Dominion Trilogy, Part II

Title: Fearless

Series: Dominion Trilogy #2

Author: Robin Parrish

Genre: Supernatural Suspense

Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Fearless:

Grant Borrows awoke on the ground.

A sharp yelp roused him, and Grant was instantly aware of three things. First, he was flat on his back, staring into the black snout of an imposing bronze horse statue, which sneered down at him from above. Second, the sky behind the statue was a dismal gray while in his periphery he saw the vivid greenery of trees on all sides. Third, what startled him awake was that he was holding someone’s wrist.

Someone’s wrist that didn’t belong.

Rolling his neck to the left, Grant came face-to-face with a boy who couldn’t have been more than fifteen. Bright eyes offset shaggy blonde locks, which framed his oval face in a messy sort of way. A faded polo shirt was untucked over a pair of jeans that looked like their best days were long behind them.

“You are him!” the boy exclaimed, eyes as wide with wonder as they were with fear.

A superhero seeks out a secret society to stop his part in an ancient prophecy.

The Writing: The writing of Fearless is much like that of Relentless. The eclectic cast of characters grows larger, each character with very individual personalities, motivations, and goals, and the interactions between these characters create interesting—if not explosive—situations.

The plot remains fast-paced, without hardly any time to gain bearings. And even if you should put together where the story is going and what will happen, the twists and turns fly so thick that they make you question your own judgments.

The major flaw in Fearless, as in Relentless, is the tendency to head-hop from one character’s perspective to another’s within the same scene. Sometimes it’s not too noticeable, but at others it becomes a big distraction.

The Story: The unpredictability of Fearless makes for a great read—and for difficult analysis.

As in Relentless, we have an entertaining read that lacks any preachiness. But at what cost? Maybe nothing. Maybe much. It is hard to tell at this point.

Of course, like most second books of trilogies, the content of Fearless has taken a darker turn than the first book. Death and destruction prevails, but are necessary to the story.

However, the increasing depiction that the rings are evil being used for good amplifies my concerns whether this is a variation of white magic. On top of that, the ending is very unsettling. That’s not all bad, and I won’t offer extra details in fear of spoiling the end. However, Mr. Parrish has set up a difficult reconciliation between a reader’s sense of justice (good versus evil) and the desire for triumph.

Summary: The writing is excellent; the content raises concerns. It is my hope that Mr. Parrish will pull off a resolution that can satisfy all of the reader’s demands, not impossible with the writing prowess Mr. Parrish has already demonstrated. But until I can verify that with the final book, Merciless, I must currently recommend caution.

Rating: TBD

Still interested in Fearless? Order it here.

(Book 1 reviewed here and find book 3's review here.)

Starring Robin Parrish!

This month's Christian science-fiction and fantasy blog tour is featuring Robin Parrish and his latest release, Fearless.

Fearless is book two in Mr. Parrish's Dominion Trilogy, a story of supernatural suspense. I will be reviewing Fearless either tomorrow or Wednesday, at which time I invite you to stop back.

In the meantime, I encourage you to check out my standards for book reviews and the review for book one of the Dominion Trilogy, Relentless. Then hop over to Robin Parrish's blog or one of the many other bloggers for their take on Mr. Parrish and Fearless:

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, Merrie Destefano, Jeff Draper, April Erwin, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Russell Griffith, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Christopher Hopper, Jason Joyner, Karen, Dawn King, Tina Kulesa, Lost Genre Guild, Rachel Marks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Lyn Perry, Rachelle, Cheryl Russel, Hanna Sandvig, Mirtika Schultz, James Somers, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Jason Waguespac, and Daniel I. Weaver

The Spectrum Chronicles, Part I

Title: Light Weaver

Series: The Spectrum Chronicles #1

Author: Thomas Locke

Genre: YA (13-16) Alternate Reality/Allegory

Chapter 1 of Light Weaver:

Dan flung open the van door and slid inside on legs both wet and numb. He fumbled with the keys, then had to stop and blow on his hands before he could fit the right key into the starter. The motor ground slowly, as cold as he was. “Please,” Dan muttered. “Just this once, okay?”

Resentfully the motor grumbled into life. The heater threw out fitful breaths of stale air. The windshield wipers smeared great fat snowflakes into wet streaks across his vision. As far as Dan knew, the van had not been driven since the early summer. When he had been assigned the van three days ago, he had discovered a banana peel in the back, left long enough to have turned black and hard as coal. The van was old and cranky and should have been scrapped long ago. But somebody at the head office had decided it was fine for part-timers working the Christmas rush.

Dan checked his schedule of pickups and deliveries, using a pocket flashlight he had thought to bring along. The van’s own inside light had about as much power as a firefly. Even though it was barely past mid-afternoon, the day was already dimming, gray and sullen. Dan hit his turn signal and checked the flow of traffic as best he could through the steamed-up windows. He gunned the motor and drove off.

A car accident flings a college student into an alternate world where he is mistaken as a knight on a great quest to save the land.

The Writing: The writing in Light Weaver is okay. The plot is straight forward, even if a bit predictable, but the climax felt like a let-down—the protagonist achieved his goal too easily. The points of view are clearly defined, which is nice. The characters, though likeable, strike me as flat.

The strongest point of the writing is some of the dialogue and the delightful humor sprinkled throughout, especially as it is contained in a secondary character by the name of Napoleon.

The Story: Light Weaver is clearly marked and intended as an allegory, where everything in the in the alternate world carries a parallel in ours. This can make for some preachiness, but it is also considered the “safest” form of fantasy/sci-fi, since the biblical principles and spiritual aspect is especially clear.

Summary: A safe story with mediocre writing—it makes for an entertaining afternoon read that may or may not be worth your time.

Rating: 2.8 out of 5 stars

Still interested in Light Weaver? Click here.

(Click to see reviews for Book 2, Book 3, and Book 4.)

“Whatever is Right” Part I

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right…think about such things.” Philippians 4:8, NIV

It’s easy to think we understand this third standard, and the temptation is to plunge on to the next word. But do we really understand?

Imagine a driver who is trying to navigate an unfamiliar part of town. Beside him sits a friend, trying to give him directions. The driver asks, “Which way should I go?”

“Right,” says the friend.

“That way?”

“Right.” The stop light turns red. “Watch out!”

Brakes screech. “Phew. That was close. Are you all right?”

Suddenly, the word right seems much more complex, doesn’t it?

It would be easier, perhaps, if the translators of the NIV would have used this Greek word's more common definition of “righteous.” Now there’s a hazy, theological concept we rarely use beyond the church walls!

In reality, though, righteous has a pretty simple definition, if any word of theology can be called “simple.” Righteous merely refers to the conformity (or that which conforms) to the standards, will, and character of God.

Still sound imposing? Think of keeping the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule—that’s conformity to the standard of God. Or of giving thanks in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18)—that’s conformity to the will of God. And conformity to the character of God? Loving each other as Christ loved us (John 15:12) for God is love (I John 4:16).

Now righteous isn’t such a hard word to understand, is it? Of course, living it is a whole different matter…

Feet on the ground, head in the clouds,
Chawna Schroeder

In Mourning

Today I was supposed to continue the dissection of Philippians 4:8. But I have no heart for it, because today I’m in mourning: for the first time since I started writing seriously, about seven years ago, a secondary character I liked died.

I never intended for her to die, or I never would have allowed myself to become so attached to her. The plan in my mind called for her to accompany my main character all the way to the novel’s end. Maybe even find a boyfriend along the way.

Then she unexpectedly got hurt, and it became apparent that she was dying. That couldn’t be! She had other things to do! I quickly constructed a hundred scenarios where she does not die, or at the very least resurrects. An ally comes to the rescue. The wounds aren’t as bad as they first appear. A miracle of healing occurs. But nothing worked, and in the end she still died.

It’s not fair. That wasn’t the way the story was supposed to go. How could this happen?

Anyone who thinks writers control their characters is crazy.

Dominion Trilogy, Part I

Title: Relentless

Series: Dominion Trilogy #1

Author: Robin Parrish

Genre: Adult Supernatural Suspense

Chapter 1 of Relentless:

Los Angeles, California

Collin Boyd stepped off the Metro bus on his way to work, and across the street he saw himself strolling down the sidewalk.

A stubborn but warm February rain was pouring hard across the concrete canyons of downtown. His foot had landed ankle-deep in a drainage puddle, and his half-broken umbrella wasn’t extending as it should. But the umbrella, which had rarely seen use, quickly fell out of his hands and he no longer noticed the rain. His eyes were fixed, his head turning slowly to follow the other man down the opposite side of the street.

It wasn’t until someone shouted from behind that he finally got his legs moving again.

The man he watched with rapt attention weaved his way casually through the crowd, headed in the direction of Collin’s workplace. He wasn’t a man who merely resembled Collin. He was him. The same face, the same body, the same walk. He wore the clothes and raincoat Collin had put on that morning. He carried Collin’s briefcase.

A man unexpectedly switches bodies with another, acquiring supernatural abilities and blurring the lines of identity.

The Writing: Relentless is exactly what the title suggests—relentless. From the first sentence to the last, Mr. Parrish draws you further and further into the story until you are helplessly entangled, not that you want release. Okay, maybe some release is wanted, since breathing is rather desirable. But in short, Relentless implements a faster pace and higher tension than any other book I’ve reviewed thus far, and is probably faster and tenser than anything I’ve read this year.

And while the plot is the stronger point of this book, the characters are hardly a weak link. They aren’t perhaps the kind of characters you can’t help falling in love with, but they’re real, colorful, and three-dimensional—you could probably spot them on the street. More than that, you connect with the characters’ problems, even though on the surface it’s like nothing anyone has gone through, and you genuinely care what happens to them.

The one flaw of Relentless might be the point of view (POV). You enter the perspectives of many of the characters, who are numerous, and this can make it difficult to keep all the characters straight, although Mr. Parrish does an excellent job of helping the reader along. But the bigger concern is the head-hopping—seeing the action from one character’s POV with their thoughts about what’s going on and then switching in the next paragraph (within the same scene) to seeing everything from another character’s POV. This story is disorienting enough without trying to track whose eyes you’re seeing through.

The Story: Relentless is a story of gray areas, lacking the clear-cut good vs. evil that’s prevalent in these kinds of books. That isn’t all bad—that means there is no preachiness in this story whatsoever, and I could give this book to a non-Christian without hesitation.

However, this also makes the spiritual aspect very difficult to judge in accordance with Scripture or even according to personal boundaries. While I don’t think there is much to be concerned about as a whole, I feel slightly uneasy about the rings. In Relentless, the rings appear in coordination with the supernatural power and are implied to be evil, depending on how you interpret some of the passages. For me, using evil supernatural power for good approaches the dangerous concept of “white magic": using occult practices, power, and magic for “good” intentions.

Concerning other sensitive topics, there’s no explicit sex or swearing, although plenty of hacking and slashing. However, that last part seems necessary to the story.

Summary: Relentless strikes me a great book for guys, readable for teens up, and if I was writing this review solely based on the quality of the writing, I would recommend it highly, without reservation. However, the current blurred line between good and evil, combined with concerns over potential white magic concepts, causes me to hesitate. Therefore, I’m reserving final judgment until the 2008 release of the final book in the Dominion Trilogy, Merciless, when I might see how Mr. Parrish resolves some of these tensions. Until then, I’m recommending a cautious approach.

Rating: TBD

Still interested in Relentless? Click here to order today!

For more information concerning my standards and methods in forming a book reviews, check out my blog, "The Standard of Book Reviews."

(Book 2 reviewed here and book 3 reviewed here.)

Fantasy Four Tour

The Fantasy Four book tour starring four Christian fantasy authors has now commenced! It looks and sounds like they’re having a great time, and if you would like a fun taste of what a book tour is like, I greatly encourage you to jump over to their official website and check out their posts. Not only are they writing about their experiences both there and on their personal blogs (which you can link to from the official website) but you can also watch some humorous video clips of what they’re up to!

Once Upon a Time

Being a writer is not a state that one is born into. It is a journey, made of hundreds of steps taken one at a time. Sometimes those steps are little more than a baby’s faltering walk. Sometimes they are great strides of progress. Sometimes they are flying leaps off a cliff. But together they make the unique path each writer treads, more often by faith than by sight.

And like any journey, the writer’s path has a beginning: A nudge of encouragement by a teacher. A love of reading inspired by a parent. A two-by-four on the backside by God.

I too am on a journey, though it may be simpler and less dramatic than many others’ thus far. Likewise, that journey has a beginning, one that started with four simple words: Once upon a time…

Long before I started school, before I ever learned to read, I fell in love with stories, with the rhythm of words and the wings of imagination. How could I not? Many nights my dad would tuck my younger sister and me into bed and tell us a story. Not any old story from a book. No, my dad would make-up stories off the top of his head, using one object or character from each my sister and me. Stories about princesses and castles in far away lands; stories about unicorns and flying horses and treasure chests; stories about favorite stuffed animals and upside-down houses.

It didn’t matter what we tossed at Dad—and some days I spent a long time trying to come up with something to stump him. But often beginning with “once upon a time,” he would launch into adventures that would keep my sister and I giggling, always incorporating whatever was requested. It amazed me—still does—and Daddy’s bedtime stories took on the awe of the mystical and the magical.

However, there was one hitch. No matter how much my sister and I liked a story, it could never be told again. My dad simply couldn’t retain the story any longer than it took to tell it. Often he would only have the faintest idea what the story was about—a princess in a castle, a unicorn on an adventure.

Therefore, I determined my grand ambition in life by the age of five: I wanted to grow up to write Daddy’s stories down.

My first step had been taken.

“Whatever is Noble”

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble…think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

“Whatever is noble”—this is our second standard for fiction. Noble. A fascinating word that conjures many images. A firefighter pulling a child from a burning building. A businessman standing up to corporate corruption. A person with a high brow, determined jaw, and eyes staring into the distance, as if seeing something no one else can see.

Somewhat surprisingly, these images might not be so far off from the concept Paul was trying to convey. The Greek word semnos is a complex word with no clear parallel in English. But Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary says that semnos combines the concepts of gravity and dignity, concluding with this quote: “ ‘The word points to seriousness of purpose and to self-respect in conduct’ (Moule).”

So what does “noble” fiction look like? Can fiction be serious and dignified?

Yes, literary novels immediately coming to mind with their serious examination of the world. Does that mean genre fiction, with its intention to entertain and even make laugh, can’t be noble too?

By no means! Many works of genre fiction deal with very serious topics in a dignified manner, even if it’s in a faster-paced or more humorous way.

Think of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Can there be a more serious topic than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? And at all times C. S. Lewis maintains the greatest respect—dignity—for Aslan the Great Lion and therefore for Jesus Christ, whom he represents. Yet The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is hardly a great “literary” novel, as we commonly think of it—this story is a fantasy written to entertain children!

And the same thing goes for modern fiction, because every book centers around a theme—that is, a serious topic: The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck is a humorous mom-lit with serious themes about wanting to do big things for God. The Shadow and the Night by Chris Walley is a fast-paced futuristic novel about the depth of evil and God’s grace. Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins is a high-tension suspense about the power of God. All genre fiction. All entertaining. All covering serious topics with respect.

Now those are the marks of a noble novel.

Feet on the ground, head in the clouds,
Chawna Schroeder

The Standard of Book Reviews

During the CSFF blog tour a couple weeks ago, I read through various reviews of the featured book and was somewhat surprised by the huge array of opinions. At one point I even wondered if we had all read the same book.

Yes, I know book reviews—or reviews of any type—are subjective. But how can one book spark both praise and condemnation for the same passage?

I finally realized that each book review is different because each reviewer applies a different set of standards. One reviewer studies the craft of the writing. A second determines his opinion from the book’s theology, while a third likes or hates the story purely because of the emotional experience provided.

This ultimately leads me to ask, what are my standards for a “good book”?

So today, in lieu of a review, I thought I would provide five of my standards when judging a book:

1. Reading Habits: I enjoy fiction from many genres, from historical to science fiction to romance to thrillers. About the only genre I haven’t read is horror, because of an overactive imagination. But at the same time, I also favor science-fiction and fantasy, so though I try not to, the more mind-bending story will probably rank higher in my reviews.

In addition, I’ve enjoyed both CBA and ABA fiction. However, because I retain the stories unusually well, I tend to avoid books that may fill my mind with language or scenes I don’t want coming out in my own writing. So most of my reading is in the CBA market, and that becomes my primary point of comparison. So if I think something is original, I’m saying (unless stated otherwise) it’s unique within my current knowledge of CBA fiction.

2. Readership: The main group of people I hope to reach with this blog is conservative Christian parents and their young adults. Therefore, I slant my book reviews to cater to that group and consequently give extra weight to swearing, violence, sex/sexual innuendos, and magic—things that may not matter to a different reviewer.

I am also aware that many young adults read adult fiction. So I consider whether parents should worry about their teens reading this material. Therefore a well-written book with graphic violence or extensive swearing may rank lower in my reviews than a poorer-written book without those elements.

3. Faith: I am a born-again, conservative Evangelical Christian, if you want all the Christian jargon. More simply, I am someone who believes the Bible is completely true and is fully applicable to all aspects of life. Therefore I seek fiction that will build up that faith instead of supplanting ideas that clearly contradict it. Hence the second section I entitle “The Story.”

Yes, one of the main purposes of a story is to entertain—but at what cost? If that entertainment reinforces that which contradicts Scripture and could possibly hurt my own relationship with God should I absorb those principles into my life, is it worth it?

Not that occasionally reading a contrary story will hurt me. But because I seek to promote overall healthy fiction habits on this blog, what I consider theologically sound books will rate higher on my list than those that are not.

4. Occupation: Because I seek a career as a novelist, most of my training and higher education has been focused on creative writing. Therefore when I read, I read as a fellow craftsman. I take note of unusual tactics and the applications of the rules I’ve been taught, much in the way a landscaper might enjoy another’s garden or an architect would observe a house he is visiting—hence my first section, “The Writing.” I want to show what does and doesn’t work, why, and whether the virtues outweigh the flaws. One book may have character you fall in love with and a lousy plot. A second book may have an edge-of-your-seat plot and mediocre characters. Yet because of each book’s strong points, they may both be equally worth reading. Or not, depending.

5. Personal Taste: As much as I might wish otherwise, my personal taste can and does influence my reviews. So what am I especially fond of in a book?

• Something that challenges, encourages, or makes me stop and think, especially if it can make me laugh at the same time.

• Characters I connect with and pull for—so I have an extra-soft spot for underdog stories.

• Fast-paced plots—something that grabs me by the throat and won’t let go, thus providing me a small adrenaline rush.

• Happy endings—in a world where evil is so strong, I like being reminded the impossible is possible and there is a reason for hope.

• In short, I’m a very emotional person; I like stories that can challenge the mind, touch the heart, and tickle the funny bone, leaving me emotionally satisfied when I finish.

No one of these standards alone is enough for me to praise or condemn a book, which is why so many of my ratings fall between 2.5 and 4.5. Very few books are absolutely horrid or extremely excellent.

Of course, that could be just my opinion.

Feet on the ground, head in the clouds,

Chawna Schroeder

Fantasy Four Video

In a few days, four Christian fantasy writers--Sharon Hinck, Wayne Thomas Batson, Bryan Davis and Christopher Hopper--are headed up the East Coast for a book tour. Check out their cool Fantasy Four Video for more information and then head over to their website for their book trailers and other fun stuff.

“Whatever is True,” Part II

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true…think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Last week we looked at whether fiction can be “true”—that is, does it conform with reality? Our conclusion was yes, fiction of all genres can conform to reality, reflecting not only historical and scientific fact, but also the unchanging moral truth of Scripture (the depravity of man, evil leads to destructions, all actions carry consequences).

But since fiction of all types can be true, what is “untrue” fiction?

Think about the books that you’ve read and complained didn’t ring “true.” More than likely, you were complaining that story violated this principle of reality. Maybe the historical setting was inaccurate. Maybe the portrayal of a job didn’t reflect what that work is really like. Or perhaps the science was simply implausible.

So as long as writers do their research, they everything will be fine—right?

Not quite. We also have a built-in sense of moral truth (Romans 2:14-15) and consciously or unconsciously, we expect fiction to conform to that truth: We crave good to win over the end (just like in Revelation), and if it doesn’t, there had better be a very good reason why. We long for characters to change—but gradually and not overnight, unless there is a dramatic reason why. We expect most heroes to have flaws and most villains to have virtues—just like real people.

And that—even more than historical or scientific fact—is what makes a good story ring true.

Feet on the ground, head in the clouds,
Chawna Schroeder