His chain of iniquity and weight of guilt made a path, deep and round, through the sludge. Never stop. Work harder. Don’t rest. This was the life of Josiah, slave of Argamor.

He could not go on any longer, receiving blows and wounds that crippled his ever-weakening body. Josiah must escape. But, how? Even if these golden keys could release him from the dungeon, he must drag the weight of his chain wherever he goes. He must try.

When Josiah’s plan is foiled, he faces a cruel death…until King Emmanuel arrives.

What will the future hold? Can he learn to serve the King faithfully? What will become of Josiah when he fails the King’s mission?

The Sword, the Ring, and the Parchment (by Ed Dunlop) is the first book in the Terrestria Chronicles. A Christian allegory much like The Pilgrim’s Progress – only in a simpler English of that era with more fast-paced action – that parallels the life of a redeemed child of God. Its heart is the King and its feet are the Truth of God.

It’s great for tweens, teens, and all ages above! I recently suggested it to my 12-year-old sister, and she loved it! It was hard for her to put it down. In fact, she blitzed through the entire Terrestria Chronicles!

Ed Dunlop creates a very accurate medieval age from the knight’s armor and castle to the villages and occupations, from clothing and food to the lay of the land and means of travel. It’s as insightful as it is intriguing.

Mixing songs, poetry, and feasts with weeping, battles, and hunger, Ed Dunlop portrays the ups and downs of the spiritual life in such a way as to encourage the readers in the downs and help them hold on to the ups.

I can tell you with certainty that you will find yourself in these pages, in one of the stages of the journey. The truth mirrored from the Bible can inspire you to keep faith, living as a child of the King.

Hallelu Yah! Praise be to God that, though we – His children – may go astray after we have been redeemed, this truth remains: that “if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!” (1 John 1:9) “Dear friends, we are writing this so that no one will sin, but if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice, not only for our sins but for the sins of the whole world!” (1 John 2:1)
Our salvation is forever because God never changes! Hallelu Yah!

If you enjoy a story fraught with Biblical themes and interesting twists, if you’re ready for another family read-aloud, if you’re in an adventurous mood – then I highly recommend The Terrestria Chronicles. And it all begins in The Sword, The Ring, and The Parchment.