Chosen Ones

Aedyn Chronicles #1

by Alister E. McGrath

The land of Aedyn is a paradise beyond all imagining. But when this paradise falls, strangers from another world must be called to fight for the truth. Peter and Julia never suspected that a trip to their grandparents' home in Oxford would contain anything out of the ordinary. But that was before Julia stumbled upon a mysterious garden that shone on moonless nights. It was no accident that she fell into the pool, pulling her brother along with her, but now they're lost in a strange new world and they don't know whom they can trust. Should they believe the mysterious, hooded lords? The ancient monk who appears only when least expected? Or the silent slaves who have a dark secret of their own? In a world inhabited by strange beasts and magical whisperings, two children called from another world will have to discover who they truly are, fighting desperate battles within themselves before they can lead the great revolution.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian, Christian Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Christian Fantasy

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.

Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.

McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.

Reviews

[#ReadAllTheBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reviewer stated that this book copies heavily from the Chronicles of Narnia & they're correct. From the very second the two children appear in Aedyn, I began to see the multiple similarities between the two. Just like in `The Lion, The Witch, & the Wardrobe", you have children who must save the land from an evil ruler (in this case rulers) & you have a mysteriously powerful figure who helps lead the children (although the person in this isn't a God stand-in). If this book wasn't well enough written, it could have turned out badly. Thank goodness that it didn't. I only hope that in future books, he goes off on more of his own thing.

Peter & Julia are two siblings vacationing at their grandparents' house. They're waiting for their father to come on shore leave & visit them. However, before he can even arrive, Julia begins to see the strangest thing in the little garden next to the house- everything in it glows silver at night. As she & her brother investigate, they get sucked into another world where they discover that they must rescue it from the cruel leadership of the people who currently run it.

This book really did have a nice bit of charm to it. I will admit that I found both of the children a little selfish at first, but it was intentionally done for story purposes later in the book. The book is well written for kids & while it has some violence in it, it isn't listed in detail. (So parents shouldn't have any problem with their kids reading it, but as always- to know for certain, you should read the book along with your kids.) As said in the title, this book is less subtle than the Narnia books when it comes to the religious content, but it doesn't beat you over the head with it.

My only gripe is that the story seemed to go by a little too quickly & I really wanted to get a little more detail about the strange world as well as a bit more detail about how everything got wrapped up in the end. This is the first in a series, so I imagine that there will be more detail as the series unfolds.

Not all adults will enjoy this series, but kids are sure to love this book- plus it should appeal to even those who aren't fans of religious reads. It'll make for a nice read to buy for those summer trips that are sure to be coming up soon!

(ARC provided by amazon vine)

[Reese Songbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it was like Narnia, but darker. I did enjoy some of it, and I almost want to continue the series, but I don’t think I will.

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging fantasy for 8-12 year olds who like Narnia. The language is easy to read and the storyline is engaging. It seems to draw inspiration from the Exodus story (a chosen one whose role is to free the slaves). It’s a treacherous world but nothing too frightening happens. Highly recommended.

[Emily Woodham · Rating 3 out of 5]

We really liked this book, and the kids would ask for "one more chapter" every time I read. It had a good storyline and moved fast.

Unfortunately, the editing isn't very good. There are some beautiful phrases in the book, and I wish the publisher had allowed the author (I'm assuming that the publisher/editor/agent had something to do with this rather than the author) more pages for his writing. It felt like a great mind had been reined in. At times, the story felt stilted and rushed.

This is the first book I've read by Alister McGrath, but I've seen him quoted several times in articles. The theology in the book was excellent, and not too subtle. Because of Chosen Ones, I am very curious to read his more scholarly works.

We will go and purchase the second book in the series, but I confess I'm hoping that the next book will be more filled out than the first one.

[jillian n. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, but it kinda failed them all. The actual writing wasn't bad, but I felt that this was a cheap(ish) imitation of The Chronicles of Narnia. The plot was dry and rushed, things didn't connect as they should've, there were times I was thinking "how could these kids be so stupid?" or "how is it possible that these kids know so much?". But don't let me turn you off from this book—there was plenty of excitement, action, not to mention impossible situations that kinda have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see if they actually survive (but of course you know they will), as long as you don't care about any of the other points I mentioned it's lacking in.

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to think....

It claims to be a Christian Fantasy and yet there is dark magic...

It's way to close to Narnia... like, WAY to close.

It had an extremely slow start.... *bored sigh*

A little unrealistic characters... with no explanation of how they could scream that way or why the villains faces were so grotesque.

It's a meh definitely.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Chosen Ones" is a Middle Grade fantasy novel, but I think kids ages 5-9 would actually enjoy the story (being read to them) the most. There were some black and white drawings of the events in the story, but unfortunately they weren't that accurate to the details in the text.

The first half of the story was full of detail--most of it unnecessary to the story--which slowed the action. Very little happened. Many of the details were also very obviously based off of various "Chronicles of Narnia" books, but the details the author chose to mimic were not the sense-of-wonder inspiring ones. The kids (one named Peter) jump into a glowing pool at a Professor's house in England and end up on an island that has smart (though not talking) animals and people and they're expected to fulfill a prophecy. In the second half of the novel, the action picked up and the story became original.

The characters tended to be one-dimensional; they were defined by one trait and didn't act beyond it. Also, most of the potential crisis points where solved very easily and quickly, so the suspense was lacking in my opinion--though young children might find it exciting.

I sometimes didn't understand why the children or villains acted the way they did. For example, no explanation was given for why our hero children (aged 13 and 14) still went to the castle after they ran into evil warriors that were clearly from the castle. Also, there were a number of unrealistic non-fantasy elements. Most were minor things that weren't critical to the story, but others were critical--like a slave being able to create a complex technology that's new to him from a sketch in one day.

There were some quotes from the Bible, though anyone not familiar with the Bible probably wouldn't recognize that's what they were, and some Bible-like parallels (like a Passover-like meal of remembrance). The slaves worshiped a Lord of Hosts, their name for their Creator god. The two hero children had one magical power, and another, good character could do magic. There was no bad language or sex.

I read this story out loud to a 12-year-old girl. She fidgeted during the first half but became more interested during the second half. Throughout the story, she said things like, "Why did they do that? That doesn't make sense" or "Yeah, right, no one's that dumb" or "No kid would know how to build that!" At the end, she said, "I still don't get such-and-such." However, she said she did enjoy the story (though she's not interested in reading it again--usually she re-reads books that she loves), and she'd be interested in reading the second book in the series.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aedyn Chronicles book 1: Chosen Ones by Alister McGrath

So this was the typical, brother and sister are staying at grandparents’ house and get transported to another world through a portal. There’s a prophecy (which isn’t really described) that deliverers will come. The land they are going to is the “promised land” that the people went to after their old home was destroyed (think Exodus). Over time people have disposed the rightful king and replaced him with 3 evil lords who’ve been reigning for 500 years (yeah, they’re old dudes). Gaius, another really old dude (think OT prophet), is a messenger of the Lord of Light and helps guide the brother and sister to lead the slave rebellion after they get captured by the evil lords and both manage to escape (one with the help of slaves, the other by introducing gunpowder and then sabotaging the cannon made to use it). The good guys triumph. The evil lords are overthrown and the slaves are freed, but there are hints that the true source of evil has not been conquered and needs a son of the true king to come and conquer it.

I felt like the prelude to the rebellion was for the most part well-written, and then like McGrath got tired of writing and rushed the ending and/or he wasn’t sure how to write battle scenes or his publisher was threatening him with bodily harm if they didn’t get a manuscript within 24hrs. I think I had 5 times where I found myself going back to read the previous paragraph because I was like, what? How did we get here? Did I miss something? But no, he just jumped from one major part of the action to the next. I still have no clue how the slaves inside the castle revolted. In one line it says they’re locked up with guards, and then all of a sudden it says that the slaves inside the castle are joining the fight! I know this guy knows how to write. Tim actually recognized his name because he’s a famous theologian. You don’t get to be a Dean of Theology at a school without being able to write. Now the question is how often he writes fiction…I’m guessing not often. Maybe he’s been doing too many summaries lately because that’s what the last part of the book really felt like. Maybe he’ll learn some more before the next book in the series comes out. (Did you catch the pun/allusion in the name of the series?)

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Synopsis: Chosen Ones is the story of two children, drawn into another world by a monk to save the enslaved people of Aedyn from their evil oppressors.

Review:

While Chosen Ones is an easy, quick read, and has a clear allusion to Christian beliefs and morals, the story itself was merely OK. Much of the story is written without any drama or build up and is predictable. For example, the monk in the story simply tells one of the main characters "I need you to fulfill a prophesy".

I'm sorry but, this is too straightforward. If this was an isolated incident there wouldn't be a problem, however, the book is riddled with these obvious, pointed statements of what the main characters are to do and what is to happen to them.

The later chapters do pick up a bit in terms of action but, still have the same predictable story elements.

Much of the allusion to Christianity is not veiled and is plainly obvious. While I don't think this is a bad thing per se, CS Lewis did a much more effective job in the Chronicles of Narnia series. At least he came up with a character for Christ instead of using the name "Lord of Hosts".

This book would probably be a good read for someone in late elementary school or middle school but, would probably not hold the attention of anyone beyond those ages. It is simply too predictable and straightforward, almost as if written by a child. A child tells a story saying "this happened, then this happened and then this other thing happened" without any emotional buildup. So too, is the way with Chosen Ones.

I will probably not be reading the rest of the series and am glad I had gotten this book for free. It would have been a shame if I had paid for it.

[Jeff Whittum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I suppose are few words of explanation are in order whenever you give a book a one star rating. Truth be told, I'm not one to usually rate a book so low and I don't like writing reviews, but in this case I think it is warranted.

First, allow me to praise the author of this book...FOR THINGS OTHER THAN THIS BOOK. I enjoy McGrath's lectures on theology and debates against atheists. In that world he has few equals. Fantasy fiction, however, evidently cannot be successfully written by just any British theologian.

And speaking of other British theologians, this book in far too many ways resembled C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. I won't get into all the details of their similarities, but you can read about them in others' reviews.

Admittedly, this book was probably written for a younger audience, but even there it misses the mark. While a younger audience might not be as critical of choppy plot progression and too many unanswered questions, references to violent killing throughout the book (without much ACTUAL killing) force this book into an older reading audience that WOULD pick up on some of its other weaknesses.

All in all, I almost enjoyed it, but my criteria for rating it was whether there were more things I liked about the book than those I disliked. The scales were decidedly on the disappointment side of that contest.

I will without question NOT move on in the series of the Aedyn Chronicles, but will be happy to read and promote the author's work in theology and apologetics.

[Sunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was obviously written for small children. I can see maybe a five year old liking it. However, the story was quite dull as I plodded my way through it. The author's descriptions were lacking in detail and so simplistic that I found it difficult to imagine the supposed splendor of the land. This book was frustrating as you're never drawn into the story. Unnecessary details are given out, characters are introduced that contribute little to the story. Glad I got this book for free.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story! 4.5 stars!

[Isabela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must remember I’m reviewing a children’s book but even though this didn’t hit the mark.
The vibes were a mix of narnia meets the black cauldron which in essence I would be all over but due to the lack of character development, the rushed pacing and strange way things would just work out (like the “banshee superpowers”, the boring trip to the cave and lackluster final battle) it was a far cry from either one.
I read in another review that perhaps the writer was stifled by the editor/publisher and if that truly is the case I feel bad for him. Even though certain chapters, especially towards the end, were very uneventful and had scenes where the characters pretty much just summed up to each other what we read not 3 pages back. I also got weird vibes from Gaius (although I understand he’s supposed to be a good character). Even the world building was a little generic.
The best thing about the whole story I guess is the way it teaches faith.
All that said I guess if you’re looking for some extremely light reading to gift a 5 year old this would suffice although there are certainly better books to spend your money on.

[Elkaza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this fantasy book at a second-hand store, and was very astonished to see that the author-Alister McGrath, was a theologian, who had also written one of my text books, I once used in my theological studies, one semester while at university.

Hence, knew it would be a good clean moral story, and indeed it was. However, the storyline was a little disappointing for me. I liked the overall narrative of the novel, but the end of the story was very rushed, save children in a chapter, collect weapons from cave in another, then assault the castle…

Yeah, some claim it’s got a Narnia feel, and it did.

Anyway, this book is a good one for young kids, who can read chapters books, and will take them on a great advantage inside Aedyn, through the eyes of siblings, Juila and Peter.

Will, I read more in the series? If I come across the books, but won’t rush out to get them. As, I want to see what happens in Aedyn, and if they can rid the evil that has turned the peaceful Island, into a tyrant realm.

[courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a struggle for me to get through this book. The characters were dull—the author did add some character development for Julia and Peter, but the side characters were absolutely neglected and remained flat until the end. The plot was unoriginal, taking too much after the Chronicles of Narnia, as I've also read on other reviews. I think it could've been a really great story, but the author didn't develop it enough. The "great battle" between the slaves and the lords was anticlimactic and disappointing, not enough description. No plot twists or unusual events, which made it almost boring, very predictable. Unresolved plot holes, unfulfilled potential for side character development. I'll give it two stars, though, because there were parts of it I enjoyed.

[Rachel Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a youngish teen and found the book again the other day. Nice easy read, but did find myself jumping ahead on on pages to move it faster.
McGrath is clearly a theologian and really admires CS Lewis, but that's no bad thing for a older kids/teens book. This has many explict parallels to the Exodus and general OT narrative. I enjoy his novel and his academic work.

[Kristi Plumier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent story

I found the story line fairly interesting, but found the suspense and action to be a bit lacking. However if you're looking for a decent story to read, it's not terrible.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for 8-13 year olds... Good story, blends in a couple of good topics to work through with an ending that makes you want to read the next book. Did leave a couple of questions unanswered.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comfort read that encapsulates you with a great message behind it

[Amylou · Rating 3 out of 5]

We enjoyed the story a lot but there was an odd amount of typos and grammatical mistakes.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author's resemblance to C.S. Lewis is phenomenal. The only writer who can write books " like Narnia" or " like Jane Austen" is an author who is personally remarkably like the classic author in question. Sadly, most of the Jane Austen fanfiction is written by women who are nothing like Jane herself and their books are nothing like her famous novels.
But here we have a new C.S. Lewis. He even works at the same university and specializes in theology! lol C.S. Lewis has COME BACK! If you like C.S. Lewis, you will like this guy.
Like Lewis, he is an author of ideas rather than of characters or action. It is a welcome relief to find a Christian author who understands the use of advanced religious allegory instead of the inevitable Jesus-is-your-boyfriend stuff. ( I mean, I'm a big fan of purity etc, but you gotta admit that point is done to death in Christian fiction.) His allegories are elegant and deep. You will be impressed, trust me. :D
The central characters are almost the only ones with any life--though the grandparents at the beginning are really good too. Not to mention the CAT! ( It is clear this author knows kitties and loves them well. :D ) Largely because the plot requires that one of the kids be smart and visionary and one of them be mistaken and arrogant, the boy is a lot dumber than the girl. This was a wise decision on the author's part-- he needs to make sure people don't accuse him of being anti-girl! lol
Julia is likeable, and Peter is very real. I have SO met that guy who thinks spiritually empty is the same thing as " intellectual" and " scientific." I was relieved, however, that he got a talent at the end--archery-- because he was really a dumbhead most of the time. :(
Major fantasy device that did NOT work= holy screaming. When you read the book you will know what I mean. Holy screaming is a VERY creative device, to do the author credit. I have never encountered it before. But it doesn't really work that well.
Major fantasy device that does work= Gaius. If you have visited one of the old monastery ruins in Europe-- or ruins anywhere, for that matter-- you do feel as if the spirits of whoever lived there must still be around. The personality of olden times and long dead people pervades ancient buildings. Good work, Mr McGrath. :D
The scenes involving the revisionist history of Aedynn were extremely good and relevant to modern times. We live in THE age of fake history and retelling the past to promote bad ideology. It's worse now even than it was in Lewis's time, and I'm glad someone else besides me has noticed the deliberate effort on the part of historians to misrepresent actual events of the past. This is the greatest beauty of the book. ( Peter is hilarious in it too. :D )
Oh, and the villains were a bit flat. Hopefully they'll be developed more later. I'm pretty sure they're coming back because Peter and Julia-- rather densely-- just exiled these horrible Sith Lords/ animal gods to an island instead of finishing them off once and for all.
To conclude, I did not give it a 5 because there were a couple of plot holes and the battle was dull. But it was an awesome book. And gloriously well written. So many modern books are such hard work to read. Clambering through all the verbs is like climbing rocks. But this guy flows like a river, easy and graceful. His style alone made me consider giving him 5 stars-- that's how awesome his style is! :D

[Aelvana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter and Julia have been sent to spend the holidays with their grandparents. But what should have been a boring trip changes utterly as they are swept into another world. Hailed as the Chosen Ones, they enter the kingdom of Aedyn and confront a destiny beyond what either of them would have imagined. Can two ordinary kids stand against the three immortal rulers: Wolf, Jackal, and Leopard?

I have to give this a lot of credit for being a faith-based fantasy adventure that is actually decently written (mostly). The Lord of Hosts is mentioned, but apart from a few probably-helped-by-something-spiritual moments Peter and Julia have to trust others and move ahead on their own. There is a pretty strong link between a few well-known Old Testament stories and the history of Aedyn (and its prophecies for the future) but in general it doesn't get too much in the way, since it's more about the past than the present.

And I absolutely love that the powers both kids were granted is basically a sonic boom attack.

On the not so great side, though, the story really has it out for Peter, especially at the beginning. His love of logic and reason is mocked where Julia's blind faith is uplifted (to be fair, I don't think her way is necessarily all that much better---she knows nothing about the Lord of Hosts that would incline her to trust him and her main motivation appears to be a more general goodwill towards fellow man than any real faith in God). I was hoping Peter's initial failures through logic would be redeemed by having him use logic to help solve the problem he created, but he's definitely second fiddle to Julia.

And some of the plot details are a bit sketchy. The only weapons on this island are the ones brought 500 years ago when everyone arrived. Nobody thought about throwing rocks? Nobody ever looked at the knives they use to chop vegetables and went, I could hurt someone with this (doubly odd because the guards have swords, which are basically big knives)? I also found it funny Peter had only to write down the recipe for gunpowder and it was manufactured that day. I am amused they had the saltpeter on hand, and that no reference was made to its source.

But, overall, this is definitely on the high end of faith-friendly fantasy. The story is simple enough that it would suit younger readers, but contains a fair amount of detail. I do have hopes the rest of the series delves more into the Lord of Hosts---and I rather suspect the Annointed One will show up before the end somewhere too. I rate this book Recommended.

[Ellis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember reading this book almost a decade ago. It was over Christmas break, and we were celebrating the holiday at my grandparents’ house. When I needed to get away from my brothers and cousins, I would retreat into my dad’s old bedroom and read. Even then, however, I could recognize a story with potential, but also one that was too mired in an effort to pay homage to become its own thing. To be honest, I hated this book when I read it (and I’ll note here that I don’t plan to give it another chance by rereading it) because it was too similar to Narnia, to the series that made me fall in love with books.

Looking back, I better understand why even I, as a kid devouring fantasy of all kinds and at varying levels of derivation, could recognize the similarities and be put off by them (despite later going on to write an ATLA fan-fic myself that was, in the same vein of the Aedyn Chronicles, more a copy off of than an inspiration taken from; this manuscript has, fortunately, since been destroyed). Since that time, I’ve been steeped in the world of C. S. Lewis scholarship and have only recently connected that the Lewis scholar Alistair McGrath is the very same author of The Aedyn Chronicles. It’s not surprising someone like him would write something like this, so similar to a beloved source material, but it’s also quite disappointing. Lewis opens a world of imagination to his readers and in turn encourages them to craft their own stories and worlds, not to attempt to rewrite his. There are lines between paying homage to, having a dialogue with, and ripping an overabundance of inspiration from a work, and even as a kid I recognized this, without being able to necessarily articulate it.

I leave you with my original review, unedited (admittedly to my embarrassment), from February 2011. Please note that I now utilize the Oxford comma, insert a space between initials, and do, in fact, know how to spell the word "wannabe":

This would have been a good book except it lacked the mythical creatures usually in other worlds (like fauns, dragons or talking animals). It also was too much of a C.S. Lewis wanna-bee.

[Melissa Frye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones by Alister McGrath

When we read a fantasy novel, we expect to be transported in some way. We want to be introduced to foreign worlds or foreign ideas. One of the reasons to read a fantasy is the desire to experience, if only through imagination, something new and unexpected. While The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones does transport us to another world it doesn’t quite give us anything new nor does it surpass expectations.

Peter and Julia, fourteen and thirteen respectively, are forced to spend the school holiday with their grandparents in Oxford instead of with friends. Peter and his grandfather “spent their afternoons discussing Nelson’s naval tactics and the development of gunpowder.” Julia prefers to read and draw while ensconced in a small garden that glows silver on moonless nights. Before long, the garden pond draws the two into another world where nothing is the same.

This strange new world tests Peter and Julia. They must learn whom they can trust, the hooded lords or the slaves. Should Julia trust the monk who appears only to her and encourages her to take her place as the chosen one? Will Peter share his scientific knowledge with the lords and take his place as a prince? Their inner battles must be won before they can begin to “lead the great revolution.”

The Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen Ones is a pleasant read and I’m sure young readers will love it. There is suspense, magic, battles and evil but nothing too intense. At the heart is a Christian message.

Personally, I found the plot and characters too similar to those of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, though on a smaller scale. While Narnia relies more on symbolism for its Christian message, Aedyn is more direct; both have a lot to offer. The story wasn’t unique, which disappointed me but that’s its only fault.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Join two siblings as they embark on a journey to overthrow three tyrants in a realm parallel to ours.

Thoughts:
I have many good things to say about this book. It is particularly great for children. It is written in a style as if a story is being told to you by another, rather than the events folding out presently. It is clear, concise and quick to the point. The storyline is very linear, without much surprise, but it is an enjoyable read nonetheless.
Parents shouldn’t worry about any frightening factors like witchcraft or excessive violence. I found the book to be very decent and appropriate.

There is a mention of a god-like being similar to God in the story, and the plot seems to reflect a little bit of the Passover, the Jews departure from Egypt and King David.

I applaud Mr. Alister McGrath for doing a splendid job on his first children’s novel, and hope to see more from him, whether being a sequel to this book or just another story entirely.

I enjoyed my time with this book and I’m sure others will as well. Happy reading!

***** 4 out of 5 stars

[Wyndy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia and her brother Peter are drawn into the fountain in their grandparent's yard on a silvery night, drawn into another world where they meet an 500 year old monk who knows the legend of 2 children who will come to rescue his people from their oppressors. The story is appropriate for children and early teens, it does not have an overabundance of description or character depth but enough to understand what the land is like and what the people are like which is appropriate for that age. Similar to the Narnia chronicles but perhaps simpler. It moves quickly and has several lessons which are slipped in without preaching or disrupting the narrative. It could be read by a child or read to younger children by an adult. There is some violence involved in the fighting around the castle so perhaps not appropriate for very young children. It is a good delightful story for 9 year olds.

[Trine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two children jump into a pool in a mysterious garden and end up in a different world where they seem to be destined to save the world from its evil rulers.
Yes, this book resembles the Narnia series quite a lot but without Lewis' easy charm and subtle message. It annoys me to read a book that so clearly is meant to be an allegory but where I can't figure out what the allegory is. As a children's fantasy it is okay, but the christian message seems just to be that there is an all-powerful being who helps those who seek him.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read like the extended outline of a quite decent fantasy epic, rather than the finished product. The religious aspect clunks, and the characters often realize things that the author wants the reader to realize, rather than realizations emerging from the story itself. If Tolkien and Lewis are fine fantasy dining, this book is a step above fast food. Maybe Cracker Barrel or Bob Evans. Don't avoid this book, but don't get dressed up in order to eat it, either.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novel is a wonderful children's fantasy with major religious influence. I hesitate to give it four stars because I kept thinking the whole time I was reading it that it was a complete rip-off of C.S. Lewis' Narnia series--specifically The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but I enjoyed the story even though it seriously lacked originality.

Children who like the Narnia series will likely enjoy this one as well.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Others have compared it to the Chronicles of Narnia. The writing style and level would support that. I found it more of a simple Old Testament allegory. There are parallels to the escape from Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, Jericho, the Passover and blatant references to the Lord of Hosts and the coming Redeemer. The "battle" and young heroine/hero though just didn't convince me; a bit too easy, contrived and simplistic.