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Between Two Kingdoms
In this work of allegorical fantasy, author Joe Boyd takes us on a pilgrimage to a land of two kingdoms, but only one true King. An ancient land, where children never grow old. A living land, where foundations grow in trees and rivers sing and breathe. But also a dying land, where the darkness of a false prince threatens to swallow everything in its shadow.
Enter the adventure with Tommy, a child of the Great King, as he and his friends accept the challenge to live as grown men and women in the Lower Kingdom—where hope is hidden, vision is clouded, and pride twists truth into a beautiful yet deadly deception.
Enter the adventure with Tommy, a child of the Great King, as he and his friends accept the challenge to live as grown men and women in the Lower Kingdom—where hope is hidden, vision is clouded, and pride twists truth into a beautiful yet deadly deception.
- GenresFantasyChristian Fiction
191 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
About the author
Joe Boyd
2booksThere is more than one author with this name
Joe Boyd is a teaching pastor at Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. A gifted communicator, teacher, and storyteller, Joe has been speaking at conferences, events, and churches since he was a teenager. In 2002 Joe left vocational ministry to work in Hollywood as a professional actor and screenwriter. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Cincinnati with their two sons.
Joe Boyd is a teaching pastor at Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. A gifted communicator, teacher, and storyteller, Joe has been speaking at conferences, events, and churches since he was a teenager. In 2002 Joe left vocational ministry to work in Hollywood as a professional actor and screenwriter. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Cincinnati with their two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 20, 2010
This was a beautifully written, endearing story. Tommy, along with his friends, all live in the Upper Kingdom with the Great King and the Good Prince. They are eternally 7 years old, and it shows through their adorable innocence. And yet, because they are eternally 7, they also have life experience which allows the reader to relate to them as if they are adults. And when they go into the Lower Kingdom, that is what they become.
The Lower Kingdom is populated by miserably, unhappy people who don't believe in the Upper Kindgom, most of whom need saving of some sort. They are headed by an evil king who has come up with an even more evil plot to retain control over all of his citizens and to never have to fear losing them to the joy and beauty and hope of the Upper Kingdom.
It is a very obvious allegory for heaven and hell and the eternal fight between Good and Evil, God and the Devil, and that's what it's supposed to be. Still, when Tommy and his friends are sent by the Great King into the Lower Kingdom to help build treehouses and open people's eyes to the magnificence of the Upper Kingdom, the reader will find themselvses drawn in despite themselves. For Christians and Non-Christians alike, it is impossible not to enjoy the adorable, action-filled story that follows. Most people will be able to relate in some way to the trials faced by Tommy and his friends as they battle their way through the non-believers to the castle and the king in the lower kingdom.
This story is told with such simple brilliance that, while reading, I had somewhat the feeling of sitting by a campfire, chewing sugar cane, and listening to my grandfather tell one of his crazy stories. Because more than anything, that's what this is, a story, a tale to be passed down through the ages, and Boyd communicates it to the reader in such a way to keep them curious, engaged, and turning page after page, wanting more.
My favorite thing about this book, though, was that it questioned. Each of the characters, after an extended period of time in the Lower Kingdom, was forced to question their faith and their belief in the Upper Kingdom and the Great King. They did not just blindly follow and blindly believe (well, one of the characters did), and their reasons for questioning were all valid things that I am sure are faced my most Christians. As such, in a way, if you are Christian, this book WILL make you question your faith, and it will also help you make decisions about your life and yoru faith accordingly. As someone who is a firm believer in constantly questioning everything (and then CHOOSING to believe, as opposed to just BELIEVING - I mean, heck, I believe in unicorns!), I think that this book was fabulous.
Between Two Kingdoms is a great story with a great message delivered by a brilliant writer. It is filled with well-developed, developing, likable characters, exciting plot twists, and a boatload of creativity. And, since it's such a quick, easy read, I feel like I can recommend it to everyone. Adults, young adults, Christians, and non-Christians alike will all find something to be gained from this book.
The Lower Kingdom is populated by miserably, unhappy people who don't believe in the Upper Kindgom, most of whom need saving of some sort. They are headed by an evil king who has come up with an even more evil plot to retain control over all of his citizens and to never have to fear losing them to the joy and beauty and hope of the Upper Kingdom.
It is a very obvious allegory for heaven and hell and the eternal fight between Good and Evil, God and the Devil, and that's what it's supposed to be. Still, when Tommy and his friends are sent by the Great King into the Lower Kingdom to help build treehouses and open people's eyes to the magnificence of the Upper Kingdom, the reader will find themselvses drawn in despite themselves. For Christians and Non-Christians alike, it is impossible not to enjoy the adorable, action-filled story that follows. Most people will be able to relate in some way to the trials faced by Tommy and his friends as they battle their way through the non-believers to the castle and the king in the lower kingdom.
This story is told with such simple brilliance that, while reading, I had somewhat the feeling of sitting by a campfire, chewing sugar cane, and listening to my grandfather tell one of his crazy stories. Because more than anything, that's what this is, a story, a tale to be passed down through the ages, and Boyd communicates it to the reader in such a way to keep them curious, engaged, and turning page after page, wanting more.
My favorite thing about this book, though, was that it questioned. Each of the characters, after an extended period of time in the Lower Kingdom, was forced to question their faith and their belief in the Upper Kingdom and the Great King. They did not just blindly follow and blindly believe (well, one of the characters did), and their reasons for questioning were all valid things that I am sure are faced my most Christians. As such, in a way, if you are Christian, this book WILL make you question your faith, and it will also help you make decisions about your life and yoru faith accordingly. As someone who is a firm believer in constantly questioning everything (and then CHOOSING to believe, as opposed to just BELIEVING - I mean, heck, I believe in unicorns!), I think that this book was fabulous.
Between Two Kingdoms is a great story with a great message delivered by a brilliant writer. It is filled with well-developed, developing, likable characters, exciting plot twists, and a boatload of creativity. And, since it's such a quick, easy read, I feel like I can recommend it to everyone. Adults, young adults, Christians, and non-Christians alike will all find something to be gained from this book.
February 23, 2021
This book is really interesting in its portrayal of how this earth is not our home and how God's children can live out God's kingdom here on earth. It depicts the kingdom of our fallen world and the kingdom of God in a fictitious narrative full of golden nuggets reflecting Truths found in scripture.
February 8, 2014
I hesitated to start this book. I both love and hate Allegories. I love fairy tales. I love fantasy that hints of the eternal. (As long as there aren't too many vowel-laden names. Arkeunm and Eothyruit and their sister Oeasterrnieaususghua, for instance.) However. I really, really hate slogging through a story that is EXACTLY the story of the bible, only with random substitutions just for substitutions sake.
But my bestie-in-law gave this to me with a note that she loved it. So though, initially, as I thumbed through it, I hesitated (seven year olds? cookies? Phantom Messengers?) I remembered this quote from Andrew Pudewa that I recently read at Kindred Grace.
“We usually stop reading aloud when they most desperately need us to continue,” says Andrew Pudewa.”
In fact, the whole post where that quote lives in context has been on my heart. Since my children have finally discovered reading for pleasure on their own, my time reading aloud has... what's the opposite of exponential? It exponentially collapsed. So as I cracked open this book, mouth twisted askance at the perhaps too-contrived plot, a lightbulb went off. I called my children (8 and 10) over, and asked if they'd like me to read to them. To my HUGE surprise, even my 10 year old son was thrilled! (He's been retreating to his room lately with Star Wars Legos. I thought he was lost to me until he'd return two feet taller and buried in acne. But I digress.) I started reading and we pushed through and finished in two days.
I'd just like to start by saying this allegory is a bit more... forced than I'd want. Instead of hinting at the eternal, the author seemed to take the Story and just flip it into his universe. Everything lines up. A Great King. A Good Prince. A Dark Lord. The River. etc. I winced when he started with the tree-house building mission. Maybe because I've actually been on a church-building mission. (Tree-houses are churches. I think. Or maybe just Christian homes. Is this a spoiler?)
But the kids were interested, so I slogged on. There are some wonderful things this story does.
Have you ever heard the Einstein quote,
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales."
Now, maybe it wasn't Einstein. It's hard to correctly attribute a quote online. But the internets seem to want to attach that quote to him. Anyway. If you want a clean, Truth-filled fairy tale for your children, this is it. There's nothing wicked or dangerous in the theology here. Especially if you embrace the Spirit and aren't afraid of Him. So I'm glad to have it for my children. I love reading to them knowing that they're not just being entertained, and they're not absorbing anything shady theologically. And because it's an allegory, I think it helps them understand some things about the Eternal that I may have had difficulty explaining in plain language.
The other thing that I loved is that it told about a part of the Story that isn't usually told. Instead of telling the Creation story or the Crucifiction story, this book told about the part we live in now... About living in the in-between.
But there are some things I didn't like about this book. Joe Boyd, if you ever read this review, I apologize. I know as an author you want people to be completely crazy about your book. But as a writer myself, I like to try to understand what makes a book wonderful and what keeps it from excelling. I'll try to be gentle.
I think the biggest hindrance to this book being AMAZING was that for so long, most of what happened was "explaining." Taking Tommy, the protagonist, aside, and telling him what was going on. Not just throwing him into the action. In fact, not much action happened until the very end. Pops, the Good Prince, and even the villain, when finally met, spent most of the time on their pages talking instead of DOING. This is the same issue I had with The Shack. If I really believe I might stand in the presence of the Almighty, I think I'd rather see him in action than have him patiently explain things to me. Maybe that's just my opinion.
So the kids and I finished it. And I'm glad to have read it, both for them and for me. I'm thankful for the reminder of The River. But without my children, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
I highly recommend this book as a read-aloud for children ages maybe 9 and up. It's comparable to, but longer and darker, than Tales of the Kingdom, which is a series of allegories that also include illustrations.
Anyone else have some good recommendations for read-aloud fairy tales for children ages 8-10? I'd appreciate them!
Have a great day, I'm off to have pancakes.
Bri.
But my bestie-in-law gave this to me with a note that she loved it. So though, initially, as I thumbed through it, I hesitated (seven year olds? cookies? Phantom Messengers?) I remembered this quote from Andrew Pudewa that I recently read at Kindred Grace.
“We usually stop reading aloud when they most desperately need us to continue,” says Andrew Pudewa.”
In fact, the whole post where that quote lives in context has been on my heart. Since my children have finally discovered reading for pleasure on their own, my time reading aloud has... what's the opposite of exponential? It exponentially collapsed. So as I cracked open this book, mouth twisted askance at the perhaps too-contrived plot, a lightbulb went off. I called my children (8 and 10) over, and asked if they'd like me to read to them. To my HUGE surprise, even my 10 year old son was thrilled! (He's been retreating to his room lately with Star Wars Legos. I thought he was lost to me until he'd return two feet taller and buried in acne. But I digress.) I started reading and we pushed through and finished in two days.
I'd just like to start by saying this allegory is a bit more... forced than I'd want. Instead of hinting at the eternal, the author seemed to take the Story and just flip it into his universe. Everything lines up. A Great King. A Good Prince. A Dark Lord. The River. etc. I winced when he started with the tree-house building mission. Maybe because I've actually been on a church-building mission. (Tree-houses are churches. I think. Or maybe just Christian homes. Is this a spoiler?)
But the kids were interested, so I slogged on. There are some wonderful things this story does.
Have you ever heard the Einstein quote,
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales."
Now, maybe it wasn't Einstein. It's hard to correctly attribute a quote online. But the internets seem to want to attach that quote to him. Anyway. If you want a clean, Truth-filled fairy tale for your children, this is it. There's nothing wicked or dangerous in the theology here. Especially if you embrace the Spirit and aren't afraid of Him. So I'm glad to have it for my children. I love reading to them knowing that they're not just being entertained, and they're not absorbing anything shady theologically. And because it's an allegory, I think it helps them understand some things about the Eternal that I may have had difficulty explaining in plain language.
The other thing that I loved is that it told about a part of the Story that isn't usually told. Instead of telling the Creation story or the Crucifiction story, this book told about the part we live in now... About living in the in-between.
But there are some things I didn't like about this book. Joe Boyd, if you ever read this review, I apologize. I know as an author you want people to be completely crazy about your book. But as a writer myself, I like to try to understand what makes a book wonderful and what keeps it from excelling. I'll try to be gentle.
I think the biggest hindrance to this book being AMAZING was that for so long, most of what happened was "explaining." Taking Tommy, the protagonist, aside, and telling him what was going on. Not just throwing him into the action. In fact, not much action happened until the very end. Pops, the Good Prince, and even the villain, when finally met, spent most of the time on their pages talking instead of DOING. This is the same issue I had with The Shack. If I really believe I might stand in the presence of the Almighty, I think I'd rather see him in action than have him patiently explain things to me. Maybe that's just my opinion.
So the kids and I finished it. And I'm glad to have read it, both for them and for me. I'm thankful for the reminder of The River. But without my children, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
I highly recommend this book as a read-aloud for children ages maybe 9 and up. It's comparable to, but longer and darker, than Tales of the Kingdom, which is a series of allegories that also include illustrations.
Anyone else have some good recommendations for read-aloud fairy tales for children ages 8-10? I'd appreciate them!
Have a great day, I'm off to have pancakes.
Bri.
July 7, 2010
What a neat book! This book went directly from my hands to Jordan’s desk with the instructions to read it. (For those of you with kids, Jordan is 11. I think this would be a great read for him yet I enjoyed it a lot also!)
This adventure starts with Tommy, who is a child of the Great King and a friend of the Good Prince, the son of the King. If you’re a Christian, you can see where this is going. Tommy must go to the lower kingdom, and there he helps to rescue a friend of his. The friend himself had to make the choice. (As we all do.)
Then Tommy, Mary, Bobby, and Pops have to go on this adventure to save the people of the Lower Kingdom from the “prince” of the Lower Kingdom. There is action, there is adventure, and there is undying faith. The correlation between God the father, Jesus, and Satan is present throughout the book, but written in a way both younger kids and adults will find easy to understand. I just thought it was such a cool way to tell the story. It kind of reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia, not in how it is written but how one thing symbolizes another.
I think it was just the neatest book. Charles Schierbeck on Amazon said:
It is hard to know how to cast Joe Boyd’s book. I think the category of allegory is correct, however, at times I think that parable might be the better word. Rather, a string of parables woven into one longer story. What makes this nice is that you can read the book one chapter at a time, as a sort of devotional, or just plop down on the sofa and get lost in it for a whole night.
I completely agree with him, it does belong in allegory, but it feels like a parable. I think this book would be so wonderful to pick up at night and read a chapter to your kids. Now that I gave myself the idea, I think I will do that. We call that “buddy reading” at our house.
I will be on the lookout for more books from Joe Boyd because Between Two Kingdoms was absolutely fabulous. It’s really nice to find a wholesome book that I feel is appropriate for my whole family.
This adventure starts with Tommy, who is a child of the Great King and a friend of the Good Prince, the son of the King. If you’re a Christian, you can see where this is going. Tommy must go to the lower kingdom, and there he helps to rescue a friend of his. The friend himself had to make the choice. (As we all do.)
Then Tommy, Mary, Bobby, and Pops have to go on this adventure to save the people of the Lower Kingdom from the “prince” of the Lower Kingdom. There is action, there is adventure, and there is undying faith. The correlation between God the father, Jesus, and Satan is present throughout the book, but written in a way both younger kids and adults will find easy to understand. I just thought it was such a cool way to tell the story. It kind of reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia, not in how it is written but how one thing symbolizes another.
I think it was just the neatest book. Charles Schierbeck on Amazon said:
It is hard to know how to cast Joe Boyd’s book. I think the category of allegory is correct, however, at times I think that parable might be the better word. Rather, a string of parables woven into one longer story. What makes this nice is that you can read the book one chapter at a time, as a sort of devotional, or just plop down on the sofa and get lost in it for a whole night.
I completely agree with him, it does belong in allegory, but it feels like a parable. I think this book would be so wonderful to pick up at night and read a chapter to your kids. Now that I gave myself the idea, I think I will do that. We call that “buddy reading” at our house.
I will be on the lookout for more books from Joe Boyd because Between Two Kingdoms was absolutely fabulous. It’s really nice to find a wholesome book that I feel is appropriate for my whole family.
April 4, 2010
I didn't hate this book but I can't say I really liked it either. BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS is one big allegorical tale that was both challenging and easy to get through. Not being very religious myself I found it a bit redundant and sometimes annoying to read and re-read the religious references spread throughout the unique tale. Now most of that annoyance is directed towards myself for not realizing what exactly this book was about. When I was asked to review BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS I simply skimmed the synopsis provided and said "Definitely!!" It sounded like an enjoyable action tale geared towards the younger crowd. I really had no idea what I was getting into when I accepted the review.
But I don't want anyone to think the book was terrible, because it wasn't. It simply wasn't my cup o'tea. I enjoyed the story enough to want to finish it and after setting aside my differences with the novel itself I was able to enjoy the plot as a whole rather than concentrate on the religious symbols in the book. There was also some points in the book that quite frankly had me stumped. The children of the Great King are a eternally seven-years-old. Why that age? Why children at all? While in the Upper Kingdom, the children eat a cookie and ice-cream filled diet that seems to hold some significance in the end but still leaves me scratching my head...
Overall, the story was entirely unique to my personal tastes. And to add a random comment into my review: I really like the cover! The picture above is pretty true to what you get when you hold the novel and I just loved looking at it. I believe there are many people, young and older alike, that will enjoy BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS. I recommend you borrow it from a library or read more about it before making a decision.
But I don't want anyone to think the book was terrible, because it wasn't. It simply wasn't my cup o'tea. I enjoyed the story enough to want to finish it and after setting aside my differences with the novel itself I was able to enjoy the plot as a whole rather than concentrate on the religious symbols in the book. There was also some points in the book that quite frankly had me stumped. The children of the Great King are a eternally seven-years-old. Why that age? Why children at all? While in the Upper Kingdom, the children eat a cookie and ice-cream filled diet that seems to hold some significance in the end but still leaves me scratching my head...
Overall, the story was entirely unique to my personal tastes. And to add a random comment into my review: I really like the cover! The picture above is pretty true to what you get when you hold the novel and I just loved looking at it. I believe there are many people, young and older alike, that will enjoy BETWEEN TWO KINGDOMS. I recommend you borrow it from a library or read more about it before making a decision.
May 2, 2010
This book was such a unique read for me that I can't recall reading anything of this nature, with the one exception of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, which is also allegorical in nature. The story in Between Two Kingdoms is told as a story that I think young children could appreciate just as well as adults because of the simplistic nature of the text. What intrigued me about this book was trying to figure out what each element of the story represented in reference to the Bible. Some things were obvious, such as the King being God, the Good Prince being Jesus Christ, and the River being the Holy Spirit. The interpretation of many elements though are biased according to how the author, Joe Boyd, interprets Bibical scripture, such as making the River female in nature, which would indicate Boyd's interpretation that the Holy Spirit is also female, which I do not agree with. Another interpretation that I found questionable was the Dark Prince and his true name, Adam. I could be wrong, but that tells me that the author interprets the origin of the Devil as the first man, Adam. I was completely baffled by the language that the Phantom Messengers spoke and what it was supposed to represent.
Many elements of the story were quite imaginative and fascinating, such as the behavior of the River, which was as playful and joyous as it could be peaceful and comforting. I love how the children could use such a simple thing as mirrors to destroy the Phantom Messengers by showing them their true selves. The Long Night was rife with metaphor, and I love good metaphors.
On the whole, I think this story is a great conversation piece for anyone interested in puzzling out the meanings behind the allegory.
Many elements of the story were quite imaginative and fascinating, such as the behavior of the River, which was as playful and joyous as it could be peaceful and comforting. I love how the children could use such a simple thing as mirrors to destroy the Phantom Messengers by showing them their true selves. The Long Night was rife with metaphor, and I love good metaphors.
On the whole, I think this story is a great conversation piece for anyone interested in puzzling out the meanings behind the allegory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2010
I was sent this book from FSB to read and give a review. Please read disclaimer.
Between Two Kingdoms by Joe Boyd is an allegory,very much so. Even if you have just a passing knowledge of Christianity you will be able to figure out what most of this book is trying to convey.
That being said I found this book very entertaining and I think that the intended audience of preteen and early teens will find this book very exciting and enjoyable, especially boys.
The two kingdoms in question are the Upper Kingdom, which is ruled by Great King and The Good Prince, and the Lower Kingdom ruled by The Dark Prince. The residents in the Upper Kingdom on eternally seven years old and spend their days eating cookies for breakfast and building tree houses and whatever else they like. The residents in the Lower Kingdom are old people who don't have a pleasant existence.
The Good Prince calls Tommy to go on a mission to the Lower Kingdom. The Prince calls Tommy a Leader but Tommy protests. The Good Prince says "A person can be a leader long before he has the occasion to lead".
Tommy and several of his friends, Mary, Luke, Bobby go to the Lower Kingdom and meet several other followers of the Great King including Pops. Along with these followers they must stop the Dark Prince's evil plan.
This was a very quick read and it was mostly non stop action from beginning to end.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something that a boy would like to read. Girls would like it too but I think that boys would really enjoy it.
Between Two Kingdoms by Joe Boyd is an allegory,very much so. Even if you have just a passing knowledge of Christianity you will be able to figure out what most of this book is trying to convey.
That being said I found this book very entertaining and I think that the intended audience of preteen and early teens will find this book very exciting and enjoyable, especially boys.
The two kingdoms in question are the Upper Kingdom, which is ruled by Great King and The Good Prince, and the Lower Kingdom ruled by The Dark Prince. The residents in the Upper Kingdom on eternally seven years old and spend their days eating cookies for breakfast and building tree houses and whatever else they like. The residents in the Lower Kingdom are old people who don't have a pleasant existence.
The Good Prince calls Tommy to go on a mission to the Lower Kingdom. The Prince calls Tommy a Leader but Tommy protests. The Good Prince says "A person can be a leader long before he has the occasion to lead".
Tommy and several of his friends, Mary, Luke, Bobby go to the Lower Kingdom and meet several other followers of the Great King including Pops. Along with these followers they must stop the Dark Prince's evil plan.
This was a very quick read and it was mostly non stop action from beginning to end.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something that a boy would like to read. Girls would like it too but I think that boys would really enjoy it.
March 24, 2016
"A book is a dream that you hold in your hand." -Neil Gaiman.
Gaiman's quote suits this book wonderfully because the general atmosphere of this book reminds me of a wild and whimsical dream.
From the treehouses, the creatures, and the unforgettable chocolate chip cookies, Boyd takes his readers on a magical ride through a dreamscape that mirrors that of the Christian spirit world.
Despite it's enjoyable mood and deep messages, this wasn't as well written as I would have liked. Some more time spent in the details would have been appreciated, but ultimately I appreciate Joe Boyd's efforts in this Christian fantasy novel.
His writing style is very unique because of just how innocent it is. Because so much of the story is told by the mouths of 7 year olds, the reader just can't help but feel enthralled by how utterly adorable this book really is!
Well done Boyd for making a serious story maintain it's fun.
Pros: Whimsical, fun, cute, good message, clever concept,
Cons: Shallow characters, simple plotline, predictable
My Rating: 7.8
For more about me or this book check out my blog here:
http://www.newportlibrary.info/book-r...
Gaiman's quote suits this book wonderfully because the general atmosphere of this book reminds me of a wild and whimsical dream.
From the treehouses, the creatures, and the unforgettable chocolate chip cookies, Boyd takes his readers on a magical ride through a dreamscape that mirrors that of the Christian spirit world.
Despite it's enjoyable mood and deep messages, this wasn't as well written as I would have liked. Some more time spent in the details would have been appreciated, but ultimately I appreciate Joe Boyd's efforts in this Christian fantasy novel.
His writing style is very unique because of just how innocent it is. Because so much of the story is told by the mouths of 7 year olds, the reader just can't help but feel enthralled by how utterly adorable this book really is!
Well done Boyd for making a serious story maintain it's fun.
Pros: Whimsical, fun, cute, good message, clever concept,
Cons: Shallow characters, simple plotline, predictable
My Rating: 7.8
For more about me or this book check out my blog here:
http://www.newportlibrary.info/book-r...
January 4, 2012
A mini-review
I read this book very quickly over the summer, mainly because a friend of mine was reading it as well. I remember enjoying it and being strongly reminded of theNarniaseries. That may mean different things to different people:Between Two Kingdomsseemed like a highly allegorical read. Now, I absolutely love allegory - it's my favorite type of literary device, mainly because I find them so clever. However, some people avoid allegories like the plague...I have no idea why...but I will say that if you likedNarnia,you will most likely enjoy this book. If you don't likeNarnia,you may not enjoy it as much.
Between Two Kingdomswas beautifully written, clever, and exciting, but it was a quick read that didn't require a whole lot of attention. It was a rather quiet and unpretentious book. Because of zero content issues, I would recommend this book to middle and high schoolers.
I read this book very quickly over the summer, mainly because a friend of mine was reading it as well. I remember enjoying it and being strongly reminded of theNarniaseries. That may mean different things to different people:Between Two Kingdomsseemed like a highly allegorical read. Now, I absolutely love allegory - it's my favorite type of literary device, mainly because I find them so clever. However, some people avoid allegories like the plague...I have no idea why...but I will say that if you likedNarnia,you will most likely enjoy this book. If you don't likeNarnia,you may not enjoy it as much.
Between Two Kingdomswas beautifully written, clever, and exciting, but it was a quick read that didn't require a whole lot of attention. It was a rather quiet and unpretentious book. Because of zero content issues, I would recommend this book to middle and high schoolers.
Read
August 3, 2011I was a disappointed in this book. The characters were too shallow and the storyline never truly developed into anything compelling. Since the beginning of the book, I kept waiting for the storyline to establish itself and the book to take off. Once I reached the half-way point of the book, I had the sinking feeling that the book was not going to develop to anything beyond a "skipping-stone" plot sequence. The book kept moving forward, but without any development of characters or meaning behind the obvious attempts at reference I saw the author attempt to make. Once I got near the end of the book, I found I was having to make myself finish the book before I set it down because I knew if I set it down, i more than likely would not pick it up again...I applaud the author for his use of self-promotion using Facebook, but unfortunately this story never truly engaged me enough to make me recommend it to others.
March 29, 2010
If you think of this books as a sort of thought experiment - an attempt to tell an allegorical story that reflects your conceptions of faith - then I think you are more likely to be generous in your assessment.
The story is rather simply and the larger allegorical symbols are rather obvious. It is a quick read and has some interesting well done elements.
But other elements are mysterious if not outright confusing (why perpetually seven?; the kids eating ice cream and cookies; etc.).
The characters are well done for the most part but the writing has an awkwardness that is not all that surprising in a first time novelist but it makes the story have a stop and start quality to it.
It struck me as the sort of book a youth group could read and use as a discussion starter. It seems a little too simple for adults but that might just be my taste.
The story is rather simply and the larger allegorical symbols are rather obvious. It is a quick read and has some interesting well done elements.
But other elements are mysterious if not outright confusing (why perpetually seven?; the kids eating ice cream and cookies; etc.).
The characters are well done for the most part but the writing has an awkwardness that is not all that surprising in a first time novelist but it makes the story have a stop and start quality to it.
It struck me as the sort of book a youth group could read and use as a discussion starter. It seems a little too simple for adults but that might just be my taste.
August 14, 2012
This was an interesting and easy read, a parable of sorts filled with decent metaphors for the Christian life. The short chapters kept it moving along, but the narrator's POV changed too frequently for my taste.
Like almost every book in this genre, it's a little wishy-washy on some doctrinal areas (missing BIG things like atonement and God's justice) that I wish had been cleaner, but I found it helpful on others. I would recommend it if you're looking for Christian overtones, but don't use it for your theology. Read it, like I did, for encouragement, edification and entertainment.
Like almost every book in this genre, it's a little wishy-washy on some doctrinal areas (missing BIG things like atonement and God's justice) that I wish had been cleaner, but I found it helpful on others. I would recommend it if you're looking for Christian overtones, but don't use it for your theology. Read it, like I did, for encouragement, edification and entertainment.
Want to read
July 25, 2010*Thanks to Bret Abner of Standard Publishing for providing a copy for review.*
July 26, 2010
This book was ok, but definitely for Christians looking for a Christian read. I thought it got pretty boring, but it was an interesting concept.
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