Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (book 7), by J. K. Rowling

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling, is a book with three plots in one that somehow tie all the loose ends of the previous six books into a single beautiful knot.

It's difficult to provide a summary without giving away plot points, so I thought I'd steal the description in the dust-jacket:

"We now present the seventh and final installment in the epic tale of Harry Potter."

Obviously, this provides practically no information at all. So, I'll have to do my best:

Harry is forced to make decisions and enter perilous quests that full-grown wizards have never even attempted. But he is up to the challenge. He chooses not to return to Hogwarts, instead he seeks the seven horcruxes (bits of Voldy's soul) in order to defeat Voldemort. Ron and Hermione--the ever-faithful friends--join him on this journey through forests and mountains, disguises and dangers, risks and desperation, but they have no leads. Dumbledore is gone--their one source to all answers--and they are forced to unravel what few clues they are given.
After 553 pages of searching and guessing, their adventures come down to one epic battle, one desperate search, and the hope that Dumbledore's minimal hints are based on truth.



When I first read this book, I wasn't thrilled. It seemed to drag through the first half (and then some), but in the end everything came together pretty nicely (with only a few crooked puzzle pieces). J. K. Rowling has an amazing ability to weave significance into every tiny aspect of the story. She ties loose ends that I never even noticed.! And no one can deny that the end battle is the essence of "cool".

After following Harry through six books already, it's amazing looking back to the innocent boy in the closet and seeing the huge change in his character throughout the series. J. K. Rowling is incredible with her ability to take characters and students through the "tricky teen years" and accurately portray their frustrations, angst, and growing. In a way, the Harry Potter books show that one can survive those difficult years without rebellion, without intense depression, and with friends.
Rowling places great emphasis on the friendships, faithfulness, and love in her story--themes that the youth of today tend to miss. And in that area, I think the series is an enormous success. However, as stated before, the Harry Potter series leaves the "children" label of books and jumps strongly into the "teen" or even "young adult" section. But when you look at the books, it makes sense. Harry is entering his teen and young adult years. So naturally, the writing is going to follow.

I noticed several more mentions of God in The Deathly Hallows, often used flippantly like "Thank God", but it is capitalized. I will not make the assumption that Rowling is or is not a Christian, not unless I read it in writing as quotes from her own mouth. But there are a few mentions of "afterlife", church, "thank God", and the likes throughout novel 7.

**************SPOILER ALERT*************
(meaning I'm going to give away a major plot point, so you may skip this if necessary)

At the end of the book, Harry is forced to sacrifice himself in order to save the wizarding world. He is a horcrux, meaning a piece of Voldemort's soul was accidentally imparted to him when Voldemort first tried to kill him 17 years ago. In order to completely finish off Voldemort, Harry must die so that Voldemort has no horcruxes left.
As Harry is walking to his death, he starts thinking about every heart beat and every breath in his body. He is brought to the sharp reality that life is a miracle--a miracle he's never realized before. This moment is very touching and can help other teens see how precious life truly is and that sometimes that preciousness is only realized when it's too late to appreciate it.

When Voldemort "kills" Harry, just the Voldemort-soul part dies and Harry enters some sort of in-between heaven state. I've read the chapter three times and still cannot figure out where/what this place is. He meets Dumbledore (who is already dead) and they have a friendly chat in the clouds. Harry has a choice, either to "go on" to the unknown (aka. afterlife) or return to earth without the Voldemort-soul in him.
I'm sure you can guess what he chooses.

*************END SPOILER*************
(meaning it's safe to read now)

This book is the most intense of the lot with its battles, dangers, escapades, traps, torture, murders, etc. There is the usual swearing, but generally it's mostly battle scenes that may turn the young one's stomach, which is why I recommend that the reader be at least in his or her teen years before perusing book 7.

One review of the book that I really enjoyed reading was in Christianity Today by Bob Smietana. He writes about the "gospel" in Harry Potter, finding Christian themes (even if unintentional by Rowling). It's helpful reading about the books with this attention on the positives in the stories. Sometimes we can get stuck on the negatives.

Overall, I would recommend Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to older teens only if that teen has read the rest of the series. This one is sketchy--well written and providing perfect closure, but dark and a little odd concerning death and miracles. As I stated before, I'm slightly biased toward the Harry Potter books and have loved them my entire life. Right now especially, when book 7 and movie 7 have left such good impressions upon me, it is near impossible to give a neutral review. I will leave it, once more (as always), to your own discretion.For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Violence Level: ****

Romance Level: **

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: ***

Story Depth Level: ****

Recommendation: ***

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Harry Potter, books 4-6, by J. K. Rowling

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Why do I separate the series in this way? Because they're separate in my mind. Books 1-3 hold a sort of innocence--a new discovery of an exciting world, taking the young reader on a brilliantly imagined adventure. They're pleasant. A bit heart-warming, actually.

Books 4-6 step into darkness. Not complete darkness, but into a shadow that stilts the bright excitement. The Dark Lord (Voldemort) rises again.

He's not called the "dark" lord for nothing.

Harry Potter is famous because, when he was a baby, he defeated Voldemort without knowing it. This returned the wizarding world to a life of light, thrill, joy, and celebration. Now that Voldemort is back, the wizarding world (and the Muggle world, for that matter) is thrust once more into that place of fear that only Voldemort holds in his hand.

The Goblet of Fire, (book 4) has always been my favorite book--mostly because it introduced adventures that I didn't expect--tournaments, dragons, mazes, traitors, and the like. Harry is thrust into a competition with three other champions--all of which are several years older than he is and more experienced. Theirs is a battle of honor. Harry's is a battle of survival. I drank in the words like a perfected chai latte.

At the end of the book, Harry finds himself tied to a gravestone, facing Voldemort (obviously no longer thought to be dead) and his minions. This was the stepping stone that took Harry Potter out of the "young readers" section of the bookstore and thrust him into the "teen" section.

The Order of the Phoenix (book 5) introduces a secret society forming against the newly risen Voldemort. But Voldemort plays it smart and keeps his "rising" a secret until he can gather enough followers. Harry, meanwhile, enters a time of teenage angst. He's snappy, ill-tempered, self-centered, and not very likable. There is a lot of shouting, an evil professor who resembles a pink toad, and a student rebellion that attempts to learn defensive magic. It's fun, but still lacks the fresh excitement found in books 1-3. Harry starts having visions--visions that are connected to Voldemort's mind (creepy).

In the end, Harry and his faithful friends face Voldemort's followers in battle. Inevitably, deaths and injuries take place that are a bit intense for the younger reader.

The Half Blood Prince (book 6), takes the reader into black memories, dark knowledge, and dangerous missions that steal blood and sanity. On the more human side, the characters enter a time of "young love", which leads to snogging (aka. kissing) and inner monsters of jealousy. Anyone who's anyone has got a crush and/or a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Harry attends secret meetings with Dumbledore to discover more about Voldemort's past and travels with him to hidden caves and a mysterious island. Of course, nothing goes according to plan and the book ends on a depressing hopeless note.

Positives

These three books take the characters through deeper friendship-growing experiences. Bonds of friendship are the strongest ties leading Harry and his friends through dangerous and hopeless pursuits. The books stress the importance of friends and trust, which is applicable to the youth of today (and yesterday and tomorrow).

These three novels also take the plot to an intense level--a page-turning level. "The plot thickens" so to say...like gravy and flour.

Negatives

Apart from the typical scattered swear words and occasional mention of alcohol, all three of these books have dark qualities to them that only grow--evil wizards levitating innocent muggles (aka. non-magic folk), tattoos that connect Death Eaters to Voldemort, detentions of torture, deaths of loved ones, cursed jewelry, poisoned drinks, bewitched dead bodies, and splitting one's soul through innocent murders.

That's just the beginning.

I'll admit, I had difficulty pushing through book 6. It just felt dark and unpleasant. Sometimes it made me grumpy, just because Harry was grumpy. But in all reality, what did you expect to happen once Voldemort returned? The wizarding world was plunged back into darkness.

These books fall into such a negative state because they leave the realm of their intended age-range (9-12). I do not think they are appropriate for children. If labeled for "teens", my review might have read a little differently. I think that older readers can handle the darker side of these books, but I do not believe they should be available to readers under 13.

Confession: I have read the entire series...multiple times. Books 6 and 7 are the least read, but I've always been a bit of a Harry Potter fan (aka. I could tell you practically everything about anything from any book...as well as J. K. Rowling's entire life story). This devotion may stem from the effect the first three books had on me as a child, or perhaps just because I love the characters and the "newness" of the story. BUT, I am glad that I did not read 4-6 as a young girl. They did not come out until I was in my teens and, at that point, I was more ready to handle the darker qualities of the writing.

There are still no Christian themes unless you dig with a desperate shovel. I loved book 4 because of the adventure, book 5 annoyed me because of the teen-angst, and I disliked book 6 because it disturbed me--dark images, frightening scenes, and a downright un-enjoyable plot.

Recommendations? The Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Phoenix are fine for a 13+ reader. They have more adventure than darkness, but still remain in the reading-shadows. The Half-Blood Prince is not hugely recommended. I love the movie (weirdly enough), but the book just takes a step into the dark corner. And I've never liked the dark (or corners).

So there you have it--books four, five, and six are more intense, deep, and tackle the dark-magic monster. Good will always win, but until then we sit through pages of slightly-disturbing conflict and discovery.

Violence Level: ***

Romance Level: ** (most in book 6)

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: **

Story Depth Level: ****

Recommendation:  **** (for The Goblet of Fire)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .***(for The Order of the Phoenix)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .*** (for The Half Blood Prince)

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Harry Potter, books 1-3, by J. K. Rowling

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Why am I posting like a maniac?

Because I want the Harry Potter reviews up before the first half of the last movie comes out. The posting will look like this in the next week:

Right now--Harry Potter 1-3

Thursday--Harry Potter 4-6

Friday--Harry Potter, book 7

I'll post my review on book 7 (The Deathly Hallows) on the day the movie comes out, but for now, we have books 1-3 to look at, by J. K. Rowling.

Harry Potter is an eleven-year-old boy raised by his cruel and selfish aunt and uncle. After daily torment, Harry is thrilled when he receives a letter (delivered by owl) admitting him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (wouldn't you be?). He is a wizard, but never knew it (though he turned a teacher's wig blue, flew from ground to chimney, and talked to a snake once...all on accident). Harry attends the school and learns offensive and defensive magic. He also learns he's famous for defeating an evil wizard (*cough* Voldemort *cough) whom he's never met.

Though much of the wizarding world believes Voldemort is gone forever, somehow the evil wizard keeps cropping up (like in the back of people's heads or in a 50-year-old diary). And Harry always ends up in the middle of the battles. His goal? To rid the wizarding world of Voldemort, to protect his friends, and to survive (naturally).

I've always viewed the first three Harry Potter books (Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban) as the more innocent ones. Gigantic enchanted chessboards, horse-sized spiders (acromantulas), flying cars, quidditch (the ultimate sport played on broomsticks), invisibility cloaks, and the like. Books 4-7 are a bit more intense.

One of the biggest issues in these books for Christians is the fact that the entire series is centered around magic. I address my views on magic in my post, Magic--a Christian Point of View. So, for the time being, I shall set the issue of magic aside.

Positives:

First, I must admit that I am biased toward these books, so please take this review with a grain of salt (though I will try and remain neutral). I discovered the Harry Potter books when alone, friendless, in junior high, in the middle of winter, and in pitch-black, cold, moose-infested Alaska.

Harry Potter opened the door to a whole new form of imagination. It held adventure I never could have conceived, friendships I'd always dreamed of, and a character I loved who endlessly pursued goodness and light.

I think the books are amazingly creative. Everything from the evil villain's back story to the names of each character and alleyway is significant and meaningful. Rowling keeps the surprises coming, the adventures rolling, and the characters growing. When I finished the series, I must admit that I have never read a book that tied every loose end with a perfect knot like she did. I was amazed. Still am, actually.

Negatives

There is some swearing in each book--both American and British. There is also mention of alcohol, mostly consumed by the professors as a social interaction; however, Hagrid (a half-giant who's the Keeper of the Keys) gets a bit sloshed here and there when in distress and some professors get a little tipsy around Christmas time.

In book three, Harry enters the class of "divination" (you know, reading tea leaves, gazing into crystal balls, interpreting dreams, etc.). These are sketchy topic, but in the books divination is seen as a bit of a joke. Professor Trelawny is a fraud with glasses too big for her face (or anyone's, for that matter) and a stuffy, perfumed tower. Occasionally, true prophecies crop up here and there, but none are spurred on by smoky candles or star charts.

The ending of each book is intense, but not gruesome, gory, or nightmare-inducing. They are tackled as more of an adventure or unveiling of a mystery. Battles, bad-guys, and blood all turn up in the end, but I was never frightened as a child reading these. I really think J. K. Rowling wrote the books in a way that avoided frightening children. She steered clear of torture, maiming, screaming, and so on (remember, we're just talking about books 1-3 here).

Magic in Harry Potter

As stated in my post here, the magic in Harry Potter is a neutral source, tapped into with magic words and wands. It is only dark or light when used by the evil or good wizards--a main point in Rowling's writing (good vs. evil, love vs. hate). Rowling does not use her books to write against God. Her aim is not to draw readers away from God or to convince them to practice witchcraft in any form. Her goal in this series is to send messages like:

Love is more powerful than hate.

Discrimination is unhealthy and harmful.

Unity can overcome any force of oppression.

Never stop fighting for what you believe is right.

These are all good views--for both Believers and non-believers; however, many of the beliefs, myths, and words of magic in Rowling's books come from beliefs, myths, and words that are used in real practice of witchcraft; however, I believe that Rowling used this as research, not as a belief.

I think that this focus and these books might be a problem if her intent were to adamantly defy God, but that was never her purpose in writing Harry Potter. I don't think we should dishonor her with painting that rumor on her reputation.

So, would I recommend the Harry Potter books?

To the appropriate age group (young readers, teens, and up), yes. I believe the first three books are unique, full of imagination, enjoyable, and appropriate with reader-discretion. In a way, the messages in the writing can be shaping to a young reader. A reader grows with the character, with Harry, and Harry learns about trust, faithfulness, courage, and perseverance. Yes, there is some rule breaking and fighting with peers, but those are all lessons. Lessons that Harry learns from and that the reader can learn from as well.

I know they helped me as a young reader. I pray that they do the same to whoever else decides to give them an open-minded try.

Violence Level: **

Romance Level: * (not yet, anyway!)

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: **

Story Depth Level: ****

Recommendation: ***(but leaning a bit on the **** side)

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.



Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Magic--A Christian's Point-Of-View

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Buckle your seat belts...we're entering the deep water of opinion:


What is magic?

Before attempting to discern whether it's good or evil, let's define it. The Oxford American Dictionary says magic is, "the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or natural forces."

In the Bible, "magic" is considered to come only from God or from Satan. God influences the course of events by using His own mysterious and supernatural forces to turn people's attention to Him (parting of the red sea, water into wine, etc.).

Satan uses the power that God allows him to have, to turn people away from God.

But hardly anyone today relates magic/miraculous works/supernatural forces to God. Instead, magic is looked at as an anomaly.

anomaly: "something that deviates from what is normal"

People can't understand it because they attribute the power that is behind the magic, to the magic. That is to say, magic is viewed as its own entity.

entity: "a thing with distinct and independent existence"

The world does not understand God or His power. It doesn't understand that magic is under God's control ("magic" referring to all or any supernatural acts or miracles). Instead, the world sees magic as its own neutral substance, lumped into a category of "things that just...exist", like gravity, light, oxygen, weather, etc.

Christians know that all these things are under God's power. Those without knowledge or belief in God have different views.

But here's another question: does magic really exist? Is it another mystery like gravity or is it created by the imaginations of dreamers?

I believe magic is real, but I do not believe it can be tapped into with the special red-button words or incantations. I believe that God and Satan have power in the supernatural (though Satan is still under God's power and ruling). Humans cannot control or use this supernatural force without being backed up by God or by Satan. For example: the disciples perform miracles in Christ's name. God backs them up because it is turning the glory to Him. On the flip side, people can be possessed by demons because Satan supports those acts to turn glory from God.

This is obviously not the form/view of magic that we see in novels. It's been changed. It's been tweaked. It's been misunderstood.

The authors have written about magic and created an "access button". What does that mean? It means they've created (not literally, but with imagination) a way to access the magic, to control it in a way. it's the same idea as if an author wrote about someone who had the "access-button" to gravity. He or she could turn off gravity whenever he/she wanted.

But we all know there are no access-buttons. God's got the only one and He's not sharing. That's why our imaginations explode with the idea of "accessing" things like magic.

Let's look at the different appearances of magic in novels:

1. Eragon (my review can be found here): the magic is a force that is accessible through the "ancient language". The magic-user can control the magic in a way, but the magic still takes the mickey out of the user.
2. Fablehaven (review of book 1 is here): the magic is contained in the creatures and sometimes in the mysterious organization of tangible objects (sand, salt, lanters, etc.). There is no explanation for how the magic started, it's just there and always has been.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia (review for book 1 and book 5):the magic is in the place and the creatures, but it is the product of Aslan's power (aka. Jesus). God created Narnia to be in a more magical state than Earth (as can be read in book 1, The Magician's Nephew). The magic is still controlled by God, it's not its own entity. It is still subject to His ruling.
4. Harry Potter (reviews of book 1, books 2-3, books 4-6, and book 7, )--the books provide no explanation for the existence of magic. It's just the same as Fablehaven and Eragon--it's always been there (like gravity). And the "access buttons" are special wands and secret words.

Magic is usually portrayed as a neutral force.

In almost all "magic" books--Narnia, Fablehaven, Harry Potter, the Golden Compass, Dragonspell, etc.--the only factor that attributes "good" or "evil" to magic is how it is used. The White Witch uses magic to create an everlasting winter--evil. Harry Potter uses it to protect his friends--good. Eragon uses it to defeat enemies--good. Voldemort uses it to kill--evil. Kale Vallerion from Dragonspell uses it to help her comrades escape--good.

If this is the only problem with magic--how it's used and who uses it--then this places magic in a new category: grey areas. Grey areas like guns, politics, war, etc.--areas with no definite lines. These areas essentially return us to the world's main issue: the good and evil in people and their choices.

So why are many Christians prone to be "anti-magic"? My theory is because the portrayal of magic has been turned into its own entity instead of what it really is--spiritual or supernatural power in the hands of God. Christian's don't like it because "magic" is a twist on something that is serious in nature. It's a Godless twist. And this twist scares us because magic/supernatural/miracles/spiritual power holds some truth to it. It's frightening watching people play with it.

So are books, movies, video games, etc. with magic good or evil?

Again, we find ourselves back at the place of personal discernment. If magic-using fantasy books are read with the intent to memorize the words, chant them, and hope that your pet cat turns into a unicorn, then this is bad. But this is caused by readers who read these books as realistic. When I pick up a fantasy book, it is with the knowledge that it is fantasy--fictitious, imagined, created, false, etc.

A common fear is that children who read fantasy or magical books may come away with skewed ideas of reality. Of course this is a risk, but let's look around us:

Children (our parents, even) grew up reading Narnia, the Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings, but we don't see them (now grown) climbing into every wardrobe they see or searching the skies for Nazgul. Yes, you get the occasional quirky fanss--the ones walking around barefoot in cloaks who can speak the elvish language (I envied their courage for a time). But even they usually understand it's not real. They don't base their lives on these beliefs.

In fact, I think that this generation and even the one before it, has more practice keeping reality separate from imagination. Look at how many movies are out there--fantasy or just fiction. Look at the cartoons kids watch--talking animals, super-spies, robots, underwater sponges, etc. These surround us daily and children aren't losing their grip on reality (at least most aren't). They grow up with more practice in discernment; therefore, I believe that many of them can handle novels that deal with magic or anything fantastical.

I do not believe reading about magic is a sin--otherwise we would be forbidden from reading the Bible (miracles galore in those pages). I do believe it can be taken too far--when books are written only about the evil use of the supernatural (leaning toward the Satanic-side). I believe that it is okay to read about magic as long as we do not take these books as serious truth.

As for children reading these things, a lot has to do with his or her upbringing in general. My siblings and I were raised by brilliant and wonderful parents. I read The Hobbit when I was eleven. I read Harry Potter to my 9-year-old brother (I was only 13), and we all read Narnia at some point. I never confused reality with fiction. I attribute this to my upbringing--my parents making sure I understood what is important in real life. So all I can say is:

Parents, be good parents. Use discretion and teach your children truth. Kids--keep your feet on the ground, but it's okay to allow your imagination to soar.

I believe in God's supernatural power and God's control over all things supernatural. My faith is in Him, not in Satan's limited power. There is a difference and as long as you understand that difference you can see the twists in the world's portrayal of magic.

There is no more sin in reading about someone who uses magic than there is in reading about someone who can see gravity--the danger lies in the level to which the writer takes these "powers".

This is my very long, intense belief on magic. But don't think it ends here...

Does any of this make sense?

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, released September 2014 from Enclave Publishing. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Parting of the red sea retrieved on 11/15/10 from http://sassywire.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/parting-of-red-sea-jibes-with-natural-laws/red-button picture retrieved on 11/15/10 from: http://santaletters1.tripod.com/santa/funletters.html
Hobbit picture retrieved on 11/15/10 from: http://jenhayley.com/2007/12/18/peter-jackson-to-produce-the-hobbit/

The Quest of a Writer

As much as I have loved this blog, I recently realized that my writing cannot be contained in one topic--book reviews.
I adore reading and I thrive off reviewing (who doesn't like sharing their own opinion?).
But my dearest mother encouraged me to see what I already knew--I need a blog to just...write. To write about anything and everything that may flit through my over-active imagination. This way, I don't end up spewing random entries on you when you expect book reviews.

To remedy this situation of mine, I pulled up an old blog of mine, The Quest of a Writer, and made it active. So if you are interested in reading about anything other than book reviews, please take a visit! Be sure to read the "Inevitable Bio" post so as to fully understand my purpose behind this other blog. And don't worry, I won't neglect my reviews. :)
There's nothing more enjoyable than sharing my life with others...and experiencing part of theirs in return.



Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.


"Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped." (excerpt from front-cover flap).

I have been branching out in my reading--browsing the "teen" section in addition to the "young readers" shelves at Barnes and Noble. Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher, is a book I found on the "recommended" table in the teen section. I'll admit, I chose it mainly because of the cover--it's shiny, and there's a key on the front. Everyone finds old keys interesting. Probably because a key provides access to something secret. In the case of Incarceron, it's the key to survival.

The story begins with Finn--a 17-year-old inmate of the never-ending prison, Incarceron. But he hasn't been there for seventeen years. He believes he came from Outside--the fabled Outside. Most people believe there's no escape from Incarceron, but Finn has visions. Visions of what he believes are memories from his life Outside.
Urged by his oathbrother, the ancient beliefs of an old Sapient, and the desire for freedom, Finn takes the key he found by chance and attempts to lead the group out.

Enter second main character, Claudia:

A Queen-to-be through an arranged marriage, Claudia lives Outside. Her father is the Warden of Incarceron. When she finds the key to Incarceron and, through it, a boy named Finn (imagine that?), she takes her future into her own hands. She wants Finn's help and Finn needs hers. Through their communication, can they escape their own prisons?


This book is pretty. I like it on my shelf. But that's one of the only things I like about it. It has a creative name, a promising plot-line, and I like the character Claudia (a lot). But I got a little lost (perhaps Incarceron trapped me inside and I didn't know it). I will expound in a moment, but first, let's take a look at the positives (other than the shiny cover):

Positives
As is required of all fantasy/speculative fiction authors, Fisher has a deep imagination. Forests of metal, a prison that speaks to its inmates, and crystal keys. I was fascinated through the first half of it. Claudia is a very well-rounded character and, though the book switched between her point-of-view and Finn's every other chapter, I craved the Claudia-chapters like cheese on toast. Her relationship with her father (the Warden) is thrilling, chilling, and baffling--in a good way.

Finn's character is a little weaker--he seems flimsy and I sped through the Finn-chapters only to reach Claudia-chapters sooner. But they soon leveled out and both points-of-view held my interest.

Negative
I lost interest around chapter 27, when the writing fell into a whirlwind of confusion. Sometimes a reader picks up a book, push through pages of bewilderment, and then the story levels out and everything falls into place. I'm afraid Incarceron peaked in its mayhem, but it never leveled out again. I never reached a place of complete understanding. Instead of picturing the scenes like paintings on my inner eye-lids, I was left with an imagination of swirling grey mist.

Closing the book came as relief, not disappointment--which is not the feeling a reader wants after pushing through 442 pages.

On a Christian level, there are a few issues:

1) There are the little things such as swearing, killing, suicide, brutality, and alcohol (I hope you caught my sarcasm). The swearing seemed a little out of place--like it didn't fit right with the dialogue or the scene. There's nothing worse than when swearing sticks out like a sore thumb that's been hit with the hammer twice instead of once. The killing and brutality, strangely, remained at an "age-appropriate level", I suppose. Personally, I've never liked much gore and grime, and have little tolerance for it. Other readers are born with steel stomachs, so it really depends on the reader.

Nowadays, descriptions of pain and death have turned into entertainment in books and movies. We left the habit of attending Roman arenas and just replaced it with artificial pain and death...which only numbs us to the real thing. So, on a mini soap-box, I will say that gruesome descriptions, excessive death and torture, and heartless killings don't agree much with the taste buds of my imagination. And I'm not thrilled when they crop up excessively in teen literature.

All that to say, Incarceron is not excessive in these areas of violence, but the violence is still present. I don't think it's edifying, but it's not on the point of 100% damage to the young one's mind. Aka. it's a risk.

2) Incarceron speaks to its cellmates. It speaks in their minds, it knows everything about them, and it's evil. Scary. Controlling. It made me think of God, but God portrayed in an evil, scary, and controlling manner. For the younger reader, this may paint the picture that anything that speaks to your mind is trying to control you. Which is not true. We interact with God through every aspect of our bodies and souls--our words, our minds, our feelings. And He is not trying to control us.

My main concern is confusion for the young-reader. If the prison, Incarceron, is acting similar to how we believe God acts (knowing everything about us, seeking us out, speaking to us), but in a negative way, what is to stop the reader from forming a negative view of God? So readers and parents, please use caution.


Recommendation
As all books do, this one comes down to readers' personal preference. I can only encourage discretion and strong spiritual backbone. :) My recommendation? Not really.
It's not edifying, it's not fulfilling, and though it may be interesting to an extent, I don't think it's worth it much. The cover may be beautiful, but if you look closer you will see that its main colors are dark. The inside is not much different.

Violence Level: ***

Romance Level: *

Christian Focus: *

Readability Level: **** (too confusing, got a little lost in descriptions)

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ** (low)

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.



Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Dragonspell, (Dragon Keepers Chronicles, Book 1)

Disclaimer: All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.
Contrary to popular belief, I have not died, disappeared, abandoned my blog, or lost my computer.
I have however, remained trapped in the swamp, stepped into quicksand, knitted baby garments like a mad woman (friends are expecting), gotten stitches, and traveled hither and thither across Missouri.
I have excuses for my absence and they are valid, though I do apologize for my misjudgment in the estimated time of return.
Moving on...
Dragonspell, by Donita K. Paul, has been my latest adventure.
The main character, Kale Allerion, joined me in my swamp, though I must say her adventures were far more enticing than my own.
She is the mighty Dragon Keeper. She senses and searches for long lost dragon eggs, she keeps them safe, she hatches them, and she speaks to them with her mind.
She's also 14 years old.
Formerly a slave girl, she chooses to become a servant of mighty and caring rulers, Paladin and his Father, Wulder. In the midst of her solitary journey to The Hall, she encounters two unexpected warriors--also in Paladin and Wulder's service. They whisk Kale off to go "questing". Kale's quest?
Retrieve the giant dragon egg that has been stolen by the evil wizard Risto. *Dramatic music*
Kale is forced to make decisions far beyond her years, fight bad guys far above her height, use magic far greater than her understanding, and understand wizards far more confusing than anyone else. Oh, and raise dragons on the side--something she's never done before.
Donita K. Paul's story is thrilling. It introduces an entire new world, new creatures, new foods, and new habits, satisfying the curiosity of a child reader. She loves children and on her website she gears almost every entry and book toward young readers.
Her writing is also based on her belief in God. Paladin represents Jesus and portrays a wonderful interaction with His children. He is friendly and believable, helping the young reader understand the personable nature of Christ. Wulder represents God and His love and care for us no matter where we are or where He is.
The reader is taken on the adventure along with Kale. Swirling castles, clothing made from light, dragons that heal, and cloaks that make one practically invisible--adventure is in every page. However (there is always a however...even in the best books).
Paul's writing introduces a lot of names and places at the beginning of the book. They were a little confusing (even for the more experienced reader), but I found I could skim over a few and they weren't crucial. The start of the novel could use a little more explaining for the sake of the young reader.
Chapters are a good length but can be a bit deep--too much description and too little action; but fear not! Several chapters contain more than enough action to satisfy the hunger. Speaking of action, this usually involves battle (a fantasy novel with dragons and magic just wouldn't be the same without battles!). These "skirmishes" involve the usual--battle wounds, fearsome fighting, blood, and death. Paul does not delve into gruesome detail, but 14-year-old Kale is introduced to the harsh reality that not all adventures or escapes are happy and bloodless. The battles remain age-appropriate for the young reader, but some individuals may be sensitive to harsher scenes.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is how it carries the hope that Paladin (aka. Jesus) brings to His children. Hope of rescue, hope of comfort, hope of friendship, hope of faithfulness...you name it, you'll see it. Paul does a wonderful job of showing the hope in Christ. He protects His own and she shows this to the reader over and over.
Dragonspell carries good adventure for kids, but is not a completely smooth read. Some sections require deeper concentration or focus to decipher what she's describing. And sometimes the action moves a little too fast for the reader to keep up.
I do recommend this book for children and even teen readers (hey, I enjoyed it, so practically anyone can, right?). This book (first of a series) is usually displayed in the Fantasy/Science-Fiction section of your local Barnes and Noble.
Personally, I would prefer to see it on the shelves in Christian Fiction, but we can't all have our way (as much as I kick and scream). So if you do choose to buy it (which would be a wonderful choice on your part), make sure to look in the right area!
Before I sign off, I must say I found a few similarities between this novel and the other Christian series, The Blood of Kings, by Jill Williamson (see the reviews for book 1 and book 2). Both novel series take place in a new magical world and the both involve "mind speaking". Kale is trained through Dragonspell to control her mind speaking and to grow it.
Both novel series explore this idea in completely different ways, but what I liked most is that they provide an option for both ages. The Blood of Kings series is perfect and preferable for older audiences (teens, young adults, adults, really really old people...), and the Dragon Keepers Chronicles are wonderful for the younger audiences (young adults, teens, tweens, teenie-boppers, and tiny-tiny-boopers).
I cannot express my joy at the growth of Christian literature for the young. It's what I needed. It's what they get. And it's what we all enjoy (no matter the age).
Read Dragonspell with the perseverance of a quester, and maybe you'll wake up one day with a dragon egg in your pocket...

Violence Level: ** (low, but present.)

Romance Level: *

Christian Focus: *** (A definite theme in the book that I expect to grow in the series. However, still a lot of symbolism, so it may be more difficult to catch for the younger audience.)

Readability Level: *** (A bit difficult to wade through. A lot of wording for the younger reader.)

Story Depth Level: ***

Recommendation: ****

For a more detailed explanation of the above ratings, visit the 6-Point Nutshell post.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.