The Light of Eidon [Paperback]

Karen Hancock (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bethany House Pub (2003)
• ISBN-10: 0764290649
• ISBN-13: 978-0764290640
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)

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88 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christian fiction meets fantasy of the highest order, May 7, 2005

By 

Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Light of Eidon (Legends of the Guardian-King, Book 1) (Paperback)

Karen Hancock is the real deal. I haven't been this excited about a relatively new author in a long time. Her debut novel, Arena, was fantastic, a stunning merger of science fiction and Christian fiction. Now, with her second book, she begins a fantasy series dubbed Legends of the Guardian-King, a storyline pitting good against evil in an otherworldly mediaeval setting. There is an element of sword and sorcery here, and I could not help but wonder just how effectively the author of Arena would deal with the grim realities of battle and bloodshed and mine the depths of evil in the hearts of men. Well, Hancock nails it - it's as simple as that. The Light of Eidon is just exquisitely rendered fantasy that keeps you turning the pages deep into the night. It's dark, grim, sometimes bloody, but ultimately imbued with an essential spirituality that places it on a far different plane than run-of-the-mill fantasy.

Hancock is a master of characterization, really taking us inside the hearts and souls of the novel's central characters and surrounding them with fascinating individuals who manage to surprise us no matter how well we think we know them. Good and evil exist on two planes, the external and the internal, and that gives this story great depth. On the face of it, this might look like one in a long line of fantasy plots - the young prince who repudiates his birthright, finds himself betrayed and sold into slavery, then fights to gain his freedom and inspire his people in the process. The framework is familiar, but the story Hancock tells goes far beyond the familiar and mundane.

For eight years, Abramm Kalladorne, the fifth son of the king of Kiriath, has dedicated himself to the service of his god Eidon. Just as he is preparing to finally take the solemn vows of his order, however, his life is turned upside down. The years of seclusion leave him unprepared to deal with the excitement that greets his appearance in the capital - or the fact that the suspicious deaths of his father and several brothers have left him a heartbeat away from the throne. Having yet to feel the touch of the flames of Eidon, he is worried enough about being found unworthy during the upcoming ceremony, but he is soon torn apart by complications of political intrigue. His own brother the king is a Terstan, having adopted a religion that is anathema to Abramm; the Terstans believe that their god is accessible to all, which goes against everything Abramm has been taught. Soon, though, he begins to question everything he knows, everything he spent eight years learning, as he hears speculation that his holy mentor is only using him to attain secular power over Kiriath itself. Emotional turmoil envelops Abramm's soul, and even he can no longer set aside his doubts after he is betrayed and sold as a slave to the men of the southern lands.

Abramm had never shown any skill with a weapon in his childhood, and he had devoted the last eight years of his life to a pursuit of perfect peace, but he has to overcome his weaknesses and abandon his religious oaths when he is made a gladiator by his new master. He must either fight or die, and he refuses to give in and die. In time, the story of the White Pretender and his companion the Infidel spread far and wide, as this White Pretender continues defeating the surrogates of the evil Beltha'adi in one gladiatorial contest after another. The vanquished Dorsaddi people look upon the White Pretender as the savior prophesied to reawaken the Heart of their people and exact revenge upon their enemies. An air of rebellion sweeps the land, as all eyes look toward the inevitable battle between the White Pretender and Beltha'adi himself.

The Light of Eidon is full of action, much of it brutal and bloody, but the real conflict here comes in the form of Abramm's fight to find something to believe in. Abramm breaks all of his vows and turns away from the god he once wanted nothing more than to serve, but that does not mean that Eidon has turned away from Abramm. In the midst of his troubles, Abramm refuses to believe his Terstan friend who insists that all of their suffering is actually for the good, a necessary part of Eidon's plans. Resolution does not come until Abramm is forced to confront his religious doubts, at which point he finally knows what he must do.

It's easy to draw comparisons between Abramm's struggle and that of our own, searching for religious truth in a world of evil deeds and great confusion. This spiritual depth of The Light of Eidon makes it a truly inspirational and thought-provoking read, as the novel's obvious allusions to Christian suffering give the story a resonance you won't find in other works of fantasy. Read it as Christian allegory or simply as a gripping tale of fantasy or both - Karen Hancock's writing works and impresses on all levels.

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rising Up!, January 20, 2004

By 

Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Light of Eidon (Legends of the Guardian-King, Book 1) (Paperback)

Fantasy and allegory are compatible shelf-mates in the world of fiction. Yet, for some reason, the Christian market has generally ignored them since the days of Tolkien and Lewis. Karen Hancock, Randall Ingermanson, and Michael Warden are leading the way to see that this changes.

Hancock's first novel, "Arena," was a wonderfully rendered allegory, full of interesting characters, landscapes, and inner struggles. "The Light of Eidon" is more fantasy than allegory, but spiritual truths abound. Again, Hancock introduces us to characters with deep doubts and allows us to witness their transformations. In this case, a religious student by the name of Abramm comes face to face with betrayal, loss of faith, and rebirth in the flames of violent struggle. He finds himself a slave, a gladiator, a pretender...But ultimately, Abramm must discover his true purpose.

Although the book has some fantastic sections and ends with a heart-pounding climax, I found myself plodding through a number of scenes. At times, I yearned for more of the colorful landscape and less of the political dealings. I'm glad I pressed on, though, because the overall result is worth it. Spiritual light is brought to bear on the ugliness of religious pretense, and Abramm's final decisions are moving and believable.

It's great to see fantasy writers rising up in the Christian market. Without Hancock's books, we would be deprived of some of the best new stuff available.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, March 3, 2005

By 

Eowyn of Rohan (Lee's Summit, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Light of Eidon (Legends of the Guardian-King, Book 1) (Paperback)

I was unable to put this book down. The writing style is completely flawless, and the character development was some of the best I've ever seen. It tells the story of Abramm Kalladorne, a Kiriathan prince who gave it all up years ago to join the strict religious group of the Mataio. When his religious mentor betrays him and he is sold into slavery by his own brothers, he is at loss for who to turn to. Does Eidon care about him anymore? And does his friend Trap Meridon, a Terstan, hold the right beliefs?

This book is dark, powerful, and strangely beautiful. I've read it four times and every time I read it something new pops out at me, every time I feel the same tingle go down my spine and the heart-clenching emotion and see the vivid imagery. It is the story of how a weak, sickly youth becomes a legend and hero...and the best book I've ever read.

Highly recommended.