The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka - Part 3

CSFF Blog Tour: The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka, Day 3


As the tangled threads of story come together in the last part of the tale, I have finally realised what a master storyteller Bryan is. Hints dropped throughout previous pages are now gathered up, questions are answered, and surprises abound – such surprises as make perfect sense, built upon the scraps of history we know already. Nevertheless, the astonishment is great. It is a masterful weaving of carefully laid clues and precisely revealed secrets, creating the build-up to an inevitable climax. The power of prayer is an ever-present awareness as the pastor fights in the Spirit for the life of his faraway daughter, even while parishioners berate him for his apparent lack of action.

This is a strong theme that comes up again and again: God is strongest in weakness, and his wisdom is foolishness to those on the outside. More than once, a decisive victory is attained by giving up, by surrendering to evil – yet it is this apparent powerlessness we see overcoming that very evil. Christ crucified, the beginning and end of every struggle.

The twists in the end of the tale are violent, redemptive, and shocking, yet they are appropriate to the overall drama. Climactic swordfights are entrenched in a spiritual reality that impacts the warriors even during the highest moments of tension. Although the thrusts and parries are quick and sharp, the slow-motion “camera” effect reveals the truth in their hearts in the blink of an eye, in the flicker of a flame, in a sudden recognition of reality.

After victory won, the stunning pace of action gives way to rest and relief – a slight anticlimax follows, though this is quickly balanced out. Hope is seen through tragedy, and Packer gains everything he set out to seek. This is the stuff of golden dreams, of allegory, fantasy and fairytales, and the hero has come to his reward. There are plenty of questions left over afterwards, though – more than enough to furnish the books to follow.

I was interested to note that Bryan studied under Francis Schaeffer at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland – no doubt this has contributed to the depth of his personal spirituality that shines through every page he has written. The government of Nearing Vast, while providing a firm foundation for a fanciful realm, also bears more than a passing resemblance to the somewhat bumbling bureaucracy of European authorities. (I should know – I work for one!)

Summing up: This book is not like anything I’ve ever come across before. It’s an absolutely unique mingling of real biblical Christianity with a fictional, historical-type fantasy world. Take a look. You won’t regret it.



Here are the other participants:
Trish Anderson - Brandon Barr - Wayne Thomas Batson - Jim Black - Justin Boyer - Amy Browning - Jackie Castle - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Frank Creed - Lisa Cromwell - CSFF Blog Tour - Gene Curtis - D. G. D. Davidson - Janey DeMeo - Merrie Destefano - Jeff Draper - April Erwin - Linda Gilmore - Beth Goddard - Marcus Goodyear - Russell Griffith - Jill Hart - Katie Hart - Sherrie Hibbs - Christopher Hopper - Jason Joyner - Kait - Karen - Dawn King - Tina Kulesa - Lost Genre Guild - Terri Main - Rachel Marks - Karen McSpadden - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Eve Nielsen - John W. Otte - John Ottinger - Robin Parrish - Lyn Perry - Deena Peterson - Rachelle - Cheryl Russel - Chawna Schroeder - Mirtika Schultz - James Somers - Steve Trower - Speculative Faith - Jason Waguespac - Daniel I. Weaver

The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka - Part 1

CSFF Blog Tour: The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka, Day 1


I’m going to approach this review a little differently to others. After reading about a third of the book, my head is already jammed so full of impressions and sensations that I have to stop and write some of them down before I go on. As I write today, I have not read the whole book, so bear in mind that I may be a bit scatterbrained as I survey the churning plot thus far.

Packer, our not-so-intrepid hero, has failed at much in his life. On the other hand, it seems he has also suffered unjustly for obeying his conscience to attack an evil man he was meant to respect. Discarded by the spiritual leaders he longed to join, he applied himself to learning the sword, and now seeks to sneak on board a pirate ship in pursuit of the giant Firefish that could bring prosperity to his peasant village.

By now, there’s been gallantry and humiliation, cruelty and devotion, hatred and miracles for Packer – all in the space of just a few days. All described vividly and precisely, so that it’s almost like sitting in a movie theater – you can see the glint of moonlight on swords and the depths of depravity in the villain’s black eyes, in the same way that a film director orders camera shots to zoom in on particular aspects. And the villain is a woman, by the way, a rather unusual touch.

But the most extraordinary thing about it is that it’s full of the Bible. The kingdom of Nearing Vast is apparently a Christian one, the heroine’s father is a pastor, and Scripture quotes and allusions are found again and again. These people may live in a fantasy world, but their faith is ours, and their Book is just like the one on your own nightstand. And they are doing their best to follow Jesus, just as you and I are doing day by day.

This may seem an unusual combination – and indeed, it is. The story is fully anchored in both the rich fantasy world, and in the utter familiarity of Christian living. But it’s not awkward in the least. It fits. I just read a mind-boggling scene in which Packer, challenged once again to fight for his life in the depths of the pirate ship, considers the parallels between his own situation and that of Adam in the Garden of Eden. I really can’t do it justice by this description, but it is most astonishing. Trust me. And come back tomorrow to see what else I discover as I read on.

Here are the other participants:
Trish Anderson - Brandon Barr - Wayne Thomas Batson - Jim Black - Justin Boyer - Amy Browning - Jackie Castle - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Frank Creed - Lisa Cromwell - CSFF Blog Tour - Gene Curtis - D. G. D. Davidson - Janey DeMeo - Merrie Destefano - Jeff Draper - April Erwin - Linda Gilmore - Beth Goddard - Marcus Goodyear - Russell Griffith - Jill Hart - Katie Hart - Sherrie Hibbs - Christopher Hopper - Jason Joyner - Kait - Karen - Dawn King - Tina Kulesa - Lost Genre Guild - Terri Main - Rachel Marks - Karen McSpadden - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Eve Nielsen - John W. Otte - John Ottinger - Robin Parrish - Lyn Perry - Deena Peterson - Rachelle - Cheryl Russel - Chawna Schroeder - Mirtika Schultz - James Somers - Steve Trower - Speculative Faith - Jason Waguespac - Daniel I. Weaver

Infinite Space, Infinite God: Blog Tour - Interview with Karina Fabian

Right now, Karina's giant blog tour is on! You can find out more at www.fabianspace.com.


I got Karina to answer some questions...

Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Since I'm a character-driven writer, I don't write myself into them, but sometimes, we share things in common. My characters tell me who they are--sometimes, they are like me (though not in any way I plan) and sometimes, they are like I'd want to be or wish I could be, and sometimes, they are very different.
I have written scenes or events that are very similar to things that have happened to me. It's interesting to see how the character reacts. Where I may get timid and cry, my character gets angry and strikes out or cool and resolves the situation with grace. That's one of the things I love about writing--getting to live someone else's life in a socially acceptable fashion. (grin)

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Besides than living other people's lives?
Rob and I had met through a mutual friend, Jeff, who knew we both loved Star Trek. In fact, while I was showing Jeff all my Star Trek stuff (I was big into it then), he stopped me and said, "You have to meet someone!" He called Rob and handed me the phone. I said, "Live long and prosper!" He said, "I'll be right over!"
I was a new lieutenant in the military and had gotten my first paycheck that day, so we all went out to dinner, and shopping and goofing around. At that time, I was not thinking of romance, but just hanging out with new friends. So when Rob slipped his arm though mine when we were walking to the car. I didn't know what to do, so I slipped my arm though Jeff's and started skipping and singing "Follow the Yellow Brick Road." It only took a minute before both of them were doing the same.
Rob said he knew then that I was the one for him!


How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I've never claimed to be sane, just able to hide it well.
More seriously, writing and sharing my stories keeps me happy and emotionally stable. When you're doing what you're meant to do, the world seems to run with you.

How do you choose your characters' names?

Most of the time, the character chooses them--often with interesting stories as well. Joshua Abraham's Lawson--with the apostrophe, thank you--was named for his great-grandfather, a runaway slave who names him self for the Emancipation Proclamation--Abraham's Law. (The apostrophe is because his mom is a stickler for grammar.) My dragon Vern d'Wyvern was named by a pope who was better at holiness than humor.
When I have a lot of side characters, I try to figure out their nationality or heritage and look up names in a phone book from that area.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Steven (14 on Aug 22nd), Amber (12), Alex (8) and Liam (7). If I never had a story published, an article written or a book printed, I'll have created wonderful things because I have birthed them.


If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I'm never any good at answering this question. I don't want to be an animal. I love sentience. However, if I had to be classified as an animal, I'd probably be a beaver, since I'm always doing something. It's a joke with my friends that, once we're comfortable in our friendship, I start cleaning their house when I visit.


What is your favorite food?

Really good Italian. Escargot when it's done right. It used to be pizza, but this year, I've done so much writing and working online with chats and groups that we've ordered way too much. I have half a pizza in my fridge right now and I can't even look at it.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

In the mental act of writing: transitions, because that's when my characters want to take a nap or read a book or do something that translates into * * *. So I go do something mindless for awhile and try to imagine what they'd be doing next, or I whine to my husband or my best writer friend, Ann Lewis, and they give me that one question or idea that lets me move on.
In the physical act of writing: typos. I have terrible typing, and my "new" laptop has been to the shop twice for faulty keyboards to no avail, so now I'm just living with it. I've also found that as I get older, I don't catch the typos like I used to. The only way I can combat this is to read things forward, then out loud, then backward, then give it to friends. This works well for stories and manuscripts, but not for casual mail or fast-deadline. Then, sorry to say, I do my best and take my chances.
In the "financial" act of writing: finding markets. I didn't major in English because I was no good at analyzing stories and I'm not much better at analyzing markets. So I do my best, talk to other writers and just keep plugging.


What would you like to tell us about Infinite Space, Infinite God?

Infinite Space, Infinite God is thought-provoking science fiction with a Catholic twist. I'll let you go to the website for synopses of the stories, the book trailer, and just about anything else you'd like to know about the book. http://isigsf.tripod.com
The thing I'd most like folks to know, however, is that just because the theme is how the Catholic faith meets the moral and social challenges of the future, it is not targeted to Catholics only. We've had overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics of all faiths, and it won the EPPIE award for best science fiction--competing against secular works.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

About Karina (with her blog): www.fabianspace.com
About Infinite Space, Infinite God: http://isigsf.tripod.com
About Karina's Dragon Eye PI universe: www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi
On MySpace: www.myspace.com/karinafabian

CFRB Tour: The Duke's Handmaid - my review

I didn’t hesitate in buying this book after discovering it’s all about a planet with two suns and the lives of the people there. As I began to read, I found it hard going for a while – the incredible pace of the first few chapters, combined with a crash course on the customs of Byntar, was a fair challenge. But it was worth it. Once I grew accustomed to some very original peculiarities of grammar and speech, I was immersed in this alien culture and better able to see the depth of the characters amidst a great deal of action.

This is not a tale for the squeamish. There are scenes of intense violence, revenge and cruelty that actually made my skin crawl. Any culture that practices slavery must needs be a harsh kind of environment.

Yet through it all sparkles the character of Keedrina, the heroine. She longs only to be the bond-slave of the young Duke and wear his fetters to serve him. It is not an easy road she chooses, but he wins her heart at first sight, giving her an endless motivation to seek her goal.

It is a gripping story, well-told and obviously based on a large world-building project. In fact, it reads like a fairytale in many places as it sways between horror and passion. At the end, some issues are still unresolved, but there is apparently a second book. I won’t spoil the story’s hapy ending for you. Enough to say that this fancifully woven tapestry is not even remotely like any other book I’ve ever read.

It doesn’t read like a Christian story at all. The hero and heroine, and many other actors, all show a strong sense of morals and justice, but the gods mentioned incidentally are local ones and don’t seem to do much. So although the author is a Christian, I’m sure this book could make it on the secular market.

Check out what else is going on at http://cfrblog.blogspot.com!!

A whole bunch of questions

Andrea tagged me, and as it happens I was just wondering what to do with myself.. so here goes:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I don't remember. Bit of a drought on tears just now.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING
Sure

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Anything is fine except salami

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Just wait. I will...

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I sure hope so.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
No. But I do use irony :)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
There would have to be a LOT of money waiting for me afterwards.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Chocolate Weetbix Minis

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Sometimes

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Um, er... depends.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cookies, goldrush, hokey pokey

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? whether they are paying attention

15. RED OR PINK? Eww. Neither

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
That I'm single!

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Everyone, actually

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO LINK THIS BACK TO YOU?
YES

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS (Or Kilt) AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Blue shorts, bare feet

20. WHAT WAS The LAST THING YOU ATE? A homemade hazelnut praline (at a party)

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
my cats talking to the pigeon on the next-door windowsill

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Royal blue

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Jasmine, cat fur, hot bread

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
I don't remember. Probably my flatmate

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO LINKED THIS TO YOU?
Of course! She gave me years of work to do! :)

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Rugby, gymnastics

27. HAIR COLOR?
brown

28. EYE COLOR?
blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Now and then, but they are SUCH a pain to get out that I don't often bother

30. FAVORITE FOOD(S)?
Tagliatelle with creamy tomato sauce and seafood; anything with chocolate; a good ripe rockmelon

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy ending all the way.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
King Arthur

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
blue

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Viennetta; strawberries and cream; Prince Ludwig cake (a Bavarian gateau consisting of thin layers of chocolate cake alternating with thin layers of chocolate cream)

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
No idea

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND
likewise

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka; Perelandra by C.S. Lewis; Lord of the Rings (in German)

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I don't have a mouse pad. My cat ate it.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
Nothin’

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
My cat when she comes to say hello; the doorbell when friends are expected

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Neither. That's all before my time.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Spain, I think, if you go by distance. The most remote place was probably Timbuktu.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Ask my friends

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Auckland, New Zealand

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Any of them