Into the Fire

For one of the June CFBA tours I had the privilege of reading the first two books in the young adult series written by thriller writer Robert Liparulo. And even though these novels are written for youth, they are easily entertaining enough for an adult to enjoy.

Book One in the series is titled House of Dark Shadows and it opens with the King family of five doing a major move from the hubbub of city life in Pasadena, California, to the “hicksville” city of Pinedale, California, 600 miles away, where Dad has taken a job as the principal of the combined middle/senior high school in an obscure community. The oldest, Xander (short for Alexander), 15, his brother, David, 12 in a matter of days, and their little sister Toria (short for Victoria), nine years old, all have their reasons for being disgruntled about this unusual turn of events. Just how strange it becomes as the family seeks out a place to live, the kids could have no idea.

After the prologue reveals a terrifying event which takes place 30 years prior to the story’s beginning, the present day events are clocked by minutes of days dividing the short chapters, keeping the pace moving in a consistent tempo. Immediately upon their first visitation of the old rundown Victorian house with promise—and a history of alleged murdered family members which no one ever found—bizarre occurrences take place inside its rooms. The odd rearranging of sounds and sudden relocations of family members give the boys plenty of questions about this house located away from town in the middle of woods.

Once the family decides this huge house with a unique floor plan will be their “dream” home, they quickly find out this old house is more like a nightmare with its own agenda. When, after startling discoveries of revolving closets and antechambers which lead to portals of other times and places, Mom is captured by a mammoth-sized man and disappears within an undetectable portal after Xander fights valiantly to wrestle her from the beastly man who carries her away from all of them, Dad and the boys are left battered and injured and emotionally shattered.

The first novel in the series ends with the resolution to do whatever it takes to penetrate the mysteries of the house to rescue Mom along with some other alarming surprises.

Book Two, Watcher in the Woods, picks up with David attempting his own efforts at rescuing his mother, only to discover how close he comes to losing his life in one of the portal’s worlds. The havoc of seeing glimpses of someone in the woods around the house, experiencing a clearing where they can apparently “climb” above the ground into the air and hover while speaking with helium voices, an evil man showing up in their kitchen just as they’re about to eat dinner and offering to buy the house, along with them having to pretend they’re a normal family in what begins to seem like an abnormal town, all the while trying to figure out how best to understand the portals so they can find Mom, creates tension, impatience, and more secrets revealed. Add to this a bully who gets pulled into one of the weird phenomena after an attempt to beat up David, and you have enough problems to keep the pages turning at a steady pace. This second book concludes with an effort by the strange man who wants to buy the house involving the police to evict the family, an urgent trip to Pinedale by a 95 year old nursing home resident seeking to return to the house, and a shocking revelation by Xander as he exits an unscheduled trip from a portal.

Part of this continuous story is told in almost a conversational manner as if one person is relating the events to another. While the books definitely retain the clever, satisfying, and original voice of Robert Liparulo, they are painstaking and deliberate in tempo. When urgency is required, it’s there, but when the family is in crisis and suffering their loss, the defeat and anxiety is noted in the slowing of pace and the personal tidbits of thought by the featured characters. The first book seems to dwell mostly on Xander while the second focuses more on David. The least revealed character is that of the little sister Toria, but I suspect we’ll learn more about her in the future books. This series will contain six novels of one continuous story.

Published by Thomas Nelson, the hardbound cover designs are excellent, giving future readers an enticing but threatening hint of an enclosed fantasy/mystery. Like in all of Robert’s novels, there are thrills and chills, and these novels will be great for adventurous young men and those young ladies who prefer exciting fantasies to frilly romances. The only downside of the series is the third book isn’t expected until January, 2009.

For those of you who enjoy contests, Robert is including an opportunity to submit your ideas to be included in one of the future Dreamhouse Kings’ books. Simply go to www.DreamhouseKings.com to enter.

God, Robert is my friend, and I thank you for providing his friendship. I pray your full blessings on his life as he continues in obedience to you. I pray you would exceed his expectations and use him powerfully in your kingdom. Keep him and his family safe from all harm and always bring them closer to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

*Please remember the Dykes’ family at this difficult time.*