Children in the Night

by Harold Myra

Yosha and Asel, who come from a society that lives in darkness in caverns deep underground, search for the light which their people's traditions have never forgotten.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian

301 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1991

About the author

As a leader of Christianity Today International, Harold has been instrumental in creating an extremely successful nonprofit organization. Behind his leadership CTI has vastly expanded the number of magazines it publishes and the audience it reaches. The CTI website explains that more than 2.5 million readers currently receive the organization's 11 publications that include Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, Campus Life, Today's Christian Woman, Marriage Partnership, Christian History & Biography, Your Church, Today's Christian, Books & Culture, Christian Parenting Today, and Men of Integrity. In addition, CTI reaches additional people with these online offerings: PreachingToday.com, BuildingChurchLeaders.com, and the Christianity Today online magazine.

Reviews

[Briar Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children in the Night is a story set in total darkness. The Askirit people live in an underground world that has no sun, moon, or stars, and is too damp for fire. The only light they have ever seen is the light of sparks and luminous sea creatures. Within this world, we follow two major characters: Yosha, a tormented boy who is caught between his desire to seek light and his desire to avenge his father's death; and Asel, a strong-minded young female warrior who challenges her people's isolationism and fear of the "barbarians" who live outside their lands.

This is a tale that spans many years, and takes place against an intricately constructed background. Harold Myra spent ten years on this story, and the detail of the world he created makes it clear why. It cannot be easy to write a story in which every character is functionally blind, but Myra succeeds in creating a setting that is detailed and vivid enough to be engaging. The book starts off a bit slow, but once I got into it, I was quickly caught up in the details, the characters, and the overarching story. Yosha and Asel fascinated me, as did the trio of orphan children Asel rescued from the "barbarian" lands--and, of course, Auret, the battered, disabled boy who changes every life he touches.

Children in the Night is a Christian allegory, but I never felt beaten over the head by it, and I found it enjoyable as a stand-alone story. I read it first as a young teenager, and I strongly identified with the tale of two young people seeking the truth, challenging what they had been told, and fighting for their freedom and that of their people.

[JacQueline Vaughn Roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book belongs in a special category for me, something I reread almost annually. As a lover of imaginative fiction and writer myself, I hope and pray to one day write a character-driven novel which can tell the story of Christian faith in such a brilliant way. The impact on my faith has been substantial.

[Arjan · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would it be like if you never see light? Or never have seen light? Myra creates a world where this is the reality, while using a lot of uncommon vocabulary. This hard to imagine world becomes real in the story, although it takes a couple of chapters to really get into it.
Only once finished I realized that the characters indeed live in a world where there is no light, which makes you want to read it again, and see how you missed this - a bit like in Denzel Washington's Book of Eli.
The allegories to spiritual life are many, and depending on where you are at in your own life, you may see different ones. Curious to read the sequel!

[Matt Sones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful reminder of the depth of the love and power and grace of God.

[Peter Last · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children in the Night was an excellent book set in a truly extraordinary time and place. The book follows characters who live in a place of eternal darkness, far beneath the surface of the earth. Navigating by feel, smell, and sound for their entire lives, these people don't know what light is.

Being an allegory of sorts, this story follows the characters through their experiences in darkness. Action, adventure, and political intrigue keep this story interesting, but no matter how good or bad things get, the people are always looking forward to the fabled light.

I love this book in the way it develops characters and weaves the story. Though the task of writing a book in total darkness was no doubt difficult, "Children in the Night" pulls it off masterfully. It truly put me in the characters' shoes, imagining what it would be like to operate without vision. It's original story and setting drew me in from the very first words.

[Lisa Rathbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of cultures adapted to living in the dark but loving and seeking the light. The first part was my favorite part of the book; some of the later chapters seemed to cover too much time too quickly, but an overall good read. (See City of Ember for a different kind of story about people living underground.)

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of all time! I have read it many times over. I love the way the reader is forced to imagine everything in such detail because the setting is a world in complete blackness. Makes you pull from your other senses.

[Jenna]

I read a review somewhere that made this sound like an interesting book, but I just couldn't get into this one at all.

[Tessa Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant writing!

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tough read for me, good luck.