As other men bow to evil, Sojourners stand and fight. They are the last lights shining against the darkness of Heaven’s Exiles, the Fallen.

When their Sojourner town is attacked, the soldier’s son Litharus, loving and kind Ingrid, and precocious but innocent Gwen are cut off from their parents. Are their magical Blessings enough to help these three young friends escape the Exiles hunting them? Can they find their way safely into their parents arms?

Intertwined tales span generations and cross continents as faith, hope, and family once again battle the malevolent forces determined to destroy and devour all that is good.

An intricately imagined world populated by beings with strange talents and magical gifts forms the backdrop of this Christian Fantasy tale: Blessing and Trials.

Book 1 of the Exiles and Sojourners series.

Set in many times and places, Thomas Davidsmeier’s Blessings and Trials spans a large and fascinating world filled with angels, either exiled from heaven or sent from heaven to help mankind. In this world, humans receive powerful blessings from God or grotesque powers from fallen angels. For this first entry of a planned series, the various stories seem largely disconnected. Some events even appear unrelated to any other parts of the story. Still, these flaws don’t restrain the work’s overall intriguing concept, and later books in the series may make the connections clearer. A strong Christian message and gospel presentation make this book worth a read.

Best for: Teens and young adults.

Discern: A good bit of fighting and killing, even with children present and involved; some liberties are taken with spiritual beings, powers, and gifts.