Monthly Archives: July 2013

The Restorer by Sharon Hinck, a review

Restorer The Restorer by Sharon Hinck, Book One of the Sword of Lyric series
Published 2011 by Marcher Lord Press, 454 pages
Genre: Christian fantasy

Susan Mitchell spends her time caring for her children and wishing she could have a few moments to herself.

Somehow she finds herself pulled into someplace else where everything is different: the weather, the architecture, the issues. She stumbles around trying to make sense of it, and is puzzled to discover that some of the people in this place think she has a special destiny as a “restorer,” battling against enemies within and outside the tiny nation struggling for its existence.

She’s managed to bring two things through the portal with her: a plastic toy sword, now a real sword, and memorized Bible verses.

Just how deep is her commitment to the Lord? Will she use these weapons to step into the path that the One has laid out for her in this new world, though it is likely to cost her life?

This book is well written, with a gripping plot, well-drawn characters, great descriptions, and a dilemma that is the dilemma of every Christian: will I, can I be a hero? I really enjoyed reading it, and plan to pick up the sequel right away!

Exile by Rachel Starr Thomson, a review

Exile_ Exile by Rachel Starr Thomson, Book 1 of the Oneness Cycle
Published 2013 by Little Dozen Press, 223 pages
Genre: Christian supernatural fiction, YA flavor

Tyler and Chris are young men who’re making a living fishing. One day they find a live human being in their net.

It’s Reese, a spiritual warrior who’s been cast out from her clan, the Oneness. She’s an exile, and her life has lost all its meaning, so she jumped off a cliff–into the net.

The fact that she’s an exile doesn’t stop the demons from attacking her. Tyler and Chris watch amazed, and they want to help this damsel in distress. But they know nothing about the Oneness.

How will Tyler and Chris respond to Reese’s predicament and the call of the Oneness?

I sped through this short, fast-paced novel, pleased by the well drawn characters and the surprising plot. Thomson has done a great job of portraying difficult emotional journeys. It’s a world that a Christian will recognize, and that a nonChristian might feel comfortable with. Read it!