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Chadash Chronicles #1
Fool's Errand
Available now pre-release at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookst...
Available everywhere (Amazon, B&N, etc) February 4th, 2014
“Welcome to Chadash; where the lives and adventures of mortals are the weapons wielded by angels in a war for the souls of men.”
What was to be a simple job for the unlikely team of a teenage thief, a holy warrior, a barbarian prince, a priest and an outcast necromancer soon transforms into a much greater adventure. These mismatched heroes find themselves caught up in a struggle threatening three decades of peace. The fate of nations is inseparably intertwined with the fate of this motley band of adventurers. Yet even greater forces are afoot as unbeknownst to the heroes they are pawns in a celestial struggle between two factions of angels on a new world the One Lord has created at the end of the universe. Come along to the world of Chadash where angels struggle for the souls of men in The Chadash Chronicles Book One: Fool’s Errand.
Available everywhere (Amazon, B&N, etc) February 4th, 2014
“Welcome to Chadash; where the lives and adventures of mortals are the weapons wielded by angels in a war for the souls of men.”
What was to be a simple job for the unlikely team of a teenage thief, a holy warrior, a barbarian prince, a priest and an outcast necromancer soon transforms into a much greater adventure. These mismatched heroes find themselves caught up in a struggle threatening three decades of peace. The fate of nations is inseparably intertwined with the fate of this motley band of adventurers. Yet even greater forces are afoot as unbeknownst to the heroes they are pawns in a celestial struggle between two factions of angels on a new world the One Lord has created at the end of the universe. Come along to the world of Chadash where angels struggle for the souls of men in The Chadash Chronicles Book One: Fool’s Errand.
- GenresChristian FictionFiction
340 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
David G. Johnson
13 books27 followersDavid G. Johnson is an author and teacher with a BA in Asian Studies and a MDiv in Bibilcal Languages who currently resides overseas with his family serving as teachers and living witnesses of their faith. David has been an avid Fantasy and Science Fiction fan for over thirty years and has now turned his cross-cultural experience to the task of blending Fantasy fiction with a biblical worldview in his works which mix Fantasy storytelling elements with personal spiritual journey elements in a way that is approachable and enjoyable by all readers regardless of their worldview.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 25, 2013
To identify myself on a nerd-o-meter, I never learned Klingon, however I did devise a way to play the card game from Star Wars, Sabacc, using tarot cards. That was how Hans Solo won the Falcon, btw. I was single then!
With that clarified, I would like to address a few topics that may enhance your enjoyment of the book, knowing where I am coming from.
This is a crafted world you are engaging in. It's not a hodgepodge of typical fantasy critters rehashing what's been done a million times since Tolkien. Each character comes to this story with an expansive back story of their own; the broken characters are those I found most interesting.
I did find the addition of various non-English language phrases and identifiers for racial groups a little ponderous. But it works. Simple phrases, repeated in context, and I was soon comfortable knowing who was who and what. I would argue that calling an elf an elf and a dwarf a dwarf rather than creating a language and renaming them is easier, but reading into the second book I can appreciate the effort and the purpose. This is a world made whole, with lands, peoples, traditions and cultures unique and rich. It is a pleasure to be able to delve into.
That said, "Fools Errand" was a great read and a wonderful opening act for what I expect to be a finely crafted series.
With that clarified, I would like to address a few topics that may enhance your enjoyment of the book, knowing where I am coming from.
This is a crafted world you are engaging in. It's not a hodgepodge of typical fantasy critters rehashing what's been done a million times since Tolkien. Each character comes to this story with an expansive back story of their own; the broken characters are those I found most interesting.
I did find the addition of various non-English language phrases and identifiers for racial groups a little ponderous. But it works. Simple phrases, repeated in context, and I was soon comfortable knowing who was who and what. I would argue that calling an elf an elf and a dwarf a dwarf rather than creating a language and renaming them is easier, but reading into the second book I can appreciate the effort and the purpose. This is a world made whole, with lands, peoples, traditions and cultures unique and rich. It is a pleasure to be able to delve into.
That said, "Fools Errand" was a great read and a wonderful opening act for what I expect to be a finely crafted series.
December 4, 2013
Once you pick this book up you wont' be able to put it down until you finish it. Then you will want to quickly pick up book two (Mystics Mayhem) to continue the saga. David does an excellent job of weaving intrigue into this story of high fantasy, full of magic, unique races, and all things fantasy lovers look for. I highly recommend this book!
December 4, 2013
An impressive bit of high fantasy
Or so I'm told. When David gave me copies to review he said something to the effect that as far as he knew I didn't like high fantasy. That may well be true—especially the heathen versions of the same. I remember moving on to other genres because of all the nasty themes present in the books I was finding in the early 1970s.
But I also vaguely remember back in the mists of time being enthralled by Le Guin's EarthSea Trilogy [though I could've sworn there were more than three of them]. Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern was wonderful back in my misspent heathen youth. But more recently, what I have seen glorifies sin and exalts evil.
The Chadash Chronicles do not. The good guys are actually good. There are far more strange species than you can imagine. It's a special world set up to test the fight of good versus evil. It's got demons, nephilim, orcs, goblins, dwarves of four different species, cat women, wolf women, necromancers, mages, some with a chance to repent, some without, some servants of the good, some servants of the bad, a delightful mix. The magic is believable—seen as a neutral force which can be used by good or evil.
My problem is that this is only one book: Fool's Errand & Mystic's Mayhem together!
Messed with by lemming publishers
Fool's errand is a wonderful tale of heroes saving the nations. But then it stops in the middle of the action. It's like going one of those glorious movies in the 50s with intermissions. Intermission comes and while everyone is getting their snacks and chatting in the lobby, the doors to the auditorium are closed with large signs saying, Come back later for the rest of the story. Mystic's Mayhem finishes off the story. Don't even bother starting Fool's Errand without a copy of Mystic's Mayhem in hand. At the satisfying end of MM, there is a titillating hint of trouble brewing for the next book.
Both books together would barely make a 400 page book. If these two together were book one of a trilogy, this book is nearly as good as LOTR—in fact, in several ways it is better.
Mystic's Mayhem
Or so I'm told. When David gave me copies to review he said something to the effect that as far as he knew I didn't like high fantasy. That may well be true—especially the heathen versions of the same. I remember moving on to other genres because of all the nasty themes present in the books I was finding in the early 1970s.
But I also vaguely remember back in the mists of time being enthralled by Le Guin's EarthSea Trilogy [though I could've sworn there were more than three of them]. Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern was wonderful back in my misspent heathen youth. But more recently, what I have seen glorifies sin and exalts evil.
The Chadash Chronicles do not. The good guys are actually good. There are far more strange species than you can imagine. It's a special world set up to test the fight of good versus evil. It's got demons, nephilim, orcs, goblins, dwarves of four different species, cat women, wolf women, necromancers, mages, some with a chance to repent, some without, some servants of the good, some servants of the bad, a delightful mix. The magic is believable—seen as a neutral force which can be used by good or evil.
My problem is that this is only one book: Fool's Errand & Mystic's Mayhem together!
Messed with by lemming publishers
Fool's errand is a wonderful tale of heroes saving the nations. But then it stops in the middle of the action. It's like going one of those glorious movies in the 50s with intermissions. Intermission comes and while everyone is getting their snacks and chatting in the lobby, the doors to the auditorium are closed with large signs saying, Come back later for the rest of the story. Mystic's Mayhem finishes off the story. Don't even bother starting Fool's Errand without a copy of Mystic's Mayhem in hand. At the satisfying end of MM, there is a titillating hint of trouble brewing for the next book.
Both books together would barely make a 400 page book. If these two together were book one of a trilogy, this book is nearly as good as LOTR—in fact, in several ways it is better.
Mystic's Mayhem
December 4, 2013
If you love fantasy RPG games you will love this book. There aren't so many characters that you get lost, but there is a rich diversity along with familiar types. Rogues and clerics, mages and paladins dot the landscape, as well as cooks and bards and bad guys. Johnson has done some fine world-building. I appreciated the overall high moral tone along with the realistic enjoyment of a good drink and appreciation for a pretty girl (even if she does have black fur) by ordinary men with extraordinary determination and courage. If you expect a resolution, you apparently had better have book 2 on hand, because it's still to come at the end of this piece. It does include a satisfactory step toward victory. My one warning is that Christian readers will need to extend a certain degree of grace to accept the presence of God and angels in a new world where the curse is not a factor, but this is a minor issue.
December 19, 2013
This is a fascinating concept. Take the love of dungeon delving adventure and marry it to the impact of faith in everyday life and the struggle to choose between forces of good and evil. The story engages, entertains and educates, but not in a preachy manner. I definitely like it a lot!
April 21, 2019
DNF:
First off, the world building was great. I could tell the author really fleshed out the kingdoms, but it was far too detailed. Characters, too. I got bogged down in the background information. Some people may really enjoy that, but for me it just wasn't working because it really slowed it down and made it too wordy. There was too much telling and not enough showing, which just dragged the pace.
I took me almost a year to get 43% of the way through this book. I would take a break after slogging through a few chapters, then try again at a later date. At some point I finally had to give up. If I have to work that hard to make myself read it, it just isn't that enjoyable.
For my clean readers:
Includes violence, drinking, and mild language.
First off, the world building was great. I could tell the author really fleshed out the kingdoms, but it was far too detailed. Characters, too. I got bogged down in the background information. Some people may really enjoy that, but for me it just wasn't working because it really slowed it down and made it too wordy. There was too much telling and not enough showing, which just dragged the pace.
I took me almost a year to get 43% of the way through this book. I would take a break after slogging through a few chapters, then try again at a later date. At some point I finally had to give up. If I have to work that hard to make myself read it, it just isn't that enjoyable.
For my clean readers:
Includes violence, drinking, and mild language.
May 4, 2015
Book – Fool's Errand (Chadash Chronicles#1)
Author – David G. Johnson
Star rating - ★★★★★
Plot – unique, well developed and paced
Characters – individual, diverse, intriguing
Movie Potential - ★★★★★
Ease of reading – very easy to read
Cover - ✔
Suitable Title - ✔
Would I read it again – Yes. Definitely.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
I have to admit that I'm not a Christian. This is important for one reason – the Foreword. I'm an open minded scientific daydreamer who doesn't disbelief any religion, but questions all. I flit between open minded awareness of all religions and being unconvinced.
However, just reading the Foreword of this book, I knew David and I were going to get on just fine. Rowling, Tolkien and Lewis are some of my all time favourite authors and I completely understand where he's coming from in the Foreword. I've read a predominantly Christian book series before, in the fantasy genre, and loved it. It made me believe, it made me question and it made me cry. This book does the same.
The prologue was amazing, intriguing and thought provoking. It was so well written and explored that I sank right into the story. I'll admit that I could have read this type of story for the entire book. But the author does admit that you can miss out the prologue if you're not into the Christian theme, without losing any of the story.
HOWEVER – I really suggest you don't miss it. Whether you believe or not, the prologue is a piece of genius that opens your eyes to the rest of the story and the real meaning behind everything that is going on. If you've already read this story and loved it, but you haven't read the prologue, then please think about going back and reading it. You won't be disappointed!
Now, onto the story. I don't want to give you a synopsis of the entire book. That's not the point of my review. My review is to point out the good and bad things about this book, so that you can decide whether it is something you would like to read.
I loved this book.
I think the characters are unique, with amazing depth and capacity and their relationship with the other characters is so involved and key to the progression of the story. It really is a joy to read this book. Around every corner (or every page) is a secret that we have to wait to discover with great anticipation.
The story isn't too fast or too slow, it's not one of those that throw a lot of events at you and then never explores them. This book sets a good pace right off the bat and keeps that pace through the whole story. I like that the idea of the 'fool's errand' is continued throughout the story and that the 'raid' at the beginning eases you into the story superbly. We instantly get to know the characters and how they get along together, as well as getting a hint of the story that's to come.
Sometimes the length of the description can interfere with the moment and flow of the story. E.g. background stories, history and explanation of the different people in Chadash. It's interesting, but doesn't always have an obvious relevance.
I feel for Thatcher and Melizar the most. I was really sorry for Thatcher, after the battle, when we found out what happened with the Guild. I have to say though that Melizar is by far the most relatable character for me. His journey of doubt and confusion is very like my own relationship with God, which makes him an intriguing character. I see things that make me believe and wonder, like he does, and then question what I see all over again because of doubts. I think there's a character in this book for everyone, no matter what their religion or the journey they're on.
Author – David G. Johnson
Star rating - ★★★★★
Plot – unique, well developed and paced
Characters – individual, diverse, intriguing
Movie Potential - ★★★★★
Ease of reading – very easy to read
Cover - ✔
Suitable Title - ✔
Would I read it again – Yes. Definitely.
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK, BY THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **
I have to admit that I'm not a Christian. This is important for one reason – the Foreword. I'm an open minded scientific daydreamer who doesn't disbelief any religion, but questions all. I flit between open minded awareness of all religions and being unconvinced.
However, just reading the Foreword of this book, I knew David and I were going to get on just fine. Rowling, Tolkien and Lewis are some of my all time favourite authors and I completely understand where he's coming from in the Foreword. I've read a predominantly Christian book series before, in the fantasy genre, and loved it. It made me believe, it made me question and it made me cry. This book does the same.
The prologue was amazing, intriguing and thought provoking. It was so well written and explored that I sank right into the story. I'll admit that I could have read this type of story for the entire book. But the author does admit that you can miss out the prologue if you're not into the Christian theme, without losing any of the story.
HOWEVER – I really suggest you don't miss it. Whether you believe or not, the prologue is a piece of genius that opens your eyes to the rest of the story and the real meaning behind everything that is going on. If you've already read this story and loved it, but you haven't read the prologue, then please think about going back and reading it. You won't be disappointed!
Now, onto the story. I don't want to give you a synopsis of the entire book. That's not the point of my review. My review is to point out the good and bad things about this book, so that you can decide whether it is something you would like to read.
I loved this book.
I think the characters are unique, with amazing depth and capacity and their relationship with the other characters is so involved and key to the progression of the story. It really is a joy to read this book. Around every corner (or every page) is a secret that we have to wait to discover with great anticipation.
The story isn't too fast or too slow, it's not one of those that throw a lot of events at you and then never explores them. This book sets a good pace right off the bat and keeps that pace through the whole story. I like that the idea of the 'fool's errand' is continued throughout the story and that the 'raid' at the beginning eases you into the story superbly. We instantly get to know the characters and how they get along together, as well as getting a hint of the story that's to come.
Sometimes the length of the description can interfere with the moment and flow of the story. E.g. background stories, history and explanation of the different people in Chadash. It's interesting, but doesn't always have an obvious relevance.
I feel for Thatcher and Melizar the most. I was really sorry for Thatcher, after the battle, when we found out what happened with the Guild. I have to say though that Melizar is by far the most relatable character for me. His journey of doubt and confusion is very like my own relationship with God, which makes him an intriguing character. I see things that make me believe and wonder, like he does, and then question what I see all over again because of doubts. I think there's a character in this book for everyone, no matter what their religion or the journey they're on.
July 7, 2014
I am glad I did three things before getting into this novel, the first, reading the short story, Saga of the Everking, which is the prequel to this series, the second, being the Foreword by the author, and third, the Prologue. All are interconnected and for the serious Christian fantasy buff or Christian who can only read fantasy based on a Christian worldview, this prequel and series will be one of great pleasure and reward.
To read more, go here:
http://christianfictionreviewguru.blo...
To read more, go here:
http://christianfictionreviewguru.blo...
December 4, 2013
This book is the first of my Chadash Chronicles series. It is a rolling, high fantasy story with a Christian backstory and elements, but written in a way that is enjoyable and approachable by everyone regardless of your worldview. I hope this story will be the start of an epic adventure for you as you join me for the adventures of Thatcher, Goldain, Gideon, Melizar, Arreya and Duncan in the world of Chadash.
February 15, 2015
An interesting book that is definitely different from the stereotypical fantasy books. It is still very reminiscent of high fantasy such as Lord of the Rings. I am impressed with its depth despite being shorter in page length than I'm used to reading.
However, as a heads up, the book does end in a cliffhanger so be sure to have the sequel ready before finishing!
Won in a giveaway in return for an honest review
However, as a heads up, the book does end in a cliffhanger so be sure to have the sequel ready before finishing!
Won in a giveaway in return for an honest review
October 9, 2014
Had the author stuck to plot and necessary exposition - as opposed to extensive worldbuilding I won't remember half of - the book's length would have been cut down by a good 50%. Even so, the reading went more quickly and I enjoyed the story more as we went.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews