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Spectrum Chronicles #1
Light Weaver
After an accident in a snowstorm, eighteen-year-old Dan Simmons finds himself in a strange world where he must save the beautiful maiden Bliss with the help of the Light Weaver.
174 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
102 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Locke
29 books303 followersThomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 30, 2024
Fun, faith-based fantasy series that my kids could read. It's definitely an older book but I think they will enjoy it.
October 14, 2020
This was the best Fantasy book I've read. Dan, or Danial, is a guy with a lot of character, you have to love him. I loved Napoleon, He's a bit grumpy, critical and cute all at the same time, I mean how could you not love a bunny that snores. ;)
Thomas Locke did an amazing job with switching between worlds, he didn't make it seem weird or out of place. My favorite thing is that the characters that are in the fantasy world are all in the real world as well.
There were only two things I did not enjoy about this. One, the romance, It seemed to come on WAY to fast and have no foundation at all but thankfully didn't take away from the books awesomeness much. Two, at one point Dan is confronted by 'a tempter' and in essence, he tries to get him hooked on a computer game. While I think that we spend too much time on computers I did not like how he presented it.
Overall this book was amazing, the ending was unpredictable and the character are amazing. :)
2020>> I was struck this time with the cheesiness of this book, but it still had a fantastic point. I love Dan and Napolian. <3
Thomas Locke did an amazing job with switching between worlds, he didn't make it seem weird or out of place. My favorite thing is that the characters that are in the fantasy world are all in the real world as well.
There were only two things I did not enjoy about this. One, the romance, It seemed to come on WAY to fast and have no foundation at all but thankfully didn't take away from the books awesomeness much. Two, at one point Dan is confronted by 'a tempter' and in essence, he tries to get him hooked on a computer game. While I think that we spend too much time on computers I did not like how he presented it.
Overall this book was amazing, the ending was unpredictable and the character are amazing. :)
2020>> I was struck this time with the cheesiness of this book, but it still had a fantastic point. I love Dan and Napolian. <3
October 22, 2010
I picked this up at the thrift store as it looked interesting. Dan gets in a car accident and while passed out ends up in a medieval dreamland where he has to fulfill a quest. He learns about love, courage, God, and the Book (the Bible). I appreciate what the author was trying to do, but it didn't work for me in several ways. 1) It was poorly written, especially the dialogue. When Dan arrived in the dreamworld, the other characters were trying to speak a more archaic English and kept commenting that his speech was strange. As far as I could tell, there wasn't much difference. 2) The analogy was too black and white and ended up being more corny than uplifting or meaningful. 3) It was so short that the characters and plot were not well developed. Perhaps a younger reader may find more enjoyment out of it, but for me it was just okay.
August 12, 2016
I've got mixed feelings about this book.
All parts in the real world: 1 star. - Horrible, creepy and disturbing.
Most of the stuff in the fantasy world: 4 stars. - Fun, nice and enjoyable.
The escape scene from the castle: 5 stars. - Best part in the book! Very cool!
To even it out I'm giving this book 2 stars.
All parts in the real world: 1 star. - Horrible, creepy and disturbing.
Most of the stuff in the fantasy world: 4 stars. - Fun, nice and enjoyable.
The escape scene from the castle: 5 stars. - Best part in the book! Very cool!
To even it out I'm giving this book 2 stars.
October 2, 2018
I remember picking up this book off the shelf in a book store as a kid because I liked the cover and then reading the first few pages to see if it hooked me (my usual pre-internet method of choosing books) before buying a copy to take home and devour. I must have enjoyed it a lot because the whole series is still sitting on my bookshelf exuding a dusty aura of nostalgic fondness.
Re-reading this book as an adult, it's still somewhat charming. It's a very simple -- perhaps slightly heavy handed -- Christian allegory. The end feels a little abstract compared to the rest of the story, but some of the characters are fun. Bliss is perhaps a little bland, but the talking animals (Napoleon in particular) are a delight. One of the waking world doctors is more than a little scary. I found Consuela more interesting a character than I did as a child, despite being barely present in the story. The first book stands alone just fine, especially since the rest of the series shifts it's focus from Dan to Consuela, but I'll probably plod through the rest of the series in between other reads just for nostalgia's sake.
Re-reading this book as an adult, it's still somewhat charming. It's a very simple -- perhaps slightly heavy handed -- Christian allegory. The end feels a little abstract compared to the rest of the story, but some of the characters are fun. Bliss is perhaps a little bland, but the talking animals (Napoleon in particular) are a delight. One of the waking world doctors is more than a little scary. I found Consuela more interesting a character than I did as a child, despite being barely present in the story. The first book stands alone just fine, especially since the rest of the series shifts it's focus from Dan to Consuela, but I'll probably plod through the rest of the series in between other reads just for nostalgia's sake.
July 27, 2019
The gist of the book, which was written for the teenage audience, is about a young man who receives a head injury in an accident. During his several-day stay in the hospital, he oscillates between consciousness (in the hospital) and a dream (in a fantasy kingdom.)
Enter/exit into both situations several characters. Each character plays dual parts - one in the dream and one in the hospital. This makes for a clever and enjoyable read.
At the same time, there is a very serious, life-and-death struggle between good and evil found in both the hospital story and the fantasy story. Many great quotes are tucked into the story, as well as great analogies referencing the "Book of Light" that is "open to all who care to see, open to all who see in order to understand...Here and here alone you must allow yourself to be guided by the one whose Presence is found upon the page."
If the writer was trying to convey the Christian message to teenagers, he accomplished his mission. Within the story mixed with princesses, knights, whimsical talking animals, and regular people, the Christian message is presented.
Enter/exit into both situations several characters. Each character plays dual parts - one in the dream and one in the hospital. This makes for a clever and enjoyable read.
At the same time, there is a very serious, life-and-death struggle between good and evil found in both the hospital story and the fantasy story. Many great quotes are tucked into the story, as well as great analogies referencing the "Book of Light" that is "open to all who care to see, open to all who see in order to understand...Here and here alone you must allow yourself to be guided by the one whose Presence is found upon the page."
If the writer was trying to convey the Christian message to teenagers, he accomplished his mission. Within the story mixed with princesses, knights, whimsical talking animals, and regular people, the Christian message is presented.
March 25, 2024
This was one of the first fantasy-romances I read as a kid, so I think it has a special place in my heart. I thought the bunny, Napoleon, was hilarious, and I liked Dan and Bliss and the world.
It’s not always helpful to think too deeply about the theology of Christian fantasy. All analogies break down eventually. The final scene raised my eyebrows a bit, as Dan “Binds the land in the name of the Lord of light” and “builds a wall of thorns and claims the land for good so no power can release the binding.” I do not believe Christians can claim or bind or build hedges of protection, so I don’t love that. I do appreciate how central the Book of Light is to the story.
Content-wise, a man threatens to take Bliss and says she’ll find the “treatment of a real man worth remembering” and that she’d “provide a decent night’s entertainment.” Dan defeats the man in a sword fight but doesn’t kill him and later forgives him. Dr/Lord Prain plans to torture Dan.
It’s not always helpful to think too deeply about the theology of Christian fantasy. All analogies break down eventually. The final scene raised my eyebrows a bit, as Dan “Binds the land in the name of the Lord of light” and “builds a wall of thorns and claims the land for good so no power can release the binding.” I do not believe Christians can claim or bind or build hedges of protection, so I don’t love that. I do appreciate how central the Book of Light is to the story.
Content-wise, a man threatens to take Bliss and says she’ll find the “treatment of a real man worth remembering” and that she’d “provide a decent night’s entertainment.” Dan defeats the man in a sword fight but doesn’t kill him and later forgives him. Dr/Lord Prain plans to torture Dan.
June 7, 2019
Reminded me of a cross between Gerald Morris' Squire's Tale and Carrol's Alice In Wonderland.
This book feels like a short stand-alone story, while books 2-4 of the Spectrum Chronicles are a cohesive unit, which I originally read in one volume actually.
This book feels like a short stand-alone story, while books 2-4 of the Spectrum Chronicles are a cohesive unit, which I originally read in one volume actually.
October 27, 2020
Recall reading this when I was ten or eleven. Loved it back then, read the second book too, and they were both pretty great. Need to re-read them sometime!
December 3, 2021
Allegorical Christian fantasy with lots of tropes, but it's worth reading to get to the amazing Sci-Fi sequel trilogy.
April 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this book though written for young readers. All ages should read this one. Well done!
October 26, 2025
Should have looked at the publisher. Did not realize it was a Christian/Bible story. Not bad though. Definitely middle grades
June 13, 2021
I did not mark for spoilers because the book is >20 years old.
I think my library got this book when I was less than 10. It was one of my favorites as a child, and as an adult, it still pulls those tickles of fancy. I still have those recognitions of the romantic portrayals of how knights should be or act.
This book has at least two storylines with the same people, or nearly the same people. On the one hand, Dan Simmons is working during Christmastime and an out of control truck runs into his van. He has nothing really wrong with him, but he doesn't wake up. His doctor is described and portrayed as really really really wanting order (wondering if there are control issues or OCD in there as an adult) and so leads up to the doctor nearly using Electroshock therapy to keep him from sleeping so long. On the other hand, Dan is hurled into a different land which is more an allegorical land (maybe a differing dimension). He is recognized as a knight by Bliss, the first person he meets in the other land. One of my favorite characters is Napoleon, a chocolate Netherlands Dwarf rabbit, who talks. Dan's quest is aided, or hindered, by people whom he later recognizes when he intermittently wakes from his sleep in "our" world.
Sometimes deep, sometimes silly; a tale of love-at-first-sight where the reciprocal relationship grows because of character instead of just because the characters look beautiful. It also gives an imaginative glimpse into how a person relates to the Bible, how spiritual growth happens, and the spiritual becoming physical.
I think my library got this book when I was less than 10. It was one of my favorites as a child, and as an adult, it still pulls those tickles of fancy. I still have those recognitions of the romantic portrayals of how knights should be or act.
This book has at least two storylines with the same people, or nearly the same people. On the one hand, Dan Simmons is working during Christmastime and an out of control truck runs into his van. He has nothing really wrong with him, but he doesn't wake up. His doctor is described and portrayed as really really really wanting order (wondering if there are control issues or OCD in there as an adult) and so leads up to the doctor nearly using Electroshock therapy to keep him from sleeping so long. On the other hand, Dan is hurled into a different land which is more an allegorical land (maybe a differing dimension). He is recognized as a knight by Bliss, the first person he meets in the other land. One of my favorite characters is Napoleon, a chocolate Netherlands Dwarf rabbit, who talks. Dan's quest is aided, or hindered, by people whom he later recognizes when he intermittently wakes from his sleep in "our" world.
Sometimes deep, sometimes silly; a tale of love-at-first-sight where the reciprocal relationship grows because of character instead of just because the characters look beautiful. It also gives an imaginative glimpse into how a person relates to the Bible, how spiritual growth happens, and the spiritual becoming physical.
March 24, 2011
I grabbed this one randomly off the library shelf, as I have been wont to do of late, and began reading it almost immediately. Being a very short novel I finished it in less than a day and was surprised to find so many unexpected turns the writing took.
This is not a 'hardcore' or 'epic' fanatasy novel as you might think, but something else altogether. I think the religious concept could have been fleshed out some more and I was disappointed that Dan's abilities came so easily to him... but I am happy that things worked out for him in the end.
This is not a 'hardcore' or 'epic' fanatasy novel as you might think, but something else altogether. I think the religious concept could have been fleshed out some more and I was disappointed that Dan's abilities came so easily to him... but I am happy that things worked out for him in the end.
January 27, 2016
I read the first two books of this series, and although the first one was a nice read, I found them rather simple and unbelievable. I can stretch my imagination to just about anything, and have read plenty of fantasy and sci fi, but these just aren't good stories. I was disappointed enough to actually get rid of them.
August 31, 2009
This is the first book in the Spectrum Chronicles Series. I have only read this one, and couldn't find any of the others in the library, but you can find them online. It was a very interesting book.
August 12, 2016
A lot of things happened in the text of this novella that didn't need to be there. Honestly, I felt like the author was told: "No one reading this is going to have a clue about anything in the fantasy world."
It was tough to get through, and I wouldn't recommend it.
It was tough to get through, and I wouldn't recommend it.
May 14, 2009
Good book, but became very "deep" near the end.
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April 6, 2010F LOC spectrum bk.1
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews