New Review!!! Terrestria Chronicals!

 

About the product/service:  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I received complimentary copies of books 4 and 5 from the Terrestria Chronicles series by Ed Dunlop.  (Meet Ed and his family here.)  These books take place in a medieval type setting and are written as an allegory to the Christian life.

Book #4 is called The Crown of Kuros.  Rather than try to rewrite the summary out of my (currently very foggy) head, I'll just "cheat" a bit and copy the summary from the website!  :)

The Castle of Faith is in an uproar when the priceless Crown of Kuros is stolen in broad daylight from the castle keep. All evidence points to Morphina who is in league with Argamor. Prince Josiah, Prince Selwyn, and the other knights of the castle engage in a quest to find the crown before it falls into the hands of Argamor. But Josiah alone can recover the crown, and to do so he must engage in an impossible battle.

Book #5 is called The Dragon's Egg.  Here I shall, one again, cheat and use the summary from the website.

When Princess Gilda and Prince Selwyn refuse the offer of a gift forbidden by King Emmanuel, Prince Josiah accepts, not realizing that his actions will impact the Castle of Faith. For a time, the young prince is able to conceal his act of treachery, and it seems that all is well. But when a Cararian Greatwing—the fiercest of dragons—begins terrorizing the kingdom, Josiah learns too late that he is powerless to control the beast that he has unleashed upon Terrestria.

What are the pros of this product?  Okay, if you're looking for a series that is distinctly Christian, with no magic or wizardry, this might be just what you are looking for. 

The books are great for boys who love medieval literature.  There are plenty of knights, ladies, and even some dragons!  :)  (Which is not to say that girls won't like them, too!)

Finally, these books actually make you ponder your own walk with Christ.  Have YOU fully surrendered your heart to the Lord?



What's not to like? There is definitely a very conservative bent to these books.  Might I say, maybe a tad too conservative for some folks?  One example that I can think of right off the top of my head is a scene where the enemies of King Emmanuel are plotting to steal the hearts of his subjects.  The plan is to introduce something that was obviously TV and rock music.  It was presented as though these things were created by King Emmanuel's enemies with purely evil intent, which implies (to me anyway) that TV and rock music were invented by the devil and his demons. 

Now, I am not saying that the devil and his demons have not have had huge success with these media.  However, I do not think these things are inherently evil.  I think they, like anything else, can be used for good or evil, but are in and of themselves neutral.  I love music, and yes, I can really rock!  LOL  I don't feel the phrase Christian Rock is an oxymoron.  I've also seen some really awesome television.  (I even had my own show once!)  I realize that not everyone agrees, so for some, these books might not present any issues whatsoever.  Just be advised,however, that things like this do occasionally pop up in the series so your kids might have a question or two.

 The Crazy Mom take:  Normally, I don't read the books we get to review as I have my kids read them.  For whatever reason, though, my kids didn't want to indulge me this time around, so I did the reading.  First, I have to say the idea is great.  What a neat way to present the Gospel.  Now, the way it is written isn't exactly my style, so I can't say they were the best books I've ever ready, but I'm just not into all that medieval stuff.  I KNOW my boys would like them as they love all of that sort of thing.  My girls?  I'm not sure.  Right now they are into Laura Ingalls and Beezus and Ramona.  :) 

One thing I have to say I didn't like was getting books 4 and 5.  I would have loved to start from the beginning.  I think this is necessary to really get the big picture.  I mean, you can read them as individual books, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Now, knowing the Gospel, I pretty much already know the storyline.  ;)  Still, I went to the website and read the summaries of the earlier books and it did help to understand a few things, so, if you do get these, start with book 1!

Like I said earlier, I'm not sure I'm in full agreement with absolutely everything in the book.  However, it's supposed to be an allegory so I suppose not everything has to line up exactly.  Still, I do agree wholeheartedly with the basic premise of the series, and that is that our lives are meant to be a quest to honor the Lord and fully surrender our lives to Him.  For that reason, I can still recommend the series.  Just to be sure, though, Mom or Dad might want to read through it first, as I would suggest for pretty much all books.  Also, I think the study guide is a great idea. 

Happy Reading!!! 

 
 What's the bottom line? $7.99 each or purchase the series as a set in softcover for $47.99 or in hardcover for $73.99 (hardcover books not sold separately)/Spiral bound study guide $5.99

I am going to give The Terrestria Chronicles series 3 out of 5 smileys!!!

Check it out!  http://www.talesofcastles.com/terrestria-chronicles.htm



See what my fellow TOS Crew members have to say @
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HomeschoolCrew/771044/





*The Smiley System: 

I can't really recommend this product.
 I doubt this product would be helpful to many people.
 This is a good product, but isn't right for everyone.
 Most homeschool moms will find this useful.
 This is great, and I would recommend it to anyone!!!

Disclaimer!!!  I reviewed this product because I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.  I was given the product by the vendor to use and evaluate in my home so that I might share my insights with others.  Other than receiving the product, which I kinda have to to be able to assess the product, I am not compensated for my reviews in any way.  I am in no way obligated to give a positive review.  I do try to point out negatives when I see them, though I am admittedly a pretty easy going gal!  What you read are my honest assessments of the products I receive. 

As with all products, you must do the research before buying.  Please visit the the other crew members' blogs, the vendor websites, and any other review sites you might find before buying.  I can't guarantee that a product will work for you.  You must decide what will fit with your teaching style, and your child(ren)'s learning style(s).  I do not judge anything other than the educational value of the products I review.  I am not qualified to make judgements as to the safely of any product, and I make no guarantee that the products I review are safe for you, your family, or anyone else.  I am simply giving my opinion; only you know what is best for you and your family.

Don't use your blow dryer while you sleep or take a bath.  Don't read my reviews in the tub either, and please do not read them when you are asleep, though I do not guarantee that you won't fall asleep reading them!

Copyright 2010 Ramblings from the Crazy House