The Tale of Christian Z. Wattson

Reviews

Fresh, creative, and compelling, this clever story about spiritual perseverance will captivate & delight readers young and old. I LOVED it!

Nine year-old Christian just wants to find his Father and go Home. Dad left for his “important business somewhere out there” six years prior. Dad has written letters to Christian promising to return. But that day hasn’t yet arrived. So Christian the aeronaut sets out in search of his dad aboard his balloon, the Faithful Flyer.

Everything kind of goes haywire when Christian responds to a Mayday distress signal. He finds a woman, Garcia. Turns out Garcia has been searching for her faither, too. For over thirty years. They decide to join forces and search together.

As the duo approaches an empty space station, they notice the absence of people. Where is everybody? Why is the space station empty? And what’s up with the weird pineapples? Christian later learns via the enigmatic Colonel Katz that Christian is “being called to his (dad’s) house to take part in a banquet of astronomical proportions.” (Biblically literate rate readers will get this.) But there’s a catch: In order to find his father and join the sumptuous banquet, Christian must first pass seven tests. All of them are tricky.

Christian soon realizes he's trapped in a False Reality a la The Matrix. Can he escape, make it to the banquet in one piece, and reunite with his father? Is Christian willing to brave many dangers, toils, and snares and complete the seven tests successfully? Will grace lead him Home?

Eminently engaging and highly entertaining, this novella is So. Darn. Clever. Think Think John Bunyan meets Captain Kirk. In fact, this tale is a little The Pilgrim’s Progress. A little The Chronicles of Narnia. A bit Around the World in 80 Days. Chapters begin with a “Dear Dad” epistle in which Christian updates his father on current events, his progress, and so on. (Tip: Keep an eye out for paper airplanes. Just sayin'.)

Strong writing propels an agile and captivating storyline like Secretariat rocketing around the final turn of the Belmont Stakes. There’s also betrayal. Sabotage. The Capital Vices. Slice. Unexpected plot twists. Just about the time you think you know where this story is going, it’s Oops! U-turn! So you might want to buckle up.

Fresh, creative, and compelling, The Tale of Christian Z Wattson is just Too. Much. Fun! It's a clever allegory about spiritual perseverance that will resonate with readers young and old. I appreciated that the faith lessons herein are subtle, not preachy. The story doesn't beat you over the head with them. It's too smart for that.

I also loved how the author wraps up the story in the final pages, tying prior images and metaphors together in a way that makes sense as the story winds down to a satisfying conclusion.

Fans of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Bunyan and expert storytelling will enjoy The Tale of Christian Z Wattson. So will anyone who’s ever been lost and seeks to be found. Bravissimo!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆      -Kristine L.