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    The Sword: A Novel
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    The Sword: A Novel
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    The Sword: A Novel
    Audiobook14 hours

    The Sword: A Novel

    Written by Bryan M. Litfin

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    This novel of page-turning action and adventure poses the question, "If a society had no knowledge of Christianity, and then a Bible were discovered, what would happen?" Four hundred years after a deadly virus and nuclear war destroyed the modern world, a new and noble civilization emerges. In this kingdom, called Chiveis, snow-capped mountains provide protection, and fields and livestock provide food. The people live medieval-style lives, with almost no knowledge of the "ancient" world. Safe in their natural stronghold, the Chiveisi have everything they need, even their own religion. Christianity has been forgotten--until a young army scout comes across a strange book. With that discovery, this work of speculative fiction takes readers on a journey that encompasses adventure, romance, and the revelation of the one true God. Through compelling narrative and powerful character development, The Sword speaks to God's goodness, his refusal to tolerate sin, man's need to bow before him, and the eternality and power of his Word. Fantasy and adventure readers will be hooked by this first book in a forthcoming trilogy.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEChristian, Inc. Audio
    Release dateMay 15, 2012
    ISBN9781610452885
    Unavailable
    The Sword: A Novel
    Author

    Bryan M. Litfin

    Bryan Litfin has a ThM in historical theology from Dallas Seminary and a PhD in ancient Christianity from the University of Virginia. He is the author of several books and scholarly articles on the early church, as well as six published or forthcoming novels (three of which are set in the ancient church era). Bryan lives with his wife and two children in Wheaton, Illinois, where he is the Head of Strategy and Advancement at Clapham School, a classical Christian school. For more about him, see his website at BryanLitfin.com.

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    Reviews for The Sword

    3.5/5

    50 ratings42 reviews

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    • 4/5
      When I started the book, I really didn't expect to get as hooked in as I would become. After all, the first half is really a string of Fantasy conventions, only written even more obviously than normal. For instance, we are used to the hero of the book being both stronger than the average guy and smarter, but this one is not only the greatest warrior in the kingdom, but he is also a college professor in his free time.I couldn't help but grimace at that one.But after about the first half, the author starts getting his bearing in this story and begins to take it in really interesting directions. I was very intrigued by his handling of early heresy within the infant church. He clearly takes care in trying to figure out what sort of theology a group would have when they could only read a few psalms and part of Genesis, and while I thought some of the characters just proved too insightful (spouting some pretty advanced theology on their first reading of Genesis 1), I was impressed by the effort put here.In the end, I am very much looking forward to the next parts of the trilogy with the hopes that the author will continue to be as thoughtful and careful as he is in the second half of this one.
    • 3/5
      Anastasia and Teo live in Chiveis, a pastoral, Alpen-like realm where the people live simple lives – the majority engaged in Medieval-like occupations. There is however a striking difference between this setting and the one we are used to reading. Chiveis – as the novel progresses – reveals itself to be held under the rule of dark spiritual powers working to keep its people in ignorance and bondage.First, I have to say that Crossway is one of my favorite publishers; they publish some very doctrinally sound, excellent titles for both children and adults. They don’t publish much fiction though, so when I saw that they were publishing a post-apocalyptic novel that takes place in a future world (similar to our own) in which the scriptures had been suppressed and lost, I couldn’t wait to read it. I absolutely adore dystopian fiction, and post-apocalyptic Christian fiction where the Bible is rediscovered? How good can it get?Well, I have to say that despite my initial enthusiasm I was disappointed in the quality of this novel. The storyline is interesting and strong, but the execution is only mediocre at best. I hate to say that – really I do, but it’s obvious that Litfin has a story to tell but just doesn’t have the craft know-how to pull it off well. The characters are at times inconsistent with the setting and world they are placed in. Anastasia for instance is virtually a paragon of virtue despite being raised in a pagan culture that celebrates debauchery. What ground is her morality built upon when there is no Christian virtues at place in her culture? Her parents also seem to celebrate her purity, and I am at a loss to explain why, as it doesn’t seem to be valued in Chiveis.Another unbelievable point for me is how quickly the small group of believers in search of the newly revealed God Deu (as discovered in the Sacred Writings found by Anastasia and Teo – translated by the later) transforms itself into a type of New Testament church despite having read only fractions of the Old Testament.Now, after all of that, the story is still interesting, and the series does improve in The Gift – the second novel in The Chiveis Trilogy. I’m just a bit disappointed in the execution of what could have been an incredible novel.I received an electronic copy of this title in exchange for this review. All opinions are genuine and entirely my own.Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com
    • 4/5
      I found this to be a good read. Despite it being a Christian fantasy it focuses on the characters and their struggle in learning a new way of looking at something.
    • 3/5
      While overall a solid book, like much other Christian literature, I found the message to be a bit overbearing and detrimental to the story. Depending on the rest of the series, this could turn out well, or not at all. The initial novel leaves me rather skeptical, though.
    • 5/5
      I've become a bit skeptical of "Christian" fiction. Too much of it is incredibly derivative, or over-the-top evangelistic, or just flat-out poorly written. When it tries to make a theological statement, too often it fails completely. For those reasons, I've all but given up on the genre -- a genre in which C. S. Lewis thrived.The Sword has given me hope.The premise of the book is outstanding -- Christianity has been forgotten in the wake of a global apocalypse. No word on any Rapture of believers or anything - the indication is that they all died out. So there's no "Left Behind" storyline here -- in fact, the Christians have been gone long enough that nobody has really heard of Christianity or Judaism. I look forward tp seeing Litfin rebuild the early Church.Litfin doesn't candy-coat things, and he doesn't shy away from making his nascent Christians human -- including showing their arguments and disagreements as they try to figure out what this new faith is all about. I think it's interesting too that thus far in the series, the converts really aren't Christians -- they haven't even read the New Testament. If anything, they are simply recovering a form of Judeo-Christian theism, and building from that theological base. This is refreshing in Christian fiction -- too many books I've read would have had someone discover a cache of Gideon Bibles and a series of VHS tapes on "How to Become a Christian" and that would have been it. These people are struggling with forming theology based on this ancient book they have found.I'm really looking forward to future books in this series. If more Christian fiction would pay attention to Litfin and his books, then I'd be able to retire the scare quotes permanently. And maybe actually read more of it.
    • 4/5
      I didn't have any preconceptions going into this book. I'm Christian and was interested in what was billed as a fantasy - christian book.I really enjoyed the book. The characters were interesting. The setting was interesting. It was decently written. There were a few timeline jumps that made it seem slightly disjointed. I felt the book could have been longer, instead of relying on some cliches, they could have been fleshed out a bit more. Maybe another point of view from within the current culture.good solid 3-4 stars. and, the real kicker is that I will look to read book 2.
    • 4/5
      BlurbBryan Litfin, an accomplished non-fiction writer and professor of theology, makes his literary fiction debut with The Sword, first in the Chiveis Trilogy. The book, although not without its problems – for example, character development and sustainment are areas of growth for Litfin – is a very solid first endeavor that leaves the reader impatient for Part II. As someone who is a long-time sci-fi, horror, and subversive fiction reader, I approached the book with trepidation. I was, therefore, entirely pleased that Litfin didn't prove to be timorous in his storytelling; there is effective horror in this book. Additionally, there are several quite uncomfortable philosophical questions raised, both for the secular and Christian reader; I was left pondering them often. Despite these questions, Litfin admirably doesn't seem to expect the secular reader to come to the table ready to embrace Christianity, nor does he expect to wrestle Christians into guilt that they're not righteous enough. Instead, he presents the Christian God as benevolent and kind, which I found comforting. Perhaps best of all, Litfin's prose elicits that gorgeous, aching Sehnsucht at which C.S. Lewis was so brilliant. I look forward to experiencing the maturation of Litfin's literary skill. ~~Full Review (potential spoilers) I approached The Sword with trepidation; I'd never read Christian fiction before, other than C.S. Lewis (who, incidentally, happens to be one of my favorite authors). I'd always operated under the assumption that Christian fiction is probably a lot like Christian heavy metal – watered down, trite, and embarrassing to the genre. Additionally, I'm pretty desensitized; I love disturbing and horrific fiction, and have read tens of thousands of pages of the best of it. However, I was willing to give The Sword a go, with the hope that my opinions were unfounded. Not being a fan of high fantasy literature, I thought I'd find the 400 pages cumbersome to read, especially with the Christian bent, but that was far from the truth. I read the book in just a couple of sittings. The tale has great “flow,” owing to its simplistic language and style, and interesting story line. I found myself quickly absorbed in the plot, to my happy surprise. Although some of the early conversations between the male and female protagonists are stilted and formulaic, Litfin seemed to find his groove early on; I found myself looking forward to the repartee between the various characters. Although most questions the plot raises are eventually resolved, there are a few that are not – How did Ana leave a scrap of fabric on a limb if she was tied up? Why hadn't the Beyond been pillaged by the Outsiders? Also, some readers may take issue with some of Litfin's third-person assertions – sorry, but I don't believe that one of the most basic human drives is altruism towards the less fortunate, nor do I believe all humans have a desire for the worship of a Diety or dieties. I did agree with others, however. For example, Litfin has a great understanding of traditional male/female relationships. In an age where evolution (which never made anything “equal” as far as I know) is ignored in favor of the undefinable term “gender equality,” I found this refreshing. I was also pleasantly surprised that Litfin seems to embrace free thinking for the Christian; the tendency for many fundamentalist Christians to believe just the opposite is the main reason i abandoned fundamentalist Christianity for the religions of Reason and Science years ago.Another issue I had with the book is the importance placed on Ana's physical beauty. Litfin seems nearly obsessed with ensuring we know she is physically gorgeous. So what? But perhaps, because she's become one-dimensional, insane, and cruel by the end of the book, that's about all she has left. Ana's character change was off-putting. I understand that, only having portions of the Old Testament, Ana is merely faithfully observing what she has read. Still, her act of sacrificing the animal for Teo's inequity is presented without the appropriate gravity, and the scene instead becomes absurd, sick, and disturbing. Litfin's wonderful build up of Christianity is fairly dashed upon the rocks with the “true believer,” nearly cultish behavior of Ana at the end. Additionally, Teo too easily and conveniently comes to “Deu,” or God. These two vibrant characters were left to flounder for the sake of imparting to the reader the importance of Christian faithfulness. Litfin is appreciably adept at dramatics. There are several gut-wrenching moments in the book, such as Teo's coliseum competitions, as well as fun, unexpected horrors (albeit, mild compared to much dramatic fiction). My favorite was “Wild Night,” perhaps because it reminded me of the grotesquerie, debauchery, and Bacchanalia that I encountered in the early 90s at the hands of New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebrations.Litfin shows fiction writing talent, and I believe the successive books in the series will show a maturation of this ability. Despite the book's flaws, it succeeds; one such indication of this was that when I'd finished Part I, I smiled, pounded my fist upon the book, and declared out loud, “That was *awesome*.” Also, a handful of times, Litfin's prose elicits that gorgeous, aching Sehnsucht at which C.S. Lewis was so brilliant. Finally, and perhaps most importantly to the author, Lina said that Deu felt “clean” to her; this book made me feel that way, too. :)
    • 4/5
      Lose the damsel in distress ( It got old after awhile) and the heavy religion ( I know, I know it's Christian fiction) and this would be a great fantasy.
    • 4/5
      There were some clunky or clumsy spots, and a few predictable plot events, but all in all an entertaining novel. I'll definitely look for the second book.
    • 3/5
      It was an easy read with a well thought out plot. It basically deals with a medieval post apocolyptic world. i will look forward to the remaining series to see how it develops.
    • 3/5
      While post-apocalyptic themes seem to be all of the rage of late, this new series seems to take a different slant than most that I have seen recently. In this version of the post-apocalyptic future, society has reformed itself into a feudal-type society similar to that of the Middle Ages. All previous religion has been lost and a multiple-god religion with the god of the sky ruling over all has developed. Remnants of the ancient society proceeding the apocalypse can be found in ruins throughout the kingdom and its' surrounding out-lands and, by chance, a church containing a carefully preserved copy of the Christian bible is found. I thought that this was a pretty decent book with a few minor flaws. The plot is well thought out and for the most part implemented skillfully. The storyline moves the reader along at a rapid pace and it is a fairly gripping page-turner that I found difficult too put down as I was eager to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are very likable and mostly believable except for the part that the main hero and heroine are mostly too perfect (the best/most beautiful/most admired in the kingdom.) I also found the premise of introducing Christianity into a society that has absolutely no prior knowledge of it to be very compelling and actually liked the way that Litfin had his characters introduce these new ides. Where I thought that the book was a bit lacking was in the depiction of the current religion of the realm. Not that other religions can't have evil intents or that the power inherent in leading others in religion can't lead to evil motives, but it just seems that the author went a little over the top with the lengths that the priests and priestesses go to. For example, priests of one of the gods carry acid guns that they remorselessly use to disfigure those that defy them. I also thought that the group that was introduced to Christianity was far to quick to turn to it as the one true religion without truly questioning whether or not these new ideas had any possible negative outcomes.All in all, I thought that this was a pretty decent read with some original ideas and I'll most probably follow up with the series when the sequel is released.
    • 4/5
      "The Sword" is a Christian fantasy novel in the style of Stephen Lawhead and, compared to many other Christian novels, is very good. The author is definitely well versed in the fantasy genre, and doesn't hesitate to use some of the standard plot devices. This book is still very much set in a Christian world-view, perhaps even more so than Lawhead. The story itself is entertaining, and keeps you reading. While it did not end on a cliff-hanger, there are more than enough unanswered questions and unresolved plot lines to make me look out for the next one.
    • 2/5
      "The Sword" by Bryan M. Litfin starts off well, explaining the fall of our society, the death of almost all humans through a virus and the quick escalation to nuclear war that follows. The story is set hundreds of years later, in a secluded valley kingdom where the people have reverted to medieval society and pagan religious beliefs. The two main characters, Teo, a captain of the Chiveis military, and Ana, a beautiful farm girl, meet cute early on, with her rescuing him from an angry bear. There is banter, affection and adventure as he rescues her from an attempted kidnapping and then an actual kidnapping that takes them out of their secluded society and into the "old world". The writing is fast-paced and compelling, though quite weak at times. Litfin attempts to give the characters a somewhat formal tongue but slips back into modern colloquialisms often, which feel out of place and anachronistic. However, once Ana and Teo return with the Bible, the wheels start to come off the wagon. Rather than explore the gradual introduction of Christianity into the pagan society and the way it permeated the culture, Litfin seems to have undone almost all characterization, instead making the characters either "Christian", believers in the one true God, or absolutely evil with very little in between. The character of Ana becomes the virgin, through which all good works are done where all women who show any sexuality or do not defer to men are portrayed as pure evil; they are vengeful, petty, murderous and use sex to manipulate men. Classic "madonna/whore" storytelling. Likewise men are either rapacious or kind, murderous or faithful.All the promise of the first half of the book quickly fades in the latter half as Litfin seems to become obsessed with showing how faithful Ana is, how her life immediately had purpose and meaning as soon as she read the first word of the Bible and likewise, how evil the High Priestess of Astrebil, the high pagan god, is. All nuance is lost. Litfin introduces interesting subplots like Valent and his wife before quickly dismissing them only a few pages later, having only used them as quick devices to show the "goodness" of Teo.Ultimately Litfin had a wonderful idea, a chance to create a future history as well as tell a tale of the power of religion in the vein of CS Lewis or Stephen Lawhead but it did not end up as such, instead becoming a choppy story told with stock characters trying to get an extremely heavy handed point across to a modern reader rather than letting a compelling story inspire.
    • 4/5
      Fantasy and science fiction are two of my favorite genres. I was looking forward to reading this book. I was drawn in from the very first - the prologue with it's completely plausible and scary destruction of the world as we know it. I immediately liked the action and the characters in the first chapters - Teo and Ana. Yes, it was a little formulaic but so are most of the books in this genre. I was really interested in how the author would introduce the Christian religion and values. It went well in the beginning be became a little hard to swallow everyone's immediate and intense belief. But I found the "translations" facinatingAs the book progressed, the strong characters became less so and several secondary characters changed "personalities." Mention was made by other reviewers about the lack of a map in the advanced copies. I actually enjoyed trying to figure out where the story was set. I would say somewhere in the Alps. Overall though, I enjoyed this story, recognizing it as the author's first book. It was engaging and enjoyable with a good ending that wrapped up the first book while setting the stage for the second. I look forward to reading that one.
    • 4/5
      The Sword pictures a future Earth that, ravaged by disease and disaster, has lost it's technology and history. And lost it's Scripture. When some of the Bible is found, it will shake this little country, sooner or later.The idea and plotting for this book are brilliant! I don't know if I've ever seen such a creative idea in Christian fantasy. I was excited to see what would happen next, and enjoyed seeing glimpses of the past, like the rusted out cars.The writing quality is not so great, and characterization quite cliched. The wise old mentor, the warrior who depends on his strength, the woman who is not merely pretty, but the most beautiful girl in the entire country (eyeroll)... I felt these characters didn't move beyond the cliches to feel like real people. (My husband didn't think the writing was that bad.) But this is the author's first novel, and I have hopes that the quality will improve.I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the trilogy.
    • 4/5
      The Sword is the first book in the projected Chiveis Trilogoy. Written by Bryan M. Litfin, an associate professor of theology at Moody Bible Institute, it’s the story of what happens in a small corner of the world (the kingdom of Chiveis) after a nuclear disaster has returned its inhabitants to a medieval existence. Their religion involves 4 primary gods and is lead by an evil High Priestess. Professor Litfin's twist is to posit that such a world rediscovers the Christian Bible.The main characters are Teofil and Anastasia. Teo, is a captain of the Royal Guard of the Fifth Regiment and also an academic, knowledgeable about languages. Ana lives with her farming family in Edgeton on the border of the kingdom. Teo meets Ana when she rescues him from a bear while they are both hunting in the Beyond. In their ensuing adventures, they discover a fragment of the Bible. They form a group to study the newfound writings and are led by their understanding of it, to reject the established religion of Chiveis. Conflict between the established religion and the new believers is inevitable.The story kept me reading; once I started, I wanted to know what would happen next. It was interesting to see how they interpreted the “new” scripture and allowed it to inform their behavior. And it ended just like the first book of a trilogy should – wishing the second book was ready for me to read.
    • 3/5
      As a fantasy action novel, the story worked fairly well. It was interesting enough to keep you turning the pages. The religious overtones, which I missed in my original read of the overview, were not enough to take away from the overall story. But due to these overtones, it is not extremely likely that I would recommend the book to all of my fellow readers without some forewarning. The story was well worth the read and I am glad that I did read it. I will look forward to the remaining two books, waiting for the "hero and heroine" to make their triumphant return.
    • 1/5
      I've hesitated to write this review as I don't want to come off as being mean-spirited - I also know that it's the author's first book. This is actually the first book in several decades that I've started and not completed. The initial turn-off were the assumptions regarding the cause of man's destruction - it was a bit too naive and pat (the science just wasn't there to support the story). Still, I trudged on hoping for something redeeming - and was sorely disappointed. As mentioned by another reviewer, I felt the religious overtones too heavy handed. The dialog in particular did not flow naturally and to make things worse, the characters did not engender themselves to me - maybe I'm just a bit too jaded in my reading, but the book did not work for me on many levels. I soon put it down and can't imagine taking it up again.
    • 1/5
      This was kind of an interesting story, but too heavy-handed with the religion for my taste. It would be more appealing if it was more subtle. I was also disappointed in the character of Ana. She started out as such a strong figure, but then kept falling into the "damsel in distress" persona. I realize the author wants to show her strength of soul, but it's a little off-putting that she needs Teo as a protector.
    • 2/5
      The Sword is the first book in a fictional trilogy by Christian publisher Crossway. The story opens in a post-apocalyptic world where small tribal kingdoms have arisen 400 years later from the ashes of 21st century civilization. One of these kingdoms, called Chiveis, is controlled by a powerful High Priestess who serves four pagan gods. The heroes of the book are a captain of the Royal Guard, Teofil, and the lovely, brave Anastasia who make an amazing discovery. Amid the ruins of an ancient cathedral, they find a copy of Holy Scripture which introduces them and their closest friends to the truths of the God of Israel. But in so doing, this knowledge enrages the High Priestess – causing a host of challenges for the followers of the ancient truths.While the plot and intensity of the book are not without merit, the character development is slow and somewhat shallow. The writing is occasionally amateurish and some of the situations and plot twists contrived. Additionally, there are thinly veiled criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church which some may find offensive. For those wanting an easy-to-read tale from a Protestant perspective, however, the book is fine. But this reader found its lack of eloquence to be a disappointment.
    • 5/5
      The day this book arrived was the same day that another book arrived, which I felt more obliged to read and review first. I opened the other book, and before I started reading it I had put it down and opened this one. I regret nothing.The cover is a traditional fantasy style (two people on horses in the foregound with landscape behind). And although this may change in future editions it drew me in rather quickly. It was either that or the fact that the author told me I probably won't like it. I'm glad to say that he was wrong.The basic premise of the story is a post nuclear apocalypse world has returned to mediaeval lifestyles, with ruins of our world dotted here and there. They worship certain gods, who the main characters come to despise, and later find to be false. Then (handily) they find a copy of the old testament which gives them a god they can believe in, and they try to bring him to the kingdom of Chiveis.The book is simply written, with few of the deep or complex sentences commonly associated with the genre, and to avid fantasy readers it could seem inferior in that respect. But this should not be allowed to put you off reading this book. Once you get past the writing style, which I must stress is not bad, just different, the story is interesting and unique.When the author told me that If I wasn't religous (I'm an Agnostic Atheist) I probably wouldn't enjoy the book, I was expecting christian propaganda telling me to worship god in a new format. But the story is entirely self contained, the characters never break the fourth wall, there are no notes to the reader etc. Instead the author seems to analyse the religion, considering it bit by bit from different points of view. Although the first in this series hasn't converted me, and I wouldn't want it to, It has helped me understand the christian religion more than I used to.In addition, it is an analysis of human character and choices. With some characters believing, others not. And all in different ways. Without reading the conclusion of the trilogy we cannot know if this will continue throughout, but the world Litfin writes in seems to be both a reflection and critique of our own.From an entertainment viewpoint, the book is filled with action, conspiracies, secret meetings, betrayals and false magics. There is some romance, which given the general idea of the book almost surprised me, and although there are no sexually explicit scenes, the subject is mentioned, and doesn't seem to be a revolting idea which is again not what I expected. The area is not the author's strongpoint however, and the story flows much better in action and political scenes. There are two major problems I found however, which continue to niggle me. The first is the main character, Teo, saying that his muscle is his religion. It seemed too out of character, and didn't work well. The second was the name of the princess Habiloho. Both of these broke the flow of the narrative, bringing me out of the almost trance-like state that one must be in to fully enjoy a book. For such a book however, these are fairly unimportant, and should not hinder the decision to buy and read the book.It was undeniably entertaining, and it is for this reason that I would recommened, or even insist that others read it. I almost feel bad for getting this copy free, and I certaintly look forwards to the next in the trilogy. I won't say that it is one of my favourite books, but it is one of those that should be read by every fantasy lover, from christian to hindu or otherwise, For both the entertainment it brings, but also the cultural understanding it has the potential to help develop.
    • 3/5
      I have procrastinated writing this review because I don't like to be mean. I was disapointed in this book. The premise was great, but the writing let me down. This is obviously a first novel. It was hard for me to buy into the blind faith of the heroine and hero. Somtimes they seemed just too dumb to love, like when the hero sets fire to the explosions during the challenge between God and the false Gods. He knew what they were up to but he didn't suspect? Come on... This series had, and maybe still has great potential if the writer can work on some of the plot and charachter building skills that are needed to pull off the premise.
    • 2/5
      Halfway through: This is a terrible book and a waste of an otherwise intriguing premise. I've spent the last three weeks alternating between forcing myself to read it and avoiding it altogether. It could be another month before I finish, so hopefully it improves—but I wouldn't put money on it. Full review to come whenever that happens. Current rating: 1.5 stars.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to like this book. Halfway through, I put it down and didn't pick it up for 2 weeks (and then, out of a sense of duty, having been given the copy for review purposes). It won't challenge you, but the book is well enough written for simple fantasy, falling somewhere between David Eddings and Tim LaHaye. My problem was with plausibility. Yes, the Christian community that forms is in a similar situation to the early church, but the early church community did NOT look like an Evangelical house church. Also, they had some version of the gospels/letters of the apostles. I'm amazed to think that Genesis and a few psalms would inspire people to believe in the importance of self-sacrifice and repentance.Also, my Swiss neighbor confirms that fondue is not and has never been camp food.Final verdict: I agree with the other reviewers, stick with Canticle for Liebowitz.
    • 5/5
      I read the first chapter of this book online, & though I was somewhat skeptical at first, by the end of the chapter I decided to go ahead & buy it. I'm glad I did, consuming it in just a few days (mostly in just one once I really got into it). There's a lot to this story that is appealing to me, I really like the alternative future setting, the fantasy setting, and the serious addressing of religion found here. My favorite thing about this book was how I just got totally lost in it & I could picture everything & all the characters, settings, actions so well in my mind. Maybe I just haven't read a great novel or a great book that stimulates the imagination in a while, but this one was REALLY vivid in my mind, which I really enjoyed.Minor spoilers ahead:The descriptions of what are nothing less than those of an early church in a persecuted land were very thought provoking. It was interesting to think about, through this story, the struggles of an underground church that wrestles with hiding from authorities while wanted to spread the gospel, not having the whole Bible, dealing with heresy very early, & struggling with the question: will you deny God & live, or will you die for your faith?
    • 3/5
      A book with a great premise. I was excited to read this book. Due to a plague and human nature humanity has dwindled and regressed effectively to the middle ages again. In one small part of the world insulated from the rest by a ring of mountains a nation survives and thrives. But, they do not know God. They have no Bible from ancient time. They are devil worshipers. They are fairly good and stable devil worshipers. This is just the first of many contradictions and confusing things about this book.Again, I really looked forward to reading, but just a few pages in I saw that there was going to be trouble. Where to start? Characters that were inconsistent. A young woman who was comfortable hunting alone in the deep wood, then later a helpless damsel. A young soldier/teacher who is so noble and above reproach it makes you sick. The good folks are good and the bad folks are bad. That's fine, but a little more human. Just a few minor foibles to flesh them out.Several holes in the storyline cropped up. In one scene our hero and heroine are being tracked down by men on horseback with dogs. The protagonists are caught by the men on horseback with the dogs. Where did the dogs go? They just seemed to disappear. Hunting/Tracking dogs tree or pull down their prey. They don't run off.One last thing. If have any desire to be a writer there is one rule that will be pounded into your head over and over. Show, don't tell. I was told how someone felt or how I should react to something so many times I just got sick of it.I hope this is the very first fiction book the author has done. Then there is hope for improvement. If this is the case then I lay this book on the editor's door. The editor should never let this book go out in this shape. I'll be looking for the next book and looking closely at reviews. If things don't get better, I won't read it.I did enjoy the overall storyline. The rediscovery of the Bible and the re-entry of God into people lives. If you are not a Christian, as I am, this may not be for you. If you want to learn about God in a fictional format then this may be a good place to start. Even with all of its storytelling problems.If you want to read fiction about God and His role in people's lives, I recommend. If you want to read a well crafted story, sorry no.
    • 3/5
      The Sword, is a Christian Science-Fiction Fantasy story placed in the very far future. 400 years in the future, after events lead to nearly all technology being lost. Christianity has disappeared from mankind until the sacred writings of the ancients are discovered. I must admit the adventure is lively, but the romantic interest is very predictable. Why does it seem like all stories of this type have the "Most beautiful" women linked to the "Most handsome Man"? I'm not saying the hero/heroine should be ugly, but do they always have to be "the most stunning creature created"? The characters have a good start in being developed and I look forward to knowing more about them in the next books. I found myself drawn in and turning pages to see what would happen next. I struggle some with fantasy using God's word. So many authors now are saying "Its just a work of fiction". I would have to wonder if we should be more careful using God's word so lightly. I also had concerns with how descriptive the book was with temple prostitutes and how they dressed. I know it could be worse , however I sure would not recommend the book to those who may deal with lust. All in all it was a good read that leaves you hanging and waiting for the next book.
    • 4/5
      Imagine a fractured world 400 years in the future. The human populace has been decimated by disease, war, and famine. This is the world of The Sword. In Chiveis (pronounced Shi-VICE - the German word for Switzerland, I believe. I note this here because I spent the whole book reading it as CHIV-ee-us and when the pronunciation was discussed in the last 1/3 of the book, I had a revelation as to the setting of this book.). The current religion of state is the worship of Astrebril and a triumverate of sub-deities representing sulfur, charcoal and saltpeter. Two adventurers discover a lost, French translation of the Bible and begin to question the current paradigm.I enjoyed the adventure of this book, and the premise. I am interested in reading more of this series to see where the author takes the storyline and the characters. However, this book does have its flaws. First of all, I am left wondering why this new religion ever developed - while the book quite studiously explains how the world that we know ended, the author is a bit vague about the rising of civilization from the ashes. Man is left to his own devices when powerplants and factories failed, but why has civilization stalled for so long in a Medieval-style lifeway versus progressing to 18c technology? Part of this, obviously, is due to the religious constraints on the knowledge of gunpowder, but I feel that this could have been better explained.I am curious about the origins of the prevalent religion and how it came about, especially since it eventually becomes clear how evil and corrupt the religion is. Perhaps this information is doled out later in the series, but the lack of this knowledge was a bit irksome.I wonder too, why people who are so dissillusioned with the current religion would be so quick to accept as truth the information they found in the Bible. Granted, from our current world view, Christians everywhere can say, "But it IS true! It is a great religion!" But I imagine that the mindset of the people of Chiveis would be more along the lines of, "Well, anything is better than what we have now!" which would not be something necessarily worth dying or being tortured for. Granted, not all characters accept the "new" religion on blind faith, and there are some questions raised, but I felt that it was a little too pat. I expected more exploration of the religion before the people held it up as good and right - I am not a Bible scholar, but I do seem to recall that most people found their faith by witnessing miracles, receiving the word of God, or having prophecies fufilled.How did they even know that it was a religious text and not a fairy tale? What if the book they found was Robert Heinlein's "Job: A Comedy of Justice"? Or Gaiman and Brooks' "Good Omens"? Or any one of hundreds of fantasy novels in which gods or goddesses speak to mere mortals? Just because the book was found hidden in a church does not make it truth - I believe one character makes a comment to the effect of, "This place is so beautiful, anything we find here MUST be good." I never really got a tremendously clear sense of setting, either. I felt that both characters and scene could have been much more fleshed out and descriptive. However, I think that this book does stand on its excellent premise and plot, and I will be interested in reading the next installment to see if some of my questions are answered. I received a review copy of this book through the Early Reviewers giveaway.
    • 3/5
      The storyline for this book is magnificent and fun to read. I enjoyed the rolling adventure of the characters throughout an empire carved out of a series of valleys. Yet, I found myself wanting more of the descriptions of the areas that I was being led through by these characters. A land that they profess to love and be enchanted with over and over -- and yet the descriptive details always come short of anything far from being generic at best. Through the first three-fourths of the novel, the characters are dressed up as two dimensional archetypes -- almost stick-figure in quality for the story. It is the latter fourth of the novel that allows these characters to question their actions, doubt their actions -- and become the flawed human beings that they should be. Scribbled into all of this is a back-story that relates the finding of a lost religion, Christianity, which the characters take up with little question with a fervor that rivals that of most dyed-in-the-wool Christians of our own time. Moving from individuals who follow the rote motions of a Pagan belief system that they have known for most of their lives to a rabid and death-like grip on a religious belief system that they uncover by accident -- sorry, it just seems a little trite for this reader. Add to this, some extremely clumsy attempts at religious symbolism within the Pagan aspects -- and you end up with 'The Sword'. The back of the book proclaims this as a work of 'speculative fiction' which provides excellent cover for the author to move through religious symbology like a bull in a china shop. Yet despite all of these faults...I found the book to be an fun romp through a fantastic fantasy world. Hopefully, the author comes through with some good character development in the second novel...and I am actually looking forward to getting a chance to see where the storyline will go.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book. I'll be interested in reading the rest of the series as it comes out. I'll even recommend it to some other readers I know. I probably won't reread it though.My only real problem with the book is the second of three parts (which really only takes up a quarter of the book). This is the part of the book where a small new-testament-style community of believers is formed. The main problem is one that I tend to have with most books and movies that present people becoming believers. It just seems to happen too quickly and easily. This is compounded by some people seeming to make leaps of faith and assumptions about their new religion without any kind of apparent consideration from the author as to where their ideas have come from. Their spiritual growth just seems a bit implausible.Aside from that aspect though, the book was really pretty good. The setting is not covered in great depth, but that works well in this book, since the focus is not the setting. The characters are well presented and reasonably believable (with the exception of the aspects mentioned above). The action in the book is well described. I found myself eager to see what would happen next.There was a major event towards the end of the book that was mirroring a biblical story, and I was very curious to see what would happen, since I wasn't sure how the author could present it in a way that would fit well. To my pleasure, the author avoided the obvious outcomes and did something I didn't expect that ended up furthered the story very nicely.The book is fairly quick reading, without a lot of great complexities to slow things down. This isn't a bad thing. Just don't expect a particularly heavy story.