Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Teen FIRST-Chosen By Ted Dekker
It's April 21st, time for the Teen FIRST blog tour!(Join our alliance! Click the button!) Every 21st, we will feature an author and his/her latest Teen fiction book's FIRST chapter!
and his book:
Thomas Nelson (January 1, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.
Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. To see a complete list of Dekker's work, visit The Works section of TedDekker.com.
Here are some of his latest titles:
Adam
Black: The Birth of Evil (The Circle Trilogy Graphic Novels, Book 1)
Saint
Our story begins in a world totally like our own, yet completely different. What once happened here in our own history seems to be repeating itself thousands of years from now,
some time beyond the year 4000 AD.
But this time the future belongs to those who see opportunity before it becomes obvious. To the young, to the warriors, to the lovers. To those who can follow hidden clues and find a great
treasure that will unlock the mysteries of life and wealth.
Thirteen years have passed since the lush, colored forests were turned to desert by Teeleh, the enemy of Elyon and the vilest of all creatures. Evil now rules the land and shows itself as a painful, scaly disease that covers the flesh of the Horde, a people who live in the desert.
The powerful green waters, once precious to Elyon, have vanished from the earth except in seven small forests surrounding seven small lakes. Those few who have chosen to follow the ways of Elyon now live in these forests, bathing once daily in the powerful waters to cleanse their skin of the disease.
The number of their sworn enemy, the Horde, has grown in thirteen years and, fearing the green waters above all else, these desert dwellers have sworn to wipe all traces of the forests from
the earth.
Only the Forest Guard stands in their way. Ten thousand elite fighters against an army of nearly four hundred thousand Horde. But the Forest Guard is starting to crumble.
one
Day One
Qurong, general of the Horde, stood on the tall dune five miles west of the green forest, ignoring the fly that buzzed around his left eye.
His flesh was nearly white, covered with a paste that kept his skin from itching too badly. His long hair was pulled back and woven into dreadlocks, then tucked beneath the leather body armor
cinched tightly around his massive chest.
“Do you think they know?” the young major beside him asked.
Qurong’s milky white horse, chosen for its ability to blend with the desert, stamped and snorted.
The general spit to one side. “They know what we want them to know,” he said. “That we are gathering for war. And that we will march from the east in four days.”
“It seems risky,” the major said. His right cheek twitched, sending three flies to flight.
“Their forces are half what they once were. As long as they think we are coming from the east, we will smother them from the west.”
“The traitor insists that they are building their forces,” the major said.
“With young pups!” Qurong scoffed.
“The young can be crafty.”
“And I’m not? They know nothing about the traitor. This time we will kill them all.”
Qurong turned back to the valley behind him. The tents of his third division, the largest of all Horde armies, which numbered well over three hundred thousand of the most experienced warriors, stretched out nearly as far as he could see.
“We march in four days,” Qurong said. “We will slaughter them from the west.”
Dynamic Uno here: "Chosen" arrived late last week and I didn't think I would finish it in time, but I found that once started, I was sucked into the story and could not put it down! It was a little confusing at first because of the whole "football game," but once the leaders were chosen for the Forest Guard and sent on their mission, things started to fall into place. The writing is very descriptive and I could picture everything happening in my head as the story progressed. I'll probably stop at the local Christian bookstore on my way home so I can pick up the next book in the series to find out what happens next! (I can't wait to read more about the Roush and their families--Gabil seems to be a cutie--"Hayaa!")
Readers of all ages will enjoy this story, although I think it's a better fit for the upper elementary school through high school levels. This is definitely a series I will be adding to our school shelves--after I read them of course.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Beyond the Reflection's Edge by Bryan Davis
by Bryan Davis
Published by Zondervan
Released May 2008
ISBN-10: 0-310-71554-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-310-71554-2
A dynamic introduction to the new Echoes from the Edge series by Bryan Davis, Beyond the Reflection's Edge will leave you riveted to your seat as you enter the fast-paced world of sixteen-year-old Nathan Shepherd.
Nathan has an ideal life. Travelling world-wide with his parents for their careers in music, he also has become quite the violinist--almost an equal to his mother's talent. During an evening performance, his parents suddenly disappear and are found murdered down below the staging area.
With only a piece of mirror and his father's notes, Nathan flees for his life and goes into hiding at Tony's (his father's best friend) house. Tony's daughter Kelly is swept into the adventure as she and Nathan determine the significance of the mirror and the reason behind his parents' deaths.
Dynamic Uno here: Zondervan had a couple extra Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of Beyond the Reflection's Edge by Bryan Davis, and I volunteered to read it and post about it here for them.
When I first cracked open the book I wasn't sure what to expect. After all, I read more chic lit and mysteries rather than fantasy, so I figured that I would read through the book and hope I understood what was happening in between the pages. Imagine my surprise when I came across two murders within the first couple of chapters and people running for their lives with car chases and wrecks. (Now that's my type of book!)
Nathan and Kelly are realistic characters and could be the kids next door. (Although with their problems, I'm kind of hoping not. My neighbors are weird enough without having people jump through dimensions and having murderers on the loose.) Their adventures between the different dimensions and interactions with the various doppelgangers had me trying to figure out who were the "bad guys" and who were the "good guys." I was hooked and couldn't put the book down until I reached the last page, and even then I can't wait for book two in the series because I want to find out what happens next.
Teens of all ages will enjoy this wonderful book and I plan on purchasing this series for our school's library for my fantasy and even non-fantasy readers. Pick it up and let me know what you think!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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