Customer Reviews

The Light of Eidon

5 star:		(96)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This book started out as a decent fantasy novel that dealt with an interesting premise--What if you were a good guy who had been raised by the bad guys? How would you know? If you discovered it were true, how would you move forward? It's a really cool idea, but the author ruined her own novel by the end.

Pros: The plot was fun and the characters were likable and showed enough development.

Ok Cons: There was a thread of deep sex negativity that ran through the whole book, but it seemed consistent within the universe. A minor point, but many of the character names were so similar that it was difficult to keep them straight. Also, there was a theme of anti-Middle Eastern racism that seemed misinformed rather than malicious, but still made me uncomfortable.

The Bad Con: What completely killed this book for me was getting slammed with Jesus right at the end. I find religion interesting and I'm always pleased when authors think seriously about it in scifi/fantasy novels set in other universes. However, because this book is marketed as fantasy and NOT as Christian literature, I was offended when all of a sudden the main character was converted by a mythical savior who was the only one in the whole universe that could pay the debt of humanity and was killed in order to absolve them of their wretchedness. Seriously? The Bible was already written once. Leave us happily-secular fantasy readers alone. Also, the proselytizing felt forced and jarring and it completely wrecked the otherwise easily flowing plot line.

One of the most offensive parts of the whole thing was the ending discussion, which claimed that those people who resist conversion the hardest are the ones who are somehow the most fated to have religious conversion experiences. It totally disregards the major break the main character made with his family and his culture. His insistence on trying to convert his sister drives the wedge between them deeper. I think destroying a family, whatever its shape, is one of the world's greatest evils and I will never condone a story that prioritizes selfishness (even religious selfishness) above family. Why should the main character insist that his sister abandon her support network just because he chooses to abandon it himself?

Anyway, to summarize: This is a book about Jesus. If you're looking for a genuine fantasy novel, look elsewhere.

Let me go ahead and say it: I'm an Atheist.

Ok, now that we've gotten that out of the way.

I really enjoyed this book, and I knew going in to it that there would be religious overtones and likely a bit of preaching. That doesn't bother me. I enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia (which have blatant Christian metaphors). Christian fiction doesn't necessarily bother me. The majority of the novel seems like it was written by a fantastic fantasy novelist. Unfortunately, the Christian aspects feel forced. I cheer on Abramm as he goes through his crucible, overcomes the silliness that was ingrained in him through his training in the Order of the Flames. His growth as a man through his enslavement is admirable. He becomes a strong-willed individual driven by reason (usually).

However, towards the middle of the book (post-escape from slavery), it starts to go downhill. Abramm has an irrational fear of all things Terstan. It's entirely uncharacteristic and obviously forced to create artificial tension. The inclusion of a single, all-powerful deity makes no sense in the universe (as obviously there is power to be found in "good" and "evil"). The fact that this universe has real "magic" and visible signs of power originating from a deity makes the atheist characters appear uninformed and stupid, which is in direct conflict with the real world which the author is trying to parallel. The metaphors are heavy-handed and strike a terrible contrast to the otherwise excellent plot, interesting world, and emotional progression of the characters.

It's a shame that Ms. Hancock felt obligated to make this a "Christian" novel. She obviously has talent as an author, unfortunately she suffers from the same ailment that plagues Christian musicians. She gets so caught up in making sure her story reflects favorably on Christianity, that she does not allow the plot to follow a natural course. Instead, she has a fantastic core plot, riddled with jarring Christian metaphors that don't fit the world.

Summary:

Excellent core plot.

Christian aspects are poorly thought out and do not fit the story well.

Characters make irrational and stupid decisions in an effort to create tension.

Light of Eidon is, on the surface, a fairly stock fantasy story. In a land ruled by an oppressive dictator with magical powers, a slave (who happens to be an exiled prince) becomes a hero of the people. It's reasonably well-written, with interesting characters, some original world-building, and a few small surprises along the way. It's nothing outstanding, but it's good and the story does pull you along with a smooth flow.

The thing that will make or break it for the reader is that the whole thing is a vehicle for a message about faith. Eidon is an all-powerful god of light whose son died, willingly sacrificing himself to save the people of the world. The "Dying God" whose death paid for all our sins. Our hero must learn about faith, learn the truth about a corrupted version of the religion, learn the pain and sorrow of knowing the truth while those you care about reject it and must come to it in their own time and way, learn to see that the worst hardships in life are sometimes necessary for God to shape us into the people He needs us to be, learn to leave sheltered pacifism behind to step up and fight evil, learn that to let God's light in you must come to Him so humbled as to lack any self-esteem. In short, he must learn to accept the author's particular brand of Christianity.

If that's a message that appeals to you, you'll enjoy the story. If that's a message that turns your stomach, offends you, and/or angers you, it will ruin the story for you. Unless you can find it in yourself to set all that aside, even if you respectfully disagree, and enjoy a reasonably good story on its own terms.

Abramm has the heart of a seeker, but after being manipulated and lied to for years, when he is finally offered truth he can't bring himself to trust it. While "Light of Eidon" offers a gripping tale of adventure and heroism, it also challenges the reader to join Abramm in examining issues of faith, the preconceptions that keep us from embracing truth, and the distortions that trick and trap us.

Light of Eidon is not for the faint of heart. Gritty realism and gladiatorial violence are part of the rich and textured world that Karen Hancock has created. A complex geo-political structure provides a backdrop for the very compelling story of one man called to a unique destiny.

Her created world is alive with interwoven societies and people groups, conflicting loyalties, strange cultures, and creatures painted with vibrant description. Yet the novel never bogs down in those details. I believe that is because of Ms. Hancock's power in sharing authentic and multi-faceted characters that we deeply care about. I felt a visceral level of shared experience as I traveled with Abramm through tragedy and hope.

A great book leaves me changed at some level. Light of Eidon, with its unflinching look at the battles of life, has inspired new courage in me for my own day's challenges.

What can I say:
1. One of those rare books that held my attention to point of not wanting to put it down.
2. An uplifting book in that her Christian perspective fills the book with allegory and symbolism, making you think about the reality in Christ as you read.
3. Most books of this type pit an equal good against an equal evil - much in the same way they view the world, I would say - but Hancock reveals her faith in the telling of the story of how this is not the case. Eidon (symbolic for God) is ultimately sovreign, and plainly so. However, this doesn't make for boring, because the story is told from the eyes of those who are still on the journey to discover his sovereignty. It's a masterpiece in that way!

I can't wait for the next one. The only negative thing I have to say is that now I don't look forward to going back to other authors who write about mystical lands where good and evil are equal forces, and only people will decide the difference. There needs to be more authors like Hancock out there. I could see how faith-filled authors could totally re-take this arena of fiction books.

The light of Eidon... The kindle edition was free so I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised, until I reached the end and the story turned into vehement christian propaganda.

I should have seen it coming really, with a hera named Abramm (Abraham?), going on a quest to find Eidon (Eden?) and defeat the forces of Khrell (Hell?), which bear a close resemblance to stereotypical Muslims (that's a bit sad...). Abramm is initially a monk who follows ritualistic procedures to honor his God. He then figures out that these empty gestures will never get hom to know his God and disgusted with it all he loses his faith. Luckily, after multiple adventures in which he gets repeatedly humiliated, Abramm finds his faith again and becomes the instrument with which his God blasts the forces of Khrell back to where they came from. He is aided by a group of good Muslims, most of whom end up converting to his faith.

The story is effectively about true Christians vs. fake Christians, Muslims and Atheists. It starts off nice enough, but progressively turns into preaching for Christian conversion. If you are a true Christian you might enjoy that sort of thing, as an atheist I found that it started bearing a strong resemblance to sermons I heard when I visited the Evangelist church or talked to my Christian Evangelist friends. The stile of writing is nothing to write home about. It is good in places, but gets a bit clumsy in others. The storytelling itself is also so-so, getting as bit cliched sometimes.

That said I still read it to the end and I also enjoyed most of it - except the end where Christian propaganda started pervading the story. So, it's getting 4 stars, because you can't give a 3.5.

First off, I thought the book was great! I liked the development of the characters, the changes in scenery, as well as the twists and turns the plot took. Although it was, at times, like riding a boat in an ocean with great swells and then down turns in pace until the next swell, overall it kept my attention.

People who dislike this book seem to do so more out of a feeling that they were surprised that it was based on Christian values/morals... whatever. This to me is of no consequence. If had undertones of Allah, Buddha, Aphrodite, or any other god, I would be fine with it as well. It is a fiction book and should be treated as such. While I enjoyed the different views the author took on the subject of Christianity, many people found it offensive.

In short, if you are offended by something you don't believe in, this may not be for you.