Jack Staples and the Ring of Time by Mark Batterson and Joel N. Clark - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Jack Staples and the Ring of Time by Mark Batterson and Joel N. Clark

About the Book:

An eleven-year-old Irish boy awakens to a fantastical world and is unwittingly drawn into a war that's been raging since time before time. Encountering creatures beyond imagination, Jack must face his fears if he is to fulfill his destiny-to save the world and destroy it. Young readers will cheer Jack on as he discovers new and extraordinary abilities in this epic battle between good and evil. Filled with unexpected twists and action-packed turns, the first book in this fantastical trilogy will introduce readers to both lovable characters and unimaginable beings. Readers will experience Jack's unforgettable adventure as he learns to stop running from his fears and stand up for what's right in the face of great evil.



My Thoughts:

“It wasn’t the normal Jack was used to, but even insanity, if experience long enough, can start to feel like a certain kind of normal.”

The second installment of Jack Staples’ adventures, Jack Staples and the Ring of Time, seems to be a series of twists and turns that both the main character and the reader find both abnormal and mind-bending!   This particular book develops the back story that drives the action and the discovery for this entire series.  Many questions are answered for both the reader and the main characters within the story, and we are all left at the edge of a very precipitous fall! 

Once again, the reader experiences a very swash-buckling adventure as Jack and his co-horts tumble from one clash to another in an effort to stay one step ahead of the evil that pursues them.  This is a very allegorical tale that will introduce pre-teens to the gospel message.  My personal opinion is very strong that the children already have a basic understanding of the Biblical story of creation and redemption before plunging headlong into this series.   If a parent or teacher is willing, to read this aloud with the young adult would provide a rich environment to discuss many aspects of Bible truth.  A parent can lay a solid foundation for redemption with this story!  How wonderful is that?

Hang on for the ride!  Be prepared to have reality challenged!  Be prepared to enter an allegorical tale of spiritual warfare at its best and most exciting!  I am happy to recommend this series!!

About the Authors:

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC.  One church with seven locations.  NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in theaters throughout the DC metro area.  NCC also owns and operates the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill.  Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of 11 books, including The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase and the two most recent, The Grave Robber and Jack Staples and the Ring of Time.  Mark is married to Lora and they live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.   

 Joel N. Clark is the co-founder and Creative Director of Atlas District Pictures (http://www.atlasdistrictpictures.com), a production and ideas house co-located in Washington, DC and Johannesburg, South Africa. As a writer-filmmaker, Clark's love for story and adventure shine through in the diversity of products he and his team create ranging from short films and features to sitcoms, commercials and justice-oriented documentaries filmed all over the world. He lives with his wife, Megan in Washington D.C.