From Zero to Hero (in a way)

Full title: The Prophecy of Enchantria

Author: Mary DeKok Blowers

Sold by: Amazon Digital (2011)

Genre: fiction, Christian fantasy

Attributes: 34 pages (56 Kb), e-book

On the scale of zero to one: ZERO (i.e.: donated by the author)

A Christian fantasy in miniature, this YA novelette dives into several conventions of its genre: from fantastic animals to landscapes that spell out mysteries and fears, a wide spectrum of possibilities is touched on, as the story moves forth, one step in reality, one step in fiction.

There’s a parallel world, where two kingdoms (Enchantria and Carpentaria) are in conflict, and where a prophecy has announced salvation through innocence. The Christian story of Jesus Christ finds easy application in this context, where the evil-versus-good story finds resolution in the unexpected, feeble, confused intervention of a girl approaching maturity.

This is a world where miracles are multiplied endlessly, effortlessly. From talking snakes to giant eagles, from a glittering lake at midnight to the majestic beauty of a pair of peacocks at day, every inch of this world is an alternative to reality: an augmentation, a growth. Like the growth of the protagonist herself.

There are castles in the story, not unlike this one, which change position
and through the windows of which one can see the truth behind deceit
(c) Igor Reshetnikov

It is after the first reading that one truly gets the gist: Enchantria is not just any fantastic land of promises; it is a land where ‘life after life’ takes on the features of the known biblical paradise. As one of the characters describes Enchantria early in the story, “Life is very easy, and as you come to see this, you may eventually decide to live here forever. Some people have.” Pandora, the protagonist, a troubled adolescent with fears of her own but endowed with the gift of those who fulfil prophecies, sees Enchantria as this kingdom where evil eventually turns into good. To her, though, things appear in simpler lights. When she first sees this parallel world she exclaims: “No school bullies… no school!”

As the narrative progresses, though, she grows out of this childhood of simple wishes, and puts on the serious appearance of Christian heroes. It becomes her task to save humanity itself. The book is the story of her coming to perform these miracles that transgress humanity in order to bring it back to where it belongs.