Review by: Not A Tame Lion (Amazon Top 100 reviewer) Rating: 5 of 5
Book two in The Eternal Warriors series, "The World in Shadow," shows Theodore Beale in top form as a writer. In my opinion, this book is even better than the first book, "War in Heaven," which I greatly enjoyed. First of all--the story. Beale brings this second book down to earth. Instead of a rampaging war that crosses the boundaries of planets and time (though that war is still the backdrop), the setting of The Word in Shadow is an average suburban high school. Jami, Christopher and Holli are confronted by a largely unfelt and unseen threat. They are given the chance to save many lives and eternal destinies. The question is: do they have enough resolve and faith to do so? The answer will likely surprise you (it did me).
Now--to the writer. I have been most impressed by Mr. Beale as an author. His development from his first novel to his second is phenomenal. What strikes me most is his dead-on ability to catch the dialogue and culture of his characters. There are few writers who come close to his ability at this. More than that, he is writing not only page-turning stuff, but page-turning stuff with a brain. His depiction of his human villains (or victims--depends how you look at it) does not suffer from the usual one-sidedness one finds in "Christian" literature. For all these reasons and for the fact that once I got a hundred pages into it, I could not put the book down, I give The World in Shadow my highest recommendation.
Clearly a brilliant and spot-on review.... It's nice to know that one's books occasionally fall into the hands of their ideal readers.
In this novel we are again in the lives of Christopher, Jami, and Holli Lewis, this time as they attempt to live out their new faith in a fallen world. They are in a Bible study, which Chris perceives to be shallow. They are in school, with temptations to gossip and argue. They are in a family, with all its regular problems. Unlike other kids, these three are aware of the spiritual warfare going on in their world.
There is great fighting in the principalities. Ministers, pastors, priests are dying at an unusual pace. Fallen angels are fighting amongst themselves. Regular angels are making mistakes in identification of who is behind what. But the real plan of the evil archangel is to destory the high school. He is given unknowing help in this plan by the bullying and humiliation the high school students heap on two smart out-of-the-mainstream kids.
Prom night arrives, eventually, after we get through petty jealousies and gossip and dysfunctional families and adults not taking their responsibilities personally. Normal life, in other words. And prom night is not normal. The two students, used by the demons, determine that they will top the Colorado student massacre and leave their mark.
This is a well-written book with a fascinating storyline. Again, it is clearly a Christian book from a secular publisher.
While I very much appreciate the high rating, this is more of a description than a review. Also, one gets the feeling that the book gets a distinct boost due to the fact that it is published by secular publisher. Xianworldview was kind enough to conduct an interview with me as well, which was nice.
Review by: Lynn Nicole Louis for SFReader Rating: 3 of 5
The World in Shadow is the sequel to Theodore Beale's The War in Heaven. Like the previous book, this one is also Christian fantasy--a story where Christianity and Christian values are espoused and end up being key to the characters' success. Whereas his first book took place in an alternate reality, this one unfolds on Earth, in a seemingly normal neighborhood in Minnesota.
While The War in Heaven was suitable for younger readers because of almost its totally unrealistic presentation of violence and character, The World in Shadow is a much darker and 'believable' work. Though it (like other Christian works) lacks profanity or any sexual scenes, there's a high level of violence and drug use presented here that make it unsuitable for younger readers--the same readers I thought would most enjoy book one. The disparity between the two volumes is somewhat baffling; why write a sequel not appropriate for the audience most likely to have enjoyed the first? The end result is that if you're a parent buying this book for your young teen on the basis of him or her liking The War in Heaven, I suggest you give it a glance first before you hand it over.
In The World in Shadow, the war in Heaven is over and Christopher and his sisters Jami and Holli are firmly back on the mortal plane, having discovered the power of the Almighty. Now staunch Christians, they find their small community beset by the fallen archangel Balazel and his minions. Balazel is intent on causing a massacre, and the two boys Derek and Brien (a la a Columbine-like climax) will be the vehicles of his revenge.
Derek and Brien are your typical social outcasts: reviled by almost all whom they come in contact with at school on a daily basis. Drug use, the Internet, fantasy war games, and first person shooters are all implicated in their downfall into evil and corruption. Their penchant for such immoral pastimes opens them up to the influence of Balazel and makes them ripe and useful tools for evil.
I thought the writing in this volume better than in the previous. Beale seems to have found a smoother voice and doesn't go so overboard in his efforts to mimic adolescent speech patterns. The action takes place on good old Earth and the characters and plot aren't so over-the-top and unbelievable in nature as they were in the first. He spends more time with his characters and it shows in the results. He does an especially adept job at bringing to life the struggle ordinary teens might have adhering to Christian morals in the midst of their hormonal rebellion and out much-less-than-religious society.
That said, there are some things here that didn't sit well with me, things--as usual--more related to the message Beale is sending than with the story itself. The biggest: at the end, Beale simply confirms our society of excuse. [EXCERPT SPOILER]
I think this book would appeal more to horror or dark fantasy fans than Christian Fantasy readers, though I suppose I could see a Christian holding it up as an example, a sort of 'See what happens if you keep playing that horrible Quake game'. I recommend it, but with reservations when it comes to readers under the age of sixteen, especially since the most likely customer is probably a parent looking to offer a Christian alternative the all the 'unchristian' fantasy most of us secular speculative fiction folks read.
I had a brief email discussion with this reviewer, and I strongly feel that she profoundly misread one of the core messages of the book. I certainly do NOT confirm any notion of excuse, and even a casual reading of the book should absolutely confirm that. Unfortunately, I can't say more without spoiling the plot myself. However, I do understand from where the reviewer's misreading stems, as she expressed her opinion that certain influences offer one an excuse for one's acts. I say they do not - it's not as if being drunk will get you off the hook for a speeding ticket, after all.
Review by: Howard Price for The Trades Rating: none given
Theodore Beale gives the spiritual a physical presence in his teen series, Eternal Warriors. The demons are real. The angels are real. And the world is real as well.
No mere fantasy or fanciful allusion as C. S. Lewis might have written, Beale is more "in your face" about his beliefs, placing his fiction more solidly in the corner of Jenkins & LaHaye's Left Behind series. But it's no mere dogma that Beale touts, and his writing style hooks the reader in from the first chapter -- even a reader who may go in with certain preconceptions about what might be found in Christian fiction. It's only when you've reached the fifth or sixth chapter and realize that your sense of time has flown out the window for a while that you realize that Eternal Warriors leaves Left Behind, well, behind.
Christopher Lewis has a gift -- a great immortal power within him, and the potential for great good or great evil. He and his two sisters, Jami and Holli, do more than believe in angels and demons. They've seen them, and they've fought against them, on Earth and in more celestial realms. But they're not on their own in this fight; the Lewis children have guardians -- Mariel, Paulus, and Aliel -- who support them.
The forces of Heaven and Hell aren't visible to everyone, of course, although their works are sometimes apparent to the Lewis kids, and Christopher especially isn't afraid to go and seek out the dark forces, a la Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.
In The World In Shadow, an evil archangel calling himself Balazel has set in motion a scheme that he intends to result in an all-out massacre. To accomplish this, Balazel has targeted two teenage outsiders at the high school the Lewis kids attend. The two teens have been the target of bullies much of their life, and their predilection for arms and explosives set the stage for what could be another Columbine. Subsidiary to Balazel's plan is the death of a handful of area ministers by heart failure.
Beale makes some stereotypical characterizations that are, initially, jarring and hard to get past. Jami Lewis is another girl who finds math difficult. Derek and Brien, the two geeks targeted by Balazel, engage in role-playing games of an occult nature, bringing to the reader's mind all the old saws about how Dungeons and Dragons would condemn your soul.
But the author also displays an enormous modernity in the way he presents the story. The Christian characters are not "on" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have their foibles, their real-life problems, that more often than not occupy the fore of their thoughts. Except, perhaps, for Christopher, but given all that he's gone through, that's to be understood. (And while the geeks are gamers, Beale alludes to the fact that Christopher is also a watcher of Buffy. Better not let the PTC find out.)
Beale, through Christopher, also isn't afraid to present some of the harder questions about Christianity. While Jami does act as the conduit for a miracle early in the book, such instances in this real world are the exception, not the norm, a fact that Christopher takes issue with.
Despite that The World In Shadow is obviously geared toward a specific market niche, it is still a book that could easily be enjoyed by any fans of high fantasy. Come on -- good guys and bad guys, battling it out with flaming swords in fantastical places? Suspense and intrigue? A master plan with potentially deadly consequences? And a hero who could just as easily be swayed into fighting for the darkness? Change the term "Christian" to "Jedi", and you can see what I mean. Do check this one out, although it might be best to start with the first book of the series, The War In Heaven, currently being re-released with a new cover from Pocket Books.
Review by: Trent Walters, who is in the process of reviewing the books for the SF Site. Rating: not yet complete
For non-Christians, Theodore Beale writes a page-turner of swash-buckling
plot taking you through heaven and hell alongside your favorite horde of
demons and gaggle of angels. Some of the invention is conventional but some
quite clever bits borrowed not only from the Bible but John Milton's
Paradise Lost and friends. Occasionally the writing is inspired,
sometimes not so inspired, but Beale writes a story designed to be ridden
like a roller coaster, not strolled through on a Saturday in the park.
"For Christians, remember that Paul commands us to be all things to all men.
Yet so many of the brotherhood shelter their lives from corrupting
influences. It is not what goes into a man that defiles him, and no, that
verse was not referring to food alone. Think metaphor. I see Christians as
failing to communicate their love to the rest of the world, and it seems
Theodore Beale is attempting to correct that. The novel begins with a
non-believer. Reviewing and occasionally writing myself, I saw through to
Beale's Christian intent immediately, so I bought the books for each branch
of my family.
But apparently certain Christian bookstores chose not to
carry the series. My mother struggled with the series at first, uncertain
what the author's intent was, but happily finished the book. I have
attended both Christian and secular colleges. The strongest believers, it
may surprise you, were overwhelmingly at the secular colleges. Why? Because
they had their faiths tested and were found true. They were sharpened.
Beale may be challenging for some believers, but it may not yet be
challenging enough. I have to finish the series to find out.
You, too, my Christian brothers and sisters, need to find out whether your seed has
fallen on rocky soil or in a patch of weeds or, hopefully, upon good soil;
or you may always be a seed and never a plant that produces new seeds.
Beale is an awfully small step to take toward stronger faith, but I hope
some of you will be willing to take that chance. 'As iron sharpens iron, so
one person sharpens the wits of another.' --Proverbs 27:17