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BOOK REVIEW: Legends of Arvalast
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by: Joyce Handzo Dancing Word Reviewer
Title: Legends of Arvalast: Shadows in Woodend Author: Peter Dudek Publisher: Publish America Genre: Inspirational/Fantasy/Adventure
Legends of Arvalast is the start of an epic adventure series that is true to the genre of Christian fantasy. Debut author, Peter Dudek, has creatively run parallels from the Bible to his mythical world of Arvalast. The result is a story that transcends the boundaries of the physical, as it touches the spiritual.
The sacred place of Woodend, a town in the northern forest of Arvalast, prepares to become the battleground between good and evil, as the powers of light and darkness gather. The tension between these forces steadily mounts, building suspense and bringing forth a feeling of uncertainty and unrest. This first book in the series introduces the key characters and provides some background history about the land and its people.
The author has been very faithful to the rules of this genre in the creation of his fictional world. The names of both the characters and the places are rich with imagination and meaning. The settings are described with vivid details. In fact, the entire book is extremely well written.
The clever use of contrasts helps to build the growing sense of anxiety that hovers over this town. Evil slowly oozes into the tale, and gathers momentum with each page. It is here that the allegory to the Christian life begins. As the characters are faced with a force stronger than themselves, they realize their need for a deliverer.
Although the King embodies all that is powerful and good, the elements of darkness have been gradually eroding his strength and presence among the people. Will the King be able to save Arvalast and bring light back to this land?
The book ends abruptly at a crucial moment, which will leave readers anxious to see what happens next. Legends of Arvalast is both the start of a great new series, as well as the beginning of a promising writing career for Peter Dudek! | |
