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A Crown of Chains
Reviews, Jan 27, 2023

The Magician’s Nephew Taught Me Christ’s Compassion in the Midst of Grief
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Rose Petals and Snowflakes
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Silver Bounty, Victoria McCombs
A Sword for the Immerland King, F. W. Faller
Calor, J. J. Fisher
Once Upon A Ren Faire, A. C. Castillo
Exile, Loren G. Warnemuende
Aberration, Cathy McCrumb
The Truth Beyond the Lies, Kathleen Bird
Frost, Winter's Lonely Guardian, E. E. Rawls
Dream of Kings, Sharon Hinck
The Change, Bradley Caffee
Quest of Fire: Desperation, Brett Armstrong
Wishtress, Nadine Brandes
Flight, Kristen Young
The Deliverer, Jason William Karpf
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146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango
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145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds
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144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?
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141. Ten Years After ‘An Unexpected Journey,’ Must We Really Hate The Hobbit Films? | with Rilian of NarniaWeb
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A Crown of Chains
“A Crown of Chains creatively retells a biblical tale to explore themes of providence, racism, faith, and fidelity.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2023

Lander’s Legacy
“Lander’s Legacy stacks modern thrills and complex characters on a foundation of biblical what-ifs.”
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Prince Caspian
“Pacing starts slow but creature lore grows in C. S. Lewis’s sequel, introducing practical tyrants and talking-beast politics into a Narnian resistance.”
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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/ Library
Author:
Larry Paris
Ages:
adult
Genres:
fantasy
BookTags:
allegory darkness epic heroes light Seven Towers series
Publisher:
Indie published
Lorehaven may use referral links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
“Larry Paris’s novel is an ambitious work, filled with heroes battling various grotesque monsters.”
—Lorehaven review, winter 2019

The Darkened Land

In a land of darkness, seven people defend one of the seven cities of light against the forces of darkness.
Larry Paris · fantasy for adult readers · April 2019

In a land of perpetual darkness, the city of Agapay stands as a beacon of light in the midst of a raging war. Lachlaniel has never known the light until a man with one of the King’s light-giving stones passes by. Dazzled by the wonders, beauty and gifts it bestows, Lachlaniel leaves Fairvale to find a stone. Accompanied by a friend and aided by some of the King’s finest warriors, Lachlaniel makes his way to Agapay pursued by the creatures of darkness. His quest has roused the enemy unleashing a flood of terror and destruction. The Great City is in peril. Can Lachlaniel obtain a stone before the forces of evil engulf the city? Can he and his friends turn the tide of destruction, or will the light fail and the defenders succumb to the legions of darkness?

Book 1 of the Seven Towers series.

Lorehaven may use referral links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Review of The Darkened Land

Larry Paris’s novel is an ambitious work, filled with heroes battling various grotesque monsters.
Lorehaven Review Team, winter 2019

Much like The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Darkened Land begins with a conversion journey, but then takes a The Lord of the Rings–style turn as an army of evil creatures lay siege to a city of good people. Larry Paris’s novel is an ambitious work, filled with heroes battling various grotesque monsters. But these heroes, rather than being paragons of perfection, exhibit struggles typical of real people. The story seems to falter upon a few cumbersome devices, such as a trans-dimensional “closet” that characters must enter when they pray, and the titular gloom, which seems to cause darkness or blindness that keeps heroes from seeing. Despite these potential fumbles in the dark, however, the story possesses a good heart.

Best for: Older teens and adults.

Discern: Some allegorical parallels to evangelical practices, such as “prayer closets,” and at least one scene with a character promised a kind of spiritual elitism.

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Lorehaven magazine, spring 2020

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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