The Wolf of Tebron (The Gates of Heaven, #1)

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The Wolf of Tebron (The Gates of Heaven #1)

by C.S. Lakin (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 83 ratings · 35 reviews

In classic fairy tale style, we embark on an enchanted journey with a young blacksmith—Joran—whose only desire is to live a peaceful, uncomplicated life in his forest village, a desire shattered by the sudden and bizarre disappearance of his wife, Charris. Later, Joran is plagued by nightmares of an unimaginable sea, where Charris remains trapped in a sand castle at the wh...more In classic fairy tale style, we embark on an enchanted journey with a young blacksmith—Joran—whose only desire is to live a peaceful, uncomplicated life in his forest village, a desire shattered by the sudden and bizarre disappearance of his wife, Charris. Later, Joran is plagued by nightmares of an unimaginable sea, where Charris remains trapped in a sand castle at the whim of the Moon. The goose woman insists he will find no rest from his nightmares until he solves the riddle of three keys. She tells him to travel the treacherous journey to the house of the Moon to find the answers he seeks.

Unable to ignore the urgings of his nightmares, Joran sets out north seeking the Moon. Leaving a town and family where he never felt truly at home, Joran’s journey becomes more than just a search for his wife. His path also leads inward, for he must face emotions that have tormented him his entire life—feelings of alienation and anger, of despair and hurt. Along the way he rescues a wolf—a huge, imposing creature that becomes a companion, and eventually a trusted friend.

Joran has the uncanny ability to speak with animals, and learns from the wolf, Ruyah, that he can manipulate his dreams to affect the real world. With Ruyah’s humor and guidance, Joran finds the courage and fortitude to press on, despite setbacks and disappointments. With the wolf by his side he endures the darkness at the end of the world and the ravings of the lunatic Moon, who sends him off—more confused than before—to the Palace of the Sun with a seemingly useless gift.

After trekking through a vast, unmerciful desert, Joran arrives at the Palace of the Sun, where he meets the Sun’s mother, Sola. She helps Joran understand part of his riddle and then sends him, with the gift of a sunstone, to the cave of the South Wind, whom, she says, will finally reveal the truth to him about his wife—if he dares hear it. He and Ruyah travel south through jungle, and finally arrive at the cave. There Joran is swept along a vision where he sees his past, and in horror, learns truths that send him into deep despair. The South Wind dismisses him with one last gift—but like the other two gifts, he has no idea what they are for or how they will help him rescue his wife. She tells him to find the sea of his dreams—far west, beyond his imagining.(less)

Paperback, 272 pages

Published August 9th 2010 by Living Ink Books

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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Christian Fantasy

124th out of 244 books — 311 voters

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

Clean teen fiction (Christian)

107th out of 368 books — 264 voters

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Jun 12, 2013 Marlene Schuler rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are only a few books that can take my soul, toss it to the winds of hope and make it soar to heights I never knew before. One is Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis, another is The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit.

And another such book is this one.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book. The cover says fairy tale, so naturally I was drawn in. I was maybe expecting something along the lines of one of those books you read one day then forget the next. Never in my...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Tami rated it 5 of 5 stars

Joran liked his simple life as a blacksmith and coming home to his beautiful wife each night. In an instant, everything changed. It all began when Joran returned home a little earlier than usual. He walked past the neighbour’s farm and saw his wife in a loving embrace. Heart broken, Joran confronted his wife that night but she refused to acknowledge the truth. Seething with anger, Joran sent his wife Charris away.

As often happens in small towns, soon everyone suspected that something was amiss...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was slow to get into this book because Joran was so incredibly whiny and obtuse. At the beginning, you learn that he has sent his wife away for some unrevealed reason and it is pretty obvious that he was an idiot about it. Then, after she disappears, he waits two weeks before starting his quest to find and rescue her. On the journey, he complains about everything and if it wasn't for Ruyah (his wolf friend) he wouldn't have stood a chance. However, in his favor, Joran is always kind to animals...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Christie Hagerman rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a spectacular book! I got caught up in this epic struggle in the very first chapter, and didn’t put the book down until I’d read it through. In this allegory, Joran, a simple young man, finds himself leaving the world he’s always known in search of his wife, who was captured by some force of magic. He is joined by a wolf who accompanies and guides him on his quest. Their adventures force Joran to confront his inner demons and embrace who he was meant to be.

This is a book that can be enjoyed...more

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Apr 23, 2011 R Bartel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian

I began reading some of the Christian fantasy/allegory books several years ago by picking up C S Lewis’ Chronicle of Narnia series for the first time in my life. Though I enjoy reading a good Christian fantasy/allegory now, my education in the Bible and my passion for the Truth tends to mean I find as much disappointment as pleasure, however, in many of the stories I read.

As I began Lakin’s book, I became apprehensive about its message while at the same time enthralled with the majesty of her de...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Nikole Hahn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book 1, The Gates of Heaven Series

From childhood, Fairy Tales have always attracted me. Grimm’s, Aesop’s, and Hans Christian Anderson became my friends. I still love those stories. It was for that reason that I agreed to review The Gates of Heaven’s Series. It was billed as A Fairy Tale by C.S. Lakin. You might recall that she wrote a contemporary novel called, Someone to Blame. You can read THAT review here. And read her interview here.

As in Someone to Blame, Lakin writes from a deep perspectiv...more Book 1, The Gates of Heaven Series

From childhood, Fairy Tales have always attracted me. Grimm’s, Aesop’s, and Hans Christian Anderson became my friends. I still love those stories. It was for that reason that I agreed to review The Gates of Heaven’s Series. It was billed as A Fairy Tale by C.S. Lakin. You might recall that she wrote a contemporary novel called, Someone to Blame. You can read THAT review here. And read her interview here.

As in Someone to Blame, Lakin writes from a deep perspective. In Grimm’s Fairy Tales, you have blood dripping and witches and dragons with the simplicity of right versus wrong and good overcomes evil with easy fixes and answers. But in The Wolf of Tebron you will encounter subplots and plots that you can relate to as an adult that take quite a bit longer to untangle. In The Wolf of Tebron, Joran’s wife is caught cheating on him. Joran lives in a small village called Tebron. He becomes angry enough to send her away to a neighboring village back to her family. He has this gift of talking to animals. It kind of reminded me of Narnia.

In the first few chapters, you learn about Joran and his family. You feel his anger and then, his helpless distress when his wife fails to report home. Somewhere in the middle of her journey she disappears. A crazy old goose woman sputters on about how Joran has trapped his wife in his anger. He dreams each night of his wife, of the moon who keeps her imprisoned behind a wall of ice. The dream repeats each night and his fingers sink into the ice, but each time falls short of rescuing her or of discovering her whereabouts.

Joran goes on a journey to which the goose woman says will wear out three pairs of shoes before the end. He has to loose three keys before he can free his wife from that prison. He thinks practically and decides to retrace his wife’s steps because he doesn’t believe that the moon holds his wife prisoner. He doesn’t believe it until he interviews the carriage driver.

“It was very dark out, very quiet. Then the horses got upset, snorting, stamping. I tried to calm ‘em down, keep ‘em moving, but they acted like bees was stinging ‘em all over. The lady started screaming and I tried to get her to calm, too, but she was as batty as the horses. I swear there was nothing around, no animals, robbers, nothing.”

The old man jumped up as if remembering why he was there. He hurried to the back of the wagon, reached for another crate, and carried it inside of the building. Joran followed him in. “And then what?”

He set the load down on the floor with a grunt. “Then she was gone, lad. I looked everywhere for her.” The man caught Joran’s eyes. “We were out in the middle of nowhere—no trees, no buildings, nowhere to hide or run to. I’da seen her.” He shrugged and fumbled with the buttons on his vest. “She just disappeared. Into thin air. I ran around looking everywhere, shoutin’ for her. I even checked the ground for her shoe prints. There weren’t any. Never seen the likes of that in my entire life.”

His journey is more than just discovering the whereabouts of his wife; it’s a journey that any human can relate to and understand. It’s a typical fairy tale with untypical results. It will take you on a wild adventure. If you love Ted Dekkar, you’ll love this book with all its crazy twists and turns like the visit to the Moon’s house or the visit to the South Wind’s home. Like in the last novel, the end surprises you and the journey becomes personal. Can he loose the three keys?

Book Provided in conjunction with CSFF blog tour and review. (less)

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Oct 26, 2010 Fred Warren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Long ago, and far away, an apprentice blacksmith named Joran is tormented by nightmares. He claws his way up a sand-strewn cliff battered by ocean waves, desperately trying to reach his imprisoned wife. Every night, he fails, sucked under the dark, roiling water as a baleful moon looms overhead, mocking him.

It’s just a dream, isn’t it? That’s what Joran thinks, until he discovers that the wife he sent back to her relatives in a nearby village after a heated argument never reached her destination...more Long ago, and far away, an apprentice blacksmith named Joran is tormented by nightmares. He claws his way up a sand-strewn cliff battered by ocean waves, desperately trying to reach his imprisoned wife. Every night, he fails, sucked under the dark, roiling water as a baleful moon looms overhead, mocking him.

It’s just a dream, isn’t it? That’s what Joran thinks, until he discovers that the wife he sent back to her relatives in a nearby village after a heated argument never reached her destination. She’s vanished without a trace, and Joran sets off to find her. His quest will take him to the very boundaries of his world, in the company of an extraordinarily strange ally, to grapple with forces beyond his imagination. He needs all the help he can get–Joran will soon discover that the most merciless, relentless enemy of all lurks closer than he ever thought possible.

C.S. Lakin’s The Wolf of Tebron, the first volume in her Gates of Heaven series, is hard to classify. The author calls it a fairy tale, but that implies a triviality totally at odds with the depth of this story, besides the fact that nary a fairy is to be found between its covers. It does, however, contain a wealth of magic and mystery, and the hero must contend with archetypal, personified forces of nature in his quest to seek and save his lost love. It is also an allegory of redemption, in the Christian understanding of that concept, but nothing so simple as a retelling of Christ’s love and sacrifice in fancy dress. The story contains a wealth of literary allusions from sources as wide-ranging as Friedrich Nietzsche, G.K. Chesterton, Carl Jung, and The Brothers Grimm, which enhance the richness of the tale but will cause no difficulty for readers unfamiliar with those references. It’s an adventure, it’s a romance, it’s an heroic quest, it’s a meditation on the relationship between dreams and reality, and it’s a journey into the tangled garden of the human mind and heart.

Above all, it’s a fun read. Ms. Lakin is a masterful storyteller. She plunges us quickly into Joran’s adventure–we share his struggles and heartache, and we see the wonders and hazards of the lands beyond the homey environs of Tebron through his eyes, in vivid detail. Joran is above all a human hero who must overcome his own flaws and weaknesses to achieve his goal, and it is not, by any means, an easy road. He learns the dangers of self-centeredness and the power of self-sacrifice. His companion on the journey, the noble wolf Ruyah, is a character both powerful and unique. Readers familiar with Christian fantasy will recognize echoes of C.S. Lewis’ themes in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but Tebron is not Narnia, and Ruyah is not Aslan. Ms. Lakin deals more heavily in metaphor than Lewis, and trying to make tidy connections from The Wolf of Tebron to people and places in our world would be both misleading and frustrating.

My complaints are few and trivial. There are a couple of jarring lapses into contemporary language, and the philosophical/religious dialogue feels a bit muddled in places. An allusion to God’s creative activity as “the One who dreams and sustains all creation with his dreaming” hews a bit close to the description of Vishnu in Hindu mythology. There are a lot of aphorisms and other “wise sayings” peppered through the dialogue that wear a little thin after a while, and one character even grumbles about this late in the story, which gave me a chuckle.

Bottom line, I found The Wolf of Tebron a thoroughly enjoyable tale that, though not aimed at children, will appeal to readers (and listeners) of all ages. Ms. Lakin doesn’t settle for simple entertainment. This story engages and challenges its audience, providing fertile ground for thought and discussion long after the last page is turned.(less)

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Aug 17, 2010 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Joran is a happy little blacksmith until one day he has an argument with his wife Charris, and subsequently kicks her out of the house, sending her to visit her family in another village over the mountains. Only Charris doesn't make it there. She disappears along the way, and it is up to Joran to figure out what happened. Joran begins to have dreams of Charris, being locked up in a castle, guarded by the Moon. Then an odd woman from the village speaks in riddles to Joran. Joran is thoroughly con...more Joran is a happy little blacksmith until one day he has an argument with his wife Charris, and subsequently kicks her out of the house, sending her to visit her family in another village over the mountains. Only Charris doesn't make it there. She disappears along the way, and it is up to Joran to figure out what happened. Joran begins to have dreams of Charris, being locked up in a castle, guarded by the Moon. Then an odd woman from the village speaks in riddles to Joran. Joran is thoroughly confused and missing Charris.

Joran sets out to travel the same route as Charris, and early on befriends a wolf, named Ruyah. Ruyah decides to accompany Joran on his journey to find his wife, wherever it may take him. The pair decide they must journey to the Moon for answers, followed shortly thereafter by journeys to the Sun and the Wind. Surely these powerful forces or beings can offer some assistance! Those riddles come back to haunt Joran, and he realizes he must solve them if he is ever to find Charris.
The story was interesting, but it soon became repetitive and boring. Joran complains like a child the whole time. He totally annoyed me and I honestly don't believe he deserves Charris. Ruyah, the wolf on the other hand was my favorite. Although some of his advice along the way required some thought, overall I enjoyed the wolf's character and his end of the conversations.

This title is considered Christian and youth fantasy fiction. The Christian themes I understood easily, but Joran's behavior seemed extremely childish and young, so I'm not sure what ages youth is supposed to encompass. For as childish as Joran's behavior was, again some of the advice dispensed by the wolf was on the adult side of things.

This book is compared to some quite prolific writers, like Rowling and Tolkien, but I would hesitate to put them in the same boat. I've read both and I don't believe this title is as well developed as the other two. The battle of good versus evil is present, but that's about it. Therefore, I am on the fence with this one. There is certainly something good here, but it needs some oomph. Although, could my feelings of meh be because the intended audience is much younger than me? Not sure.

So that's why I went with a middle B grade, because there were some aspects I enjoyed such as the characters of the Sun, Moon, and Wind, but the journey in between...not so much.
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Sep 26, 2012 Becky B rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: high fantasy fans, Christian fantasy fans, CS Lewis & G. MacDonald fans

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, inspirational-fiction, animal-stories

I have spent my past several reviews lamenting the sad state of the quality of modern Christian fantasy, so it was a breath of fresh air to read this book. I LOVED The Wolf of Tebron by C S Lakin. It reminded me very much of George MacDonald’s fantasy writing. I really liked the characters she introduced, I loved that the story had enough depth it left you with things to think about and chew over later, but most of all I loved her writing. The words were lyrical and well-chosen, the descriptions...more I have spent my past several reviews lamenting the sad state of the quality of modern Christian fantasy, so it was a breath of fresh air to read this book. I LOVED The Wolf of Tebron by C S Lakin. It reminded me very much of George MacDonald’s fantasy writing. I really liked the characters she introduced, I loved that the story had enough depth it left you with things to think about and chew over later, but most of all I loved her writing. The words were lyrical and well-chosen, the descriptions and similes were the work of a wordsmith who knows her craft, and Lakin didn’t shy away from some good ol’ big words, but also didn’t bog down the writing with them, only using them when they best described the scene/action.

Now, I know not everyone will love this book like I did. The theme of dreams is prevalent throughout the story and affects the writing style. Many times Joran has difficulty telling if he is dreaming or awake, (view spoiler) but as long as you are ready for the dreamlike flow (scenes can suddenly shift as they so often do in dreams, but these are not jolting shifts, you are given hints they are coming) it does not hinder the story, and actually is a testament to the excellent writing of Lakin that she can make the theme flow through the writing style without making the story downright strange (doesn't stoop to following white rabbits). That said, if you prefer more black and white, cut and dry, logical plotlines, this book may not be for you -- or fantasy in general, for that matter. This book is what I would call high fantasy.

The story is evidently loosely based on “The Enchangted Pig” fairy tale by the Grimms. The premise is that a young man, Joran, thinks he has caught his wife cheating on him so he packs her off to go stay with her parents. Rumors start getting back to him 1-2 days later that she never made it to her parents’ village, and there is no other village on the carriage route. She has mysteriously disappeared. Meanwhile, he’s been having nightmares about her being trapped in a sandcastle that is falling apart high on a seaside cliff and he tries every night to rescue her but can’t. Thanks to some riddle-like information from the village’s crazy goose lady, he finds out that the Moon has captured his love and he must go on a journey to find the house of the Moon and rescue her. (And no, to his credit, Joran doesn’t just take the goose lady seriously right away.) On the very first leg of his journey he comes across a wolf in a trap and rescues it. Joran is different from most people in that he is able to communicate with animals, and has found that frequently after he rescues or helps them they feel obligated to give him their names, a serious matter that is a commitment to come help whenever he calls on them. The wolf insists on giving Joran his name, Ruyah. Ruyah decides to accompany Joran on his journey -- much to Joran’s chagrin, at least at first (not that I blame him, who would be comfortable with a strange, big, wild wolf following them around?). The journey, as the goose lady told him, is so long he wears through 3 pairs of shoes. We follow him as he visits first the Moon, then the Sun, the South Wind, and eventually arrives at the sea in his quest to rescue his wife. Along the path Joran and Ruyah encounter several dangers but also meet several interesting friends. As Joran journeys he must wrestle with different problems in his own heart that are spilling over into his dreams, like anger, bitterness, lack of trust, loneliness, shame and despair. Ruyah becomes a good friend, protector and travelling companion who offers Joran excellent advice often in the form of “It is said among the wolves…”. Sometimes Joran will discuss these with Ruyah and ask questions, but at other times he mocks the wolves’ sayings or will ask Ruyah, “What! No wolf platitude for this?” I've read books where the wise advice comes off like preaching. That is not the case here. It felt like natural conversation between friends about what was going on, and as is often the case when one is older and more experienced, the younger can respond with curiosity and a heart to learn or scoffing and disinterest. (Many of Ruyah's pithy wolf sayings are quotes from G K Chesterton, C S Lewis, and others who Lakin acknowledges in the back of the book.) In the background of Joran’s quest, there is another sub-plot going on that was introduced in the prologue, but really isn’t touched on again until almost the end of the book. This plot involves a wizard battling off the forces of darkness in that realm (Joran and Ruyah are tied into this plot but I’m not telling how). It looks like there is a sequel to this book and I’m guessing that it has more to do with this subplot, but the subplot is dealt with sufficiently in this book so you wouldn’t have to read further.

There are several allegories/metaphors going on but most of them feel unique, subtle and well done so as not to come off heavy-handed...more like promptings to think further on these philosophical matters. There is plenty to discuss with a reading group or class based on the intricate workings of the world Lakin has built and the truths Joran discovers. In this manner, I think she has mastered something very few can pull off today and why I feel ok comparing her to George MacDonald and C S Lewis, something I don't do lightly. She's built an interesting fantasy world, great characters, employs excellent writing, weaves in good lessons, but doesn’t bash people over the head with them.

Could C S Lakin be part of the next generation of Inklings?
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Oct 14, 2010 Michelle Griep rated it 4 of 5 stars

Part fairy tale, part fantasy, this is a fast-paced story that keeps the reader engaged until the last page. If you’re a fan of C.S. Lewis, then C.S. Lakin just may be your new favorite author.
Though Joran is the main character in the story, I’d have to say that the wolf is the true hero. Wise. Selfless. Compassionate. This animal is a virtual superhero.
What I liked best was the wolf proverbs. Here’s an example:
“It is said among wolves, the road to truth has not been tried and found wanting....more

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Jun 21, 2012 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytales

This book was recommended to me by the publisher because of my love of fairy tales. When I began to read it, it quickly caught my attention because of my love of tales that sends the main character to the far reaches of the earth until they wear out a pair (or for this tale, three pairs) of shoes. I enjoy following the development of the character throughout the tale. He has a lot to learn and improve about himself before he can succeed. Putting myself in the character's place teaches me to look...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series has become one of my all-time favorites. The world of these books is guarded at key locations by gatekeepers who protect gateways to heaven. In each book, a gateway is threatened by evil forces that want to destroy all that is good and beautiful. The characters change in each book, but this theme ties the books together.

In this first book, Joran is the main player. As he journeys to discover who he is and to find his destiny, he discovers many fascinating characters and travels to e...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Bluerose's Heart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: clean, fantasy, young-adult-12-and-up, little-no-romance

It took me a little while to get into the story. I really think this is one you have to fully commit to reading or you won’t like it. I went back and forth between really liking parts of it and hating it. I found a lot of it confusing and weird, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The more you read, the more details are given. The ending clears up all other loose ends.
This story is suppose to be a representation of God’s love and devotion. I’m not going to review on that aspect of the story,...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Julie by: Rebecca Miller

Shelves: fantasy, christian-fiction, csff-blog-tour, young-adult

I received this book as a part of the CSFF Blog Tour. When it was first pitched to me, I wasn't sure this was something I would enjoy. However, I saw some great reviews on it and even heard that it was likened to C.S. Lewis's writing. While I've never read the Chronicles of Narnia series *big gasp* I have enjoyed the movies. I'm so thankful I gave this book a chance!!

There is an incredible journey taking place when a marital spat occurs. Joran packs up his wife and sends her off to see family. I...more

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Mar 12, 2011 Cheryl Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fantasy

"The Wolf of Tebron" by C. S. Lakin is billed as a "fairy tale" and I would heartily agree, but a fairy tale with much allegory and deep meaning, along the lines of C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" series. The main character/hero is Joran, a young blascksmith's apprentice who, you find early on, has the ability to mindspeak with animals around him which plays into the story in meaningful ways throughout. Joran is soon on a quest to free his missing wife who comes to him in dreams or rather nig...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Jill Williamson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review by Jill Williamson

Joran sent his wife away when he discovered something about her that he could not forgive. But then he discovered that she never arrived. He can’t stand not knowing what happened to her, so he investigates and discovers that his wife is being held captive by the moon. Joran embarks on a long journey to bring her back. Her befriends a wolf named Ruyah along the way, who becomes a close friend and protector.

This book is filled with beautiful literary allegory and symbolism...more

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May 16, 2011 Truly Bookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joran is a blacksmith who longs for a peaceful life and to not feel like an outsider in his family and community. He has a fight with his wife and in a fit of anger, sends her back to her family only to find out she never made it there. Joran sets out on an epic journey to find her and is joined by a wolf, Ruyah, who helps him. Joran’s quest to find his wife leads in him find out a lot about himself.

Joran is such a human character. He makes grave mistakes and assumptions, he whines more than he...more

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Sep 01, 2010 Rachel Thomson rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the village of Tebron, surrounded by forests and peaceful mountains, Joran works as an apprentice blacksmith because his unusually sharp ability to mindspeak with animals has made forestry, hunting, and fishing too painful an occupation. He is painfully aware of his difference from his brothers, whom he loves but is unlike. Joran is slender, gentle, contemplative, and quietly desperate, wishing above all things to feel true happiness with his beautiful wife Charris, to feel that he belongs.

Wh...more In the village of Tebron, surrounded by forests and peaceful mountains, Joran works as an apprentice blacksmith because his unusually sharp ability to mindspeak with animals has made forestry, hunting, and fishing too painful an occupation. He is painfully aware of his difference from his brothers, whom he loves but is unlike. Joran is slender, gentle, contemplative, and quietly desperate, wishing above all things to feel true happiness with his beautiful wife Charris, to feel that he belongs.

When Charris betrays Joran, he sends her away in a fit of passionate anger. But then come the dreams, tormenting him night after night: dreams in which he climbs to a sandcastle above the sea where Charris is trapped in ice, and he struggles to free her while sweeping blackness clutches at the back of his neck and the lunatic moon looks on and laughs. And then come the encounters: the great wolf watching him from the fringes of the wood, the crazy old goose woman with her riddles, and finally the most frightening encounter of all — the discovery that Charris, sent home to her relatives, has disappeared into thin air.

Unable to live any longer with himself and without answers, Joran sets off on a journey, joined by the giant wolf Ruyah, that will take him to the ends of the earth — to the Hovel of the Moon, the Palace of the Sun, the Cave of the Wind, and finally the Unimaginable Sea — and to the depths of his own dreams. His is a search for his wife, for the truth, for answers, and for peace. The way is made bearable by Ruyah’s wise, playful, and always caring presence, a presence that means far more than Joran can imagine.

The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin is being hailed as a modern-day fairy tale, which it certainly is at heart, though its characterization is richer than a typical fairy tale’s. Joran’s struggles with himself are intensely human. In an irony that struck me as particularly true to the Christian life, Joran does not want to be a hero and in fact would not be one were it not for Ruyah pushing, leading, and saving him at every step. Every spark of heroism in him rises in response to the heroism of another. At the same time, he is a likable hero, with pain and struggles that are poignant and relatable.

Not a simple allegory, The Wolf of Tebron nonetheless employs allegory and symbol in great measure, and Ruyah’s wise sayings — “It is said among wolves . . .” — come from sources as varied as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Carl Jung. (Chesterton, I think, would have enjoyed being a wolf.) It’s a book meant to inspire thought. Its story of redemption is thoroughly Christian at heart, though some of the allusions to life as a dream, reality as a matter of the will, and looking inside yourself could be just as easily interpreted through a non-Christian lens. It’s also a thoroughly enjoyable adventure story, with exotic settings, unpredictable turns, a terrifying enemy, and unexpected humour.

Lakin’s work is stylistically beautiful. The exotic locales are vivid, from dark north to burning desert to misty jungle: I found myself looking forward to each leg of Joran’s journey just so I could experience another part of her story world. The Wolf of Tebron is the first in The Gates of Heaven series from Living Ink Books (AMG Publishers). I’m looking forward to The Map Across Time, Book 2 in the series.

- Rachel Starr Thomson, author of The Seventh World Trilogy, www.worldsunseen.com (less)

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Jan 02, 2011 Freda mans rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the best kind of fantasy one could find, filled with all four elements, magic and wonder.
I was literally transported to another world in my mind, and even though the book compares itself to Chronicles of Narnia, I went somewhere all together different. But better different. It does carry attributes that are similar, like talking animals, but they don't talk to everyone.
There were moments where Joran frustrated me with his griping and misery, but in the end I was glad it was there. It bel...more

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Aug 25, 2010 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

I was intrigued by the email I received pitching this book. It was described as being along the same lines as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. So, I accepted. I'm glad I did. I loved the fantasy world the author was able to create. It felt very real and definitely had the same feel and The Chronicles of Narnia. I loved how each journey was set up and how the scenery changed with each one.
The characters were interesting. I was surprised at how fast Joran decided to take his jou...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Bookworm1858 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-2011, sffp, christian-fiction

I wanted to read this because I was intrigued about the idea of Christian fantasy, somewhat in the vein of CS Lewis. However I did not find that to be an accurate comparison. I remember the first time I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and how I was immediately drawn into the story and identified with the children. And because of how much I love the Narnia books, the memory hung over me and this suffered in comparison.

But with this book, the characters did not do much for me. The main...more

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May 18, 2013 Bill Tillman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: allegory, christian-fantasy, christian, christian-fiction, fantasy, fiction, kindle, otherworlds, speculative, ya, young-adult, wizard

AMG has unleashed a power house Christian fantasy writer. I do not know why but somehow left this book sitting on my electronic shelf for nearly three years. Written as Christian allegory it is beyond great, the relationship between the wolf Ruyah and Joran is remarkable. Tightly woven plot and character development lead to a delightful tale. I just absolutely love the pithy sayings of Ruyah: 'There are two ways of getting home-and one of them is to stay there. 'The longest way 'round is the sho...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Viktor rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a story of moral failure, the consequences for others and the need, possibility and benefits of repentance, it has its merits. But it is too mystical and confusing for my taste. It's not valid to place it on a level with C.S. Lewis' fantasies. And the many errors of case put me off. Why don't people proofread before publishing?

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Dec 20, 2012 Bethany rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was extremely slow moving and really weird... It was also very predictable.

I guess some people would think it might be okay, but I didn't enjoy it.

I would suggest it for 10-12 year olds.

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Jan 28, 2013 Valarie Lovelight rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I read from this author. It's been a long time since I've read fantasy and I must say, I truly enjoyed it. Id idn't want to out it down until I finished it.

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Jan 15, 2013 Brooke Duncan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

What a book!
This is a fantastic read - rich with symbolism in a style that is very rare in modern fiction. I love it! The trials Joran goes through can be paralleled to our own lives - overcoming anger, bitterness, fear. I was bawling as I reached the climax of the tale! It is written in such a lovely style - children can read it and understand it as a lovely fairytale; yet adults can read it and be drawn in by its underlying symbolism and messages. Superb!

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Jan 06, 2012 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read-books

This is the first book in The Gates of Heaven series. The author has definitely grown in her writing in this series as she's progressed, but this was a beautiful tale. I loved Ruyah and what he added to Joran's life. Joran is like so many of us who let's anger and bitterness take over his life. The adventure was fun and allows your imagination to soar. I never thought I would enjoy fairy tales as much as I've enjoyed these by C.S. Lakin.

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Jun 05, 2011 Nicole marked it as could-not-finish

Shelves: ya-fantasy

I like the plot, and for a non-Christian I didn't mind the Christian imagery. But the wolf killed me. Not because he was a bad character. But because his whole "wolves say this" and "wolves say that" speech was all about different things humans do, and why would wolves talk about men!? Good plot, bad characterization.

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Feb 16, 2012 Melinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Deep and thoughtful. Billed as a "young adult" book, but I really liked it, too. It's a bit complicated, as A Map Across Time was, and has a difficult plot about how our actions and attitudes can unwitting affect others, so I'd say probably about 15 years old and up.

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Jan 03, 2013 Sam Lonberg rated it 4 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I as lookin for- a charming and well written fantasy story with a Christian background, similar to Narnia. Can't wait to read the next one!

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