Fantasy Review: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

By Jason Koop

Published in 2001 and written by Brian Jacques, this fantasy novel (which is in fact, the first book of a trilogy) sees its author writing at peak levels. Jacques packs all the charm, lavish descriptions, puzzles and riddles that are hallmarks of his Redwall series to elevate this tale into one of my all-time favourites.

Without going into too much spoilers, a boy and his dog, Neb and Den, take part on an ill-fated voyage upon the ship the Flying Dutchman, which results with the ship, its captain and crew cursed to sail the waters of the earth for all eternity.  Neb and Den are spared this fate by an angel, whom gifts them with eternal youth, among other mercies.

The second part of the story establishes how the two protagonists interact with the world around them, which leads to the third part – which is the bulk of the story.  Our protagonists, now going by Ben and Ned, must help a quiet English village fight back against industrialists which threaten to destroy it in the name of progress.

I know, sounds like something that’s been used to death in fiction, but what makes this one worth experiencing?  Oh… now you’re getting me started.

First of all, I absolutely love how Ben and Ned communicate.  They have a mental connection, and their banter very much befits two friends who have experienced so much together.  They work well together as a team, while remaining two distinct entities.

Second, the protagonists aren’t there to solve the village’s problems single-handed.  Rather, they tend to act as galvanizing forces, encouraging those they interact with to grapple with their problems and solve things by themselves.  I guess another way to describe it would be that Ben and Ned are active participants in helping the villagers, but they aren’t cheat codes that immediately solve everything themselves.

Third, and this one could apply to any of Jacques’ fantasy novels, I absolutely adore the descriptive way Jacques weaves the tale.  Whether it’s on a ship at sea, or at a quiet English village, Jacques weaves such colourful descriptions that it makes it easy for the audience to lose themselves in the locales and action.

Finally, it’s the story’s smallness.  Fantasy has long been marked by its proclivity for the fantastical – hence its name, most likely – and that fantastical-ness knows no bounds.  Fantastical journeys, feats, wars, events, settings, they seemingly know no bounds.

Castaway’s, despite its roaring start, reins things in as soon as the second part for a much slower, smaller tale.  There are no world-ending stakes, no one’s life is in danger (at least as of the third part), and yet… it’s the relatively small scope that makes the story more intimate and cozy.  Like a favourite hoodie, it will keep you hooked until the tale is done, and you will find yourself wanting to slip back into it in short order.

Those who listen to our podcast, or know me personally, should not find it surprising that I absolutely adore this story.  While I’m admittedly a huge fan of Jacques’ Redwall series, this story’s small scope and fun characters makes this a cozy, intimate tale that stands out even when compared to its author’s other works.  It’s what I would call a comfort fantasy of the highest order.

Rating:  2 of 2 eternal best friends

Fantasy Books Part 2

Written by Karlissa J.

Searching for a new fantasy book to read? For this week of highlighting fantasy titles, I’m going to recommend some of the classics! They’ve been published multiple times, with a variety of cover designs, so I came up with my own images for each - a little taste of what I found memorable in these stories!

Phantastes

By George MacDonald. An enchanted journey - through nature and village and palace - filled with delights and dangers, romance and tragedy, and above all, self-discovery. Beautiful, contemplative; I can see how this inspired future authors like C. S. Lewis. A journey to take more slowly.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass

By Lewis Carroll. Rich with word plays, puns, and banter, there's more to these books than what exists in the popular imagination. I've never seen a retelling that features Alice's older sister; yet I'd argue the meaning and purpose of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland hinges on her. Alice herself is fun and quirky, and the short books are easy to read.

Out of the Silent Planet

By C.S. Lewis. The first book in his Cosmic Trilogy.

I have to admit, this is my kind of story! Exploring an enchanting world, interacting with non-human creatures, and discovering a new language and culture! Appropriately (or perhaps conveniently), the main character is a philogist (someone who studies languages); this provides an excuse for the language barrier to be rather smoothly crossed, and an excuse for Lewis to fixate on unique words and concepts.

Perhaps the lesser fame of this work is, in part, due to the fact that it's not for kids: unlike Narnia, it contains a spattering of mature content, nudity, and mild swearing; nothing obscene, but some Christian readers may find it unexpected.

Perelandra

By C.S. Lewis. The second book in his Cosmic Trilogy.

Perelandra contains the adventure and beautiful worldbuilding of Out of the Silent Planet, but this time, it takes a back seat to a myriad of philosophical musings: about the nature of temptation, the definition of gender, the Theory of Evolution, and even why you shouldn't fear bugs. There are a few bizarre plot choices, but C.S. Lewis' imagination and thoughtfulness shine through.

Till We Have Faces

By C.S. Lewis. It's hard to argue with those who call this C.S. Lewis' greatest novel. It feels like an ancient tale brought to life by someone who understood ancient literature and culture; and it contains Lewis' classical mix of masterful storytelling and spiritual musing. Orual is a compelling and complex protagonist. This is a mature story, not designed for a family audience.

Fantasy Books Part 1

Written by Karlissa J.

Searching for a new fantasy book to read? I’ve been reading a lot lately as I research for my upcoming book Christian Fantasy 101, mainly fantasy from Christian authors, but also a few secular works. So I’ve decided to do a series of posts highlighting a variety of fantasy books. Take a look, and you may discover your next reading adventure!

Written by Carrie Anne Noble, The Mermaid’s Sister follows young Clara as she wrestles with the reality that her sister, Maren, is transforming into a mermaid and will soon leave their family to live in the sea. On top of that, getting to the ocean will be no easy feat, and the more Maren transforms, the more desperately she needs the sea to survive.

The story is told in first person, allowing us a deeper glimpse into Clara's emotions as she wrestles with the ever-approaching departure of her sister. There's a romantic angle carried throughout the book, which seemed a little overdone to me, but many readers will probably enjoy that aspect. There are some dark moments and innuendos, meaning the book may not be ideal for children; however, nothing truly gritty or gory. The ending is sweet, and overall, I found the book to be a satisfying read.

The popular fantasy series Warriors follows the lives of wild and feral cats as they defend their borders, hunt for food, build families, and learn loyalty and honour. Written by a team of authors that go by the name Erin Hunter.

The Warriors authors have created an engaging world that feels both perfectly cat-based and very human. Characters meow, flick their tail, hiss, purr, and lick themselves. They also struggle with questions of right and wrong, desire friendship, fall in love, and seek spiritual guidance.

On that note: the cats are ancestor worshippers, and as the series progresses, their world’s spiritual laws are further revealed. I’ve found no mention of God (or gods). Fellow Christians may find this off-putting, but I still believe there are a lot of positives in this series.

This review is for the first three books in the series Tales of Goldstone Wood: Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Moonblood. The author is Anne Elizabeth Stengl.

Princess Una and her brother grow up next to the mysterious Goldstone Wood, daring each other to get as close as possible but never brave enough to enter. They seem a to be a typical girl and boy living in a typical kingdom… unaware of the enchantments and dangers that fill their world.

This series is beautifully written, with a well-developed and magical world. The story follows the journeys of multiple characters, each with their own motivations and personality. The second and third books, Veiled Rose and Moonblood, take place during and build upon the first book, Heartless, taking side characters and turning them into compelling protagonists.

I'm reviewing the first three books of The Sword of the Dragon: The Swords of the Six, Offspring, and Key of Living Fire. The author is Scott Appleton.

A terrible black dragon fights against a prince and his army. Unexpectedly, the prince is betrayed by all but one of his trusted warriors: he and his loyal friend are murdered. The white dragon, an ally to the prince, arrives too late to save him. Years later, the black dragon has since been imprisoned, but the white dragon knows the traitorous warriors must be brought to justice.

Appleton presents us with a fascinating world, described skillfully and vividly - tainted by great violence but overcome by even greater heroes. The core characters are well-crafted and deep, each with their own desires and emotions to drive them. And I enjoyed the inclusion of creatures invented by the author.

Of course, I have to include Tales of the Diversity!

Taking place on an island-covered world filled with diverse races and cultures, the story follows Captain Ctzo in his quest to compile a multi-racial crew, fight pirates, and discover new lands.

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One Church Many Tribes Review

Though I’ve titled this a ‘review,’ it’s more of a reflection on the book “One Church Many Tribes: following Jesus the way God made you” by Richard Twiss (Taoyate Obuajin, of the Rosebud Lakota/Sioux).

“One Church, Many Tribes” was published in 2000; and author Richard Twiss has since died.

Through the pages of this book, he voiced his dream to see indigenous peoples encouraged to worship God through their own forms of music and dance; and to see the Western/white church welcome many indigenous Christian leaders.

The first of these dreams has been coming true over the last few decades.

The modern missions movement has embraced the idea of seeing God worshiped through a variety of cultural expressions, with an emphasis on fulfilling Revelation 7:9: “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.”

Unfortunately, though, it seems his dream of multiple indigenous Christians being welcomed as leaders and important voices has yet to happen. I am only familiar with three indigenous Christians who have influenced the Western church: Richard Twiss, Terry LeBlanc, and Randy S. Woodly.

This book’s most encouraging chapters, I found, are the final two. One tells the story of the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People. And the other explores how First Nations have a window to preaching the gospel in countries hesitant to trust Christians; thanks to a global fascination with them as a people.

I recommend this book to any Christian who’s interested in learning more about the ways God is using indigenous peoples to impact and build his Church.

Book Review Black Mists

Black Mists is the black sheep of my books. My second published work, it’s a ‘real world’ story, instead of a fantasy. It’s also my darkest book, better suited for adults than youth.

I previously called Black Mists a mystery, but upon revisiting it, I’d say it’s more of a thriller. It’s actually three or four stories combined into one. It features fast-paced action and a thrilling writing style, with many surprises along the way. Characters are unique, and can be quite colourful.

However, I do have several problems with this book. I feel like I’m a different person now than when I wrote Black Mists, with different life experiences affecting my perspective of it.

Black Mists is something… Bizarre. Complex. And fast-paced. And if that’s your type of book, it could be worth giving a read.

As a warning, the rest of this book review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. I know many prefer not to read spoilers before they’ve read a book: this is your warning!

Like I said, I do have some problems with Black Mists, and new life experiences that change how I see the book today.

Since I wrote the story – about six years ago – I’ve actually been in a situation where a hospital had to find me a place to spend the night. With that experience, I would write the first scene with “Julia” at the hospital a bit differently!

I’ve also been to mental health appointments, and learned a bit more about psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia and how they are diagnosed. Revisiting how I approached the topic of mental illness in Black Mists, it seems shallow and half-hazard, lacking much focus or education. There is sympathy towards Nika and her situation, but I believe I could do better at writing those scenes today than I did back then.

And since publishing Black Mists, I’ve been to London again, refreshing my memory of this beautiful city. My descriptions of it would be more in-depth now.

Regardless of my problems with the book, it was a big part of my writing journey. I had a surprising amount of memories floating through my mind while reading it… which seems appropriate for a story about remembering.

Book Review Dwelling in Darkness

It’s been a while since I read my third published book, “Dwelling in Darkness.”

I’ve called it a ‘loose sequel’ to “Kingdom of Bats.” But really, the two have different writing styles and characters, and take place on different worlds with different technology. They are in the same universe, and one character is in both, but that’s about it.

Rereading “Dwelling in Darkness” today, I’d say it’s one of my favourites. The threats to the heroes are introduced right from the start. And the story is fast-paced, but still allows time to get to know the characters involved.

One of my readers described this book as “nerdy,” and I think that’s a pretty accurate description! I wanted it to be more informative and fact-based than “Kingdom of Bats,” so I dived deeper into the animals represented.

I also wanted to stretch and challenge myself as a writer.

I took a swing at tapping into traditional stories, with references to Mayan and Malagasy (Madagascan) mythologies.

Chapter thirteen gave me an opportunity to dive into what it might be like to experience the world from the perspective of deep-sea fishes, creatures very unlike us. I enjoyed writing that chapter, challenging myself to think outside the box.

This is one of those books that someone like me may love, but someone else may find infuriating.

The mystery concerning how, why, and to what extent the dream-world is real never gets answered. I think it works fine that way, but I could see it frustrating certain readers.

The nerdiness was something I enjoyed, something I can appreciate in animal fantasy stories; though I know some may find it distracting.

And my dive into the weird world of cave and deep-sea creatures – especially the latter – really was designed to stretch the mind a little. I can see some people finding that a bog to get through.

The book has flaws, but I still had fun reading it, and I felt very passionately about it when it first got published. I find it sad it hasn’t succeeded as well as “Kingdom of Bats” and “Black Mists,” but I suppose it is more written for a niche audience than either of those.

If it sounds like your type of book, then give it a read! It’s available online, and in ebook form from various sellers!

Looking Back: First Book

Back in 2013, I published my very first book, Kingdom of Bats. A lot can change - and has changed - in seven years. I got married, had kids, and my writing style has evolved.

I decided to revisit that first book: rereading it and seeing whether my perspective on the story has changed over these seven years.

And… I found Kingdom of Bats to be a good book! But for different reasons than I expected.

The themes of good versus evil, and how the past affects the present, were what stood out to me.

A variety of bat species are introduced, along with other animals, creating a colourful and diverse world.

And I found the climax exciting and well-paced… even if it was too early on in the book!

It’s evident that this was my first published work, with my writing and storytelling less polished and developed than future works. It’s interesting to see how far I’ve come since then, and how much better I feel about how I wrote my most recent books, The Quest and The Loss.

Thank you to those of you who’ve shown an interest in the art contest: it sounds like some artists are hard at work on their pieces! Remember, the contest is currently open for submissions, and will close at the end of January.