LDS Author Uses BoM in Fantasy Novel

So, I recently picked up a new e-book, The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler. I got it because it was free as part of the Amazon Lending Library and highly rated (4.6/5). I did not know at the time at Wheeler is LDS, but it became very apparent because of the following in his fantasy novel (SPOILER ALERT in case you want to read the book):



1) The "Medium" which is like this world's form of magic/power works very similar to the Holy Ghost - you have to be "worthy" to use it, you can't force it to do whatever, and you have to be in-tune with it's will



2) The main character finds/steals an orb which works exactly like the Liahona. A compass that tells her where to go and words that appear on it too



3) When the main character becomes afraid and starts doubting, the orb/Liahona stops working. A knight with her uses his Gifting powers to give her courage. He lays a hand on her head and essentially gives her a priesthood blessing. Her fear and doubts leave and the orb compass works again.



4) There is a battle where the good guys are vastly out-numbered. The Medium helps them and they win the battle. Every single good guy is injured, but none die. Stripling Warriors anyone?



End SPOILER ALERT



Halfway through the book I looked at Wheeler's biography:

Jeff Wheeler (@muirwoodwheeler) is a writer from 7-10PM on Wednesday nights. The rest of the time, he works for Intel Corporation, is a husband and the father of five kids, and a leader in his local church.

Works full-time and is a leader in his local church. That has LDS written all over it. And 5 kids. I did a search for "Jeff Wheeler LDS author" and it was confirmed here:



http://mormonlit.byu.edu/lit_author.php?a_id=2655



So, what do you think about an LDS author using LDS beliefs and Book of Mormon events in a fantasy novel? Part of me says that he's not being very original, but part of me is grinning because people are reading a fictional version of the Book of Mormon without realizing it and they're enjoying it!! Overall, the book is very well written. I enjoyed it enough to borrow the second book in the triology for free. It's also nice that the book is very clean. Very different to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time where every page had something about the size of a woman's bosom.

Glen Larsen did Battlestar Galatica. He was in my ward and his daughter was my age.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_A._Larson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Orson Scott Card wrote a whole series based on the Book of Mormon, called the Homecoming Saga.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming_Saga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I like OSC, but it's one of my least favorite series.

hawkwing wrote:
Orson Scott Card wrote a whole series based on the Book of Mormon, called the Homecoming Saga.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming_Saga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I like OSC, but it's one of my least favorite series.

Card's Alvin Maker series is loosely based on Joseph Smith. I liked it.....I thought Homecoming was worth ready....

Alvin Maker is a very good series, and well worth reading.



Homecoming was OK, but I just couldn't get into it.

hawkwing wrote:
Orson Scott Card wrote a whole series based on the Book of Mormon, called the Homecoming Saga.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming_Saga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I like OSC, but it's one of my least favorite series.

I read the first of the Homecoming Saga, then started the second one and couldn't get into it. I just picked it up again a month ago and am again intrigued and enjoying it. I think it's a series that you need to take a break from after each novel.

Schmoe wrote:

Orson Scott Card wrote a whole series based on the Book of Mormon, called the Homecoming Saga.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming_Saga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I like OSC, but it's one of my least favorite series.

I read the first of the Homecoming Saga, then started the second one and couldn't get into it. I just picked it up again a month ago and am again intrigued and enjoying it. I think it's a series that you need to take a break from after each novel.

I may have been too young to fully appreciate it when I first read it, around 14 or so. I could tell it was based on the BoM, and maybe as a juvenile that took me out of the story to the point where I couldn't enjoy it for what it was.

How about the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites series?

hawkwing wrote:

hawkwing wrote:
Orson Scott Card wrote a whole series based on the Book of Mormon, called the Homecoming Saga.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homecoming_Saga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



I like OSC, but it's one of my least favorite series.

I read the first of the Homecoming Saga, then started the second one and couldn't get into it. I just picked it up again a month ago and am again intrigued and enjoying it. I think it's a series that you need to take a break from after each novel.

I may have been too young to fully appreciate it when I first read it, around 14 or so. I could tell it was based on the BoM, and maybe as a juvenile that took me out of the story to the point where I couldn't enjoy it for what it was.

I can't remember which book in the series it was, but the dude who had Alma the Younger's part said some pretty impressive things about suffering for your sins in the sense that you don't suffer for your sins, but you also suffer the pains and sufferings that you caused others and for the sins they committed because of your actions and for the pain and suffering those sins caused others. Pretty impressive, but it's been some time.



BTW, did anybody here ever read his book called "The Lost Boys" and, no, it's not about vampires. Book made me cry at the end.

Yeah, the lost boys is one of the best books ever written. Wow, powerful!

hawkwing wrote:
Yeah, the lost boys is one of the best books ever written. Wow, powerful!

I loved the old lady who received revelation for everybody in the ward. Probably my most favorite character in the book. ;)

When I read Ender's Game I also didn't realize at first that OSC is LDS. Great book. One of my favorites. I read two other books in the series and they progressively got worse. Ender's Game is being made into a movie this year, but I'm not too excited about it. Movies are never as good as the book especially when you've read the book first. The movie is going to take place all in one year wheras the book follows Ender through several years of training. I might not even see the movie just because the book was so awesome I just want to keep it that way in my mind.

byufan4ever wrote:
When I read Ender's Game I also didn't realize at first that OSC is LDS. Great book. One of my favorites. I read two other books in the series and they progressively got worse. Ender's Game is being made into a movie this year, but I'm not too excited about it. Movies are never as good as the book especially when you've read the book first. The movie is going to take place all in one year wheras the book follows Ender through several years of training. I might not even see the movie just because the book was so awesome I just want to keep it that way in my mind.

I really like the Ender Shawdow series too...it follows the story from Bean's perspective

Yeah, the Ender's Shadow series is a very fun read, well worth picking them up.

re: the original post, I like the idea of as much BoM imagery, plot, ideology as possible in the books, movies, music. Heaven knows most of the media kids are exposed to tends the opposite direction (promiscuity, secularism, etc.) and I'm OK with good works having a moral message or setting the stage for someone to accept the gospel because they've been exposed to those ideas.



If I were ranting, I'd go off on how many secular agendas have advanced in my lifetime because of small parts in movies and TV shows and songs that create sympathetic characters. But I'm not ranting.

byufan4ever wrote:
When I read Ender's Game I also didn't realize at first that OSC is LDS. Great book. One of my favorites. I read two other books in the series and they progressively got worse.

I love Ender's Game, but Speaker For The Dead is about 273% better.



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Metal Bubba wrote:

When I read Ender's Game I also didn't realize at first that OSC is LDS. Great book. One of my favorites. I read two other books in the series and they progressively got worse.

I love Ender's Game, but Speaker For The Dead is about 273% better.



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For me, I'd rate:



Ender's Game: 10/10

Speaker for the Dead: 7/10

Xenocide: 2/10



The only way I finished Xenocide was because I listened to it in the car. No way I would have been able to read it. There was zero plot and character development. It was like OSC was trying to prove how smart of a person he was by expounding upon some scientific theory called the "Outside." Very boring.

I have to say my favorite was the Dragonlance series by Tracy Hickman (LDS) and Weiss (not LDS). I read them when I was a kid.



As I understand it, the original Battlestar Galactica was roughly centered on LDS doctrine. Like the episode where the "beings in white" save Starbuck and help him with some of life's mysteries. But I was just a kid, newly converted and trying my best to see LDS teachings in there. ;)



Can't say that about the new series though.

As a teenager I read Hickman's Dragonlance and Death Gate Cycle series although I don't recall him inserting any LDS themes/doctrines into the books. He had a co-author so maybe that was why.

The Sanderson who took over writing the Wheel of Time is LDS, right? Loved the ending. Anyways, pretty sure there are LDS themes there too: Aes Sedai have to be the Relief Society, yes? ;)