What do you think?
Rate this book
White Road Chronicles #1
Illuminated
Welcome to the kingdom of Alburnium
If the Wizard of Oz swept you away and Narnia enchanted you, then follow the White Road Chronicles for a new kind of adventure.
Illuminated: Book One- begins with a girl in search of the truth.
Alyra, mockingly known as Princess, was captured at an early age by the evil ruler, Darnel, and brought up in the dark land of Racah. Now, at the age of seventeen, she considers herself nothing special. She has no recollection of who she is or where she came from. Her hope of ever finding freedom dims.
Until the messenger arrives. Until he brings to light the meaning behind the medallion she's kept hidden. Until she accepts the blinding truth.
Now she flees for her life.
Alyra’s journey leads her down a narrow road with strange traveling companions. Together, they encounter a kingdom where nothing is what it first seems.
This is an updated revised version with a new cover
Illuminated is the first book of The White Road Chronicles followed by:
Luminosity Book Two
Emanate Book Three
Radiance Book Four
Ignited Book Five
Ablaze Book Six
If the Wizard of Oz swept you away and Narnia enchanted you, then follow the White Road Chronicles for a new kind of adventure.
Illuminated: Book One- begins with a girl in search of the truth.
Alyra, mockingly known as Princess, was captured at an early age by the evil ruler, Darnel, and brought up in the dark land of Racah. Now, at the age of seventeen, she considers herself nothing special. She has no recollection of who she is or where she came from. Her hope of ever finding freedom dims.
Until the messenger arrives. Until he brings to light the meaning behind the medallion she's kept hidden. Until she accepts the blinding truth.
Now she flees for her life.
Alyra’s journey leads her down a narrow road with strange traveling companions. Together, they encounter a kingdom where nothing is what it first seems.
This is an updated revised version with a new cover
Illuminated is the first book of The White Road Chronicles followed by:
Luminosity Book Two
Emanate Book Three
Radiance Book Four
Ignited Book Five
Ablaze Book Six
342 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2012
91 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Castle
44 books137 followers Jackie Castle is also known as J.R. Castle.
Hello friends-
Welcome to my Goodreads Story World. I hope you’ll have a stroll around at all the sweet, inspirational stories on my shelves. One never knows what new adventure awaits them around the next corner.
I am the author of over 35 books in various genres: fantasy, romance, children’s & non-fiction. I write as Jackie Castle & J.R. Castle.
I love exploring my story worlds and, even more, I love God. We’ve had such an interesting journey and there is still so much ahead. I’m always looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary and believe this life is full of unlimited possibilities.
I love to interact with readers! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter and check out my blog page. You can find out more about my shenanigans over at: www.jackiecastle.com. While you're snooping around, take a moment to sign up for my monthly newsletter. =)
Thanks so much for stopping by!
J. C.
.
Hello friends-
Welcome to my Goodreads Story World. I hope you’ll have a stroll around at all the sweet, inspirational stories on my shelves. One never knows what new adventure awaits them around the next corner.
I am the author of over 35 books in various genres: fantasy, romance, children’s & non-fiction. I write as Jackie Castle & J.R. Castle.
I love exploring my story worlds and, even more, I love God. We’ve had such an interesting journey and there is still so much ahead. I’m always looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary and believe this life is full of unlimited possibilities.
I love to interact with readers! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter and check out my blog page. You can find out more about my shenanigans over at: www.jackiecastle.com. While you're snooping around, take a moment to sign up for my monthly newsletter. =)
Thanks so much for stopping by!
J. C.
.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
September 17, 2024
September 2024 Review: So I want to amend what I said in my first review of this book in that I no longer think this fits as a true “allegory” like I first mistakenly read it as, as when I read it before with that mindset I struggled with parts because I was trying to put events and characters into boxes of a sort when they weren’t meant to be or written that way. So when I took those blinders off and treated it like any other fantasy story with only SOME allegorical bits and bobs, I enjoyed this book so much more then I did the first time!
I still love these characters a lot, Alyra and Tarek especially, and I can’t wait to continue this series and see how they grow even more. Issah is also one of my favorites and I think the best fictional version of a Jesus character that I’ve ever read in my life—he’s up there with Aslan from Narnia and I don’t say that lightly.
It was also surprising that I remembered nearly everything that happened as I read this for the first and only time (and extremely slowly!) over four years ago, which really stuck out to me that I probably liked this book waaayyy more then I initially thought. I’m excited to see where the story and characters go from here! Definitely is deserving of being bumped up to a five star book for me!
********
~May 2021 rating: 4 Stars~
May 2021 Review: The best way I can describe this book is a medieval fantasy Pilgrim’s Progress with a road to follow on a journey to find one’s self in Christ. It was great, and it only took me FOREVER to read because it was an ebook and I apparently don’t read novel length ebooks quickly. 🤷🏼♀️ (which is of course why I keep getting more...)
The allegory was well done and even though I’m sure I missed a few things the author was pointing out, I think they would become clear on reread or if you were to read and discuss it with a friend.
The mix of humans and mythological creatures was fantastic and I really loved the whole journey our heroes went on to reach Aloblase and how they grew and learned along the way. The villains are well done and vary from annoying to properly frightening and chilling. Alyra, Jerin, Lotari, Katrina, Stitch, and the many other characters shine brightly and banded together to form a true found family that I adore.
Alyra especially grew SO MUCH from the ragged “princess” to a true princess in Issah’s eyes, and I can’t wait to see where the author takes her next. Tarek I really want to see more of too as he’s very interesting and such a broken soul I want to see Issah heal with his love.
Aside from several typos and formatting errors (in the ebook; don’t know about the paperback), I would highly recommend others check this book out as it’s a great journey with amazing characters and a good reminder of the journey of life we’re on every day heading to our eternal home.
‼️Content‼️
Language: heck; what the
Violence: a man’s throat is slit (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); characters are slapped and beaten (not detailed); a dragon kills and possibly eats (?) a man (not shown or detailed); fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed); a memory of a dead body surrounded by blood (not detailed); a wolf explodes into dust (not detailed); one instance of the phrase “blood sprayed”; a character falls in a river and nearly drowns; a town is set on fire; a mention of a centaur snapping a man’s neck then ripping his heart out and eating it (not shown or detailed); a man explodes into dust (not detailed)
Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)
Drugs/Alcohol: characters are doused with sleeping and truth potions; a drugged character acts a bit drunk; a character remembers being drugged in the past; a character is darted with a sleeping potion
Other: people are kidnapped/enslaved; a character has amnesia; magic; magical abilities/objects/creatures; an evil witch; in the past a character was sold as a child; death and grief; extreme prejudice between humans and other fantasy creatures
I still love these characters a lot, Alyra and Tarek especially, and I can’t wait to continue this series and see how they grow even more. Issah is also one of my favorites and I think the best fictional version of a Jesus character that I’ve ever read in my life—he’s up there with Aslan from Narnia and I don’t say that lightly.
It was also surprising that I remembered nearly everything that happened as I read this for the first and only time (and extremely slowly!) over four years ago, which really stuck out to me that I probably liked this book waaayyy more then I initially thought. I’m excited to see where the story and characters go from here! Definitely is deserving of being bumped up to a five star book for me!
********
~May 2021 rating: 4 Stars~
May 2021 Review: The best way I can describe this book is a medieval fantasy Pilgrim’s Progress with a road to follow on a journey to find one’s self in Christ. It was great, and it only took me FOREVER to read because it was an ebook and I apparently don’t read novel length ebooks quickly. 🤷🏼♀️ (which is of course why I keep getting more...)
The allegory was well done and even though I’m sure I missed a few things the author was pointing out, I think they would become clear on reread or if you were to read and discuss it with a friend.
The mix of humans and mythological creatures was fantastic and I really loved the whole journey our heroes went on to reach Aloblase and how they grew and learned along the way. The villains are well done and vary from annoying to properly frightening and chilling. Alyra, Jerin, Lotari, Katrina, Stitch, and the many other characters shine brightly and banded together to form a true found family that I adore.
Alyra especially grew SO MUCH from the ragged “princess” to a true princess in Issah’s eyes, and I can’t wait to see where the author takes her next. Tarek I really want to see more of too as he’s very interesting and such a broken soul I want to see Issah heal with his love.
Aside from several typos and formatting errors (in the ebook; don’t know about the paperback), I would highly recommend others check this book out as it’s a great journey with amazing characters and a good reminder of the journey of life we’re on every day heading to our eternal home.
‼️Content‼️
Language: heck; what the
Violence: a man’s throat is slit (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); characters are slapped and beaten (not detailed); a dragon kills and possibly eats (?) a man (not shown or detailed); fighting with weapons and magic (not detailed); a memory of a dead body surrounded by blood (not detailed); a wolf explodes into dust (not detailed); one instance of the phrase “blood sprayed”; a character falls in a river and nearly drowns; a town is set on fire; a mention of a centaur snapping a man’s neck then ripping his heart out and eating it (not shown or detailed); a man explodes into dust (not detailed)
Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)
Drugs/Alcohol: characters are doused with sleeping and truth potions; a drugged character acts a bit drunk; a character remembers being drugged in the past; a character is darted with a sleeping potion
Other: people are kidnapped/enslaved; a character has amnesia; magic; magical abilities/objects/creatures; an evil witch; in the past a character was sold as a child; death and grief; extreme prejudice between humans and other fantasy creatures
July 22, 2016
EXCLUSIVE GUEST POST BELOW:
One of my favorite genre's is fantasy. However, less than a year ago, I had no small amount of disdain for it. Why did that change so drastically? One author: Jackie Castle. I can't tell all of you how thrilling it has been for me to work with her. I hope you're inspired by Mrs. Castle as much as I am, and get to know her just a little better with Literary Cafe's exclusive Q&A interview here: (http://literarycafe.weebly.com/home/g...) You won't want to miss it! In it, it shows just a few of the reasons why I count this to be one of my favorite books. Feel free to comment with your own questions! We'd love to hear from you!
One of my favorite genre's is fantasy. However, less than a year ago, I had no small amount of disdain for it. Why did that change so drastically? One author: Jackie Castle. I can't tell all of you how thrilling it has been for me to work with her. I hope you're inspired by Mrs. Castle as much as I am, and get to know her just a little better with Literary Cafe's exclusive Q&A interview here: (http://literarycafe.weebly.com/home/g...) You won't want to miss it! In it, it shows just a few of the reasons why I count this to be one of my favorite books. Feel free to comment with your own questions! We'd love to hear from you!
July 27, 2013
Illuminated by Jackie Castle was one of the few stories that hooked me right away, and kept me riveted from cover to cover. It's a gem of an indie novel and one definitely worth checking out.
It's been a long time since I read a book that fit me so perfectly. I loved so many aspects of this book it's hard to list them all without giving the story away. You should experience it for yourself. The author never hesitated to show beauty in the midst of action, and fun, whimsical moments in the midst of fervent flight and race down the White Road. I never found it to be quirky but brilliantly paced with gentle humor to diffuse the intensity of the battle scenes.
I would compare this book to The Pilgrim's Progress, as well as to some of George MacDonald 's books. At the same time this fantasy had a modern feel, and I would HIGHLY recommend it to readers who are tween or older.
I don't think I could pick a favorite aspect of this book, but one thing I really loved was the author's use of centaurs in parabolic fashion. I don't think I cried so hard over a book in a long time, but when she talked about the centaurs it thoroughly gripped my heart.
One last thing I want to share is that I didn't breeze through this story. I savored, highlighted, laughed, cried and basked in the warmth of a lovely story that reminded me so much of the greatest story. There's no doubt I'll be rereading this book soon, and I eagerly await the next installment of these Chronicles!
It's been a long time since I read a book that fit me so perfectly. I loved so many aspects of this book it's hard to list them all without giving the story away. You should experience it for yourself. The author never hesitated to show beauty in the midst of action, and fun, whimsical moments in the midst of fervent flight and race down the White Road. I never found it to be quirky but brilliantly paced with gentle humor to diffuse the intensity of the battle scenes.
I would compare this book to The Pilgrim's Progress, as well as to some of George MacDonald 's books. At the same time this fantasy had a modern feel, and I would HIGHLY recommend it to readers who are tween or older.
I don't think I could pick a favorite aspect of this book, but one thing I really loved was the author's use of centaurs in parabolic fashion. I don't think I cried so hard over a book in a long time, but when she talked about the centaurs it thoroughly gripped my heart.
One last thing I want to share is that I didn't breeze through this story. I savored, highlighted, laughed, cried and basked in the warmth of a lovely story that reminded me so much of the greatest story. There's no doubt I'll be rereading this book soon, and I eagerly await the next installment of these Chronicles!
July 31, 2014
****This Review May Contain Some Spoilers****
I stumbled on this trilogy when I found the third book, which immediately caught my attention for two reasons. First, it was a true Christian fantasy complete with fantastic creatures and even magical abilities. Second, it came with centaurs. I was impressed to find a Christian author who dared to go beyond the current Christian fantasy standard of dragons (who may or may not be evil) and use more mythological elements. And then the description for the first book intrigued me even further.
Plot - Grade A
The book is built on the premise of a girl with no name and no memory known for the first third of the book as `Princess' but who also rebels subtly against the tyrant Darnel despite his claims of being her father. When Alyra finally escapes, she continues to struggle with and question the lies Darnel had spoon-fed to her and others for all her known life. The quest to follow the narrow white road to meet the true King is one that mirrors the Christian walk. However, the story line is not bogged down in an attempt to make sure everyone knows this is an allegory.
Content - Grade A
This is an allegory so the spiritual side is quite obvious with the narrow path, the words of wisdom from the "The King's Book of Letters" being almost word for word quotes from various Scripture passages and various other elements such as Issah and especially the throne room scene with King Shaydon. However, it does not slow the story down nor seem out of place with the rest of the events. There is also a lack of feeling as though you are being bludgeoned with Scripture and "you must repent" monologues. This is a Christian fantasy that has struck just the right balance between The Chronicles of Narnia and Pilgrim's Progress. This is a journey of faith and you met a number of characters at various points in their travel along the white road who are all at different places in their personal journeys. Some take longer than others and some must leave behind family, home, and trade in order to follow the White Road. Alyra and her companions are relatable in some way.
There are what most people would refer to as "magical" abilities present in this book. Darnel warps his prisoners and followers using dark rituals and there is a brief scene where he summons a demon in order to collect ingredients for his secret ingredient slipped into the food and water of his land. The people of the lands also have differing abilities that would be considered magical but it is clear that these are genetic, inherited abilities that were woven into them from the moment of their creation. There are also dragons, brownies, dwarves, trolls and other creatures to go along with the centaurs. This is part of a subplot point of tension between Humans and Creatures and whether the Creatures can really belong to King Shaydon.
There is no real romance in this story. Alyra does have a bit of a crush on a boy she left behind (although it takes her a while to see it) and one of her traveling companions has a crush on the warrior maiden Carah of whom I suspect we shall see more of in the rest of the trilogy. I did like the break from we're barely adults and are traveling with our "true love" route. However, I believe based on the ending and how the summaries for the next two books read, there will be more of a romantic subplot in the next two novels.
There is violence present in this story, including references to prisoners being eaten by dragons and the terrible wounds achieved in battle. One secondary character almost dies. Another one does die. There is also one character who is beaten by an authority figure for choosing to ignore his orders and not only help Alyra but also follow the White Road. This is not shown but the character is bruised and hurting when he next comes on the scene. However, none of the violence is gratuitously graphic. There is no language in this book. Although, there are derogatory insults, e.g., "mule," exchanged between a human character and a centaur as well as when that character refers to other Creatures.
Technical - Grade B-
While the story flows well, there are some technical and grammatical errors. For example, "Your" is constantly switched out with "You're" at the beginning of sentences even though when "your" is used in the middle of the sentences it does not experience this problem. The same difficulty occurs with "Were" being switched out for "We're" at the beginning of sentences. There are also a few misspelled words and once a proper name lost its possessive apostrophe so "Lotari's" was written as "Lotaris."
There was also a lot of modern language being used such as "Duh." That was a surprise and I felt it could have flowed more smoothly if the dialogue didn't feel quite so jarringly modern at times since the world is has the high fantasy medieval-esque feel to it.
Final Grade - a B or 4 stars
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The plot is interesting and can stand on its own while also connecting with the sequel. The main detractions could be resolved with a tighter round of technical editing and some changes to certain dialogue choices. I recommend this book to people who enjoy the same sort of allegorical fantasy found in The Chronicles of Narnia. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
I stumbled on this trilogy when I found the third book, which immediately caught my attention for two reasons. First, it was a true Christian fantasy complete with fantastic creatures and even magical abilities. Second, it came with centaurs. I was impressed to find a Christian author who dared to go beyond the current Christian fantasy standard of dragons (who may or may not be evil) and use more mythological elements. And then the description for the first book intrigued me even further.
Plot - Grade A
The book is built on the premise of a girl with no name and no memory known for the first third of the book as `Princess' but who also rebels subtly against the tyrant Darnel despite his claims of being her father. When Alyra finally escapes, she continues to struggle with and question the lies Darnel had spoon-fed to her and others for all her known life. The quest to follow the narrow white road to meet the true King is one that mirrors the Christian walk. However, the story line is not bogged down in an attempt to make sure everyone knows this is an allegory.
Content - Grade A
This is an allegory so the spiritual side is quite obvious with the narrow path, the words of wisdom from the "The King's Book of Letters" being almost word for word quotes from various Scripture passages and various other elements such as Issah and especially the throne room scene with King Shaydon. However, it does not slow the story down nor seem out of place with the rest of the events. There is also a lack of feeling as though you are being bludgeoned with Scripture and "you must repent" monologues. This is a Christian fantasy that has struck just the right balance between The Chronicles of Narnia and Pilgrim's Progress. This is a journey of faith and you met a number of characters at various points in their travel along the white road who are all at different places in their personal journeys. Some take longer than others and some must leave behind family, home, and trade in order to follow the White Road. Alyra and her companions are relatable in some way.
There are what most people would refer to as "magical" abilities present in this book. Darnel warps his prisoners and followers using dark rituals and there is a brief scene where he summons a demon in order to collect ingredients for his secret ingredient slipped into the food and water of his land. The people of the lands also have differing abilities that would be considered magical but it is clear that these are genetic, inherited abilities that were woven into them from the moment of their creation. There are also dragons, brownies, dwarves, trolls and other creatures to go along with the centaurs. This is part of a subplot point of tension between Humans and Creatures and whether the Creatures can really belong to King Shaydon.
There is no real romance in this story. Alyra does have a bit of a crush on a boy she left behind (although it takes her a while to see it) and one of her traveling companions has a crush on the warrior maiden Carah of whom I suspect we shall see more of in the rest of the trilogy. I did like the break from we're barely adults and are traveling with our "true love" route. However, I believe based on the ending and how the summaries for the next two books read, there will be more of a romantic subplot in the next two novels.
There is violence present in this story, including references to prisoners being eaten by dragons and the terrible wounds achieved in battle. One secondary character almost dies. Another one does die. There is also one character who is beaten by an authority figure for choosing to ignore his orders and not only help Alyra but also follow the White Road. This is not shown but the character is bruised and hurting when he next comes on the scene. However, none of the violence is gratuitously graphic. There is no language in this book. Although, there are derogatory insults, e.g., "mule," exchanged between a human character and a centaur as well as when that character refers to other Creatures.
Technical - Grade B-
While the story flows well, there are some technical and grammatical errors. For example, "Your" is constantly switched out with "You're" at the beginning of sentences even though when "your" is used in the middle of the sentences it does not experience this problem. The same difficulty occurs with "Were" being switched out for "We're" at the beginning of sentences. There are also a few misspelled words and once a proper name lost its possessive apostrophe so "Lotari's" was written as "Lotaris."
There was also a lot of modern language being used such as "Duh." That was a surprise and I felt it could have flowed more smoothly if the dialogue didn't feel quite so jarringly modern at times since the world is has the high fantasy medieval-esque feel to it.
Final Grade - a B or 4 stars
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The plot is interesting and can stand on its own while also connecting with the sequel. The main detractions could be resolved with a tighter round of technical editing and some changes to certain dialogue choices. I recommend this book to people who enjoy the same sort of allegorical fantasy found in The Chronicles of Narnia. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
October 10, 2022
Seeing this was a YA Christian Fantasy, I was incredibly excited to start reading, especially since there are 5 books to the series!
Wow. Just what a mess.
Finishing the first chapter, I can't actually believe this book made it to print. Not quite sure I've ever DNF'ed a book so fast. If you ever want to see an example of what not to do for your first chapter, this is it.
The first chapter seems like you were thrown into the middle of a book, and there's absolutely no context! We have a "King" (who's titles also include "Master" and "Lord", and no one uses the same title to address him). Our MC is a 17 year old amnesiac by the name of "Princess" (but she's a slave while at the same time being the King's "daughter"?), who's personality switched three different times in that one chapter. You have absolute chaos of characters majorly info-dumping, yet nothing makes sense because, like I mentioned, you're thrown into this book with absolutely no context of what's going on! We have a war between the Darkness and the True King. My head literally hurts trying to make sense of that nonsensical first chapter. Several spelling and grammatical errors. There's a difference between having an action packed first chapter, and completely confusing and whiplashing your audience.
I tried to continue on to Chapter 2. I just can't. Don't recommend.
Wow. Just what a mess.
Finishing the first chapter, I can't actually believe this book made it to print. Not quite sure I've ever DNF'ed a book so fast. If you ever want to see an example of what not to do for your first chapter, this is it.
The first chapter seems like you were thrown into the middle of a book, and there's absolutely no context! We have a "King" (who's titles also include "Master" and "Lord", and no one uses the same title to address him). Our MC is a 17 year old amnesiac by the name of "Princess" (but she's a slave while at the same time being the King's "daughter"?), who's personality switched three different times in that one chapter. You have absolute chaos of characters majorly info-dumping, yet nothing makes sense because, like I mentioned, you're thrown into this book with absolutely no context of what's going on! We have a war between the Darkness and the True King. My head literally hurts trying to make sense of that nonsensical first chapter. Several spelling and grammatical errors. There's a difference between having an action packed first chapter, and completely confusing and whiplashing your audience.
I tried to continue on to Chapter 2. I just can't. Don't recommend.
March 12, 2013
Think WIZARD OF OZ meets CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!!! Absolutely Luved ILLUMINATED so much!!! Epic fantasy series, awesome characters, vivid imagery!!! WATCH my complete VIDEO review here... http://jojosutiscorner.wordpress.com/...
January 9, 2023
Great story & Symbolism for Christianity and Faith!
Loved this book by J.R. Castle! I can’t wait to continue the rest of the White Road Chronicles Series! I loved the characters of Alyra, Lotari, and Issah. This one is Book 1 of the series. It is like a fantasy, fictional, faithbased story. It is such a good read. I recommend to everyone. I believe all will get enjoyment from it even if you’re not of the faith or a Christian.
Loved this book by J.R. Castle! I can’t wait to continue the rest of the White Road Chronicles Series! I loved the characters of Alyra, Lotari, and Issah. This one is Book 1 of the series. It is like a fantasy, fictional, faithbased story. It is such a good read. I recommend to everyone. I believe all will get enjoyment from it even if you’re not of the faith or a Christian.
January 10, 2013
This Young Adult fantasy drew me in from the beginning. I loved the protagonist, a young lady with a past she can't remember, now living under the thumb of a harsh ruler who claims to be her father. Despite her mouth getting her in trouble with friends and foes alike, she strives to find the truth about her real home and family.
The best thing about this book, besides the page-turning suspense and adventure, is Castle's variety of well-drawn and true-to-life characters. Each major character comes in with issues: past hurts, prejudices, or insecurities... and most try to deal with those issues. Their struggles and varying degrees of success give the story an overall tone that is both hopeful and redemptive.
The book could have benefited from a more thorough proofreading. I knocked off one star because of some awkward punctuation and wrong-word errors. Normally, these distract me so much I do not finish a book. But this story was so good that I kept going, right to the satisfying end. I truly look forward to the next book in the series.
The best thing about this book, besides the page-turning suspense and adventure, is Castle's variety of well-drawn and true-to-life characters. Each major character comes in with issues: past hurts, prejudices, or insecurities... and most try to deal with those issues. Their struggles and varying degrees of success give the story an overall tone that is both hopeful and redemptive.
The book could have benefited from a more thorough proofreading. I knocked off one star because of some awkward punctuation and wrong-word errors. Normally, these distract me so much I do not finish a book. But this story was so good that I kept going, right to the satisfying end. I truly look forward to the next book in the series.
October 12, 2014
Oh. Wow. I read the sample from Amazon on my (brand-new) kindle and immediately added it to my "buy as soon as possible list."
Not something that usually happens with me.
This story is absolutely gorgeous. Each character is unique and amazingly well crafted, and at no point did I drift into "Ugh-this-chapter-is-so-boring-but-I-have-to-read-it-so-I-get-what's-happening" land.
I must say, Stitch, Crystal, Katrina, Issah, Jerin, Lotari and even Tarek were my favorite characters. (And of course, Alyra)
I would say more, but I will not spoil anything because this book is waiting for you.
Not something that usually happens with me.
This story is absolutely gorgeous. Each character is unique and amazingly well crafted, and at no point did I drift into "Ugh-this-chapter-is-so-boring-but-I-have-to-read-it-so-I-get-what's-happening" land.
I must say, Stitch, Crystal, Katrina, Issah, Jerin, Lotari and even Tarek were my favorite characters. (And of course, Alyra)
I would say more, but I will not spoil anything because this book is waiting for you.
December 31, 2013
Illuminated is a fantastic adventure-filled allegory that takes the reader on a hair raising journey. The tale of Alyra is whimsical and rich in symbolism and imagery. I loved this story and can’t wait for the sequel. The characters are well developed and the plot interesting. Vivid descriptions of the magical creatures and places on the journey delight and keep the reader spellbound. I could see teens, young adults, and adults enjoying this novel. I highly recommend it.
June 22, 2015
Think a fusion of "Pilgrim's Progress", "The Chronicles of Narnia", and "The Wizard of Oz"! This is one of the most inspiring Christian fantasy allegories that I've read. The characters are so imperfect but you still love them, like their gracious King loves them. The author has come up with a very clever way to follow multiple main characters, though Alyra remains the center of the books. I would recommend this to high schoolers on up.
March 27, 2016
An excellent Christian allegorical fantasy
No, this isn't a "Pilgrim's Progress" redo. It's a genuine fantasy with all the critters, magic, spiritual evil you could want--unless you are looking for occultic witchcraft which is conspicuously missing.
The world is interestingly built. The characters are well drawn. The heroes and heroines grow in faith and in character. It's a good read
No, this isn't a "Pilgrim's Progress" redo. It's a genuine fantasy with all the critters, magic, spiritual evil you could want--unless you are looking for occultic witchcraft which is conspicuously missing.
The world is interestingly built. The characters are well drawn. The heroes and heroines grow in faith and in character. It's a good read
December 14, 2012
Inspired and Delightful!
(No pun intended!) This book gripped me from the start. I couldn't put it down and stepped along the path with Princess. Unexpected turns left me gasping and a few had me fussing at the characters for their choices. But what a story! I can't wait for the next one!
(No pun intended!) This book gripped me from the start. I couldn't put it down and stepped along the path with Princess. Unexpected turns left me gasping and a few had me fussing at the characters for their choices. But what a story! I can't wait for the next one!
November 8, 2015
This was a very interesting book. Like other readers have said, it is truly a cross between The Chronicles of Narnia and Pilgrim's Progress. There are several typos in the kindle version, but overall I enjoyed it.
December 3, 2019
Illuminated by J R Castle is a Christian fantasy allegory in a newer, easier-to-read style of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.
Princess doesn't know her real name. The evil ruler and her captive, Darnel, mockingly calls her Princess. She lives a miserable existence, but doesn't know any better. She doesn't remember who she is or where she comes from.
Then a messenger from afar arrives. Something about him piques Princess' interest and she seeks him out in Darnel's dungeon. The messenger convinces her that this is not her home and to escape Darnel's clutches. Thus begins her journey.
In her travels, Princess grows and changes and learns more about herself and the King of the land she seeks through the trials she faces and those she befriends along the way.
I wish I could give this story four or more stars due to the content. However, there are so many technical issues and grammatical errors that kept tripping me up. This really should have gone through another round with an editor.
For those readers who don't mind such issues and enjoy fantasy journeys with dragons, centaurs, darkness that always leaves room for hope, tons of spiritual truths scattered throughout, and an ending that will likely elicit tears, I highly recommend this book.
Princess doesn't know her real name. The evil ruler and her captive, Darnel, mockingly calls her Princess. She lives a miserable existence, but doesn't know any better. She doesn't remember who she is or where she comes from.
Then a messenger from afar arrives. Something about him piques Princess' interest and she seeks him out in Darnel's dungeon. The messenger convinces her that this is not her home and to escape Darnel's clutches. Thus begins her journey.
In her travels, Princess grows and changes and learns more about herself and the King of the land she seeks through the trials she faces and those she befriends along the way.
I wish I could give this story four or more stars due to the content. However, there are so many technical issues and grammatical errors that kept tripping me up. This really should have gone through another round with an editor.
For those readers who don't mind such issues and enjoy fantasy journeys with dragons, centaurs, darkness that always leaves room for hope, tons of spiritual truths scattered throughout, and an ending that will likely elicit tears, I highly recommend this book.
May 6, 2022
Well. I really wanted to like this book. The beginning drew me in: a girl called Princess trapped in a dark kingdom, enslaved to an evil master who’s for some reason stolen her memories. It was intriguing, and I was eager to know more. The action kept going, following Princess as she managed to escape the kingdom. The intensity was building well, promising a fantastic adventure.
And then it just sort of… stopped. The rest of the book shows Alyra’s long journey to Aloblase, her home kingdom, focusing on how she learns about the White Path and makes new friends along the way.
I think the issue is that it’s too long. If the book had been shorter, the pacing would have been much smoother. As it is, it feels like there are three or four stories meshed into one book. There are the exciting big moments that drive the plot, and then we’re back to walking along the path.
That being said, the story itself was good. I can definitely see the author’s intention behind the work; it has a C. S. Lewis feel to it. It was a good story with great allegorical points. But it just didn’t work for me.
And then it just sort of… stopped. The rest of the book shows Alyra’s long journey to Aloblase, her home kingdom, focusing on how she learns about the White Path and makes new friends along the way.
I think the issue is that it’s too long. If the book had been shorter, the pacing would have been much smoother. As it is, it feels like there are three or four stories meshed into one book. There are the exciting big moments that drive the plot, and then we’re back to walking along the path.
That being said, the story itself was good. I can definitely see the author’s intention behind the work; it has a C. S. Lewis feel to it. It was a good story with great allegorical points. But it just didn’t work for me.
March 8, 2018
I am sorry to say that I got this book long ago and never finished it. But I missed out, clearly, because I have now finished it, and I’m glad. It’s a rich, epic story, right up there with C.S. Lewis for diversity and variety, right up to date for our modern culture floundering out of God’s path at every turn. It might seem repetitive, but aren’t our lives a repetitive course of repeating the same sins and wondering how God can really forgive us? And each case is dealt with differently. Different consequences. Different outcomes. Different lessons learned.I read one of the novellas from this universe and can’t wait to see where Tarek’s journey takes him. At first Alyra’s constant “attitude” of making her own choices despite clear advice annoyed me, but toward the end she began to channel it into better decisions.
October 28, 2024
I loved this book. The story had my attention from the beginning and all the way through. It's about a girl named Alyra who was enslaved by a horrible man when she was a little girl. She lost all her memories of her life before she came there. He reminded me of the devil. He had kidnapped a whole kingdom of people, and he had a bunch of enforcers that kept them in line. The story is about her journey of getting away from him, obstacles to overcome, friends she met traveling the white road to the kingdom of Alburnium. There were bible verse thrown in that were encouraging and reminded me of God's love as we journey through life.
Read
July 28, 2019DNF at 8%. I thought I was much further along than that. I probably picked the book up a dozen times and struggled through a handful of pages each time.
Princess never came alive to me. Her backstory was coming out in fits and bursts that were not helping (like, she has memory trouble, but from how far back? Who, exactly, does she get along with, and who does she not?).
I liked the Christian undertones, but I could not get into the story.
Princess never came alive to me. Her backstory was coming out in fits and bursts that were not helping (like, she has memory trouble, but from how far back? Who, exactly, does she get along with, and who does she not?).
I liked the Christian undertones, but I could not get into the story.
February 7, 2019
A Brilliant Tale
A masterfully written tale that conceals and reveals truth within an engaging story. A mirror to our own willfulness and struggles to trust the One who loves us first and loves us best. An excellent read!
A masterfully written tale that conceals and reveals truth within an engaging story. A mirror to our own willfulness and struggles to trust the One who loves us first and loves us best. An excellent read!
May 25, 2017
Very good fantasy book.I bought the second one as soon as I finished reading this one.
It made me think of Narnia .
It made me think of Narnia .
January 8, 2018
Loved it
I love this series and the way this author writes. This book does not disappoint and keeps you turning the pages wanting more!
I love this series and the way this author writes. This book does not disappoint and keeps you turning the pages wanting more!
June 15, 2018
Very looong, and boring in some places. Never could understand why Alyra never stayed on the white stone path, no matter how many times she was told to. BUT IT WAS INTERESTING.
December 22, 2018
Beyond Excellent
Wonderful book. I am looking forward to reading more of the same type of book Thank you for writing such a book
Wonderful book. I am looking forward to reading more of the same type of book Thank you for writing such a book
December 24, 2018
Great book
I really enjoyed reading this book. May i suggest the author finds a different book cover? The current one client do the story justice at all.
I really enjoyed reading this book. May i suggest the author finds a different book cover? The current one client do the story justice at all.
September 15, 2019
Fantasy and Faith
A perfect mixture of fantasy and Faith.
I started with the prequels and glad I did! I love the change of viewpoint.
A perfect mixture of fantasy and Faith.
I started with the prequels and glad I did! I love the change of viewpoint.
November 17, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and can't wait to read the second in the series. Great characters and adventures.
March 25, 2023
Great, clean read!
Great character, plot and storyline! I was interested from the first sentence to the last. I would definitely recommend reading!
Great character, plot and storyline! I was interested from the first sentence to the last. I would definitely recommend reading!
July 16, 2018
Princess knows she doesn’t belong here and fights and rebels when she can against the evil King who rules. The one thing keeping her sane the disk she’s had since being here. She knows she’s different. Then a new batch of workers arrive and among them a reluctant messenger who tells her of the place where there’s a good King who she’s met before but has forgotten.
She goes on a journey to find that kingdom and makes some friends and enemies along the way. Her journey is long but fruitful and she learns who she is. An amazing and page turning story about a girl who’s lost in the world and finds her way back.
I wonder what the next in the series has in store....
She goes on a journey to find that kingdom and makes some friends and enemies along the way. Her journey is long but fruitful and she learns who she is. An amazing and page turning story about a girl who’s lost in the world and finds her way back.
I wonder what the next in the series has in store....
June 24, 2021
NOTE: This review is for the updated version of "Illuminated". See here
What a beautiful story about finding your "destiny"! A definite resemblance to A Pilgrim's Progress, but with some unexpected twists! There were moments when I would cry, cringe, groan, and even laugh.
I simply love the main characters. One of my personal favorite is Lotari the Centaur. You do not get many "memorable centaur characters, even in Chronicles of Narnia, and this one stuck to me the most, besides the adorable Stitch! I also love Alyra, and how her journey transforms her physically and internally as she learns who she is and Who has been guiding her.
And lastly, Issah! I love how Ms. Castle portrayed Jesus Christ in this character in a deep level! I was so moved by how personal He is with each character, as Christ is with each of us.
What I also love about the books is the realism among the characters. They are flawed, yet hidden inside of them are great strengths that even the enemy fears! This story truly teaches us that whereever are in our "journeys" called life, when we trust in the One who guides us and remain on "the Path", no matter the trials, we will reap the rewards at the end, and meet our King face to face!
Of course, this journey is not quite the end!
What a beautiful story about finding your "destiny"! A definite resemblance to A Pilgrim's Progress, but with some unexpected twists! There were moments when I would cry, cringe, groan, and even laugh.
I simply love the main characters. One of my personal favorite is Lotari the Centaur. You do not get many "memorable centaur characters, even in Chronicles of Narnia, and this one stuck to me the most, besides the adorable Stitch! I also love Alyra, and how her journey transforms her physically and internally as she learns who she is and Who has been guiding her.
And lastly, Issah! I love how Ms. Castle portrayed Jesus Christ in this character in a deep level! I was so moved by how personal He is with each character, as Christ is with each of us.
What I also love about the books is the realism among the characters. They are flawed, yet hidden inside of them are great strengths that even the enemy fears! This story truly teaches us that whereever are in our "journeys" called life, when we trust in the One who guides us and remain on "the Path", no matter the trials, we will reap the rewards at the end, and meet our King face to face!
Of course, this journey is not quite the end!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews