Review
When an author compares her writing to the style of C.S. Lewis, expectations are necessarily high. With the book The Wolf of Tebron, author C.S. Lakin (whose very initials appear to be a nod to the great author) attempts to write a fairy tale “in the tradition of The Chronicles of Narnia“.
The Wolf of Tebron is the first book in the fantasy series The Gates of Heaven, which is aimed at the young adult audience. For review purposes, both my teen-aged son and I read the book. The main character, Joran, journeys through a world called “Sherbourne”, in a quest to rescue his wife. As Joran travels, he encounters the Sun, Moon, and South Wind as personified characters. He is joined in his journey by Ruyah, a wise wolf who becomes his friend and travel companion, and with whom he engages in “mind-speak”. Some of the wolf’s advice to Joran is taken from C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity.
While the author has remarkable descriptive skills, the plot in this story drags at times. Readers don’t find out the reason for the separation of Joran from his wife until far into the book, by which point the author risks losing the interest of readers who aren’t willing to wait that long for information integral to the story. While he does face outward obstacles, so much of Joran’s turmoil is inward and self-inflicted, that it was difficult for us to maintain interest in him as the main character. The constant recurrences of Joran’s nightmares and the long descriptions of his painful, lonesome journey become a bit tedious after awhile.
My teenager did notice the good qualities of the book: redemptive storyline, the lesson of not reacting rashly in anger, and the clear delineation between good and evil. However, I must caution Christian parents against the description of infidelity that occurs. While it is not overly graphic, I know that many homeschooling families won’t be comfortable with this sort of situation in a book intended for teens.
Discussion questions are included at the end of the The Wolf of Tebron for those die-hard fantasy enthusiasts whom I feel are the ones who will most enjoy this book. If you are looking for a novel with which to ‘escape’, this may be the ticket for you, as long as you are willing to take a meandering path.
About the Reviewer
From the author’s website: C.S. Lakin is a novelist and writing coach who spends her time divided between developing new book ideas and helping writers polish theirs. She is the author of eleven novels – six contemporary novels and five in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Whether she is exploring the depths of the human psyche and pushing her characters to the edge of desperation, or embellishing an imaginary world replete with talking pigs and ancient magical curses, she is doing what she loves best – using her creativity and skills to inspire and affect her readers.In all her books, she seeks to journey to the heart of human motivation, to uncover unmet needs, and show the path to healing and grace.
From the publisher’s website: Living Ink Publishers’ goal of reaching the world through the hope found in the Bible and through Jesus Christ remains their steadfast aim. More and more, doors of opportunities are opening up for AMG Publishers. With the release of their new imprint, Living Ink Books, many exciting new books will be made available to many more needy people. The theme of this imprint is ‘Writing Worth Reading’ which speaks to their goal of providing quality in any subject they publish.
Thanks for highlighting this book! My oldest two are die-hard Lewis/Tolkein fans, and my 18-year old discovered The Wolf of Tebron and loaned it to me to read. I agree with your comment about the pacing and inward focus; once the story was underway, however, Joran’s quest became riveting. My kids have enjoyed it as a story – they are always looking for good quality fiction that points them to Christ.