Thursday, May 20, 2010

TOS Homeschool Crew Review - Terrestria Chronicles






Do you like knights and castles, chivalry and moral stories, but not books with magic??? Do your boys like books with a lot of action??? Are you looking for good reading books for your family, especially for your boys? These books are great for ages 10 and up. The main character is a young boy named Josiah. You should check out these books!! 

As part of the TOS Crew we received book 6 and 7 of the Terrestria Chronicles. Fortunately, we own the whole set. A couple of years ago my son Nathan, as part of the TOS Summer Reading Splash program, won the complete set of hardback books and they were signed by the author. I am sorry to say I have not read book 6 and 7 ... yet! I do not like reading books from the end of a series before I read the beginning book(s). 

The website says these books are allegories and were written with a three-fold purpose: to honor Jesus Christ as King, to challenge young readers (and older ones, too) to love and serve Him, and to teach them to guard their hearts for Him. The focus of the series is always on the King. An allegory according to the dictionary is a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another. That is exactly what these books do bring spiritual meaning though the pages of the book. There is even scripture used throughout the books.

I love these books. They are inspiring. They make me want to have a closer walk with the Lord. They make me thankful for my salvation. They make we aware of the tricks of the devil. They cause me to want to be a better Christian. My boys read them years ago when we got them. I have not had the time. Thanks to this review I am making time to read them. They are on my list of things to get finished this summer. I am on book 3. We also started reading them along with our family devotions, one chapter a night after Bible reading and before we practice our singing. 

One of my favorite quotes so far: "There are obstacles in the path of anyone who will serve King Emmanuel," the old man replied quietly. "Fear will magnify any obstacle, making it seem far larger than it really is. That's why the tiny stream called the River of Timidity appeared to be a raging torrent at the bottom of a hazardous canyon. But when one steps out in faith and obedience to the King, the obstacles become small and insignificant."  (from: The Search for Everyman, book 3, pg. 37). There are many other favorite quotes and sections that have touched my heart.

Here is a list of the books and the theme for each:
  • Book 1: The Sword, The Ring, and the Parchment - theme: encouraging the reader to live as a child of the King.
  • Book 2: The Quest for Seven Castles - theme: examining your relationship with the King while taking a journey to 7 castles that represent the Fruit of the Spirit.
  • Book 3: The Search for Everyman - theme: encourages the reader to be a witness for the King.
  • Book 4: The Crown of Kuros - theme: challenges the reader to surrender his heart to the King.
  • Book 5: The Dragon's Egg - theme: challenges the reader to guard his or her heart for the King.
  • Book 6: The Golden Lamps - theme: this sixth adventure will cause the reader to realize that the King’s business must always be priority.
  • Book 7: The Great War - theme:  this book gives a breathtaking overview of the Book of Revelation. In this thrilling final episode of the Terrestria Chronicles, the reader catches just a glimpse of the almighty power of King Emmanuel and of the wondrous future that awaits his children in the Golden City.
There is also the book Visits to Terrestria - A Study Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Students. "Covering all seven books in the Terrestria Chronicles allegory series, this study guide is designed to invoke discussions of the life-changing messages and powerful imagery within each story, much of which might be missed with a casual reading." There are great questions for extra study; enriching the reading of the books when using them for your homeschooling, your family devotional times or in a group. This study guide is reproducible for home and classroom use. You can see more about it and purchase it at the bottom of the Terrestria Chronicles page.

The books are $7.99 each for the Terrestria Chronicles series or SAVE when you buy the entire Terrestria Chronicles series Only $39.99! The study guide is $5.99 it is Spiral bound and 120 pages. Because of: 1. the value of these books 2. the price, which I feel is more than fair at $7.99 each and 3. the discount which saves you $15.94 if you buy all 7 books as a set; I give the Terrestria Chronicles my Good Value Icon.

Ed has other books also, including the Tales from Terrestria Series books 1, 2, and 4 and book 3 will be out soon and they are on my boys wish list for their birthdays this year. There are other books on the Youth Fiction page and there are also free books for download on the FREE e-Books page.

Out of five stars I give the Terrestria Chronicles series


Some of the crew got different books than we did. To see what my other crew members have to say about the Terrestria Chronicles and Tales of Terrestria books check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

***
Ed Dunlop from Dunlop Ministeries provided me with book 6 and 7 of the Terrestria Chronicles so that I could do my review. Though I received this product for free I have given an honest review of it here in this post.

Please check out these books, they will enhance your walk with the Lord and your children's walk, too. I encourage you to read them as a family and discuss the meanings and implications of what happens to Josiah, and his friends, and apply it to your lives.


Debbie

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