Guest Post: Five Things I've Learned from a Hobbit

Today on the blog I have the delight of welcoming a fellow author, Jill Richardson, who will be encouraging us with some meditations on Hobbits and faith. You should definitely check out her book, Hobbits, You, and the Spiritual World of Middle-Earth. It's a fascinating devotional and study book that's grounded in the wonderful literature of the Hobbit and the even more wonderful Scriptures. So, without further ado, here is her blog post!

Bilbo's Journey and Me—Five Things I've Learned from a Hobbit

Have you enjoyed the last two winters of Bilbo Baggins' adventures on the big screen? I definitely have. (Although I've had to keep repeating to myself—This is not the book. This is not the book. Because it isn't, for those of us who love the book. Still . . . it's fun.) I even made last year my first ever midnight showing. (That was rough. I'm a little older than . . . many of you.)

Six movies and thirteen years later, Bilbo Baggins' cinematic sage is almost over. It started in 2001 with his birthday party (Fellowship of the Ring) and ends this winter, technically sixty years before that party. Yeah, a little timey-wimey thing going on there; it's complicated.

My love affair with all things Tolkien started late. It's not like my brother didn't try. He told me Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's other works were the best books ever written. He even gave them to me. But I never read them.

Then my husband started reading the books to our girls in preparation for seeing the movie, thirteen years ago. I went, and I sat in that dark theater in Bozeman, Montana, expecting not to like the action adventure film.

I fell irrevocably in love. Went home. Read all the books. Started studying them, and finally wrote a book about them. My fascination with character study and these particularly amazing characters flooded together in that book that combined Tolkien and Scripture (and trademark sarcasm).

So I thought perhaps today we could look at one of those characters. Specifically, the main one. You don't name an entire book (and three movies) The Hobbit if that hobbit is not somewhat important.

What makes Bilbo such a popular hero? What does he teach us about adventures, and heroism, and life?

1—Don't leave the path.

Gandalf's last words to the hobbit and dwarves before they go into the ominous forest are, “DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!” You know what's going to happen right there.

Directions we receive when life is all sunshine and rainbows are easy to remember. However, spend a while in the dark--lost, surrounded by frightening noises, and uncertain you'll ever find your way out--and . . . those simple instructions seem long ago and far away.

Maybe God didn't mean exactly what He said. Maybe I can take a short cut. I'll still end up in the right place, but I'll find an easier way. (Sounds just a little like Satan in the Garden of Eden hissing, “Did God really say that? Are you sure that's what he meant?”)

CS Lewis said that the devil was never in more danger than when a human could no longer feel God's presence but obeyed him anyway. When God seems silent, I try to remember Bilbo's insistence they remember what they last heard. Stay on the path. Even when scared and lost.

2—Never laugh at a live dragon.

Bilbo truly enjoyed matching wits with Smaug. He'd shown his mental quickness already with Gollum. Now, in the cave chatting with a dragon, it was taking all his abilities, and he got a little carried away. That intellectual adversary was a dragon. He didn't need a lot of incentive to create hobbit flambe. Bilbo was so into his own brilliance there for a while that he forgot he was dealing with something way beyond him. He started to underestimate the danger and overestimate his own capacity. 

I've done that. Getting so impressed with my own intelligence, or ability to handle temptation, or good judgment, that I start to think I can handle whatever the situation is. So sure of myself that I forget this battle is way beyond me. I forget that Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

3—Be a Problem Solver.

Barrel scene—best ever. OK, so it wasn't the easiest route to freedom, but while the dwarves sat around complaining about how nothing was going to work, Bilbo came up with an idea that might.

There are people who let life happen to them, and there are people who take charge of life. Bilbo progresses throughout the book from being the first kind of person to the second. Life is full of obstacles to getting where you're supposed to be. A victim of life  wonders why nothing has worked out for him; a Bilbo looks for a way to deal with the things that aren't working. You may get wet, but you'll get where you wanted to be.

4—Trust the One Who Chose You.

Bilbo does not think he is a burglar. Nor a warrior, adventurer, or dragon slayer. He doesn't even think he can skip breakfast without serious consequences. Neither does anyone else--and they are right. He isn't.

Bilbo continues the journey because he was given a job and he is committed to getting it done. Even when no one believes in him. Along the way, while he keeps trusting that call, he finds his courage. He becomes the hero in a way that only he could.

There's a reason I sign my book with the verses: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” (1 Corinthians 1.26-27)

When God calls, he knows how capable or incapable I am. He knows where I'll need help. What he wants is my willingness to trust and keep going.

5—Be the Boss of Your Fears.

I love the paragraph in the book where it says that Bilbo fought his greatest battle not when he saw the dragon but in the tunnel beforehand. His greatest struggle was with his fear, not with the creature. Once he defeated the urge to turn back, he had already won.

Sometimes the biggest thing we fear is not the dragon but our own reaction to the dragon.

We're more afraid of how terrible we'll feel running back down the tunnel. We don't like feeling like failures. When Bilbo takes charge of his fear and makes himself keep waking, he shows us all how to face the things that frighten us.

And One Bonus Lesson—Stay away from large spiders. Really, why should anyone have to tell you this? It should be obvious.

Jill's somewhat unnatural love for hobbits and elves comes from her time as a literature teacher and as a lifelong reader of great stories. She also loves an epic challenge and a chance for grace wherever they exist. Jill is pastor of Discipleship at Resolution Church in Illinois. She is the author of Hobbits, You, and the Spiritual World.

Contact Jill by email at jills-books@comcast.net, check out her website, like her Facebook page, read her blog, follow her twitter… Yes, there are many ways of contacting her! Choose your favorite!

Advent is Coming

Advent is coming soon, and I've been reading a beautiful book called The Gospel of Christmas, by Patty Kirk.

Now, the book doesn't talk about fairies, monsters, dragons, or princes in disguise, but it does tell an even grander story: it describes the wonderful mystery of Christ's birth. By reading this book, I've seen the Advent of Christ in a whole new light.

For example, here's one quote that illustrates beautifully one small part of what I've learned from her book:

I got so caught up in the details of our shared existence--the schedule, the car, the children, the 10:50 church service--that I no longer paid much attention to the real events of my life, no longer pondered their meaning or treasured them up in my heart.

Did Mary feel the same way sometimes? I wonder now. Did she long for a quiet place in the tumult of giving birth and fleeing to Egypt and finding a cheap place to live and making friends among strangers and wanting to be home? … 

As she was raising up Jesus and soon his brothers and sisters, as she reviewed their activities in her head so she wouldn't forget one, as she washed clothes with the other women of the town and helped organize a niece's wedding, did she, like me, long to escape the commotion, the words spoken and not spoken, the noise and responsibility and turmoil of belonging, the "with-ness" of life, and just be alone? 

As you all head into that busy, noisy advent season, I hope you can find moments to treasure up the meaning of life in your heart, as Mary did. Take a few moments to be alone, in silence. Journal and reflect on God and what He has done in your writing and your life this year.

Treasure the stillness, the "Silent Night," the "Stille Nacht," whenever God gives you the chance.


What are your thoughts as we approach the season of Advent? Have you made time for stillness in your life and in your writing?

Book Review: Dealing with Dragons

I realized after my most recent blog post that, while I've mentioned Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles in glowing terms repeatedly over the lifetime of this blog, I've never properly reviewed them. And, since they are hilarious cliche-breaking books that I believe every fantasy writer should read, I'll go ahead and review them now.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are a four-book series, and although the last two are all right, the first two are the best. My favorite of all of them is definitely the first one, Dealing with Dragons, so that's the book that I'll review here.


Title: Dealing with Dragons
Author: Patricia C. Wrede
Page count: 240 pages

Stars: 5 stars, All-Time-Favorite

• 5 = an amazing book that delivers a punch. Read this!  

Teaser: Cimorene is not a traditional princess. She's tall with black hair rather than dainty with golden tresses, she learns to fence instead of dance, she's bored sick at the castle, and she definitely doesn't want to marry a prince. Instead, she runs away to volunteer her services to a dragon. The rest of the story is a hilarious series of adventures and misadventures in which Cimorene deals with confused knights, stone princes, dangerous wizards, a cat-loving witch, quarrelsome dragons, and lots of soap.

Age level: Preteens and up (younger children would probably enjoy it, but they might not be able to appreciate the sarcasm and satiric humor)

Violence:

• 1 = mild injuries appropriate for all ages

Romance:

• 1 = a hint of romance (the second book contains slightly more romance, or a 2 rating on my scale)

Language:

• 0 = none (there may have been some humorous exclamation at some point along the lines of "leaping lizards" but I don't recall exactly)

Christian worldview: There's no religious content, but it's written in the tradition of knights-in-shining-armor, that is, with chivalry and respect towards ladies. Definitely nothing anti-Christian, unless you're opposed to magic occurring in a fantasy world.

My thoughts: Have you ever wanted to read a book that took the conventions of fantasy stories--frog princes, princesses held captive by dragons, and knights in shining armor--and turned them on their head? Well, search no further: Dealing with Dragons is the best fantasy satire I've ever read. I love this book so much that I bought it for my younger sister for a birthday present years ago!

If you need convincing, just take a look at the chapter titles. "Chapter 2: In which Cimorene Discovers the Value of Classical Education and Has Some Visitors," "Chapter 5: In which Cimorene Receives a Formal Call from Her Companions in Dire Captivity," and "Chapter 14: In which [some bad guys] Try to Make Trouble, and Cimorene Does Something about It."

I'll leave you with this sorrowful monologue from a sad prince that Cimorene befriends: "It's been three years since I graduated, and everyone's still waiting for me to do something spectacular," the stone prince said, lengthening his stride. "The rest of my classmates are already making names for themselves. George started killing dragons right away, and Art went straight home and pulled some sort of magic sword out of a rock. Even the ones nobody expected to amount to much have done something. All Jack wanted to do was go back to his mother's farm and raise beans, and he ended up stealing a magic harp and killing a giant and all sorts of things. I'm the only one who hasn't succeeded."


So don't miss this book, really! It's a hilarious story that everyone should read and enjoy.

Book Review: The Phantom Tollbooth

For today's book review, I'm going to review a childhood favorite of mine: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It's such a clever, witty book, along the lines of Alice in Wonderland. If you haven't read it yet, you really must!

Title: The Phantom Tollbooth
Author: Norton Juster
Page count: 272 pages

Stars: 5 stars, All-Time-Favorite

• 5 = an amazing book that delivers a punch. Read this!  

Teaser: This ingenious fantasy centers around Milo, a bored ten-year-old who comes home to find a large toy tollbooth sitting in his room. Joining forces with a watchdog named Tock, Milo drives through the tollbooth's gates and begins a memorable journey. He meets such characters as the foolish yet lovable Humbug, the Mathemagician, and the not-so-wicked "Which," Faintly Macabre, who gives Milo the "impossible" mission of rescuing the Princesses of Sweet Rhyme and Pure Reason. (Adapted from the Amazon.com description of the 50th Anniversary Edition)

Age level: All ages, although some of the puns and wordplay are subtle enough that it takes years to laugh at everything.

Violence:

• 1 = mild injuries appropriate for all ages

Romance:

• 0 = none

Language:

• 0 = none

Christian worldview: While this isn't a "Christian" book, it certainly isn't anti-Christian in any way. Furthermore, I believe the messages against boredom and of seeing the possibilities in the world around us are important for anyone, Christian or non-Christian.

My thoughts: I don't think I can begin to describe how much I love this story. Perhaps it would be better if I simply let the book speak for itself. So, without further ado, here are just a few of the most hilarious or clever quotes from the book.

"When [Milo] was in school he longed to be out, and when he was out he longed to be in. … Wherever he was he wished he were somewhere else, and when he got there he wondered why he’d bothered. Nothing really interested him—least of all the things that should have."

"I'm the Whether Man, not the Weather Man, for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be."

"How are you going to make [the wagon] move? It doesn't have a—”

"Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without saying.”

And, sure enough, as soon as they were all quite still, it began to move quickly through the streets.

"Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty."

"Whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off its course. … And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer."

Review: The Circle Series

Today it's about time for another book review, and I'm particularly excited to introduce today's book (or, more properly, series). I'll be reviewing Ted Dekker's Circle Series, which many people regard as a masterpiece of Christian literature. You'll see more of my thoughts below, so without further ado, here is my review!

Title: The Circle Series (Black, Red, White, Green)
Author: Ted Dekker
Page Count: 1,553 pages total

Stars: 4 of 5
4 = well-written and a good read

Teaser: After being chased by mysterious gunmen, Thomas Hunter wakes up in an "Other Earth" that he keeps returning to every time he falls asleep. This "Other Earth" at first resembles an unfallen Eden. Soon, however, evil and sin threatened the Other Earth. Bad as this may seem, these catastrophic events in the Other Earth are eclipsed by the threat of a deadly virus about to be unleashed on our Earth. Thomas Hunter gradually becomes a leader in both worlds as he attempts to avert both impending disasters.

Age level: 14+ (mid-teens)

Violence: 3 of 5
3 = definitely some gory portions, especially in Green, but nothing beyond PG-13 material

Romance: 2 of 5
2 = love and romance are a part of the story, in a restrained and godly manner

Language: 1 of 5
1 = a few instances of slight language

Christian worldview: Dekker, as a Christian author, writes an explicitly Gospel-centered novel series along the lines of C.S. Lewis. I admit I was a bit doubtful at first as to how the Gospel would tie into the story and whether it would feel over-spiritual or too allegorical. However, I think on the whole the series managed to reveal true Christianity as it might appear in both our earth and the "Other Earth" without being too cliche or trite. As such, I believe Dekker's Circle Series is a valuable addition to Christian literature.

My personal opinion: I love being able to dig into a long and satisfying series, and Dekker's Circle Series provides exactly that, with the bonus benefit of Christian themes. I was particularly impressed with Dekker's closure of the series and how it formed a sort of circle in and of itself. (I know some others found fault with this circular ending, but I thought it was clever and it resolved my unanswered questions well.)

So then why did I give the series only 4 stars? To be honest, I wasn't always too impressed with Dekker's characters and writing style. His plot, to be sure, is excellent. However, the word choice and sentence structure was occasionally clunky and overall seemed a bit plain and simplistic. The characters, too, didn't always feel alive and real, especially the female characters. On the other hand, as I mentioned above, the plot is truly original, the settings are splendidly crafted (especially his descriptions of "paradise"!) and I loved to hate the villains.

Overall, then, the Circle Series is an impressive work that I would urge any Christian interesting in writing fantasy to read. It's enjoyable, tense, action-packed, and a fascinating glimpse into Christian redemption viewed through the lens of a fantasy world.

Now your turn: have you read the Circle Series or any other Ted Dekker books? Do you like how he incorporates his faith into his stories? Any other comments on his work?

Review: Blackbringer

The past few weeks we've been discussing heavy issues like racism, bullying, and human trafficking and how to deal with those into our stories. This week, to give us a bit of a breather, I'm going to be reviewing one of my favorite fantasy books of all time, Blackbringer. Enjoy!

Title: Blackbringer

Author: Laini Taylor

Page Count: 448 pages

Stars: 5 of 5

• 5 = An amazingly well-crafted story. Definitely one of my all-time favorites.

Teaser: When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, graddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she's devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself, she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

Age level: Pre-teens and up (12+)

Violence: 2 of 5

• 2 = PG-level violence that is significant in the story (other than one rather gruesome description of a devil, the violence is not severe)

Romance: 0 of 5

Language: 1 of 5

• 1 = replacement swear words/made-up swear words

Christian worldview: The world in Blackbringer is "created" by several djinn, who at the time of the story have little or no involvement in the world. Obviously, this is a different view of creation than the Christian perspective. However, the djinn are not worshiped as God but seem to be reminiscent of Tolkien's Valar. As such, I didn't feel that the story significantly contradicted a Christian perspective. (Also, the story had an afterlife which I can't tell too much about to avoid spoilers. It wasn't a Christian view of heaven--God wasn't there--but it cohered with the rest of the fantasy world and as such didn't bother me.)

My thoughts: I picked this book up in the library for the first time over six years ago and fell completely in love. This is a flawless stand-alone fantasy book suitable for a wide audience. (Blackbringer does have a sequel, Silkslinger, which is very imaginative and sweet with a bit of romance in it. I don't like it quite as much, though, because it doesn't have the same grandeur or darkness that this book has in it.) 

Anyway, back to Blackbringer: it's got a spunky main character who is very tough and brave, with relatable strengths and weaknesses. The various side characters have fully developed personalities that are quite enjoyable and make me want to cheer them on. Plus, who can't love a story with diminutive faeries with wings?!

The setting is fantastic, too. The interaction between the human world and the faerie world is fascinating. Taylor's descriptions are quite vivid and easy to visualize. Oh, and did I mention that the author included beautiful illustrations of the main characters? It's totally fantastic.

But most of all, what I love about the story is that the villain is truly one of the best-crafted villains I've read. Scary, ominous, mysterious, dark, surprising...all of that and more. There are even a few "minor" villains scattered throughout to keep up the tension. The conclusion is dramatic and everything it should be. Really, I couldn't ask for a better story.

Comments, anyone? Have you read Blackbringer before? Or do you have any book recommendations for me?

Announcing...My Book!

At long last, the day has come: my first novel, Red Sun Blue Earth, is published! You can find the ebook and print book here on Amazon. But before you hop over to Amazon, let me give you a short "review" of my book to let you know what it's all about.

Title: Red Sun Blue Earth
Author: Sienna North
Page Count: 248 pages

Stars: (well, that would be rather self-serving!)

Teaser: Sayaka Sato is an ordinary fifteen-year-old—until 3:46 pm on March 11, when an earthquake and tsunami strike Japan and rip her life into shreds. Sayaka is frantic to find her family, but first, she must survive cold, hunger, and worse. Will Sayaka be able to reunite with her family, earn their forgiveness, and forge a new life for herself, or will she be too late?

Age Level: 13+ (teens and up)

Violence: 3 of 5

• Scenes of death and destruction make up a significant portion of the story, although there are no graphic/gory descriptions.

Romance: 0 of 5

• Sorry, romance-lovers--you'll have to find another tale!

Language: 1 of 5

• A few hastily cut-off exclamations

Christian Worldview: This book is not a Christian fiction book, and none of the characters in the story are Christian--not surprising, considering Japan's Christian population is less than 1%. However, I certainly believe that the themes in the story (such as hope and forgiveness) support a Christian message and don't glorify anything non-Christian.

My Personal Opinion: It goes without saying that I love my book, aside from those horrible moments of paralyzing self-doubt inflicted upon all writers. It took me quite a lot of effort to write, edit, get test-readers' feedback, edit, hire a professional editor, edit, get more test-readers' feedback, edit, proofread, and publish! I would say that the story is especially great for people who want to learn more about Japan, who are interested in the 2011 disaster, or who enjoy coming-of-age stories. I hope, though, that everyone can find something to enjoy in it.

I am hosting a release party for Red Sun Blue Earth on my favorite forum, Holy Worlds Historical Fiction. To add to the excitement, there will be contests, quizzes, and giveaways. The invitation is below, and the party can be found here. Feel free to join the forum and and participate in the party!

And, while you're at it, here is the link for my ebook and for the print book. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!

Review: The Candidates

Today’s book review is of a fantasy school story that I picked up for “research” on last month's blog post about fantasy novels set inboarding schools. The hardcover edition had a bit of an off-putting cover—full of weird red streaks of light—but the story itself was enjoyable. Now for the review!

Title: The Candidates (Delcroix Academy Series, book 1)

Author: Inara Scott

Page Count: 293

Stars: 3.5 of 5

•    3.5 = enjoyable. May have minor content issues or flaws in the writing. 

Teaser: Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a calculated cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just…happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room offering her a full scholarship, Dancia’s days of hiding may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for child geniuses and diplomats’ kids—not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she’s special?

Age level: 15+ (mid-teen)

Violence: 2 of 5

•    2 = PG-level violence that's a minor theme in the book

Romance: 3 of 5

•    3 = romance is a major theme of the story but is appropriate for most teens

Language: 1 of 5

•    1 = replacement swear words

Christian worldview: Despite the almost-demonic-looking cover, there wasn’t anything anti-Christian in the novel at all. The source of people’s special “powers” are not explained, but it’s evident that they are some sort of inborn genetic trait rather than an evil power. Furthermore, the Academy makes each student swear to use their talents and abilities only for good and not for evil. (Which, in my opinion, is a rather wishy-washy pledge, but at least they’re trying to tell the difference between right and wrong and attempting to act in the right way.)

My Personal Opinion: This was a solid story. Personally, I always enjoy reading debut novels, because there’s often a freshness and originality to the writing that’s hard to find in longstanding authors. The book was a solid start to the series—it left me wanting to read more.

There were definite weaknesses, however. The main character, Dancia, often acted in annoying ways—shoving off friendship, refusing to research her “gift,” blindly trusting one group of people and still trying to make up her mind about another. She felt wishy-washy, yet she was portrayed as a strong heroine. It also annoyed me that everyone in the novel seemed to be calling Dancia great and honest and strong, when I didn’t see any such signs! In the end, she was an average character, but not one that left me begging for more.

As for the plot, it had its slow moments, for sure. The tension in the story arose mostly because of a lack of information, a bit like a mystery. Unlike most fantasy novels, there wasn’t a single force of evil against which to struggle. Instead, the plot was more one of discovery and the ominous foreshadowing of some future evil. I was fairly satisfied with this style of storytelling—it was refreshing not to see a villain in a fantasy-type novel, for once!

So, overall, The Candidates was a fairly good read that was enjoyable but did not possess any outstanding characteristics to take it from good to great. If you’re looking for a light fantasy (or if you just enjoy reading boarding school stories), I’d say pick it up and see if you like it.

Review: Peter's Angel

Title: Peter’s Angel (first volume in the Peter’s Angel trilogy)

Author: Aubrey Hansen

Page Count: 336 pages

Stars: 4.5 of 5

• 4.5 = an excellent book that was gripping and enjoyable

Teaser: In the wake of a lost War for Independence, Peter Jameson, a young colonel, struggles to protect his tiny patriot state of Rhode Island from the oppression of New Britain. When New Britain invades, Peter finds himself leading his small cavalry against the massive British army. But war becomes the least of his worries when his own men kidnap him and hold him for ransom. Facing certain death, Peter is freed by a mysterious boy who vanishes without leaving his name. Peter determines to find his "angel" and reward him. But his rescuer has a secret of his own, and he will do anything to keep from being found.

That summary barely does anything to scratch the multifaceted surface of Peter's Angel, but it'll have to do for now until you read the book for yourself!

Age level: Teens and up (13+)

Violence: 2 of 5

• 2 = PG-level violence that's a minor theme in the book

Romance: 2 of 5

• 2 = romance is minor but present

Language: 0 of 5 (although language is implied in one scene)

Christian worldview: Peter’s Angel is an explicitly religious/Christian novel, which makes it particularly interesting to read and review. Altogether, I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle-yet-present thread of spiritual commentary throughout the story. It worked perfectly in light of the setting in alternate-American-colonial-times. Also, Hansen wove in discussions on courtship, swearing, and God’s role in world events in an extremely skillful way—some of the best I’ve read in Christian fiction. Peter’s Angel presents an excellent example of how to write a Christian book.

My Personal Opinion: First, a few comments about what bumped this book from 5-star status. The beginning felt a bit heavy and factual and, although interesting, it could’ve used a bit more conflict. Also, even considering that Peter’s Angel is a trilogy, the ending felt rather abrupt and made me very, very impatient for the next book.

Now for the good points. The concept itself is extremely fascinating. It’s historical fiction plus that sense of questioning and exploring reality, that sense of asking, “what if something had happened differently?” In terms of the writing, the characters were my favorite aspect of the book. Each voice was distinct and the use of details to differentiate the various characters worked well. Although the action may have been slow to start, once it did begin, there was an excellent balance of character and plot-driven conflict. The setting was well-crafted, and Hansen’s marvelous use of details made each scene spring to life before my eyes.

All in all, I’d highly recommend Peter’s Angel. If you’re at all interested in Christian fiction, I’d definitely suggest that you read Peter’s Angel, both for pleasure and to learn from a job well done!

Review: Inkheart

Title: Inkheart

Author: Cornelia Funke (Translated from the German by Anthea Bell)

Page Count: 534

Stars: 5 of 5

•  5 = an amazing book that delivers a punch. Read this! 

Teaser: Imagine it were possible to bring the characters from a book to life. Not like when someone reads a book with such enchantment that the characters seem to jump off the pages and into your bedroom…but for real. Then, imagine if those characters brought their world into ours.

One cruel night, Meggie’s father, Mo, reads aloud from Inkheart. As he reads, an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Somehow, Meggie and Mo must learn to harness the power of reading aloud to end this nightmare.

Age level: Teen and up (13+)

Violence: 3 of 5

• 3 = between PG and PG-13 violence that plays a major role in the story

Romance: 1 of 5

• 1 = there's a hint of romance at a PG level

Language: 1 of 5

• 1 = replacement swear words, implied swearing, etc.

Christian worldview: The major “magical” element is that certain characters in Inkheart can read aloud and bring fictional characters and objects into the “real world.” This is basically explained as a skill and/or a genetic trait, so it doesn’t conflict the Christian worldview. The villains also converted an old church to use as their “audience hall,” but that’s clearly seen as wrong.

My Personal Opinion: This book is one of those rare few that qualifies as an all-time favorite. The concept alone is breathtaking. What if characters in books were real? Funke also opens each chapter with a thought-provoking quote. What’s more, Funke’s characterization made each character seem distinct, vivid, and real. Meggie’s voice especially enchanted me (in a literal and figurative sense). The plot was so gripping and each twist and turn completely unexpected. The climax was absolutely perfect and brilliant.

The one problem with this story? Funke wrote a sequel—in fact, she made it into a trilogy. The story that ends in Inkheart is beautiful, but the story that she continued…well, it didn’t have the same “magical” quality to it that Inkheart did. I finished the trilogy and enjoyed it, but the ending left me definitely disappointed. If you liked Inkheart, then give the other books a try, but be warned: they’re very different in substance and even in style from the original. Inkheart has also been made into a movie, which doesn’t live up to the original at all, but it’s not a horrible movie. In fact, I rather enjoyed it.

So, bottom line: read Inkheart! It’s truly breathtaking.