by Jason Joyner | Jul 23, 2008 | Blog, dragons, fiction, speculative fiction
Here’s day 2 of the tour focusing on Donita Paul’s latest book, DragonLight.
I had a couple of responses to the “are dragons appropriate for Christian fiction” question. Thanks guys. My opinion fits in with both of the comments on this matter. Dragons don’t have to be intrinsically “bad”, as in never write about them. I don’t imagine people running out to find dragons to hang with (except maybe this guy). It depends wholly on how the author uses them. A dragon could be an example of evil (such as Frank Peretti’s The Oath – chilling!) or a force for good like in the world of the DragonKeeper Chronicles. Like Mark shared, God has given us imagination to use for his glory. And Robert made a point that God didn’t make anything that was evil in origin – the evil came from choice. Dragons and fantasy in general can be used for evil purposes, but there’s no reason a creative, imaginative Christian couldn’t use them for good.
My other thoughts on this tour came from looking at the reviews and summaries of Donita Paul’s books on Amazon. I wasn’t sure of the plot and how dragons were used, so I browsed each of the five books on Amazon. I wanted to share this quote from the School Library Journal regarding her first book, DragonSpell:
As in C. S. Lewis’s “Narnia” books (HarperCollins), Christian allegories and messages are clearly presented and easily found, but it is equally possible to read this as Kale’s story as it happened in Amara, a world completely separate from our own. It would be a shame to limit readership by relegating this clever and inventive story to the genre of Christian fiction. There is plenty of room for sequels, and readers will want to know much more about Kale and the remainder of her quest.–Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Note the quote in bold – don’t miss this series! Make sure to see the other tourmates for more…specific information on this book, like reviews and such.
by Jason Joyner | Jul 23, 2008 | Blog, dragons, fiction, speculative fiction
Here’s day 2 of the tour focusing on Donita Paul’s latest book, DragonLight.
I had a couple of responses to the “are dragons appropriate for Christian fiction” question. Thanks guys. My opinion fits in with both of the comments on this matter. Dragons don’t have to be intrinsically “bad”, as in never write about them. I don’t imagine people running out to find dragons to hang with (except maybe this guy). It depends wholly on how the author uses them. A dragon could be an example of evil (such as Frank Peretti’s The Oath – chilling!) or a force for good like in the world of the DragonKeeper Chronicles. Like Mark shared, God has given us imagination to use for his glory. And Robert made a point that God didn’t make anything that was evil in origin – the evil came from choice. Dragons and fantasy in general can be used for evil purposes, but there’s no reason a creative, imaginative Christian couldn’t use them for good.
My other thoughts on this tour came from looking at the reviews and summaries of Donita Paul’s books on Amazon. I wasn’t sure of the plot and how dragons were used, so I browsed each of the five books on Amazon. I wanted to share this quote from the School Library Journal regarding her first book, DragonSpell:
As in C. S. Lewis’s “Narnia” books (HarperCollins), Christian allegories and messages are clearly presented and easily found, but it is equally possible to read this as Kale’s story as it happened in Amara, a world completely separate from our own. It would be a shame to limit readership by relegating this clever and inventive story to the genre of Christian fiction. There is plenty of room for sequels, and readers will want to know much more about Kale and the remainder of her quest.–Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Note the quote in bold – don’t miss this series! Make sure to see the other tourmates for more…specific information on this book, like reviews and such.
by Jason Joyner | Jul 21, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, dragons, fantasy, speculative fiction
The CSFF tour is highlighting Donita Paul and her new book DragonLight this month.
It is the fifth and final book in the DragonKeeper Chronicles. Since it was the last in a series, I didn’t feel I could review it and do it justice.
Wait! Don’t go. I do have original content this month. Well, mostly original.
I want to ask a question. Is it a problem for any Christian readers to consider dragons as appropriate for “Christian” fiction? I am no means a dragon expert (for that, talk to Snuffles), but I wanted to discuss this idea for a minute.
Dragons have a mixed history. In Western lore and mythology, dragons were usually agents of evil. Since Revelation 12 uses a dragon as imagery for Satan, this was likely a source of dragon prejudice. An early legend of St. George defeating the dragon resonates with many cultures across Europe and some Middle Eastern areas. However, in Chinese folklore, dragons are often agents of good, a symbol of wisdom.
Dragons have had a resurgence in many arenas. The popular book Eragon has given them a good name as well as a high profile. Donita Paul’s series has not been the only Christian fiction with a dragon-centric plot. Bryan Davis has released the Dragons in Our Midst series in the CBA realm also.
Does this mean that it is okay to use dragons as a motif for a Christian tale? I’d like anyone’s opinion out there before I talk about mine. However, let me close with this quote from Bryan Davis in an interview from CBN back when his dragon books were first being released.
Siepel: What do you say to parents who may be wary of introducing their child to the world of fantasy?
Davis: We have an opportunity to create strong soldiers for Christ by using the power of story, even through the pages of the impossible. If parents will allow fantasy its proper place, as an inspiration toward holiness, allowing powerful images to create God-honoring models in children’s minds, authors will be moved to create more of those fantastic images. As the market grows, as book-buyers seek heroes displaying faith-empowered integrity and strength, more publishers will have the freedom to take a chance on these works. Working together, we can use this genre to capture hearts and minds with champions of virtue, images that will reach in and ignite the flame, setting free the hero or heroine that God has implanted in the hearts of children.
Check out the featured author links:
Web site – http://www.donitakpaul.com/
Blog – http://www.donitakpaul.com/author/.html
Also see what others are saying on the CSFF tour below!
*Participants’ Links:
(Just for fun I marked the five who also participated in CSFF’s first book tour, featuring Donita Paul’s DragonKnight back in June 2006.)
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
* Beth Goddard
Mark Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Terri Main
Magma
Margaret
* Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
* Rebecca LuElla Miller
John W. Otte
Deena Peterson
Steve Rice
* Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
* Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
by Jason Joyner | Jul 21, 2008 | Blog, CSFF, dragons, fantasy, speculative fiction
The CSFF tour is highlighting Donita Paul and her new book DragonLight this month.
It is the fifth and final book in the DragonKeeper Chronicles. Since it was the last in a series, I didn’t feel I could review it and do it justice.
Wait! Don’t go. I do have original content this month. Well, mostly original.
I want to ask a question. Is it a problem for any Christian readers to consider dragons as appropriate for “Christian” fiction? I am no means a dragon expert (for that, talk to Snuffles), but I wanted to discuss this idea for a minute.
Dragons have a mixed history. In Western lore and mythology, dragons were usually agents of evil. Since Revelation 12 uses a dragon as imagery for Satan, this was likely a source of dragon prejudice. An early legend of St. George defeating the dragon resonates with many cultures across Europe and some Middle Eastern areas. However, in Chinese folklore, dragons are often agents of good, a symbol of wisdom.
Dragons have had a resurgence in many arenas. The popular book Eragon has given them a good name as well as a high profile. Donita Paul’s series has not been the only Christian fiction with a dragon-centric plot. Bryan Davis has released the Dragons in Our Midst series in the CBA realm also.
Does this mean that it is okay to use dragons as a motif for a Christian tale? I’d like anyone’s opinion out there before I talk about mine. However, let me close with this quote from Bryan Davis in an interview from CBN back when his dragon books were first being released.
Siepel: What do you say to parents who may be wary of introducing their child to the world of fantasy?
Davis: We have an opportunity to create strong soldiers for Christ by using the power of story, even through the pages of the impossible. If parents will allow fantasy its proper place, as an inspiration toward holiness, allowing powerful images to create God-honoring models in children’s minds, authors will be moved to create more of those fantastic images. As the market grows, as book-buyers seek heroes displaying faith-empowered integrity and strength, more publishers will have the freedom to take a chance on these works. Working together, we can use this genre to capture hearts and minds with champions of virtue, images that will reach in and ignite the flame, setting free the hero or heroine that God has implanted in the hearts of children.
Check out the featured author links:
Web site – http://www.donitakpaul.com/
Blog – http://www.donitakpaul.com/author/.html
Also see what others are saying on the CSFF tour below!
*Participants’ Links:
(Just for fun I marked the five who also participated in CSFF’s first book tour, featuring Donita Paul’s DragonKnight back in June 2006.)
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
* Beth Goddard
Mark Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Terri Main
Magma
Margaret
* Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
* Rebecca LuElla Miller
John W. Otte
Deena Peterson
Steve Rice
* Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
* Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
by Jason Joyner | Jul 18, 2008 | Blog, fiction, reading, writing craft
Writers are well aware of the importance of first lines. If a reader can open your book and be hooked by the first line or the first paragraph, you’ve baited the hook very well. I’m reading Sol Stein’s Stein on Writing, and his first major chapter after the introduction deals with the critical nature of first lines.
I am also finishing up Try Darkness by James Scott Bell (stick around for my review next week). I think it has the best opening line I’ve read in a looooong time:
“The nun hit me in the mouth and said, ‘Get out of my house.'”
