Official Review: Faith Hope and the Giant by John Callison
Posted: 26 Aug 2020, 18:20
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Faith Hope and the Giant" by John Callison.]
Rich Valley has everything someone could ask for in a home. The land is lush and fruitful. A beautiful river runs through the valley, providing water and life. Yet something sinister looms over the village of Rich Valley. Villagers fear the weather; they fear running out of food. Fear of illness looms over them. Children aren't out playing, and windows remain shuttered. Any strangers that come through are mistrusted and judged.
Long ago, an evil wizard with hate in his heart put a curse on the valley. He saw all of the happiness in the village and became enraged. He cursed the people of the land to forever live in fear. One day a giant comes through the valley looking for acceptance. At the same time, a new family comes to settle and make Rich Valley their home. These unlikely characters may come together to change this valley.
Faith, Hope, and the Giant, by John Callison, is a lesson in love, understanding, and triumph over fear. The most prominent aspect of this novel is the message. There is no particular protagonist as everyone has a part to play in saving the valley. It is a beautiful tool in teaching compassion and acceptance of others despite their differences. It also teaches us how to persevere and work together in the face of fear. The author does write with religious undertones throughout the novel. There are biblical names, and the "creator" and prayer are mentioned in the book. I don't think that it detracts from the book, and it doesn't specifically mention Christianity, but I wanted to note it, so future readers are aware of the spiritual tones.
There was very little I disliked about the book, but some characters seemed underdeveloped. For example, the evil wizard is mentioned very generally, and you're left wondering if there is more to him and his curse. There is a "shining" character that appears once to speak to the giant. I think getting his message across was more critical to the author, so this lack of development didn't heavily impact my feelings. I happily give this book a 4 out of 4 stars.
The book is professionally edited, as I found no grammatical errors. There are beautiful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that further enrich the novel. This book is for all ages. However, I would be mindful of the religious undertones I mentioned, if that would concern the reader. This book was an enjoyable read with a powerful message, and I would highly recommend it to family and friends.
******
Faith Hope and the Giant
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Rich Valley has everything someone could ask for in a home. The land is lush and fruitful. A beautiful river runs through the valley, providing water and life. Yet something sinister looms over the village of Rich Valley. Villagers fear the weather; they fear running out of food. Fear of illness looms over them. Children aren't out playing, and windows remain shuttered. Any strangers that come through are mistrusted and judged.
Long ago, an evil wizard with hate in his heart put a curse on the valley. He saw all of the happiness in the village and became enraged. He cursed the people of the land to forever live in fear. One day a giant comes through the valley looking for acceptance. At the same time, a new family comes to settle and make Rich Valley their home. These unlikely characters may come together to change this valley.
Faith, Hope, and the Giant, by John Callison, is a lesson in love, understanding, and triumph over fear. The most prominent aspect of this novel is the message. There is no particular protagonist as everyone has a part to play in saving the valley. It is a beautiful tool in teaching compassion and acceptance of others despite their differences. It also teaches us how to persevere and work together in the face of fear. The author does write with religious undertones throughout the novel. There are biblical names, and the "creator" and prayer are mentioned in the book. I don't think that it detracts from the book, and it doesn't specifically mention Christianity, but I wanted to note it, so future readers are aware of the spiritual tones.
There was very little I disliked about the book, but some characters seemed underdeveloped. For example, the evil wizard is mentioned very generally, and you're left wondering if there is more to him and his curse. There is a "shining" character that appears once to speak to the giant. I think getting his message across was more critical to the author, so this lack of development didn't heavily impact my feelings. I happily give this book a 4 out of 4 stars.
The book is professionally edited, as I found no grammatical errors. There are beautiful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that further enrich the novel. This book is for all ages. However, I would be mindful of the religious undertones I mentioned, if that would concern the reader. This book was an enjoyable read with a powerful message, and I would highly recommend it to family and friends.
******
Faith Hope and the Giant
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
