Chris Walley

Suppose modern Evangelicals have it wrong. Suppose that Christ's return isn't imminent and that He has no plans to rapture the Church. Suppose instead that the Lord ushers in a Golden Age in which the universe has been cleansed of Satanic influence and the corrosive effects of sin. Given thousands of years to build a harmonious society called The Assembly, mankind in Walley's speculative future has spread across the galaxy on hundreds of Made Worlds, planets made in Earth's image to host the show more thriving human race. On the edge of the Assembly lies Farholme, home to the protagonist Merral d'Avanos. After his teenage cousin witnesses a disturbing, unfathomable creature in the northern woods, events unfold that signal the end of an age of peace and stability. Evil has returned to the Assembly, beginning its destructive rampage on Farholme. As Merral and company confront the growing threat, they discover the problem reaches deeper than they'd like; sin has begun its dark march across their own hearts as well.

The novel's portrayal of a world free from the corruptive influence of sin strikes a chord deep within. This setting creates within the reader a sense of longing for such a world, and drives one to recognize what he/she has given up in order to enjoy the bitterness of sin. A true sense of loss is conveyed as evil corrupts Merral's world.

While some may complain, the book's length is sufficient to contain a skilled exposition laying the setting and to thresh out the characters in enough detail that the reader remains engaged, eager to learn of their ultimate fate

To fully appreciate this book, Christian readers must lay down their presuppositions regarding end-time events and be willing to entertain a post-millenialist view.

Finally, the book's incorporation of science-minded individuals was quite refreshing. Similar treatment by other respected authors can go a long way in removing perceptions that Christians are ignorant of the workings of the natural world. show less

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It's very slow to start off, though it does begin to pick up about halfway through. The juxtaposition of hard core science fiction and evangelical christianity is a little odd. The author does a good job of explaining why the society he's created is thus, but something about this new oh-so-earnest and godly brand of humanity just doesn't jive. Part of what makes us human is our distinctions and uniqueness. To imagine that all cultures and all show more religions have been subsumed by Christianity... One Universe Under God, as it were, is a mite disturbing.

Some of the weeping and moaning, the wringing of hands and gasping at concepts outside what is permissible for good little automatons of the Assembly to think or participate in just rubs me the wrong way. Seriously, a society that mostly shudders and quivers at the mere thought of "evil" and does everything possible to stall taking action, pretty much deserves what it gets. There is something to the adage 'god helps those who help themselves'. Putting faith and trust in the lord is all well and good, but let's not spend days agonizing over whether it's ok to make weapons to defend ourselves from the scary genetically engineered beasties in the woods.

On the whole, I've found this book irksome, but intriguing. Reads better in small doses. Long reading sessions generally make me want to smack common sense into the main characters. show less

This wasn't a terrible book, but it was forgettable (there's a reason my review is months late). It certainly brought a different point of view to the table - instead of the characters being naive and helpless, they're strong and capable of a lot. They simply have formed their own worldview after centuries of living in peace and tranquility. There wasn't much a of a hook to this series, and nothing to keep me really on the edge of my seat; I mostly just wanted to see whether or not the show more characters would encounter evil. The characters are fairly well fleshed out, and the second book looks interesting. show less

Merral is a young forester on the Made World of Farholme. In the course of his duties, he comes across some very strange occurrences. Strange, alien beasts are seen on the surface of Farholme, and human beings begin to act strangely, cruelly toward each other, shattering the peace that has existed for millennia. And then the unthinkable happens, and contact with the other worlds is lost.

The novel is long at over 600 pages so reading it is not for the faint of heart. Walley has also chosen to show more build a slow tension for his story, rather than leaping from action sequence to action sequence. I think some readers might find this dull, although his character study was so intense and engrossing, that I didn’t feel the loss. He takes time to ponder the effect of events on his characters, and to have them grapple and wrestle with philosophy, although in a practical way.

This is a not a fast paced novel by any means. Yet, I couldn’t put it down. I sped through the pages, desperate to find out what was to happen to Merral and Vero, Anya and Perena. Walley builds the tension so slowly and subtly, it is like reading a John Grisham thriller. When the final culmination of events came, I was literally sitting upright on the edge of my seat.

Full Review at Grasping for the Wind show less