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The Storytellers' Collection #1
The Storytellers' Collection: Tales of Faraway Places
At last! Short works by some of CBA's best-loved fiction authors -- including Jerry Jenkins, Randy Alcorn, Terri Blackstock, Deborah Raney, and Angela Elwell Hunt -- are compiled in one gripping audio! These masterfully told short stories promise to transport readers around the globe with amazing tales of international romance, mystery, and humor. A short bio accompanying each story allows readers to "meet" their favorite author. And the book even has a philanthropic element: all contributors are donating their royalties to The JESUS Film Project, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International.
Audio Cassette
First published August 5, 2000
4 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
419 books3,263 followersMelody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 4, 2022
Audiobook (narrated by David Jordan)
This was an enjoyable listen. The audiobook does not contain all of the short stories that were in the published book which was something of a disappointment, but I liked listening to the stories that were included.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Excellent read. Couldn’t put it down. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.
This was an enjoyable listen. The audiobook does not contain all of the short stories that were in the published book which was something of a disappointment, but I liked listening to the stories that were included.
Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Excellent read. Couldn’t put it down. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.
August 12, 2017
Good collection of faith-centered short stories by a variety of today's Christian authors.
December 22, 2016
Just read the Robin Jones Gunn piece. Engaging story of smuggling Bibles across the iron curtain. Unclear if Robin actually did this or if it was fictional. I believe this is fictional, but I could have sworn she actually did this at some point...
January 31, 2024
Uneven but not unenjoyable. (3 stars)
I’ve always loved short stories. And I’ve read enough short stories to know that writing a good short story is a tremendously difficult art. The writers of this collection may have proved themselves at writing novels, with successful Christian novelists such as Karen Kingsbury, Randy Alcorn, Angela Elwell Hunt, Terri Blackstock, Jerry B. Jenkins, Sigmund Brouwer and others all trying their hand at the shorter form of writing. These writers collectively are members of ChiLibris, an organization of Christian novelists, with all royalties going to the evangelistic efforts of the JESUS Film Project.
The stories themselves have the theme of international settings and travel, and like the novels of these writers they seek to focus our attention on eternal spiritual truths. Their ambitions and intentions may be noble, but that doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed to write good short stories. Fortunately, they themselves are not very pretentious, as is evident from the introduction.
The collection of 29 stories as a package is rather so-so, with many rather “ordinary” stories that fail to stir emotion or the heart. But there are a few outstanding efforts that are certainly worth reading. The three best stories in the collection are these:
- Randy Alcorn’s “Is This The Day?”, although weighed down by excessive informative detail, is a thrilling story about persecution in China with a suspenseful climactic twist.
- Athol Dickson’s “Hannah’s Home”is a stunning tale of the love of an adoptive mother with a breath-taking twist.
- Robin Jones Gunn’s “Innocent as Doves”, which makes you appreciate the riches of having your own copy of the Bible with a realistic tale about Bible smuggling in East Europe in the days of communism.
Not quite on the same level, but also relatively good are:
- Terri Blackstock’s “So Shine”, a fascinating and gripping conversion story which looks at a Christian from the point of view of an unbeliever.
- Robert Elmer’s “Maren’s Flag”, a story about two women’s misunderstanding of each other.
- Angela Hunt’s “The Farthest Countries” which runs the danger of being trite, but describes heaven and hell in terms of real estate.
- Karen Kingsbury’s “A Reason To Live”, a story of God’s special providence involving a baby girl in a Russian orphanage.
The rest of the stories in this collection, however, were nothing more than ordinary at best. I also encountered various theological difficulties, on numerous points where the theology of the authors clearly differed from my own, and this naturally also detracted from my enjoyment. Examples include views on grace (p23,104,369 Arminianism), ecumenism (p66), revelation (p114,249,251,335), universalism (p178), triteness (p179), forgiveness (p224), lotteries (p272) and angels (p318). Is it worth it? Perhaps for the few selected stories included that are outstanding, but those aside, if you miss this collection you don’t miss much. Volume 2 in this series is a much better buy.
I’ve always loved short stories. And I’ve read enough short stories to know that writing a good short story is a tremendously difficult art. The writers of this collection may have proved themselves at writing novels, with successful Christian novelists such as Karen Kingsbury, Randy Alcorn, Angela Elwell Hunt, Terri Blackstock, Jerry B. Jenkins, Sigmund Brouwer and others all trying their hand at the shorter form of writing. These writers collectively are members of ChiLibris, an organization of Christian novelists, with all royalties going to the evangelistic efforts of the JESUS Film Project.
The stories themselves have the theme of international settings and travel, and like the novels of these writers they seek to focus our attention on eternal spiritual truths. Their ambitions and intentions may be noble, but that doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed to write good short stories. Fortunately, they themselves are not very pretentious, as is evident from the introduction.
The collection of 29 stories as a package is rather so-so, with many rather “ordinary” stories that fail to stir emotion or the heart. But there are a few outstanding efforts that are certainly worth reading. The three best stories in the collection are these:
- Randy Alcorn’s “Is This The Day?”, although weighed down by excessive informative detail, is a thrilling story about persecution in China with a suspenseful climactic twist.
- Athol Dickson’s “Hannah’s Home”is a stunning tale of the love of an adoptive mother with a breath-taking twist.
- Robin Jones Gunn’s “Innocent as Doves”, which makes you appreciate the riches of having your own copy of the Bible with a realistic tale about Bible smuggling in East Europe in the days of communism.
Not quite on the same level, but also relatively good are:
- Terri Blackstock’s “So Shine”, a fascinating and gripping conversion story which looks at a Christian from the point of view of an unbeliever.
- Robert Elmer’s “Maren’s Flag”, a story about two women’s misunderstanding of each other.
- Angela Hunt’s “The Farthest Countries” which runs the danger of being trite, but describes heaven and hell in terms of real estate.
- Karen Kingsbury’s “A Reason To Live”, a story of God’s special providence involving a baby girl in a Russian orphanage.
The rest of the stories in this collection, however, were nothing more than ordinary at best. I also encountered various theological difficulties, on numerous points where the theology of the authors clearly differed from my own, and this naturally also detracted from my enjoyment. Examples include views on grace (p23,104,369 Arminianism), ecumenism (p66), revelation (p114,249,251,335), universalism (p178), triteness (p179), forgiveness (p224), lotteries (p272) and angels (p318). Is it worth it? Perhaps for the few selected stories included that are outstanding, but those aside, if you miss this collection you don’t miss much. Volume 2 in this series is a much better buy.
April 16, 2019
This is a fairly monochromatic collection of short stories, and the color was either periwinkle or aquamarine like the deep pools of his eyes as he gazed into mine...ugh.
What I'm saying here is that I entered unknowingly into a new genre- that which has been labeled as 'inspirational romance'.
I tried an uninspirational romance once and it was mind-numbingly saccharine. "Christian" versions are not exempt. They mostly involve women who are trying to find themselves (or God) after a traumatic loss (either of a husband or their own health or their identity). Any actual romance is tepid because it'd have to be, wouldn't it?
Some of the writing was awful, some was really simple and some was actually okay.
There has to be a reason why men do NOT read this stuff, and why it appeals to certain types of women only. If you are one of those women, you'll enjoy this. If you are not, check your insulin levels carefully before indulging in this book.
I enjoyed but one entry. It was a family road trip in Africa and although the authoress poeticized a bit, it wasn't pretend real fantasy Christianity like the others.
What I'm saying here is that I entered unknowingly into a new genre- that which has been labeled as 'inspirational romance'.
I tried an uninspirational romance once and it was mind-numbingly saccharine. "Christian" versions are not exempt. They mostly involve women who are trying to find themselves (or God) after a traumatic loss (either of a husband or their own health or their identity). Any actual romance is tepid because it'd have to be, wouldn't it?
Some of the writing was awful, some was really simple and some was actually okay.
There has to be a reason why men do NOT read this stuff, and why it appeals to certain types of women only. If you are one of those women, you'll enjoy this. If you are not, check your insulin levels carefully before indulging in this book.
I enjoyed but one entry. It was a family road trip in Africa and although the authoress poeticized a bit, it wasn't pretend real fantasy Christianity like the others.
May 26, 2017
I enjoy short stories. I like the variety, the concise wording to make a story work in a few pages. This book met my expectations. Lots of variety. Had a few favorites, and one I really didn't care for. The theme of travel to faraway places was another plus for me, as I am an armchair traveler!
April 14, 2022
These stories were so enjoyable--and I am one who definitely prefers the depth and length of the fully developed story of a novel. Many of these stories were based on real events, and that made them even more touching. I laughed and cried--and wished that several of the stories were novels.
August 7, 2019
Some very sweet stories. I listened to this on audio and it was very well narrated. The stories don’t really flow well from one to the other though.
January 4, 2022
Christian fiction. Short stories. Okay book.
December 8, 2020
I checked this book out because I'm on the lookout for some short stories that would be appropriate to read to nursing home residents. Some of these stories, in my opinion, would suffice.
The book may also be suitable for readers looking for an inspirational/romance genre writer to get in to. The authors of these stories are common names in libraries and bookshops. In "Tales of Faraway Places" Melody Carlson provides a good sampling of these writers.
While I, personally did not feel inspired by the stories, they may very well be inspirational to others. I found them to be very predictable and some were quite similar to others in the book. It's an easy read, not especially challenging.
The book may also be suitable for readers looking for an inspirational/romance genre writer to get in to. The authors of these stories are common names in libraries and bookshops. In "Tales of Faraway Places" Melody Carlson provides a good sampling of these writers.
While I, personally did not feel inspired by the stories, they may very well be inspirational to others. I found them to be very predictable and some were quite similar to others in the book. It's an easy read, not especially challenging.
June 21, 2011
My first comment is that Karen Ball is NOT the author of this book ... she is not even ONE of the authors as far as I could tell. The book is compiled by Melody Carlson, and includes short stores by such authors as: Jerry B. Jenkins, Terri Blackstock, Randy Alcorn, Jane Orcutt, Karen Kingsbury, Robin Jones Gunn, Lauriane Snelling, Tracie Peterson, Anne de Graaf, and more.
Since it is a book of short stories, there are some good and some not so good. A few made me cry; some were absolutely delightful, and a couple had potential, but ended badly (or didn't seem to end). One in particular I thought would have been a good first chapter for a novel ... but there was a LOT more story to be told. As a whole I enjoyed it. Also should mention that while some of these are some of my favorite authors, they didn't seem much like the other works of these authors. They were very different ...
Since it is a book of short stories, there are some good and some not so good. A few made me cry; some were absolutely delightful, and a couple had potential, but ended badly (or didn't seem to end). One in particular I thought would have been a good first chapter for a novel ... but there was a LOT more story to be told. As a whole I enjoyed it. Also should mention that while some of these are some of my favorite authors, they didn't seem much like the other works of these authors. They were very different ...
February 15, 2010
An interesting collection of stories that take place in various places across the world by various authors. They help you to travel to other countries and explore them through the eyes of the writer. The authors give description as to the sights and sounds of the places in their stories and aloow you to imagine what it is like to actually be there
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September 4, 2007this is a collection of short stories by christian authors, with a common theme of being set in faraway settings. some are excerpts from or were later made into books. like all collections, some are better than others, but for the most part this was a very enjoyable read.
May 18, 2012
There were some moving stories in this collection, but most seemed stilted. Perhaps because many of these authors are accustomed to writing full-length novels?
Marked as did-not-finish because I did not read all the stories in the collection.
Marked as did-not-finish because I did not read all the stories in the collection.
February 29, 2016
Very thought provoking stories.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews