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Archives of Anthropos #1
The Sword Bearer
It was John's birthday. He would be thirteen. And what's more, it was on this day that his grandmother would tell him the mystery of his locket . . . And of his parents. But it was not to be. Before he could find out, he was magically transported to the land of Anthropos where he was startled to be hailed as the Sword Bearer, the slayer of the Goblin Prince. Here, in the imaginative story of the early history of Anthropos, John White captures the excitement and wonder of another world.
294 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1980
16 people are currently reading
1052 people want to read
About the author
John White
67 books48 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John White was an Evangelical Christian author, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and a pastor of Church of the Way.
John White was an Evangelical Christian author, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and a pastor of Church of the Way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 17, 2020
I first discovered John White's Archives of Anthropos series from a random blog post where someone referred to it as the "other" Chronicles of Narnia. John White the author actually admitted to the similarities between his series and Narnia because his children wanted him to tell them a bedtime story like the Narnia stories. Thus, this series was born. However, The Sword Bearer, while being often listed as book number one in the series was not chronologically written first. This book came out after two other books in the series, The Tower of Geburah and The Iron Sceptre. From everything I have read about this series though, most who have read it suggest starting here with The Sword Bearer. So with pesky questions about reading order out of the way, the question is this: is this book worth a read?
The story begins with a young boy named John whose parents have been gone for quite some time. And when John's grandmother promises to tell John on his thirteenth birthday the "truth" about his parents, John can't wait. But then tragedy strikes and John finds himself transported to another place called Anthropos. In this land he discovers that evil is searching through the kingdom and seeking to build a tower that will allow it to rule over the entire universe. Only John and his spunky pack of friends can even hope to put a stop to the evil force. However, it has been said that victory will only come at great loss for John. Will he be able to sacrifice what is needed in order to save them all?
This book, written back in 1986, has the charm of an old school fantasy story with hints of allegory sprinkled throughout. The Narnia comparisons are fitting, but I never felt as though it was so derivative that it couldn't be its own story world. In fact, I would say the stakes in Anthropos are much higher than in Narnia, where you never exactly were worried about the characters making it out of the story in the end. Here, the danger is very real, and no one is safe. That said, I definitely found some moments shocking and wondered if a younger reader would be okay reading this.
In fact, one of the most terrifying things about The Sword Bearer was the illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. I won't spoil anything here, but there are a couple of drawings of the villain of the book that I found disturbing and the stuff of nightmares if I was still a kid. But that's probably what would have made me love this book all the more when I was younger. This book feels like one of those stories in the vein of The Neverending Story that is just intense enough without ever crossing a line.
As for the characters, John goes on a journey of sorts, but again, this is an older school fantasy story where some things are telegraphed from early on and often the children are a little impetuous. There were parts of the story where I felt as though if the main character just got over his bad attitude so many plot points would have been fixed.
Also, I will say there are so many imaginative moments throughout with very fascinating "magical" items that I have not seen too often in a Christian fantasy. How the "magic" system works here is never exactly explained, and there were times I felt as though I was missing something. Perhaps in the earlier-written books some of the "rules" of Anthropos are explained that would fill in the gaps.
All said, I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Christian fantasy and especially to see how the genre grew over time. The Sword Bearer, while episodic at times, presents an epic story that will definitely pull at the heartstrings at the same time it makes your heart race in suspense.
The story begins with a young boy named John whose parents have been gone for quite some time. And when John's grandmother promises to tell John on his thirteenth birthday the "truth" about his parents, John can't wait. But then tragedy strikes and John finds himself transported to another place called Anthropos. In this land he discovers that evil is searching through the kingdom and seeking to build a tower that will allow it to rule over the entire universe. Only John and his spunky pack of friends can even hope to put a stop to the evil force. However, it has been said that victory will only come at great loss for John. Will he be able to sacrifice what is needed in order to save them all?
This book, written back in 1986, has the charm of an old school fantasy story with hints of allegory sprinkled throughout. The Narnia comparisons are fitting, but I never felt as though it was so derivative that it couldn't be its own story world. In fact, I would say the stakes in Anthropos are much higher than in Narnia, where you never exactly were worried about the characters making it out of the story in the end. Here, the danger is very real, and no one is safe. That said, I definitely found some moments shocking and wondered if a younger reader would be okay reading this.
In fact, one of the most terrifying things about The Sword Bearer was the illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. I won't spoil anything here, but there are a couple of drawings of the villain of the book that I found disturbing and the stuff of nightmares if I was still a kid. But that's probably what would have made me love this book all the more when I was younger. This book feels like one of those stories in the vein of The Neverending Story that is just intense enough without ever crossing a line.
As for the characters, John goes on a journey of sorts, but again, this is an older school fantasy story where some things are telegraphed from early on and often the children are a little impetuous. There were parts of the story where I felt as though if the main character just got over his bad attitude so many plot points would have been fixed.
Also, I will say there are so many imaginative moments throughout with very fascinating "magical" items that I have not seen too often in a Christian fantasy. How the "magic" system works here is never exactly explained, and there were times I felt as though I was missing something. Perhaps in the earlier-written books some of the "rules" of Anthropos are explained that would fill in the gaps.
All said, I would recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Christian fantasy and especially to see how the genre grew over time. The Sword Bearer, while episodic at times, presents an epic story that will definitely pull at the heartstrings at the same time it makes your heart race in suspense.
January 14, 2012
Looking back, I know this series wasn't very good. In fact, it was probably awful. But as a kid, I couldn't tell - or didn't care - that it was a poor Lewis/Tolkien/everyone else hack. I LOVED this series.
October 31, 2014
John Wilson was happy on his way home from school on the day of his 13th birthday, the day his grandmother has promised to tell him about his parents. But his wonderful day collapses when he trips over the body of his grandmother as he enters their house. She's dead, and now he'll never know. He's too much in shock to feel much grief just yet. Then a worse piece of news comes the next morning: Nicholas Slapfoot, the town's frightening scrap man, a man who almost killed John on his last birthday, has stepped up to "adopt" John since the absence of money and relatives means John has nowhere to go.
Fleeing Nicholas, John stumbles through a door into another world. In quick succession, he meets both the Changer and Lord Lunacy, the powers of light and darkness. The Changer has given John a sword and named him Sword Bearer, with prophecies that he will bring about the end of the Goblin Prince and the current darkness. Lord Lunacy convinces John the Changer was just a dream, and that his true power lies in his own evil. Bewildered and alone, John seesaws between light and darkness. Only the old prophet Mab keeps believing that the Changer's prophecies about John will come true. John, Mab, and a group of others flee to the isle of Geburah to escape Lord Lunacy. But even there the power of darkness overshadows them. Within three years, the prophecies must be fulfilled: John to slay the Goblin Prince, Mab to die, and Lord Lunacy to retreat. No one, least of all John, knows how any of this is even possible.
Although the first book in the Archives of Anthropos, The Sword Bearer is actually the third book White wrote (the Tower of Geburah, although published first, is chronologically third in the series). Because of this, there are a few references to things that happen in the Tower of Geburah, mostly as prophecies.
All of the Archives of Anthropos are set up around a specific Bible story, and this one happens to be the story of Adam and Eve getting kicked out of Eden. Fortunately, this book is far more than a simple retelling. The garden itself doesn't show up until most of the book is over. Far more of the focus is on John and his rocky road to finding his own faith.
The book does not spend long on John before he gets pulled to Anthropos, but it still grounds him so firmly as a character that he grabs immediate sympathy. He goes from cheerful to horrified when he finds his grandmother dead, complete with the shame that he's more worried that she'll never get the chance to tell him about his parents than the fact that she's dead. He learns his mother is already dead from overhearing the neighbors talk about the funeral arrangements, so he pins his hopes on a father he only knows through a small picture in his locket, a father who might not even know he exists. The only clue anyone has is that ten years ago, his father set off for Canada, so John decides that's where he'll go too.
And then Nicholas comes, and John runs into another world instead.
Nicholas, more than Lord Lunacy, is John's greatest fear. Nicholas threw a crowbar at John one year ago when John went into his yard, and John's shoulder still aches whenever Nicholas comes near. Nicholas speaks with a thick English brogue, walks with a limp because he has two club feet, and in general is the much more real and immediate threat when compared against the ghostly form of Lord Lunacy. Nicholas plays up John's fears and doubts, taunting and humiliating him. As a person he doesn't have much depth, but the wonderful characterization as a villain still makes him as solid as John himself.
Mab is almost six hundred years old and a powerful prophet who provides most of the magic. Although Mab supports John unconditionally, he's more than a little disturbed at John's inability to drink the wine of free pardon and John's frequent statements of agreement with something Lord Lunacy said. Mab infuriates John because he doesn't treat John as special, just as a comrade in arms, but the old man's friendship soon becomes a vital part of John's life.
For everything I love about this book, it has one major flaw, and that flaw comes fairly near the beginning and poisons a good chunk of the book. Right after John meets the Changer, he meets Lord Lunacy. Lord Lunacy tempts and suggests various things, as appropriate. Then Lord Lunacy touches John's forehead and suddenly John just knows everything Lord Lunacy is saying is true. Somehow the element of free choice got wiped out during this whole exchange. John doesn't believe necessarily because he was persuaded; it comes off feeling like he believes because he got enchanted. John doesn't often struggle to define what happened to him right at the beginning for this very reason. He thinks back to the Changer a few times, but he doesn't sit down and try to understand the whole experience from beginning to end.
But if that was the major bad point, there are plenty of major good points to offset it. I talked about the characters above; the plot is another highlight. As this does not follow the Bible story, only incorporates it, the reader can't just guess how everything will play out next. Another really big highlight for me was all the scenes with the Changer. The first scene is the longest and the best, but they're all good. A lot of times, even in Christian books, God can come across as remote; the Changer has a sense of humor and he's not afraid to use it, but it never undermines his power or gentleness.
Overall this is one of my favorite Christan fantasies, right up there with Frank Peretti and C.S. Lewis's work. The rest of the series is a mixed bag, but The Sword Bearer gets it off to a great start. Highly Recommended.
Fleeing Nicholas, John stumbles through a door into another world. In quick succession, he meets both the Changer and Lord Lunacy, the powers of light and darkness. The Changer has given John a sword and named him Sword Bearer, with prophecies that he will bring about the end of the Goblin Prince and the current darkness. Lord Lunacy convinces John the Changer was just a dream, and that his true power lies in his own evil. Bewildered and alone, John seesaws between light and darkness. Only the old prophet Mab keeps believing that the Changer's prophecies about John will come true. John, Mab, and a group of others flee to the isle of Geburah to escape Lord Lunacy. But even there the power of darkness overshadows them. Within three years, the prophecies must be fulfilled: John to slay the Goblin Prince, Mab to die, and Lord Lunacy to retreat. No one, least of all John, knows how any of this is even possible.
Although the first book in the Archives of Anthropos, The Sword Bearer is actually the third book White wrote (the Tower of Geburah, although published first, is chronologically third in the series). Because of this, there are a few references to things that happen in the Tower of Geburah, mostly as prophecies.
All of the Archives of Anthropos are set up around a specific Bible story, and this one happens to be the story of Adam and Eve getting kicked out of Eden. Fortunately, this book is far more than a simple retelling. The garden itself doesn't show up until most of the book is over. Far more of the focus is on John and his rocky road to finding his own faith.
The book does not spend long on John before he gets pulled to Anthropos, but it still grounds him so firmly as a character that he grabs immediate sympathy. He goes from cheerful to horrified when he finds his grandmother dead, complete with the shame that he's more worried that she'll never get the chance to tell him about his parents than the fact that she's dead. He learns his mother is already dead from overhearing the neighbors talk about the funeral arrangements, so he pins his hopes on a father he only knows through a small picture in his locket, a father who might not even know he exists. The only clue anyone has is that ten years ago, his father set off for Canada, so John decides that's where he'll go too.
And then Nicholas comes, and John runs into another world instead.
Nicholas, more than Lord Lunacy, is John's greatest fear. Nicholas threw a crowbar at John one year ago when John went into his yard, and John's shoulder still aches whenever Nicholas comes near. Nicholas speaks with a thick English brogue, walks with a limp because he has two club feet, and in general is the much more real and immediate threat when compared against the ghostly form of Lord Lunacy. Nicholas plays up John's fears and doubts, taunting and humiliating him. As a person he doesn't have much depth, but the wonderful characterization as a villain still makes him as solid as John himself.
Mab is almost six hundred years old and a powerful prophet who provides most of the magic. Although Mab supports John unconditionally, he's more than a little disturbed at John's inability to drink the wine of free pardon and John's frequent statements of agreement with something Lord Lunacy said. Mab infuriates John because he doesn't treat John as special, just as a comrade in arms, but the old man's friendship soon becomes a vital part of John's life.
For everything I love about this book, it has one major flaw, and that flaw comes fairly near the beginning and poisons a good chunk of the book. Right after John meets the Changer, he meets Lord Lunacy. Lord Lunacy tempts and suggests various things, as appropriate. Then Lord Lunacy touches John's forehead and suddenly John just knows everything Lord Lunacy is saying is true. Somehow the element of free choice got wiped out during this whole exchange. John doesn't believe necessarily because he was persuaded; it comes off feeling like he believes because he got enchanted. John doesn't often struggle to define what happened to him right at the beginning for this very reason. He thinks back to the Changer a few times, but he doesn't sit down and try to understand the whole experience from beginning to end.
But if that was the major bad point, there are plenty of major good points to offset it. I talked about the characters above; the plot is another highlight. As this does not follow the Bible story, only incorporates it, the reader can't just guess how everything will play out next. Another really big highlight for me was all the scenes with the Changer. The first scene is the longest and the best, but they're all good. A lot of times, even in Christian books, God can come across as remote; the Changer has a sense of humor and he's not afraid to use it, but it never undermines his power or gentleness.
Overall this is one of my favorite Christan fantasies, right up there with Frank Peretti and C.S. Lewis's work. The rest of the series is a mixed bag, but The Sword Bearer gets it off to a great start. Highly Recommended.
July 19, 2020
I read this series as a kid, and loved it. I'm now reading them aloud to my own kids. Sure, the allegories may be obvious to an adult or observant child, and it may seem have some similarities to C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, but I didn't mind that as a kid, and I don't mind it now.
My kids love that it's action packed. They were drawn into the story and hooked. Good vs. evil. Talking animals, dragons, and swords and powerful stones. Adventure.
As a parent, I like the allegories, the plot, and the vocabulary in the story. It's great to see them build understanding. And I love that they are able to recall the story in great detail.
To sum things up, it's a a good thing I still like this series because I'll be reading these to them for a while. 😁
My kids love that it's action packed. They were drawn into the story and hooked. Good vs. evil. Talking animals, dragons, and swords and powerful stones. Adventure.
As a parent, I like the allegories, the plot, and the vocabulary in the story. It's great to see them build understanding. And I love that they are able to recall the story in great detail.
To sum things up, it's a a good thing I still like this series because I'll be reading these to them for a while. 😁
August 8, 2021
https://stephaniesninthsuitcase.com/2...
I finished my re(re)read of book one today. Ahhh, so delightful. For fans of allegory, this is one of my go-to recommendations (though I have to admit, I have yet to meet a Christian allegory series that I don’t like).
Audience: Written for children; powerful for adults, too!
Readers have commented on how similar the series is to Narnia. And it is. In fairness to the author, that was intentional on his part. His children told him to write children’s books “like Narnia.”
While the “world-traveling allegory” is based on the same premise as Narnia, there are a lot of differences between the two. From what I recall, there is a lot more cohesion throughout the series, in terms of an overarching storyline. Narnia feels more to me like episodes placed in the same setting, Anthropos includes the same villain, throughout. Anthropos also features both God the Father and Jesus as characters. Anthropos books are also a lot longer, although there are six, rather than seven.
The Sword Bearer Synopsis
Chronologically first, The Sword Bearer was originally published in the 1980s, after the third (chronological) book was published in the 1970s. It is set in the late 1920s, beginning in England.
After a traumatic thirteenth birthday, John Wilson is drawn to the world of Anthropos. In the company of animals, dwarves, and a seer named Mab, John learns that he is the Sword Bearer, come to fulfill the Changer’s prophecy.
Why I Recommend It
The allegory is evident! While some readers feel that this is “over the top,” I really, really like the strong allegory.
For me, allegory REALLY brings to light the truth of what I read in Scripture. I so appreciate the opportunity to meet Jesus in story!
“[The Archives] stirred the most deeply in people. And I have a feeling that the stories in the historical records in scripture are far more important than the doctrines and prophetic utterances based on them. That we read to read the stories first. We need to focus on the stories because I’ve learned from my own experience that the stories are more powerful.” -John White
Specifically, I really like the scenes with the “wine of free pardon,” so full of truth and redemption!
Likewise, God’s interactions with the main character are beautiful, and I really like the names/ descriptions of the God character.
There is a very strong emphasis on God’s power, also. It is very clear that the good supernatural things are from God, and that ALL power comes from Him.
Overall, the book is delightfully heartwarming, as well as moving!
Collecting the Series
In the past year, the Lord encouraged me to collect the allegories I read in childhood, which He used to speak to me. I recently purchased a used copy of The Sword Bearer on eBay. I’m particularly excited to have this series, because it’s one that I have trouble finding in libraries.
What are your favorite Christian allegories for children?
In addition to the Archives, I am also collecting and rereading various other childhood favorites: The Seven Sleepers (Gilbert Morris), Landon Snow (R.K. Mortenson) and The Imager Chronicles (also known as Journeys to Fayrah, Bill Myers). Children’s allegory (or maybe allegory, in general) is my very favorite genre!
Do you have any favorite allegories?
I finished my re(re)read of book one today. Ahhh, so delightful. For fans of allegory, this is one of my go-to recommendations (though I have to admit, I have yet to meet a Christian allegory series that I don’t like).
Audience: Written for children; powerful for adults, too!
Readers have commented on how similar the series is to Narnia. And it is. In fairness to the author, that was intentional on his part. His children told him to write children’s books “like Narnia.”
While the “world-traveling allegory” is based on the same premise as Narnia, there are a lot of differences between the two. From what I recall, there is a lot more cohesion throughout the series, in terms of an overarching storyline. Narnia feels more to me like episodes placed in the same setting, Anthropos includes the same villain, throughout. Anthropos also features both God the Father and Jesus as characters. Anthropos books are also a lot longer, although there are six, rather than seven.
The Sword Bearer Synopsis
Chronologically first, The Sword Bearer was originally published in the 1980s, after the third (chronological) book was published in the 1970s. It is set in the late 1920s, beginning in England.
After a traumatic thirteenth birthday, John Wilson is drawn to the world of Anthropos. In the company of animals, dwarves, and a seer named Mab, John learns that he is the Sword Bearer, come to fulfill the Changer’s prophecy.
Why I Recommend It
The allegory is evident! While some readers feel that this is “over the top,” I really, really like the strong allegory.
For me, allegory REALLY brings to light the truth of what I read in Scripture. I so appreciate the opportunity to meet Jesus in story!
“[The Archives] stirred the most deeply in people. And I have a feeling that the stories in the historical records in scripture are far more important than the doctrines and prophetic utterances based on them. That we read to read the stories first. We need to focus on the stories because I’ve learned from my own experience that the stories are more powerful.” -John White
Specifically, I really like the scenes with the “wine of free pardon,” so full of truth and redemption!
Likewise, God’s interactions with the main character are beautiful, and I really like the names/ descriptions of the God character.
There is a very strong emphasis on God’s power, also. It is very clear that the good supernatural things are from God, and that ALL power comes from Him.
Overall, the book is delightfully heartwarming, as well as moving!
Collecting the Series
In the past year, the Lord encouraged me to collect the allegories I read in childhood, which He used to speak to me. I recently purchased a used copy of The Sword Bearer on eBay. I’m particularly excited to have this series, because it’s one that I have trouble finding in libraries.
What are your favorite Christian allegories for children?
In addition to the Archives, I am also collecting and rereading various other childhood favorites: The Seven Sleepers (Gilbert Morris), Landon Snow (R.K. Mortenson) and The Imager Chronicles (also known as Journeys to Fayrah, Bill Myers). Children’s allegory (or maybe allegory, in general) is my very favorite genre!
Do you have any favorite allegories?
February 18, 2017
I have read this series many times. There are hidden lessons that can be related to ordinary life. There are similarities with C.S.Lewis' Narnia series, with children the key characters and God as a real-world participant in the adventures. Here there are answers to questions about how to explain the difference between magicians and seers, and between magic and miracles.
The characters have flaws that have potential to ruin them emotionally, and the way that they are able to overcome these to become more confident and more successful is a reminder that even when life is not going well, with faith we can overcome.
The central character does not feel up to the challenge, but learns how to grow into the role that has been predestined for him )i(
The characters have flaws that have potential to ruin them emotionally, and the way that they are able to overcome these to become more confident and more successful is a reminder that even when life is not going well, with faith we can overcome.
The central character does not feel up to the challenge, but learns how to grow into the role that has been predestined for him )i(
July 10, 2020
I read this for the first time when I was 6 or 7, and I loved it. I tried to read it again a year or two later, but sadly, it had disappeared from my church's library. At that point it was out of print, so I was unable to read it again for several years. When my mom saw in a CBD catalog that it had been rereleased, I asked the librarian to order a new copy. I was not disappointed when I finally read it again! I still love this story, even as an adult. I found a used copy of the same edition I first read for my collection. I recommend reading this 3rd in the series, as originally published. It's a wonderful history of Anthropos!
August 5, 2024
Excellent 💯
April 20, 2025
2.75 or 3 🌟
it got boring. it felt super long and dragged out.
it got boring. it felt super long and dragged out.
December 10, 2019
líbilo se mi asi to že je více knih strážce meče byl trochu nudný začátek vstupu do země anthropos
November 9, 2025
I loved this series from my first read. I am so glad that John White was able to complete the series (with "The Demise of the Dark Lord). The entire series is available on Amazon Kindle, except for "The Sword Bearer." I am thrilled to find it here.
For those who have wondered about the theme, I advise you to read what the author says about it at the end of one of the books (I can't remember the name of that volume, but it is the next-to-Last book).
In this series, the difference between "magic" and miracles is that with magic we fall into the trap of trying to manipulate God and nature to do our bidding and make things the way we want things to be. Miracles are received when we submit ourselves to God's will for us and are willing to sacrifice all to His methods and timing.
I loved having the artwork throughout the books. One thing that drew me into the story intellectually is that John liberally sprinkles the names of his characters and locations with significant Greek and Hebrew words found in the Bible.
For those who enjoy reading books like the Archives of Anthropos and the Chronicles of Narnia, I also highly recommend two series by
Calvin Miller. The Singer, The Song, and the Finale use poetry to describe the life of Jesus from the Gospels and the book of Acts. Guardians of the Singreale, The Star Riders of Ren, and The war of the Moonrhymes comprise interesting trilogies, also.
For those who have wondered about the theme, I advise you to read what the author says about it at the end of one of the books (I can't remember the name of that volume, but it is the next-to-Last book).
In this series, the difference between "magic" and miracles is that with magic we fall into the trap of trying to manipulate God and nature to do our bidding and make things the way we want things to be. Miracles are received when we submit ourselves to God's will for us and are willing to sacrifice all to His methods and timing.
I loved having the artwork throughout the books. One thing that drew me into the story intellectually is that John liberally sprinkles the names of his characters and locations with significant Greek and Hebrew words found in the Bible.
For those who enjoy reading books like the Archives of Anthropos and the Chronicles of Narnia, I also highly recommend two series by
Calvin Miller. The Singer, The Song, and the Finale use poetry to describe the life of Jesus from the Gospels and the book of Acts. Guardians of the Singreale, The Star Riders of Ren, and The war of the Moonrhymes comprise interesting trilogies, also.
September 30, 2018
If I could, I would give this book a 3 1/2
The writing is not as deep or strong as the first book I read (3rd in the series), but the adventure and the personal struggle and spiritual journey were well presented as the stage is set for some of the things that I encountered in the Tower of Geburah. I was able to think ahead and guess how some thing might play out, but other things took interesting turns that took me by surprise. Being written as children's literature, I would have to say, this is a good read!
The writing is not as deep or strong as the first book I read (3rd in the series), but the adventure and the personal struggle and spiritual journey were well presented as the stage is set for some of the things that I encountered in the Tower of Geburah. I was able to think ahead and guess how some thing might play out, but other things took interesting turns that took me by surprise. Being written as children's literature, I would have to say, this is a good read!
June 23, 2018
It is a lot like Narnia, only far less inspired, well written, or original. Some people have accused C. S. Lewis for having allegory that is a bit too on the nose, but this will make Lewis' books feel subtle in comparison. I could see why one might enjoy it if you had nostalgic feelings attached to it, but otherwise I would recommend plenty of other fantasy books over this one.
August 14, 2016
I love this series! I think this is the fourth time through :) Much like the Chronicle of Narnia, the Archives of Anthropos is full of symbolism and rich meaning. I highly recommend this series for individual reading or reading aloud as a family.
January 17, 2019
On his 13th birthday, John Wilson is transported to Anthropos, a land of dwarfs and talking animals, where he is hailed as the Sword Bearer, destined to slay the Goblin Prince and deliver the world from evil. Candace read 6/09--excellent!
February 1, 2016
I read it because my brother liked it... Ehhh
January 16, 2018
Great little series of book for kids. I look forward to reading them to my kids. Very clean with a good messages and a fun story.
January 11, 2020
a good book. I had the privilege of meeting the author once. Maybe not as good as Narnia but I still enjoyed it.
January 9, 2022
I was about halfway through when it became clear this was a "first book." As in, the first book a writer writes. The narrative became choppy, new characters were introduced with little to no reason or too much reason (as in it became clear something got missed early on but it was too much work to go back and plant seeds), and some story points got rushed or drawn out too long.
These sorts of things happen when a writer is getting started. Nothing inherently wrong with it; gotta learn somehow. A huge part of success is just pushing through until the end.
I was surprised that the book got published. People like to complain about Harry Potter in the cupboard, but this story has the 13-year-old protagonist going through some fairly heavy lifting regarding death and murder, in 1986, decades before Angus, the Sex God and Snogging became commonplace. It was was published by Christian Varsity Fellowship of all things. If the internet had existed, I'm sure the bonnet-and-buggy crowd would have quashed this book in a week.
I am glad Mr. White kept writing. I enjoyed his third and fourth books, and this is where they came from.
These sorts of things happen when a writer is getting started. Nothing inherently wrong with it; gotta learn somehow. A huge part of success is just pushing through until the end.
I was surprised that the book got published. People like to complain about Harry Potter in the cupboard, but this story has the 13-year-old protagonist going through some fairly heavy lifting regarding death and murder, in 1986, decades before Angus, the Sex God and Snogging became commonplace. It was was published by Christian Varsity Fellowship of all things. If the internet had existed, I'm sure the bonnet-and-buggy crowd would have quashed this book in a week.
I am glad Mr. White kept writing. I enjoyed his third and fourth books, and this is where they came from.
June 5, 2022
Just absolutely loved this. It's been some time since I so enjoyed a Christian book. The parallels to spiritual warfare along with several allusions to stories and prophecies in the Bible were interesting and intriguing.
I appreciated the clear delineation between stolen magic (used for good or ill) and power given from the Changer.
A bit intense for younger readers with a few scenes that were disturbing/violent but likely nothing compare to most Middle Grade fiction.
Folly and Mab were delightful characters. I could have wished that John had been less sullen a bit sooner and a bit more likable. The ending provided good resolution and made me smile.
While there were some similarities to Narnia, they were small and this was clearly a very different story written in a very different style. Fast paced and moves from one terrible trouble to the next.
So glad I found this series and can only hope the next books are good too!
I appreciated the clear delineation between stolen magic (used for good or ill) and power given from the Changer.
A bit intense for younger readers with a few scenes that were disturbing/violent but likely nothing compare to most Middle Grade fiction.
Folly and Mab were delightful characters. I could have wished that John had been less sullen a bit sooner and a bit more likable. The ending provided good resolution and made me smile.
While there were some similarities to Narnia, they were small and this was clearly a very different story written in a very different style. Fast paced and moves from one terrible trouble to the next.
So glad I found this series and can only hope the next books are good too!
March 2, 2024
This is the first in the Archives of Anthropos series.
It has all the hallmarks that John White develops in the later books but at times it seems to be a struggle to explain or show the truths of the Christian faith in a story for pre teens. At times things happen or fall into place too conveniently but the age old struggle between the goodness of God and the evil of the devil is well portrayed.
It's a good read and a useful book in the desert of Christian novels for pre teens. It lacks however the excitement and joy of the Christian faith that is written about especially in Gaal the Conqueror and The Tower of Geburah. All the nuggets of story that are developed later are dropped into the narrative but it lacks the engagement that later books have.
It is very useful though to know how the story all began.
It has all the hallmarks that John White develops in the later books but at times it seems to be a struggle to explain or show the truths of the Christian faith in a story for pre teens. At times things happen or fall into place too conveniently but the age old struggle between the goodness of God and the evil of the devil is well portrayed.
It's a good read and a useful book in the desert of Christian novels for pre teens. It lacks however the excitement and joy of the Christian faith that is written about especially in Gaal the Conqueror and The Tower of Geburah. All the nuggets of story that are developed later are dropped into the narrative but it lacks the engagement that later books have.
It is very useful though to know how the story all began.
January 9, 2022
At times fantastical- at times confusing- my second trip yo Anthropsos was definitely an adventure.
I liked how this book set up and explained elements that later on in the series become important. The characters were very colourful and had their own motives and back stories.
For me it took four chapters to get invested in the story, had I not read the 3rd book in my childhood I may have put this book down before reaching the hook. It ended up being a beautiful story about faith and fathers and sons.
I liked how this book set up and explained elements that later on in the series become important. The characters were very colourful and had their own motives and back stories.
For me it took four chapters to get invested in the story, had I not read the 3rd book in my childhood I may have put this book down before reaching the hook. It ended up being a beautiful story about faith and fathers and sons.
October 10, 2022
Hvis man har læst Narnia og gerne vil have mere kristen fiktion, så er denne bogserie et godt bud. Dette er den første bog i serien, og den handler om menneskets håndtering af synd, og den far man får efter at synden er væk. Bogen er gammeldags i dens sprog, men den for alligevel fanget min interesse. Bogen får dog lavet en finurlige verden, som man har lyst til at kende mere til og se dens udvikling.
Jeg glæder mig til at læse de andre bøger, da de har mere fokus på relationen mellem Jesus og mennesket.
Jeg glæder mig til at læse de andre bøger, da de har mere fokus på relationen mellem Jesus og mennesket.
November 25, 2025
This was such a fun and magical read! I was hooked from the moment John prepared to learn the truth about his locket, only to be swept into the world of Anthropos and suddenly hailed as the Sword Bearer. The adventure is fast-paced, imaginative, and full of wonder. John White captures that classic fantasy feel while keeping the story heartfelt and engaging. A fantastic start to an exciting journey!
January 3, 2019
John White reflects on the question of the nature of evil and where evil resides. He creates a fantasy world where the battle for man's soul between good and evil is fought. A fascinating and intriguing world paralleling the individuals struggle for the affections of the heart. The first book in a series of five. A valuable read.
July 1, 2022
Pretty good. I didn’t enjoy it much after the visit with Lord Lunacy but I enjoyed it very much after he drank the wine of free pardon. And I really didn’t see his father coming. Good book after that, and I enjoyed the eel like things because it seemed almost like I was there with a torch, burning right and left! Can’t wait for the next one!
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June 10, 2022kinda a knock off narnia but also arguably almost as good. loved these. also my go to recommendation when i'm with some spiritual do gooder who would think i'm a pagan if i mentioned something non christian for a second
February 17, 2025
For someone that wasn't allowed to have a TV at home, I read everything humanly possible. This was one of the series and although it didn't compare to The Chronicles of Narnia, it allowed me enough of an escape that I kept going.
August 4, 2019
I read this book as a child and thought it was awesome. Not sure if it stands the test of time... Would need to read it again to know!
September 30, 2022
My favorite fantasy book for a long time. Completely forgot about this series.
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