Tales from Terrestria, a TOS Homeschool Crew Review

As part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew, I was given two books from the Tales From Terrestria series to review, book one, The Quest for Thunder Mountain, and book four, The Isle of Dragons.

Ed Dunlop has written an allegorical series for young adults called Tales from Terrestira (there is another series for children 10 and up). The Tales from Terrestria series does not need to be read in any particular order. The books are priced at $7.99 each. I enjoyed the stories; I think my children will enjoy them, too. I would let my 10 and 12 year old children read them.

"The Quest for Thunder Mountain," is the story of Gavin's quest to want to seek and to seek King Emmanual's will. In this midevil adventure, with knights, their ladies, and castles, an abruptly unemployed Gavin asks a question that I have asked: "What if King Emmanuel's will for me is something terrible?" he asked...."What if he wants me to be something I just cannot be, or do something that I just cannot bear to do? Aye, Sir Wisdom, I want to serve him and I want my heart to be yielded to him. But what if his plan for me is something that would make me miserable?"

Author Dunlop weaves a a series of stories that give readers, listeners and families, students, classes, opportunities to make some important comparisons, yes, self-to-text and text-to-self, but more than that, text-to-text comparisons with scripture.

"The Isle of Dragons", fourth in the series, is the story of 16-year-old Joel of Seawell. The verse that introduces this book, Proverbs 13:20, provides a peek into the decisions in Joel's path, "He that walketh with the wide men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Joel experiences a lesson that many teens his age experience - who should we trust, to listen to, his friends, or his parent? Peer pressure and peer acceptance is a powerful force. "But try as he might, he could not get away from one simple fact: the Tournament was a point of contact with other youth his age. If he went, he was part of the group and would be accepted by them; if he chose not to go he would be on the outside looking in." (p. 65-66)

"The Isle of the Dragons" is the intriguing story of Joel's journey to a forbidden place and the consequences that follow, a story of a father's unconditional love, and lessons learned.

To read my Crewmates' reviews of books in the Terrestria Chronicles series, go HERE.