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Chiveis Trilogy #1
The Sword
Four hundred years after a deadly virus and nuclear war destroyed the modern world, a new and noble civilization emerges. In this kingdom, called Chiveis, snowcapped mountains provide protection, and fields and livestock provide food. The people live medieval-style lives, with almost no knowledge of the "ancient" world. Safe in their natural stronghold, the Chiveisi have everything they need, even their own religion. Christianity has been forgotten—until a young army scout comes across a strange book.
With that discovery, this work of speculative fiction takes readers on a journey that encompasses adventure, romance, and the revelation of the one true God. Through compelling narrative and powerful character development, The Sword speaks to God's goodness, his refusal to tolerate sin, man's need to bow before him, and the eternality and power of his Word. Fantasy and adventure readers will be hooked by this first book in a forthcoming trilogy.
With that discovery, this work of speculative fiction takes readers on a journey that encompasses adventure, romance, and the revelation of the one true God. Through compelling narrative and powerful character development, The Sword speaks to God's goodness, his refusal to tolerate sin, man's need to bow before him, and the eternality and power of his Word. Fantasy and adventure readers will be hooked by this first book in a forthcoming trilogy.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2010
110 people are currently reading
1690 people want to read
About the author
Bryan M. Litfin
29 books174 followersBryan Litfin received his PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia and a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. His undergraduate work was at the University of Tennessee in the field of Communications.
Bryan now works as Head of Strategy and Advancement at Clapham School, after serving for 16 years as Professor of Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and 3 years as an editor and writer at Moody Publishers. He is the author of The Conqueror (Revell, 2020), Every Knee Shall Bow (Revell 2021), the Chiveis Trilogy (Crossway, 2010, 2011, 2012), Early Christian Martyr Stories (Baker, 2014), After Acts (Moody, 2015), and Getting To Know the Church Fathers (Brazos, 2007, 2nd ed. 2016), as well as numerous scholarly articles and essays. In early 2022, he will release Wisdom from the Ancients (Harvest House).
Bryan is married to Carolyn, and they have two adult children. He enjoys writing, traveling, teaching, reading, spending time with family, and being involved in his local church.
Bryan now works as Head of Strategy and Advancement at Clapham School, after serving for 16 years as Professor of Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and 3 years as an editor and writer at Moody Publishers. He is the author of The Conqueror (Revell, 2020), Every Knee Shall Bow (Revell 2021), the Chiveis Trilogy (Crossway, 2010, 2011, 2012), Early Christian Martyr Stories (Baker, 2014), After Acts (Moody, 2015), and Getting To Know the Church Fathers (Brazos, 2007, 2nd ed. 2016), as well as numerous scholarly articles and essays. In early 2022, he will release Wisdom from the Ancients (Harvest House).
Bryan is married to Carolyn, and they have two adult children. He enjoys writing, traveling, teaching, reading, spending time with family, and being involved in his local church.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
September 20, 2016
Full review here: http://literarycafe.weebly.com/home/n...
aaaah. I forgot to review this one. Maybe that would be preferred to what I'm going to say, but no matter. Here we go...
Putting it simply, why is this considered Christian?
Christian authors need to understand something: putting God in a book as a thrown in element DOES NOT equate to being Christian. Because if you deny that very same God by the sexual innuendos and witchcraft displayed over and over again in your book, your "religion" means nothing to me. I don't care if they were attempting to "show evil".
I've read secular novels with more morality than this one. That's low. That's really low.
If Brian Litfin was attempting to show that you can be Christian but still flirt with evil, he did it well. Because that's all this was. You can have both. You can be a Christian but still visit prostitutes (yes, seriously). You can be a Christian and still sexualize and objectify women. You can be a Christian but still read compromising books (like this one). Confession time: I'll admit it, I honestly wish I would have put this book down. And I beat myself up for that. For days.
This book brought me to the place where as a Christian I felt morally sinful for reading your book. Was that the goal? To compromise other's faith and push them over their standards and boundaries? Because that's exactly what happened.
As a Christian, I don't feel comfortable reading this book. No Christian should. So why? What's all of this for? What was your goal? I expected more, far more, from this. It let me down and left me low. This wasn't a work of Christ. I'm not sure what exactly it was, but I am certain of this: it wasn't in accordance with God's pureness (let's all take a moment to remember Philippians 4:8, please).
I'm going to say it straight out: I'm sick and tired of books being labeled as Christian, when they in no way represent Christ the way he should be represented. I'm not talking specifically about Litfin here. There's been many a time I've picked up then put down a so-called 'Christian' book. I'm disappointed and ashamed of the authors that drive me to that place. Christians are meant to encourage fellow believers. If so, then why not in their books? If so, why not in their lives? If so, why aren't we seeing the evidence?
I'd like to take this time and use it as a call to action. I firmly believe that some of the immorality in Christian fiction is due to believers not having a problem with it. Supply and demand, right? So why don't we start to object to it. To tell them to stop. To boycott the authors and the publishers. To write reviews like these. To discourage others reading the books, and returning ours that we've bought. Let's put up a fight and demand that Christ be taken seriously, and that Christian morals are used in Christian writing. Because honestly, we've begun to expect this and accept it in secular writing. But the day that we begin to expect it from Christians is the day I truly believe we've degraded what it means to be a follower of Christ. Let's not let happen. Let's be the resistance and let's be the light in the darkness. Let's fight for the truth.
And, as a side note, I've read three awful books in a row. PLEASE, SOMEONE SAVE ME. I just want a good book to read. That's allllll I want *cries softly*
See the full review (with content excerpts) here: http://literarycafe.weebly.com/home/n...
aaaah. I forgot to review this one. Maybe that would be preferred to what I'm going to say, but no matter. Here we go...
Putting it simply, why is this considered Christian?
Christian authors need to understand something: putting God in a book as a thrown in element DOES NOT equate to being Christian. Because if you deny that very same God by the sexual innuendos and witchcraft displayed over and over again in your book, your "religion" means nothing to me. I don't care if they were attempting to "show evil".
I've read secular novels with more morality than this one. That's low. That's really low.
If Brian Litfin was attempting to show that you can be Christian but still flirt with evil, he did it well. Because that's all this was. You can have both. You can be a Christian but still visit prostitutes (yes, seriously). You can be a Christian and still sexualize and objectify women. You can be a Christian but still read compromising books (like this one). Confession time: I'll admit it, I honestly wish I would have put this book down. And I beat myself up for that. For days.
This book brought me to the place where as a Christian I felt morally sinful for reading your book. Was that the goal? To compromise other's faith and push them over their standards and boundaries? Because that's exactly what happened.
As a Christian, I don't feel comfortable reading this book. No Christian should. So why? What's all of this for? What was your goal? I expected more, far more, from this. It let me down and left me low. This wasn't a work of Christ. I'm not sure what exactly it was, but I am certain of this: it wasn't in accordance with God's pureness (let's all take a moment to remember Philippians 4:8, please).
I'm going to say it straight out: I'm sick and tired of books being labeled as Christian, when they in no way represent Christ the way he should be represented. I'm not talking specifically about Litfin here. There's been many a time I've picked up then put down a so-called 'Christian' book. I'm disappointed and ashamed of the authors that drive me to that place. Christians are meant to encourage fellow believers. If so, then why not in their books? If so, why not in their lives? If so, why aren't we seeing the evidence?
I'd like to take this time and use it as a call to action. I firmly believe that some of the immorality in Christian fiction is due to believers not having a problem with it. Supply and demand, right? So why don't we start to object to it. To tell them to stop. To boycott the authors and the publishers. To write reviews like these. To discourage others reading the books, and returning ours that we've bought. Let's put up a fight and demand that Christ be taken seriously, and that Christian morals are used in Christian writing. Because honestly, we've begun to expect this and accept it in secular writing. But the day that we begin to expect it from Christians is the day I truly believe we've degraded what it means to be a follower of Christ. Let's not let happen. Let's be the resistance and let's be the light in the darkness. Let's fight for the truth.
And, as a side note, I've read three awful books in a row. PLEASE, SOMEONE SAVE ME. I just want a good book to read. That's allllll I want *cries softly*
See the full review (with content excerpts) here: http://literarycafe.weebly.com/home/n...
May 18, 2013
This book gave me fits when it came to a rating. There were many times I thought I couldn't give this a more than 3 star rating. But that would be misleading as over all it's a better book than that.
First let me say that this is openly and even blatantly a Christian story and unlike some Christian fiction which can be read simply as a story this one points right at it's underlying message. The story revolves around a post apocalyptic world and a "civilization" or "kingdom" within that world. There Christianity has been largely forgotten and a religion very obviously centered around Satan (or Lucifer as is made a point of) and demons holds sway and all references to "the God of the Cross" are forbidden and carry heavy penalties.
The book starts out somewhat slowly and the writing at first is a bit stilted as if the writer is struggling to find a voice for the people he's writing about. Language slips now and then as does dialogue. In prayer one of our characters slips inexplicably into King James English even though they don't have a King James Bible, don't speak English and never heard of King James.
Another problem for me was the personal interaction/teasing romance and subtexts of the book. While it did pick up and moved it's plot along once it got started it also continued to bog down (for me) at odd points. I suspect that what I thought of as "bogged down" will not be that for other readers. I have a friend here who read this book and loved it and I usually agree with her on reads. It's probably that she just got into the personal story between our two protagonists more than I did.
All in all a good and positive book. I will more than likely see about following it up as it's an interesting story and I wonder where the writer is going with it. .
So, I recommend this. See what you think. Good book enjoy.
First let me say that this is openly and even blatantly a Christian story and unlike some Christian fiction which can be read simply as a story this one points right at it's underlying message. The story revolves around a post apocalyptic world and a "civilization" or "kingdom" within that world. There Christianity has been largely forgotten and a religion very obviously centered around Satan (or Lucifer as is made a point of) and demons holds sway and all references to "the God of the Cross" are forbidden and carry heavy penalties.
The book starts out somewhat slowly and the writing at first is a bit stilted as if the writer is struggling to find a voice for the people he's writing about. Language slips now and then as does dialogue. In prayer one of our characters slips inexplicably into King James English even though they don't have a King James Bible, don't speak English and never heard of King James.
Another problem for me was the personal interaction/teasing romance and subtexts of the book. While it did pick up and moved it's plot along once it got started it also continued to bog down (for me) at odd points. I suspect that what I thought of as "bogged down" will not be that for other readers. I have a friend here who read this book and loved it and I usually agree with her on reads. It's probably that she just got into the personal story between our two protagonists more than I did.
All in all a good and positive book. I will more than likely see about following it up as it's an interesting story and I wonder where the writer is going with it. .
So, I recommend this. See what you think. Good book enjoy.
July 5, 2012
This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café (jacobscafe.blogspot.com).
I'm generally not a fan of Christian fiction. It's usually cheesy and/or heavy-handed with bad or lame theology. For some reason, when I got the chance to review The Sword, the first of the Chiveis trilogy, written by Moody Bible Institute professor Bryan Litfin, I was intrigued, albeit skeptical.
The basic premise is that the human race has largely killed itself, leaving small clusters of people without knowledge of technology or Christianity. It explores what happens when a Bible is found and Yahweh (known as Deu in the book) is introduced to the culture.
The audiobook is long (over 14 hours), but it was one that I didn't want to stop listening to. Litfin's writing is engaging, and he does a nice job making the reader/listener care about the characters. What I also appreciated is that the book was not preachy. Non-fiction can be preachy (under certain circumstances), but fiction generally should not be, in my opinion.
There was a section where it could have become preachy, when there was a debate among the fledgling community if the "Sacred Text" should be read with "plain meaning" or "hidden symbolism for the elite." The former was clearly favored by the heroes. However, I think the truth is somewhere in between, not with such dichotomy. At the same time, as the book progressed and the characters deepened their faith, their understanding of Deu and the Bible also seemed to become more nuanced.
In many ways, this particular struggle, along with the initial emphasis by the characters on seeing Deu's overt power mirror the developmental process of individuals and communities along the journey of faith. I was happy to see that Litfin decided not to have Deu demonstrate dramatic, spectacular miracles to bring the people to faith, but rather worked more smaller, incarnational ways.
I also really enjoyed powerful ways Litfin demonstrated the love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy of God while not minimizing his perfection and desire for holiness. What saddened me was the hostility and fear of the clergy from the gods of Chiveis reminded me very much of many Christian communities now and in the past. This book should not just be message for people to follow the one true God, but also to remember how to encourage followers. The message Litfin sends is clear: God transforms through love, not fear.
I think the best summary of my review is that I went ahead and purchased the two sequels from christianaudio (the last one is due out at the end of the month). I'm liking the start of book 2 already.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I'm generally not a fan of Christian fiction. It's usually cheesy and/or heavy-handed with bad or lame theology. For some reason, when I got the chance to review The Sword, the first of the Chiveis trilogy, written by Moody Bible Institute professor Bryan Litfin, I was intrigued, albeit skeptical.
The basic premise is that the human race has largely killed itself, leaving small clusters of people without knowledge of technology or Christianity. It explores what happens when a Bible is found and Yahweh (known as Deu in the book) is introduced to the culture.
The audiobook is long (over 14 hours), but it was one that I didn't want to stop listening to. Litfin's writing is engaging, and he does a nice job making the reader/listener care about the characters. What I also appreciated is that the book was not preachy. Non-fiction can be preachy (under certain circumstances), but fiction generally should not be, in my opinion.
There was a section where it could have become preachy, when there was a debate among the fledgling community if the "Sacred Text" should be read with "plain meaning" or "hidden symbolism for the elite." The former was clearly favored by the heroes. However, I think the truth is somewhere in between, not with such dichotomy. At the same time, as the book progressed and the characters deepened their faith, their understanding of Deu and the Bible also seemed to become more nuanced.
In many ways, this particular struggle, along with the initial emphasis by the characters on seeing Deu's overt power mirror the developmental process of individuals and communities along the journey of faith. I was happy to see that Litfin decided not to have Deu demonstrate dramatic, spectacular miracles to bring the people to faith, but rather worked more smaller, incarnational ways.
I also really enjoyed powerful ways Litfin demonstrated the love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy of God while not minimizing his perfection and desire for holiness. What saddened me was the hostility and fear of the clergy from the gods of Chiveis reminded me very much of many Christian communities now and in the past. This book should not just be message for people to follow the one true God, but also to remember how to encourage followers. The message Litfin sends is clear: God transforms through love, not fear.
I think the best summary of my review is that I went ahead and purchased the two sequels from christianaudio (the last one is due out at the end of the month). I'm liking the start of book 2 already.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 28, 2017
Oh my goodness! What an amazing story! This is honestly one of the best Christian fiction that I've read in a long time, there's so much to take from the story and its characters.
AND THAT PLOT THOUGH. Coolest idea ever! As soon as they rediscovered the Bible, I was like: O.O
IT JUST GOT BETTER FROM THERE.
Now some people have said that this book very unchristian because it has sinful themes such as sexual immortality and such. ...I cannot help but scratch my head at that. This book is in no way encouraging that sort of behavior, in fact it's quite the opposite. We are reading about a world where Christianity is forgotten, and where sin and temptation are all over the place in full force. What more can you expect? Don't expect the characters to be like Jesus! After all, they don't know who he is yet! When the main characters DO discover God, (Deu), they go through some very difficult struggles, and realize that having faith in God isn't always easy, especially in such a sin loving world. One of the main characters named Ana, mournfully describes her feelings as being 'oppressed', and that there's so much evil distracted at her that she can't bear it all. Some of the characters are able to overcome temptation, and some of them actually DO fall in. Those who fall in temptation suffer tremendous guilt, and others struggle with forgiveness and the very idea of it. If you ask me, this book NAILED the day to day struggles that us Christians deal with all the time. We are not perfect people. The only person who was ever perfect is Jesus.
I can only think of one very, very vague scene on page 309 where I THINK implies that but I think you have to have a very dirty mind to come to that conclusion, because I am still not convinced they did it. Lol. What convinces me even more is on page 372, where which completely catches him off guard. If they really then I reaaaalllllyyyyyy don't think he would give that sort of reaction. They do sleep together on journeys, but for survival purposes - nothing dirty.
The only complaint I have is that the story dragged too much during the first hundred pages, and told more than showed. XD
This book DOES have many PG 13 situations though, such as violence and sexual themes, however it NEVER goes into descriptive detail and mainly serves as character development for the sinful characters, and a lesson to us in avoiding such temptations, and more importantly, forgiveness. Honestly, I feel it was all tackled very well.
4.5/5. :)
AND THAT PLOT THOUGH. Coolest idea ever! As soon as they rediscovered the Bible, I was like: O.O
IT JUST GOT BETTER FROM THERE.
Now some people have said that this book very unchristian because it has sinful themes such as sexual immortality and such. ...I cannot help but scratch my head at that. This book is in no way encouraging that sort of behavior, in fact it's quite the opposite. We are reading about a world where Christianity is forgotten, and where sin and temptation are all over the place in full force. What more can you expect? Don't expect the characters to be like Jesus! After all, they don't know who he is yet! When the main characters DO discover God, (Deu), they go through some very difficult struggles, and realize that having faith in God isn't always easy, especially in such a sin loving world. One of the main characters named Ana, mournfully describes her feelings as being 'oppressed', and that there's so much evil distracted at her that she can't bear it all. Some of the characters are able to overcome temptation, and some of them actually DO fall in. Those who fall in temptation suffer tremendous guilt, and others struggle with forgiveness and the very idea of it. If you ask me, this book NAILED the day to day struggles that us Christians deal with all the time. We are not perfect people. The only person who was ever perfect is Jesus.
I can only think of one very, very vague scene on page 309 where I THINK implies that but I think you have to have a very dirty mind to come to that conclusion, because I am still not convinced they did it. Lol. What convinces me even more is on page 372, where which completely catches him off guard. If they really then I reaaaalllllyyyyyy don't think he would give that sort of reaction. They do sleep together on journeys, but for survival purposes - nothing dirty.
The only complaint I have is that the story dragged too much during the first hundred pages, and told more than showed. XD
This book DOES have many PG 13 situations though, such as violence and sexual themes, however it NEVER goes into descriptive detail and mainly serves as character development for the sinful characters, and a lesson to us in avoiding such temptations, and more importantly, forgiveness. Honestly, I feel it was all tackled very well.
4.5/5. :)
September 11, 2019
The Sword is the first book in a long time that gripped me from the very first page! I'd been wanting to give Bryan M. Litfin's work a try, and am I ever glad I did! This book is a fascinating dystopian novel set in a medieval-type world. The modern world has been destroyed and left behind in history. Filled with swords, knights, fair maidens, and old-fashioned kingdoms, Book One in the CHIVEIS TRILOGY explores Christianity anew as the character forsake their foul gods to riskily seek the One True God of the Ancients. I don't think I've ever read something quite like it!
The author's writing style is drawing. I was kept hungrily turning pages. Anastasia, a Chiveisian farm girl, and Teofil, a guardsman and scholar, are great characters to follow, and I enjoyed meeting many secondary characters and being drawn into their journeys as well. There was an abundance of actions, and many twists and turns. A fair amount of violence and battles, though I didn't find it over the top. (I would recommend to adults or at least older teens because of that and some other mature themes). From bear hunting, to tournaments, to exploring the Ancient's temples, to secret religious meetings, The Sword takes us on a wild, exhilarating, dangerous ride.
Toward the end, there were a couple things that I'm not sure I appreciate. An unmarried couple sharing a bed (non-sexually). A woman being very vulnerable and close with a man that she knows to be making bad choices and has not chosen to follow her God. And some things having to do with the faith theme and how the characters respond to persecution and such. I'm interested to see how the second book, The Gift, addresses these situations.
But overall, such a unique, adventurous, poignant tale! I love how deeply Bryan M. Litfin explores faith issues and following God in this dystopian story! Just the kind of book I like to immerse myself in. I can hardly wait to delve into Book Two!
The author's writing style is drawing. I was kept hungrily turning pages. Anastasia, a Chiveisian farm girl, and Teofil, a guardsman and scholar, are great characters to follow, and I enjoyed meeting many secondary characters and being drawn into their journeys as well. There was an abundance of actions, and many twists and turns. A fair amount of violence and battles, though I didn't find it over the top. (I would recommend to adults or at least older teens because of that and some other mature themes). From bear hunting, to tournaments, to exploring the Ancient's temples, to secret religious meetings, The Sword takes us on a wild, exhilarating, dangerous ride.
Toward the end, there were a couple things that I'm not sure I appreciate. An unmarried couple sharing a bed (non-sexually). A woman being very vulnerable and close with a man that she knows to be making bad choices and has not chosen to follow her God. And some things having to do with the faith theme and how the characters respond to persecution and such. I'm interested to see how the second book, The Gift, addresses these situations.
But overall, such a unique, adventurous, poignant tale! I love how deeply Bryan M. Litfin explores faith issues and following God in this dystopian story! Just the kind of book I like to immerse myself in. I can hardly wait to delve into Book Two!
May 20, 2012
I guess I should preface this by saying that I'm an Atheist. I made it to page 119 of 412 before I had to give this book up. I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic fiction and this is the only book of the genre that I couldn't get through so far in my life. It wasn't the plot, or the writing (which is a little weak in my opinion) that made me give it up. It was the fact that the whole thing is essentially pro-Christian propaganda cloaked as post-apocalyptic fiction.
The bad guy is a high priestess of a pagan cult that suppresses knowledge of Christianity from the masses. The good guys have little depth, few faults that I could identify whatsoever.
The dialogue is weak and poorly written. Example from page 118 -
"Captain Teofil, this is a place of depravity!"
Teo glanced at her. "Nonsense! Come on, don't be afraid. I didn't bring you here for sensual purposes. Let's get a cup and find a place to discuss the tales of old Chiveis."
"No Captain. I'm uncomfortable here. I don't want to be seen in such a sinful place."
And then I made it to the bottom of the page before I gave up on it.
The bad guy is a high priestess of a pagan cult that suppresses knowledge of Christianity from the masses. The good guys have little depth, few faults that I could identify whatsoever.
The dialogue is weak and poorly written. Example from page 118 -
"Captain Teofil, this is a place of depravity!"
Teo glanced at her. "Nonsense! Come on, don't be afraid. I didn't bring you here for sensual purposes. Let's get a cup and find a place to discuss the tales of old Chiveis."
"No Captain. I'm uncomfortable here. I don't want to be seen in such a sinful place."
And then I made it to the bottom of the page before I gave up on it.
March 7, 2018
~2.5 stars~
May 4, 2024
3.5 Stars ✨
“There’s a fine line between folklore and religion, Teo thought. Both can be used to sway the masses—and both can be full of nonsense.”
If a society had no knowledge of Christianity, and then a Bible were discovered, what would happen? Four hundred years after a deadly virus and nuclear war destroyed the modern world, a new and noble civilization emerges.
The Sword was a different unique spin on the dystopian genre. I found it to be very interesting. While I enjoyed it, for what it’s claiming to be , I would have liked to see the world built a little better. While most of the book takes place inside this new society, I was more interested in what lay beyond, In the badlands where people are not allowed to go. I think the next book will cover that aspect, so I am definitely interested in reading it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, my favorite part was the plot and message that it presented. Even though it may sound like I didn’t like it, I did for the most part, just seemed like it was missing something and I think it may have been the narrator, since I listened to it on audio. He wasn’t my favorite… But, I really enjoyed the idea of it, and looking forward to seeing where it goes. Still would recommend 👍🏼
“There’s a fine line between folklore and religion, Teo thought. Both can be used to sway the masses—and both can be full of nonsense.”
If a society had no knowledge of Christianity, and then a Bible were discovered, what would happen? Four hundred years after a deadly virus and nuclear war destroyed the modern world, a new and noble civilization emerges.
The Sword was a different unique spin on the dystopian genre. I found it to be very interesting. While I enjoyed it, for what it’s claiming to be , I would have liked to see the world built a little better. While most of the book takes place inside this new society, I was more interested in what lay beyond, In the badlands where people are not allowed to go. I think the next book will cover that aspect, so I am definitely interested in reading it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, my favorite part was the plot and message that it presented. Even though it may sound like I didn’t like it, I did for the most part, just seemed like it was missing something and I think it may have been the narrator, since I listened to it on audio. He wasn’t my favorite… But, I really enjoyed the idea of it, and looking forward to seeing where it goes. Still would recommend 👍🏼
August 11, 2020
Interesting concept. What if, during an apocalyptic event that decimated the world’s population, religion was lost along with technological knowledge? And what if, generations later, some of the offspring of survivors discovered a religious text like the Bible, which had been entirely forgotten? How would this be received by a society that had created new a new religion with new gods? What importance does religious belief still play?
Even though set on Earth after an apocalypse, this feels very much like a fantasy novel in tone and setting. If has a very classic feel, harkening to enduring series like the Wheel of Time. The writing was good, especially in the beginning, but there were certain character developments and plot points that I found cheesy or heavy handed or both. While not an instant favorite, the premise intrigues me enough that I’ll continue the trilogy at some point.
Even though set on Earth after an apocalypse, this feels very much like a fantasy novel in tone and setting. If has a very classic feel, harkening to enduring series like the Wheel of Time. The writing was good, especially in the beginning, but there were certain character developments and plot points that I found cheesy or heavy handed or both. While not an instant favorite, the premise intrigues me enough that I’ll continue the trilogy at some point.
April 1, 2022
Chiveis Trilogy Book 1
Four hundred years after a deadly virus and nuclear war destroyed the modern world, a new noble civilisation emerges. In this Kingdom, called Chiveis, snow capped mountains provide protection, and fields and livestock provide food. The people live medieval-type lives, with almost no knowledge of the "ancient" world safe in their natural stronghold, the Chiveis have everything they need, even their own religion. Christianity has been forgotten -until a young army scout comes across a strange book,
This is not a well written book but I still got some enjoyment from it. A tale of fantasy, adventure, romance and a post-apocolyptic Christian theme. It's set four hundred years in the future. This was an intriguing and thought provoking read. It's not something I would normally read either.
#FreeKindleBook
October 10, 2013
I bought this book looking for something to read to my nephew. I ended up not reading it to him since it deals with some sexual material that can't really be glossed over, due to its relation to the plot.
Nevertheless, I ended up reading the book myself. The idea of the book is very creative and I enjoyed the virtues expressed in the characters. However there are some negatives. For one, while I've never read "chic lit" I would imagine that the love story in this book is exactly how "chic lit" reads. In fact, maybe now I can say that I've read chic lit after having read this book! For instance, here is a representative passage from the book (from p. 150):
I guess if you like chic lit then that's a plus... For others it's a negative. Also readers should be aware that the book is set in a pagan culture with non-Christian protagonists and there is no shying away from the sort of sexual immorality one might expect in this setting. It never felt like it clearly crossed any lines in terms of being too sexually explicit, but it did have me wondering how far it would go (and if it was necessary to go as far as it did) on several occasions.
The other negative is that the spiritual journey of many of the characters felt contrived or too convenient. They seemed too quick to adopt the God of Scripture when they knew next to nothing about this God. Some of their reasons presented for following the God of Scripture would only really make sense from a deeper theological insight into God as presented in Scripture than the characters could have possibly had. The result, perhaps ironically, was that the "correct" religious beliefs of the characters came off as shallow rather than insightful. (However, the conversion of Teofil was very good and felt more real.)
For instance, the main characters start to throw off the shackles of their paganism because the pagan gods demand blood sacrifice, are wrathful, and the people are their slaves... But this only makes you wonder how the main characters will resolve the fact that the God of Scripture demands lots of blood sacrifice, is often presented as wrathful, and uses slave imagery to describe our relationship to him! Of course all of these points can be answered and ironed out... but I hardly expect some pagans who are otherwise completely ignorant of this God to be capable of discerning any significant difference from their pagan gods at these points. The main characters find a copy of the old testament. But instead of stumbling upon books like Deuteronomy or Leviticus or Chronicles they, lo and behold, happen to first stumble into all those favorite passages of old church ladies everywhere! Wow, what a coincidence...
There are two other books in this series and I'm hoping the author explores these other elements with more seriousness. For instance, if someone only found the Old Testatement it wouldn't take very long for them to think "So I guess we have to circumcise ourselves now and probably build a temple and start performing a lot of blood sacrifices!" Will Teofil and Anastasia get cracking on a temple in book two before they discover a New Testament? We'll see...
Nevertheless, I ended up reading the book myself. The idea of the book is very creative and I enjoyed the virtues expressed in the characters. However there are some negatives. For one, while I've never read "chic lit" I would imagine that the love story in this book is exactly how "chic lit" reads. In fact, maybe now I can say that I've read chic lit after having read this book! For instance, here is a representative passage from the book (from p. 150):
She noticed Teofil studying her face. Was he searching for an answer to her question? Or did he hesitate to give an answer he already knew? Sitting so close to him, Ana became suddenly aware of his masculine strength. He had a strong, square jaw, and his wide shoulders lent him an aura of power. His hands were the capable hands of a man who knew how to make good things happen. Ana looked him in the eyes and did not break off her gaze.
I guess if you like chic lit then that's a plus... For others it's a negative. Also readers should be aware that the book is set in a pagan culture with non-Christian protagonists and there is no shying away from the sort of sexual immorality one might expect in this setting. It never felt like it clearly crossed any lines in terms of being too sexually explicit, but it did have me wondering how far it would go (and if it was necessary to go as far as it did) on several occasions.
The other negative is that the spiritual journey of many of the characters felt contrived or too convenient. They seemed too quick to adopt the God of Scripture when they knew next to nothing about this God. Some of their reasons presented for following the God of Scripture would only really make sense from a deeper theological insight into God as presented in Scripture than the characters could have possibly had. The result, perhaps ironically, was that the "correct" religious beliefs of the characters came off as shallow rather than insightful. (However, the conversion of Teofil was very good and felt more real.)
For instance, the main characters start to throw off the shackles of their paganism because the pagan gods demand blood sacrifice, are wrathful, and the people are their slaves... But this only makes you wonder how the main characters will resolve the fact that the God of Scripture demands lots of blood sacrifice, is often presented as wrathful, and uses slave imagery to describe our relationship to him! Of course all of these points can be answered and ironed out... but I hardly expect some pagans who are otherwise completely ignorant of this God to be capable of discerning any significant difference from their pagan gods at these points. The main characters find a copy of the old testament. But instead of stumbling upon books like Deuteronomy or Leviticus or Chronicles they, lo and behold, happen to first stumble into all those favorite passages of old church ladies everywhere! Wow, what a coincidence...
There are two other books in this series and I'm hoping the author explores these other elements with more seriousness. For instance, if someone only found the Old Testatement it wouldn't take very long for them to think "So I guess we have to circumcise ourselves now and probably build a temple and start performing a lot of blood sacrifices!" Will Teofil and Anastasia get cracking on a temple in book two before they discover a New Testament? We'll see...
March 7, 2012
This book has a SyFy Channel-esque premise as well as characters and places with named even more strangely than anywhere/anyone in Star Wars, but the author makes it work really well. It also shows how God can change lives, especially in a place and time where belief in the One who created all is non-existent. This actually was a free Kindle read, but I actually enjoyed it, and I'll be looking out for the sequel.
March 4, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
5 stars for premise. Very intriguing.
4 stars for story. Some dragging, eg it took forever for them to actually FIND the book and the way they found it, wow, what a…complex…series of events.
3 stars for writing. Some awkward dialogue and descriptions here.
But I’ll read the next one!
5 stars for premise. Very intriguing.
4 stars for story. Some dragging, eg it took forever for them to actually FIND the book and the way they found it, wow, what a…complex…series of events.
3 stars for writing. Some awkward dialogue and descriptions here.
But I’ll read the next one!
September 11, 2015
I have mixed feelings about The Sword. It was a very intriguing and thought provoking book. It was good in one sense and…not necessarily “bad” but…I don’t know how to explain it.
It is around four centuries later from our time. Most of the people were killed by a virus and our world was destroyed by a nuclear war. Now the people have gone to living like those in the Middle Ages. One such kingdom, the Chiveis kingdom, thrives in peace. Protected from outsiders by mountains, the people worship their own gods and are lost to Christianity. Then a captain named Teofil and a farmer’s daughter named Anastasia find a Bible. From there everything changes for them and those close to them. But will higher authorities accept this new “religion” or cast it out and anyone who follows it?
What I liked about this book was that it was in the future but was totally medieval too. It was different from other futuristic books I’ve read. I also loved how it showed how some people found Christianity again. That was really neat.
I feel like the book focused too much time on the pagan religion the Chiveisi. Some things were mentioned, some things went into more detail. It was the culture around Teofil and Anastasia, and most people accepted it as “good”. The ceremonies and festivals were, for the most part, disgusting and revolting. Some situations almost led to inappropriate things (like adultery), but thankfully didn’t get that far. It just felt like too much. But I think maybe the author was trying to show how dark evil is to show how much lighter good is, so that makes me feel better about the book.
Then there were times when characters got into dangerous situations and then got out of the predicament too conveniently, and it happened more than once. That got to me after a bit. It seemed too easy for the two main characters at a lot of times.
So to end, I’ll say this book was good and I did like it. But I think it went a bit over the top on the details of the Chiveisi religion and mentioned, a few times, stuff that is inappropriate that I think that would have been better left unsaid. I’d recommend this to Christians who are prepared to face the cultural things that are mentioned in this book and who love an adventurous read. It is definitely geared more for adults and older teens.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
It is around four centuries later from our time. Most of the people were killed by a virus and our world was destroyed by a nuclear war. Now the people have gone to living like those in the Middle Ages. One such kingdom, the Chiveis kingdom, thrives in peace. Protected from outsiders by mountains, the people worship their own gods and are lost to Christianity. Then a captain named Teofil and a farmer’s daughter named Anastasia find a Bible. From there everything changes for them and those close to them. But will higher authorities accept this new “religion” or cast it out and anyone who follows it?
What I liked about this book was that it was in the future but was totally medieval too. It was different from other futuristic books I’ve read. I also loved how it showed how some people found Christianity again. That was really neat.
I feel like the book focused too much time on the pagan religion the Chiveisi. Some things were mentioned, some things went into more detail. It was the culture around Teofil and Anastasia, and most people accepted it as “good”. The ceremonies and festivals were, for the most part, disgusting and revolting. Some situations almost led to inappropriate things (like adultery), but thankfully didn’t get that far. It just felt like too much. But I think maybe the author was trying to show how dark evil is to show how much lighter good is, so that makes me feel better about the book.
Then there were times when characters got into dangerous situations and then got out of the predicament too conveniently, and it happened more than once. That got to me after a bit. It seemed too easy for the two main characters at a lot of times.
So to end, I’ll say this book was good and I did like it. But I think it went a bit over the top on the details of the Chiveisi religion and mentioned, a few times, stuff that is inappropriate that I think that would have been better left unsaid. I’d recommend this to Christians who are prepared to face the cultural things that are mentioned in this book and who love an adventurous read. It is definitely geared more for adults and older teens.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
April 28, 2017
This is one of the best christian fantasy books I have ever read!!! I love it I can't wait for the next two books!
August 17, 2012
The unthinkable has finally happened. The world as we know it has been destroyed by the one-two punch of a worldwide pandemic and nuclear war. Much of the earth is uninhabitable, and the population has been decimated. Yet hundreds of years after this 'apocalypse', there are still pockets of survivors attempting to rebuild their lives out of the rubble, albeit without the benefit of modern technology. One such community is a pseudo-medieval kingdom known as Chiveis. Nestled in the safety of an alpine valley, Chiveis is fairly prosperous--a state of affairs the people attribute to the power of their gods, Elzebul (god of dung), Vulcane (god of fire), Pon (god of the forest), and the almighty Astrebril (god of the sky). The Chiveisians know nothing of the gods of the 'ancients', and the high priestess of Astrebril is determined to keep it that way. After all, the gods of Chiveis are jealous and must not be upstaged by other gods--particularly the unknown 'God of the Cross'. Such religious matters are of little interest to Captain Teofil of the royal guard (and part-time history professor/linguist), but when he crosses paths with the lovely and spirited farmer's daughter (and poet) Anastasia, the two of them are swept up in a quest that could cost them their lives . . . and just might change the kingdom forever.
While people disagree about who Jesus was (and is), it is my understanding that the influence of the Christian faith on what is known as the medieval period is unanimously acknowledged. The Middle Ages were positively steeped in religion, and that religion was Christianity (or some variation thereof). But what would the Middle Ages look like if the influence of Christianity were removed? And how would the people react to the introduction of the 'God of the Cross'? These are the questions that Wheaton professor Bryan Litfin, an expert in church history and the ancient and medieval periods, sets out to answer in the Chiveis Trilogy.
This first installment sees the discovery of an old (to the Chiveisians) manuscript of what we know as the Old Testament. It is in French, and thus is unintelligible to all but those versed in the 'smooth tongue' of the ancients. Fortunately, leading man Teofil just happens to be an expert in that particular language. He remains a skeptic as to the substance of the manuscript, but the beautiful Anastasia, disillusioned with the cruel and immoral gods of the kingdom, responds to this new god 'Deu' with ardent devotion and unwavering faith. Before long, a small community has sprung up, gathering in secret to pray and read the words of Deu as translated by Teofil. (I was most definitely convicted by their hunger to hear the 'words of Deu', which they treasure as if it were, indeed, a pearl of great price. Would that I responded to God's Word with such fervor.) This state of affairs is highly unacceptable to the high priestess of Astrebril, who is determined to do whatever it takes to eliminate this new religion and its followers. Face with her external threats of physical violence and social and economic ruin (and, in a tidy nod to the Gnosticism that has plagued the Church for centuries, the internal threat of disunity and false teaching), the tiny 'house church' seems doomed to fail.
The characters here are, at times, laughably implausible. Of course Teofil is both a champion guardsman and a professor of history and an expert in French. Of course Anastasia is a crack shot with a bow, plucky as all get out, a humble farmer's daughter, a gifted poetess, a passionate woman of faith, and the hottest chick in Chiveis. Of course the boorish bad guys have names like 'Rothgar' and 'Red-Beard'. Fortunately, the theological substance more than makes up for the lack of nuance in his characters.
In this book, the characters have access to only the Old Testament (as I understand it, the second book in the trilogy focuses on their attempts to locate a copy of the New Testament). As such, they have no idea why this Deu is called the 'god of the cross.' Nonetheless, Litfin tries to keep the theology gospel focused, which requires a bit of theological gymnastics. After all, the Israelites had no idea that the cross was coming. Now that we have the whole story, we look back and see that the Old Testament is positively riddled with gospel foreshadowing. But I don't know that you get there with just the Old Testament. Litfin tries to circumvent this obstacle using the story of Abraham and Isaac, from which Anastasia is able to discern that Deu demands sacrifice for sin but that He also provides the sacrifice. Tricky, no? Plus, the characters don't actually have the whole Old Testament. I mean, they have it, but during the course of the book Teofil only has time to translate part of Genesis, some Psalms, and the book of Ruth. So, you know, no Isaiah or Exodus or other books rich with gospel imagery. Still, what they have is enough to lead them to the following conclusions: Deu is good; Deu created everything; people are sinners; Deu demands sacrifice for sin; even commoners can pray to Deu; and the people of Chiveis need to hear about Deu. Not too bad for a bunch of medieval heathens.
Litfin also handles the subject of God's sovereignty with a fair amount of subtlety. He does not simply bring God in as the victorious king who sweeps all before Him in the final showdown. Instead, Litfin looks at the history of the church and uses it as a pattern. This fledgling gospel is spread not through crowded arenas and proclamations from powerful rulers, but by the daily faithfulness of those who believe it, and their willingness to risk everything for the God they serve.
Which leads to something of a rude awakening for the main characters, who expect mighty Deu to show up and obliterate the competition, Mount Carmel style. When [SPOILER] things don't exactly work out that way, they are confused and discouraged, but still express faith in Deu and try to trust His sovereignty. I was pleased that Litfin's version of a "Christian" story preserved this element of God's work in our lives. After all, His ways are higher than our ways, and much of what He does is hard for us to comprehend. (Is. 55:8-9)
The audiobook is narrated by Ray Porter, who has narrated quite a few audiobooks in his day, and who I remember from his work on Hell House. He does a good job, but makes some rather amusing accent choices. Teofil's mentor, the wise professor Maurice, sports a full-on Sean Connery accent, while an evil priest utters threats in an inexplicable Russian accent. This in a land where a) they all descended from the French and/or Swiss, and b) they are very insular and super isolated from the rest of the world, such as it is. So, not a lot of opportunity for varying accents and dialects. It ended up sounding kind of silly, is what I'm saying. I mean, the accents were decently done, and I love me some Connery, so I didn't mind. But it did make me chuckle.
At the end of the day, the story and characters are just sort of fine, but the theology is some of the best I've come across in my (admittedly limited) experience with Christian fiction. I look forward to seeing how Litfin handles the rest of the series.
While people disagree about who Jesus was (and is), it is my understanding that the influence of the Christian faith on what is known as the medieval period is unanimously acknowledged. The Middle Ages were positively steeped in religion, and that religion was Christianity (or some variation thereof). But what would the Middle Ages look like if the influence of Christianity were removed? And how would the people react to the introduction of the 'God of the Cross'? These are the questions that Wheaton professor Bryan Litfin, an expert in church history and the ancient and medieval periods, sets out to answer in the Chiveis Trilogy.
This first installment sees the discovery of an old (to the Chiveisians) manuscript of what we know as the Old Testament. It is in French, and thus is unintelligible to all but those versed in the 'smooth tongue' of the ancients. Fortunately, leading man Teofil just happens to be an expert in that particular language. He remains a skeptic as to the substance of the manuscript, but the beautiful Anastasia, disillusioned with the cruel and immoral gods of the kingdom, responds to this new god 'Deu' with ardent devotion and unwavering faith. Before long, a small community has sprung up, gathering in secret to pray and read the words of Deu as translated by Teofil. (I was most definitely convicted by their hunger to hear the 'words of Deu', which they treasure as if it were, indeed, a pearl of great price. Would that I responded to God's Word with such fervor.) This state of affairs is highly unacceptable to the high priestess of Astrebril, who is determined to do whatever it takes to eliminate this new religion and its followers. Face with her external threats of physical violence and social and economic ruin (and, in a tidy nod to the Gnosticism that has plagued the Church for centuries, the internal threat of disunity and false teaching), the tiny 'house church' seems doomed to fail.
The characters here are, at times, laughably implausible. Of course Teofil is both a champion guardsman and a professor of history and an expert in French. Of course Anastasia is a crack shot with a bow, plucky as all get out, a humble farmer's daughter, a gifted poetess, a passionate woman of faith, and the hottest chick in Chiveis. Of course the boorish bad guys have names like 'Rothgar' and 'Red-Beard'. Fortunately, the theological substance more than makes up for the lack of nuance in his characters.
In this book, the characters have access to only the Old Testament (as I understand it, the second book in the trilogy focuses on their attempts to locate a copy of the New Testament). As such, they have no idea why this Deu is called the 'god of the cross.' Nonetheless, Litfin tries to keep the theology gospel focused, which requires a bit of theological gymnastics. After all, the Israelites had no idea that the cross was coming. Now that we have the whole story, we look back and see that the Old Testament is positively riddled with gospel foreshadowing. But I don't know that you get there with just the Old Testament. Litfin tries to circumvent this obstacle using the story of Abraham and Isaac, from which Anastasia is able to discern that Deu demands sacrifice for sin but that He also provides the sacrifice. Tricky, no? Plus, the characters don't actually have the whole Old Testament. I mean, they have it, but during the course of the book Teofil only has time to translate part of Genesis, some Psalms, and the book of Ruth. So, you know, no Isaiah or Exodus or other books rich with gospel imagery. Still, what they have is enough to lead them to the following conclusions: Deu is good; Deu created everything; people are sinners; Deu demands sacrifice for sin; even commoners can pray to Deu; and the people of Chiveis need to hear about Deu. Not too bad for a bunch of medieval heathens.
Litfin also handles the subject of God's sovereignty with a fair amount of subtlety. He does not simply bring God in as the victorious king who sweeps all before Him in the final showdown. Instead, Litfin looks at the history of the church and uses it as a pattern. This fledgling gospel is spread not through crowded arenas and proclamations from powerful rulers, but by the daily faithfulness of those who believe it, and their willingness to risk everything for the God they serve.
Which leads to something of a rude awakening for the main characters, who expect mighty Deu to show up and obliterate the competition, Mount Carmel style. When [SPOILER] things don't exactly work out that way, they are confused and discouraged, but still express faith in Deu and try to trust His sovereignty. I was pleased that Litfin's version of a "Christian" story preserved this element of God's work in our lives. After all, His ways are higher than our ways, and much of what He does is hard for us to comprehend. (Is. 55:8-9)
The audiobook is narrated by Ray Porter, who has narrated quite a few audiobooks in his day, and who I remember from his work on Hell House. He does a good job, but makes some rather amusing accent choices. Teofil's mentor, the wise professor Maurice, sports a full-on Sean Connery accent, while an evil priest utters threats in an inexplicable Russian accent. This in a land where a) they all descended from the French and/or Swiss, and b) they are very insular and super isolated from the rest of the world, such as it is. So, not a lot of opportunity for varying accents and dialects. It ended up sounding kind of silly, is what I'm saying. I mean, the accents were decently done, and I love me some Connery, so I didn't mind. But it did make me chuckle.
At the end of the day, the story and characters are just sort of fine, but the theology is some of the best I've come across in my (admittedly limited) experience with Christian fiction. I look forward to seeing how Litfin handles the rest of the series.
January 4, 2022
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. It was better than 3, but hard to say if it totally reaches 4. Cool story, great characters, good story telling. My only complaint is there are quite a few moments where the spiritual side of it feels a little cheesy. Which becomes a big part of the story. But that being said I really enjoyed the listen! And plan to listen to the other 2 books as well.
January 31, 2020
I so looked forward to reading this book. I found it lacking. It lacked spirit and depth. I felt the story was like listening to someone speak in monotone. I have the rest of the series. I am pretty sure they will be unread.
February 23, 2013
This Christian fantasy/speculative fiction novel has an interesting basic premise: After a nuclear world war and many centuries of unrest, mankind rediscovers the Bible and turns back to God. In this book, Teofil and Anastasia bring the Bible to a kingdom called Chiveis, where the sky god Astrebril is worshiped.
Interesting idea, but as I said in the title, poorly executed. I noticed that the "bad guy" scenes, which frequently involve violence or sexuality, are the better written (that is, more believable) parts.
The portions involving romance between Teofil and Anastasia are awkward and sometimes juvenile, although I wouldn't classify this as middle-grade fiction because of the content of this story.
The portions involving biblical teachings are also awkwardly handled and sometimes kind of preachy, or involving what I call "mental leaps" in which they suddenly decide things about God and faith with no apparent progression in their character leading up to that moment. I frequently found myself asking how people completely ignorant of the Bible and Christianity could so suddenly know all of the Christianese of this century, such as calling each other "Brother so-and-so" or "Sister so-and-so" without being related.
I also wondered how, in a culture of "anything goes and anything is encouraged" sexuality, Teofil and Anastasia came up with the ideas of sexual purity and "a woman's honor" on their own, before even finding the Bible. Even those teachings in European culture have their basis in Judeo-Christianity, and if that faith had been almost lost, I would think the cultural teachings would have been, as well. By the way, I am not a voyeur and don't like to see sexuality portrayed in a non-Christian way, that is, used as a ploy to titillate or sell books. I am not suggesting I would prefer that the author had gone that way with this topic, either (in other words, there is a Christian way to talk about sexuality and sexual immorality, but I'm not going into that here). I am saying that the way it was handled will probably not get sympathy from secular readers, who I think were the target audience.
Mind you, I am a Christian and an author. I am a sympathetic audience in that respect (I don't know the author). I wanted to see this book succeed, and that is why I kept reading, even when these major flaws in character development bothered me.
I think the author had good intentions to use this book to share his faith, but he fell short of the goal. I know from personal experience that writing a believable piece about a spiritual transformation is much harder than writing a convincing romance, although both are advanced story writing skills. How does one convince the unconvinced? That is the central problem the author has to chip away at (gradually, mind you!) in any story of this kind. I hope that Mr. Litfin will stick with writing and hone his craft, but he's not there yet.
Interesting idea, but as I said in the title, poorly executed. I noticed that the "bad guy" scenes, which frequently involve violence or sexuality, are the better written (that is, more believable) parts.
The portions involving romance between Teofil and Anastasia are awkward and sometimes juvenile, although I wouldn't classify this as middle-grade fiction because of the content of this story.
The portions involving biblical teachings are also awkwardly handled and sometimes kind of preachy, or involving what I call "mental leaps" in which they suddenly decide things about God and faith with no apparent progression in their character leading up to that moment. I frequently found myself asking how people completely ignorant of the Bible and Christianity could so suddenly know all of the Christianese of this century, such as calling each other "Brother so-and-so" or "Sister so-and-so" without being related.
I also wondered how, in a culture of "anything goes and anything is encouraged" sexuality, Teofil and Anastasia came up with the ideas of sexual purity and "a woman's honor" on their own, before even finding the Bible. Even those teachings in European culture have their basis in Judeo-Christianity, and if that faith had been almost lost, I would think the cultural teachings would have been, as well. By the way, I am not a voyeur and don't like to see sexuality portrayed in a non-Christian way, that is, used as a ploy to titillate or sell books. I am not suggesting I would prefer that the author had gone that way with this topic, either (in other words, there is a Christian way to talk about sexuality and sexual immorality, but I'm not going into that here). I am saying that the way it was handled will probably not get sympathy from secular readers, who I think were the target audience.
Mind you, I am a Christian and an author. I am a sympathetic audience in that respect (I don't know the author). I wanted to see this book succeed, and that is why I kept reading, even when these major flaws in character development bothered me.
I think the author had good intentions to use this book to share his faith, but he fell short of the goal. I know from personal experience that writing a believable piece about a spiritual transformation is much harder than writing a convincing romance, although both are advanced story writing skills. How does one convince the unconvinced? That is the central problem the author has to chip away at (gradually, mind you!) in any story of this kind. I hope that Mr. Litfin will stick with writing and hone his craft, but he's not there yet.
January 27, 2011
It’s 400 years in the future. A nuclear holocaust has happened, and the remnants of the survivors have started a new civilization called Chiveis, a medieval-like kingdom that has long-since lost any connection to Christianity. The official religion is a corrupt combination of power, politics, and fear mongering. But things are about to change. This is the setting for Bryan M. Litfin’s first novel in the Chiveis Trilogy, The Sword.
Teofil, a noble army guardsman, and Anastasia, a beautiful peasant woman, forced into an adventure by an attack by outsiders, come upon an building from the Ancient Civilization (our modern day) and find a holy book inside (only the first two-thirds of the book have survived). In the pages of this book, Teo and Ana encounter a new God, one that differs greatly from the official gods of Chiveis.
What follows is a fascinating description of what happens when people encounter the Word of God, the “Sword” of truth. His words cannot be suppressed, and the discussions the characters have about the Bible is absorbing. Some see clearly the truth of the scriptures, while others take a view that this truth is only for a select few and want to use it to gain power. Ultimately, the followers of this new God will be forced to decide what they believe about Him and face the consequences of those beliefs.
The story in The Sword is enthralling. Author Bryan M. Litfin explained it as “epic adventure,” and this is an apt description. It’s much more than that, though. Woven throughout the story is a theology that is very orthodox and quite blatant at times. Some will bristle at this. Others will say it’s only fiction. The point is that even in a fictional story, a worldview is communicated. What The Shack was for liberal, anti-authority, open theism, The Sword attempts to be for traditional, orthodox beliefs. I highly doubt this book will be remotely as successful as that book, but I’m glad that people are attempting to write great fiction that communicates a Christian worldview like this. The theology isn’t always perfectly embedded in the story, but Litfin does a great job for the most part.
The other strength of this book is the attention to detail. This is not a fantastical story. The places are real places in Europe that Litfin researched in detail. Names are changed, but the places are very real and described vividly. The story happens 400 years in the future, but it very well could happen.
I was moved by the reactions of the characters to God’s truth in His Word. The narrative is moving, and the characters are real. Stories are powerful, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of this one.
Teofil, a noble army guardsman, and Anastasia, a beautiful peasant woman, forced into an adventure by an attack by outsiders, come upon an building from the Ancient Civilization (our modern day) and find a holy book inside (only the first two-thirds of the book have survived). In the pages of this book, Teo and Ana encounter a new God, one that differs greatly from the official gods of Chiveis.
What follows is a fascinating description of what happens when people encounter the Word of God, the “Sword” of truth. His words cannot be suppressed, and the discussions the characters have about the Bible is absorbing. Some see clearly the truth of the scriptures, while others take a view that this truth is only for a select few and want to use it to gain power. Ultimately, the followers of this new God will be forced to decide what they believe about Him and face the consequences of those beliefs.
The story in The Sword is enthralling. Author Bryan M. Litfin explained it as “epic adventure,” and this is an apt description. It’s much more than that, though. Woven throughout the story is a theology that is very orthodox and quite blatant at times. Some will bristle at this. Others will say it’s only fiction. The point is that even in a fictional story, a worldview is communicated. What The Shack was for liberal, anti-authority, open theism, The Sword attempts to be for traditional, orthodox beliefs. I highly doubt this book will be remotely as successful as that book, but I’m glad that people are attempting to write great fiction that communicates a Christian worldview like this. The theology isn’t always perfectly embedded in the story, but Litfin does a great job for the most part.
The other strength of this book is the attention to detail. This is not a fantastical story. The places are real places in Europe that Litfin researched in detail. Names are changed, but the places are very real and described vividly. The story happens 400 years in the future, but it very well could happen.
I was moved by the reactions of the characters to God’s truth in His Word. The narrative is moving, and the characters are real. Stories are powerful, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of this one.
July 17, 2010
This was not a great work of literature or anything, but it was a nice summer escape: basically a fantasy/adventure with a little romance and a post-apocolyptic Christian theme. Yeah, I know it sounds weird, and at times it strains credulity even for fantasy, but it was a real page-turner and an easy summer read. It's a long book and I finished it in two days.
October 17, 2021
I remember reading this as a teen and I LOVED it. Only time I ever pulled an all-nighter lol!
There’s been a lot of water under the bridge between then and deciding to re-read it these past few weeks.
I thought the story was excellent, especially in terms of tension and pacing. Even though I knew roughly what was going to happen, the story, conflicts and characters gripped me almost the whole way through (almost).
But (personally) I thought the composition was… bad.
The prose was stiff and unimaginative. The author seemed to do more telling instead of showing.
The dialogue also felt wooden and unnatural (and even cheesy) a lot of the time.
Now that I’ve finished, I think it’s an ok book. It may not be well written, but it wasn’t written to entertain and amuse. The author was concerned with giving us something more than just a story, so it’s worth a read.
[Also, this book does contain dark elements and mature scenes. None of it was explicit (even though it was mildly horrifying) so I don’t believe any of it was inappropriate for a Christian author to write. However (speaking as a Christian), readers should be guided by their conscience and do all things from faith; this book isn’t for everyone and that’s ok.]
There’s been a lot of water under the bridge between then and deciding to re-read it these past few weeks.
I thought the story was excellent, especially in terms of tension and pacing. Even though I knew roughly what was going to happen, the story, conflicts and characters gripped me almost the whole way through (almost).
But (personally) I thought the composition was… bad.
The prose was stiff and unimaginative. The author seemed to do more telling instead of showing.
The dialogue also felt wooden and unnatural (and even cheesy) a lot of the time.
Now that I’ve finished, I think it’s an ok book. It may not be well written, but it wasn’t written to entertain and amuse. The author was concerned with giving us something more than just a story, so it’s worth a read.
[Also, this book does contain dark elements and mature scenes. None of it was explicit (even though it was mildly horrifying) so I don’t believe any of it was inappropriate for a Christian author to write. However (speaking as a Christian), readers should be guided by their conscience and do all things from faith; this book isn’t for everyone and that’s ok.]
January 23, 2013
The way Crossway described the book got me: Fiction yet theology, future yet Medieval. They said it was a book for men with a strong male lead. Plus there are swords. I pegged this as one of my summer reads right away.
I have had thoughts for a review since about page 4 and I’ll write this under three heads: Storytelling, Writing, and Theology.
Storytelling
Litfin is a theology professor and this is his first foray into fiction. That said, the story is fairly well done. I never felt like the storyline got stuck though I did begin to wonder at one place if Litfin had forgotten one of the important subplots. No, he hadn’t and that was the point. We were supposed to feel that gap. It was a good tactic to keep you engaged emotionally with the story and the characters. The story line was good but it wasn’t great. Don’t expect C.S. Lewis here (and for the record, Litfin never pretends to be Lewis). While not compelling it was entertaining and engaging. I have found myself entering the world of Chiveis in my head and imagining other adventures. I even spent some time on Google Maps and found the location he describes including the cathedral on the cover. I’m such a nerd.
Writing
In the videos on the website, Litfin says that he did a lot of research for the book which included how to write fiction and the writing reflects it. It isn’t bad but it isn’t polished yet. His writing is sufficient. He knows how to keep the episodes moving so that each time I put the book down I wanted to pick it back up. However, his dialogue was stilted and awkward at times. A few times it was groan-worthy. One of the things I remember hearing about fiction writing was “Show it, don’t say it.” In a few places, Litfin does both. It wasn’t a show stopper. I wasn’t so bothered by his writing there but I did wonder why his editor let that go.
Despite these few relatively minor irritations I thought the writing was capable and shows potential. His characters were mostly people you felt like you knew. The world he describes is one you believe (most of the time. Where’d the radiation go though?) Once again, it isn’t stellar writing but it is good, light, pop Christian fiction. Just the target he (and I) was aiming at.
Theology – There may be some spoilers here so beware!
Litfin teaches theology at Moody Bible Institute so I expected Dispensationalism but it isn’t there. This isn’t another version of Late Great Planet Earth or Left Behind (not that I expected it.) There is no theological ax to grind, at least not in this installment. Instead what Litfin explores is essentially this history of the Church. Early on the lead characters have no knowledge of God, only the false gods of Chiveis whom they’re not fond of. There is a nagging sense that there is a good God out there, if they only knew him. While those around them seem fine with these ugly gods, Teo and Ana want something more. When they find the Bible the last third of it is (conveniently) rotted and unreadable. Litfin here is exploring what it was like for the Church before the New Testament. What did they know about God? How did they approach God? I’m assuming that in future installments we’ll see them discover the New Testament and be blown away by Jesus coming and fulfilling all of what they knew. But that will is for a future volume.
I very much appreciated how God is present in the story. He isn’t a theory or idea but an “actor”. That is, he acts; he is active. But from a Christian perspective, how does Hebrews 1:1-3 apply in a world which has largely forgotten Christianity and has only recovered the Old Testament? Asked another way, will God reveal himself apart from Jesus Christ after the Incarnation? I knew what I thought and I was glad to see that Litfin seems to agree with me.
What is great is that Litfin does his theology without long-winded debates and discussions between stick-figure characters. The characters explore their new faith and grow in it. Yet, they seems to too quickly become “Christians” without Jesus. There is an animal sacrifice to atone for sin but there is much more discussion of God’s mercy for those who repent. That they got this from a few chapters of Genesis, Ruth and a couple of Psalms seems a bit of a stretch to me. And then the “house community” that formed seemed to be a church small group with a pastor (Maurice) was a bit too convenient for me. Add to this the “church split” and I felt like I was in a small, American, Protestant church!
Litfin briefly explored the issue of hermenutics. I think that’s a good idea but I didn’t feel the way Valant came to his opinion of how to read the Bible was “organic”. His was essentially Gnostic but it seemed to come out of nowhere basically. How did he get to that place? I didn’t feel like we went along on his ride. Also, the prevailing method of reading texts and mythology in Chiveis should have come in to play here. We always read and interpret texts according to our culture. I think Litfin was trying to tip his hat to Medieval Church struggles but this didn’t work well for me.
What was beautifully displayed again and again was grace and holiness. I appreciated that. Characters love and forgive because of Deu. Teo and Ana are repeatedly put into situations where, if this were a Hollywood movie or a TV show they’d have been naked in a minute. Our hero and heroine are clearly attracted to each other but both are noble and and behave honorably to each other. I liked that. Sex is present elsewhere in the story, but as is likely to happen in a godless world, it is misused. Teo and Ana maintain their purity in the midst of it all because God is an actor here.
Over all I’m glad I read the book and hope to make volume 2 next summer’s light read.
I have had thoughts for a review since about page 4 and I’ll write this under three heads: Storytelling, Writing, and Theology.
Storytelling
Litfin is a theology professor and this is his first foray into fiction. That said, the story is fairly well done. I never felt like the storyline got stuck though I did begin to wonder at one place if Litfin had forgotten one of the important subplots. No, he hadn’t and that was the point. We were supposed to feel that gap. It was a good tactic to keep you engaged emotionally with the story and the characters. The story line was good but it wasn’t great. Don’t expect C.S. Lewis here (and for the record, Litfin never pretends to be Lewis). While not compelling it was entertaining and engaging. I have found myself entering the world of Chiveis in my head and imagining other adventures. I even spent some time on Google Maps and found the location he describes including the cathedral on the cover. I’m such a nerd.
Writing
In the videos on the website, Litfin says that he did a lot of research for the book which included how to write fiction and the writing reflects it. It isn’t bad but it isn’t polished yet. His writing is sufficient. He knows how to keep the episodes moving so that each time I put the book down I wanted to pick it back up. However, his dialogue was stilted and awkward at times. A few times it was groan-worthy. One of the things I remember hearing about fiction writing was “Show it, don’t say it.” In a few places, Litfin does both. It wasn’t a show stopper. I wasn’t so bothered by his writing there but I did wonder why his editor let that go.
Despite these few relatively minor irritations I thought the writing was capable and shows potential. His characters were mostly people you felt like you knew. The world he describes is one you believe (most of the time. Where’d the radiation go though?) Once again, it isn’t stellar writing but it is good, light, pop Christian fiction. Just the target he (and I) was aiming at.
Theology – There may be some spoilers here so beware!
Litfin teaches theology at Moody Bible Institute so I expected Dispensationalism but it isn’t there. This isn’t another version of Late Great Planet Earth or Left Behind (not that I expected it.) There is no theological ax to grind, at least not in this installment. Instead what Litfin explores is essentially this history of the Church. Early on the lead characters have no knowledge of God, only the false gods of Chiveis whom they’re not fond of. There is a nagging sense that there is a good God out there, if they only knew him. While those around them seem fine with these ugly gods, Teo and Ana want something more. When they find the Bible the last third of it is (conveniently) rotted and unreadable. Litfin here is exploring what it was like for the Church before the New Testament. What did they know about God? How did they approach God? I’m assuming that in future installments we’ll see them discover the New Testament and be blown away by Jesus coming and fulfilling all of what they knew. But that will is for a future volume.
I very much appreciated how God is present in the story. He isn’t a theory or idea but an “actor”. That is, he acts; he is active. But from a Christian perspective, how does Hebrews 1:1-3 apply in a world which has largely forgotten Christianity and has only recovered the Old Testament? Asked another way, will God reveal himself apart from Jesus Christ after the Incarnation? I knew what I thought and I was glad to see that Litfin seems to agree with me.
What is great is that Litfin does his theology without long-winded debates and discussions between stick-figure characters. The characters explore their new faith and grow in it. Yet, they seems to too quickly become “Christians” without Jesus. There is an animal sacrifice to atone for sin but there is much more discussion of God’s mercy for those who repent. That they got this from a few chapters of Genesis, Ruth and a couple of Psalms seems a bit of a stretch to me. And then the “house community” that formed seemed to be a church small group with a pastor (Maurice) was a bit too convenient for me. Add to this the “church split” and I felt like I was in a small, American, Protestant church!
Litfin briefly explored the issue of hermenutics. I think that’s a good idea but I didn’t feel the way Valant came to his opinion of how to read the Bible was “organic”. His was essentially Gnostic but it seemed to come out of nowhere basically. How did he get to that place? I didn’t feel like we went along on his ride. Also, the prevailing method of reading texts and mythology in Chiveis should have come in to play here. We always read and interpret texts according to our culture. I think Litfin was trying to tip his hat to Medieval Church struggles but this didn’t work well for me.
What was beautifully displayed again and again was grace and holiness. I appreciated that. Characters love and forgive because of Deu. Teo and Ana are repeatedly put into situations where, if this were a Hollywood movie or a TV show they’d have been naked in a minute. Our hero and heroine are clearly attracted to each other but both are noble and and behave honorably to each other. I liked that. Sex is present elsewhere in the story, but as is likely to happen in a godless world, it is misused. Teo and Ana maintain their purity in the midst of it all because God is an actor here.
Over all I’m glad I read the book and hope to make volume 2 next summer’s light read.
November 4, 2017
Overall, this book has an intriguing premise and the follow-through does not disappoint. Though I don’t think or believe this scenario would ever come to pass, it is fun to speculate about a world that lost all reference to Christianity only to discover it again 400 years later.
As an aside, for the first half-ish of the book, I felt that the pacing was just off. But, things levelled out and got better as the book progressed.
I’d actually give this book 3.5⭐️, but I’ll round up (bonus 1/2 ⭐️).
As an aside, for the first half-ish of the book, I felt that the pacing was just off. But, things levelled out and got better as the book progressed.
I’d actually give this book 3.5⭐️, but I’ll round up (bonus 1/2 ⭐️).
June 18, 2022
I enjoyed this one! It was a little bit on the slow side, but in the end it was a good read. The characters were great, and they had amazing development as well.
I really appreciated the emphasis this book placed on God’s love and forgiveness. While there were a few elements that I was skeptical about, everything got resolved pretty nicely by the end of the book. I’m very intrigued to see what happens in the other two books in this trilogy.
I really appreciated the emphasis this book placed on God’s love and forgiveness. While there were a few elements that I was skeptical about, everything got resolved pretty nicely by the end of the book. I’m very intrigued to see what happens in the other two books in this trilogy.
October 30, 2018
Not my kind of book. Not sure how it was labeled as Christian unless it's because it fell into the Christian doctrine of Satan vs God. Outside of that for "Christian Fiction" it had a lot more violence than I was expecting.
June 11, 2020
Phenomenal book. I had heard from others who have read it that its one of their favorite series. I love how both the author treated theology responsibly and yet portrayed the feelings and struggles of the characters realistically. The story was not only entertained me, but ministered to me with the exaltation of God and His Word. I am looking forward to the second installment.
September 28, 2012
The premise: what if, 400 years after a global catastrophe wipes out civilization as we know it, some people find a Bible?
Unfortunately, the novel fails to address or even acknowledge many of the most pressing questions this set up raises. Granted, some of these issues may be held in reserve, to be explored in the subsequent two installments of the trilogy, but for the most part there's no hint that these things are even on the author's mind.
To wit: Why would the protagonists, upon discovering the sacred text of an extinct society, so readily decide that this religion is superior to their own? Why is it not a problem for them that the god that they've converted to following (before they've even read the book all the way through!) evidently allowed his cult, and his followers, and most of the world's population, to completely die out? This kind of negligence does not look good on a god's resume. And how are the new faithful of Deu so sure that the religions of their own society are corrupt? (The readers are treated to some behind-the-scenes glimpses that conveniently show that, yes, the religions of Chiveis are corrupt, but the members of the "house community" of the new/old religion have no way of knowing about these things.)
Moreover, in a scenario where any evidence at all survives of Western culture as we know it, how is it plausible that what is by far the most reproduced book in history, as well as all the books written about or inspired by that book, has managed to so thoroughly disappear? Oh, wait:
And how is it that, on the basis of maybe 20 pages' worth of the Old Testament, the followers of this new/old faith are able to extrapolate a body of religious practices, assumptions, and even vocabulary, that are so similar to the small group Bible studies of 20th century American evangelicalism?
The most interesting parts of the book come where it explores parallel situations with episodes from church history or the Bible, like the conflict between gnostics and proto-orthodox in the early church or the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. (The latter is actually kind of brilliant.)
On the whole, this feels like a novel published several drafts too soon. Fictional narrative is a very different art form than academic writing, and this offering lacks the character development and sophistication of plot that mark a mature practitioner of that art.
P.S. Memo to self: to keep blood pressure in check, it is probably best to avoid reading Christian fiction of dubious artistic merit immediately after reading a cultural history that highlights the ways that gender stereotypes shore up the patriarchal oppression of women. It's not like this book is any more sexist than any of the hundreds of thousands of other books that trade in tired tropes about beautiful, virtuous maidens; evil, conniving seductresses; and spiritually obtuse but noble warriors, it's just bothering me a lot more right now.
Unfortunately, the novel fails to address or even acknowledge many of the most pressing questions this set up raises. Granted, some of these issues may be held in reserve, to be explored in the subsequent two installments of the trilogy, but for the most part there's no hint that these things are even on the author's mind.
To wit: Why would the protagonists, upon discovering the sacred text of an extinct society, so readily decide that this religion is superior to their own? Why is it not a problem for them that the god that they've converted to following (before they've even read the book all the way through!) evidently allowed his cult, and his followers, and most of the world's population, to completely die out? This kind of negligence does not look good on a god's resume. And how are the new faithful of Deu so sure that the religions of their own society are corrupt? (The readers are treated to some behind-the-scenes glimpses that conveniently show that, yes, the religions of Chiveis are corrupt, but the members of the "house community" of the new/old religion have no way of knowing about these things.)
Moreover, in a scenario where any evidence at all survives of Western culture as we know it, how is it plausible that what is by far the most reproduced book in history, as well as all the books written about or inspired by that book, has managed to so thoroughly disappear? Oh, wait:
And how is it that, on the basis of maybe 20 pages' worth of the Old Testament, the followers of this new/old faith are able to extrapolate a body of religious practices, assumptions, and even vocabulary, that are so similar to the small group Bible studies of 20th century American evangelicalism?
The most interesting parts of the book come where it explores parallel situations with episodes from church history or the Bible, like the conflict between gnostics and proto-orthodox in the early church or the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. (The latter is actually kind of brilliant.)
On the whole, this feels like a novel published several drafts too soon. Fictional narrative is a very different art form than academic writing, and this offering lacks the character development and sophistication of plot that mark a mature practitioner of that art.
P.S. Memo to self: to keep blood pressure in check, it is probably best to avoid reading Christian fiction of dubious artistic merit immediately after reading a cultural history that highlights the ways that gender stereotypes shore up the patriarchal oppression of women. It's not like this book is any more sexist than any of the hundreds of thousands of other books that trade in tired tropes about beautiful, virtuous maidens; evil, conniving seductresses; and spiritually obtuse but noble warriors, it's just bothering me a lot more right now.
July 8, 2015
“Twenty-four-hundredth year after Jesus Christ, a strange situation had emerged. The world of cars and guns and computers had become, once more, a world of horses and swords and scrolls. History had been rewound and was playing itself out all over again.
In this ancient-future world, one particular people united themselves under a king and called their realm Chivels. The Chieisis also had their own religion: they worshiped four main gods under the guidance of a high priestess.”
Bryan M. Litfin creates a world four hundred years after a virus and nuclear war destroy it. It’s a fascinating look at a “what if” scenario - what if life as we’ve come to know it ends? Bryan’s characters gripped my heart and definitely made me think about God’s word in a whole new way. I was quickly drawn into this suspenseful narrative filled with action, adventure and a compelling storyline that kept me engaged and caring for the characters and their situation until the end.
Teo and Ana find a treasure, called the Sacred Writings. Teo has heard of these ancient writings and knows how to translate them into his tongue. These writings become a light that shines into the hearts and minds of the people he reads them to. God starts His work where two or more are gathered in His name. This is powerful stuff. God (who they call Deu) becomes more real to them than any of the four God’s they’ve grown up with. It's amazing and scary to them.
“Maurice Teo’s mentor says, 'Deu is the all-creator. He’s not a God to be manipulated by rituals and good deeds and token offerings. He makes the plans; your place is to heed them…Teo, I think you have to let Deu be the God He is, not the God you want Him to be.'”
Bryan shows the dark side of the high priestess, religion and how people get caught in the powers of darkness. The Sword is the first in a trilogy. Bryan concludes his book with you wanting to learn more about this colorful cast of characters and wondering about their next adventure. The sequel is scheduled to be released April 2011.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
In this ancient-future world, one particular people united themselves under a king and called their realm Chivels. The Chieisis also had their own religion: they worshiped four main gods under the guidance of a high priestess.”
Bryan M. Litfin creates a world four hundred years after a virus and nuclear war destroy it. It’s a fascinating look at a “what if” scenario - what if life as we’ve come to know it ends? Bryan’s characters gripped my heart and definitely made me think about God’s word in a whole new way. I was quickly drawn into this suspenseful narrative filled with action, adventure and a compelling storyline that kept me engaged and caring for the characters and their situation until the end.
Teo and Ana find a treasure, called the Sacred Writings. Teo has heard of these ancient writings and knows how to translate them into his tongue. These writings become a light that shines into the hearts and minds of the people he reads them to. God starts His work where two or more are gathered in His name. This is powerful stuff. God (who they call Deu) becomes more real to them than any of the four God’s they’ve grown up with. It's amazing and scary to them.
“Maurice Teo’s mentor says, 'Deu is the all-creator. He’s not a God to be manipulated by rituals and good deeds and token offerings. He makes the plans; your place is to heed them…Teo, I think you have to let Deu be the God He is, not the God you want Him to be.'”
Bryan shows the dark side of the high priestess, religion and how people get caught in the powers of darkness. The Sword is the first in a trilogy. Bryan concludes his book with you wanting to learn more about this colorful cast of characters and wondering about their next adventure. The sequel is scheduled to be released April 2011.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
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