The Great Darkening

Epic of Haven Trilogy, #1

by R.G. Triplett

When the great burning tree of Haven begins to die, leaving the otherwise unlit world of Aiénor in a state of ever-growing darkness, a young man sets upon a quest to discover a new source of light before the unknown evils lurking in the shadows unleash their fury upon the unsuspecting world.Fear strikes the citizens of Haven at the diminishing of their holy tree, and they determine that the only way to fend off the impending dark is to set about making their own light. There are plenty of trees in the forests of Aiénor to burn. But what happens when the timber has been consumed and the great tree has failed?Could it be that one will emerge who will uncover the prophecies of old and seek the promised light?

Genres: Fantasy, Christian, Christian Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

545 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

Bobby, as his friends call him, is an artist at heart. He is a professional musician and private chef – not to mention a husband, daddy of two, and self-proclaimed nerd. Over the last decade he has had the privilege and responsibility of sharing his heart and his inspirations with thousands, and this story is an expression of his rather epic view of the world.

Reviews

[R.G. Triplett · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I walked into the gravity of this story much the same way one walks outdoors into the bright sunlight of the afternoon sky. The enormity of its shine was, and is, a little overwhelming… but I have taken great comfort in knowing that my task has never been to make the sun shine. Rather, I have been given the charge and the privilege of merely describing how the world looks from my squinty-eyed perspective.

Thank you for choosing to walk with me on this path. Thank you for daring to hike along the unfamiliar trails with me, in the light of the full sun. I pray that this will be a bright journey for your heart as much as it has been one for mine.”

– Bobby

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not typically read this genre but this book has a way of speaking to the hearts of everyone, no matter their situation, because it beautifully portrays the timeless struggle of man's will and the need for hope. Well done; I enjoyed reading this immensely!

[Melody Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Great Darkening" combines likable characters, fast-moving plot-lines, and insightful allegory to create one of the most powerful and thought-provoking books I have ever had the pleasure to read. Although it took a few chapters to get completely immersed in the story, I was very saddened when it came to an end. I wanted more! I cannot wait to see what comes next from author R.G. Triplett ... if this is only his first novel, I can imagine that the books yet to come will be even better. A great read! I highly recommend!

[Tinybeetle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The excerpt that is available online was captivating. R.G. Triplett has done a masterful job of creating a multifaceted world replete with well thought out characters who are caught up in the throes of an apocalyptic crisis. It is evident that a champion must arise before the light winks out. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the entire book.

[Elaine Corbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I love the infamous writers that have influenced this author, R.G. Triplett! That being said, I was extremely interested in seeing just what The Great Darkening was about. I was pulled in almost immediately upon reading the excerpt and I now cannot wait to read this first book when it comes out!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded the first 3 chapters of this book. It is not released yet, but I cannot WAIT for it. This book it different, fresh, and should be an awesome read! Release date cannot come fast enough. I just hope it will be released on Amazon, maybe a day or two earlier. :)

[Tammy Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

So ready to read from cover to cover.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a nerd myself and a lover of all things fictional and full of mythology, fantasy and adventure, I can not wait to read this book!

[Tricia Culp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, plain and simple. It’s not my normal genre, high/allegorical fantasy, but this is a wonderful story with so much deep, spiritual meaning. It would make a great family read-aloud, especially for kids that love Narnia or The Hobbit. I plan to read the rest of the series, which is saying a lot for me.

[Katrina Korte · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Darkening is a book with a thousand layers. Layers of true hope, challenged willpower, supernatural strength, and faith in a higher power with a brighter plan. This tale of a young man’s journey and growth, as he interacts with characters rich in diversity, is not merely suspenseful but truly moving. It speaks to how one can believe in the intangible, fight for a new reality, and trust there is goodness to come. This work of fantasy feels real in a way that captivates and leaves the reader yearning for book two of this powerful trilogy!

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Great Darkening" commences an adventure through life in such a way that the reader cannot help but ponder his or her own hope and faith. The characters in this book truly come to life. This book literally found me at a time in my life when my faith in God was lacking. The connections I have since made, both fictional and personal, have not only strengthened my faith, but renewed my hope. I was destined to read "The Great Darkening," and it has forever changed my life.

[Rich Kesky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pretty much only read fantasy and this is the start to a great trilogy! It has subtle hints of Tolkien & Lewis, but also uniquely individual as well. The story takes place in a world with a strange set of physical rules that is central to the plot. It is a lighter fantasy along the lines of authors Anthony & Brooks, rather than the massive character and excessively wordy epics of Jordan, Donaldson & Goodkind. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read!

[Drew Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read. Once you begin to this story you will not want to put the book down. I am not typically a Fiction reader however this book grabbed me from the start. Recommend reading this book as you will begin to think differently about the "surface" world in which we live.

[Jessica]

Amazing book!!! I just finished reading The Great Darkening. I started the book a few days ago and couldn't put it down! The plot draws you in immediately and the allegory though ethereal and illusive is no doubt deep in meaning and touches the soul. This book is full of fictional fantasy, adventure and captures your attention and heart from beginning to end. From a reader who adores the likes of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, The Great Darkening is as riveting as anyone of those great authors books. R.G. Triplett is a talented writer and I truly can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy of the Epic of Haven!

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. Its use Tolkien comparisons sparingly, and I don't think anything is really at his level, but I think this is at least comparable in style and tone to the Narnia stories. It is a detailed allegorical fantasy full of adventure which marks the beginning of a trilogy.

Cal goes from a lonely stablehand to a hero and leader in the making, and a cast of supporting characters come into their own. There's a nice Irish/Celtic feel to this story, and some elements of Celtic mythology and the little people.

Apart from some modern terms, I loved the worldbuilding in this story and got thoroughly immersed in the setting. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Tammy Kesky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, let me say that I don't read fantasy books. I get lost in the new worlds and multiple character developments. However at the urging of my husband and friends I have begun the journey into the world of Aienor. I must admit it is not as intimidating as what I believed most fantasy reads to be...albeit it is still 50 chapters! While I'll be a while trudging through these pages (I'm a slow reader and trying not to miss anything) I am enjoying each and every one! The allegory is amazing and I'm starting to take a liking to Tolk & Cal.

[Lauren Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really don't normally write reviews, but felt compelled to write one for this book! honestly, whether you like to read or not - whether you even like this genre or not - i think you will thoroughly enjoy this read. i couldn't put it down. i just finished book one, and i am already dying for the next one!!!

[Breque Bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Hard to put down!

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gagged a little every time I read about the almighty three who is seven.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept, the story, and the world are well developed and quite interesting. The characters felt alive and believable to me. I knew them. I especially enjoyed his strong female characters Keily, Carina and even the evil Morana. As a sufferer who loves the "THREE who is SEVEN," the themes of hope in darkness and endurance in trial spoke to my heart and experience. I found myself thinking about the book even when I wasn't reading it, which is always a good sign. However, the execution of the work fell flat in a couple of ways. My interest was often lost in over-description and too many adjectives and adverbs, causing me to feel the work of reading. Fiction should be pleasure, not work. This is really an editorial issue, and it's sad to me that it wasn't corrected. The most glaring problem is the seeming lack of trust the author places in his readers. He took away the fun of inference by spelling out the themes too clearly. I like to figure things out for myself, as do most readers. I don't really want the author forcing me to see his work the way he does. I want some freedom to apply my own experience, and I felt like I wasn't allowed to have it. I want the story to whisper its secrets rather than shout them at me. I would have appreciated a great deal more subtlety and reserve. In a nutshell: less is more.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

While there might be a great story underneath, the writing has made it impossible for me to connect with the story. The writing is so wordy and florid that it is hard to figure out the meaning of some sentences. The character voices are stilted primarily because the author chose to use an archaic, formal mode of speech which just does not read smoothly. Phrases are very frequently reused and the scene layout is repeated throughout the book. Generally every scene spent too much time setting up and not enough time in the meat of the scene.

I'm about a third of the way through and it was a struggle to get this far. After avoiding reading for the couple weeks I've been trying to read this book I am just going to admit defeat and move on to the next book on my list. I think this book may have done better if a very strong editor did an overhaul. The story that is hidden under this writing might be a great one but unfortunately I can't see it.

[Denise Ballentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual type of thing to read, but I appreciate the effort that went in to crafting this story. Lots of allegory relating to Christianity. Well told, but seemed a little long. One of the difficulties with writing a tale such as this is to create this fantasy type world and explain it without boring the reader. The author did a pretty good job doing that. A couple of minor quibbles: the author uses the word "purchase" far too much. Also, some of the dialogue seems not to fit the setting, a little too contemporary. But those are minor issues. I do believe that the author needs to do more "showing" and less "telling." This was better than I expected for a first novel. I look forward to improvement and growth in the writing in the the coming books. I am enjoying the vast imaginative world that Triplett has created.

[torque · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept did have potential, however I can't put my finger on why, but I did find this a slow read. There was really no point where I was looking forward to pick up the story to find out what would happen next. I think part of it was just the way it was written, but also knowing that the whole story has been preplanned by some good God just following though on ancient prophesies, makes all the characters puppets in this grand plan. You know already that things will end well because God is pulling all the strings anyway. There were really no twists, and it seems most of the deeper meanings to be conveyed where related to religion.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In college, I took a class on C.S. Lewis that I enjoyed thoroughly. It did take awhile for me to really get into his writings, but in the end, I learned so much from everything that I read and talked about in the class. This book was the same way for me. I received the book free from the author for an honest review, so I thought- Why not!?! Books like this make a reader think and the imagery is fantastic.
The characters were well developed. The scenes were nicely displayed in words so my imagination could make them come alive for me. Well, done R.G. Triplett! I look forward to the next installment! I would definitely recommend!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Christian fantasy book. I've really enjoyed it. you will have to read the second book to learn how it ends though. That's normally the one thing that will turn me away, but in this case they offered both books free. (I don't know if they still are though.) This shows how fear weakens us till it finally takes away all our strength. But hope makes us stronger. I know some folks may get upset due to the use of "magic" in the book. But this magic is just another term for the supernatural power of God which He gifts to His children. I'm off to read book 2 now. I'm sure others will enjoy these books too.

[Diana Woolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book. R.G. Triplett used allegory in this story and did it as well as the likes of C.S. Lewis. This book is appropriate for all ages and will pull the reader into the world of The Great Darkening from the very beginning. Once you start reading the Great Darkening you won't want to put it down. I like books that make me think and this book does that, the comparisons of what are happening in our world and our times are seen in this story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. You will not regret reading The Great Darkening!

[Carol Bosselman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good, but the religious allegory was far too heavy for my taste. I don't mind some (I didn't find CS Lewis to be too much until the last couple of books) but this was almost like having religion shoved down my throat; with this, the characters felt flat, all of them so overwhelmingly good. If one of them shows doubt, it's gone a half a page later.

Outside of that (and really, its a personal preference as I'm not keen on super-religious reading), its a good start to an epic tale. I wish I could have enjoyed it a little more, and I do want to see more of whats to come.

[Trey Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little heavy handed in the Christian allegory part (but I knew that going in). Overall, I felt that R.G. Triplett's writing was pretty good and was interested in the story. Its just, as I said, got to be very heavy handed with the allegory. It also got to the point that when the protagonist would meet new people everyone was immediately best friends, thus reducing some conflict. I've got the 2nd book in my drawer and have followed the author to know that he completed the 3rd book but there has been no mention of its publishing. Eventually, I'll probably open up the second book.

[Jerry Triplett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I must say it took a few chapters to get into the storyline; but once inside I loved the fast paced action and the creativity of the characters by this author. I'm looking forward to the next book and the hope that resonates with what seems futile for the world of Aie'nor and those who are seeking to revive light over darkness. I think reading the Editorial Companion Guide TGD in PDF by Melody Farrell will help you recognize the essence of the storyline which was very helpful as well.

[Zoe Schoppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I was truly not expecting such a treasure when I started to read it. It is a beautiful allegory. Seek the light fellow sojourner so and never ever lose hope!

The only downside is that I ran across this book so soon after it was published and I have to wait for the next book...whah!