I am thrilled to announce that my latest novel, THE MYSTERIUM, is now available and the eBook version is ON SALE This Week for only 99 Cents!!! Enjoy a Free 4 chapter sample of THE MYSTERIUM
The heroes were inspired by The Swiss Brethren, a group of bold 16th century Anabaptists who were hated for their beliefs and hunted across Southern Europe during the Renaissance.
I really enjoy books and stories with a magic school setting like Harry Potter and Wednesday. I spent a lot of time thinking about how such a school could fit into a Christian Fantasy novel. Then it came to me. Daniel and his three friends, who were renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were all sent to learn the language and literature of the Chaldeans at the original magic school, the training center for the magi in ancient Babylon. This is where I drew inspiration for The Mysterium Collegium, The College of Mystery. The Chaldeans possessed all of the knowledge of the ancient world. They were experts in Arithmetic, Architecture, and Astronomy. But they were also Zoroastrians, mixing the mystical, the supernatural, and the magical into everything they did. Imagine what it would have been like for Daniel and his friends to be taken to an institution where their beliefs and values were unwelcome, unwanted, and rejected with open hostility.
Arthur Gilchrist is about to step into the lion’s den.
Each year, the most exceptional students in the realm are selected to attend the prestigious Mysterium Collegium where they are tempted with luxury and privilege while training to quash an uprising of an ancient order known as The Path. Arthur has been chosen. This is his chance to escape the crushing grip of poverty and an opportunity to help his mother, but Arthur has a secret. He walks The Path. Join him on this quest through a land filled with danger and deception as he makes the treacherous journey to the seductive school. Stir in a dash of adventure, a spoonful of romance, a sprinkling of steampunk, a pinch of dark academia, a thimbleful of magic, a cup of intrigue, and you’ve got the recipe for a delicious fantasy with a zesty twist.
Arthur and his friends are quite poor by worldly standards but rich in character.
Did you ever wonder why the Amish and Mennonites live the way they do? At the same time the fictional version of The Three Musketeers were battling the powerful French Cardinal Richelieu, in neighboring Switzerland, a trio of real-life heroes, The Swiss Brethren, faced the wrath of both church and state for nothing more than getting baptized, eating the Lord’s Supper, and preaching outside of the state-run churches. These brilliant young theologians were hated, hunted, imprisoned, plagued, and martyred. For centuries those who followed in their footsteps were hounded (both literally and figuratively) by Protestant and Catholic governments alike. Ultimately, they withdrew from society. For years I have wondered what would have happened if the originals had lived. So, I decided to create a fantasy world where they just might have a chance. Is it even possible to have a hero who never lies, does not steal, and will not kill? Easier said than done, I should think. So I took up the challenge…and indeed it continues to be challenging. But it was within such questions that the idea for Arthur Gilchrist found its genesis, the old English name Gilchrist meaning “servant of Christ". A combination of the musketeer D’Artagnan and George Blaurock of the Swiss Brethren, Arthur is the protagonist in my latest novel, THE MYSTERIUM, which in part derives its name from The Magisterium, the powerful church/state religious system present in Renaissance Europe that led to the persecution of those true in faith.
This is the backdrop for The Mysterium, a fascinating adventure filled with danger and intrigue. I hope you will enjoy this Christian Fantasy Adventure. Preview or Purchase THE MYSTERIUM on Amazon
