Science Fiction & Fantasy Books - Page 4

Hood (The Raven King, Book 1)

Stephen R. Lawhead

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 65 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent reimagining 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent reimagining of the Robin Hood story. I really enjoyed the way that Cymry was used to show how the names would originate. It also makes a lot more sense why the Cymry would fight against the Norman invaders.

Editorial Review:

Robin Hood

The Legend Begins Anew

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now, the old familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him--for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

The Squire and the Scroll

Jennie Bishop

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Not Theologically Sound 1 out of 5 stars.
12 of 14 people found this review helpful.

While I appreciate the author's attempt to use allegory to encourage and assist parents in teaching that purity is important to their children, the author does not appear to have the theological skill of Lewis in writing allegory without unintentionally muddying the theological waters.

The representation of Christ as Aslan by CS Lewis is of a different nature than the angle of the Lantern that I see in the story line. In no way did Lewis ever compromise the nature of Christ. If in some way the Lantern is representing Christ, then He certainly doesn't need our protection - it's the opposite, we require His protection. If the Lantern is representing purity, then that is not something to be served...but something that serves us. (See the quotes I have pasted below pulled directly from the book "The Squire and the Scroll").

There is quite of bit of theological muddiness here - it's not as simple as if the Lantern represented Christ...which it can't, because we cannot have Christ stolen from us if we are believers. We dod not have to rescue Christ from the Dragon's lair, for Christ put all things under His feet. He is the victor. So if the Lantern represents Christ (as in a line quote below the Lantern shows the way), then what exactly is going on here? If we are talking about the Lantern representing Purity (which can and should be guarded), we have other issues.... Christ brings peace and joy, not being good. Christ should be honored as opposed to a quality (purity - see again the quoted lines below). The Pharisees honored "being good" (legalism) and were completely missing the mark. The story also talks about *obeying* the Lantern. If the Lantern is Christ, fine, He is honored by obeying the Scroll (Bible); however, if the Lantern is not Christ, but is Purity...then we are honoring "being good," which again, is like the Pharisees. (And in the story line, the characters are rescuing the Lantern which is then to be honored and served. Hmmmm).

So...is the Lantern representing Christ? If so, it's not being done as Lewis did with Aslan - instead, it becomes a idol with a tenuous hold on things that can easily be captured away (as in Old Testament idols). If it represents Purity, then is the idea of "being good brings peace and joy, shows the way, etc" the idea we want to bring across? Are we wanting to say that "acts of righteousness" will show the way?

Some quotes from the story:

It was this good man's charge to guard the Lantern of Purest Light, the lamp that brought peace and joy to his kingdom.

His kind parents were not people of great position, but they had clean hearts and honored the Lantern of Purest Light as the people of the kingdom did.
And the boy promised to honor his parents and the Lantern by living his life by the five truths in the scroll
.
and he honored the Lantern by obedience to the scroll in all that he did. The words of the scroll had seen him through many a temptation. But the knight did not remember the words of the scroll.
"For the Lantern and the scroll!" shouted the squire, and he plunged the sword into the dragon's body.

And when the travelers came to the tunnel, it was open, and the Lantern showed the way

"Because of his bravery and his devotion to the Lantern and to the scroll, he will have my daughter for a wife and rule my kingdom one day. For who better would guard the Lantern of Purest Light than one with a heart kept pure?"

A shout went up from the people, for they were in agreement with their king.
Beyond knighting the young squire, the king instituted a new order of protectors; the Knights of the Lantern. The knight who had trained the young squire became its captain. These men dedicated themselves to the words of the scroll and to the defense of the Lantern

And when the two were gifted with a son, the knight taught him from the scroll so that he would one day be ready to defend the kingdom and the Lantern.

Alittle yeast leavens the whole lump. I just can't help worrying about the murkiness of this, especially when teaching impressionable children is involved.

Editorial Review:

This captivating adventure follows a young squire who travels a long, dangerous road beside his brave knight, on a quest for their king. The action builds until the final face-off with the monstrous, evil dragon. Only then does the squire learn of the secret beyond the cave that ends in a joyous celebration for the entire kingdom.Children will gain valuable insight as they learn, along with the young squire, what it means to face the dangers of temptation, and what it takes to guard one's heart from all that is impure.

This Present Darkness

F Peretti

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 222 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Classic! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a religious fiction classic! The story is gripping (though a little slow to start), and a very interesting take on the unseen world around us.

Pretty Good 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is pretty good. The author has a very nice, readable style and good storytelling abilities. The book is somewhat long, but fast-paced. It would probably offend non-Christians (and even some Christians, for that matter) but if it is accepted as an entertaining work of fiction rather than a theological treatise to be analyzed, that shouldn't be too much of a big deal. Also, the book is "clean:" it's not full of profanity and perversion. However, the depictions of angels and demons are a little bit corny, for lack of a better word.

Brief summary: A big-city editor moves to a small town and begins to develop problems with his wife and college-aged daughter. He develops a close friendship with one of his reporters, whose sister died under mysterious circumstances. The two of them begin to discover that there is an evil occult-like conspiracy at work in their town. At the same time, the local pastor and his wife are discovering the same thing. These main characters get into all sorts of trouble while searching for the truth and trying to decide what to do about what they learn. In the end, of course, the good guys win. The reporter gets some closure and the editor reconciles with his wife and his daughter, who was nearly killed by the bad guys, and they all decide to develop a closer relationship with God, and all the demons are expelled.

DragonLight (Dragon Keepers Chronicles, Book 5)

Donita K. Paul

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The fantastic land of Amara is recovering from years of war inflicted on its citizens by outside forces–as well as from the spiritual apathy corroding the Amarans’ hearts. With Kale and her father serving as dragon keepers for Paladin, the dragon populace has exploded. It’s a peaceful, exciting time of rebuilding. And yet, an insidious, unseen evil lurks just beneath the surface of the idyllic countryside.

Truth has never been more important, nor so difficult to discern.

As Kale and her father are busy hatching, bonding, and releasing the younger generation of dragons as helpers throughout the kingdom, the light wizard has little time to develop her skills. Her husband, Sir Bardon–despite physical limitations resulting from his bout with the stakes disease–has become a leader, serving on the governing board under Paladin. When Kale and Bardon set aside their daily responsibilities to join meech dragons Regidor and Gilda on a quest to find a hidden meech colony, they encounter sinister forces. Their world is under attack by a secret enemy… can they overcome the ominous peril they can’t even see?

Prepare to experience breathtaking adventure and mind-blowing fantasy as never before in this dazzling, beautifully-crafted conclusion to Donita K. Paul’s popular DragonKeeper Chronicles fantasy series.

The Chronicles of Narnia

C.S. Lewis

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Total reviews: 132 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures, and epic battles between good and evil -- what more could any reader ask for in one book? The book that has it all is the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, written in 1949 by C. S. Lewis. But Lewis did not stop there. Six more books followed, and together they became known as The Chronicles of Narnia.

For the past fifty years, The Chronicles of Narnia have transcended the fantasy genre to become part of the canon of classic literature. Each of the seven books is a masterpiece, drawing the reader into a world where magic meets reality, and the result is a fictional world whose scope has fascinated generations.

This edition presents all seven books -- unabridged -- in one impressive volume. The books are presented here according to Lewis's preferred order, each chapter graced with an illustration by the original artist, Pauline Baynes. This edition also contains C. S. Lewis's essay "On Three Ways of Writing for Children," in which he explains precisely how the magic of Narnia and the realm of fantasy appeal not only to children but to discerning readers of all ages. Deceptively simple and direct, The Chronicles of Narnia continue to captivate fans with adventures, characters, and truths that speak to all readers, even fifty years after the books were first published.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Never Has the Magic Been So Real (Radio Theatre) [Full Cast Drama]

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 65 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Amazing Story Conveyed with Clarity 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Everyone loves the Chronicles of Narnia. Perhaps for the action. Perhaps for the intrigue. Perhaps for the meaning of the stories.

These audiobooks bring it alive. With complete voice casts and sound effects along with a beautiful musical score, this is the next best thing to living in Narnia.

Recommended for all age groups. As a teenager in high school, I started driving last year and I have enjoyed driving around with this set in the car.

Editorial Review:

These classic stories have enchanted millions around the world. Radio Theatre brings them to life in this dramatized audio production. Recorded in London with an all-star cast of England's brightest talent from the stage and screen, an original orchestral score, and cinema-quality digital sound design, this innovative recording provides hours of entertainment for the entire family. All seven stories are available in a single, redesigned slipcase or available individually, and both formats are marked at their lowest prices ever!

DragonSpell (Dragon Keepers Chronicles, Book 1)

Donita K. Paul

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 82 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This book is good!! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dragonspell was a good book. I would recommend it to everyone. If you like dragons or fantasy, you should read it.

Editorial Review:

One Dragon Egg Holds the Key to the Future.

Once a slave, Kale is given the unexpected opportunity to become a servant to Paladin. Yet this young girl has much to learn about the difference between slavery and service.

A Desperate Search Begins…

A small band of Paladin’s servants rescue Kale from danger but turn her from her destination: The Hall, where she was to be trained. Feeling afraid and unprepared, Kale embarks on a perilous quest to find the meech dragon egg stolen by the foul Wizard Risto. First, she and her comrades must find Wizard Fenworth. But their journey is threatened when a key member of the party is captured, leaving the remaining companions to find Fenworth, attempt an impossible rescue, and recover the egg whose true value they have not begun to suspect…

Weaving together memorable characters, daring adventure, and a core of eternal truth, Dragonspell is a finely crafted and welcome addition to the corpus of fantasy fiction.

The Last of the Nephilim (Oracles of Fire, Book 3)

Bryan Davis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Slower than the first two, but don't discount it on that fact! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Last of the Nephilim picks up right where Enoch's Ghost (Oracles of Fire) left off. Literally.

There's no getting around it this time. Bryan Davis writes in his author's note that readers are recommended to read the Dragons in Our Midst series and the previous two Oracles of Fire books first. Do it. You'll need them.

I mentioned in the title of the review that the book does move a bit more slowly than I'm used to from Bryan Davis. That's okay, though. It gives this wonderfully tense feeling of the roller coaster ratcheting up the chain lift. Then you get to the end, and the roller coaster has stopped looking over the edge of an enormous hill. That's Last of the Nephilim, but don't think of it as a bridge between two books. It's a great story, very worth the read. More deep characters who learn relevant lessons. One complaint: The next and final book doesn't come out 'til next year!

Editorial Review:

ncient evil invades the land of Second Eden, endangering
the existence of that alternate dimension as well as every soul
on Earth, and two teenagers have the only means to stop them

DragonFire (Dragon Keepers Chronicles, Book 4)

Donita K. Paul

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Three years of strife have passed since Kale and Bardon freed Paladin’s knights. Now, fiery dragons scorch their beautiful countryside as an evil husband-and-wife wizard duo battle one another for supremacy. The people of Amara just want to be left alone, hoping the conflict with disappear. But Paladin is dying, and Bardon and Kale–now married–must accept fateful assignments if their land is to survive. Will their efforts turn the tide against their adversaries?

They face a deadly threat–and a challenging choice.

Kale’s responsibility is to find, hatch, and train an army of dragons, and she tackles the daunting task–until she is shocked by a betrayal. As the Amaran countrymen seek escape, she must search for her husband, family, and friends while organizing an underground movement to weaken the enemy. But when the end draws near, Kale must choose between two dismal destinies.

Prepare to experience breathtaking adventure and mind-blowing fantasy as never before in this stunning addition to Donita K. Paul’s popular Dragon Keepers fantasy series.

Children of God (Ballantine Reader's Circle)

Mary Doria Russell

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Total reviews: 96 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Mary Doria Russell's debut novel, The Sparrow, took us on a journey to a distant planet and into the center of the human soul. A critically acclaimed bestseller, The Sparrow was chosen as one of Entertainment Weekly's Ten Best Books of the Year, a finalist for the Book-of-the-Month Club's First Fiction Prize and the winner of the James M. Tiptree Memorial Award. Now, in Children of God, Russell further establishes herself as one of the most innovative, entertaining and philosophically provocative novelists writing today.

The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the So-ciety of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future.

Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place.

Strikingly original, richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and humor, Chil-dren of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell's special literary magic.


From the Hardcover edition.