Look to the Heavens

Eifion #1

by Carter Norman Phillips

A man may forge a blade, but destiny is forged in the heavens.







The archipelago shudders on the brink of war, with the weight of its future precariously balanced in the hand of a seemingly insignificant boy. Arlen Wyth is no hero, but fate has different plans. When an unassuming map falls into his hands, revealing a dark plot against his homeland, Arlen is thrust into a world where shadows stir and secrets unravel, forcing him to choose between self-preservation and the salvation of his people.




 His quest is fraught with peril, from treacherous seas to the hidden machinations of unseen enemies. Yet, as he navigates a world of danger and mystery, Arlen discovers that true redemption is a journey of the heart—a path to save not just his land but his own soul.




"Look to the Heavens" is a thrilling tale of historic fantasy, filled with powerful moral truth and celestial wonder. Reminiscent of Stephen Lawhead and C.S. Lewis, this story follows the journey of an unlikely hero as he grapples with destiny and faith. Will Arlen rise above his doubts and guilt, or will he succumb to the tides of history?




Fans of Christian fantasy, this is the book for you. Don't miss your chance to join Arlen on his epic quest—a journey where faith and fantasy collide. .

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fantasy

259 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2025

About the author

Carter Norman Phillips crafts epic tales of courage and faith, wielding his pen to inscribe eternal truth into thrilling stories of redemption and sacrifice. Raised in Missouri’s untamed hills, he grew up roaming forests, sword fighting with his brothers, and devouring novels and the pages of history. A self-taught reader and musician, Carter’s songs and stories pulse with the heart of a pilgrim and the theme of following Christ in a world of danger and trials, no matter the cost. He loves swords, shields, dragons, and anything from the tide of time long ago.
Carter lives with his wife in a self-converted skoolie in North Carolina. There, he writes, serves his church, and crafts medieval maps for other authors.
Fantasy readers will revel in his vivid worlds of swords and sacrifice, where every clash of steel echoes eternal stakes.
His stories are a rallying cry for the next generation. Fight for truth, live for Christ, and build a legacy that outlasts the ages.

Reviews

[Brianna Khristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ✨. This was eloquently written with the balance of scriptures along with the story. I love the character development that was unveiled for Wyth, Eddwyn, Argyle, and Tanwen they are my favorites. This book was intense but also beautiful in displaying the tribulations, trials, and suffering that Christian’s go through in a fallen world. I was in awe when the gospel was being shared on how multiple characters found their faith and it was put in a way that was easy to empathize for someone who may be a non believer to read. The teachings of Jesus are definitely evident in this book with the characters who had a relationship with God.


A few of my favorite highlights “perfect love casts out fear” “God’s path isn’t always clear but there’s always a path” and “you’re not responsible for what they do, you’re responsible for how you respond”.


The world building was easy to follow along. However, maybe a lineage could be helpful. It was slightly challenging to follow along the many minor characters and not knowing who and what role they had, that’s the only reason why I didn’t give it a 5.


All in all what a great time, I had really enjoyed this one there was so much grace, love, strength, hardship, empathy, grief, pain, and emotion in this. I can’t wait for book two. This was the epitome on how to write a Christian fantasy novel. 🕊️✝️🤍

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good! The action was gripping and did not let up, surprising me with the turns it took several times over the course of the story. The moral and spiritual dilemmas were well thought out and gave depth to the thoughts of, and conversations between, the various characters, adding a sense of realism, which aided in bringing them to life. I loved that aspect of this book!
Arlen Wyth is an unlikely hero with a mission which will ultimately set him on a path of discovery and redemption. He struggles with self-worth and is met with many exciting, mysterious and dangerous encounters along his journey.
Eddwen is a heroine worthy of admiration. Strong in faith and spirit, she never quits in her fight for freedom and defending others. I really loved her compassion and heart for sharing her faith.
This adventurous tale caught ahold of me right from the start and it never did let up, straight through to that shocking ending! Fantastic novel! I’m enthusiastically (and anxiously!) looking forward to the second book in the Eifion series!

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good! The action was gripping and did not let up, surprising me with the turns it took several times over the course of the story. The moral and spiritual dilemmas were well thought out and gave depth to the thoughts of, and conversations between, the various characters, adding a sense of realism, which aided in bringing them to life. I loved that aspect of this book!
Arlen Wyth is an unlikely hero with a mission which will ultimately set him on a path of discovery and redemption. He struggles with self-worth and is met with many exciting, mysterious and dangerous encounters along his journey.
Eddwen is a heroine worthy of admiration. Strong in faith and spirit, she never quits in her fight for freedom and defending others. I really loved her compassion and heart for sharing her faith.
This adventurous tale caught ahold of me right from the start and it never did let up, straight through to that shocking ending! Fantastic novel! I’m enthusiastically (and anxiously!) looking forward to the second book in the Eifion series!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look to the heavens and see a wyvern rescue. Look to the heavens and see the fires of the enemies reflected off its clouds. Look to the heavens—recall the word of the Lord—and take courage!

So it was for young Wyth. He sought to fathom the faith of his loved ones in the one true God while his people were being ground under the victorious heel of the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Why trust a God who does not save? Passion, whether for pride, lust for power, or simply patriotic honor, drives many of the characters—their darkness in contrast to those motivated to take a dangerous stand for the light of love or faith.

Traitors turned righteous; the righteous turned traitors. The characters of this beginning novelist are compelling, and I’m looking forward to book two!

[Katherina Blowers]

This book has really fantastic characters with great character arcs. My personal favorites were Eddwen and Ealdhelm, I consistently found myself excited to return to their POVs throughout the story!!

A lot of great compelling themes in this book too, I was challenged and convicted at a few choice moments I won’t name due to spoilers. And that ending, good gosh it nearly took my breath away. The surprise twist and subsequent cliffhanger is one of the best endings to a fantasy book I’ve read in a while.

Refraining from a star rating due to conflict of interest from being on this book’s launch team 🙂

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I confess to being a bit skeptical about fantasy in a Christian book and wondered if that was even possible. But, it absolutely is. The characters are very believable and ask the exact same questions about their faith (or lack thereof) as we still ask now. We face the same spiritual challenges and though there are no easy answers, this book leads us to the correct passages and shows how our hearts and minds are continuously molded to be ready at the right time. I highly recommend this book and am so looking forward to reading more fantastical Christian stories from Mr Phillips.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book follows the journey of Arlen Wyth, an unlikely hero caught in the tides of war and destiny. When he stumbles upon a mysterious map revealing a dark plot against his homeland, Arlen must navigate treacherous seas, unseen enemies, and his own doubts to uncover the truth. Arlen Wyth, faces a moral dilemma that challenges his beliefs and forces him to confront his past mistakes. The novel also delves into sacrifice and courage, as Arlen must decide whether to risk his own life for the greater good.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved historical fiction but I’ve never read a book set during the Saxon invasions before. This book has everything, excitement, adventure, an unlikely hero, a brave and true lady, torment, forgiveness, special calling, traitors, and more. I look forward to book 2 in the series and hope the wait isn’t too long!

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for, to boring and kept putting me to sleep, got annoying finding myself waking up all the time.

[Carter Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Gospel proclaimed. EPIC ending. Can’t wait to read the next one.