Review by VernaVi -- The Chest of Visions by Tim Ferguson

Verna Coy · Post by **Verna Coy** » 15 Jul 2019, 04:16

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Chest of Visions" by Tim Ferguson.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Fun and futuristic, The Chest of Visions by Tim Ferguson is an entertaining science fiction/fantasy that closely emulates the life of Christ. This tale is told from an interesting perspective and involves a young man in another world and his communication with a new friend he has made on Earth.

The story begins with an e-mail from one world that is intercepted by a world in a parallel universe. The happenings on the world of Caperston are very reminiscent of the things that went on during the times that Jesus walked on this planet. Each e-mail relates short stories with questions and testimonies as the characters all learn about the goodness of God.

The illustrations in this book are fun and captivating. They give the reader a look at each character and illuminate scenes from the story. It struck me that this style of illustrating reminded me of the type of sketches used in comic books.

The writing style in this book is unique because it is presented in a long series of e-mails between characters. It's almost like reading mail belonging to someone else but in a good way. I believe that this style of writing will appeal to today’s youth because digital devices are implemented throughout the story.

I liked the way that one of the main characters( Mattpaul) questions how he would handle different situations after hearing stories about how others acted. It demonstrates the act of listening to one’s conscience and applying the knowledge of lessons learned.

I found the concept of taking Bible stories and applying them to a futuristic tale fascinating. It’s evident that part of this plot's concept is the story of Christ with names and locations changed, but it is told in a new place and time to make it more attractive to young people who enjoy the science fiction/fantasy genre. By integrating individuals from two parallel universes, the author demonstrates the far-reaching aspects of faith and believing in God.

What I liked most about this book are the simple ways that deeper meanings are introduced. The story of the young girl who was dizzy and had been made well again through prayer was an example of this simple way of delivering a message with an important point. The message that prayer is an act of faith is one that readers can understand and practice. The story in Chapter One about the Mountain Man helping the stranded boatman reminded me of the story in the Bible of the good Samaritan, and I enjoyed the positive reinforcement of its moral implications. Note: I capitalize Mountain Man as it is in the book for consistency.

It was significant that the author included difficult topics and questions about which all readers would want to know. One of those questions is, “Why would God let good people die?” The explanations and shared wisdom in this book answer some of these questions in a way that may comfort readers.

One of the best things about this story is how it shares the ways that faith can grow. It will be an encouragement to young readers in their faith and learning. One of the reasons for this is the fact that there is a moral to each short story shared in this book. I believe that the book’s intended target audience of youth is accurate. This book will appeal to young readers of all ages. Even though it may be a bit advanced for early reading levels, the book’s illustrations will draw the interest of younger children well.

I could find nothing to dislike about this book. The formatting is clean, and it seems to be professionally edited. Although I found a few minor errors, they did not interfere with the flow of the story or justify a drop in rating. For these reasons, I am rating this book with 4 out of 4 stars. It would be useful in youth Bible-study groups. I recommend it to youths as well as adult readers who would like to learn about the concepts of Christian faith within the background of a science-fiction/fantasy setting. If you aren't interested in religion or Christianity, this may not be the book for you.

******
The Chest of Visions
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon