Series: The Books of the History Chronicles; Paradise Novels, Book 2

Author: Ted Dekker

Genre: Action, Fantasy

This is a shining example of why Dekker is one of the premier Christian authors in Christian publishing. It is nice that he has begun to cross over more and more, striving to keep his novels less “Christianized” while still retaining a more Christian perspective and interpretation of the world. Dekker writes with almost a frantic pace – I write “almost” because though the pace of the book is rather intense, it never feels hurried or rushed. Some writers can tend to get lost in the details of their story, but not Dekker, he keeps his stories moving, moving, moving, and I like that!

Colt is an assassin of unusual skill, almost superhuman in his capacity to kill. But he has no memory of who he was. The story starts with him having to kill to save his wife and son who have been kidnapped. Afterwards he awakes to find that he has no family, that the kills were only a test of his ability to perform under extreme circumstances. And the story gets a little more convoluted from there – but not overwhelmingly so, but just enough to keep you guessing.

As most of his books, this one entails a confrontation, at some level, between good and evil. Some people are more than they seem, and the reality of what is at stake goes deeper than saving the President’s life. My only irritation in the book was how Dekker was a bit vague on exactly how good triumphed over evil in the final showdown – he seemed to hint at it, but a little more specificity would have been nice.

For how degenerate the villian is, he used no profanity, which is slightly odd, in retrospect. On the other hand, Dekker does do a pretty good job of making his personifications of evil rather psychotic. The Englishman (as he was called) enjoyed finalizing conversations with himself with this interesting phrase: “Hallelujah, amen, you are dismissed.”

Though violent, the book is clear of any sexual situations or scenarios, so the violence is the primary hesitation for recommending it for readers in or below Middle School.

The book is related to Dekker’s Circle Trilogy, and falls into what is called the Paradise series, which starts with Showdown (which is referenced in this book, and several characters from it are featured herein) and ends with Sinner. All of these, along with about eight or nine other books fall under a broader ‘univerese’ of literary reality which Dekker has categorized as ‘The Books of History Chronicles.’ All that to say the book stands pretty well on its own, though having read Showdown definitely contributed to my understanding of the background and setting of the book. You don’t necessarily have to read the Circle Trilogy (though I highly, highly recommend it), but it forms a foundation for the Chronicles.

In the end I do highly recommend this book. It’s definitely worth the time to read it – and it’s not a hard read. You pick up and then realize two hours later that you should turn out the light and go to sleep. So you read ‘just a few more paragraphs’ for about a half an hour until you finally force yourself to turn out the lights…and I digress. It’s a great, fun book. I would primarily categorize it in the Action genre, but it has fantastical elements as well, so it kind of meanders it’s way into that genre near the end.

Worldview: Christian

Recommended Age: A mature middle school aged child could probably handle the subject matter, but due to the violence I would recommend high school age as the minimum.

Title:

Series: The War of the Dreaming, Book 2

Author: John C. Wright

Genre: Fantasy

This concludes Wright’s War of the Dreaming saga. With Wendy in hiding, and the loose company of heroes scattered, things aren’t looking to good for the fate of the world as we know it. But Wright’s plotlines, which sometimes may appear rather convoluted on the surface, always weave towards an unexpected, though gratifying climax and conclusion.

In this novel the conflicts and obstacles facing our cast of heroes seem almost insurmountable, but there is a method the insanity Wright has woven therein. This book definitely picked up it’s pace very quickly and maintained that acceleration. And just when you think you have figured exactly where he’s going and what is going to happen, then something else does. It is quite a ride!

As I understand it, Wright actually wrote this story (contained in the two books) before any of his other ones, and after reading those other books I can definitely say there is a maturation of ability from this one to them. That said, his ability as a writer is very evident here as well.

Do I recommend the book? Absolutely – especially to those who enjoy fantasy or even mythology. I also think the book has enough “realworld” elements to be relevant to those who don’t read as much fantasy.  An excellent book, with quite a bit of varying mythology woven throughout it as well. Imaginative and unique – quite a pleasure to read!

Worldview: Theistic, there is a vein of pantheism throughout, though a hint of monotheism in a place or two (kind of a “God to rule all gods” type of concept)

Age Recommendation: Definitely has a some rather descriptive violence, as well as some more sexual situations, which make me recommend this more for seniors in High School and up (though some Juniors may be mature enough to handle the material).

Title:

Series: The War of the Dreaming

Author: John C. Wright

Genre: Fantasy

Okay, I absolutely love John C. Wright’s books. His Golden Age trilogy was a masterpiece of science fiction, and I found his Chronicles of Chaos completely captivated me. That said, I had pretty high expectations as I opened this book. In doing a little reading online, I did learn that Wright supposedly wrote the two books of this series before any of the others.

That latter fact may explain why I found the first portion of the book dragging for a little ways. It eventually picked up rather unrelentingly (in Wright’s usual fashion), but I was a little surprised at the slow start. By the end of the book, I was completely immersed in Wright’s world, and was very happy I had the second book (Mists of Everness) on hand when I finished reading this – the ending to this book resolves little and completely leaves you hanging.

Trying to summarize the gist of the story is hard. I realized I had actually read several different takes on it, each different, each wrongly focused in the end. There’s actually too much going on in these books to summarize one without the other, and there is not one or two main characters, but in the end it is more like an ensemble where a whole cast with different roles prove as important and essential as the others. The overarching conflict is that within the realm of dreaming there are those who desire to take over our world and there are certain guardians who have been given a task of alerting the enemies of these conquerors as soon as they begin to breach our world. That’s just the beginning. The relationship of our world and reality to that of the dream is not so simple as it sounds here.

What is at stake is the existence of life as we know it, and the resolution is not as simple as “beat the bad guys.” It’s much more complex and Wright doesn’t hesitate to get a little deep with the science or the mythology. You really can’t read any of his books without your thinking cap on because many of the concepts are just not simple.

This is definitely a solid contribution to the Fantasy genre, and it actually takes things in a different direction than most books of the same vein.

Worldview: More pan-theistic than pagan, though the latter is definitely true

Recommended Age: Due to material depth of concepts, definitely late High School to early college age.

Title: Brisingr

Series: Inheritance, Book 3

Author: Christopher Paolini

Genre: Fantasy

Paolini continues his Inhertiance saga with Brisingr. Originally, I understand he intended it to just be a trilogy, but I think he’s been having so much fun developing his world and characters, as well as the story, that the story is just getting longer and longer. For some authors, that would be a bad thing, but for Paolini it is just giving him more room to develop and flex his fantastical and creative muscles.

This is definitely not the book to start the Inheritance books with, so if you haven’t read Eragon and Eldest, do yourself a favor and get your hands on them as well.

The book starts with a summary of the last two books, which you can definitely skip if you’ve recently finished reading the first two books of the series, but, if you’re like me and it had been a bit, the quick rehash was a nice reminder of what had gone on before. There are little to no gaps between the events in the books of the series, each one picking up very shortly (as in days after) the last events of the previous book. This book is no exception, and you are thrown headlong into Eragon and Roran’s fight to rescue Katrina, Roran’s betrothed.

To me the book kept a very lively pace. Paolini has become very adept at balancing the action with the more narrative sections of his stories. That said, when I came to the end, I really felt I had just read the next step in Eragon’s journey. Just as in Eldest, this book moves along through the story of Eragon, but it would have a hard time standing on its own – in fact, when removed from the series, it is rather anti-climatic. There is really only one conflict that is resolved in this book (revealed in its name), and that conflict seems almost secondary when compared against the other conflicts of the story.

In the end,  I highly recommend the Inheritance saga to any and all fans of the fantasy genre. It is in the vein of Tolkien and maybe even Robert Jordan (the latter being one who has indulged in the epitomy of the unending saga). But don’t read this book without having first read Eragon and then Eldest, you would only be doing yourself a disservice.

Worldview: overall, secular, though slightly theistic in places, and pantheistic in others.

Age Recommendation: Fine for High School age children, and probably Middle School age as well – though the violence rather well-described.

Title: Knife of Dreams

Series: The Wheel of Time, Book 11

Author: Robert Jordan

Genre: Fantasy

I am a huge fan of Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, but had been largely disappointed by Crossroads of Twilight, which had far too little happen for my taste. This book, on the other hand has a decent amount of action as well as plenty of the political maneuvering (which has become quite prolific in the series in these latter books).

This book definitely should not be read until the others have, mainly because you can’t truly appreciate what is happening with the characters until you’ve walked through their journey and transformation up to this point.

As a side note, what I think sets this series apart is the fact that it starts almost with a Harry Potter type of concept: young boy unknowingly possesses amazing powers and as he begins to develop and walk in them he incurs both enemies and friends because of those powers. Of course, there is so much more to it. But what is quite amazing about the series is you see these children (Rand and his friends) develop from children to men and women, from being naive and innocent, to being the “movers and shakers” in their world.

Though I thoroughly enjoy the characters he’s developed, as the series has moved along, Jordan has continually developed this almost stereotype of women which perceives them has highly manipulative, even to their own detriment. This, in my mind, is quite a sad and horrifically inaccurate perception and personification.

Other than that, it is a solid addition to the Wheel of Time series, but the ending definitely leaves you hanging, waiting for that final book.

Worldview: Dualistic

Recommended Age: Due to some more mature themes and sometimes violent battles, probably best for later High School age and above.

Series: Chronicles of Chaos, Book 3

Author: John C. Wright

Genre: Science Fiction

The cover of this book touts it as “The Fantastic Climax of The Chronicles of Chaos.” Most series, in their final book, spend a decent portion on the final build to the climax, which can sometimes be a letdown for the amount of build-up afforded it. Not so here. The climatic battle to which the children have been “destined” the entire trilogy takes up a good portion of this final book. And set aside all your preconceptions of where he could have gone and what he could have done, Wright takes this book and the characters in an direction only he could conceive and direct. Imaginative and creative, heart-pounding in in its pace, this final portion of the Chronicles of Chaos is a brilliant conclusion.

The children finally get a chance to spend time focusing on developing their talents/abilities. And in the process of running and self-searching, they really do find their true selves. They transition from children to adults, and begin to step into the power that their heritages have passed down to them. When the time for that final battle comes, though not completely ready to face their foe(s), they do so with all the power at their command.

Wright’s grasp of mythology and science is amazing, and the way he interweaves their contradictory realities is genius in itself. He has somehow woven a narrative utilizing perspectives or definitions of reality which are completely at odds with each other, yet, through his skillful writing, each holds its own coherently.

An aspect of how Wright develops his narrative and moves his story forward which I have come to completely enjoy and respect is that he “allows” his characters to choose poorly as they grow and mature through his stories. And their poor choices have very real consequences, and sometimes those consequences are ones which do not, in any way, affect their position or trajectory positively. It seems a more “real” way of storytelling, portraying individuals striving to do right, but sometimes not, and suffering the consequences thereof.

In all, I highly recommend not only this book, but the entire trilogy. Don’t do yourself a disfavor and start with this novel, begin at the beginning and work your way through them all. Orphans of Chaos and then Fugitives of Chaos are excellent books in their own rights, but all three of them really stand as a single unit, and you will never get the full grasp of what Wright has developed if you start anywhere other than at the beginning.

Worldview: polytheistic

Recommended Age: High School age, at least, due some more mature sexual themes and decently graphic violence. Also, some of the scientific theories (and uses thereof) are a little more abstract

Additional Links:

Titans on Google Books

Title: Orphans of Chaos

Series: Chronicles of Chaos, Book 1

Author: John C. Wright

Genre: Scince Fiction

Okay, I pursued obtaining this book (and not only this book, but the entire trilogy) after finishing Wright’s Golden Age trilogy and loving just about every second of it. Wright combines truly visionary creativity with compelling characters set in rather peculiar but completely intriguing situations. All these elements come together for books that are not only intricate in their complexity, but also unrelenting in their character development, the pace of the narrative, and the utilization of very abstract concepts to add layers of complexity to the already inherent tensions and conflicts of the story.

That previous paragraph describes every book of his I’ve read. This book, in particular, launches yet another visionary and truly creative trilogy. Five orphans of an orphanage begin to discover that they are not, in fact, normal in any sense of the word. Four of them realize abilities of four opposing paradigms of power/perception/reality, while the fifth’s powers and abilities lie as far from and against the powers of the others as theirs do against each other’s. This only begins to explain why the teachers of this orphanage outnumber the students – and these teachers are all mythological demigods. In the end they are not orphans at all, but rather captives – not only from their homes and families, but from who they truly are and the powers and abilities which come with that identity.

Some readers might be disturbed by a specific “spanking” scene, as another reviewer has noted. Cultural differences could probably be designated as the root of this discomfort. That said, the scene did not seem to me to be inconsistent with either the characters involved or the cultural and sociological context of the narrative.

An advanced understanding of fourth dimensional physics as well as a thorough grasp of mythology would probably complement any reading of this book, as Wright never shirks from diving headfirst into rather deep scientific or mythological explorations – but such learning isn’t essential to enjoy and partake of the story in general. But be forewarned, sometimes the intellectual waters can get deep rather quickly, so be ready to drink in and digest some rather abstract and intellectual concepts.

So if you are in any way a fan of science fiction and/or fantasy, don’t hesitate to pick up this book. I’d just advise trying to get my hands on all of ‘em first – Wright truly can’t write a novel-size story (I think is creative vision is just too big), so his publishers break his stories down.  If you only have this book, you are going to be extremely frustrated when you reach the last page – the story doesn’t end or conclude, it just stops. It stops at a logical break in the storyline, mind you, so there is some level of resolution, but only on a minor level which only drives the narrative forward even more.

Overall, an incredible book written by an amazing author. I really do not hesitate to recommend this book/trilogy.

Worldview: pantheistic

Recommended age: I would hesitate for anyone younger than the later years of High School to pick this up. Not necessarily because of the subject matter, but more for the depth of scientific, mythological and theological concepts which are explored and the story is based upon. ]]> http://reviews.zachjones.net/orphans-of-chaos-chaos-book-1-john-c-wright/feed/ 0 http://reviews.zachjones.net/the-silmarillion-jrr-tolkien/ http://reviews.zachjones.net/the-silmarillion-jrr-tolkien/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:05:08 +0000 zach http://reviews.zachjones.net/?p=106 Title: The Silmarillion

Genre: Fantasy

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

I really do believe that to truly appreciate the stories of The Hobbit as well as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, one must read The Simarillion. The breadth and scope of Tolkien’s creativity truly begins to be seen within the Simarillion. I heard or read somewhere that Tolkien thought of his writings and such as a creation within creation, that he was most glorifying God when he was being as creative as possible, in effect creating a world just as God had.

Well, I think the fact that any man could have such breadth of vision and conceptualization as is evident in the Simarillion, that fact in and of itself, brings glory to God. And I think the fact that Tolkien painted the unfolding history of his world in the colors of not only love, trust and triumph (as well as many other ‘virtues’), but greed, selfishness, pride, and many more aspects of a fallen nature is reflective of the Bible in many respects, for Tolkien does not seem to be trying to tell us a story as we want to hear it, but rather just acting as a purveyor of events that were.

At times I found myself dragging through sections, through certain stories.And at other points I found myself reading pages breathlessly, impatient to know and experience what was to come next. But, overall, I found that my pace reading this book was akin to the pace I take reading through a non-fiction book – Tolkien’s writing is so rich, and his style so strong that I couldn’t just consume it as I do other non-fiction works.

So do I recommend it? Absolutely – but don’t expect a Robert Jordan, Stephen Lawhead, Anne McCaffrey or the like. Tolkien’s books have been proven by time, not by the bestsellers list. This is different – this is what most fantasy writers of the present are striving to approach.

Worldview: Monotheistic

Suggested Age: Due to the “weight” of the reading, I think few children under the middle-school age would be able to make it through, though there is nothing really objectionable about the content.

Additional links:
Silmarillion on the Wikipedia
Official Website of the Tolkien Estate
TheOneRing.com – The home of Tolkien Online, or so the site claims.
The Tolkien Society
The Tolkien Timeline – not too sure exactly what this is, but it looks interesting…

Series: Inheritance Trilogy

Genre: Fantasy

Author: Christopher Paolini

Ah, the first of the Inheritance Trilogy by Paolini. I grabbed this book in it’s original edition (when Paolini first published it himself) at a used bookstore. Why? Because I enjoy fantasy and am completely fascinated by different people’s takes on dragons. And I don’t regret for a minute picking this book up. There’s a reason Paolini was picked up by a major publisher and they re-released this book – it’s just plain good.

Some might criticize his classic themes of good and evil, but I think those themes are classic just because they’re so basic and foundational to mankind. And Paolini is just starting something in this book. The cliff-hanger at the end is one of the most abrupt I’ve encountered, and it really left me thirsting for more. I’d suggest at least getting your hands on the second before starting the first, that way you can just read them back to back without ever having to stop (like I did – it was two years before I got my hands on the second book!).

So if you’re in the least bit intrigued by or enjoy fantasy, pick this up. Paolini obviously has read and enjoyed Tolkien – and if there’s an influence I’ll never argue with, Tolkien is it. Enjoy!

Worldview: Atheistic, though there are a few theistic leanings.

Recommended Age: Middle School age and up; there is really no sexual stuff in this book, and though there is violence, it is not too explicit or extreme.

Additional links:
Inheritance Trilogy entry in Wikipedia
Inheritance Trilogy wiki
Shurtgal.com – a a fan site with all kinds of news, gossip, and other stuff about everything in the Inheritance Trilogy
TeenReads.com Author Profile
Inheritance Trilogy website
HubPages.com author profile of Christopher Paolini
BookBrowse.com interview with Paolini