Foundlings [Paperback]

Matthew Christian Harding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Foundlings...Awarded Best Book 2010-2011 from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!
 
Foundlings, the #1 Bestseller in Historical Fiction from Christian Book Distributors Spring 2011!
 
Foundlings, the Top Ten Bestseller in Christian Fantasy from Christian Book Distributors Winter 2012!
 

Praise for Foundlings, Book One of The Peleg Chronicles,
"Next to the Narnia series your book has been the only other book that my kids have begged me to read. My boys remind me several times a day that this is one of their favorite books." - the Myers family, florida
 
"Foundlings is one of those books that caused everything else in my life to be put on hold so I could finish it. Being that I am a 31-year-old mother of three, not many novels can claim that these days. Foundlings was just that good.  It was a story that truly impacted me, challenged me, and deepened my faith. It now holds a place of honor on my bookshelf... I will always cherish it." -  Itsthatonegirl
 
"This book gets not only approval but a standing ovation. Foundlings not only gives you a ride that combats any roller coaster it gives you a true sense of heroism and family discussions that center on the glory of God's creation and Word." - Under the Golden Apple tree
 
 
Overview of Foundlings...
 
The Northern realms. Circa 2000 B.C.
 
It was in the days of Peleg when the world was divided. After the flood of Noah, after the Tower of Babel and the dispersion ... when beasts were more numerous than men.
 
Two orphans, Thiery and Suzie.
 
The Lady Mercy without a protector.
 
Priests of the dragon, Baal, and the Queen of Heaven are seeking sacrifices for their false gods.
 
The Death Hunt!
 
In a land of giants and dragons, and men running from the knowledge of their Creator, wickedness spreads as a plague, but a remnant of faithful souls shine in the darkness.
 
 
More Praise...
"Can I just say I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this book! Really, I'm at a loss for the appropriate words to give this book the honor that it's due." - My Life On A Taffy Pull
 
"At first, I was a bit hesitant because I am not a giant and dragon type of girl. However, I found myself anxious each night to indulge in the lives of these notorious characters. Such an uplifting reading experience involving courage and faith ... A read aloud at its best." - Mom of six
 
"Mr. Harding has certainly written books that have great potential to become classic pieces of literature. There is excitement with every sentence. You won't want to put the book down, and when you come to the end...you're going to want more!" - Mona Lisa
 
Other Works
**Paladins, book two of The Peleg Chronicles
**Loresmen, book three of The Peleg Chronicles
 

***Warning*** Before you purchase this book please be aware that Foundlings ends with a thrilling Cliff Hanger, as does Paladins, the second book in the series. Loresmen, the third and final book, ends with a wonderfully satisfying conclusion and epilogue - two endings in one.  As Kaleb Haman reviewed it, "A perfect ending to a perfect series!"

***Warning***No magic or mysticism

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well done! A scripturally faithful, and yet realistically creative work. We tend to think of the men and women of old as sanctified cavemen. You brought them to life before our mind's eye. You should have seen my kids faces when I got to the last chapter and put it on hold till the next night. They couldn't believe what I was doing to them. We pray God's blessings on your work, will be happy to endorse it, and most importantly, look forward to the next book in the Peleg Chronicles." --Homeschooling Today Magazine, Steve Murphy, Publisher

"Bible-believing Christians will get a bang out of this book. It re-supposes early human history in a refreshing way, and spins a bundle of intertwined yarns that are entertaining and imaginative. Its heroes depend on the Lord for help. Unlike other fantasy works, this one contains no magic, no evolution, and no humanism." --The Christian Fantasy Review, Phyllis Wheeler

"It is refreshing to be entertained by a story that has faith in God as its centerpiece. Matthew Harding, in his book Foundlings, portrays a fantasy epic that is both compelling and God-honoring. The tale entertains, uplifts and inspires readers of all ages. But most importantly, it fosters a Biblical worldview and Godly character into the hearts and minds of our youth." --Squires2Knights Ministries, Jeff Purkiss, founder and author

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Zoe and Sozo Publishing (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982348401
• ISBN-13: 978-0982348406
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.4 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Growing up in the new-age teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the ascended masters, I quickly delved deeper into the occult of the Satanic Bible, Astral Projection and drugs. Taught that I would one day fly and walk through walls, I was on a search to enter the magical worlds that I had read about in fantasy novels and the writings of Eckankar.

Addictions, broken relationships, and a belief in reincarnation brought me to the point of jumping from a tenth floor window. At the critical moment, my two best friends appeared on the sidewalk below.

While a freshman in college, a young woman read to me from the Bible, trying to reach me with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I stared dumbly through drunken eyes, and only wished to get away.

While a Junior, I sat alone in a coffee shop, caressing the drugs in my pocket, wondering if there was more to this life. A stranger approached the table, and told me that there was no sin too great, and that God could forgive me. The stranger walked away.

While a Senior, a young lady invited me to go tobogganing. I accepted, only to find out she hadn't said the word "tobogganing" but "to-bible-study." I went. The preacher said that Jesus was the only way to Heaven, and Hell was the destination for all who would not receive Him. I was filled with such anger that it shocked me.

A few weeks later, while walking on campus, an old man walked up to me and handed me a Bible. He was a Gideon. I began reading the Word of God for the first time. Troubled by these Christians and their narrow way, but afraid that hell might be real, I asked God to show me if it was actually true. The Word suddenly came alive, and after some weeks of reading every day, I repented, trusted, believed, and confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as my savior.

I graduated from St. Olaf College with an English degree: and the University of Arizona with a Masters in Special Education, Vision and Orientation & Mobility. I also attended the Sorbonne in Paris, and studied in Thailand. I've lived in Minnesota, Connecticut, Arizona, and now reside in Gloucester, Virginia - where I write and work as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist training the blind to travel.

Ever since I was a child, I have loved adventure: climbing the highest tree and then falling when the branches became too thin; walking on ice until it began to creak and groan, a few more steps, and then breaking through into the cold water; jumping from the second story of our house with a giant umbrella; trying to befriend a vicious Alaskan Malamute only to have it tear my leg open, knock me down, and snap at my throat as I rolled from its chained reach. Foolishness was definitely bound up in this child.

The adventures continued as I got older. I hiked into the Grand Canyon to find the Havasupai reservation only to get lost and hunted by a pack of wild dogs. While traveling through Europe I was repeatedly attacked by a group of acrobat gypsies trying to steal my backpack, and then, escaping on a train through Yugoslavia, civil war broke out and the train was robbed. In Thailand, I was sleeping in a two dollar a night motel room. The entrance was only a screen door with a bent nail as a lock. I awoke to being strangled. But I was miraculously saved.

God is so incredibly good.

Looking back at my freshman year of College there was a pretty girl, Cassandra, who I had dated for about five months. It was on the heels of that breakup that I had thought to kill myself. Six years later, after I had been saved only a short time, and while living in another state, I got a phone call from her. I was excited to hear from Cassandra and to tell her about the Lord. She gave herself to Christ a few weeks later, on her birthday, and within six months we were married.

Today, Cassandra and I have four children - Meeka, Patience, Charity, and Gentry - who are being raised to love and obey their Lord. We home educate and fellowship with a local body of believers where the Word of God is taught, encouraging the brethren to prove all things and be like the Bereans. My family, friends, and walk with the Lord have been the greatest adventure of all.

When I put the children to bed at night, they would often ask to hear stories about when I was young. Tiring of the same routine, I began to make up stories that got longer and more intricate, sometimes lasting for months. One day my wife came upstairs to listen. I remember her reaction so clearly. She said that she had no idea this kind of story telling was going on, and that she wanted to be a listener from now on.

Cassandra's constant encouragement and belief in me strengthened my resolve to write a book. If my help meet is behind me in my endeavors, then I have a serious drive to succeed and great comfort along the way. I love that God has given me this particular woman to compliment me, and I her. She is truly my best friend.

Foundlings was my first novel, Paladins the second, and Loresmen the third. God willing, I plan many more to come.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Start of a Bold New Genre? December 7, 2009

By Jennifer Bogart TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

Matthew Christian Harding is a man who's boldly treading into new territory in the young adult fiction marketplace. His debut novel is nearly impossible to pigeon-hold into conventionally established genres. As a result he's been looking for a descriptive term for his work. Leviathan literature, behemoth books, young earth dragon fiction, creation literature, and speculative historical fiction are some of the labels you'll find tentatively attached to Foundlings, the first installment in The Peleg Chronicles.

Set at an unspecified date during the biblical days of Peleg -- sometime after Noah's flood, the tower of Babel and the dispersion --Foundlings has little in common with the small selection of historical fiction written that focuses on this time period from a young earth, Bible-believing perspective. Harding blends a thriving feudal society complete with knights, counts, and princesses with the dragons (think dinosaurs), giants, and a cave-dwelling group of men called dwarves with the ongoing attempts of darkness to smother the light. Perhaps the fastest way I can describe it is to say that Foundlings is something akin go Lord of the Rings meets biblical fiction, with no magic, evolution, or humanism thrown into the mix.

If that idea excites you - you're not alone. As a devoted Christian father, his four young children no doubt inspire Harding; wanting them to have access to noble, God-honoring literature that supports a biblical worldview, he put his own pen to the task. As I share his goals I was almost jumping up and down with excitement when I learned of this new series. Unfortunately, it was some time until I could read it - my husband made off with my copy and wouldn't relinquish it until he was finished. Then it was passed on to me to read with my little ones at bedtimes.

Lord McDougall is certainly the centerpiece of the series. He's such a curious character, rather eccentric really, and his shenanigans have left my six-year-old laughing on many occasions. Honorable, God-loving, and noble of character, McDougall is always eager to share his faith with seekers, and lives out a walk with God that will be familiar to many New Testament believers despite its Old Testament setting.

Accompanied by his faithful shield-bearer Fergus Leatherhead, McDougall -- a cursed Lord -- is swept into one adventure after another. Unable to resist the call to aid those who are in distress, he plunges willy-nilly into the fray, collecting a rag-tag band of followers who have thrown their stakes in with his. Together they rescue maidens, defeat giants, and more - all with McDougall's seemingly contrary blend of savvy and naiveté.

Much like McDougall's ambling, awkward frame, Harding's prose may require some adjustments on the reader's part. At times it seems almost disjointed or oddly composed, though I can't quite put my finger on what makes it read differently. Still, we found it to be an enjoyable pleasure read. My husband read it in record time, my six-year-old daughter finding it to be "very, very interesting."

I, on the other hand, was somewhat puzzled by the lack of a concrete chronology - perhaps I'm simply too analytical. While taking place in the days of Peleg scripture from the Psalms and other books of the Bible which were written at later dates is included in the dialogue of various characters. Job is referred to as a contemporary, and while I'm no expert on Bible chronology, this surprised me. On my personal, internal timeline I have Job slated in at a later date. To be honest, I still haven't shaken a vague feeling of unease that this somewhat mixed-up setting that comes to mind when I think of the story. I simply can't set aside my desire for a concrete date and setting to enjoy the story without such details being firmly in place.

Still, I must applaud Harding's work. It's rare to find an author so dedicated to folding biblical truth within the pages of a good, clean story that honors God and promotes Godly character. Harding left us with a dramatic cliffhanger at Foundling's end, and our entire family is now eagerly awaiting a new set of adventures for Lord McDougal and his band of motley, faithful comrades. As soon as we turned the last page my daughter asked me when we can find out what happens next. Good question!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In my humble opinion.... January 16, 2012

By Almost4ft11

Format:Paperback

I bought the first two books, "Foundlings" and "Paladins", at the HEAV Homeschool Convention a couple of years ago. I brought them home and set them on my homeschooling shelf. There was much to do after the convention...finish the schooling year, plant a garden, spring clean the house, get summer activities planned and such. The day came when I was worn out and ready to sit down, pick up a good book and immerse myself in someone else's world for a change. Once I started reading "Foundlings" I literally could not put it down. Talk about immersing myself in someone else's world; a world filled with Scripture, adventure and wonderful characters. I was totally engulfed in Lord McDougall and Fergus Leatherhead's God honoring escapades. Paladins was next, and once again...I was swept away.

Upon completion of these two books I truly wanted another one to be written, so I did something I have never done before....I emailed Mr. Harding. I explained that I identified with his testimony and several of his characters in his books and I then unashamedly begged him to tell me that there was another one on the way. I received a lovely return email, of which I have saved, and my question was answered...YES! The third book in the Peleg Chronicles was being written.

Time marched on. Garden grew, house was cleaned and a new homeschooling year was begun. Before I knew it it was time for the HEAV Homeschool Convention once again. The very first booth I sought out was Mr. Harding's. To my great dismay the third book was not yet available. Sigh...I was disappointed, but I knew it would be soon coming. Then something occurred I did not expect at all; Mr. Harding and his wife remembered me and my email. They said they even were praying for me! Now, I ask you, how many authors would do that for one of their readers? Amazing! I was so touched that I walked away more blessed than when I approached. Sigh...

As I have stated before and you already know, time marches on and life happens. Depression, illnesses, child troubles, financial problems...even a bumb garden. I sort of forgot about the Peleg Chronicles. Tonight, I found myself, as I often do, searching for something to read on my bookshelves. A smile crossed my face because I only saw "Foundlings" and "Paladins" and not the next book in the series. So, here I am on Amazon.com writing a review "Foundlings" and "Paladins" and ordering "Loresmen", the next book in the series. I actually get another pleasure. You see...it has been awhile since I have read the first two books, so now I get to revisit old friends so I may understand and continue on with the new friends I will surely be making in the "Loresmen".

I am a just stay-at-home wife, a homeschooling mother, a poor gardener, a homemaker who sometimes needs to escape into a collection of someone else's God given talent and God fearing imagination. It frees me from the mundane while enriching my walk with my God. I truly recommend these books for those like me. \o/ .

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kids and their parents August 2, 2009

By somanybooks_solittletime

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

We just finished this book reading to our 8, 6, and 4 year old and they loved it. One good sign that a book is well written is that the parents enjoy reading it as well and this book meets that requirement. Good character development with real heroes that you would want your children to emulate. Scripture was interwoven throughout the story but we loved that it didn't seem forced or unnatural. So glad we found this book. Can't wait for Book 2. It left us hanging at the end!