The Bark of the Bog Owl

Austin Boyd mentioned in the comments of his tour, last month, "I believe that a novel can be the new tract of the 21st century." I completely agree. What a great way to start a serious discussion! The Bark of the Bog Owls sounds like an excellent book for this purpose. I haven't read it, but below are a few quotes from people who have. They can tell you more.

"Jonathan Rogers has put together a delightful, and sometimes whimsical tale, of Aidan Errolson, a young boy of twelve who dreams of one day becoming a knight-errant for the king...." Visit Mike Lynch's blog for the full review.

"... This initial installment in The Wilderking Trilogy is sure to capture the hearts of young and old, boys and girls alike. Written in the same fashion as The Lord of the Rings or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Bark of the Bog Owl, as the author says, will help 'direct a God-fearing boy’s sense of adventure and warrior spirit – his God-given wildness.'" Visit Grace Bridges' blog for the rest.

"... if you want your son to RESONATE ... with who his heart longs to be, give him The Bark of the Bog Owl to read...." Visit Valerie's blog to hear what she has to say.

Chris Dianne says, "...this would probably be a good book for a young person who is not necessarily Christian or Christiany; someone who could read a book with strong Christian overtones and not be offended...." Visit her blog to hear more.

Janey interviews Jonathan Rogers at her blog.

Below is the complete list of tour participants. Visit a few more if you're interested in the book.

Or, better yet, buy The Bark of the Bog Owl today!

Brandon Barr, Jim Black, Justin Boyer, Grace Bridges, Amy Browning, Jackie Castle, Valerie Comer, CSFF Blog Tour, D. G. D. Davidson, Chris Deanne, Janey DeMeo, Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream, Jeff Draper, April Erwin, Linda Gilmore, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Christopher Hopper, Becca Johnson, Jason Joyner, Karen, Dawn King, Mike Lynch, Rachel Marks, Karen McSpadden, Melissa Meeks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, Lyn Perry, Deena Peterson, Rachelle, Cheryl Russel, Ashley Rutherford, Hanna Sandvig, Chawna Schroeder, James Somers, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Donna Swanson, Daniel I. Weaver, Laura Williams, Timothy Wise

The Return - Austin Boyd

Wow! Saved by a poor night's sleep!

I planned to read my copy of Return, book three of Mars Hill Classified, for the tour this weekend and forgot.

...

But all is well because I couldn't sleep last night.

I only intended to read a few chapters while my allergy meds kicked in. Two hours later, I looked at the clock, gasped, and decided the rest of the story would have to wait. I confess--I hurried the kids through school so I could read through to the end.

Read this book!

Even though I have not read the prior two books, I still felt connected to the characters and understood the plot. I'm sure I'd have appreciated the character development more had I read them all. (Note to self: Read the rest of this series.)

I love the way Austin handles the faith of his characters, or the lack thereof. The presentation throughout the book felt natural. While there was a lot of spoken testimony, it was integrated well and had solid reason for existance beyond the author's desire to put in a moral message.

Of course, the modern fascination with aliens makes this book even more interesting. I love how Austin takes this into the political and religious spectrum and expands on how the current spiritual climate leaves the world open for .... well, I don't want to spoil the story for you.

And, for the ultimate praise one can offer a work of fiction: I found much to ponder during the reading of this book, and its testimony turns the eyes of the reader to Christ.

Links to other tour participants. I highlighted a few who did more than simply post a link and cover-copy.
Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges - An excellent review, with more details.
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer - What do the first few paragraphs tell you about The Return?
Karri Compton
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour - Visit here to join our tour.
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear - A progressive summary of impressions from the cover to the story.
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson - Review pending...
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Rachel Marks - A brief memory of meeting the author.
Karen McSpadden - Review pending...
Rebecca LuElla Miller - A series review. I assume book one will be reviewed tomorrow.
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte - A few spoilers and here's the link to John's Spoiler Free Review so you can avoid them if you want.
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson - A series review.
Rachelle - A series review.
Cheryl Russel
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Legend of the Firefish

I really wish I'd sought opportunity to read this book for a review. It sounds entertaining. As I haven't, all I can do is point you to the others below who are reviewing Legend of the Firefish and interviewing George Bryan Polivka on their blogs.

Also, submit a pirate tale to Harvest House's "Talk Like a Pirate" contest to win pirate books galore. Do read the rules first!

If I have time on this first week of homeschooling all three of my kiddoes, I will go through the blogs and highlight those that interest me most. If not, please forgive me for I have other things on my mind.

Trish Anderson, Brandon Barr, Wayne Thomas Batson, Jim Black, Justin Boyer, Grace Bridges, Amy Browning, Jackie Castle, Valerie Comer, Karri Compton, Frank Creed, Lisa Cromwell, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis, D. G. D. Davidson, Janey DeMeo, Merrie Destefano ,Jeff Draper ,April Erwin ,Linda Gilmore, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Russell Griffith, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Christopher Hopper, Jason Joyner, Kait, Karen, Dawn King, Tina Kulesa, Lost Genre Guild, Terri Main, Rachel Marks, Karen McSpadden, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve, Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Robin Parrish, Lyn Perry, Deena Peterson, Rachelle, Cheryl Russel, Chawna Schroeder, Mirtika Schultz, James Somers, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Jason Waguespac, Daniel I. Weaver

The Restorer - CSFF Blog Tour

(Edit: Further comments in response to another review are lower on the page. I adjusted the time settings so this post would remain at the top.)

When The Restorer arrived in my mailbox a couple weeks ago, it made my month. After reading The Secret Life of Becky Miller, I knew Sharon's newest book would be a keeper.

The evocative cover drew me to sit down and start right away, but the mail arrives just as dinner prep begins, so I didn't dare even read the first paragraph. It wasn't until the next evening that I felt free to open the cover and curl up, hoping the kids would stay in bed and no emergencies would erupt.

Not only does Sharon Hinck manage her words with economy, she makes her readers forget about lumpy cushions and a headache until the last page.

Susan is a character guaranteed to hold my attention. I completely understood her frustration as she tried to deal with children and daily life through a haze. That's me every day! I'm pretty sure a young teen or even *gasp!* a man would enjoy the book too, though. There's a whole lot more than an overwhelmed mom to keep the story going.

When a mysterious portal pulls Susan away from everyday modern life, she launches onto an adventure full of unexpected plot changes and complex characters. Each new page adds to the intricate tapestry of a world both unique and familiar.

As the best authors do, Sharon pulls the perils and joys of faith and growth to the fore, causing the reader to walk away with meaningful insights and perhaps a goal of seeking to improve their walk with God. Yet I never found the book preachy, a quality that would have caused me to skip--well--pages, then read back until I found where the story started up again. The lessons included in The Restorer are so subtly taught that they seep into the consciousness like a gentle, welcome rain. I love books that are deeper than their skins, so this suits me well.

Buy, borrow or seek a gift of The Restorer. Read it. Buy it for your friends. They will add it to their "I'm reading this again" list, too.

For more opinions on this book, see below.
Trish Anderson Brandon Barr Jim Black Justin Boyer Grace Bridges Amy Browning Jackie Castle Valerie Comer Karri Compton Frank Creed Lisa Cromwell CSFF Blog Tour Gene Curtis D. G. D. Davidson Chris Deanne Jeff Draper April Erwin Linda Gilmore Beth Goddard Marcus Goodyear Andrea Graham Russell Griffith Jill Hart Katie Hart Sherrie Hibbs Heather R. Hunt Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Kait Karen Dawn King Tina Kulesa Lost Genre Guild Rachel Marks Rebecca LuElla Miller Eve Nielsen John W. Otte John Ottinger Robin Parrish Rachelle Cheryl Russel Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder Mirtika Schultz Steve Trower Speculative Faith Jason Waguespac Daniel I. Weaver

My Initial Thoughts on a Negative Review - Spoiler alert.

Responding to a negative view is dangerous territory, but one of the reviews I read today forced me to think harder about why I liked The Restorer so much. I was going to respond in D. G. D. Davidson's blog comments, but I'm not good at stringent debate. However, I do think some of the issues brought up deserve to be thought through with a gentler point of view, and I'll let him know to come here if he wants to respond to this emotional response to a practical and concise review.

To begin, it seems to me that the readership of this book isn't geared to be those who avoid addressing life on an emotional/relational basis. We're all different, and while hard logic is useful, it also can damage the beauty of imagination. However, if I'm in technical difficulty, the first person I'll turn to is likely to be logical and unemotional.

With that said...

"Susan spends the first two thirds of the novel whining."

It's not merely whining, but rather a normal reaction of an average woman after having been snatched from her beloved family. Note, her love for them was never in doubt. People can become exhausted without losing commitment. Had there been no emotional feedback on this issue I can tell you, as a woman and mother, that Susan would have immediately fallen from grace in my sight as an "unnatural" parent and wife.

The fact is, women do get overwhelmed and lost in the midst of the modern worldview and expectations. We all, even men, need to take time to clear our goals before God and renew our commitment to Him. Susan's husband was on the right track in giving her a place to focus her eyes on God and remember she depends on Him. Not everyone learns to do this in the midst of day to day affairs. If it doesn't fit naturally, then scheduling the time and place is necessary.

"The worldbuilding in this book is unbelievably sloppy."

Hmmm... I will agree with you that the technology isn't explained in such a way that those with a merely scientific mindset will accept it. This is where suspension of disbelief sets in. Choosing to accept fantasy where science won't fit may not be for everyone. However, I certainly was able to enjoy the story despite these speculative forays into pseudo-science. Trying to force the science in any fantasy book to fit reality would destroy many a good read for me.

On the other hand, the interpersonal relationships in the book are both strong and realistic. There is more to world building than weapons, transport and government. In my mind, it is the relationships in any book, more than anything else, that draw a parallel to my life. I may have no access to heavy weapons and new dimensions, but relationships I can relate to.

Swords in a high-tech world? Well, it's been done before. Swords are cool and they also bring to mind Bible verses that suit the book. Why not? Maybe I'm better at suspending disbelief than I should be. I won't fight about that. For me, a miraculous sword simply illustrates the fact that God has not abandoned Susan even in a strange new world where very little fits her expected patterns. And if high-tech people want to fight with swords, more power to them! I can think of many ways it could be explained, the most basic being "tradition! Tradition!" (side foray into that classic theme song) Must everything be explained rationally in order to enjoy it?

Susan's fighting abilities seemed to me to be a "power" that depended more on trusting God than on her own personal ability. Again, this doesn't spoil the story for me. The plot depends less on her sword-wielding and more on her willingness to simply follow God in reaching out to the individuals around her. Oh, that more Christians would battle less and lovingly help those who come within their reach. After all, the Bible seems to indicate we will not win our battle against evil with embittered logic or warfare, but with service through love, demonstrating Christ to the world, even to our own detriment.

"Hinck uses [the Rhusicans] only for a religious allegory: she seems to be saying that talking to non-Christians is dangerous. Is that a good message?"

Perhaps I'm blind, but I didn't get this at all. The Rhusicans seemed to symbolize a self-focused, godless mind-set. That sort of thinking IS purely destructive. How does one personify sinful thinking? Sharon's effort was convincing. I hope to see, in further books, more about this group and how they become what they are. This wasn't the main focus of the plot, however, but rather a symptom of a larger problem. The unbelievers in her books were much harder to seperate out (just like real life?). Is it always so simple to tell people of generic faith-in-something from people who trust Christ for salvation?

"The religion of Lyric has no rituals, no sacrifices, no priest class, no ritual calendar, no artwork, no shrines. All it has is the 'Verses,' a set of carefully memorized scriptures, and the 'Records,' a shorter set of scriptures on tape, which the characters get together to recite from time to time."

First, there is ritual within the religion of Lyric, but its focus is in community and family meditation on the Verses and Records, not clerical ceremony and sacrifice.

Does there have to be ritual between us and God? Well, this is where so many people disagree. Does religion reside in ritual and visual identity and/or in relationship and core beliefs? This is a discussion that can be carried on with no reference to The Restorer at all.

The debate over whether it's okay to write a fantasy where Christ would have to come and die all over again seems to me to be just a little ... hair-splitting-like. Hopefully, the writers and readers of these books realise that these stories are told, not to "make God die again," but to illustrate how meaningful it is that He actually has done so!

Fiction isn't meant to BE REALITY. It is meant to highlight parts of reality so we can think on them more deeply. Romance highlights the relationship between a man and a woman, whether rightly or wrongly depends on both the writer and reader. Fantasy tends to highlight social, and religious issues, contrasting right against wrong based on the author's world-view and the reader's own perspective. I could go on, but you're right, that would be even more annoying than I already have been.

"There is no problem in the world Susan or the other characters can’t solve by either quoting scripture at it or giving a religious pep talk."

Well, tossing Scripture about like a cure-all can be trite. But when so many people of faith testify how God's Word reminded them of His faithfulness and changed their attitudes in a situation, then I'd say keeping God's Word in mind is a very useful help in battling evil.

Now, I'm not saying you toss random verses in and all goes calm. I'm saying appropriately applied Scripture is a weapon God uses to change us and our perception of the world, especially when we study and meditate upon it. What subtitute do we have available to us? What would you suggest in its place?

If you haven't seen it, you want to!

Hanna has speculatively redesigned The Sword Review, making it more accessible, visually appealing, and easy to read. I, for one, am hoping she will soon be asked to update the site for real! Go to her post to comment and debate.

Reviewing - The Sword Review

Theswordreview.com is a fascinating place to browse. Like any publication, what you find may or may not be to your taste. With such variety, however, you're sure to encounter an article, poem or story that interests you.

Take a look around in the archives. I found The Dragon Princess to be a poignant read. Though I'll confess I skipped the introductory scene-setting, in the end I appreciated the inclusion of a story-teller. While I rarely read short stories, I know I'd find more lures to follow if I pursued the search.

It seems hard to take this site, with no cohesive story line to speak of, and summarize it satisfactorily, so here is what they say about themselves.

We strive to provide quality fiction, poetry, valuable reviews, and meaningful exposition, all in a means that respects traditional values and Christian principles.

I think this is a purpose with which we of the blog tour will fully agree. To find out from the participants themselves, click the links below.

Brandon Barr, Jim Black, Amy Browning, Jackie Castle, Valerie Comer, Karri Compton, Frank Creed, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis, D. G. D. Davidson, Chris Deanne, April Erwin, Kameron M. Franklin, Linda Gilmore, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Russell Griffith, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Holly, Heather R. Hunt, Becca Johnson, Jason Joyner, Kait, Dawn King, Tina Kulesa, Lost Genre Guild, Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium, Terri Main, Rachel Marks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Robin Parrish, Cheryl Russel, Hanna Sandvig, Chawna Schroeder, Mirtika Schultz, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Jason Waguespac, Daniel I. Weaver

Return of the Guardian King - Blog Tour

Gene Curtis unveils a plot to push Karen Hancock’s Return of the Guardian-King to the top of Amazon's bestseller list.

Now, for a book that is already selling well like Karen Hancock’s Return of the Guardian King, encouraging people that are planning to buy the book anyway to buy it at a specific time in order to get the title onto Amazon’s bestseller list seems like a good strategy to help promote the genre.

Gene also lists other books by fellow CSFF Blog Tour members to round out your order, should you be so inclined.

Chris Deanne's interview with Karen Hancock gives us a glimpse of "how it all began".

Beth Goddard offers a contest at her blog.

Regarding the contest (of sorts) I'll choose one of the comments to win a free copy of any of Karen's books. (if they're not sold out)

Rebecca Grabill's review will make you run out and buy the whole series, if only to find out what she is being so mysterious about.

You will never forget the simply delicious new character, Draek Tiris. Handsome, eloquent, rich, and set to win Maddie. And to think he's - Uh oh! There I go. I can't tell you or it will ruin everything.

In her blog Shannon McNear posts another interview with Karen Hancock.

And to go to the source, visit Karen Hancock's blog. Karen is offering a drawing for a complete autographed set of Legends of the Guardian-King!

Nissa Annakindt Wayne Thomas Batson Jim Black Jackie Castle Valerie Comer Karri Compton Frank Creed CSFF Blog Tour Gene Curtis D. G. D. Davidson Chris Deanne Janey DeMeo April Erwin Kameron M. Franklin Linda Gilmore Beth Goddard Marcus Goodyear Rebecca Grabill Andrea Graham Katie Hart Jill Hart Sherrie Hibbs Sharon Hinck Christopher Hopper Heather R. Hunt Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Karen Dawn King Tina Kulesa Lost Genre Guild Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium Rachel Marks Rebecca LuElla Miller Shannon McNear Caleb Newell Nicole Eve Nielsen John W. Otte Robin Parrish Rachelle Cheryl Russel Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder Mirtika Schultz James Somers Tsaba House Authors Steve Trower Speculative Faith Daniel I. Weaver

Double Vision - A CSFF Blog Tour

Stop by In My Little World to hear what Randy has to say about his plans for 2007.

Visit Karri Compton for her review of Double Vision and get to know Randy by visiting Sharon and hearing about her experiences under his mentoring. Here, also, is Randy Ingermanson’s website.

April says, "I LOVED this book. It's kind of soft on SciFi, I might classify it more as a techno thriller with a little romance and humor thrown in for good measure, but however you classify it, do read it. Randy has an incredible talent. The techno parts were interesting and compelling and not the least bit dry. The characters are well rounded and fun." To experience Double Vision visit April's blog and sign up to win an autographed copy or click here to buy a copy from Amazon.

To learn what the rest of the tour has to say about this book visit the following links over the next three days.
Nissa Annakindt, Wayne Thomas Batson, Jim Black, Grace Bridges, Jackie Castle, Valerie Comer, Karri Compton, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis, D. G. D. Davidson, Janey DeMeo, Tessa Edwards, April Erwin, Kameron M. Franklin, Linda Gilmore, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Leathel Grody , Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Sharon Hinck, Christopher Hopper, Jason Joyner, Kait, Karen, Tina Kulesa, Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium, Rachel Marks, Shannon McNear, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Nicole, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Robin Parrish, Rachelle, Cheryl Russel, Hanna Sandvig, Mirtika Schultz, James Somers, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Daniel I. Weaver

Where the Map Ends part 2

Check out Kevin Lucia's blog, as he very aptly describes my own fascination with the "really, it could never happen so you're saying you want to read lies?" type book.

Sharon Hink has an interview with Jeff Gerke about his website, WhereTheMapEnds.com along with the chance for ye authors to win a fabulous prize.

Stop by and visit Mirathon, who also has an interview and a drawing to win.

There are more, many more. Click on the names in the post below to see who else has interesting contributions to this month's CSFF Blog Tour.

WhereTheMapEnds.com

CSFF Blog Tour feature:

Knowing the delightful character inherent in maps, the title of this site is, in itself, a great reason to visit. A map's end contains endless possibility. Imagine the fun of discovering what may be out there beyond the known world.

These days our eyes turn to the stars, the sea, and pure imagination for those map's-end moments. Modern humans also turn to the spiritual realm, for who understands all the mysteries of that which we cannot see. It's a wonderful place full of danger and incredible beauty. May there always be Christian authors and artists willing to step into that place and guide the path of the unwary toward truth and away from the world-ending chasm where God has been forsaken in favor of razor-edged glitter and bangles.

WhereTheMapEnds.com is a site dedicated to finding and promoting such authors. Check it out, if you dare.

Fellow tour members:
Nissa Annakindt
Jim Black
Grace Bridges
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D.G.D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
Tessa Edwards
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Katie Hart
Rachelle
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
K. D. Kragen
Tina Kulesa
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Timothy Wise

On blog tours and reviewing books

I'm enjoying the CSFF Blog Tours and support what they're doing, but confess I'm not sure I'm helping. I do one day of the tour mostly because I'm not sure what to post to fill three days (I dislike just copycatting other people's comments, it's so...not worth blogging about if I don't have my own opinion, eh?)

On the other hand, if I one day get published this is the exact sort of network I want available for grass-roots promotion. Having a group of like-minded people willing to not only read the book, but to comment and recommend it is way more than any new author can expect. Thus the dilemma. Do I regurgitate found sayings or blather in a doubtlessly ignorant manner?

This last time I received a copy of Trackers to be reviewed and found it well worth reading. I also discovered this whole reviewing books thing is harder than it looks. How on earth do people find pages of stuff to say without revealing the whole plot? I suppose if I were convinced that any of my blog's readers had any interest in what I think about books, it might be a little easier. *sigh* I don't think they are. (Are you?)

I'm thinking about moving the whole promoting books thing to my other blog, where I usually cover trivial things like the results of internet quizzes. I don't think it's trivial, but oh so overwhelmed am I. Anyhow, should any of you have thoughts on how I could manage the blog tour thing without sounding like a commercial, I'd be grateful for the input.

Kathryn Mackel's Trackers

Kathryn's post-apocalyptic world draws her readers into the classic battle of good vs. evil and her characters respond with a mix of faith, frustration and despair. She expertly crafts situations where the right answer isn't always clear and her characters battle through the doubts and triumphs every reader has experienced.

Trackers, the second book of The Birthright series delves into faith, love, wisdom and loyalty. Though fantasy by genre, the book strikes a very real chord and I found myself reflecting on what I learned about life from the characters, which marks a book as re-readable in my opinion.

Find your copy today. I recommend you start with book one, Outriders. *grin* I really need to go back and read it myself, as I had not yet gotten around to starting the series before receiving a copy of book two for this review. Now that I know what I was missing, I will soon remedy the situation.

Other CSFF blog tour members. Go to these sites to find out more about Trackers

Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hannah Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver

R. K. Mortenson's Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum

As I've never read Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum, I can't give a personal recommendation. However, Landon Snow sounds like a fascinating character, enough so that I expect to own these books soon. I will give as the reason that I'm always collecting books for my children, but the plain fact is, I'll be the one curled up on the couch reading them. *grin* Though I may actually read them to the kids, too.

Now, on to the blatantly copied review.

Landon Snow finds himself on a wild adventure at sea. When a huge, ark-like vessel emerges, Landon-and his sisters-join a quest to find the Island of Arcanum, where the animals of Wonderwood are imprisoned. With the help of his old friends-a horse named Melech, elfish valley folk, a girl named Ditty, and the poet/prophet Vates-Landon seeks to unlock the island's dark secrets and escape with the animals. But he must battle storms and the villainous Arcans-pirates who hoard animals as treasure. Will Landon ever make it back to Wonderwood alive?

About the Author
R.K. (RANDALL KENT) MORTENSON, author of the Landon Snow series, has been writing devotional and inspirational articles since 1995. His Landon Snow series is meaningful as well as entertaining and magical. Mortenson currently serves as pastor of a small town church in North Dakota where he lives with his wife and daughter. (Edited to reflect updates.)

Visit other CSFF Blog Tour members over the next three days. You'll most likely find some first-hand commentary.
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hannah Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver

Dragons Knights and Angels

An online publication geared to promoting Christian science-fiction and fantasy, Dragons, Knights, & Angels (DKA) is brim-full of entertaining stories and poems that are guaranteed to make you think deeper.

Visit DKA to discover new worlds or renew your sense of what may be behind the scenes of this one. Be prepared for insightful glimpses into faith, forgiveness and biblical values. If you're tired of the same old worldly nonsense constantly shoved at us through science-fiction and fantasy, this magazine will be the breath of fresh air you've been looking for.

(I joined CSFF Blog Tours, so expect posts like this about once a month to encourage readership of Christian science fiction and fantasy books or sites.)

Other Participants - who will post over the next three days
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Frank Creed
Christina Deanne
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at
Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith