How do fantasy books tie in with Easter?
Well, I’m pleased to introduce to you my fellow Enclave author, Gillian Bronte Adams who is celebrating the release of her new book, Out of Darkness Rising. She shares how the plot of her story is very similar to the world of death we live in.
But there is hope. There is life. And there is goodness. Please give a warm welcome to Gillian:
Death Reigns
“Death hung on the air. Marya felt it in the bitter wind, tasted it in the mist, and saw it in the eyes of the weeping villagers as they trickled past her, down the rocky path to the shore. Death was coming.”
– Out of Darkness Rising, Gillian Bronte Adams
In my novella Out of Darkness Rising, death reigns over the villagers on the accursed Island in the form of the Serpent. Twice a month, a horn call summons them to the shore where the Serpent selects his prey. Others may be culled at any time by the Tribunal (priests who lead the worship of the Serpent) for anything they deem threatens their master’s lordship. No matter how many times the culling takes place, the villagers are still forced to stand twice a month, while the Serpent’s gaze sweep through the crowd, trembling lest it be their turn.
They all know it will come eventually.
Death reigned in ancient Israel, too. From the moment that Eve listened to the serpent, plucked the fruit from the tree, and ate it—and Adam with her—sin entered the world and death by sin. The law of Moses provided hope, but since no man could perfectly uphold the law, it was not a lasting hope. Sacrifice after sacrifice had to be made. The blood of calves and goats was simply not enough to cover the debt of sin. (Hebrews 10:3-4)
Not until the Perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ the Son of God, was slain, could the price be paid once and for all.
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.” (Hebrews 9:27-28a)
Death reigned in us too. Fellow fantasy author Morgan L. Busse once wrote a fantastic post comparing life before Christ to the Walking Dead. It’s a brutal word picture and not one that we like to hear, but one that’s no less true. Without Christ, we were nothing more than zombies. Spiritually dead in our sin, shuffling around in filth and decay.
“Death came to all men, because all sinned …” (Romans 5:12b)
And the worst of it?
We didn’t even know we were dead. Picture that for a moment, if you will. Men, woman, and children—you and me—going through the motions of life, outwardly alive, but inwardly nothing but desiccated flesh and dry bones.
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Tomorrow is Good Friday. As a child, I often wondered why it was called Good Friday. It took me a while to understand what could be good about something that seemed so horribly wrong. It is a sad day, yes, but it is a glad day as well, because it is the day the Perfect Lamb was sacrificed in our stead. It is the day our debt was paid though we could not pay it ourselves. It is the day that Death believed it had won … only to realize when Jesus Christ rose three days later, that it had been dealt its death blow.
Though we are subject to physical death for a little while longer, we have eternal life through Jesus Christ. We are new in Him. Zombies come to life. Restored. Remade. And “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (I Corinthians 15:26)
That is the beauty of Good Friday and the glory of Easter.
For death reigns no more.
About Gillian’s Book:
Darkness reigns unchallenged.
For the villagers on the accursed Island, life has only one meaning – death. Bound to the Island by the curse, the villagers suffer beneath the iron claw of the serpent, daily breathing the poison of his breath and dying to appease his insatiable appetite.
When Marya’s parents are slain by the serpent for their belief in a legendary king, she becomes an Outcast. Struggling to survive and avoid the vengeance of the Tribunal, Marya is torn between legend and the harsh reality of the Island. Yet when a forgotten promise springs to life, she cannot help wondering if the old stories might in fact be true. And if they are, will the promise prove stronger than the curse?
Check out the awesome giveaway going on for Out of Darkness Rising!
Watch the book trailer for Out of Darkness Rising.
About Gillian:
GILLIAN BRONTE ADAMS is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving speculative fiction author from the great state of Texas. During the day, she manages the equestrian program at a youth camp. But at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a novelist. She is the author of Orphan’s Song, book one of the Songkeeper Chronicles, and Out of Darkness Rising. Visit Gillian online at her blog, Twitter, or Facebook page.
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