John Edgell - Author

Distinctive fantasy fiction stories that delight the mind and stir the soul.

  • Home
  • Books
  • The Place of Faith
  • About

A Fantasy Novel

July 8, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

A Fantasy Novel
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

Epic FantasyThe 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.

Fantasy CharactersDoes 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

Tapestry of FantasyWord 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.

Filed Under: Through a Looking Glass Tagged With: fantasy author, Fantasy Novel, Word of Honor, writing a novel, writing fantasy

Christ’s Parables and Christian Fantasy

April 16, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

Bible Parables

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.

Picture ParablesThe 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

Biblical ParablesI 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

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Author Blog Tagged With: adventure books, Christian fantasy, ebooks, fantasy fiction, Fantasy Novel, interesting creatures

Heroes Become Heroes By Accident

December 10, 2015 By Author John Leave a Comment

heroes stories

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.

heroes from the seaTor 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!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Through a Looking Glass Tagged With: C.S. Lewis, Christian fantasy, Dark Danger, Fantasy Novel, The Helot, Tolkien

Get a Free Story

* indicates required

John Edgell, Author

John has experience as a school teacher, a pastor, and has been a writer of stories since his two sons were knee high to a gnome.

Read more about John.

Through a Looking Glass

The God Question

Asking the God Question

Introducing the God Question Proof for the Existence of God My book, The God Question, has gotten … [Read More...]

More Posts from this Category

Bestsellers

  • Acceptable Fruit
  • The Princess and the Orc
  • Tales of a Church Mouse
  • Phantom Island Chronicles: A Pirate Fantasy
  • The Helot
  • Son of Cain

Introducing Quick Read Books

https://youtu.be/14QU9CuANIQ

Search the Site

Share Your Favorites

Copyright © 2021 John Edgell · Books