Book Review: Bright Against the Storm

This is a unique novel. It's fantasy, yes, but fantasy which feels very close to home. The world and characters are all fictional, but the characters are all human. You'll not find talking animals or mythical beasts in this novel, but that is not the most important distinction that sets it apart from any other fantasy I've read.

Any author writing fantasy has to decide what to do about the supernatural, and I've read books that take different approaches. Some are heavily allegorical, with elements that mirror God, Jesus, or the creation, but are really just symbolic. Some create a deity with the attributes of God but a different story of the world than that of Scripture. Some just ignore the supernatural, or else have some vague, undefined something.

For me as a Christian, none of these approaches fully ring true. Reading about characters who do what is right because they think it's right, or because it's what is expected of them, or because it satisfies them, or even because it is whatever is desired by whatever supernatural power the author has chosen to use, is simply not the same as reading about characters who are committed to following the commands of God as conveyed in His revealed Word, while recognizing their own unworthiness and rejoicing in the redemption from sin that comes only through the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God-- which is exactly what Ari Heinze displays in Bright Against the Storm.

And it works. It works beautifully! I have always loved medieval fantasy, with knights and adventures and swordfights and deeds of bravery and honor and great sacrifice, but in recent times as I have become interested in writing myself, I have had to consider this aspect of fantasy. This is the approach I want to take, and it was so inspiring to see this idea carried out. The religion in this story is not something man-made; it is the true, real, and only satisfying faith in the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who sent His only Son Jesus to earth to redeem His people from their sins. The trappings of today's church are gone, and the Bible goes by a different name, but it's there all the same. We see characters who have devoted their lives to this faith, who still struggle with temptation and weakness, but are yet victorious as Christ works in them. We see them forced by circumstances to depend on God through prayer. We see them showing mercy and love in God's name. We also see the ultimate hopelessness of those who do not believe, who believe that this life is all there is.

Aside from the theological aspects of this book, it's just a really great story. The characters are well-developed. There is action, suspense, mystery, and romance.

Speaking of romance-- there are some beautifully portrayed marriages in this book. This also brings me to one aspect I didn't agree with: There is an engaged couple in which the woman is a believer and the man is not. We see her heartache at her beloved's blindness, but the rightness of her choosing to marry an unbeliever is never questioned. The other aspect I didn't agree with was a circumstance in which there are some people that are testing a character in order to find out if he is true and faithful. To that end, they purposefully place temptation in his path. I found the justification for this questionable.

Despite the fact that this story takes place on the eve of war and that the characters experience pain, danger, doubt, and suffering, I can only think of this book as a celebration: a celebration of justice, loyalty, faithfulness, beauty, courage, selflessness, and love-- both God's love and the love that because of Him is shown forth among His people.

Now I just have to be patient and wait for books two through four...

Learn more or buy the book here: http://www.hopewriter.com/Karolan.html