The Thomas Nelson Sovereign Collection KJV Personal Size Reference Bible
When I heard about the Sovereign Collection from Thomas Nelson, just the name excited me. I had no idea what it was really, but knew I wanted to check it out. When I received my copy of the Sovereign Collection KJV Personal Size Reference Bible, I was blown away. I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t what showed up. This KJV is a beautiful edition in an excellent size and format. I’m reviewing the black genuine leather Bible. Let’s talk about it.
The box itself will get your attention. It’s a black and gold clamshell box with a really premium look and feel to it.
The Bible itself is a black genuine leather that is Smyth-sewn for durability and flexibility. The grain of this genuine leather is beautiful. It doesn’t feel quite as smooth as goatskin, but it feels really nice. "HOLY BIBLE" is printed in gold on the front of the Bible. The Bible is perimeter stitched and edge-lined.
The spine of this Bible really sets it off! It has four raised ribs. Gold bars are printed above and below each rib. There is also an ornamental, flowery style decoration around printed on various parts of the spine. Also printed are the words, "HOLY BIBLE", "KING JAMES VERSION", and "THOMAS NELSON".
The Bible has gold page edges. It also has two satin bookmarks that are gold and black. I love that Thomas Nelson chose to use their nice, wide satin bookmarks for this edition and they really make the Bible look elegant.
Inside the Bible is edge-lined, which is nice for a genuine leather edition. The liner is a black synthetic and the Bible feels nice and flexible. It’s worth noting that there is no presentation page in this edition.
The layout of the Sovereign also makes it stand out. It is a double column verse-by-verse setting. But poetry sections such as Psalms and Proverbs are single column. Each book features an introduction. Each book introduction and chapter is set off by what Thomas Nelson refers to as "elegant letter illustrations." Cross-references and notes are in a single column at the bottom of each page.
The layout features a red accent color for chapter numbers, section subheadings, the "elegant letter illustrations", and verse numbers. Words of Christ are also in red in this edition. The red is dark enough for my taste and printed evenly throughout.
The paper is a 36 gsm that is nice and opaque. It feels a little rough to the touch and is a true white. The text is line-matched to also help diminish show through.
The font is a 9.5 in the KJV Comfort Print. I’m a fan of the Comfort Print and think the size of the font looks great for what I’d consider a portable edition. I would like to mention that I really like the size of this Bible. It feels nice in the hand and I think it would make an excellent every day carry Bible. The only fault I find is that the text seems to dip in the gutter more than I’d like, which can make reading challenging. It may break in with more use and resolve that problem, but time will tell.
Extra features of this Bible include a chart in the back with The Miracles of Jesus, a chart listing the Parables of Jesus, a chart with a One Year Reading Plan, a generous concordance, and eight maps on glossy card stock paper.
In conclusion, I really like this Bible. I love the design of it. I like the size of it. I hope Thomas Nelson will make it in the NKJV as well. For the price, this is a Bible I’d highly recommend picking up. It’s beautifully designed, has some unique features, and is nice and portable. The Sovereign Collection KJV Personal Size reference Bible is a great addition to the Thomas Nelson line up.
You can pick up your copy on Amazon (affiliate) or Christian Book.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this Bible from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.
