3.5 Stars

Have you ever read a book and are torn about how you felt about it in the end? That’s what happened to me with Begotten.

On the one hand, I had a difficult time getting into this book. It wasn’t until about the one-third mark that things started picking up, making things interesting, so while others may give up before this point, I’m glad I hung in there.

This is also a heavily plot-driven story with many points of view, so character development felt somewhat lacking even though the groundwork is laid out for the rest of the trilogy in this first book.

That said, once I hit that one-third mark, the pace of the novel really picked up, the tension and suspense were high, and the good versus evil aspect is drawn out well. The concept of the book is intriguing, and Bergren stays true to the fact that these gifts are from God.
And that ending definitely had me on the edge of my seat.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

"Are you truly willing to go wherever God leads you?"

This is the haunting question that follows each of the main characters as they navigate their medieval world where spiritual meets supernatural and evil meets its match. This first book in the series lays down the foundation for the trilogy nicely and there are already plenty of twists and turns in the intricate and complex plot to keep the reader on his/her toes. The church history is well-researched and incredibly fascinating. The journey they undertake is enlightening and eye-opening.

The "Gifted," which is a group of seven persons with special individualized gifting, is to gather and allow the people to know of God's love through them. People with gifts of wisdom, faith, healing, and discernment are discovered in this book and band together with several others to battle the darkness that threatens to capture them for its own use. Given the premise and the plot, the cast of characters is somewhat large though Father Piero, Sir Gianni, and Lady Daria stand out as the main focus in this book. The plot moves at a fast pace with action and suspense and you'll immediately feel drawn into their circle as they try to figure out the next steps through interpretations of relics from the past. I can't wait to meet the embodiment of prophecy, visions, and miraculous power as the circle completes. Truly it's the perfect blend of historical, suspense, speculative, and supernatural with medieval church as the backdrop. I received the book from the author and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own. ( )