The Door Within
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Animals, Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Funny, Older Readers, Review
Tags: The Door Within, Unicorns, Wayne Thomas Batson
Our rating: 
The Door Within: The Door Within Trilogy - Book One (Hardcover)
by Wayne Thomas Batson
ISBN: 1400306590
Price: USD 16.99
26 used & new available from USD 3.35
Aidan Thomas has just moved to Colorado and is friendless once again. While exploring his grandfather’s basement one day, he discovers three mysterious scrolls that beckon him to enter another realm. He takes the plunge and finds himself in the land of Alleble, where he has been chosen to be the Twelfth Knight of the King’s Elder Guard. Aidan’s training is swift and the twelve knights set out on their mission to warn the kingdom of Mithegard against allying with the evil Paragor, the betrayer from long ago.
Adventure, excitment, and the battle between good and evil! A decidedly enjoyable story, and while I found many parts predictable, it didn’t take away from the plot at all. It is easy to relate to (and sometimes chuckle at) poor Aidan and his mishaps, and a strong allegorical thread runs through the entire book. (And it might be noted that this is one of the few fantasies I have read that actually includes unicorns in addition to dragons!)
(7 votes, average: 4.29 out of 5)
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Pip said:
This is one of my favorite books! The modern kids slip into their medieval surroundings much better than a few have in recent fantasy novels, and the allegories are awesome. There is one rather wasteful chapter, though; be warned!
Mackenzie E. said:
The Door Within is a fantasy novel geared towards teenagers, but great reading for anyone! It is about a boy named Aiden Thomas who’s just waiting for an adventure to happen. When he is called by King Eliam (a character representing God) to Alleble, he must learn what it takes to be a believer and to remain strong in the most dire circumstances. The book is a fast read, but full of adventure. It is an allegory of Christian Faith, but even if you are not a believer, you will enjoy this book. I’d recommend the Door Within to anyone looking for a great fantasy novel.
Kendall said:
I have certainly read my fair share of fantasy books, but none have captured my imagination and attention so much as Sir Wayne’s Door Within Trilogy. Not only was the plot brilliantly-woven and entertaining, it held amazing lessons that even now have effect on my life. I doubt I would so often make the choice to believe if I had not read Mr. Batson’s books. Please do yourself a favor and buy these books. They changed my life; dig deep and they can change yours, too.
Nathan said:
The Door Within is the start of an amazing trilogy. It’s a must read for anyone who likes fantasy.
cameron said:
This book is by far one of the best books i have ever read in my lifetime. This book stars of a young boy name Aidan Thomas who is very miserable at his new home. At his new home he discovers three ancient scrolls in which he travels to another world called The Realm. Aidan now is able to be free he has been called by King Elaim to go on a mission. Aidan faces the training of Capitan Valithor. Once he finishes his training he is able to become a night and fulfill his mission. Will Aidan be able to embark on his mission and choose between good and evil? Will he be able to risk everything and trust the unseen King Elaim. Buy this book and find out…
Ian said:
I had wanted to read these books for months, and when I finally did, I was not at all disappointed. Wayne Thomas Batson’s amazing trilogy completely lived up to all of my expectations, and just a few pages into the first book I was flying through the pages, barely able to put it down. Mr. Batson creates a stupendous new world that any fantasy lover can entirely identify with as he weaves the stories from outside of Earth and the beginning of history into an extraordinary reality. If you have any inclination at all towards fantasy of any kind, make sure that you don’t miss out on Wayne Batson’s epic illustration of how we are Never Alone.
Sword Warrior said:
The Door Within trilogy is a great series packed with action! In the first book, Aidan Thomas is not very happy when he has to move in with his grandpa. When his grandpa tells him about another world, Aidan is skeptical at first, but then later finds out that it does indeed exist when he is called to the Realm, the name of the other world. Aidan Thomas is trained in Alleble, then is sent off with the other 11 knights to go and hopefully thwart the evil Paragor’s plans. This is a great book and I am giving it 5 out of 5 stars!
Alexandria said:
The Door Within is the first in a trilogy of fantasy books for middle-age readers. If your kids are fans of C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, they (and maybe even you) will probably love these books as well. The story is not too hard to follow, but is still masterfully woven together. The characters are very lovable and reading about their friendly antics is quite entertaining. It has great moral lessons and doesn’t include the inappropriate material other books in this age group may have. The spiritual undertones in the book can be very much appreciated by believers, and maybe get unbelievers asking questions about God. This book is a wonderful fantasy tale that’s perfect for kids from middle school to adult!
Katie G. said:
The Door Within is a great start to this series of fantasy books. I would recommend it to everyone! Wayne Thomas Batson has out done himself! In one word: ‘WOW!’.
cson said:
Aiden Thomas is heart broken. His family has moved away from everything he’s ever known—including his one and only friend Robby—to take care of a grandfather Aiden thinks belongs in an ‘Old Folks Home’… until he finds the scrolls in his grandfather’s basement. They change his life, and show him how to enter The Door Within. With Wayne Thomas Batson’s fast-paced, action packed, writing style and incredible characters, you’ll need to cancel school the next day… then sprint to the nearest bookstore and grab the next two books in this trilogy.
jon m. said:
The Door Within is an awesome-must-read-kind-of book! You’ll meet amazing characters, go on spectacular adventures, and all you have to do is turn pages and let your imagination run wild! The Door Within is definitely on my “Best Books in the World” list.
Brock said:
Door Within
The Door Within starts us on a three part adventure that takes us into our memories and our imaginations. The characters are so dynamic and well articulated, you can’t help to hope to meet them some day. Encapsulating an awesome message that takes place in this wonderful and beautifully crafted world. We begin by embarking with Aidin on an adventure that will pull him out or our world, and you will be thrilled as you go with him. He must endure a struggle within himself and against the villain Paragory. This book will take you up and down, and everywhere in between. It is a well written exciting adventure for middle aged children and up.
Shyeloh said:
If you can read a book countless times and love it more each time, then you know its good. The Door Within is one of those books. The adventure of Aidan Thomas in The Realm is full of different emotions that really brings the reader into the story. I cried when Paragor burned the innocent people of Alleble in the fountain. I laughed over the lantern spider incident. I shivered when he traversed Falon’s labyrinth. I rejoiced when he saved Gwenne. This book has impacted me in many ways and I will always remember it as the best book I ever read. And it’s great for all ages. Well done Mr. Batson.
bensny said:
Personally I think this book is the most solid book in T.D.W. trilogy. So i would advise readers to start with this book first to really understand the series.
Emily said:
An action packed, adventurous book is The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson. The book is about a boy named Adian who after finding the scrolls is transported to the mythical land of Alleble where he trains to become a brave knight. However, things aren’t all as great as they seem. Paragor, the great betrayer, is on the move with his Paragory black knights. To make matters worse, every human has a Glimpse twin. This unfortunately means if one dies the other dies too. Aidan and a group of eleven other knights, including his crush Gwenne, are going to try to protect the neighboring city from the black knights. This thrilling adventure is only the first one in the trilogy. If you read the book, you will feel yourself bonding with characters such as Nock, Bolt, Aidan, Gwenne, and King Eilam the everlasting. I know I enjoyed this book and I hope you do to. Read the book and emerge yourself into the land of knights, dragons, and the seven fountains.
Lindsay W. said:
When I first recieved this book for my birthday, I did not think I would enjoy it… Wow, was I wrong!
When I read, I felt I was there in Alleble with Aidan Thomas.
I enjoyed the Door Within from the very first page.
I would love to tell everyone all about it but, I don’t want to give away anything! (:
Nate Turton said:
The Door Within was seemingly written with two large goals in mind: the first would be to absolutely enthrall young readers with action, adventure, and the ever-deepening courage of someone their own age. Many young people have thought “wouldn’t it have been cool to be a knight” or to turn from everything you’ve ever known to an adventure that few believed was real; this books tells that story. The second goal was to challenge the reader to truly examine what they believe in by drawing age-appropriate parallels between the main character and the reader. This goal was readily accomplished, as well, as the main character, Aidan, is real enough and each of us could identify with the various aspects of his personality.
While reading the book, I found it very difficult not to compare it with The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia. As this book falls into the same genre as those two, I was pleased to say that while this relationship was easy to see, it stands alone and cannot be confused with either. As I was related to one of my student’s parents, “it is a great book that is kind of a hybrid between the two; it takes the elements of each that make them great and creates a new work that you must force yourself to put down.” I had one parent tell me that she and her daughter were reading the book before bedtime. When the child left the room, she confessed to reading ahead after her daughter was in bed. She had even gone to the bookstore and purchased the Rise of the Wyrm Lord and The Final Storm and was not going to feel bad about reading ahead, even if she had to do it in secret.
Regarding the spiritual nature of the book, I can say that there is definitely a good message about using the gifts that one has been given for the benefit of mankind. Throughout the book, there are countless occurrences of self-sacrifice and other spiritually-sound happenings. When I turned the final page, I was saddened that it was over, but excited about what was to come. That sense, too, is aligned with a person’s spiritual journey through real life. The book is incredibly well-written by an author who is not afraid to write outside the box.
Age recommendations:
Children reading the book alone: 11 years
Children reading with a parent: 9 years
Faith affirming/spiritual message (1-10):
9 – The book seems to be written with the intention of challenging the reader to examine his beliefs.
Overall Rating (1-10 scale):
9 – Lots of action, lots of intense self-examination by the protagonist makes for a read that is difficult to set aside.
Would you find this in my personal library?
ABSOLUTELY! It has a permanent place in my bookshelf.
Would you find this in my classroom library?
Yes. It is a good piece of literature that might help a struggling young person through life’s ever-present difficulties.
Teranel said:
The Door Within is a well-written fantasy; a great debut by Wayne Thomas Batson. This may very well be my favorite book in the trilogy. I read a chapter, maybe two, and I was hooked on the series. Fast-paced fantasy action, realistic characters, and a majestic fantasy world that is expanded on in the later two books make this a great book for all ages! When I was reading the series, I could not get my hands on the books fast enough!
Rien_Tahkid said:
When Aidan Thomas and his family have to move halfway across the country to care for his aging grandfather, the disgruntled teenager knows that life will never be the same. What he doesn’t know is exactly how different life will be. The discovery in the basement of mysterious scrolls with a fascinating but unfinished story leads Aidan to seek the Door Within and travel to a world of noble knights and fair maidens. In The Realm, he learns more of the story found in the scrolls and faces the choice that will define his life forever—follow King Eliam or Paragor the Usurper.
Some of the characters are rather broadly drawn so that they seem rather exaggerated and thus unrealistic, but they are delightful nonetheless. Captain Valithor, Sentinel of Alleble, employs hilarious adjectives as he urges those in his charge to work harder. One fun thing about the characthers is the way their build and temperaments tend to mirror their weapons. Archer brothers Nock and Bolt are slight and quick, while hammer-wielding Mallik is built like a rock.
In this adventurous tale full of truth and treachery, rambunctious and hilarious characters, Aidan learns what it means to never be alone. Though written for Junior High and early High Schoolers, the story contains enough depth to satisfy an older reader while remaining simple enough for children many years younger. “The Door Within” is sure to delight any reader of adventure and fantasy.