I just finished reading this Christian fantasy novel yesterday, and I’m still reeling from the ending. Well, “reeling” may be something of an exaggeration, but I was surprised. I won’t give it away, but it’s a tribute to the skill of author L.B. Graham that I didn’t see the ending coming. Some of the plot developments were predictable, but I didn’t expect . . . well, anyway, enough about that.

Beyond the Summerland is a good read from a publishing company that specializes in “publishing excellent books that promote biblical understanding and godly living as summarized in The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.” These folks have a high mission, and Graham’s fantasy fits into the reformed tradition. The book begins with The Fall of Man in which one man is deceived by Malek, the most powerful of Allfather’s servants. The rest of the book takes place a few thousand years later in the Thrid Age. Time, events, and tradition have made the Novaana, Kirthanin’s ruling class, the defenders of the land against the evil schemes of Malek. Joraiem, the protagonist of the novel, is preparing to travel to Sulare, the Summerland, to undergo a mandatory time of training and bonding for those of the Novaana who are the proper age to attend this once in a lifetime educational opportunity. The rest of the novel follows Joraiem’s adventures along with those of the other Novaana in Sulare and beyond.

Computer Guru Son is a fan of good fantasy (Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, and others), and he and I were discussing just the other day the prevalence of cheap Tolkien imitations in the world of fantasy literature. At first glance, Beyond the Summerland does have some similarities to Tolkien: dragons, swords, a wise old man/prophet, evil creatures called Malekim instead of orcs, battles, comrades who band together to fight evil, a journey. These elements all mirror Tolkien. Graham himself in this interview says that “J.R.R. Tolkien is the fantasy writer that changed my life. I’d never encountered anything like Middle Earth before, and even as an avid reader, his work set my imagination on fire.” However, Beyond the Summerland is no Tolkien knock-off. Graham has created a story and characters that engage, and the Christian worldview permeates the book without interfering with the plot or overwhelming the flow.

I have one complaint with this book, and it may seem picky at first. I found three instances in my (library) copy of this book where homophones were used incorrectly. Twice the word “too” was used when the spelling should have been “to.” And another time a character who is agreeing with the group says, “Here, here!” Ouch! Where was the editor or the proofreader? These errors make the book and its publishers look sloppy and second-rate. Such blatant misuse of simple words should not occur in a published novel.

Nevertheless, ignore the spelling/usage errors, and read the book if you enjoy adventure fantasy. I’m planning to get the next book in The Binding of the Blade series as soon as I can, because I really want to know where this story is going next. Isn’t that a pretty high recommendation for any novel? If I want to keep reading, it must be good. I’ve forgotten, as usual, who recommended this book to me (maybe Jollyblogger?), but whoever it was, thanks.