by Jason Joyner | May 30, 2013 | Blog, CSFF, Merlin's Blade, Robert Treskillard, speculative fiction
The CSFF Tour is featuring our own Robert Treskillard and his debut YA novel Merlin’s Blade, just released.
I have been excited to read this book ever since I heard that he got his publishing deal. Unfortunately, this month was full of training and certification at work, so I will be reading it a little later in the summer and posting a review at that time. In the meantime, I have arranged for a guest reviewer to share his thoughts on Merlin’s Blade.
My twelve year old son Nathan.
He is an avid reader who finished the Lord Of The Rings set and The Hobbit earlier this year. As a young adult who is the target audience, I thought he’d be the perfect stand-in for me and this tour. So here are his thoughts. He’s not quite done, but here’s his straight forward thoughts.
Merlin’s Blade
A stone hypnotizes people and the druids try to use it to control people. Merlin may be the only person to be able to stop them.
First off I want to say that it has been a very fun book to read.
And I really like the dynamic of Merlin being blind, and seeing him grow as a character because I really like what the author did with him. The fact he is blind makes it a big conflict for him. It’s not something you usually read.
But I do wish that Garth was used more; he seemed to be a fun character.
I also like the romance with Merlin and Natalya, and the relationship with Merlin and his father.
So I really want to keep on reading to find out the secret about the druidow stone.
And I keep on wondering what those visions mean so it’s definitely a book that you want to keep on reading.
There you go. You can see other tourmates below for more on Merlin’s Blade. I’m excited for more to come from Robert.
Noah Arsenault Beckie Burnham Keanan Brand Jeff Chapman Laure Covert Pauline Creeden Emma or Audrey Engel April Erwin Victor Gentile Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Jason Joyner Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Kathleen Smith Jojo Sutis Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Phyllis Wheeler Shane Werlinger Nicole White
I received a promotional copy from the publisher, for which I’m grateful but will not guarantee a good review. Chocolate on the other hand may help things along…
by Jason Joyner | May 28, 2013 | Blog, CSFF, fantasy, Merlin's Blade, Robert Treskillard, speculative fiction, young adult
Welcome to medieval England for the May feature of the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour. We are featuring our own member Robert Treskillard and his debut YA novel, Merlin’s Blade.
Robert’s been with us a long time, and I’ve enjoyed interacting with him throughout the years. More importantly, I’m so excited that we are able to feature him after so much hard work.
From Amazon:
In Robert Treskillard’s take on the Arthurian legends, young Merlin is faced with the challenge of saving his country and those he loves when a mysterious, and dangerous, stone falls from the sky.
Partially blinded years ago, Merlin is a timid swordsmith who wants nothing more than to live a quiet life and win the hand of Natalenya, the beautiful and kind daughter of a magistrate. But after he and his friend Garth encounter a strange stone in the wood, one protected by druids, Merlin receives a series of visions and prophecies that he is to save his land and his Christian faith from a dark force. As the power of the stone grows and threatens his family and friends, Merlin is forced to embrace his calling—for he may be the only one immune to the stone’s power.
Touching on multiple elements of the classic Arthur story—from the Lady of the Lake, the creation of Excalibur, the sword in the stone, and the rescue of Arthur himself—this fantasy tale will appeal to young adults looking for adventure and a hint of romance, as well as adults who enjoy the classic tale this series is based on.
I’ll have more on the book tomorrow, but I want to point you to his blog for a special contest he’s having. The grand prize winner gets a sword created by Robert himself. Wow. I might have to learn how to spin cloth or something. Oh, you’ll have to see this post for the rules.
You can find more information at his blog or author site, and see my tourmates below for their thoughts as well.
Noah Arsenault Beckie Burnham Keanan Brand Jeff Chapman Laure Covert Pauline Creeden Emma or Audrey Engel April Erwin Victor Gentile Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Jason Joyner Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Kathleen Smith Jojo Sutis Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Phyllis Wheeler Shane Werlinger Nicole White
by Jason Joyner | Apr 24, 2013 | Angel Eyes, Blog, Broken Wings, Christianity, Shannon Dittemore, speculative fiction
Day 3 of the CSFF Tour – the wrap up day.
We’ve been featuring Shannon Dittemore and her latest book, Broken Wings, second in the Angel Eyes trilogy. I introduced the book on Monday, and gave my overall review yesterday.
I wasn’t quite finished though.
Being a Christian novel, there is another layer to consider when reviewing or discussing a book like Broken Wings. There are the spiritual underpinnings of a CBA book to explore.
Faith can be applied as one layer of a multi-layered story. It may be more of a base layer, the foundation of what happens, but not as apparent on the surface. This would be a book where a character is a Christian, but overt aspects of faith aren’t featured in the story. Or it may be a novel written with the idea of a Christian worldview without explicit statements or actions of Christianity. I wouldn’t say these are any less of a Christian novel, but the story has another purpose. It isn’t dealing with the specifics of faith and belief.
Other novels are Christian from specific content. Whether it is set in a church community, a crisis of faith, or a conversion story, the author wants to explore themes and ideas of faith and religion. The layer of faith is close to the surface, easily discernible.
Since Broken Wings deals with angels and demons, it is not the former.
It is a criticism if a book forces the faith aspect when it isn’t natural to the story. It comes across as preachy. Thankfully, Shannon has created an organic exploration of faith, fear, and living for worship in her series. Brielle is on a journey of faith, and throughout she has ups and downs. She can see into the spiritual realm, what Shannon terms “the Celestial.” It is the crux of the plot.
It doesn’t become a gimmick. The spiritual life is a beautiful thing in Broken Wings. By ascribing colors to emotions and spiritual aspects of life, it allows for imaginative descriptions of what happens in the unseen realm. Worship shows colors dancing in ribbons and waves that captivate Brielle. More than having “angel eyes,” she can sense the spiritual. She can smell worship. Rich scents accompany worship. Hearing the angelic worship draws her and calls to her. Brielle may not be a singer, but as a dancer she expresses her feelings in movement, and this is a precious depiction of a way of worship that is not always appreciated in church today.
The descriptions are rich and varied, but the themes resonate with power. I don’t want to spoil things, so I won’t explain each one, but one theme is sacrifice. As the little cherub Pearla notes toward the end:
“It’s the greatest expression of love, she knows, to lay one’s life down. But she wonders if humans know just how unique the ability is to do that. Death is not something an angel has to offer her loved ones. How glorious it must be to have one’s days numbered by the Father.
How precious it makes each and every one.” (page 259, emphasis mine)
What a statement to consider. Wow.
In short, Broken Wings is exactly the type of Christian YA fiction I would want my daughter to read. Now, she’s only four, but I will be saving these for her.
That’s all I have for this tour, but there are other great people talking about this book – just go to Becky Miller’s page to find other posts. And remember how precious each day is.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 23, 2013 | Angel Eyes, Blog, Broken Wings, christian fiction, Shannon Dittemore, speculative fiction
Onto the review.
The CSFF Tour is featuring Shannon Dittemore and her latest book, Broken Wings, the second book in the Angel Eyes trilogy. I did a synopsis of the book yesterday.
Shannon nailed her debut novel Angel Eyes with a strong voice for her protagonist Brielle, an intriguing premise, and a different take on the idea of spiritual warfare and dealing with angels and demons. The sophomore slump is always a concern for writers.
Thankfully, Shannon kept up the strong work in Broken Wings. A bold choice was the initial setting: hell. An angel especially designed for reconnaissance is peeking into a demonic conference when the adversary from the first novel, Damien, is allowed to return to Stratus, Oregon, to see if he can corrupt Brielle and her boyfriend Jake.
From there the intrigue continued. Brielle has grown from when we first met her, but more obstacles are making life harder than before. The progression of Brielle is nicely handled. Her doubts and fears are realistic and deftly shown. She has experienced faith, but is still new in it and learning how to walk in faith.
YA novels are their own genre, with the sub-categories of fantasy, romance, or since the Twilight novels took off, paranormal or supernatural romance. I read a lot of YA having boys that read a lot, and Shannon does a great job of capturing a younger voice. Now, my boys don’t read romance, but I have really enjoyed Jenny B. Jones in the past, a writer that has a wonderful voice with sass and a real touch for the romantic. I think Shannon is right there with that type of romance that will appeal to the young women looking for quality reads.
The book was a very enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys a look at the supernatural or a YA romance. I’ve said it before: good writing is good writing. That’s what Shannon delivers, and I don’t mind saying that I really like her books. Heck, I handed over my man card the last time we featured her.
There’s another major aspect to the book I’d like to address apart from this review, but I think that can wait for tomorrow. If you’re looking for more, Becky Miller always keeps the latest and greatest from the tour on her blog. And no CSFF Tour is complete without Steve Trower’s post of songs that match the book. Theme: Broken Wings. Check that out, and I’ll be back with final thoughts…
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 22, 2013 | Angel Eyes, Angels watching over me, Blog, Broken Wings, CSFF, Shannon Dittemore, speculative fiction
A question: how do you fly with Broken Wings?
The Christian Sci-fi/Fantasy Tour (CSFF) is back with the latest book from Shannon Dittemore. Broken Wings is the second book in her Angel Eyes trilogy. This is a unique situation for our tour, because we just featured the first book in the series, Angel Eyes, in January. We don’t usually get to review books in a series so close together. Readers won’t have to wait long for the conclusion either. The final book Dark Halo will release in August. Certified fresh content.
In the first book, Brielle Matthews had her eyes opened. In Broken Wings, she sees more than she may be able to handle.
Brielle had returned to her hometown of Stratus, Oregon, after tragic events happened while in Portland at an exclusive arts school. Thanks to her boyfriend Jake and her new look on life, things have settled down. However, her father has taken up drinking again and is seeing a younger woman that makes Brielle’s skin crawl. Jake is hiding something. And a startling event opens up old wounds regarding her mother’s death when Brielle was just a little girl.
Unknown to Brielle and Jake, the demonic forces they tangled with in Angel Eyes aren’t done with them yet. A new offensive is authorized to strike the small town of Stratus. This time, even having the eyes of an angel may not be enough to save all Brielle cares about.
That’s the preview. The review will be following tomorrow. Hope to see you there. My posts from the tour for Angel Eyes is here. If you want to see what others are saying, check out the fellow tour members below.
Gillian Adams
Julie Bihn
Jennifer Bogart
Beckie Burnham
Pauline Creeden
Janey DeMeo
Theresa Dunlap
Emma or Audrey Engel
Victor Gentile
Nikole Hahn
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Karielle @ Books à la Mode
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Megan @ Hardcover Feedback
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nathan Reimer
James Somers
Kathleen Smith
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Phyllis Wheeler
Shane Werlinger
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by Jason Joyner | Feb 20, 2013 | Blog, Daughter Of Light, fantasy, Morgan Busse, reviews, speculative fiction, Writing Wednesday
On this fine Writing Wednesday I need to highlight a friend of mine.
Morgan Busse is a pastor’s wife and one of the authors of the well-regarded Marcher Lord Press. She also plays a mean game of Fiasco, so you have been warned. She’s been a member of the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour in the past, and that’s how we connected at the ACFW Conference in Dallas last year.
Her first book released last year, called Daughter Of Light. I recently had the chance to read it.
Synopsis:
Rowen is an orphan girl left on the doorstep of a military hero living outside a small village in the Ryland Plains. She grows up as an outcast from the tight-knit community, but when her father is killed in the war, it seems they are finally opening up to her. However, a strange mark appears on her hand, and when she touches someone with it, all of his dark secrets are revealed to her.
She is forced into exile as a witch, narrowly escaping being burned at the stake. Her only option is an offer from the White City, where as a favor to her father she is given the chance to become the bodyguard of Lady Astrea, daughter of Lord Gaynor. She hides her mark under a leather glove as she trains under the guidance of Captain Lore, a seasoned veteran who remains a follower of the Word, even as most of the culture has forgotten Him.
As Rowen wins the title of varor, there are forces building that will challenge her to the core. In the east, the dark Shadonae have risen once again, with a lone scribe fleeing for her life to reach the White City. From the south an invasion force mounts, and the assassin Caleb Tana is pursuing a bold plan that would free him from the banality of the army and allow him to retreat to his comforts back home.
Rowen plunges into the chaos swirling around her, wrestling with her own trials from her abandonment, exile, and unwanted curse on her hand. Somehow she must discover the mystery of who she is and her strange calling before the world around her collapses.
Review:
Marcher Lord Press has cultivated a reputation for turning out the best in Christian speculative fiction, one that is well-deserved from what I’ve read from them so far. I’m pleased that Morgan continues in this tradition with a strong fantasy adventure that also challenges the heart.
Her characters make good heroes – they are determined to pursue what needs to be done despite their wounds and weaknesses. The drama from the plot is heightened by the internal conflict Rowan, Lore, and Caleb face. They are believable and sympathetic. I would have liked a little more about their habits or other desires, a quirk that grounds them, but otherwise they were well done. The secondary characters didn’t stand out very much, but there aren’t many of them to track.
The plot keeps the reader guessing. The conflict and suspense builds, and I never felt like the book dragged. There were no stretches of boring detail. The prose was crisp and kept the momentum growing. The best part of the book though is the heart. The theme of being damaged and dealing with what you’ve done, or what’s been done to you, is a powerful message. The book is by no means preachy, but there are touching passages with opposing characters that make for a brilliant contrast. Rowen’s damaged soul is an obvious point for this, but a surprising actor also plays a part in this. I was very impressed with how the theme was handled.
One of the best things was also the most frustrating. Morgan built up enough suspense that the one book couldn’t contain it. There are questions at the end of the book whether certain characters are even alive. I wondered about the threat from the Shadonae, the war against the White City, and what would happen to Rowen. I liked that it didn’t draw things together into a neat bow. There was enough resolution to the book, but I need to read the next one now. That’s the frustration. I want it now.
Thankfully I don’t need to wait long. The second book in the series, Son Of Truth, is set to release in a few weeks. I’ll be adding it to my reading pile very soon.
Overall, Daughter Of Light is a very enjoyable and thoughtful read and an excellent debut. Yes, Morgan is a friend, but I’ve read enough fantasy that I’m picky, and I wouldn’t say this without meaning it. With some more layering of the character traits this book could be approaching 5 star range. However, I would say it is 4 stars because a debut author always has room for improvement. Morgan’s only problem is that she set the bar pretty high from the get-go!
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