Fantasy and The Island of Marna

I entered a contest on another blog, Pomomusings, and won a book by the bloggers friend, Jamey Heit called, The Island of Marna. The only thing I was asked was to give a review once I read it. So here it is:

My first impression when I got the book in my hand was, “Nice cover!” It reminds me of some of my paintings available in my ebay store: treetops against a dramatic sky. My second impression was, after reading another reviewer’s comments: “I read this story and loved it… From the beginning, you get my interest and attention… Like Tolkien, you begin to create a world of some depth.” I thought, “Like Tolkien?” Quite a compliment. So I started the book a little skeptical that someone could live up to that. I think he does.

Here’s what The Island of Marna website has to say about the book:
“Escape to a magical world where eagles soar in the mountains and badgers rumble across the forest floor. Join Saias, the heroine, as she makes new friends, discovers her past, and fights to defeat the evil forces that have overrun the Island of Marna.

“During her journey, Saias’ friends and enemies, as well as mysterious stangers, will challenge her, support her, teach her, and embrace her as she unlocks the mysteries that lurk in Marna’s forests and mountains.”

One of the most important ways I can tell if a movie or a book or some other piece of art is good is if I get lost in it or not. If I’m watching a movie, no matter how much work or money went into it, if I am saying to myself, “I’m watching a movie right now!”, then it has somehow failed. Same with a book: if I am conscious of reading a book, then it has failed me somehow. Heit’s book grabbed me right from the beginning. It pulled me into the story, and I got lost in it. Good job Heit! Here’s some of the things that grabbed me: important theological/ spiritual themes are developed through the story such as good and evil, leadership, courage, love, forgiveness, and unity; good character development; convincing geographical descriptions; it does feel like the same kind of worlds Tolkien, Charles Williams and C. S. Lewis wrote about. I could imagine the world of Marna in my mind. I’ll get the next novel he publishes.

I recommend it for a good read. Get it for your kids. They’ll enjoy it too! You can order your copy here:
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