by Jason Joyner | Aug 21, 2006 | Blog, Uncategorized
Today is the start of the current Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour, sponsored by my good friend Becky Miller. We’re working out of an exciting book, Firebird by Kathy Tyers. I was able to participate with this month’s tour thanks to winning a copy of the book from Mirathon. Thanks so much Mir!
There’s not a lot of Christian Sci-fi to my knowledge, but this effort makes up for it! Firebird is a trilogy, so I will talk about each book over the 3 days of the tour.
Firebird is also the name of the initial book in the series. We follow Lady Firebird Angelo, born in a royal family on the planet Netaia. Normally this would be a good thing, but not on a planet that encourages ritual suicide for excess nobility. Netaia has a tradition that only two heirs can live a full life, but other children are conceived just in case something happens. Since Firebird falls after older sisters Carradee and Phoena, she is trained in the royal Navy. She leads an attack on a neighboring planet, and if she can’t die in battle, she is expected to do away with herself to appease the “Powers”.
On the other side of the battle is Brennan Caldwell, a Federate officer who is a member of a mysterious race called Sentinals. His people are looked to for protection, but are also feared because of their unique abilities and tragic past. Caldwell swears himself to obedience to the Holy One, and works to prevent upheaval from the Shuhr, an off-shoot of his people that are interested in conquest and immortality.
Firebird and Caldwell are brought together in an explosive time, and their adventures hurl Firebird toward her destiny, one that she did not imagine was possible. Netaia and the Federation hang in the balance.
The opening book moves quickly to hook you into Firebird’s world. The details of Netaian society are dizzying in their complexity. I always admire sci-fi and fantasy writers because they have to create their own worlds, and Kathy Tyers deserves special notice for the work she puts forth here. She builds tension, characterization, and action neatly through the first half of the book, so that you are compelled to finish the book quickly. The inner tension is as exciting as the explosians and battles. The book does not disappoint in its ending.
Overall this book is an excellent read and a great introduction to this series. I read most of it over traveling in Germany, and I was always pressing for time in our journey to slip a little more reading in.
I encourage you to check out others on the tour below, as they will have different insights to share. Be sure to catch up with Fusion Fire tomorrow!
Rachel Marks
John J. Boyer
Valerie Comer
Bryan Davis
Beth Goddard
Rebecca Grabill
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Pamela James
Tina Kulesa
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Cheryl Russel
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
by Jason Joyner | Aug 14, 2006 | Blog, Uncategorized
It was back in June that I talked about having my contract terminated, having 3 months to finish out my current position.
Three months is up on September 7th.
I suppose that should cause some sort of panic response, with me rushing around trying to find a job, maybe jumping into the first thing that comes along. Well, so far that isn’t happening. The reason it isn’t happening is because the Lord speaks to His people today, just as He has before. And He is speaking unbelievable calm and peace into my life.
Oh, I get uptight at times, starting to wind myself up into a tizzy. But He continues to speak to me: Don’t strive. I am Your provider. I am your refuge.
Last week I even pulled a Gideon: Lord, I really need a lead or a word from You to help me keep going. He was gracious to give me a word, but only after He spoke about not striving, and I relaxed in Him again. When the encouragement came from a speaker at our church, I wasn’t “grasping” for it. I did go talk to the speaker so he’d have the opportunity to speak if so lead, but I didn’t go up begging for a word either.
This might come across as patting myself on the back, but it shouldn’t. I would be a wreck if it weren’t for the mighty grace of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To quote a song: He is my Rock, He is my Glory, He is the Lifter of my head. If anyone out there is discouraged, then run to Him. He is faithful in our time of need. (He happens to be faithful outside our time of need too, something we sometimes ignore, but that’s another post 😉 ).
So I don’t have a job yet. But I have peace, and right now I won’t trade that for anything.
by Jason Joyner | Aug 14, 2006 | Blog, Uncategorized
It was back in June that I talked about having my contract terminated, having 3 months to finish out my current position.
Three months is up on September 7th.
I suppose that should cause some sort of panic response, with me rushing around trying to find a job, maybe jumping into the first thing that comes along. Well, so far that isn’t happening. The reason it isn’t happening is because the Lord speaks to His people today, just as He has before. And He is speaking unbelievable calm and peace into my life.
Oh, I get uptight at times, starting to wind myself up into a tizzy. But He continues to speak to me: Don’t strive. I am Your provider. I am your refuge.
Last week I even pulled a Gideon: Lord, I really need a lead or a word from You to help me keep going. He was gracious to give me a word, but only after He spoke about not striving, and I relaxed in Him again. When the encouragement came from a speaker at our church, I wasn’t “grasping” for it. I did go talk to the speaker so he’d have the opportunity to speak if so lead, but I didn’t go up begging for a word either.
This might come across as patting myself on the back, but it shouldn’t. I would be a wreck if it weren’t for the mighty grace of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To quote a song: He is my Rock, He is my Glory, He is the Lifter of my head. If anyone out there is discouraged, then run to Him. He is faithful in our time of need. (He happens to be faithful outside our time of need too, something we sometimes ignore, but that’s another post 😉 ).
So I don’t have a job yet. But I have peace, and right now I won’t trade that for anything.
