Book Reviews, Teen fiction

The Peleg Chronicles

This one sat on my shelf for months because a glance at the back had me dismiss it. The series was touting what it didn’t include: “No Magic – No Evolution – No Humanism.” That is all fine and good – I’m not a big fan of any of those – but when the bragging points are about what it is not, that makes me skeptical (“You’ll love her, trust me. She’s not hideous, not argumentative without reason, and not dumb as a rock”). But in this case I was very wrong. Matthew Christian Harding’s 3-book series, The Peleg Chronicles, was a solid bedtime read for my daughters a few years back, and we all really enjoyed it. It’s quirky Christian fiction, with a fantasy feel (though there isn’t any magic) set in biblical times. I’m not normally wild about biblical fiction because I don’t want to get confused between what a novelist presents and what the Bible actually says. But Harding has picked a time – the days of Peleg (Gen. 10:25) after the Tower of Babel and before Abraham – when the Bible doesn’t say much, and that eliminates any chance of confusion. The author depicts a post-Flood world in which the followers of Noah’s God are few, dragons exist but are rare too, and a sect of Dragon Priests is gaining power. In the first book, Foundlings (256 pages, 2009), we’re introduced to Lord McDougal, a hero who is as graceful and deadly in battle as he is awkward around ladies. This is just such a fun flaw, but it’s more than just a foundation for comic gold – McDougal’s social bungling might be what keeps this mightiest-of-all-warriors a humble servant of all in need. Dimwitted giants and a cowardly-lion type warrior add to the comedy. But what makes this a book worth reading is the Christian depth. I was struck by how deep the dialogue could get – when the going gets tough, different characters struggle with doubt, and the answers offered by the followers of “Noah’s God” aren’t pat or simple. It’s that depth that had me reading chunks to my wife; this is a teen series that could also encourage adults. Caution There aren't any concerns, but I’ll also note a key edit it could have benefited from: when characters praise God, or speak a prophetic word, they do it in King James language. That's fine for an older guy like me, but I had to “translate” as I read it to my kids. I also wish that cover art was more attractive because we do still judge a book by its cover. Conclusion So this will be best suited for teens who have already shown an ability to tackle bigger books that require an attention span. For them, I’d give two thumbs up to Foundlings and its two sequels, Paladins (2010, 272 pages) and Loresmen (2014, 278 pages). And to offer up a taste, the author has made the first book available for free as an ebook on Amazon.com. This is author Matthew Christian Harding’s first go at fiction, so there are some rougher bits of writing that could have done with just a bit more polish. But when his characters talk to each other about God's Word (they have but one book at the time – Job), it can be amazing. My favorite scene was two characters, walking through a cave in utter darkness, take turns talking as all Christians really should in tough circumstances, but don't. It is realistic dialogue in the sense that it is not stilted or false, but astonishing in that, while this is how we should encourage one another, I’ve not run across many authors who present Christians as we should really want to be. So, lots to love in this one, but because of a few spots of rough writing, I'm going to give this trilogy a rating of: GOOD.