Friday Fiction Fix: "The Keeper of Edelyndia"

The Short:

The Keeper of Edelyndia

(The Keeper Chronicles, Book 1)

By: Benjamin J. Denen

5/5 Stars (And possibly going on the favorites shelf)

What: A man wakes up with no idea who—or what—he is; only that he’s powerful and that, somehow, he must cleanse the Church in Edelyndia of the corrupt and protect those who have cared for him.

Recommended to those who like: Fantasy, Christian, loose allegory, sword fights

Not recommended for those who dislike: Violent scenes (akin to PG-13)

The Long:

I will definitely be looking for more books from Mr. Denen. The Keeper of Edelyndia was well-written, fast-paced, and certainly worth the read.

Throughout the story, we follow Orron. Although powerful almost to the point of being superhuman, he has no memories of where he came from, only troubled dreams. He has a strong drive to protect the innocent.

The Church in Edelyndia has no such desire. Rather, leaders have become corrupt, sending a special group known as “Keepers” to remove 11-year old girls from their families to be taken as tributes to the capital.

Draedon is a Legion Commander of the Keepers who struggles with his duties. Can he justify capturing these young girls when he knows he would never allow his now-teenager daughter Kor’lee to be taken? But, how can he refuse his orders, especially with the violent Captain Valtor placed under his command?

The resulting tale is one of heroism, righteousness, and a quest to purify the land of those who would destroy the innocent. It has a few well-placed plot twists and believable, vibrant characters. The world building is good.

A warning to the reader: Mr. Denen does not shy away from telling the darker side of the plot (which makes the story more believable, and allows the light to shine all the brighter). I would equate it roughly on the same scale as the new Batman movies, to give you an idea. The violence is not glorified and the overall plot line conveys a Christian message.

There is an allegorical element/ strong Christian message to the story, which is one thing that makes the story great. Unlike some stories, it portrays believers as imperfect. There is also a small love element, but it does not crush the rest of the story.

If you’ve read the book, feel free to share your thoughts below. Please remember to be respectful of Mr. Denen and his work, as well as other commentators. I also welcome comments on what you would like to see included in the reviews. I reserve the right to remove vulgar, hateful, or rude remarks from the comments. Thanks for sharing!

I will be out of town this weekend, so it may take longer than normal for me to respond to your comments. I'd still love to hear from you!