Tag: Christian fiction

Book Review: The Aedyn Chronicles

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 26, 2013

The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones

By Alister McGrath (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)

In tween fantasy book, The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones, Peter and Julia’s parents send them to live with their grandparents in rural England. Amid their bickering, they discover a mysterious garden and its enchanted pool, which transports them to an ancient mythical island.

Once idyllic, corrupt leaders turned the land into a dreary place. Ruled by otherworldly creatures—at one time human, but no longer so—these tyrants oppress the people. Some fall under their control, while others flee.

Those who’ve escaped live in hiding, waiting for the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy that foretells the arrival of liberators.

Peter and Julia fall on opposite sides of this classic battle between good and evil. Which side will prevail? Will they remain apart? Can they ever return home?

Author Alister McGrath is both a theologian and Oxford professor. The parallels between him and this book to C. S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia are unavoidable. When comparing a book to a classic, the former almost always falls short.

With clear religious references, Chosen Ones may resonate with mid-grade readers and perhaps even more so when read to younger children.

However, older readers and those familiar with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will likely find it lacking and an unsatisfying substitute for the original.

Even so, Chosen Ones—abounding with spiritual references and void of objectionable content—is worth considering for a quick romp in a fantasy world.

[The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones, by Alister McGrath. Published by Zonderkidz. 2010; ISBN: 978-0-310-72192-5; 202 pages.]

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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

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Tags C. S. Lewis, Christian fiction

Reviews of Books & Movies

Book Review: The Reluctant Prophet

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 17, 2012

The Reluctant Prophet: A Novel

By Nancy Rue (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)

In the novel The Reluctant Prophet, by Nancy Rue, forty-something Alison is still trying to figure out what she wants to do when she grows up. Though she has been a faithful church attendee for seven years, her faith is still nominal.

Then in the midst of a church service, she is startled to have God speak to her. “Alison,” he nudges, “Go out and buy a Harley.” She is to go wherever it will take her. Never mind that she has never driven a motorcycle nor has the funds to buy one.

Even so, she eventually finds herself acquiescing to God’s incessant nudging and obeys his instruction.

Her inward-looking church “friends” don’t get it—and even try to stage an intervention for her. Her narcissistic neighbors are no less understanding. But she has made some new friends in the biker community; they become like family, always ready to help.

Alison’s motorcycle does take her to some unusual places, often dangerous and ill-advised. Yet God has a call on her life and she is increasingly drawn to follow it—no matter what the cost.

[The Reluctant Prophet: A Novel, by Nancy Rue. Published by David C. Cook, 2010, ISBN# 978-1434764966, 496 pages, $14.99]

Book Review: The Bone Box

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 20, 2012

By Bob Hostetler (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)

Set in present-day Israel, Bob Hostetler’s The Bone Box relates the story of Rand Bullock, a down and out archeologist whose life is a mess: widowed, estranged from his only daughter, a career in shambles, and seeking solace through alcohol.

Yet in the midst of this, he is given something to hold on to, something to capture his attention and demand his expertise: a two-thousand-year-old archeological mystery to unravel—and not much time to do so.

With aid from an unlikely partner, the younger and attractive police sergeant Mari Sharon, Rand’s interest is captured—in more ways than one.

Interspersed with this storyline is the parallel one of Rand’s daughter, Tracy, who expelled from college for her own alcohol infractions, goes on a different adventure, attempting to track down her distant dad in an unfamiliar land.

While their storylines do eventually merge, a third one, relating an intriguing historical fiction account of biblical Caiaphas seems destined to provide only background filler—or perhaps not.

Smartly written and abounding with credible, real-life descriptions of present day Israel, The Bone Box effectively transports readers to another culture, immersing them in the realities of archeology amidst a politically and religiously charged environment.

The genre of The Bone Box is part mystery, part adventure, and part thriller, with some elements of romance stirred in for added enjoyment. Its short chapters make it even more of a page turner, urging readers to read just one more chapter.

[The Bone Box: A Novel, by Bob Hostetler. Published by Howard Books, 2008, ISBN: 978-1-4165-6647-2, 366 pages; $13.99]