You sound exactly like my aforementioned sister. She loves Richard Hannay. And they are so lovely. I really like them all, and my favorites are probably Hannay and Archie Roylance. I'm so glad they all have romance in them too.

Maybe that's why we get along so well. Although I prefer Edward Leithen. I really shall have to read more of Lord Tweedsmuir's work sometime soon (Lord Tweedsmuir was John Buchan's title. I like it very much that at one point he was HM the King's representative in the Dominion of Canada, it's a very nice thing indeed).

😀 Maybe that's why we get along so well. Although I prefer Edward Leithen.

hehe, that's awesome! I really, really like him too - have you read Mountain Meadow? It's so sad.

I recently read two books about which I thought it was worth putting my thoughts on here.

First, The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander. I'd heard a lot of positive reviews about this book here on NarniaWeb, and so I was looking forward to reading it. Alexander drew me in with the first paragraph, and I like that. When an author can make the opening of his book compelling and interesting, it shows his mastery of his art. I enjoyed the adventures and the episodic nature of the first half of the book, and the gradual (if a bit anticipated) joining of all the little threads as the story progressed. As usual for Alexander the characters felt more like real people than fairy tale characters. What disappointed me though was that the ending felt a little flat compared to the buildup of the preceding chapters.

Overall, I give it 3.5/5 stars and a PG rating.

The second book that I've read recently is Grave Peril by Jim Butcher. It's the third book in his series the Dresden Files, about a man named Harry Dresden who is Chicago's only professional wizard. I've enjoyed the whole series quite well thus far, with my biggest complaint being the language content (in the second book especially). Due to the language and the graphic nature of some of the crimes Harry investigates I would definitely NOT recommend this series to anyone under 16 (depending on your own convictions regarding foul language and such). There are also a few moments in each book that I've read thus far where Butcher pushes the envelope regarding the amount of more "adult" content he can include without being too graphic (particularly when it comes to scenes with vampires and other supernatural figures and in scenes with evil sorcerers).

In regard to the third book on its own, it was very different in tone and style from the first two. The mystery was much more personal and less "official police business" than in the previous two, and the plot was much more compressed and fast-paced. I enjoyed seeing Harry's character grow in some areas, mostly through the introduction of two major side characters: Michael, a Knight of the Cross and Harry's compatriot in the fight against evil for this book, and Lea, Harry's literal faerie godmother, out for his soul. Michael's character especially gives the series new depth, as he is a very devout man who serves God, and whose company tends to bring out the best in Harry (even if it's only visible to the readers and Harry himself). I was very pleased with the way Butcher handled Michael and his relationship with Harry, mostly because of the fact that Harry doesn't spend all of their time together taking shots at the Knight's faith and beliefs. In fact, Harry often talks about his respect of Michael's faith and the power that it gives the Knight in their battle against evil.

I give the book 4/5 stars. I would rate it PG-13 for language and violence, with some moments of "adult" content.

Hey guys, I was wondering about the book A Wrinkle in Time. I don't know much about it, other than it being famous. Someone I know read it and said there were horrible things in it and that Christians shouldn't read it or something. Has anyone here read it? Do you know what content that person is talking about? And what was your take on the book?

~Riella

My Mom read them to my brother and outloud a couple of years ago, and I remember enjoying them. I don't know if I would reread them but they were entertaining to listen to while coloring in my coloring books (yeah, I was 16. so what? )

I colour in colouring books while being read aloud to, too! So don't feel embarrassed; it's fun!

I'm so glad I convincing you It's such a great book and I'm sure you would love it if you read it.

Out of curiousity, what book are you talking about?

Hey Riella! I can't say for sure that A Wrinkle in Time is okay for Christians, because I haven't read it from cover to cover; I've kind of skimmed through it! But from what I've read it seems fine. Hopefully others will reply to your questions with more assurance, having read the whole book, unlike me! (It's one of my favourite stories, by the way! )

I'm currently reading The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. I started reading it in the fall of 2008, then put it down for a few years, and have just recently picked it up again. I was considering starting from the beginning again, because it had been so long, but I was already quite far into it, and I didn't want to reread all of that again. Plus, when I skimmed through the part I had read already (almost three quarters of the book), I found that I remembered most of it. So I decided to just pick up from where I left off, and enjoy it that way.

For those of you who don't know the book, it's a story about three house-pets - two dogs and a cat - who are owned by a family who has the opportunity to go to England for about nine months. A good family friend offers to look after the animals in his own house for this time period, until the family's return. But when the temporary care-giver goes on vacation for a few weeks, even though the animals are looked after by a neighbor, they run away, traveling toward the home of their owners. The Incredible Journey is the heart-warming story of these three animals' progress as they travel home through the Canadian wilderness: their encounters with wild animals, starvation, nature, and various humans along the way. It's a wonderful tale filled with love, courage, and devotion, and I'm really enjoying it!

There was a live-action Disney movie (of the same title) made of this story a while back, and more recently, another movie, with the story changed some, was made based on the same book. This newer comedy was called Homeward Bound, and I'm sure some of you have heard of it. I really like both of these movies in their own way; both of them have moved me to tears. (But I'm aware that any extensive talk of this sort can be done in the Past Movies thread. ) I'm really looking forward to watching these movies again when I'm finished the book.

Well, anyway, I guess I've talked long enough... I'll post again when I'm done reading The Incredible Journey! (And maybe before then, too!)

A Wrinkle in Time is tame. The author was a 'Christian' (admittedly one who thought Jesus reconciled everyone to himself at the end of the age) but nowhere is that belief exhibited in this book. The only people that would have a problem with A Wrinkle in Time, are the most legalistic of Christians who believe fantasy and imagination are the spawn of Satan and the Bible is the only book that should be read (there are such people!)
It's a good book with some very interesting ideas but I think I came to read it too late in life to enjoy it to the fullest. I have issues with it's sparse writing style but then I have to remind myself - it's a children's book!

The only people that would have a problem with A Wrinkle in Time, are the most legalistic of Christians who believe fantasy and imagination are the spawn of Satan and the Bible is the only book that should be read (there are such people!)

Hmm... that doesn't quite describe the person that told me the book shouldn't be read. Although, this person does have issues with certain types of fantasy. What sort of things are in the book? Does it have just your average mythological creatures in it? Dwarves? Witches? Wizards? Spells and magic wands?

~Riella

I have never actually read A Wrinkle in Time, but my older sisters have, and I have never heard them say that it has problems. They like it, but they think it is below their age level (around 16).

And about Jane of Lantern Hill! I love it. It is a very good book. So is Emily of New Moon, but the first book is definitely the best. Comparing these two with Anne of Green Gables, I'm not sure which is the best of the lot. Alcott never bothered me with her moralizing, though I have seen people complaining really horribly of Mrs.March and the grown up Jo. Have any of you read Eight Cousins? I think I read that even before Little Woman, and I really love it. I'm going to start on the sequel, The Rose in Bloom, quite soon. But first I really should be finishing up Uncle Fred in Springtime, by P. G. Wodehouse.

Back to Alcott, my sister and I found a really creepy looking book by her at a book sale a few days ago. It was astonishing to see that the lady who wrote our beloved Little Woman had also written something like that! We didn't buy it or read it, but by the back we could see that it was never a book we would want to read. Did I mention that we were astonished?

I'm so glad I convincing you It's such a great book and I'm sure you would love it if you read it.

Out of curiousity, what book are you talking about?

The book was "North & South" by Elizabeth Gaskell

Ithilwen, no. It's more sci-fi/fantasy than pure fantasy. There are no dwarves, witches or wizards or magic wands. There is some magic but it's not the traditional-kind. To say anything more would give it away. But really, there's nothing objectionable in the books.

Ithilwen, no. It's more sci-fi/fantasy than pure fantasy. There are no dwarves, witches or wizards or magic wands. There is some magic but it's not the traditional-kind. To say anything more would give it away. But really, there's nothing objectionable in the books.

I just talked to the person again, and asked her to be more specific. She told me that the book contains: a Medium with a crystal ball, mind control, telepathy, hypnotic spells, and Buddhism. Any idea what she's talking about?

~Riella

I don't remember a crystal ball but there was mind control, telepathy and hypnotism. They're not encouraged though and they're there as part of the message of the story. There's no Buddhism (it's a Christian book). I don't remember there being any medium either.

Re: A Wrinkle in Time

At first I couldn't remember any medium or crystal ball either, but then I pulled out my copy of the book. There is a character called the Happy Medium. She lives in Orion's belt and has a crystal ball that she uses to look at all the planets in the universe. She's harmless. The crystal ball is more like a really powerful telescope than anything else.

As for the Buddhism, I agree with Warrior that there isn't any. Buddha's name is mentioned in a list of people who have against the powers of darkness in our world but that's it. Jesus is at the top of that list.

I like the book, and I don't think it is wrong for Christians to read it. Some of Le'Engle's other books are questionable (mostly her adult books), but the Time Quartet is fine.

Ah, yes, daughter of the King. Good work!

I've just finished reading Planet Narnia by Michael Ward. Great scholarship and some very interesting reading but I wish the writing style wasn't so dry and academic. 8/10 (10/10 if you enjoy academic language).

Summary:
LWW = Jupiter
PC = Mars
VDT = Sol (the Sun)
SC = Luna (the Moon)
HHB = Mercury
MN = Venus
LB = Saturn

Yes, W4J, I've seen that list, and yes, I'd like to read Michael Ward's book.

Hey guys, I was wondering about the book A Wrinkle in Time. I don't know much about it, other than it being famous. Someone I know read it and said there were horrible things in it and that Christians shouldn't read it or something. Has anyone here read it? Do you know what content that person is talking about? And what was your take on the book?~Riella

As W4J says above, it is more sci-fi than fantasy magic. Yes, I am acquainted with the book, when it was on my reading list for the Children's literature unit I did for my first librarian's qualification. There was a 'happy medium', but I saw that person more as a play on the idea of anti-extremism, even if she did have a crystal ball. What sticks out in my mind is that one of the themes of the book seems to be a criticism of absolute conformity, ie, that we would be a very dull world if we were all exactly the same as each other.

On the whole I found Alan Garner's books, for example, the Weirdstone of Brisinghamen, in particular, or the Moon of Gomrath, which I read for the same reasons, as more disturbing, much as I enjoyed them. Has anyone read these books?

Lately I have been reading a new book, 'The man who broke into Auschwitz', which I picked up whilst waiting to board a flight home. Though this book is written in a lucid and straightforward style, with accompanying illustrations, it is still very painful reading and not for children or for the faint hearted. Yet, it is a story that really should have been told. It is also a sobering counterpoint to the jolly tales of Biggles, the Dambusters, the 'Great escape' or the Wooden Horse, when British POW's seemed to be treated comparatively well in WW2, compared with their Changi or Sandakan counterparts.

Do we tell teenagers the truth about how people suffered in WW2? Or do we sugarcoat it, as if such tales are always some sort of marvellous boys' own adventure?