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Mindrulers #1
The Mindruler
A student, a lecturer, a web designer, a retired teacher: four unlikely strangers suddenly find themselves in an unknown country on an unknown world, their ears assaulted by the clash of swords on armour and the whizz of arrows. Caught up in a mediaeval battle, Steve, Gil, Lannie and Denise are rescued by the losing side and hustled to the dubious safety of a basement in a burnt-out castle.
Here they learn that their hosts—people not unlike themselves—are the only survivors of a rebellion against the vicious regime of Mindruler Shambor dom Beldet and his country-wide network of Mindbenders. These brutal overlords have mastered telepathy to the point where they can invade people’s thoughts and control their lives. Their eyes and ears are everywhere.
But in the last free community in the castle basement, the new arrivals are hailed as the long-awaited “Restorers of the Way”—the “strangers and loners” of prophecy, who will overthrow Shambor and bring peace and freedom to the tormented land of Dûrion. The foreigners find this idea ludicrous. How can they, four ordinary people, pose as revolutionaries in a country they don’t even know?
Captured, enslaved, barely escaping, betrayed by one of their own, they are pursued across the country from one precarious refuge to the next by a tyrant bent on their destruction. En route they find friends and helpers in unexpected places, along with other powerful resources—resources the tyrant cannot control.
Even so, how can they succeed against his all-pervasive network of mentally-controlled slaves? Can the God they call upon overcome even the Mindruler’s unimaginable powers? Are they truly the long-awaited Restorers, who will end his tyranny and set the suffering people of Dûrion free?
The first of three novels in The Mindrulers series, this book is written by a linguist with significant cross-cultural experience and a love of history. It is set in a richly-imagined world featuring convincing languages, fascinating cultures, and meticulously detailed maps of the characters’ journeys. The setting is thoroughly worked out, creating an inner consistency and a breadth of history and geography that gives the reader a sense of reality, and of hidden vistas that may yet open up.
Praise for The Mindruler
The Mindruler will take you to another planet—very similar to our own—where even your most secret thoughts can be used as weapons of war. In this epic tale of good versus evil, Steve Pillinger has created a rich world and an absorbing fantasy that will keep you turning the pages and wondering: are those thoughts really your own?
— Fiona Veitch Smith, Crime Writers Association nominated author of The Poppy Denby Investigates series.
Here they learn that their hosts—people not unlike themselves—are the only survivors of a rebellion against the vicious regime of Mindruler Shambor dom Beldet and his country-wide network of Mindbenders. These brutal overlords have mastered telepathy to the point where they can invade people’s thoughts and control their lives. Their eyes and ears are everywhere.
But in the last free community in the castle basement, the new arrivals are hailed as the long-awaited “Restorers of the Way”—the “strangers and loners” of prophecy, who will overthrow Shambor and bring peace and freedom to the tormented land of Dûrion. The foreigners find this idea ludicrous. How can they, four ordinary people, pose as revolutionaries in a country they don’t even know?
Captured, enslaved, barely escaping, betrayed by one of their own, they are pursued across the country from one precarious refuge to the next by a tyrant bent on their destruction. En route they find friends and helpers in unexpected places, along with other powerful resources—resources the tyrant cannot control.
Even so, how can they succeed against his all-pervasive network of mentally-controlled slaves? Can the God they call upon overcome even the Mindruler’s unimaginable powers? Are they truly the long-awaited Restorers, who will end his tyranny and set the suffering people of Dûrion free?
The first of three novels in The Mindrulers series, this book is written by a linguist with significant cross-cultural experience and a love of history. It is set in a richly-imagined world featuring convincing languages, fascinating cultures, and meticulously detailed maps of the characters’ journeys. The setting is thoroughly worked out, creating an inner consistency and a breadth of history and geography that gives the reader a sense of reality, and of hidden vistas that may yet open up.
Praise for The Mindruler
The Mindruler will take you to another planet—very similar to our own—where even your most secret thoughts can be used as weapons of war. In this epic tale of good versus evil, Steve Pillinger has created a rich world and an absorbing fantasy that will keep you turning the pages and wondering: are those thoughts really your own?
— Fiona Veitch Smith, Crime Writers Association nominated author of The Poppy Denby Investigates series.
- GenresFantasy
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2017
16 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Steve Pillinger
5 books48 followersSteve Pillinger is a linguist, Bible translator and typesetter who has worked in a number of different cross-cultural settings in Africa, the UK and the USA. He loves language, history and maps, which comes through in his books; and he's always delighted to see God’s truth revealed with fresh impact through the eyes of a different culture.
The Mindrulers series is set in the richly-imagined world he created as part of a family role-playing game, while living in Oxfordshire, UK. Now he and his wife have moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they continue to support the work of Bible translation. They have two adult children, a son and a daughter.
Steve’s other interests include reading, piano playing and photography.
The Mindrulers series is set in the richly-imagined world he created as part of a family role-playing game, while living in Oxfordshire, UK. Now he and his wife have moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they continue to support the work of Bible translation. They have two adult children, a son and a daughter.
Steve’s other interests include reading, piano playing and photography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 7, 2020
“The Mindruler” was one of those delightful epic reads that had a little bit of everything! Four people plucked from their ordinary lives by magic (in a lovely “Outlander” sort of feel) and transported to another land where they can’t speak the language, have no idea where they are (even the plants and animals are different suggesting perhaps a new planet entirely), and are immediately caught up in a battle. As the four refugees compare stories and begin to piece together how they might have come to be in this castle basement (where they’ve aligned with the losing side in the battle), things just get more interesting. Mind control. Revolution. Religion and cults. It’s a sweeping epic fantasy and author Steve Pillinger does a great job in crafting the world building, complete with intricate maps that add to the reading experience and other additions.
One of my favorite things about reading this novel was slowly coming to understand more about the setting as layers of the plot are revealed, particularly the connection between our four main characters and how they came to be chosen for their task. Also watching them adapt to their new surroundings. I enjoyed each of them in their own ways, but Lannie, the older teacher who was recently widowed and still wanted to become a missionary, was a particular favorite. Interesting little clues are sprinkled throughout the story… what does it mean when they find relics from Earth’s past… is there a way to get back home? Must they first serve out a purpose? A calling from a higher power?
But of course, there is the matter of the mindrulers, who are delightfully wicked villains, enslaving hundreds of minds at a time. The novel calls on the reader to ask questions of faith, but also draws on deeply rooted human fears, as when Gil wanders away from the group and meets with unfortunate consequences, or Lannie’s battle with paralysis where she has to call on strength she found in a similar medical battle back in her Earth life. Delgor was particularly vile. The experience of mind bending, especially through Gil’s desperation to break free from his control, feels visceral and is sharply written. This is a long, winding fantasy, aimed at those who enjoy epic tales. And with the country still under the control of the mind rulers, book two promises more to come!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
One of my favorite things about reading this novel was slowly coming to understand more about the setting as layers of the plot are revealed, particularly the connection between our four main characters and how they came to be chosen for their task. Also watching them adapt to their new surroundings. I enjoyed each of them in their own ways, but Lannie, the older teacher who was recently widowed and still wanted to become a missionary, was a particular favorite. Interesting little clues are sprinkled throughout the story… what does it mean when they find relics from Earth’s past… is there a way to get back home? Must they first serve out a purpose? A calling from a higher power?
But of course, there is the matter of the mindrulers, who are delightfully wicked villains, enslaving hundreds of minds at a time. The novel calls on the reader to ask questions of faith, but also draws on deeply rooted human fears, as when Gil wanders away from the group and meets with unfortunate consequences, or Lannie’s battle with paralysis where she has to call on strength she found in a similar medical battle back in her Earth life. Delgor was particularly vile. The experience of mind bending, especially through Gil’s desperation to break free from his control, feels visceral and is sharply written. This is a long, winding fantasy, aimed at those who enjoy epic tales. And with the country still under the control of the mind rulers, book two promises more to come!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
June 10, 2019
A particularly compelling epic Christian Fantasy. For fans of this genre, it is Game of Thrones-esque with more compelling heroes and heroines, as well as a tie-in to real life. In terms of content, it is PG-13, as compared to Game of Thrones R, which also is an added bonus to its readability. Overall, the setting, plot and characters make it a thrilling book to read.
Setting
In most of my previous reviews, I don’t start with the setting. Here, I wanted to start with the setting because of its epic scale. Mr. Pillinger has done a magnificent job of creating a believable world. He has created his own language, political system, unique people groups, and multiple maps. The maps and the language are scattered throughout the story, adding to its enchanting world. Even though this is a portal fantasy, it is not a C.S. Lewis fantasy. In fact, it is more akin to a smattering of Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mr. Pillinger is Tolkien-esque in his creation of a brand new world. I admire his intricate attention to detail without boring me into slumber, especially how he artfully creates a balance between showing and telling. His setting in this book is definitely one of this book’s strengths.
Plot
Many books I read are character-driven; The Mindruler isn’t. That’s not to say there isn’t character development, which I will get to down below. However, the simple truth is that Pillinger’s plot is elevated above his characters. The events he has conveyed are so masterfully woven together that the character development takes a backstage. As a reader, I could tell that he wanted to focus on the endurance of people of faith under fire. The book was easy to continue reading because the characters were always in danger-in one form or another. In fact, I often wished for a moment or pause of breath between the thrilling pages. Pillinger offered a few moments of respite as he swept his adventurers dodging the dangers of the opposing force. His plot was also not predictable, and even his ending left the reader engaged and intrigued on what the next book would bring.
Characters
There are so many characters in this novel that it would hard to analyze them all. However, I will say that the main character’s troubles and trials were evident from the first pages. There is Steve, the unconfident young man who is uncertain of whether he has what it takes to be a leader. Lannie, the young woman whose heart is broken and in need of healing. Gil, the doubter whose compromises lead him down a different path. Denise, an older woman who wonders if she should hang up her hat but longs for adventure. Jomel, a prostitute who longs for a better life. Perrely, a naive woman whose heart is in the right place. And of course, the villains, Bishop Shmabor and Dhelgor, are corrupt individuals whose motivations are as dynamic as their counterparts. As you can tell, these characters are complex and realistic, with true struggles that aren’t completely resolved in this book, leaving room for the sequel. This makes them compelling enough for any good read.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
However, and this is small, for any readers who enjoy character-driven books, this is not one of them. I say this as a means of understanding why I have given this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason is simply that I felt the character development wasn’t as strong as I would like it to be. Honestly speaking, there are only 2 characters that change in this book, and their change isn’t strong enough for me. And the one character whose change is strong is strong in a dark way, a way that made it hard for me to read at times. What I will say is that this is a matter of personal taste, and in my opinion, not enough reason to not purchase this book. In fact, I am currently reading the second book and hoping that it is just as good, if not better than this one.
Content Advisory: There are several times where the villain uses the word b- to describe women. Rape is not described, but there is enough information to evoke sympathy. Sex is mentioned, but again not detailed, just hinted enough for readers to get the picture. There is also sexual harassment, and violence, but not enough description to make someone squeamish.
Setting
In most of my previous reviews, I don’t start with the setting. Here, I wanted to start with the setting because of its epic scale. Mr. Pillinger has done a magnificent job of creating a believable world. He has created his own language, political system, unique people groups, and multiple maps. The maps and the language are scattered throughout the story, adding to its enchanting world. Even though this is a portal fantasy, it is not a C.S. Lewis fantasy. In fact, it is more akin to a smattering of Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mr. Pillinger is Tolkien-esque in his creation of a brand new world. I admire his intricate attention to detail without boring me into slumber, especially how he artfully creates a balance between showing and telling. His setting in this book is definitely one of this book’s strengths.
Plot
Many books I read are character-driven; The Mindruler isn’t. That’s not to say there isn’t character development, which I will get to down below. However, the simple truth is that Pillinger’s plot is elevated above his characters. The events he has conveyed are so masterfully woven together that the character development takes a backstage. As a reader, I could tell that he wanted to focus on the endurance of people of faith under fire. The book was easy to continue reading because the characters were always in danger-in one form or another. In fact, I often wished for a moment or pause of breath between the thrilling pages. Pillinger offered a few moments of respite as he swept his adventurers dodging the dangers of the opposing force. His plot was also not predictable, and even his ending left the reader engaged and intrigued on what the next book would bring.
Characters
There are so many characters in this novel that it would hard to analyze them all. However, I will say that the main character’s troubles and trials were evident from the first pages. There is Steve, the unconfident young man who is uncertain of whether he has what it takes to be a leader. Lannie, the young woman whose heart is broken and in need of healing. Gil, the doubter whose compromises lead him down a different path. Denise, an older woman who wonders if she should hang up her hat but longs for adventure. Jomel, a prostitute who longs for a better life. Perrely, a naive woman whose heart is in the right place. And of course, the villains, Bishop Shmabor and Dhelgor, are corrupt individuals whose motivations are as dynamic as their counterparts. As you can tell, these characters are complex and realistic, with true struggles that aren’t completely resolved in this book, leaving room for the sequel. This makes them compelling enough for any good read.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
However, and this is small, for any readers who enjoy character-driven books, this is not one of them. I say this as a means of understanding why I have given this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason is simply that I felt the character development wasn’t as strong as I would like it to be. Honestly speaking, there are only 2 characters that change in this book, and their change isn’t strong enough for me. And the one character whose change is strong is strong in a dark way, a way that made it hard for me to read at times. What I will say is that this is a matter of personal taste, and in my opinion, not enough reason to not purchase this book. In fact, I am currently reading the second book and hoping that it is just as good, if not better than this one.
Content Advisory: There are several times where the villain uses the word b- to describe women. Rape is not described, but there is enough information to evoke sympathy. Sex is mentioned, but again not detailed, just hinted enough for readers to get the picture. There is also sexual harassment, and violence, but not enough description to make someone squeamish.
April 9, 2020
Are you a lover of fantasy and sci-fi? Did you know there are writers crafting great novels that build upon a Christian worldview?
Steve Pillinger has authored an inspirational adventure and fantasy novel, "The Mindruler" (Book One of the MINDRULER SERIES). It is an amazing, complex world from which the reader will find himself/herself transported. Four persons suddenly find themselves no longer in England, transported to a place known as Durion where they find themselves drawn into a great conflict against insurmountable forces of evil.
As I read through this book, I found myself comparing it to the world of Narnia, but with a style and flavor uniquely its own. Pillinger’s writing style is masterful and fast-moving, with characters that all ring true—all unique and interesting. My favorite character was actually Denise/Danisha—the older woman who thinks her opportunities to do God’s work at an end. Her journey is beautifully told. I also found myself enjoying the other characters: Steve/Shivan, the Warrior Twins (Shire and Khan), Perrely, Jomel, Frengor, and Gwargif. The evil they must overcome against are the mindrulers Dhelgor and Shambor. Considering that one’s faith or belief begins in the mind as a matter of the will, what happens if someone can enter that mind and take control? Makes for a fascinating read!
What amazed me was the interchange of names that gradually happens throughout the novel—the English names morphing to their new names in this new place. At first, I felt a bit intimidated—but as I stuck it out, I was rewarded. I encourage readers to give themselves time to get into the novel as it really takes off after the first quarter.
The novel has moments of fun, great interchanges between characters (oft times funny and made me smile), but also gives us a glimpse of true threat and evil (and violence inferred). "The Mindruler" is a reflection of our own world, how the Light can be dimmed over time when people take their eyes off the One.
MY PERSONAL RATINGS (w/Key Below):
Story Originality: 5/5
Story Inventiveness: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Descriptive Power: 5/5
True to Scripture: 5/5
Fictive Dream Strength: 4.5/5
Proofreading: 5/5
Cinematic Flare: 4.5/5
Overall Satisfaction: 5/5
[MY KEY:]
Story Originality: How creative was the concept from page one onwards?
Story Inventiveness: How surprised was I by the flow of the plot? Any twists?
Characters: How real and how drawn was I to the story’s characters?
Descriptive Power: How well did the author control description, dialogue, etc?
True to Scripture: Were all elements true to Scripture’s worldview?
Fictive Dream Strength: How much was I immersed into the novel—wanting to read page after page?
Proofreading: How well was the book proofread (typos, etc)?
Cinematic Flare: How strong were key scenes (that I could easily see as a motion picture)?
Overall Satisfaction: What was my overall feeling/enjoyment level after reading novel? Did I want it to end?
The creativity of this writer is without limit—and it really does show in the storytelling. The novel remains with me—its characters and their journey unforgettable. It also had great moments of inspiration—and the love and character of God is shown.
The story continues in Book Two, "The Restorers" (review to follow).
"The Mindruler" is a wondrous novel that deserves to be noticed by those who love an adventure story that gives much more than adventure. It is so well done and I can sense that Steve Pillinger has given his very best to this work. With all my heart, I recommend this work!
Reviews on Amazon illustrate the book is loved and is a safe choice for your next read!
Steve Pillinger has authored an inspirational adventure and fantasy novel, "The Mindruler" (Book One of the MINDRULER SERIES). It is an amazing, complex world from which the reader will find himself/herself transported. Four persons suddenly find themselves no longer in England, transported to a place known as Durion where they find themselves drawn into a great conflict against insurmountable forces of evil.
As I read through this book, I found myself comparing it to the world of Narnia, but with a style and flavor uniquely its own. Pillinger’s writing style is masterful and fast-moving, with characters that all ring true—all unique and interesting. My favorite character was actually Denise/Danisha—the older woman who thinks her opportunities to do God’s work at an end. Her journey is beautifully told. I also found myself enjoying the other characters: Steve/Shivan, the Warrior Twins (Shire and Khan), Perrely, Jomel, Frengor, and Gwargif. The evil they must overcome against are the mindrulers Dhelgor and Shambor. Considering that one’s faith or belief begins in the mind as a matter of the will, what happens if someone can enter that mind and take control? Makes for a fascinating read!
What amazed me was the interchange of names that gradually happens throughout the novel—the English names morphing to their new names in this new place. At first, I felt a bit intimidated—but as I stuck it out, I was rewarded. I encourage readers to give themselves time to get into the novel as it really takes off after the first quarter.
The novel has moments of fun, great interchanges between characters (oft times funny and made me smile), but also gives us a glimpse of true threat and evil (and violence inferred). "The Mindruler" is a reflection of our own world, how the Light can be dimmed over time when people take their eyes off the One.
MY PERSONAL RATINGS (w/Key Below):
Story Originality: 5/5
Story Inventiveness: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Descriptive Power: 5/5
True to Scripture: 5/5
Fictive Dream Strength: 4.5/5
Proofreading: 5/5
Cinematic Flare: 4.5/5
Overall Satisfaction: 5/5
[MY KEY:]
Story Originality: How creative was the concept from page one onwards?
Story Inventiveness: How surprised was I by the flow of the plot? Any twists?
Characters: How real and how drawn was I to the story’s characters?
Descriptive Power: How well did the author control description, dialogue, etc?
True to Scripture: Were all elements true to Scripture’s worldview?
Fictive Dream Strength: How much was I immersed into the novel—wanting to read page after page?
Proofreading: How well was the book proofread (typos, etc)?
Cinematic Flare: How strong were key scenes (that I could easily see as a motion picture)?
Overall Satisfaction: What was my overall feeling/enjoyment level after reading novel? Did I want it to end?
The creativity of this writer is without limit—and it really does show in the storytelling. The novel remains with me—its characters and their journey unforgettable. It also had great moments of inspiration—and the love and character of God is shown.
The story continues in Book Two, "The Restorers" (review to follow).
"The Mindruler" is a wondrous novel that deserves to be noticed by those who love an adventure story that gives much more than adventure. It is so well done and I can sense that Steve Pillinger has given his very best to this work. With all my heart, I recommend this work!
Reviews on Amazon illustrate the book is loved and is a safe choice for your next read!
July 14, 2020
When I read the description for this novel and read some of the reviews, I had an impression that this would be a great read. I have not been disappointed. In fact, this novel has exceeded this impression. It looks like the remaining two novels will be the same or better and culminate in this series being memorable and placed up there in one's list of favourite novels/series, the author as well.
This novel is very absorbing and immersive. Just how I love it. Others novels have done this to me but this novel is one in a small minority where I have become totally removed from my reality. This occurred at 630 am before work, at lunchtime and at 9 pm before bedtime and at all those times, I was unaware of my surroundings. I was transported to the land of Dûrion. So many times, after reading this novel, I found it hard to return to the stark reality of real-life (starting work, resuming work and sleeping). It was as though I had been transported back and forth between Earth and Dûrion. Honestly, it felt like a mild form of PTSD, but in a positive way, if any positivity can be associated with this disorder!
Steve's background in linguistics, being a master storyteller, his love of history and maps are some of the many pillars that undergird this novel and make it epic fantasy. The foundation of this novel is his love of God's truth and His Gospel that forms a strong and secure foundation that these pillars are embedded. This very much reminds me of the parable to have your house built on a firm foundation and spiritually we need to be founded in God's Truth and a righteous relationship with Him.
This novel is highly imaginative. It is like an onion, there are many layers:
-Highly entertaining
-Relational, well developed, three-dimensional characters.
-Diverse levels of worldbuilding:
-Detailed maps,
-A Dûrian language with its own sayings/terms and pronunciations,
artefacts with supernatural powers implied that these are powered by God seeing they are used by the Restorers chosen by God,
-People have an aura (shiláy) that is their individual "mental" signature and can be determined whether the person is of has the Light of God in them or not, and if it is the person is a foreigner.
-A spirituality that is similar to and based on the foundations of Christianity and the Bible, all the tenets of the Bible and Christianity are there but with details changed. This does not detract or change any of the Bible as we know it.
-A level of evil that is based on Gadesh (evil worldruler, satan in our world), where it is not him or his demons that possess people but these are controlled from their minds being "mindbent" with a mind-altering drug, teméyn. This is virtually the same as being possessed in that, the mindbent person cannot control their actions, movements or exercise their free will as these functions are inactivated from the combination of the drug and a supernatural alteration to the brain's function by the mindruler. They hear his commands in their minds, and if they disobey or need to be punished, the mindruler can inflict severe physical pain or make them in a catatonic state where they are frozen (mindlocked), and in severe pain.
-People are not the only ones who can talk and have a relationship with God. The Dorbians are a wolf-like creature who talk, and have a human-like similarity in their thinking but are very attuned to the presence of evil as well as those of Light, who are called Lightists, (Christians in our world)
-In Dûrion, they refer to God as the One, or the One Creator God. Jesus is called Prince or Prince Orrénne.
-Those who have a relationship with God are called Lightists and those who do not are part of cults of different gods who are under the rule of Gadesh.
There are many more layers and these I have mentioned can be explored deeper in the Appendices at the end of the novel or on Steve's website.
Those who have read The Chronicles of Narnia, will see the similarity here. Instead of children being transported into a foreign land, we have four adults who are transported to another planet, ("...different sky" as described by the Dûrians). Just as the Pevensie siblings were foretold in prophecy that they would break the curse of the land and restore it to its former glory under King Aslan, so too are our four adults to do the same. Now, Pillinger might be criticised for borrowing this from Lewis but I feel the differences overturn this criticism. For a start, the Pevensie children were transported by accident (by venturing into the wardrobe by curiosity on Lucy and Edmund's part and then the all of them to hide from the overbearing housekeeper) whereas our four adults in this novel are transported upon their willingness to confront their shortcomings (...in a "different place") as a challenge from Father Martin, who seems to be so intuned to God and sees each individual's failing as God sees them.
It was through the four main characters from this "different sky" testimonies of how they arrived in Durian that led me to consider that is Father Martin just a minister who has a unique understanding of man's fallen nature and in tune with God or is he either an Angel sent from God to challenge people to confront their failings or is he Jesus in this form to do the same thing? I would love for Pillinger to develop this further. It could well be a great prequel novella or full-length novel in this world of The Mindrulers world. There is also future scope for the same in developing the character and history of James Turner who was a previous resident of Earth who had been sent to Dûrion in its founding years. How did he get there hundreds of years earlier? Was there a Father Martin type character, or was it the Angel or Jesus in a person of this time period doing the same thing as experienced by Steve, Lannie, Gid and Denise? I discussed this with the author and he is not averse to this, but again, with all authors, it comes down to time, circumstance, and the desire to go there. For reader's sakes and those who love this trilogy, I sincerely hope he does. I feel it needs to be told!
And here is another similarity to The Chronicles of Narnia. The Professor in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe had been to Narnia as he built the Wardrobe with wood from Narnia and inscribed all the symbols and events from his stay there on the doors and side of it. So James Turner is likened to this here. He left relics for the next visitors to use in their quest, that the Restorers are now benefitting from.
And this is as far as any further comparison to Lewis's Narnia series I will go as this review is not a comparison of the two stories despite these similarities.
I read that another reviewer said that this novel is not a character-driven one but rather a plot-driven. However, I see Pillinger having a healthy balance of the two. And this is another strength of this novel. When too much attention and development is on the plot and not the characters, the latter become two dimensional or less and very unrelatable with little or no connection from the reader to these characters and the reader gets swept along with the pace and action of the plot. When the development swings too much on the character side, the reader can become frustrated with them and end up wanting to inflict some not very nice things on them. In this case, it can be seen as if the characters do not matter, they are of secondary importance.
However, Pillinger must have been aware of this as his balance is well-done. This series is based on the four characters being sent to Durian to confront and overcome their failings in various aspects of their lives and so the focus has to be on this as they venture into the world of Dûrion and the obstacles they face in completing their mission of becoming the prophesied Restorers and in the process, overcoming their failings and become a better version of themselves, albeit one that is more of God and less of themselves.
And in depicting this, the plot has to not overtake the plot arcs involving the characters. Pillinger has intertwined both. The action scenes and obstacles they face are also platforms for them to learn about their failings and develop themselves so that upon their return to Earth they have become overcomers and have a stronger relationship with God and as I mentioned before, more of God and less of them. This is Biblical as this touches on why we suffer in this world. Overcoming our failings by focussing on God, being obedient to what He wants us to do and allowing Him to change us, gives glory to Him, is a witness to who He is and what He can do in an individual's life. It also shows sin for what it is and the snare of the evil one. We see this in The Mindruler. Each of the four Restorers by the end of the novel is changed for the better, not as enslaved to their failing with more evidence an improvement and change appearing. I am sure their transformation is complete by the third novel, The Strongholder. And I am sure there is a little (or maybe a lot!) of ourselves that we can identify in each of the four Restorers. This is another way we relate to them.
I have read discussions amongst Christians who don't believe that God has/could create life on other planets and who died for them as well. But this presumes that a created being on that planet has sinned and then has a fallen nature and is therefore short of God's glory just like mankind as we know on earth. But it definitely falls into the speculative side of it where the question is raised what if.... (there were other created beings on other created worlds by God who have sinned and Christ died for them as well. Would the death he died once for all as recorded in the Bible be for them as well?). Pillinger has this premise in this trilogy and it is the main plot arc he has developed.
Sometimes these speculative endeavours can be a risky thing in a novel as it tends to polarise the reader and some may then not finish (but still write a scathing review and almost character assassinate the poor author!) and then go about telling all their fellow Christians not to read anything from this author and he needs deliverance from the spirit of heresy! Maybe an exaggeration but I am sure some would do this, human nature being what it is. However, it cannot be denied that Pillinger has done this well in this novel (and if this novel is any indication, the rest of the trilogy as well). Putting aside this setting of salvation, redemption and spiral into evil on another God-created world, this novel (and trilogy) does show how fallen man can overcome their sinful nature and individual sin by a relationship with God and living out His Word (Bible). I found the example here of Lannie applying the Word of God to her being in her mindlocked state to be an effective one. It showed the power of the Word in overcoming evil and the transformation of her faith in the process. The same can be said for Jomel when she came to the end of herself upon condemnation as a sacrifice to Gadesh and called upon the name of the Lord, He heard her cry of anguish and repentance and gave her the assurance of being delivered.
Pillinger, deliberating or not, has shown what the Body of Christ is like in the four main characters. In Gil, we see how vulnerable someone is to being taken over by evil when there is no relationship with God, in his sinful state. And in order for him to become a Restorer, he would need to be restored to God and this must take place in one of the remaining novels. In the other three who are Christians (or Lightists) in the Dûrian world, we see how each of their talents, abilities work together for the whole in achieving their quest and in becoming more Christ-like in the process. All different but compliment each other.
This novel takes off in action and pace from about the halfway mark and never lets up. This leads to an action-packed finale and sets the scene for the next novel, The Restorers, where this novel is going to become more involved and everything is upped. I was left panting and exhausted by the end of this one. I am rather frustrated as I will be unable to start this second novel straight away as I am scheduled to review another novel by the end of next week so will have to wait until after this.
This is yet another novel that ticks all the boxes of what I like to see in Christian fiction:
-it has entertained me immensely,
-it has encouraged my walk with God,
-it has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not, I believe, lead a non-believer astray or promote false doctrine,
-it honours God,
-it does not encourage worship of the created (eg angels) instead of the Creator (God).
This novel (and by the looks of it, this trilogy) could be considered a Christian classic up there with Lewis and Tolkien, who were instrumental in the creation and development of fantasy as a genre.
This novel has been such a blessing. To bring some of my comments together, this novel is absorbing and immersive, highly imaginative, highly entertaining, encourages your faith and relationship with God, action-packed and fast paced. It should be regarded as a Christian classic in the calibre of Lewis and Tolkien.
I am so looking forward to the rest of this series.
Highly Recommended.
This novel is very absorbing and immersive. Just how I love it. Others novels have done this to me but this novel is one in a small minority where I have become totally removed from my reality. This occurred at 630 am before work, at lunchtime and at 9 pm before bedtime and at all those times, I was unaware of my surroundings. I was transported to the land of Dûrion. So many times, after reading this novel, I found it hard to return to the stark reality of real-life (starting work, resuming work and sleeping). It was as though I had been transported back and forth between Earth and Dûrion. Honestly, it felt like a mild form of PTSD, but in a positive way, if any positivity can be associated with this disorder!
Steve's background in linguistics, being a master storyteller, his love of history and maps are some of the many pillars that undergird this novel and make it epic fantasy. The foundation of this novel is his love of God's truth and His Gospel that forms a strong and secure foundation that these pillars are embedded. This very much reminds me of the parable to have your house built on a firm foundation and spiritually we need to be founded in God's Truth and a righteous relationship with Him.
This novel is highly imaginative. It is like an onion, there are many layers:
-Highly entertaining
-Relational, well developed, three-dimensional characters.
-Diverse levels of worldbuilding:
-Detailed maps,
-A Dûrian language with its own sayings/terms and pronunciations,
artefacts with supernatural powers implied that these are powered by God seeing they are used by the Restorers chosen by God,
-People have an aura (shiláy) that is their individual "mental" signature and can be determined whether the person is of has the Light of God in them or not, and if it is the person is a foreigner.
-A spirituality that is similar to and based on the foundations of Christianity and the Bible, all the tenets of the Bible and Christianity are there but with details changed. This does not detract or change any of the Bible as we know it.
-A level of evil that is based on Gadesh (evil worldruler, satan in our world), where it is not him or his demons that possess people but these are controlled from their minds being "mindbent" with a mind-altering drug, teméyn. This is virtually the same as being possessed in that, the mindbent person cannot control their actions, movements or exercise their free will as these functions are inactivated from the combination of the drug and a supernatural alteration to the brain's function by the mindruler. They hear his commands in their minds, and if they disobey or need to be punished, the mindruler can inflict severe physical pain or make them in a catatonic state where they are frozen (mindlocked), and in severe pain.
-People are not the only ones who can talk and have a relationship with God. The Dorbians are a wolf-like creature who talk, and have a human-like similarity in their thinking but are very attuned to the presence of evil as well as those of Light, who are called Lightists, (Christians in our world)
-In Dûrion, they refer to God as the One, or the One Creator God. Jesus is called Prince or Prince Orrénne.
-Those who have a relationship with God are called Lightists and those who do not are part of cults of different gods who are under the rule of Gadesh.
There are many more layers and these I have mentioned can be explored deeper in the Appendices at the end of the novel or on Steve's website.
Those who have read The Chronicles of Narnia, will see the similarity here. Instead of children being transported into a foreign land, we have four adults who are transported to another planet, ("...different sky" as described by the Dûrians). Just as the Pevensie siblings were foretold in prophecy that they would break the curse of the land and restore it to its former glory under King Aslan, so too are our four adults to do the same. Now, Pillinger might be criticised for borrowing this from Lewis but I feel the differences overturn this criticism. For a start, the Pevensie children were transported by accident (by venturing into the wardrobe by curiosity on Lucy and Edmund's part and then the all of them to hide from the overbearing housekeeper) whereas our four adults in this novel are transported upon their willingness to confront their shortcomings (...in a "different place") as a challenge from Father Martin, who seems to be so intuned to God and sees each individual's failing as God sees them.
It was through the four main characters from this "different sky" testimonies of how they arrived in Durian that led me to consider that is Father Martin just a minister who has a unique understanding of man's fallen nature and in tune with God or is he either an Angel sent from God to challenge people to confront their failings or is he Jesus in this form to do the same thing? I would love for Pillinger to develop this further. It could well be a great prequel novella or full-length novel in this world of The Mindrulers world. There is also future scope for the same in developing the character and history of James Turner who was a previous resident of Earth who had been sent to Dûrion in its founding years. How did he get there hundreds of years earlier? Was there a Father Martin type character, or was it the Angel or Jesus in a person of this time period doing the same thing as experienced by Steve, Lannie, Gid and Denise? I discussed this with the author and he is not averse to this, but again, with all authors, it comes down to time, circumstance, and the desire to go there. For reader's sakes and those who love this trilogy, I sincerely hope he does. I feel it needs to be told!
And here is another similarity to The Chronicles of Narnia. The Professor in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe had been to Narnia as he built the Wardrobe with wood from Narnia and inscribed all the symbols and events from his stay there on the doors and side of it. So James Turner is likened to this here. He left relics for the next visitors to use in their quest, that the Restorers are now benefitting from.
And this is as far as any further comparison to Lewis's Narnia series I will go as this review is not a comparison of the two stories despite these similarities.
I read that another reviewer said that this novel is not a character-driven one but rather a plot-driven. However, I see Pillinger having a healthy balance of the two. And this is another strength of this novel. When too much attention and development is on the plot and not the characters, the latter become two dimensional or less and very unrelatable with little or no connection from the reader to these characters and the reader gets swept along with the pace and action of the plot. When the development swings too much on the character side, the reader can become frustrated with them and end up wanting to inflict some not very nice things on them. In this case, it can be seen as if the characters do not matter, they are of secondary importance.
However, Pillinger must have been aware of this as his balance is well-done. This series is based on the four characters being sent to Durian to confront and overcome their failings in various aspects of their lives and so the focus has to be on this as they venture into the world of Dûrion and the obstacles they face in completing their mission of becoming the prophesied Restorers and in the process, overcoming their failings and become a better version of themselves, albeit one that is more of God and less of themselves.
And in depicting this, the plot has to not overtake the plot arcs involving the characters. Pillinger has intertwined both. The action scenes and obstacles they face are also platforms for them to learn about their failings and develop themselves so that upon their return to Earth they have become overcomers and have a stronger relationship with God and as I mentioned before, more of God and less of them. This is Biblical as this touches on why we suffer in this world. Overcoming our failings by focussing on God, being obedient to what He wants us to do and allowing Him to change us, gives glory to Him, is a witness to who He is and what He can do in an individual's life. It also shows sin for what it is and the snare of the evil one. We see this in The Mindruler. Each of the four Restorers by the end of the novel is changed for the better, not as enslaved to their failing with more evidence an improvement and change appearing. I am sure their transformation is complete by the third novel, The Strongholder. And I am sure there is a little (or maybe a lot!) of ourselves that we can identify in each of the four Restorers. This is another way we relate to them.
I have read discussions amongst Christians who don't believe that God has/could create life on other planets and who died for them as well. But this presumes that a created being on that planet has sinned and then has a fallen nature and is therefore short of God's glory just like mankind as we know on earth. But it definitely falls into the speculative side of it where the question is raised what if.... (there were other created beings on other created worlds by God who have sinned and Christ died for them as well. Would the death he died once for all as recorded in the Bible be for them as well?). Pillinger has this premise in this trilogy and it is the main plot arc he has developed.
Sometimes these speculative endeavours can be a risky thing in a novel as it tends to polarise the reader and some may then not finish (but still write a scathing review and almost character assassinate the poor author!) and then go about telling all their fellow Christians not to read anything from this author and he needs deliverance from the spirit of heresy! Maybe an exaggeration but I am sure some would do this, human nature being what it is. However, it cannot be denied that Pillinger has done this well in this novel (and if this novel is any indication, the rest of the trilogy as well). Putting aside this setting of salvation, redemption and spiral into evil on another God-created world, this novel (and trilogy) does show how fallen man can overcome their sinful nature and individual sin by a relationship with God and living out His Word (Bible). I found the example here of Lannie applying the Word of God to her being in her mindlocked state to be an effective one. It showed the power of the Word in overcoming evil and the transformation of her faith in the process. The same can be said for Jomel when she came to the end of herself upon condemnation as a sacrifice to Gadesh and called upon the name of the Lord, He heard her cry of anguish and repentance and gave her the assurance of being delivered.
Pillinger, deliberating or not, has shown what the Body of Christ is like in the four main characters. In Gil, we see how vulnerable someone is to being taken over by evil when there is no relationship with God, in his sinful state. And in order for him to become a Restorer, he would need to be restored to God and this must take place in one of the remaining novels. In the other three who are Christians (or Lightists) in the Dûrian world, we see how each of their talents, abilities work together for the whole in achieving their quest and in becoming more Christ-like in the process. All different but compliment each other.
This novel takes off in action and pace from about the halfway mark and never lets up. This leads to an action-packed finale and sets the scene for the next novel, The Restorers, where this novel is going to become more involved and everything is upped. I was left panting and exhausted by the end of this one. I am rather frustrated as I will be unable to start this second novel straight away as I am scheduled to review another novel by the end of next week so will have to wait until after this.
This is yet another novel that ticks all the boxes of what I like to see in Christian fiction:
-it has entertained me immensely,
-it has encouraged my walk with God,
-it has not deviated from known biblical doctrine, and it will not, I believe, lead a non-believer astray or promote false doctrine,
-it honours God,
-it does not encourage worship of the created (eg angels) instead of the Creator (God).
This novel (and by the looks of it, this trilogy) could be considered a Christian classic up there with Lewis and Tolkien, who were instrumental in the creation and development of fantasy as a genre.
This novel has been such a blessing. To bring some of my comments together, this novel is absorbing and immersive, highly imaginative, highly entertaining, encourages your faith and relationship with God, action-packed and fast paced. It should be regarded as a Christian classic in the calibre of Lewis and Tolkien.
I am so looking forward to the rest of this series.
Highly Recommended.
March 30, 2019
Within days of each other, four individuals fall asleep in England and wake up on an unknown world. At first Steve, Denise, Lannie, and Gil insist they have been relocated somewhere on earth, but as the evidence mounts, they are forced to admit they are no longer on their home planet. Not only are they on another world, within a short while of arriving, they are embroiled in a religious war between the Lightests (Christianity) and the Cultists. The most prominent and powerful group opposed to the Lightests is the Cult of Gadesh, the cult of the demonic Worldruler and the Mindbenders. They not only practice human sacrifices, the very act of mindbending is merciless. It imprisons a helpless person in their own mind while taking full control of the physical body, reducing those who are mindbent to nothing more than slaves.
I read the second book of the series before reading The Mindruler so it was very interesting to fill in some of the gaps and increase my understanding of why certain characters act the way they do.
The portrayal of the people of Durion—the good as well as the evil—is well done. As the travelers from earth struggle to learn the language and customs, relationships and strong bonds are formed between them and the rebels with whom they are living. Pillinger has created a unique, yet believable world. At various times the brutality of those enslaved to the Mindbenders is appalling, yet, hope is not lost, and the light of courageous actions continues to flicker.
I recommend this book for Christians—or any who have an open mind about Christianity—who enjoy large-scale fantasy that doesn’t include typical characters like dwarfs, fairies, vampires, or werewolves. In these books, Christianity is represented in a beautiful and honest way in all but name. The believers face censure, death, and even mindbending to reach out and awaken those living under a repressive regime that wears a mask of caring yet hides a heart of corruption. And for Christians who don’t normally read fantasy, this is a good choice for an introduction to the genre.
I read the second book of the series before reading The Mindruler so it was very interesting to fill in some of the gaps and increase my understanding of why certain characters act the way they do.
The portrayal of the people of Durion—the good as well as the evil—is well done. As the travelers from earth struggle to learn the language and customs, relationships and strong bonds are formed between them and the rebels with whom they are living. Pillinger has created a unique, yet believable world. At various times the brutality of those enslaved to the Mindbenders is appalling, yet, hope is not lost, and the light of courageous actions continues to flicker.
I recommend this book for Christians—or any who have an open mind about Christianity—who enjoy large-scale fantasy that doesn’t include typical characters like dwarfs, fairies, vampires, or werewolves. In these books, Christianity is represented in a beautiful and honest way in all but name. The believers face censure, death, and even mindbending to reach out and awaken those living under a repressive regime that wears a mask of caring yet hides a heart of corruption. And for Christians who don’t normally read fantasy, this is a good choice for an introduction to the genre.
June 4, 2018
It calls to mind the Pevensie children’s arrival in Narnia, only, there's no wardrobe. Four adults from our world each went to bed in their own place, and woke up in a wooded area surrounding a burnt out castle - under a “different sky”.
As in C.S.Lewis’s tale, the four find themselves in middle of a war between good and evil at the point when the evil has all but wiped out the forces of good. They just happened to have landed among one of the last remnants of the good side, who believe the newcomers have a specific role to play in leading them to ultimate victory. But they have a lot to learn before they can begin to fulfil that role.
Evil, in this world is extremely evil, involving a psychic form of mind control - slavery of the worst kind. These overlords are known as the “mind-benders”. Under their control, one can find oneself committing most unthinkable atrocities, totally helpless to stop oneself, and then utterly hating oneself for it afterwards.
As for the good side, three of the four newcomers quickly recognise it as one and the same as the faith they knew at home. The fourth one never knew that faith, and has a longer journey to travel.
Like two of the characters, the author is a linguist, which adds an extra edge to the story as the four grapple with a totally unfamiliar language and other aspects of the culture. As they grow into their destined role, overcoming personal difficulties, they forge friendships and their team grows. Though they enjoy a satisfying victory in this narrative, their job is far from over. It's only the first book in a series.
In all, Steve Pilinger has created a pretty good story.
As in C.S.Lewis’s tale, the four find themselves in middle of a war between good and evil at the point when the evil has all but wiped out the forces of good. They just happened to have landed among one of the last remnants of the good side, who believe the newcomers have a specific role to play in leading them to ultimate victory. But they have a lot to learn before they can begin to fulfil that role.
Evil, in this world is extremely evil, involving a psychic form of mind control - slavery of the worst kind. These overlords are known as the “mind-benders”. Under their control, one can find oneself committing most unthinkable atrocities, totally helpless to stop oneself, and then utterly hating oneself for it afterwards.
As for the good side, three of the four newcomers quickly recognise it as one and the same as the faith they knew at home. The fourth one never knew that faith, and has a longer journey to travel.
Like two of the characters, the author is a linguist, which adds an extra edge to the story as the four grapple with a totally unfamiliar language and other aspects of the culture. As they grow into their destined role, overcoming personal difficulties, they forge friendships and their team grows. Though they enjoy a satisfying victory in this narrative, their job is far from over. It's only the first book in a series.
In all, Steve Pilinger has created a pretty good story.
April 17, 2018
The Mindruler, by Steve Pillenger, is fast-paced & creative Christian Fantasy. Set in a well-developed world that mirrors Earth, yet has been taken over by the evil mindbenders, its four main characters, aptly called the Restorers - are on a mission to restore good, faith, and God to a broken world.
What sets this fantasy apart from others like it is the author-invented language of Durion. As someone who has spent ample time in and enjoyed the study of linguistics, I was immediately drawn to this and it increased my enjoyment of the text. Also intriguing were the maps and appendices included at the front & back of the book; Pillenger has created a rich fantasy world for readers to immerse themselves in. Having these elements does indeed cause the reading process to be slower, yet the style of prose in the story remains action-oriented. Having spent time beforehand studying the maps and Durion language, I found the actual chapter reading quicker than I had anticipated.
Because The Mindruler is a book with an overtly Christian message, it will likely not appeal to all fantasy fans. But with its creative language, well-developed world and quick-paced prose, it is one that I’d recommend fans of epic fantasy pick up.
What sets this fantasy apart from others like it is the author-invented language of Durion. As someone who has spent ample time in and enjoyed the study of linguistics, I was immediately drawn to this and it increased my enjoyment of the text. Also intriguing were the maps and appendices included at the front & back of the book; Pillenger has created a rich fantasy world for readers to immerse themselves in. Having these elements does indeed cause the reading process to be slower, yet the style of prose in the story remains action-oriented. Having spent time beforehand studying the maps and Durion language, I found the actual chapter reading quicker than I had anticipated.
Because The Mindruler is a book with an overtly Christian message, it will likely not appeal to all fantasy fans. But with its creative language, well-developed world and quick-paced prose, it is one that I’d recommend fans of epic fantasy pick up.
July 1, 2020
This book arose out of an imaginative role-playing game with a Christian worldview that our family enjoyed when our children were in high school. When we stopped because of exams etc., we thought, Hey, this has turned into quite an exciting story! Others might enjoy it. What if we turned it into a book?
And so the journey began 15 years ago, writing bit by bit in between the demands of my day job…
The book tells the story of four ordinary people who find themselves in a totally different culture on an alien world. There they are drawn into battle against such an overwhelming evil that only by working together in reliance on the One Creator God can they have any hope of success—or survival.
The story draws on our own experiences as a family of living in very different cultures, and our personal faith challenges. Some readers have already commented that they were encouraged in their own walk of faith.
The book is the first volume in The Mindrulers series. Two sequels—The Restorers and The Strongholder are well on the way to completion.
And so the journey began 15 years ago, writing bit by bit in between the demands of my day job…
The book tells the story of four ordinary people who find themselves in a totally different culture on an alien world. There they are drawn into battle against such an overwhelming evil that only by working together in reliance on the One Creator God can they have any hope of success—or survival.
The story draws on our own experiences as a family of living in very different cultures, and our personal faith challenges. Some readers have already commented that they were encouraged in their own walk of faith.
The book is the first volume in The Mindrulers series. Two sequels—The Restorers and The Strongholder are well on the way to completion.
June 2, 2018
I didn’t fully appreciate just how much this fantasy is built on the idea that Christianity might exist on other planets. It is absolutely central to this story and, I suspect, this will polarise opinion about this book based on whether or not you enjoy Christian teachings in every chapter. Outside of that, the world building here is strong – stronger than I need to enjoy a story – and there’s a Tolkienesque styling in invented language.
So – can our heroes from Earth overcome a myriad of setbacks on this new world? Well, it’s a slow pace but there is plenty going on to keep you interested. The evil element comes from the Mindruler and his mindbenders. The rebellion against them is where our heroes come in. Overall, it’s a fair read which works hard to get its ideas across, possibly at the expense of a faster pace. However, if you’re a Christian with a liking for fantasy, I can recommend this one.
So – can our heroes from Earth overcome a myriad of setbacks on this new world? Well, it’s a slow pace but there is plenty going on to keep you interested. The evil element comes from the Mindruler and his mindbenders. The rebellion against them is where our heroes come in. Overall, it’s a fair read which works hard to get its ideas across, possibly at the expense of a faster pace. However, if you’re a Christian with a liking for fantasy, I can recommend this one.
April 3, 2018
The Mindruler is an interesting combination of Christian Fiction and Fantasy. Four people find themselves transported to a planet far away where a religion much like Christianity is struggling with persecution.
As a Born-Again Christian, I can tell that the author has an excellent grasp of what true Christianity is all about.
SPOILER ALERT!! It does seem that the heroes rely overmuch on physical objects to channel their “Christianity”. And the book does not seriously examine the question of whether “Christians” should take up arms to defend themselves and their faith.
But the book is a very good read with lots of action. I highly recommend it.
As a Born-Again Christian, I can tell that the author has an excellent grasp of what true Christianity is all about.
SPOILER ALERT!! It does seem that the heroes rely overmuch on physical objects to channel their “Christianity”. And the book does not seriously examine the question of whether “Christians” should take up arms to defend themselves and their faith.
But the book is a very good read with lots of action. I highly recommend it.
June 23, 2020
This had to have been one of my favorite renditions of Christianity depicted in another world. Pillinger skillfully takes you from this world, along with the character, into another as alternate planet; with its own form of Christianity so alike in its fundamentals yet so different. Over all this was an engaging and inspiring read.
Of course, the dominant theme was the battle between light and dark, good and evil. How Pillinger developed this theme was beautifully done. Using the pictorial word of “Lightist” to refer to the people who were on the side of the One (God) was witty and descriptive. Another theme was the darkness each person fights within, one must surrender to the Light in order to be ride of the darkness. The aspect that it was possible to control another person by taking over their mind was kind of unnerving. But as one of the characters realizes it is only in the mind the power is broken and freedom is gained.
What struck me as the most interesting was the way the story was conveyed: the reader was learning along with the characters as they interacted with these new intelligent, spiritual being who paralleled their own realities in so many ways. As they learned something new, the reader learned it too. I really enjoyed this writing form; it made the newness of the world more digestible. One of my favorite parallels was the “shilayet” the off-worlders were able to see in each other. It mirrored the way the fruit of the Holy Spirit is evident in a believer’s life, a unique way to express an intangible reality. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one in the series.
Of course, the dominant theme was the battle between light and dark, good and evil. How Pillinger developed this theme was beautifully done. Using the pictorial word of “Lightist” to refer to the people who were on the side of the One (God) was witty and descriptive. Another theme was the darkness each person fights within, one must surrender to the Light in order to be ride of the darkness. The aspect that it was possible to control another person by taking over their mind was kind of unnerving. But as one of the characters realizes it is only in the mind the power is broken and freedom is gained.
What struck me as the most interesting was the way the story was conveyed: the reader was learning along with the characters as they interacted with these new intelligent, spiritual being who paralleled their own realities in so many ways. As they learned something new, the reader learned it too. I really enjoyed this writing form; it made the newness of the world more digestible. One of my favorite parallels was the “shilayet” the off-worlders were able to see in each other. It mirrored the way the fruit of the Holy Spirit is evident in a believer’s life, a unique way to express an intangible reality. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one in the series.
March 7, 2018
I love it! The story had me hooked from the beginning. I've fallen in love with the characters and this other world they are in. I can't wait for the next one!
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways.
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads giveaways.
June 7, 2018
Prepare yourself for an epic adventure in an alien world fraught with mystery, deception, mind-enslaving tyrants, and heroism. Like several other reviewers. I found myself immediately reminded of Narnia, though this story takes a much grittier form. The characters wrestle with many questions of faith, self-worth, and personal integrity. Perhaps the most fascinating of these: Would God relate to the inhabitants of another world in the same way He relates to us?
The rich setting and world-building of this novel drew me in and enticed me to keep reading from the beginning. From an invented language, complex set of customs, hints at societal history, and a well-developed political structure to the fascinating landscape, unusual plants, fanciful and frightening creatures, and vivid descriptions of clothing and building materials, this world came to life with every scene. This carried me past many of the book’s issues.
My fascination with the setting kept me reading even though I had difficulty connecting with the characters at first. Part of what caused this was the abrupt entry into the alien world—in the first paragraph of the novel. We begin with a character waking up in this strange place but have no background on who he is, what his “ordinary world” is like, or whether we should cheer him on as a sympathetic character. The flashbacks revealing each main character’s past, and personality, were jarring—thrown into the progressing story with little or no transition. Added to this, the emotions and reactions of the characters are often “told” rather than shown. I rarely felt I was experiencing events, hopes, or fears with the characters.
Other issues also arose, though these didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story as much as the disconnect with the characters. To my relief, the number of grammatical errors and typos decreased as the story progressed, as did overuse of the invented language. Some characters’ actions seemed inconsistent with their personalities or established fears (for instance, one character charges toward a group of enemy guards after multiple indications that he could not bring himself to harm anyone through violence). Also, several inhabitants of the alien world used cliches and expressions common to the modern-day western cultures of Earth.
I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy vivid world-building and portal fantasy with a bit of grit.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this novel as a member of a review group.
The rich setting and world-building of this novel drew me in and enticed me to keep reading from the beginning. From an invented language, complex set of customs, hints at societal history, and a well-developed political structure to the fascinating landscape, unusual plants, fanciful and frightening creatures, and vivid descriptions of clothing and building materials, this world came to life with every scene. This carried me past many of the book’s issues.
My fascination with the setting kept me reading even though I had difficulty connecting with the characters at first. Part of what caused this was the abrupt entry into the alien world—in the first paragraph of the novel. We begin with a character waking up in this strange place but have no background on who he is, what his “ordinary world” is like, or whether we should cheer him on as a sympathetic character. The flashbacks revealing each main character’s past, and personality, were jarring—thrown into the progressing story with little or no transition. Added to this, the emotions and reactions of the characters are often “told” rather than shown. I rarely felt I was experiencing events, hopes, or fears with the characters.
Other issues also arose, though these didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story as much as the disconnect with the characters. To my relief, the number of grammatical errors and typos decreased as the story progressed, as did overuse of the invented language. Some characters’ actions seemed inconsistent with their personalities or established fears (for instance, one character charges toward a group of enemy guards after multiple indications that he could not bring himself to harm anyone through violence). Also, several inhabitants of the alien world used cliches and expressions common to the modern-day western cultures of Earth.
I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy vivid world-building and portal fantasy with a bit of grit.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this novel as a member of a review group.
April 18, 2018
Great fast paced Christian Fantasy. Steve has created a remarkable new world. The story takes place in a set up similar to medieval Europe, but still fundamentally different.
4 people from Earth finds themselves suddenly trapped in this new world, a place ruled by the evil Mindruler, who controls the land as the bishop of the Lightist religion (the main religion of the land), and is aided by a legion of mindbenders under his control. The story revolves around a rebellion which wants to rid the land of the Mindruler's tyrannical rule and the 4 newcomers, who are pivotal to the success of the rebellion.
The conflict is made further interesting by the concepts introduced in the book, like the mindbenders and the new language created(which has been used masterfully). Definitely recommend a read.
4 people from Earth finds themselves suddenly trapped in this new world, a place ruled by the evil Mindruler, who controls the land as the bishop of the Lightist religion (the main religion of the land), and is aided by a legion of mindbenders under his control. The story revolves around a rebellion which wants to rid the land of the Mindruler's tyrannical rule and the 4 newcomers, who are pivotal to the success of the rebellion.
The conflict is made further interesting by the concepts introduced in the book, like the mindbenders and the new language created(which has been used masterfully). Definitely recommend a read.
June 8, 2018
Excellence on an epic scale!
Steve Pillinger has given us quite a tale. The story of four people from earth who independently wake up on a different planet. They meet shortly thereafter, struggling to understand what is happening to them and why. Could they be the four to fulfill a prophecy on the new planet? That may sound cliche, but the tale that follows is unlike any I have read. Given that the four get separated and the story of each is told, the pace is a little slower than I had hoped for - but, Pillinger keeps the personalities true to their respective stories. Towards the end of the book, the four are reunited, but the reader isn't sure how it will happen or what will be the exact result. I'll spare you from spoilers because you really need to read this book, especially if you like epic scale fantasy.
The story is the first in a trilogy, but the author brings this story to a satisfactory conclusion. Think something like the end of the first book of The Lord of the Rings - satisfying conclusion that leaves you longing to know how the next story unfolds. And, I don't make that comparison lightly. Pillinger has created a unique world, with unique races, and even a language or two. I personally loved Gwargif the Dorbian. The created languages concerned me at first, but English translation is give for everything, so the reader can follow along easily without having to learn the language.
As Christian speculative fiction, Pillinger tackles the question of life on other planets - would God provide a way for their salvation too? Masterfully, Pillinger creates a very close parallel to Christianity for that world. That comes with an adversary and his minions. The Mindruler, Mindbenders, mind locks, and more - all aspects of spiritual warfare. Highly creative and without exact parallels in our own world. Pretty amazingly developed. One chapter describes the unthinkable - being a prisoner in one's own mind. That wasn't an easy read for an empathetic reader.
I'll stop my review here, before I give anything away. Just think epic scale. Think trilogy. Think modern writing style and a gritty fantasy world in which good strives to defeat evil. This is simply an amazing work by Steve Pillinger.
Steve Pillinger has given us quite a tale. The story of four people from earth who independently wake up on a different planet. They meet shortly thereafter, struggling to understand what is happening to them and why. Could they be the four to fulfill a prophecy on the new planet? That may sound cliche, but the tale that follows is unlike any I have read. Given that the four get separated and the story of each is told, the pace is a little slower than I had hoped for - but, Pillinger keeps the personalities true to their respective stories. Towards the end of the book, the four are reunited, but the reader isn't sure how it will happen or what will be the exact result. I'll spare you from spoilers because you really need to read this book, especially if you like epic scale fantasy.
The story is the first in a trilogy, but the author brings this story to a satisfactory conclusion. Think something like the end of the first book of The Lord of the Rings - satisfying conclusion that leaves you longing to know how the next story unfolds. And, I don't make that comparison lightly. Pillinger has created a unique world, with unique races, and even a language or two. I personally loved Gwargif the Dorbian. The created languages concerned me at first, but English translation is give for everything, so the reader can follow along easily without having to learn the language.
As Christian speculative fiction, Pillinger tackles the question of life on other planets - would God provide a way for their salvation too? Masterfully, Pillinger creates a very close parallel to Christianity for that world. That comes with an adversary and his minions. The Mindruler, Mindbenders, mind locks, and more - all aspects of spiritual warfare. Highly creative and without exact parallels in our own world. Pretty amazingly developed. One chapter describes the unthinkable - being a prisoner in one's own mind. That wasn't an easy read for an empathetic reader.
I'll stop my review here, before I give anything away. Just think epic scale. Think trilogy. Think modern writing style and a gritty fantasy world in which good strives to defeat evil. This is simply an amazing work by Steve Pillinger.
July 31, 2019
Four modern day English adults go to sleep one day and wake up in a different quasi -Medieval world in the middle of a battle. They don't know each other, or why they are there, and they don't magically know the language. They are given shelter by the losing (rebel) side - just as well since the other side was the brutal forces of the local mindbender, the dictatorial rulers of the land, who really can mess with your head. Before long they're caught up in the conflict between light and darkness, and hailed as figures out of prophecy-but not all four are on the same side...
This book has a lot of Narnian DNA, including the work of the triune God directly in the alternative world and an interest in both the fate of the land and the spiritual journey of individuals. The world building is detailed though leaning towards "rational" rather than "wondrous", and the tone is thankfully light vs (quite) dark rather than the fashionable nihilistic grimdark. (Rape, torture, and massacre of civilians are not depicted graphically but come up often.This is not a kids book).
Negatives: I struggled to carry on with the first half of the book.It felt very slow and there are 6 major POV narrators plus two villain POVs - a personal bugbear as I struggle to care about any characters when an author does that. The book is based on a role playing campaign and I felt like I was being forced to assimilate all the PC perspectives before we could get to any plot. Non Christian readers are also likely to find the book's presentation of faith rather heavy handed.
Positives: the second half was much better, with a mission storyline around a single party that used the characters well and kept up the tension. The sole non-human NPC so far was also fun (no spoliers), I want to see him again. The "mindbending" is also clever as a plot device - for example it corrodes teams to have a silent involuntary mole, and to an extent is a metaphorical device for the way in which a collaboration with darkness ends up as slavery.
This is clearly the first part of a series. The ending is not a cliffhanger but doesn't resolve more than you'd expect from an opening book.
Review copy received free in exchange for an honest review
This book has a lot of Narnian DNA, including the work of the triune God directly in the alternative world and an interest in both the fate of the land and the spiritual journey of individuals. The world building is detailed though leaning towards "rational" rather than "wondrous", and the tone is thankfully light vs (quite) dark rather than the fashionable nihilistic grimdark. (Rape, torture, and massacre of civilians are not depicted graphically but come up often.This is not a kids book).
Negatives: I struggled to carry on with the first half of the book.It felt very slow and there are 6 major POV narrators plus two villain POVs - a personal bugbear as I struggle to care about any characters when an author does that. The book is based on a role playing campaign and I felt like I was being forced to assimilate all the PC perspectives before we could get to any plot. Non Christian readers are also likely to find the book's presentation of faith rather heavy handed.
Positives: the second half was much better, with a mission storyline around a single party that used the characters well and kept up the tension. The sole non-human NPC so far was also fun (no spoliers), I want to see him again. The "mindbending" is also clever as a plot device - for example it corrodes teams to have a silent involuntary mole, and to an extent is a metaphorical device for the way in which a collaboration with darkness ends up as slavery.
This is clearly the first part of a series. The ending is not a cliffhanger but doesn't resolve more than you'd expect from an opening book.
Review copy received free in exchange for an honest review
March 28, 2018
The Mindruler is the first of a series of books that are a thought-experiment on Christianity existing among transplant humans on another planet. I begin by stating that I normally steer clear of brick-books bookended with maps, character indexes, and appendices. With that said, I was able to follow the plot of The Mindruler pretty well. The plot contains the markers of a grand fantasy story--a tiny band of heroes and a few devoted recruits facing overwhelming evil opposition, and both sides wield supernatural powers and tools. Difficult overland travel is required to move the story along; the long bouts of trudging tested my wobbly attention span.
The writing is not amazing prose and is easy to consume, thank goodness, because much of the reader's energy is required to ingest a new language, which to ignorant me looks like a blend of Celtic and Latin. The presentation of the invented language could have been handled more subtly, but it’s understandable that when a linguist has an opportunity to live out this specific fantasy, he goes for it.
The author has either dabbled in Latter-day Saint theology, or he inadvertently mirrored it when conjuring the storyline. I rather enjoyed delving into these notions but it might make the story repellent to some traditional Christian readers.
The version of Christianity we learn about on this new planet works theologically. The tradition that does not quite work, however, is the Cult of Gadesh. Even the most hedonistic religions do rites with purpose and symbolism. The adherents to the Gadesh faith seemed to have no awe of the god the cult was to honor. I could not gather what the purposes of the Gadesh temple rites were.
Overall, The Mindruler is valiant in its ingenuity--creating a new world, people, history, language, and theologies. To juggle so many inventions in one work is a lot to take on, and the author accomplishes each fairly well. Overall, it’s a decent read for those who do not flinch at frequent Christian interspersions.
The writing is not amazing prose and is easy to consume, thank goodness, because much of the reader's energy is required to ingest a new language, which to ignorant me looks like a blend of Celtic and Latin. The presentation of the invented language could have been handled more subtly, but it’s understandable that when a linguist has an opportunity to live out this specific fantasy, he goes for it.
The author has either dabbled in Latter-day Saint theology, or he inadvertently mirrored it when conjuring the storyline. I rather enjoyed delving into these notions but it might make the story repellent to some traditional Christian readers.
The version of Christianity we learn about on this new planet works theologically. The tradition that does not quite work, however, is the Cult of Gadesh. Even the most hedonistic religions do rites with purpose and symbolism. The adherents to the Gadesh faith seemed to have no awe of the god the cult was to honor. I could not gather what the purposes of the Gadesh temple rites were.
Overall, The Mindruler is valiant in its ingenuity--creating a new world, people, history, language, and theologies. To juggle so many inventions in one work is a lot to take on, and the author accomplishes each fairly well. Overall, it’s a decent read for those who do not flinch at frequent Christian interspersions.
March 29, 2018
This is an epic Christian fantasy set in a rich world, that is much like our own, and facing issues that are relevant to today. I really enjoyed the characterization and attention interpersonal relationships. The Christian theme was woven through and even though I’m not usually big on that in fantasy it served this story well and actually enhanced the plot greatly. It takes the idea that we are struggling with the same issues in life and spreads beyond worldwide into the universe.
The pacing is steady with a nice building of tension and unfolding of the story as the characters navigate the strange, yet familiar new word. You can tell the author has a real grasp on language and there was thought behind words choices, sentence layout, and harmony. There are some truly beautiful passages and sentences you want to pause at to read aloud.
This should make a wonderful read for fantasy fans, especially those who are looking for a thoughtful story.
The pacing is steady with a nice building of tension and unfolding of the story as the characters navigate the strange, yet familiar new word. You can tell the author has a real grasp on language and there was thought behind words choices, sentence layout, and harmony. There are some truly beautiful passages and sentences you want to pause at to read aloud.
This should make a wonderful read for fantasy fans, especially those who are looking for a thoughtful story.
June 7, 2018
I have a very difficult time connecting with fantasy. I'm not sure what it is, but that makes fantasy--regardless of how stellar--difficult for me. I won't say that Mindruler was easier for me to read than other fantasy, because it wasn't, but I can say that I did enjoy it. The detail of which the book was thought out by the author and the intricacies of the plot show great skill. The characters were all well written and there wasn't a single instance of me feeling like they were acting contrary to how they were developed.
I assume the author invented the language used in the world he created and I have to give some serious props for that. And I love the way the characters slowly learned that language, and, in a way, the reader as well.
If you are a lover of fantasy, The Mindruler will be a must-read addition to your library.
I assume the author invented the language used in the world he created and I have to give some serious props for that. And I love the way the characters slowly learned that language, and, in a way, the reader as well.
If you are a lover of fantasy, The Mindruler will be a must-read addition to your library.
July 22, 2020
Impressive world building with solid Christian faith
The characters are delightful. The enemy is not spiritual but quite frightening. The foreign cultures are compelling. It is excellent entertainment, but a bit dark for my taste.
The characters are delightful. The enemy is not spiritual but quite frightening. The foreign cultures are compelling. It is excellent entertainment, but a bit dark for my taste.
April 7, 2018
Characters
I didn't connect with any of these dull characters...until the novel was nearly over. I did like Denise at that point, there was something comforting about her and she is a very sweet lady. Hands down favorite character was Gwargif - he is such a cool creature! Mostly they felt like puppets. The one thing that was done well was the slow transition from the English names to the Durion names. I was easily able to associate the same person even though their name had changed.
Something that really irked me is once the author seemed to decide secondary characters were of no further use to his plot, he'd dispose of them. It made everyone who wasn't a main character feel expendable. I felt like they became devices to show the 'bad guys' brutality.
Plot
This book was painfully predictable. I predicted multiple plot points in the first 20% and all of them turned out to be right. This was an overtly christian novel. The fantasy aspect was like a thin layer of jelly on a piece of bread. Sure you can say it has jelly but honestly it is mostly bread. It would be no different if a fantasy book was heavily political or a social issue. In this cases the focus was religion and that is what made it difficult so swallow. For those who are very religious you may like this - for me it was scripture with a thin layer of fantasy. I would like enjoyed this more if it wasn't so in my face about it (like Narnia).
If this book would have just had one twist or turn that I didn't see coming I would have enjoyed it more but since it is part of a series so far everything I've guessed came true and that made it very boring. It was worse because the characters felt two dimensional. I was also put off by the repetitive use of strange words like copse and in the first chapter bracken.
Overall
I struggled through this book. I didn't even realize it was a christian book at first, but by 15% I had almost no doubt. The writing felt excessively wordy in more than once place (for example the long summary...). I also felt like some scenes weren't very plot or character driven but just a device so that the author could make a point—which usually was very preachy. Also there were some really disruptive flashbacks. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end.
What was really cool was the language. I was impressed by the way it was woven in. It was masterfully done. I also thought the author did an amazing job of researching historical uses - like sanding wet ink. It was scatter throughout that gave an excellent feel for the setting and era.
My biggest issue with this book was the subtle way the 'lightists' were always right (aka the 'good religion') and never brutal and the 'cultists' were terrible all the time. It was such a wide gap that it felt like the author was demanding you like the lightists. The only redemption was to 'see the light.' Some were more subtle like the cultists wore dull clothing while lightists wore very colorful clothing.
Rating
2 stars
I didn't like it. Uninteresting characters, predictable plot, and heavy handedness of the novel made it difficult to enjoy. Not to mention it was like a bible story with a fantasy world superimposed over top of it. Those who like super religious tones will like or those interested in biblical history may also enjoy.
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
I didn't connect with any of these dull characters...until the novel was nearly over. I did like Denise at that point, there was something comforting about her and she is a very sweet lady. Hands down favorite character was Gwargif - he is such a cool creature! Mostly they felt like puppets. The one thing that was done well was the slow transition from the English names to the Durion names. I was easily able to associate the same person even though their name had changed.
Something that really irked me is once the author seemed to decide secondary characters were of no further use to his plot, he'd dispose of them. It made everyone who wasn't a main character feel expendable. I felt like they became devices to show the 'bad guys' brutality.
Plot
This book was painfully predictable. I predicted multiple plot points in the first 20% and all of them turned out to be right. This was an overtly christian novel. The fantasy aspect was like a thin layer of jelly on a piece of bread. Sure you can say it has jelly but honestly it is mostly bread. It would be no different if a fantasy book was heavily political or a social issue. In this cases the focus was religion and that is what made it difficult so swallow. For those who are very religious you may like this - for me it was scripture with a thin layer of fantasy. I would like enjoyed this more if it wasn't so in my face about it (like Narnia).
If this book would have just had one twist or turn that I didn't see coming I would have enjoyed it more but since it is part of a series so far everything I've guessed came true and that made it very boring. It was worse because the characters felt two dimensional. I was also put off by the repetitive use of strange words like copse and in the first chapter bracken.
Overall
I struggled through this book. I didn't even realize it was a christian book at first, but by 15% I had almost no doubt. The writing felt excessively wordy in more than once place (for example the long summary...). I also felt like some scenes weren't very plot or character driven but just a device so that the author could make a point—which usually was very preachy. Also there were some really disruptive flashbacks. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end.
What was really cool was the language. I was impressed by the way it was woven in. It was masterfully done. I also thought the author did an amazing job of researching historical uses - like sanding wet ink. It was scatter throughout that gave an excellent feel for the setting and era.
My biggest issue with this book was the subtle way the 'lightists' were always right (aka the 'good religion') and never brutal and the 'cultists' were terrible all the time. It was such a wide gap that it felt like the author was demanding you like the lightists. The only redemption was to 'see the light.' Some were more subtle like the cultists wore dull clothing while lightists wore very colorful clothing.
Rating
2 stars
I didn't like it. Uninteresting characters, predictable plot, and heavy handedness of the novel made it difficult to enjoy. Not to mention it was like a bible story with a fantasy world superimposed over top of it. Those who like super religious tones will like or those interested in biblical history may also enjoy.
This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
February 27, 2018
Well developed characters, mystery, danger, good versus evil. I thoroughly enjoyed this meticulously written, well plotted book. I look forward to Reading the next two books. What an adventure. Recommended
June 5, 2020
Hebrews 5:14 “Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Four strangers find themselves on another planet, not only caught in the middle of a war between good and evil, but each as well in their own personal quest to resolve their own spiritual struggles. One desires missionary service but feels she is too old. One seeks to grow as a leader but cannot make hard decisions. One seeks to find the truth in others but doesn’t want to see the darkness. And one doesn’t want to be the scoundrel he has become. As they search for a purpose in this new world, they must also seek guidance from its Creator who has brought them here for what seems an impossible task.
In his first book of the Mindrulers series, Pillinger introduces readers to a blend of high fantasy with a Christian tone of “grimdark” that is not for the faint of heart. Pillinger’s experience as a Bible translator is evident in his writing style, but more telling is his familiarity with the perils of Christian missionaries in lands torn by war. By the mid-point of this book, I began to realize this was going to be…well…as Paul would say it, “solid food for the spiritually mature” (Hebrews 5:14). Characters are introduced, developed, and then massacred quite regularly. The evil in this world is not above committing other acts of depravity that may not be suitable for the younger reader. As a son of missionaries myself, I understand how relevant these plot points are to Christians who have been called to minister to our own dark world, but nevertheless, parents of younger-adult and mid-grade readers may not approve.
Having presented that warning, I must point out that this book is well written, masterfully edited, and it does not read like the average self-published fantasy. I can tell Pillinger put years of polish into this work—with the help of many others who shared his vision. Characters come to life so well that it becomes easy to worry that they may not survive the next battle—or that you, the reader, may share their (spiritual) fate. If you are looking for a page-turner that may rob you of sleep because you can’t put it down—and that may inspire you to new depths of spiritual understanding—this is definitely one I would recommend.
Four strangers find themselves on another planet, not only caught in the middle of a war between good and evil, but each as well in their own personal quest to resolve their own spiritual struggles. One desires missionary service but feels she is too old. One seeks to grow as a leader but cannot make hard decisions. One seeks to find the truth in others but doesn’t want to see the darkness. And one doesn’t want to be the scoundrel he has become. As they search for a purpose in this new world, they must also seek guidance from its Creator who has brought them here for what seems an impossible task.
In his first book of the Mindrulers series, Pillinger introduces readers to a blend of high fantasy with a Christian tone of “grimdark” that is not for the faint of heart. Pillinger’s experience as a Bible translator is evident in his writing style, but more telling is his familiarity with the perils of Christian missionaries in lands torn by war. By the mid-point of this book, I began to realize this was going to be…well…as Paul would say it, “solid food for the spiritually mature” (Hebrews 5:14). Characters are introduced, developed, and then massacred quite regularly. The evil in this world is not above committing other acts of depravity that may not be suitable for the younger reader. As a son of missionaries myself, I understand how relevant these plot points are to Christians who have been called to minister to our own dark world, but nevertheless, parents of younger-adult and mid-grade readers may not approve.
Having presented that warning, I must point out that this book is well written, masterfully edited, and it does not read like the average self-published fantasy. I can tell Pillinger put years of polish into this work—with the help of many others who shared his vision. Characters come to life so well that it becomes easy to worry that they may not survive the next battle—or that you, the reader, may share their (spiritual) fate. If you are looking for a page-turner that may rob you of sleep because you can’t put it down—and that may inspire you to new depths of spiritual understanding—this is definitely one I would recommend.
March 22, 2018
Narnia for Grown Ups
“I know it seems impossible now, but I believe God will give you exactly what you’ve been longing for.”
Denise, Steve, Gil and Lannie are pretty ordinary people from this world who find themselves sent by the power of God into another. They learn that the people who they find there see them as the Restorers, those who prophecy say will defeat the evil Mindbenders. These are psychic individuals who use their powers to exert complete mind control over entire armies of slaves and control them like automatons. Those from earth quickly accept that they are indeed those who will bring this world back to God and rescue it from the mindbenders.
This is a generally well-written fantasy which offers a slightly alternative take on the Narnia idea. The parallels to that are everywhere, even down to the role of Gil being almost parallel to that of Edmund in the stories. But unlike Narnia, where C.S. Lewis painted his profound religious aspects in with a light brush and much allegory, here the Christian theme is stamped in bold and highlighted in neon - over and over again.
I found the writing easy to read and the characters well portrayed. The plot was well conceived, even if just a bit predictable in places. The pace was superbly maintained, with the tension being built and holding well. The character’s very rapid acceptance of their position in this new world would have been hard to accept had it not been underwritten by their deep belief in a God who would always do what was best.
“Atenámbaret? Estembar lassar târ Atenámbaret! Dôrion i Armanet dissilathen sûlack?”
There were a couple of things I struggled with in the book. The made-up language, which was overused in the early parts of the book, made for very awkward reading at times. It was almost as if the author was trying to show off that he had made up a language, rather than just saying the characters didn’t understand what was said to them. Those who love made up languages would find this a plus point, I’m sure, but for me it was an irritating immersion breaker.
Another issue was the internal logic was often inconsistent. For example, each Mindbender could control a veritable army of slaves so there seemed no reason why the entire population was not thus enslaved. Something never really explained properly in my opinion. Another example, our heroes are supposed to be fully compassionate, but they only seem to really care for their own. They have no trouble killing the enslaved which the author dehumanises into a mass, despite going to great lengths to show us that these are people with their own minds, just hopelessly controlled against their will. In this the ‘good guys’ seem to be just as bad as those they oppose.
Finally, I did struggle a lot with Lannie’s relationship development. It begins with a man grabbing her against her will - but she enjoys it. Not really something that happens so much in the real world when women who are grabbed really don’t enjoy it and are currently fighting hard to make men realise this.
These issues made it hard for me to fully enjoy the book.
That said, this is is a well-written book that will appeal to Christians who enjoy fantasy and the more general fantasy reader who is not put off by reading a lot of full-on Christianity thrown in the mix.
“I know it seems impossible now, but I believe God will give you exactly what you’ve been longing for.”
Denise, Steve, Gil and Lannie are pretty ordinary people from this world who find themselves sent by the power of God into another. They learn that the people who they find there see them as the Restorers, those who prophecy say will defeat the evil Mindbenders. These are psychic individuals who use their powers to exert complete mind control over entire armies of slaves and control them like automatons. Those from earth quickly accept that they are indeed those who will bring this world back to God and rescue it from the mindbenders.
This is a generally well-written fantasy which offers a slightly alternative take on the Narnia idea. The parallels to that are everywhere, even down to the role of Gil being almost parallel to that of Edmund in the stories. But unlike Narnia, where C.S. Lewis painted his profound religious aspects in with a light brush and much allegory, here the Christian theme is stamped in bold and highlighted in neon - over and over again.
I found the writing easy to read and the characters well portrayed. The plot was well conceived, even if just a bit predictable in places. The pace was superbly maintained, with the tension being built and holding well. The character’s very rapid acceptance of their position in this new world would have been hard to accept had it not been underwritten by their deep belief in a God who would always do what was best.
“Atenámbaret? Estembar lassar târ Atenámbaret! Dôrion i Armanet dissilathen sûlack?”
There were a couple of things I struggled with in the book. The made-up language, which was overused in the early parts of the book, made for very awkward reading at times. It was almost as if the author was trying to show off that he had made up a language, rather than just saying the characters didn’t understand what was said to them. Those who love made up languages would find this a plus point, I’m sure, but for me it was an irritating immersion breaker.
Another issue was the internal logic was often inconsistent. For example, each Mindbender could control a veritable army of slaves so there seemed no reason why the entire population was not thus enslaved. Something never really explained properly in my opinion. Another example, our heroes are supposed to be fully compassionate, but they only seem to really care for their own. They have no trouble killing the enslaved which the author dehumanises into a mass, despite going to great lengths to show us that these are people with their own minds, just hopelessly controlled against their will. In this the ‘good guys’ seem to be just as bad as those they oppose.
Finally, I did struggle a lot with Lannie’s relationship development. It begins with a man grabbing her against her will - but she enjoys it. Not really something that happens so much in the real world when women who are grabbed really don’t enjoy it and are currently fighting hard to make men realise this.
These issues made it hard for me to fully enjoy the book.
That said, this is is a well-written book that will appeal to Christians who enjoy fantasy and the more general fantasy reader who is not put off by reading a lot of full-on Christianity thrown in the mix.
March 24, 2018
This is an impressive fantasy with a well thought out and fascinating world. Two things set it above the average: one is the language – this is obviously written by a linguist with a great grasp of and interest in language, and indeed a new-created language permeates the book; and the other is the focus on religion, which has all kinds of implications. For one, it makes the world richer: the ongoing conflicts and persecutions between “Cultists” and “Lightists” are highly reminiscent of our own world. And then the fact that the Lightist beliefs mirror, with some minor differences, the tenets of Christianity, also raises deeper philosophical questions, I suspect, for Christians. If there is one God, and he sent his son to redeem humanity through his death, then what does that mean for the wider universe? Did he single out earth especially, and any other planets with intelligent species are just unlucky? Or would some similar great redeemer have visited other worlds, so that intelligent beings there might also have the chance to be saved?
The Mindruler’s answer, as the characters slowly come to understand along their tumultuous journey, is that God will most certainly have sent his son to other planets offering salvation through his own death, and that this will be a universal truth.
The Mindrulers themselves are clearly satanic. It would be hard to imagine a more revolting set of characters, with crueler intentions. Their tortures, human sacrifices, and extreme brutality, are thoroughly disgusting. Poor Jomel, their planned human sacrifice, endures appalling treatment while she waits to die… ugh.
In fact if I have a quibble, it would be that I would have liked the oppressed female characters (such as Jomel, in particular) to be less passive in the face of horrific abuse and prospects: she mopes around waiting to die and suffering in the meantime, basically hoping to be saved. Which is all part of her conversion to the One Light – she has faith something will turn up, and yay it does – but hm… systematic rape by disgusting creeps, and she has no agency, no proactivity, is not quite comfortable reading.
The mechanism of mindruling itself is fresh, cleverly imagined and quite horrific. The characters are well drawn, maybe not particularly deep or complex, but they are believable and very relatable. The plot is thoroughly worked-out and highly satisfying: the main protagonists’ gradual discovery of their special roles on this strange world, the objects they find to help them in their task, the drivers that move the story along, and the references to back-story, just enough to give hints to explain current behavior without belaboring the point, are all deftly handled.
A smart, well-paced, gripping read, four stars plus.
For more of Brin's reviews, go to:
http://www.brinmurray.com/
The Mindruler’s answer, as the characters slowly come to understand along their tumultuous journey, is that God will most certainly have sent his son to other planets offering salvation through his own death, and that this will be a universal truth.
The Mindrulers themselves are clearly satanic. It would be hard to imagine a more revolting set of characters, with crueler intentions. Their tortures, human sacrifices, and extreme brutality, are thoroughly disgusting. Poor Jomel, their planned human sacrifice, endures appalling treatment while she waits to die… ugh.
In fact if I have a quibble, it would be that I would have liked the oppressed female characters (such as Jomel, in particular) to be less passive in the face of horrific abuse and prospects: she mopes around waiting to die and suffering in the meantime, basically hoping to be saved. Which is all part of her conversion to the One Light – she has faith something will turn up, and yay it does – but hm… systematic rape by disgusting creeps, and she has no agency, no proactivity, is not quite comfortable reading.
The mechanism of mindruling itself is fresh, cleverly imagined and quite horrific. The characters are well drawn, maybe not particularly deep or complex, but they are believable and very relatable. The plot is thoroughly worked-out and highly satisfying: the main protagonists’ gradual discovery of their special roles on this strange world, the objects they find to help them in their task, the drivers that move the story along, and the references to back-story, just enough to give hints to explain current behavior without belaboring the point, are all deftly handled.
A smart, well-paced, gripping read, four stars plus.
For more of Brin's reviews, go to:
http://www.brinmurray.com/
April 18, 2018
The Mindruler is a good, well-written fantasy adventure. The characters develop over the course of the book and face actual hard-ships and danger, and you cheer them on as they do.
It’s a Christian fantasy, and at times, gets a little preachy. However, if you’re a fan of that genre, it won’t bother you. It didn’t bother me overly much, and this is not something that I would ordinarily read.
Mr. Pilliger is also a linguist, and his interest in that shows heavily in the book, especially in the beginning. I found that to be a little annoying and distracting, but it calmed down as the book went on, and the occasional reference in another language was fine.
If you’re a fan of Christian fantasy, you’ll love this book. If you’re a fan of fantasy in general, and can tolerate the overt religious tone, you’ll enjoy it.
It’s a Christian fantasy, and at times, gets a little preachy. However, if you’re a fan of that genre, it won’t bother you. It didn’t bother me overly much, and this is not something that I would ordinarily read.
Mr. Pilliger is also a linguist, and his interest in that shows heavily in the book, especially in the beginning. I found that to be a little annoying and distracting, but it calmed down as the book went on, and the occasional reference in another language was fine.
If you’re a fan of Christian fantasy, you’ll love this book. If you’re a fan of fantasy in general, and can tolerate the overt religious tone, you’ll enjoy it.
April 4, 2018
Like Narnia for adults, but with more theology. Instead of the Children of Adam and Eve trying to defeat the White Witch, chosen ones Denise, Steve, Gil and Lannie are Restorers trying to defeat the confusingly power-limited Mindbenders, who turn people into their personal armies. Although well written with immense world-building, I think there’s more to a book than a writer’s finesse with words and terms, which are used and used. The plot grinded on me. I’m not a Christian and I might have enjoyed this more if I were because of the chosen ones, black and white, good-guy-bad-guy tropes and not-to-subtle religious pleading. Although common in children’s books, it just had me shaking my head in given situations in this one.
Because of the tropes and obvious draws from earlier works, I didn’t take me long to guess what was going to happen, and with a God who was good to faithful characters, despite their rises and falls, there wasn’t anything to suggest that the characters were going to fail. The language must have been fun to make because it didn’t add anything that a “They were talking Dûrian” couldn’t. I couldn’t work out the characters attitudes and values, which I attested to them thinking that maybe the world wasn’t real... as they are slaying mind controlled masses while faithful that it’s Gods will. Let reinforce my previous points, this IS well written and immersive, and the rest is subjective and due my personal bias towards these kind of stories.
Because of the tropes and obvious draws from earlier works, I didn’t take me long to guess what was going to happen, and with a God who was good to faithful characters, despite their rises and falls, there wasn’t anything to suggest that the characters were going to fail. The language must have been fun to make because it didn’t add anything that a “They were talking Dûrian” couldn’t. I couldn’t work out the characters attitudes and values, which I attested to them thinking that maybe the world wasn’t real... as they are slaying mind controlled masses while faithful that it’s Gods will. Let reinforce my previous points, this IS well written and immersive, and the rest is subjective and due my personal bias towards these kind of stories.
April 26, 2018
The world-building is superb and the writing is nearly flawless, however, the characters and plot are straightforward with little surprise or depth. In addition, the author has created a fantasy world, medieval of course, in which a religious myth parallel to Christianity dominates almost every scene. Unlike our world, in this one God actually can be called upon to actively aid those who seek help. Those readers averse to constant dogma may wish to avoid this novel.
Given such a construct, the success of four "restorers" transplanted from Earth, is predictable. That is not to say there are no travails or setbacks, of which there are plenty. The author has a penchant for describing place and setting, down to clothing details, that on the one hand seem important to world-building, but on the other hand, lends itself to an overly heavy reliance on telling rather than showing. Often internal thoughts are described, which could have been better revealed through action and dialogue. As a result, I found myself pushing through a number of chapters, hoping for a plot twist which would once again spark an interest in the slowly-developing story.
One more point – I was given the impression that this work was one of science fiction. It is not. Other than drugs and mind-bending, there was no technology apparent in the tale, thus this piece is all fantasy.
Given such a construct, the success of four "restorers" transplanted from Earth, is predictable. That is not to say there are no travails or setbacks, of which there are plenty. The author has a penchant for describing place and setting, down to clothing details, that on the one hand seem important to world-building, but on the other hand, lends itself to an overly heavy reliance on telling rather than showing. Often internal thoughts are described, which could have been better revealed through action and dialogue. As a result, I found myself pushing through a number of chapters, hoping for a plot twist which would once again spark an interest in the slowly-developing story.
One more point – I was given the impression that this work was one of science fiction. It is not. Other than drugs and mind-bending, there was no technology apparent in the tale, thus this piece is all fantasy.
September 26, 2021
Religious fiction is a tricky genre. At it's core, most fiction with an element of good vs evil has some roots in religion, but calling a book "religious fantasy" means that the purpose is to glorify the Being you worship while also entertaining the audience. I imagine it is a balancing act to write. You need to avoid becoming a sermon while sticking to your goals of both creative worship and education. In those respects, Pilinger did a wonderful job. This is a remarkably unique story, and engaging. At times it was possible to forget that it was anything more than a secular independent fantasy (which can be both a good and a bad thing, depending on who you ask). Overall, I enjoyed this book.
April 16, 2018
Four diverse character's find themselves transported to a dystopian and evil world. There they find the Mindrulers, psychics who rule and control with their minds. Our characters must find a way to help end the Mindrulers control.
The books is very predictable, but also enjoyable. It is a Christian fantasy and is the proverbial, good versus evil battle.
I would have given five stars, but there is too much made-up language that is extremely distracting.
The books is very predictable, but also enjoyable. It is a Christian fantasy and is the proverbial, good versus evil battle.
I would have given five stars, but there is too much made-up language that is extremely distracting.
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