Review: Dover Park by Bruce Fottler

Dover Park
By Bruce Fottler
On the eve of summer, a mysterious visitor turns up in a quiet, suburban town. The very existence of this enigmatic presence is a paradox, one that upends the idyllic lives of the Moreaus, a well-respected family of the community. Unsettling revelations are made surrounding a tragic accident that occurred many years ago, and routing out the truth threatens to tear the Moreaus apart. Was the drowning of a close friend in Dover Park an accident...or not?

This offering by Bruce Fottler concerns three related men and their families. Jim Moreau is a successful businessman working in R&D at a manufacturing concern, and his wife Sara and he have two boys, Kevin and Dylan, but long for a girl. That ship has sailed, as Sara recently underwent a hysterectomy.

Jim's brother Tom is a detective for a police department in a city nearby. Both Tom and Jim are somewhat dissatisfied with their jobs, and Jim is about to go into business with Andrew, their cousin, a plumber by trade.

Jim's world and plans are upset by the arrival of a girl who claims to be Jim's seventeen year old daughter Rachael, by a woman who drowned twenty-two years ago. She also claims that she's been living with Jim her entire life, and that his cousin Andrew murdered her mom and has spent the last twelve years in prison. But of course, none of that is possible. Or is it?

Rachael must be lying. The only other option is too incredible to believe - where Rachael is actually from another timeline, where the events she claims to have happened actually... did.

Jim and Tom work together to expose this girl for the hoax she must be, but each piece of evidence they examine makes her story more plausible. From the arrival of Rachael a couple chapters in until the unexpected ending, this book had me on the edge of my chair.

Content:
Violence: Minor.

Language: There are a few expletives in the book.

Sexual Content: Light. There is some sexual tension and innuendos passed back and forth among the men, and a reference to a possible incest attempt. PG.

Spiritual Content: Moderate. God is referenced as the reason why Rachael could have been transported across timelines to a better existence. Church is attended, but the faith of the main characters appears shallow and surface.

Bottom Line:
This book kept me up, and I finished the last half of it in one sitting. It's a page turner. I gave it five stars.


About the Author:
Since exiting a finance career in a world of cubicles, Bruce Fottler has been busy writing novels. His latest is the suspense thriller: "The Initiative: In Harm's Way (Book One)."

Bruce grew up in the Chicago suburbs and moved to the Boston area as a young teen. While seeking a career-track that mostly put him behind a desk, he dabbled in creative pursuits such as producing, writing, and directing film shorts. However, it was always writing novels that interested him the most because they aren't limited by production budgets, technical capabilities, or tight shooting schedules.

Bruce has three other published novels: "Chasing Redemption" (Sci-fi thriller), "Dover Park" (Mystery), and "Paladin's Odyssey" (Post-apocalyptic thriller).

You can visit his Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/BruceFottlerAuthor

Review: Don Lamplighter 3 - The Green Gauntlet

Don Lamplighter 3 - The Green Gauntlet
By D. M. Lichterman

"Green Gauntlet" continues the saga of Christian freelance journalist Don Lamplighter as he faces off against a Satanic cult bent on global domination. This time all Lamplighter wants to do is enjoy the week before Christmas with his wife until a robbery, riot and mass shooting get in the way. What will Lamplighter need to do to put the pieces together in time to have a Merry Christmas for his family and the towns in which he works?

Don Lamplighter is a lovable Christian freelance journalist who works part time at the Walmart in the Seasonal section, and part time as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army. He is a large bear of a man, who walks with a cane and is driven everywhere by his doting wife and others in his life.

In this book, he runs up against his old archenemy Absalom, the leader of a local Satanic cult, and a new enemy named Jacob Glass, a diminutive meth addict who is supporting his habit by robbing the Salvation Army buckets around town. He tags Lamplighter as his own personal enemy and vows to take him out, creating a pair of vicious green work gloves with tacks glued across them to take out his nemesis.

This was my first foray into the Lamplighter series. I found Don Lamplighter to be a very likable, positive influence on the communities he frequents. The way he calmly handled the robbery at the beginning of the story drew me in, but his daily activities didn't keep me going. The story dragged for me until I got to the boring town meeting, which was suddenly interrupted by a tragic mass murder.

From that moment on, I was invested in the story to the exciting conclusion.

Content:
Violence: 
Quite a bit, actually. Some of it a bit graphic, especially when the mass murder occurs and a scene or two when Glass attacks kindly Salvation Army bellringers with his evil gloves. None of it is gratuitous, though.

Language:
The meth addict drops a couple expletives in the course of the work, but I would label the language as mild.

Sexual Content:
There are several parties thrown by Absalom and his cohorts which involve prostitutes. However, there is no actual sexual content in the novel. One of Absalom's top people is a Madame, and she mentions having some designs on Lamplighter.

Spiritual Content:
Every morning and evening, Don and Gloria, his wife, have a devotional. Key verses in the readings are applied to Don's harrowing scrapes. Don spends much of his time singing Christmas carols and wishing everyone around him a Merry Christmas. It's obvious he's trying desperately to spread the love of Christ and stay in the spirit of the season. However, the burdens of the mass slaying, the robberies, the riots, and the plot to fleece and take over the world wear down on him, and he becomes greatly discouraged. His wife and others around him encourage him. People in this book have to deal with death, crime, and senseless violence. It is unclear whether good prevails, though for the most part the bad guys 'get theirs'.

Bottom Line:
Mass murder, muggings, robberies, large-scale riots, and elaborate setups abound in this adventure, with several plot twists to keep you guessing. Lamplighter and Absalom were pretty well developed characters, although Glass was sidelined to more comedy relief, even though the title indicated he would be the main villain. Because of some pacing issues I had to give this a lower score than I would have liked. I found the story intriguing, the characters believable, and some of the situations humorous. Three stars.

*I received an electronic copy of this novel for an honest review.

About the Author:
Dean M. Lichterman is the author of the Don Lamplighter series, a pre-apocalyptic thriller series starring lovable Don Lichterman, a freelance journalist reporting on and fighting crime in an era poised on the brink of Revelation.

Review: Tales Of Vantoria 3 - Dungeon of Illusion

Tales Of Vantoria 3 - Dungeon Of Illusion
By Robert J A Gilbert



The city of Samsara beckons like a shimmering beacon of splendor high in the mountains of Peace. Upon arriving, however, Wenchel and his friends find themselves in the most undiplomatic of situations. Embroiled in a civil war, the city is anything but the safe and scenic waypoint for their next adventure.

Rescued from a half-mechanical komodo and his army of drone soldiers, the companions soon find themselves joined by Captain Grolit, a short-tempered rifleman, and Jeremy, an unfortunate boy caught in the middle of the fighting. Racing through the city toward a fateful meeting with the one woman who offers hope of escaping the enveloping turmoil and intrigue, our companions discover that nothing is as it seems in the city of splendor and illusion. Can Wenchel and his friends find their way to safety before a power-hungry tyrant closes his grasp over the entire city?

This third book in the series is not a disappointment as Gilbert again unpacks some timeless truths using adventure and fantasy. Individuals deal with grief of death, the value of friendship, responsibility for others, and keeping up appearances vs. admitting you were wrong. 

The Dungeon of Illusion clearly depicts the dungeon we place ourselves in, when we try to put up walls and false fronts to make others think we are ok, when inside we are hurting and broken. The most poignant depiction of this Illusion is the city itself. Samsara in some respects resembles the human heart, white-washed and shining on the outside, but inside, full of turmoil and struggle. 

Content:
Violence:
This city is at war with itself. There are many battles, mostly against an army of robots and their cyborg komodo leader. Quite a few people die in it, but it's not described and there is no gratuitous harm to people.

Language:
Clean.

Adult Content:
None, really. There's a few scenes where a kiss is exchanged.

Christian content:
Truth seems to be the main theme of this book. Other themes that show up throughout are friendship, self-sacrifice, and taking responsibility for others' welfare. Not much scripture is employed but the valuable moral lessons in the novel are well-communicated.

Final analysis:

From the unexpected arrest on the first page to the exciting conclusion, this book is a non-stop run-for-your-life adventure with twists along the way to keep you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed it and gave it five stars.

About the Author:

I am a storyteller at heart.

I inherited it from my father who has told stories for as long as I can remember. His stories of his own youth, his travels, and his adventures in Africa as a bush pilot were as inspiring as they were fascinating.

At this time, I am a writer by hobby. I also design board and card games, write songs, and dabble in a few other creative mediums as well. My biggest love is teaching, and it is through teaching that I have discovered the art of fables, parables, and morality tales.  You can read many of these on my blog page.

I hope that you find my work interesting and enjoyable. Most of all, I hope that you come away from my writing with more than a smile—I hope you come away with a better understanding of the real messages I aim to convey.

Review: Lines In The Gravel by Al Ainsworth

Lines In The Gravel
By Al Ainsworth



Note: On SmashWords, the author has discounted his book until April 1 if you use the coupon code LK87S

Lines in the Gravel is an engaging, often humorous, series of snapshots about Al Ainsworth's experiences growing up in Star, Mississippi. It is one story-told by a collection of stories-of family and faith that transcends his own experience to connect with others who seek to perpetuate their own values through the stories they tell...and re-tell.


Lines in the Gravel might appear at first to be simply a nostalgic collection of the author's childhood memories. However, the author teaches that "Nostalgia reaches into the past with both hands to grasp something that is gone and likely never will be again. Legacy, on the other hand, reaches into the past with one hand to grasp what is teachable and passes it forward with the other hand to the next generation."


As clearly defined in the subtitle, 'and 52 other re-told childhood tales', this book is a collection of glimpses into the author's life as a kid growing up in Star, MS, back in the 60's and 70's, a town small enough to handle directions like 'take THE Road to THE Big Road, turn Left and head to THE Highway.'

His godly parents and competitive siblings made for a very interesting childhood, where gardens grow Chicken and Dumplings and terra-cotta planters get decorated with designer duct tape. Pranks and tricks abound, and nobody at all seems to go by their given name. 


Content:
Violence: There is mention of a family pet that chased cars and catches one. There is suspicion that the accident is really a murder perpetrated by another family pet. But no arrests have been made.

Language: backwoods. Seriously, I do not recall any swear words in the work, but there was a significant proliferation of odd name calling. :-)

Sexual Content: Nope. 

Spiritual content: Every story in this collection has a reference to living right, coping with loss, dealing with family, and other life lessons. But there's not a lot of scripture, and the book is not at all 'preachy'.

Bottom Line:

Al's collection of family tales contain some honest humor and Godly wisdom. He unpacks many of the stories from his growing years with candid honesty and humor that will get you grinning and thinking time after time. I gave it Five Stars.

About The Author


I tell stories with ingrained values. I began with a collection of my own childhood stories. Called Lines in the Gravel, the book's stories collectively tell a bigger story, that story is a primary vehicle in passing our values from one generation to the next.

Stories from the Roller Coaster was my second book. It tells the story of how God changed the plans I had for my own life over and over again...and how He shaped me through those changes.


I am currently working on a series of sports books, the Coach Dave series. Centered around a new young coach in a town set in its baseball ways, the Coach Dave books help youth baseball players, parents, and coaches find the values that sports can teach...if we will intention to find them. 

Review: The Juncture by Bruce Fottler

The Juncture
By Bruce Fottler

In the aftermath of a freak accident, a miraculous event brings Gary Olstrom back to an obscure day in his past; a key juncture in time that he never suspected held any importance. Disoriented and frustrated, he learns that he has only hours to stop something from happening that will irreparably damage the future of everyone he knows and loves.

At the outset of the book, it's quite obvious that Gary's wife has some premonition that someone she knows and loves is going to have a tragic accident. Not only can she do nothing about it, she can't tell him, either, because it will affect the outcome, which will affect the past, which will affect the present, which will... Oh, my head hurts from Time Fracture. I agree with Janeway (Star Trek Voyager) that time travel should be avoided at all times. (grin). Unless you are in a Tardis. (Bigger grin).

Right after this glimpse into her precognition, we are in Gary's shoes, walking through a normal day in the world of Corporate Finance, with an abrupt and abnormal interruption. On this rain-soaked day, while traveling to lunch with his pastor, Gary witnesses a tragic accident that leaves three teens trapped in a vehicle on a railroad crossing. 

Gary and a truck driver stop to help, and as they do, as 'luck' would have it, a train is on its way. Gary helps all three teens get to safety before the vehicle is struck by the train, but while he is getting out of the way, the flying car hits him. He has a moment where the EMT's are working on him, trying to keep him alive, and suddenly he wakes up in the past, on what seems a random day in 1981, his senior year in high school. (Coincidence, this is also my senior year in high school).

He spends the rest of this day at school, trying to determine why God has placed him back in this particular day, and what it is he's supposed to accomplish.

Content:
Violence: The only violence in this book was caused by a train. It was not graphic, but I am empathetic, so felt the pain.

Language: Moderate. Gary's friend John is not a Christian, and his language is fairly strong. There are 5-10 cuss words in the whole book, I believe, and the F-bomb is never used, nor is God's name taken in vain.

Sexual Content: Light. There is no sex in the book, although there are a few hints of parties where drinking and possible making out will occur. Girls in school are discussed in the book a few times, as teen boys will do.

Spiritual Content: Moderate. God is acknowledged by Gary as the author of his trip back in time, and asks multiple times what his purpose is back there. What it is he is supposed to learn or change. He deals with the grief of believing he is dead, or will be, when his purpose is accomplished in the past.

Bottom Line:
I thoroughly enjoyed The Juncture. I found it a well-written, gripping read, and could not put the book down from about halfway through until the end. It wasn't what I would call a thriller, but it kept this reader's attention, and taught well the lesson that we should treasure each moment, and remember to speak life into those around us. I gave it five stars.


About the Author:
Since exiting a finance career in a world of cubicles, Bruce Fottler has been busy writing novels. His latest is the suspense thriller: "The Initiative: In Harm's Way (Book One)."

Bruce grew up in the Chicago suburbs and moved to the Boston area as a young teen. While seeking a career-track that mostly put him behind a desk, he dabbled in creative pursuits such as producing, writing, and directing film shorts. However, it was always writing novels that interested him the most because they aren't limited by production budgets, technical capabilities, or tight shooting schedules.

Bruce has three other published novels: "Chasing Redemption" (Sci-fi thriller), "Dover Park" (Mystery), and "Paladin's Odyssey" (Post-apocalyptic thriller).

You can visit his Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/BruceFottlerAuthor

Review: Rise of the Magi by Randy Blackwell

Rise of the Magi
by Randy Blackwell

Heavily laced with Christian allegory, the Rise of the Magi is a fast paced adventure involving an alliance of the most unlikely friends-

Myles a famous con man whose abilities rival those of Houdini and Dillinger, Omar, a world renown scientist and inventor bent on saving his sister, Sebastian, a strange alien believer from the world of Soterian, and Kasey, an assassin that we meet halfway through the book.

Myles and Omar jump through portals on different continents and end up in a world of mazes and tunnels, thrust together and trying to survive. But with their combined resources and abilities they quickly overcome every obstacle, and form the Order of the Magi.


I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced adventure, through multiple worlds populated by all kinds of fantastic creatures and enemies from demons and giant spiders to creatures like fairies. The amazing cover art by Jin Kim didn't detract from the experience in the slightest.

I finished the last third of this book in one sitting, I found it too gripping to put down. That ran very late into the night. I don't know how I'm going to get back that sleep you lost me, Randy. 5 Stars.

Content:
Language: none
Violence:
Torture is mentioned but never described, there are many battle scenes and mostly creatures die. A planet of zombies is mentioned but we never go there.
Sexual Content: Some kissing.
Spiritual Content: Rich and threaded well into the story.


About the Author:

Randy Blackwell used to run roleplaying games before coming to faith in Christ. Now he spends his time spinning tales for Christ, running his media business, and loving on his wife, Vanessa, and their four kids. He lives and works in Knoxville, TN.

He is the author of the Forgotten Portals series starting with Rise of the Magi which just came out at the end of 2012.

His books include Rise of the Magi (this one), Deep Flux (Book two of the Forgotten Portals series), and Soterion, an official Roleplaying Game Book for the fantasy world Soterion in the Forgotten Portals series.

He is working with a Director on a screenplay for an upcoming movie based upon his series.

Review: Buying Time by Roland Mann

Buying Time

By Roland Mann

 

If you had a chance to re-do part of your life, would you? Even if it meant dying earlier?

That’s the decision Tom Morgan and Larry Pace must make when they are approached by a time traveling time salesman. Complete opposites, both men are drawn to the idea for the same reason: to save someone’s life. But is that even possible? Can the past be changed? Add to that the problem that it’s very addictive, like a dangerous drug. Each trip back in time shortens life.

Here's a snippet of the plot, and my take on the book:
The lives of two men, Tom and Larry, become entangled through a tragic accident that takes Larry's wife and hospitalizes Tom's best friend, Mike.

Tom, a down-on-his-luck journalist, is in some ways responsible for the accident, and feels an overwhelming burden of guilt and an overpowering feeling of worthlessness. His fascination with Mr. Potter's hateful words spoken to George Bailey in Its a Wonderful Life, "You're worth more dead than alive", borders on mania, and is his mantra.

Larry is a devout Christian professor and newly published author, a father of two daughters who help him to struggle through the grieving process. Surrounded by Christian friends and a loving family, he is coping with his loss.

At the funeral, a stranger comes up to him and asks if he wouldn't like to spend more time with his wife. He offers to send Larry back in time and give him a chance to hold her again, and tell her goodbye. He leaves Larry with a business card and a generous helping of confusion.

This stranger is also the person Tom was headed to interview. Big Ben, as the stranger calls himself, offers to send Tom back in time as well. He warns that the time he takes in the past will be deducted from the end of his life, meaning that he will die sooner. 

Tom doesn't particularly care; he is teetering on the edge of suicide anyway. Tom goes back in time, attempting to change the past to keep the dreadful accident from occurring. But his efforts, though they change the past, do not circumvent the tragedy.

Later, Larry takes Big Ben up on his offer, going back to the past in an attempt to save his wife Gracie. But changing the past is like turning a battleship with a rowboat; the tragic day plays out similarly, with only small things altered.

The book picks up pace as Tom and Larry meet, and attempt to go back in time together in a concerted effort to keep the accident from happening and save Larry's wife.

From the time the two men meet right up to the end of the book, it was a page-turner I couldn't put down. 

Liberally salted with sincere Christian characters, the book is an honest look at death, the power of prayer, and God's sovereignty over our appointed times. 

Content:

Violence:

Almost none, only a tragic accident and its ramifications, repeated over and over.

Language: None.

Sexual Content: 

Nothing to report, only husband and wife wake up in bed together. 

Spiritual Content:

Right and wrong are pretty clearly defined, depression and God's grace are discussed. Providence, God's sovereignty and letting go are covered well.

All in all, I gave it 4 out of 5.

About the Author:

Roland Mann is a writer, editor, speaker, and professor. As writer, he is best known for his work on Cat & Mouse, a comic which ran for nearly two years, garnered critical acclaim and led Roland to other work. Other titles Roland wrote include Rocket Ranger, Miss Fury, Planet of the Apes: Blood of the Apes, Krey and Demon's Tails. As editor, Roland is best known for his time as a Malibu/Marvel Comics editor where he edited The Protectors line of comics and many Ultraverse titles. Roland also served as Editor and Publisher of Silverline, a line of independent comics that included such titles as Switchblade and The Scary Book. 

Roland earned an MFA in Writing from Spalding University, a MA in English from the University of North Alabama, and a BS in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In addition to his work in comics, Roland has been a newspaper editor and an advertising flunky, but more recently he has taught English at the university level. He is also a frequent speaker at writing workshops/conferences where many find his sessions encouraging. Roland's first novel, Buying Time, was published in 2010 as were his graphic novel adaptations of the classic novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Roland currently teaches Creative Writing at Full Sail University and lives in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife BJ, daughter Brittany, and son Brett, where he is busy working on his next project. Updated information can be found on his website www.rolandmann.me where he also occasionally blogs.

Review: Tales of the Dim Knight by Adam and Andrea Graham

Tales of the Dim Knight 

by Adam and Andrea Graham.

Here's the author's blurb:

Mild-mannered janitor and superhero fanboy Dave Johnson gets all his wishes at once when a symbiotic alien gives him supernatural powers. But what's he to do with them? Follow his zany adventures as he fights crime and corruption while trying to keep his family together and avoid being sued for copyright infringement. 

My Take:

From Captain America to TMNT, almost every superhero I've ever heard of is paid some homage in this adventure.

I sat down to read this book one cold day in December and practically couldn't put it down. My family wondered what I was giggling about. It's just because the superhero lover in me was taking out baddies along with Dave.

Dave Johnson is a likeable dim-witted janitor who never grew up. He still packs his lunch in an X-Men lunchbox and plays with action figures with his two boys.

His marriage is on the rocks but he can't see it, so lost is he in his comicbook world.

But when an alien artifact shows up in the secret FBI warehouse he keeps clean, he accidentally bonds with it and becomes the superhero Powerhouse, a squeaky clean 

rocket-propelled image of his boyish fantasies. 

As Powerhouse, he fights petty criminals, drug lords, even jay-walkers in his efforts to keep the streets clean. But when the criminals fight dirty, Powerhouse is too clean to handle the mess. So he invents a darker superhero, the Emerald Avenger, to fight back. 

Dave plays both parts, Powerhouse, and the Emerald Avenger, well. That is, until the criminals hire the Emerald Avenger to eliminate Powerhouse!

How will the hero(es) get out of this jam? Tune in next week...

Oh, wait, it's a book review, not a comic book series...

Ahem. Where was I?

Oh, yes. I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the pages of comic book land, where good vanquishes evil and there are also the timeless subjects of redemption and self-sacrifice.

While this reads like a kids book at the outset, there are a few things in it that some parents might consider, like drug use and human trafficking.

For my part, I would let my teens read this in a heartbeat.

However, if you are concerned you might check out what the authors say about the subject.

Speaking of the authors, I think they did a fantastic job of joining comic book action with a solid Christian message. Here's a picture of them.

All in all, I found Tales of the Dim Knight to be a well-written fast-paced action adventure with a timeless message worth reading.

Click HERE to find out where you can buy it!

Review: And the Beat Goes On by Tracy Krauss

And The Beat Goes On
By Tracy Krauss

And the Beat Goes on is an entertaining and thought-provoking Romantic Suspense story about Mark Graham, Canadian archaeologist investigating a temple burial ground in Zimbabwe.

What he discovers there rocks his world and sets up a chain of events that threaten his reputation, his world view, even his life.

While this edgy Christian novel started a bit slow for an adventure nut like me, it quickly became a white-knuckle thriller with well-handled romance. I read the last half of the book in one sitting, unable to put it down.

I've made this journey myself, not as an archaeologist, but coming from being an evolution-supporter to a Creationist during my college years. The academic world does have quite a bit of the rejection felt in this book to Intelligent Design and the idea of Creation.

Content:
Violence:
Human sacrifice is hinted at and there are several attempts on the characters' lives, as the antagonists attempt to silence or discredit the main characters.

Language: Fairly clean.

Sexual Content:
This is somewhat of a romantic novel, there is at least one scene involving extramarital sex, or rather, shortly after. Beyond that, there are a few conversations revolving around romances or old flames.

Spiritual Content:
One of the main characters struggles with their faith and coming to terms with the evidences the archaeological digs uncover, another comes to faith during the course of the book. Creation vs. Evolution is a clear main point of the book, and it is handled well.

Bottom Line: 
This book was relatively well-written, fast paced and thrilling. I gave it 5 stars.

About the Author:

Tracy Krauss is an author, artist, and playwright. Her novels strikes a chord with readers looking for gritty yet thought provoking faith based fiction - no sugar coating added. It's romance with a twist of suspense and a touch of humor - fiction on the edge without crossing the line.
 As a playwright she has written and produced numerous stage plays which have been performed throughout North America. Several of them appear here on Amazon, but for the full list, visit her website. She has also contributed to several anthologies, devotional books and has one illustrated children's book.
 Tracy grew up in small town Saskatchewan, Canada, and received her Bachelor of Education Degree in Saskatoon with majors in Art, English and History. She has lived in many interesting places in the far north, some of them north of the 60th parallel. She is a full time High School teacher of Art, Drama, English and History and is currently working on several novels and stage plays. She resides with her husband in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Review: Tales of Vantoria 2 - The Lucky and the Strong by Robert J. A. Gilbert

Tales of Vantoria 2 - The Lucky and the Strong
By Robert J. A. Gilbert

Mary is a pixie with a penchant for getting into trouble. Her complete dependence on God to get her out of scrapes would be commendable if not for her constant habit of getting into them. But when she steps through a portal into another dimension, she discovers that God has a plan for her, and part of that might mean doing some of the 'heavy lifting' for a change.

Gilbert's sequel to The Sarian's Sword delivers a fast-paced entertaining adventure, populated by the characters from the previous book, but revolving more around Mary and Renaud. Once again, villages are being burned and Wenchell and his friends are out to find out why, when Mary pops through a dimension door and bumps into them. Renaud spends much effort as God's Agent trying to save Mary from her own risk-taking.

Content:
Violence:
As in The Sarian's Sword, violence is expected and delivered, and much of the story contains battles, but not in the least graphic or gratuitous.

Language: clean

Adult content: none, really, as before. There are a few embraces and kisses exchanged, a touch of romance, but clean and not gratuitous, G rated. (Even Belle and Beast kissed at the end of Beauty and the Beast.)

Christian content:
The center of this book, as in The Sarian's Sword, concerns Dependence on God or Self, at the two extremes. Renaud is from the dimension of War, and has been trained to be the one everyone else must depend upon. He looks to no one else, even God, for help, and expects that God has equipped him to handle anything God throws at him. Mary, from Jantz, depends entirely on God, and assumes God will never throw anything at her that God won't handle on His own, and therefore usually doesn't think before she acts.

Bottom line:
I did not find Mary very likeable through the first portion of this book, as I am more from 'War' than 'Jantz', but I expected that both she and Renaud would have an epiphany somewhere in the middle, and I was not disappointed. The book is well-written, fast paced, and an entertaining read with a good thought-provoking moral lesson.

About the Author:

I am a storyteller at heart.

I inherited it from my father who has told stories for as long as I can remember. His stories of his own youth, his travels, and his adventures in Africa as a bush pilot were as inspiring as they were fascinating.

At this time, I am a writer by hobby. I also design board and card games, write songs, and dabble in a few other creative mediums as well. My biggest love is teaching, and it is through teaching that I have discovered the art of fables, parables, and morality tales.  You can read many of these on my blog page.

I hope that you find my work interesting and enjoyable. Most of all, I hope that you come away from my writing with more than a smile—I hope you come away with a better understanding of the real messages I aim to convey.

Review - Tales of Vantoria I - The Sarian's Sword by Robert J. A. Gilbert

Tales of Vantoria I - The Sarian's sword
By Robert J. A. Gilbert

Wenchell is a young bible college student who discovers an ornately decorated leather bound bible in a dusty back room of his college. An ancient map and note in the bible lead him through a portal into another dimension, where flying cars, high tech computers, dragons and wizards are common.

Along with four companions from wildly different worlds, he immediately is thrust into an investigation to determine how certain villages in the Region of Peace are being burned to the ground. Little do they know that God is directing their steps along an altogether different path...

Gilbert has masterfully crafted a fast-paced, humorous tale of adventure and faith, set in Shift, a world where all other dimensions intersect, similar in function but vastly different in character to that in the CS Lewis Narnia series.

Content:
Violence:
Well, it's a tale about a sword, so expect some fighting. But it's not gratuitous or graphically described. Swords intermix with plasma rifles and flaming arrows for interesting battles as the characters fight to survive while unraveling the mystery.

Language:
Clean.

Adult Content:
None, really. There's a few scenes where a kiss is exchanged.

Christian content:
Faith is a predominant feature in this well-written adventure. Some of the characters have their faith challenged as the story progresses, but they are set back on track by the 'Guy with the Bible'. One of my favorite exchanges in this book is:
"I'm just a guy with a... with a Bible."... "Perhaps, in God's plan, the guy with the Bible is needed most of all."

Final analysis:
This is a well-written, entertaining novel with a solid clean faith foundation. I highly recommend it. I'm off to book 2. How about you?


About the Author:

I am a storyteller at heart.

I inherited it from my father who has told stories for as long as I can remember. His stories of his own youth, his travels, and his adventures in Africa as a bush pilot were as inspiring as they were fascinating.

At this time, I am a writer by hobby. I also design board and card games, write songs, and dabble in a few other creative mediums as well. My biggest love is teaching, and it is through teaching that I have discovered the art of fables, parables, and morality tales.  You can read many of these on my blog page.

I hope that you find my work interesting and enjoyable. Most of all, I hope that you come away from my writing with more than a smile—I hope you come away with a better understanding of the real messages I aim to convey.