“City of God” (Augustine), 551 pages

“Walking on Water” (L’Engle), 240 pages

“Blink” (DeKker), 389 pages

“A Severe Mercy” (Vanauken), 238 pages

“The Healer” (Henderson), 490 pages

“Mind Siege” (LaHaye and Noebel), 354 pages

“And The Shofar Blew” (Rivers), 440 pages

Total: 13,876

Searching for Dragons, Patricia Wrede- 242 pages
They Loved to Laugh, Kathryn Worth- 254 pages
Mary, Queen of Scots, Kathryn Lasky-202 pages

Running Total: 5,480 pages

Running total:  4,737 pages

The Sight (Warriors: Power of Three book 1), Erin Hunter – 363 pages

Running Total – 13,894 pages

Triss: A tale from Redwall: 615 pages
This was very good. For a Redwall book it didn’t follow the typical “I know how this is going to end” pattern. When I first was told that the Redwall books were all the same I couldn’t comprehend how you could possibly duplicate or continue to duplicate such a marvelous tale and then I read a few and figured it out. Triss was different though. Yeah for Brain Jacques!

Strongbow Saga: Book One: Viking Warrior: 360 pages
My brother thought this was grand adventure, I thought it moved rather slowly. The MC is also driven by vengeance and swears a blood oath to Odin so it’s not Christian in theme, despite that it’s set in a time when Christianity was beginning to spread among the northern lands. Unless the author is setting it up for a big, sweeping conversion later in the series, which is always a possibility. I’m not impressed by the character in general though, and the fact that it’s first person doesn’t help with that.

Running total: 5740
(I think I’m falling behind…)

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jacques – 326pg

Running Total: 1,834

(Please pardon the long review on this one…  The book changed so dramatically in tone from part to part that I basically reviewed it three times!)

<FONT size=3><FONT face=Calibri>A Review of The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman:
<FONT size=3 face=Calibri>Hooking the reader with the pitiable character of Neb, The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman flies into an adventure that is not for the faint of heart.  Driven by coarse seamen, the salty escapade rides on mutiny, madness, and death.  However, Jacques handles with a brisk tactfulness; the narration is quick and to the point, not dawdling for graphic description.  Though the language is crude, it never stoops to spell out foul words; even at the pinnacle, when the captain blasphemes, the actual discourse goes unsaid.

<FONT size=3 face=Calibri>Despite the tumultuous beginning, the tale, like a sea storm, suddenly crashes to a halt.  Adrenaline lifts, the narrative slows, and the story flows through a sorrowful transition passage that records how Neb is sent on his endless journey.  The angel’s curse on the Flying Dutchmen appears to be a fanatical, twisted version of Christianity, but it is not altogether unbiblical; in the end, evil is punished – blasphemy is not tolerated – and good is rewarded.  The ship and its wicked crew roam the seas, while innocent Neb and his dog are cast upon the shore to wander the earth in perpetual youth, helping others.  After staying for a few chapters on the shore, the narrative skips 200-some years and then spends the bulk of the book in the quiet village of Chapelvale.

<FONT size=3 face=Calibri>The story again undergoes an abrupt style change, turning into a dramatic mystery set in a cozy village, and I found it hard to settle in the new world.  This may, in part, be caused by a “let down” after the energy of the previous chapters; additionally, the time period feels unsettled – some elements appropriate to the era, others seeming too modern.  Neb himself is a less admirable hero; he is cocky and somewhat static, making it harder to pity and sympathize with him.  There is some mild language and juvenile boy/girl relationships, as well as constant badinage between Neb and his dog that quickly grows tiresome.  Elements of Christianity are mentioned frequently, mostly positively, but they appear to have no personal bearing on the character’s lives.  However, as the story progresses the adults become highly involved, a positive influence, and despite all drawbacks, it is a quaint tale full of delightful characters.  The ending, bittersweet, is a touching finish. 

Elsie Dinsmore, By Martha Finley pages 316

Elsie’s Holiday, by Martha Finley pages 354

Go for the Goal, by Mia Hamm pages 254

Running Total: 2,187

Running total:  5,358 pages