"Infinitas" by David Sebastian. A Review.

Infinitas (Destiny is an Adventure #1)Infinitas by David N. Sebastian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a simple story line, lots of adventure, unexpected twists, dragons, wood gnomes, gypsies, rangers, wood sprites, skeleton armies, wraiths, loads of scary creatures, and a sort-of happily-ever-after ending, then this is the book for you. David Sebastian (a authorial pseudonym) has crafted a blending of story-themes in his recently published 288 page paperback, "Infinitas". This is the first installment in what plans to be a series written primarily for pre-teens and young teens.

"Infinitas" follows the adventures of four teens, Drake, Kali, Harold and Ferra, from their home villa, Kordos, to a climactic conclusion as they face the Dragon Queen at the fortress castle of Infinitas. Drake and Kali are pursuing their destiny, a one hundred year old prophecy that one from the bloodline of Auturo would destroy the Dragon Queen. Both Kali and Drake are of that bloodline. Auturo had wounded the Dragon Queen and made her vulnerable to defeat, but they must find his sword, Ormr, by which alone the heir of Auturo could defeat the Dragon Queen. Harold and Ferra are friends whose strange abilities will give Drake and Kalli added advantages as they face the various obstacles on their way. All four grow in their friendship, their sense of courage, and their understanding of loyalty.

"Infinitas" is a simple, fun read. There is lots of adolescent bantering, and there are some romantic sparks here and there, all of which paint the picture of deepening friendships and strengthened commitments, but shouldn't cause parents any concerns. If you're looking for a present for your pre-teen or young teenage kids this holiday season, I can easily recommend this book.


View all my reviews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“The Shift” - 2023 Movie. A Review

Image
  What do you get when you cross a dark dystopian storyline with sci-fi, alternative dimensions, theological and philosophical questions, and the biblical book of Job? You get The Shift , written and directed by Brock Heasley, produced by Ken Carpenter, and distributed by Angel Studios. This roughly one hour and 45 minute tale swirls around Kevin (Kristoffer Polaha) as he moves from one realm of life, with it’s happiness and heartbreak, to another dimension that is a dismal existence clearly governed by The Benefactor (masterfully played by Neal McDonough). A viewer will be asking questions all the way through, and picking up clues and answers that pull the story together bit-by-bit. The story bumps up against an infinite set of alternative possibilities, of time, space, and versions of one’s self that will likely stoke a viewer’s imagination. But the heart of the narrative - besides love, grief, loss, trust/distrust - is around the place of evil, specifically, personal or human evil.
Read more

"On Getting Out of Bed" by Alan Noble. A Review

Image
  When it comes to family members or friends going through a significant mental crisis, or suffering, we often can feel like we’re fumbling about to help them. Sometimes, we can become like Job’s friends, whom he had to call “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2). But very recently Alan Noble, assistant professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee Oklahoma, and cofounder and editor-in-chief of “Christ and Pop Culture” penned a deeply beautiful 120-page hardback that addresses mental affliction. “On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living” is written for those who struggle with mental affliction, but also pastors, teachers, parents, and loved ones, to “help them understand their loved one’s suffering. It is for anyone who ever struggles to get out of bed” (3). I finished this book earlier this week, and kept finding myself saying, “Finally! Someone gets it!” Eight chapters fill up this handy manual. They run through several subjects, like not sounding like Job’s f
Read more

Community?

Image
  (This is from my letter to my congregation I sent out today, 30 August 2023) As one of my elders was leading us through Carl Trueman’s Strange New World in our adult class , I appreciated Trueman’s emphasis on community. And our discussions, especially the last two Sundays, were very fruitful as we thought out loud together about this subject. Therefore, I thought I would share something from David Brooks, an Op-ed columnist that leans into this discussion.   Brooks published a book in 2019 titled, “The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life”. In that work he was taking a gentle punch at destructive trends he has been seeing, and giving some helpful correctives. And so, he notes that “Individualism, taken too far, leads to tribalism” (34). He then shows how the loneliness and spiritual emptiness of individualism taken too far have become more prevalent in our time and the ways that they lead to very dark social consequences. These darker social consequences foster the need t
Read more