The Begotten, Gifted Series #1

At the height of the Inquisition, a secret, half a millennium old, is about to be exposed - a lost letter said to have been written by Paul and part of what was to become the foundation of the Christian canon. It speaks of the men and women - the Gifted - with mysterious spiritual gifts that struck fear in the heart of the Church. Now the letter has resurfaced. The Gifted ones are coming together. Their prophecy is coming true.

At the height of the Inquisition, a secret half a millennium old is about to be exposed-a lost letter said to have been written by Paul and part of what was to become the foundation of the Christian canon. It speaks of men and women-the Gifted-with mysterious spiritual gifts that struck fear in the heart of the Church. Now the letter has surfaced. The Gifted ones are coming together. Their prophecy is coming true.

Lisa T. Bergren is the bestselling, award-winning author of twenty- two books, with more than a million copies in print. She is the president and co-founder of Good Books & Company, which sells Christian books.

“A rich and carefully crafted medieval mystery…a fascinating world. Lisa tells a compelling story, and tells it extremely well.”—Randy Alcorn, bestselling author of Heaven, The Treasure Principle and Deadline “An amazing story—one that…remains true to the Spirit of God as well as medieval times. A wonderful read!”—Angela Hunt, author of Magdalene “Masterfully crafted…The Begotten will transport you to a world of medieval Italian mystery.”—Robin Jones Gunn, author of Gardenias for Breakfast “A full-bodied, absorbing tale that combines authentic historical detail with a universally appealing and gripping story that will have readers cheering…With crossover appeal for J.R.R. Tolkien and Madeleine L’Engle enthusiasts, this is recommended for all.”—Library Journal “Exhilarating…delightful…action-packed…superb.”—Midwest Book Review

Average Rating:

6 of 6 Reviews Showing:

Reviewed by Anita Allen (Monument, CO), September 25, 2009

Intriguing series, riviting at points, had to read all 3 in a row. Great insights on prayer. Have bought copies for both daughters!

Reviewed by Carol Mancini (Bothell, WA), August 15, 2009

I loved this series. It took a few chapters in the first book and I almost quit reading. But I would say that this is one of my absolute favorite series of all time. I loved the characters and I was deeply touched by the faith and the character of the "Gifted" and their mission. Her book sent me to the Scriptures more than once. I have never read a book/series twice but someday I might break my record and go back and re-read this one. Definitely a page turner. My first time reading Bergren - I will be checking out more of her books.

Reviewed by Nila Gillespie (Puyallup, WA), May 27, 2009

Absolutely spell-binding! Be careful, you won't want to put this book down once you begin reading it! One of the thrilling things about Lisa Bergren's books is that each of her series is so different, but each one is such awesome reading!

Reviewed by Debbie (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), January 28, 2008

The Begotten is another wonderful historical fiction about a few people who are called to use gifts God gives them for a special assignment and brings them together as "The Gifted". Then enemy (a sorcerer) is bringing evil to the cities and even into the church but God wants to use His "Gifted" to show His power His way and that evil will not prevail. It is well written and hard to put down.

Reviewed by Rel Mollet (Melbourne, Australia), September 23, 2007

A betrayed noblewoman, her mute freed slave and her devoted white falcon, Bormeo find themselves drawn in to an old priest's belief that she, Lady Dario d'Angelo has a holy gift, one of healing and is chosen by God to impact the world as one of his Gifted. While mystified by Father Piero's message, Daria thoughts are transformed when God uses her to heal a nun's mangled hand. Journeying back to her home town of Siena, Daria saves the life of a Captain of the Vatican Guard, Gianni de Capezzana, a man of great faith and God's gathering of the Gifted has begun. Sought after by the church hoping to harness the Gifted's power for its own gain while being hunted by an evil Sorcerer bent on the destruction of God's people, this unlikely group of believers seek out an ancient prophecy to guide their way and protect the world from an insidious evil. I was enjoyably engaged in the first seven chapters of The Begotten but as the action and suspense started to build I was totally committed to this intriguing tale of faith, rich in history with mesmerising characterisation. Lisa Tawn Bergren's extensive research is obvious with fascinating detail of the political and spiritual climate of Italy in the 1300's. Her pacing of the suspense and adventure is perfectly timed for a downright captivating and challenging read. Lisa's villain is just as well drawn as the members of the Gifted, each one captivating me with their unique abilities, unique personalities and differing faith journeys. Amidst the intrigue, whispers of romance and swordplay is a message of faith and the importance of God's timing in our lives not to be missed. Containing all the ingredients for an epic thriller, this series appeals to both men and women and I can't recommend it enough!

Reviewed by Phil (Hampton VA), August 15, 2007

This is a great story of humble servants discovering their spiritual gifts and wrestling with an inconvenient calling. The fantasy is couched within the limits of accepted Christian theology and known church history. A small group of Christians discovers that each member of their group is extrordinarily endowed with one of the biblically listed spiritual gifts. Their extreme gifting is apparently part of a prophecy. They have been raised up by God at the dawn of the protestant reformation for some purpose that none of them understand. As they discover their gifts, they also discover that there are forces of evil arrayed against them. The rather abrupt ending leaves you longing for the next book in the series.

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Author: Lisa Bergren
Located in: Colorado Springs, CO
Submitted: October 26, 2007

    Tell us a little about yourself.  I'm a mom of three young children, wife of an artist and sometime-writer. I have worked in Christian publishing for years--as an editor and as an author!

    What was your motivation behind this project?  I read The Da Vinci Code and loved the pacing but hated the heresy. At about that time, my family and I fell in love with the Lord of the Rings movies and so I set out to (a) find an intriguing biblical mystery (a la Da Vinci), (b) write a fast-paced, but grand, epic story, (a la LOTR) and (c) remain true to the Scriptures and out of the realm of heresy!

    What do you hope folks will gain from this project?  An understanding that we ALL are gifted, and ALL are called.

    How were you personally impacted by working on this project?  I have a greater understanding of the ongoing battle between Light and Dark, and how God wants me to wear his armor and wade into the fray.

    Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists?  God/Christ (but that's a given, right?), Beth Moore, Francine Rivers, Athol Dickson, Tracy Groot, Liz Higgs.

    Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:  I'm just a girl in the trenches with you...I hope you like my stories!

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