ACTION: This book starts with a simple journey that turns into a chase and then a war. It has its fill of fight scenes both between people and between the armies and various degrees of larger scale creatures of which dragons are somewhere in the middle. Characters are in armor and fight with swords. There is intrigue, peril, and danger. Those who like war tales will find plenty of military strategy discussions as the forces of good and evil fight each other. The only extensive descriptions of blood and injury surround those parts of the story where they are battling the creatures. There are daring escapes and rescues, one instance of kidnapping and captivity. Overall, it is very clean for a fantasy fiction piece.
ROMANCE: There are some wholesome relationships that develop through the battles. These get more in-depth development and are celebrated as the story ends. There is nothing graphic about those parts of the story. They would be suitable for all ages. The other content likely is more for older readers with its focus on the politics and strategy of war.
RELIGION: The story is purposely written as an allegory. As a result, every page has some religious significance for the reader. It reads on both a physical and spiritual level at the same time. The physical definitely bows to the spiritual in this, so if there is something unexpected it is probably teaching a spiritual lesson. Scripture is woven into the character’s speech naturally, in increasing measure as they grow and mature. Dark versus light is a core theme. The need for spiritual armor, discernment, and Christlikeness comes through very clearly. Readers at all levels of maturity will find some thought-provoking reminders in the events and word pictures of this story.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The most famous Christian Allegory of course is John Bunyan’s historic work called Pilgrim’s Progress. If you’ve heard of it but don’t know what it is, don’t be alarmed. People in my family are not the first ones who have gone to see a movie or play adapted from Pilgrim’s Progress and wondered when the characters were going to get on board the Mayflower! But the original story is older than that and deeper, and steeped in scripture. The things in the story are told as physical truths but are physical mirrors of spiritual truths. Of the many who know about Pilgrim’s Progress, few have read it. Of those who have tried to read it, often the names of characters and places get in the way. I say all of that because this book is in that genre and so naturally draws a comparison. Fans of Pilgrim’s Progress who know the story via an updated and abridged version will easily transition to the style and substance of this story. Those who have given up on trying to read Pilgrim’s Progress but liked the concept will find this a much easier and more engaging read. Those who have never read allegory will find it an easy starting point. In addition, those who like military battle stories will find enough here to connect to their mind even if they don’t have the framework for all the spiritual references. Having read both, I find there is a lot of fuel for thought in contemplating the similarities and differences between the two books. In those, you’ll see the author’s perspective and intent. The Darkened Land is much more focused on the idea of what it means to be children of the light in a world that is in love with the dark. It emphasizes the spiritual battle, the need for communion, and the blessings of community. It has solid themes about spiritual armor, spreading the gospel, and intercession. There are elements of it that remind me of John White’s Archives of Anthropos stories in their ability to paint a solid word picture of a spiritual truth. The author’s initial premise of a world that has forgotten the light immediately sets the tone. After that, the action tells the bulk of the story rather than the dialogue. – James E. Merritt
Larry Paris Books 