Fantasy Novel

A Fantasy Novel

July 8, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

Writing Word of Honor

Writing Word of Honor, an epic fantasy novel, was a three year labor of love. Well, three years plus when you consider the initial writing was three years, and then there was the input of a writer’s group—another year—and several rewrites. Once “ready”…the book was not yet ready! I sent it off to a professional editor—corrections and more rewriting. Then the book had to be proofed. Ah! Publication!

I believe it was the late 1980s when I started writing Word of Honor. It was published a year or two ago. I worked on the book off-and-on over a period of around thirty years. I wrote numerous other books while taking breaks from that one.

A Brief Synopsis

The prophecies were made, but the impossibility of Baruch keeping his word of honor is becoming apparent to the Resistance. After all, the realm is under siege. The heir to the throne is in exile in another realm, place unknown. And the impossible task of finding the heir rests on Kandr, oh, and Xzwindra, a young woman he neither liked nor trusted.

Meet the Cast

Kandr and Xzwindra are the main characters. Xvardris, the Pagyn ambassador, is the antagonist. Other significant cast members are the vile Prince Zandirxn, unsuspecting Patrexna, spy master Major Targndal, Captain Favel, the enigmatic Grey Wolf, Pegran the crusty prospector, Zanzxra the Black Assassin, the curious F.F. Bog Frog, and the evil priestess Wazrxna, among others.

Does the cast sound a bit strange with a medieval fantasy flavor, while some of the names sound a bit western? Xzwendaria is a medieval fantasy realm rather like old England in a New England geographical setting. When you travel west beyond the boundaries of the realm it is like going from old England to a wild sort of medieval western flavored land. It works. It is rather like what it would have been for someone leaving Boston in the 1800’s and heading west to the plains and beyond.

A Tapestry of Fantasy Adventure

Word of Honor is a tapestry of fantasy adventure with surprising twists and turns. And as with all of my stories my Christian worldview is delicately woven into its fabric.

It was fascinating writing the book and seeing where it took me, and I am confident you will find it a fascinating read as well. It is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Give it a read, give me your feedback, and please write a review.

Christ’s Parables and Christian Fantasy

April 16, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

Christ’s Parables Validate Christian Fantasy

Christ’s Parables a Seed Source

At heart Christ’s parables are the seed source of my Christian fantasy. All of my stories to one degree or another have a parabolic quality.

The word parable is used 47 times in the gospels in relation to Christ’s interaction with people. The Greek word for parable is defined as ‎a similitude; a fictitious narrative conveying a moral. Christ’s parables were generally allegorical short stories with a moral.

The root word from which the word parable comes from has the meaning of “to cast alongside.” The idea is casting a fictitious story alongside the realities of life in a reflective sense. In other words, the fictitious story reflects common life. That was the nature of Christ’s parables. He told stories to apply truth to life. On that basis Christ’s parables validate good Christian fantasy fiction.

Good Christian Fantasy Fiction

I suppose the problem is that not all Christian fantasy is good Christian fantasy. My concept of good Christian fantasy is story that stays true to core biblical truth, to the character and teaching of Christ. Good Christian fantasy is not preachy. It is story informed by the realities of life while grounded in a solid Christian worldview. That is what I strive for when I write a story.

Reader Response

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Heroes Become Heroes By Accident

December 10, 2015 By Author John Leave a Comment

Heroes Through a Looking Glass

Did you ever get thrown into a situation you had no desire to be in? I have more than once. In the Army, “You’re in charge of this group. Make sure they stay in line!” Another time I was sent to mediate a difficult church situation.

Tor is a miffit, distant relative of a hobbit, a simple fellow with nothing to offer when it comes to hero status. However, when he finds himself pulled from the sea by dwarves looting the flotsam after a shipwreck, he is thrust into a role he has no desire to play, the role of an accidental hero.

The Helot, the first book in the Accidental Heroes series is Tor’s story. So how did the story come about? Well, At the time of the first writing of the story I was a preacher, but I did not like the idea of preaching at my kids. I remembered how uncomfortable I was when my dad, who was not a preacher, would sermonize on the dos and don’ts of life. Grrr! Like with most kids, I listened without listening.

The Value of Story

How do you teach your kids principles of life without being preachy? I decided to write stories illustrating the principles, values, truths I wanted to get across to them, and they ate it up. They laughed. They cried. They looked perplexed. They asked questions!

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