The Aletheian Journeys #1
Lisa Mayer
Arrow Bringer Publishing
ISBN 9781512230864
ASIN B0190U68EW
I do not remember how I came across this book. It is in a genre that I have been reading more of over the last two years. It is catholic fiction, and it is marketed more towards the young adult audience. The book is in part written in homage to Narnia, and one of the main characters was reading it to the other. The book does have that Narnia feel to it. It has that classic good vs evil plot.
The two main characters are both teenagers. First, we have Evangeline - Evie, who has just learned that she has terminal cancer, leukemia, and is then approached in what she believes to be a dream by the Arrow Bringer, a Christ figure. Evie was adopted and has two younger siblings, twin sisters. And everything she had planned for her future will now not happen. The second is Shawn Lawrence, his father was a marine who died in a car accident. Bot of them have had dreams about Aletheia.
And no somehow, they have both been transported to this very different world. Aletheia has always been under the protecting of the Arrow Bringer. But no one has seen him in a long time. And there has arisen a movement that doubts the old stories. We have a King who has lost faith and destroyed the silver arrow, the symbol of the bringers protection. Dragons have returned and are ravaging the kingdom. a powerful figure arrives claiming to be the Arrow Bringer, but he requires abject obedience. Evie, Shawn and their new friends from the kingdom of Aletheia. Both of the people from Earth must battle not only a new world and culture but battle within themselves to determine what they really believe, what they are willing to fight for, and what they might be willing to die for.
This story if packed full of action. We have weapons and weapons training. We have Voyages by sea and battles with enemies with the power to appear out of smoke. We have characters that will be challenges to make sacrifices, maybe the ultimate sacrifice. And we have the reminders of a God who loves and sends his son to serve.
This story is very well written for a first published novel. The characters are fully fleshed out. The action, drama, and tension is well paced and maintained throughout the novel. The settings, and description in the scenery and battles I excellent. One of the scenes in Voyage of the Dawn Trader that always caught my attention is when Lucy and Edmond are looking at the paining and comment that it looks like a very Narnia ship. This reads like a very Narnia book. This is the type of story that the Kings and Queens of Narnia would haven enjoyed readings, or the type of tale that all creatures true to Aslan would have told and retold. And I look forward to my children being a little older and reading it with them. A great read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Books by Lisa Mayer:
Aletheian Journeys Series:
The Arrow Bringer
Jairo's Battle
The Helper's Blade
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