explain. As if the reverberation of an ancient whisper still trembled there at the core of my being--a tune hummed so low only the most astute of ears could detect its melody.
-"Compassion cannot come at the expense of obedience. Yahweh is God above all others, able to discern the heart of each man and woman. He can see what we cannot--past, present, and future. So we must trust the Creator, even when it makes no earthly sense, or suffer the same consequences as those destined for destruction."
-"My father always says Yahweh doesn't give us what we actually deserve, or we'd have nothing but sorrow. He gives us just what we need, even if we don't understand his reasons at the time."
-"Our family legacy is not things we make with our hands. It's our faithfulness to Yahweh."
I didn't really see where the title fit the story. I felt like that was slapped on there at the end. However, I did love the redemptive journey that Gavriel went on. I appreciated how his perception of his stepfather's actions was so far off from what was real. I loved the relationship between Gavriel and Zavah and how quickly they became a team working toward a shared goal. Splendor of the Land gets 4 Stars. I can't wait to see what Shalem has really been up to in the next book. Have you read Splendor of the Land? What did you think? Let me know!
