Rating Change for Book Reviews

I am finding it difficult to provide a book review rating that accurately reflects my thoughts. Sometimes a book worth reading may be only moderately good in both content and craft. Or sometimes it may be great in craft, but not in content. Or vice versa. So from now on I will split the rating into three sections, much like the review itself.

The first rating will provide the writing’s quality at a glance. Zero will equal poor quality, one to two will be moderate, three to four good, and five excellent. The second rating will work off a similar scale, this time applied to the content: hazardous, caution advised, safe, and edifying. Both of these will used in whole-number increments.

The third rating will remain much the same as in the past. It will reflect my opinion whether this book overall is worth reading. This may or may not be a combination of the previous two ratings.

On My Bookshelf

Some for writing, some for fun, all for reading, in no particular order:

Beyond the Summerland by L. B. Graham
A Bride Most Begrudging by Deanne Gist
Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Revision & Self-Editing by James Scott Bell
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Infinite Day by Chris Walley
The Fisherman’s Lady by George MacDonald, edited by Michael Phillips
Outcasts of Skagaray by Andrew Clarke
Many, many writing magazines…

Personal Limitations: Your World

Storyworld: A writing term referring to the world in which characters live, work, play, and move about.

Storyworld can be small-town America, first century Jerusalem, or a galaxy far, far away. It encompasses everything from geography to politics to economics to culture to a location’s history. In short, storyworld is any time or place to which the imagination can take you, one of the main pillars of good writing.

Why is storyworld so important? Because, quite simply, everyone lives somewhere—even if it’s in a vaccum, like astronauts and dust bunnies—and that somewhere affects who you are. This is true for fictional characters, and it is true for real people.

So during the next couple weeks we will consider our “storyworld”—specifically location and occupation—and its influence on our limitations in fiction.

The Dragon Keeper Part 5: DragonLight

Title: DragonLight

Series: The Dragon Keeper Chronicles #5 (final book)

Author: Donita K. Paul

Genre: YA (10-14) Fantasy

Excerpt from “Castle Passages,” Chapter 1 of DragonLight:

Kale wrinkled her nose at the dank air drifting up from the stone staircase. Below, utter darkness created a formidable barrier.

Toopka stood close to her knee. Sparks skittered across the doneel child’s furry hand where she clasped the flowing, soft material of Kale’s wizard robe. Kale frowned down at her ward. The little doneel spent too much time attached to her skirts to be captivated by the light show. Instead, Toopka glowered into the forbidding corridor. “What’s down there?”

Kale sighed. “I’m not sure.”

“Is it the dungeon?”

“I don’t think we have a dungeon.”

Toopka furrowed her brow in confusion. “Don’t you know? It’s your castle.”

“A castle built by committee.” Kale’s face grimaced at the memory of weeks of creative chaos. She put her hand on Tooka’s soft head.

The doneel dragged her gaze away from the stairway, tilted her head back, and frowned at her guardian. “What’s ‘by committee’?”

“You remember, don’t you? It was just five years ago.”

“I remember the wizards coming and the pretty tents in the meadow.” Toopka pursed her lips. “And shouting. I remember shouting.”

“They were shouting because no one was listening. Twenty-one wizards come for the castle raising. Each had their own idea about what we needed. So they each constructed their fragment of the castle structure according to their whims.”

The dragon keeper and her friends search for the lost meech dragon colony.

The Writing: DragonLight is by far the best book of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles. The characters, old friends and new, evoke many smiles and giggles. The plot, while not fast-paced, steadily reels you in deeper and deeper. There are several detours, which have little to do with the main plot, and yet they contribute tension in their own way.

The climax was an interesting mix. In many ways it broke the rules, such as the protagonist’s lack of participation in resolving the main problem. Yet somehow Ms. Paul made it work, bringing satisfaction to the reader.

Unfortunately, the epilogue spoiled some of that satisfaction, which in a final book of a series is disappointing. I’m unsure how to explain it, but the focus and cadence of the final page and a half were out of sync with the rest of the story.

But that is a fairly minor issue, and the lovable characters and rib-tickling humor go a long way in making amends for it.

The Story: DragonLight is filled from cover to cover with lessons and themes, which weave seamlessly into the story for the most part. (The exception would be the end of the epilogue, which becomes a little preachy. Another reason the ending may not feel right to me.) The problems of jealousy and competitiveness, the need for contentment, and how God uses the unexpected are especially strong themes in this story.

As with the other books, wizardry plays a strong part in the story. I personally have no problem with it, for as Ms. Paul pointed out in yesterday’s interview, the wizardry is limited by what is already created, much as are scientists and artists. However, those who have strong personal limitations in this arena (whether from location, background, or other reasons) need to be aware this element is integral to the plot.

Summary: Unless you have strong personal limitations concerning magic/wizardry, DragonLight is a fun read for all ages that will make you giggle while providing content worth chewing on.

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Unfamiliar with the Dragon Keeper Chronicles? Check out DragonSpell and the subsequent books here.

Five Questions for Donita K. Paul

Chawna: I've really enjoyed reading the Dragon Keeper series, and they have taken a permanent position on my keeper shelf, mainly because I love all your characters. How did you come up with such an amazing array and how did you keep them straight?

Donita K. Paul: Every time I go out in public I see characters that are dying to be put in a book. The challenge is limiting the number of characters to write about. Keeping them straight is tricky. I usually check back in the books, and I just started using a notebook, which is doomed to failure. Organization is not my strongpoint.

Of course, dragons of all kinds make up a large part of this colorful cast. Is there a specific reason you settled on dragons out of all the traditional mythological creatures?

I like dragons. My dragons are cute or stunningly beautiful. Other mythological creatures didn't capture my attention in the same way. And I realized certain standard fantasy types had a strong tradition I could not break.

Another large part of this story is magic and wizardry, which can make some Christians a little leery. Why did you choose to include that and did anything specifically guide your decisions on how you used it?

First, I don't think of my books as delving into the magical arts. The word "wizard" comes from "wizened," and in its original use, way back in the days people spoke Anglo-Saxon, it was a respectful term for an older person who had great knowledge gained by experience and study.

My wizards command the elements of nature that God has created. They do without equipment what a scientist would do with lasers and electromagnetic generators, or even what a housewife might do with a washing machine or a microwave. The reason they are wizards is that they understand, down to the molecular structure, God's creation.

Secondly, this is fiction, and I don't expect people to take my fiction literally. Talking bears, such as Paddington and Pooh, don't bring down scathing rebukes of magic. If a parent is concerned about the child's perception of what is real and what is not, then that parent ought to seize the opportunity to teach. Parents, read books with your children.

I noticed the Dragon Keeper Chronicles have many strong Christian themes weaving through it. How has writing this series impacted your faith?

Any time you write you have to explore the basis and foundation of your faith. It is very strengthening.

Sadly, DragonLight is the final.book in the Dragon Keeper Chronicles, but as the end note indicates, you have a new series in works. Can you tell me a little more about that?

I am in the middle of writing my next book. It takes place in the same world as Amara, although on a different continent. The protagonist is an emerlindian girl named Tipper. The plot focuses on a quest for lost treasures. There are many new characters, but I had the privilege of bringing back some old friends.

Finally, what is one question you've never been asked but wished you had been, and what is the answer?

How many Ballpark pickles can you eat at one time? Two. Someday someone is actually going to ask me that question and I'll have to come up with another.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Any final comments you'd like to add?

God has blessed me with the best job in the world.

I couldn’t agree more!

CSFF Tour: Starring Donita K. Paul!

This month it is my honor and delight to announce that Donita K. Paul and her YA novel, DragonLight, are in the spotlight for the Christian Science-Fiction and Fantasy (CSFF) Tour!

I discovered the first book of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles, DragonSpell, soon after its publication in 2004. The plot wasn’t the greatest I’ve ever encountered, but the characters captivated me. How can you not like a dragon that faints at the smallest sign of trouble? Or a bumbling, grumpy wizard with a heart of gold? Or a grumbling librarian whom I suspect loves questing despite all his protests?

Since then, I have grabbed each new book as soon as I could afford it, and it has been fun to watch the author grow as a writer alongside the personal growth of the characters.

This tour specifically focuses on the last book of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles, DragonLight. But the finale of series couldn’t be without the books that come before, so you might want to check out my review of DragonSpell and the subsequent books. Then jump over to Ms. Paul’s website with her plethora of fun stuff from photo galleries to fan fiction to stuff for writers and readers. Also stop by some of the other tour bloggers (listed below), and finally come back during the next couple days for my review of DragonLight and an interview with Ms. Paul about wizardry, dragons, and…pickles?

Brandon Barr, Justin Boyer, Jackie Castle, Valerie Comer, Karri Compton, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis,
Stacey Dale, D. G. D. Davidson, Jeff Draper, April Erwin, Karina Fabian, Beth Goddard , Mark Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Todd Michael Greene, Katie Hart, Christopher Hopper, Joleen Howell, Jason Joyner, Carol Keen, Magma, Terri Main, Margaret, Shannon McNear, Melissa Meeks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, John W. Otte, Deena Peterson, Steve Rice, Cheryl Russel, Ashley Rutherford, James Somers, Robert Treskillard, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, and Laura Williams

The Stronger Faith

It is easiest to trust God during the good times.

Over and over I have heard this and a couple days ago I read it again. But is it true?

For while it’s easy to say I trust God is the good times, do I do it? Finances are in the black. My family gets along with no major conflict and everyone is healthy. Work progresses smoothly, with that big promotion in sight. Every dream is on the verge on being fulfilled and my life is perfect. What is left to drive me to depend on Him?

Then wham! Disaster strikes.

Disease cripples the body. Job lay-offs come. Ends are barely meeting. Conflict confronts me at every turn, and my self-sufficiency dissolves. I try to fix the problem, change my lifestyle, or land a better job, but nothing helps. I work harder, drive myself farther, push deeper for solutions—only to make things worse.

Then I rail against God, screaming, “How? How could You do this to me! Everything was going well. Why did You let this happen?” Disillusion sets in. Yet why do I blame God? He did not fail me. My crutch did.

Now I am driven to my knees, weak and helpless—and finally aware of it. Where else can I turn? Only God holds the answers.

Trembling I step forward into the darkness of the unknown, without my crutch, dependent on the belief that what God says is true simply because He says it is.

And isn’t that the mark of real faith—whether in good times or bad?

Personal Limitations: The Blogger’s Responsibility

Last week, Mark Goodyear commented on the blogger’s responsibility in light of the current series on mentors. After all, as bloggers we have little idea and no control over who reads our words. How are we to talk about anything without causing another to stumble?

There is no easy answer. I wish there were. However, I know this: We who are teachers will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). We are and will be held responsible.

So where does my responsibility end and the reader’s begin? It’s not clear, and I don’t think it was ever intended to be. If a definable line existed, we would point fingers, blame others, and grow lax in our own vigilance.

Rather, we are given a simple admonition: speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 1 Peter 3:15-17).

Not very practical, is it? We want some rules, something we can apply right now in a visible way. But this is the foundation we must start with.

(For more thoughts on this, check out the comment section of Mentors Part 2, and then stay tune to this blog. I’m planning any additional in-depth post on this, if all goes well, during my upcoming series on responsibility.)

Oracles of Fire, Part 3: Last of the Nephilim

Title: Last of the Nephilim

Series: Oracles of Fire #3

Author: Bryan Davis

Genre: YA (10-14) Technological Fantasy

Excerpt from “Prologue” of Last of the Nephilim:

“Mardon, I know you don’t enjoy being dead, but you must come to grips with reality.”

From her seat on a flat rock, the lithe woman leaned over a stone table, the only furniture amid a collection of oddly shaped boulders draped by a black sky. Her movements troubled the red flame of a pewter-gray candle embedded in a hardened splash of wax on the table’s surface.

Laying her hands over the intertwined fingers of the man sitting opposite her, she spoke with a breathy and ominous voice. “If you try to follow your giants to Second Eden, you will be swept into the Lake of Fire where you will burn with your father forever. Dead souls such as yourself cannot survive outside of Hades.”

As the woman’s long hair fell over his hands, Mardon caressed the ends between his thumb and finger but kept his eyes focused on a rope to his left, both ends of which had been tied to iron stakes, separated by perhaps twenty feet. The golden rope shimmered, quavering as if gently plucked by an invisible finger. A soft hum emanated and drifted to his ears in a warbling vibrato. It was a song of victory. It had taken him centuries to pull the two worlds together, and now a rope te thickness of a broom handle kept them in place. A huge man, one of Mardon’s Nephilim, stood near one of the stakes, his muscular arms folded over his chest, one hand gripping an axe that rested on his shoulder.

“In order to carry out our plans, you must stay on Earth,” she continues. “Because of your successful merging of Earth and Hades, no one there will even realize that you’re dead.”

Corruptions threatens a second Eden, and the Oracles, humans, and former dragons must band together to fight it.

The Writing: Mr. Davis has turned in another solid performance with Last of the Nephilim. Each time I start to think that these stories cannot be any more imaginative, another plot twist or fascinating premise surfaces. And all the while, the delightful blend of modern technology and fantasy realms is carefully balanced.

These, along with the intricate plotting, comprises this book’s—indeed, the entire series’—greatest strengths, creating a memorable and thrilling adventure.

However, characters remain the short-fall. The points-of-view are well delineated, the switches clear, and the cast diverse. Nonetheless, there is still a slight disconnect from the characters. You cheer for them. You cringe when they make a mistake. But they fail to reach (at least for me) that deepest heart place where fear, agony, tears, and laughter spring from.

Also, Last of the Nephilim brings together almost the entire cast of the previous six books. I didn’t have any problem with this. However, if you aren’t well acquainted with each character and their basic history or if it’s been awhile since you’ve read the books, this large cast could be confusing and overwhelming.

Finally, I found all the secrecy about Bonnie and her wings a big distracting and annoying. But other than that, I only have one other problem: I have to wait another year before the final book releases! Ack.

The Story: A classic good-versus-evil tale, Last of the Nephilim has almost as many themes as characters. The surrender of gifts. Patient endurance. Forgiveness. The destructive nature of the smallest sin and the doors it opens for greater evil. Sacrifice. Mercy. Repentance. The gifts of God. The list could go on and on.

As for other side notes, know that violence, war, and even death thread in and out of the story, as is typical of most good-versus-evil stories. However, it is well-handled, with few graphic details to plague the memory.

Summary: A fast-past, sword-swinging adventure best describes Last of the Nephilim. It is flawless? No, but the virtues outweighs the vices, providing a good read for readers 10 and up.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Interested in the whole series? Check out the reviews for book one and two, as well as the sister series, Dragons in Our Midst.

To order, click here.

The Stats of a Novel’s First Draft

I’m done. Finally. I completed the first draft of my 4th novel on July 3, 2008, at 9:55 p.m. It took:

6 months to write—2 months of planning and false starts, and 4 months to write the actual first draft.

11 pages of planning and plotting and re-plotting (at least 5 different plot outlines were created), most of which was thrown out during the writing.

2 false starts, totaling 42 handwritten pages (I handwrite my first drafts—I seem to think better with a pen in hand.) Only 10-14 of those pages were useable.

167 handwritten pages on college-ruled notebook paper, usually covering the sheets edge to edge. And that number doesn’t include chapters 1 and 2, which were pulled from the false starts.

27 chapter breaks, with at least 2 major plot holes that will require I write several new chapters during the first revision.

22 margin notes for plot lines, additions, subtractions, and dialogue I don’t want to forget in later revisions.

2 daily alternating colors of ink—black and red—showing the average day’s work of 2-3 pages.

1 character u-turn and 1 villainous plot twist (who says authors control their characters?) that completely destroyed any plotting I attempted.

More impromptu brainstorms than I can remember, much less count, both alone and with others.

One pesky niece (“How’s [insert character’s name]?”), an annoyingly persistent critique friend (You want the next chapter by when?!), and a patient but pushy dad (how’s that for an oxymoron?) who all insisted—no, demanded I finish this crazy story that I didn’t want to write.

No wonder I wrote this draft in record time. Can I stop now?

I didn’t think so. Onward to revision.

Personal Limitations: Mentors Part 2

Today, I will only briefly touch on how a mentor should limit their fiction habits, for this is part of a larger and broader topic on fiction responsibility, which I’ll be addressing later.

However, since this is a personal limitation (it varies from person to person), I want to offer two basic principles for people who are being watched by others:

1) The closer the relationship, the more caution will be necessary. A parent will usually have more impact on children than a teacher they have for a year or two. Why? Because children spend more time around parents and see not only what the parents agree they can read—but also the adult literature the parents indulge in that’s forbidden to them. Likewise, a respected mentor will be more closely observed than a passerby.

2) The younger the watcher, the likelier imitation will occur. This youthfulness applies both physically as well a spiritually. For a child or young Christian will be more influenced by how you handle fiction than an adult with their own, already established ideas.

Does this mean that you can never read a steamy romance or watch your favorite horror movie? No. But neither do you need to advertise your freedom to read and watch these things, which could cause another stumble. “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.” (I Corinthians 8:13)

Rather, restrict the frequency, time and place of enjoyment, watching your step when among others.

Tickled Pink

Recently the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour added an award for the Top Blogger of the Tour. Intended to encourage original content each month, this award is for the best/most creative posts, preferably done over all three days of tour.

Since I standardly post an introduction and book review—with an occasional miscellaneous post between—I figured such an award would be out of reach for me. “Creative” isn’t exactly the best description of my material.

So to my great surprise, I discovered at the end of the tour that Rebecca Miller announced that I was awarded that Top Blogger of the Tour for June.

Yes, I’m definitely tickled pink.

Personal Limitations: Mentors Part 1

You are being watched.

No, I’m not talking about any Orwellian Big Brother. But every time your life touches, brushes, bumps into another’s, even if only for minutes, you will be watched. You may think these people don’t see, don’t care, don’t know you exist. But they do.

And “they” may often include more people than you realize. Sure your friends watch how you react to trouble—but so do your enemies. Your kids notice how you treat their friends, and their friends also notice how you treat your kids.

Yes, you are being watched: your every move, every decision, even your choices in books and movies are being observed, often at the least expected times by the most unexpected people.

The question is, what do they see?