Winterland: A Dark Fairy Tale by Mike Duran

The author provided this book for my review.

Alice in Wonderland, in reverse, is what this story reminds me of. Not as crazy as Alice in Wonderland, though it has its moments, and not as humorous or satirical, though it zings a few here and there, but the flavor reminds me of that story. Not only for the very other-worldly setting, but also the interesting characters the protagonist meets.

Eunice embarks on a journey few would enjoy: a trip through her own mother's tortured soul. She traverses a surreal landscape and is guided by a man who was the only part of the picture that remained mysterious. I'm guessing he was an angel of some sort, but who knows? But this stranger helps her through the strange world, seeking to save her mother's soul, and in the end, face her own demons.

This isn't a high action book, more of an allegorical trip through one's life and soul. A vision of what monsters and characters we face within our own psyche. Some crazy, some scary, some devious, some dangerous. As you journey with Eunice, you may even learn something of your own journey as well.

The writing is good. There are spots I saw where it could be tightened or strengthened, but those were few and far between. The reader is not likely to notice them or be that concerned about them if they do. The story flows well, the pacing is good, easy to follow, and the formatting is well done (I read it on a Kindle). I spotted one typo through the whole novella, so the grammar and spelling are clean. There is no hint of the stereotypical "self-published" novel. The cover appears professional and the writing is as well.

While the ending wasn't "mind blowing," it was very interesting and good. It is a journey worth taking and enjoying. There was enough mystery and wondering what would happen next to keep a person reading and wanting to see what the next chapter would hold. I enjoyed the story and the trip. If you are the kind of reader who likes "dark fairy tales," this is a good one to grab and settle in with. You won't be disappointed.

If there was one trouble I had with it, it was the strange setting of the world. It took a while for me to get my bearings and felt too abstract, despite the author's descriptions. As I went on, this feeling lessened, and the world came more alive.

I think this is a common problem with alternate universes, simply because the reader doesn't have a good idea of the rules of such a world. Even more true when you get into worlds that are not grounded so much in our world, like traveling through a soul. Most stories have a whole novel to get the reader adjusted to the new world and learn it. That Mr. Duran was able to do that within the short space of a novella would actually be a plus to his skill. But the reader does need to be aware that it may take a little getting used to the world they find themselves in with Eunice.

If you're looking for high action, face-paced adventure, this may not be the story for you. If you are wanting a more allegorical romp through someone's mind, in search for answers to questions we all face, then I'd recommend you grab a copy of this one and enjoy the challenging world that Eunice explores to save her mother. A definite recommend from me.

Is It Christian Fiction?

I'm shamelessly using author Mike Duran's post on this topic to launch into a more expanded thought about the subject. He discusses the issues surrounding how to address a question of "Is this Christian Fiction?"

His answer is it depends on what you mean by "Christian Fiction"? After all, there are those stories which are obviously targeting a Christian market, and those which are not. But in between those two are stories with some underlying Christian themes, but the stories themselves are not overtly so. Sometimes the Christian themes in them are themes that most people would identify with, and so not exclusively "Christian" even though perhaps the author writing the story is Christian and has that ethos in mind.

The problem evolves when a story in that in-between stage makes its appearance on the public scene. Because it is in that gray area, different people are going to identify it as to whether it is Christian or not, based on their own experience or sensitivity to the issues. And what sometimes happens are those who are sensitive to the issue, at the first hint or mention of anything Christian sounding, are going to label it as a book trying to "trick" people into reading "Christian propaganda."

I've not had to deal with this a whole lot, as of yet. Mainly because most of my two published books have been sold on the Internet, not in a brick and mortar bookstore. No one has had to figure out where to shelve my books. If one reads my blurb, while I don't come right out and say, "This is Christian Fiction," it is pretty obvious that it deals with God as a character in the story, though an unseen one. The main character is clearly a Christian, as is his family and the culture he is in.

I've had it happen before, but am still surprised if someone doesn't get that this is Christian fiction. I shouldn't have to spell it out to them. So why don't I? You want to know why I don't put the following in my blurb:

Warning: This book contains explicit Christian messages and images. Your life could be vastly improved by reading this book. Unhinged joy could result if this story is not consumed in moderation. Buy at your own risk.

It's simple. Some people have preconceived ideas about what Christian Fiction is, and I would rather my work be judged on its own merit. So how I approach this subject is based on content. If someone were to ask me if a book of mine was Christian Fiction, I would respond that my book deals with...and list out what the story is about. Then go on to tell them what's in the book, both the Christian elements and the other things, like the basic plot. Then if they think it is Christian Fiction based on that, so be it. If they don't, then so be it.

But if I state my subjective opinion, or try to avoid the label explicitly, when they, if they, read it, they may think I lied to them if their subjective opinion is different. But by focusing on the content, it allows the person to decide. If the story sounds interesting enough, they may not care that it has Christian characters and themes to it. As long as the story is good.

And I have some books, which I hope will come out in the next couple of years, which don't have anything to do with religion. Maybe one can pick up on some generic "good" themes, but the label "Christian Fiction" wouldn't fit them at all, despite the fact that I am a Christian and have written what most would consider Christian Fiction.

In all cases, my opinion is to let the content do the talking. I avoid the label "Christian Fiction" from my end only because I don't want to short-change the reader by them assuming what my story is like based on what they've heard is "Christian Fiction." And because there are elements to my stories that some Christians wouldn't care for as well, they might not call it "Christian." Because "Christian" isn't one homogeneous group.

My brother took my first book, Infinite Realities, and let some Muslims friends read it. Guess what? He said they liked it. Despite the fact it was obviously Christian, they didn't feel I preached at them. Would they like my expanded book coming out, hopefully soon? Maybe not. But the point is, they liked it even though they are not Christian.

Some Christians will like my stuff, some won't. Some who are not Christian will like it, and some won't. Why should I cut one or the other group off by saying, "This is only for Christians"?

To me, that's what it comes down to. I naturally want the biggest exposure, and I know some have preconceived ideas what anything labeled "Christian Fiction" is. I'd rather it be judged on the content, so I'll let them decide by telling them what the book is about, without avoiding the Christian elements in it. That makes the most sense to me.

What about you? How do you judge whether something is Christian Fiction or not?