While the books were a gift to my brother and not for me, one of my favorite series in middle school and high school was Chuck Black’s The Kingdom Series. While this series is a little different than what most might expect, a few people have asked me to write about a decent, well-grounded novel or series of books that are good for young people. I put this one at the top of my list. Despite them being written at the upper middle school level, and perhaps a bit above, I enjoyed reading them for a long time. In fact, I think I have reread them half a dozen times, as well as the second series that goes with them. They are decent books, ones that can be reread, and teach as well as entertain. Most importantly, they are written with a christian perspective, foundation, and purpose.

What I mean by this is that the whole focus of these books  is to be an allegory of the Bible. When reading, one should maybe keep Pilgrim’s Progress in mind in regards to the speed of events and any allegory in regards to plot and purpose. Set in a Medieval world, with knights, adventures, and battles, the Kingdom Series travels from the days of Seth in Genesis to the last days on earth in Revelation. In between, young readers can get a rapid course through the entire Bible, reenacting stories they hopefully already know and love. Of course, if they do not know them, Chuck Black had the forethought to put a study at the back of each book for each chapter. For the Christian parent hoping to show their children the Scripture verses that were the sources for these books, this is a pleasant surprise indeed. I would advise parents, though, to talk to their children about the books in regards to the end times. I do not entirely agree with what Chuck Black writes, though I do find his perspective intriguing, and think people should avoid speculating too closely about what will happen. In addition, Chuck Black visits the realm of angels and demons, giving one way of looking at how the spiritual world interacts with the physical, though in a different way than one might expect.

One fun “game”, if you will, to play while reading the books is the figure out who is who. Which person from the Bible is the basis for which character in the Kingdom Series? Or what is the meaning behind a character’s name? Oftentimes, there is more than what meets the eye.

Unsurprisingly, there is violence in the books. While none of it is gory or graphic, it is present and definitely written from a perspective of someone who has seen war. Also, there are a few different love stories throughout the series, but I find them to be most wholesome. Chuck Black does well to make a world that is real, exciting, and decent for the young reader’s mind. If this sounds like a book that you or someone you know might like to read, I hope they are as enjoyable now as when I first read and reread them.

Blessings to you,

~Rose