THE THUNDER KING: THE PLOT THICKENS; REVIEW OF LEE DUIGON’S THIRD BOOK IN THE BELL MOUNTAIN SERIES

 The  Thunder  King:  The  Plot  Thickens

 
 

 
 

A review of

 
 

Lee Duigon The Thunder King (Vallecito, CA:  Storehouse Press, 2011)

                   $14.00   289 pp   ISBN: 978-1-891375-56-9

 
 

Reviewer:  Forrest W. Schultz

 
 

 
 

     Like the second book, the third one in the Bell Mountain saga adds more plot elements to the mix and provides deeper discussions of their significance.  Perhaps there are some critics who may judge the result to be too advanced for a juvenile reader, but, in the immortal words of Mortimer Adler, "We need something over our heads to lift us up!".

 
 

     We learn more about the significance of the ringing of the Bell and about the decadence of the Temple, especially that of its First Prester, who is first in wickedness, not in piety.  And we see ever more clearly the parallel between the teaching in the Secret Scrolls and the doctrines in the Bible, and between the history of Obann and the history or Israel and the Church.

 
 

     But it needs to be borne in mind that the story is a fantasy -- a story in its own right -- not an allegory. As the biographical sketch of the author on the rear jacket makes clear, Lee Duigon loves both fantasy literature and sound theology.  And, contra much of popular opinion, there is no discord between the two because, after all, God is the greatest story-writer of all -- history is His Story, because it is His fantasy that became reality when He created the world.  Amen!

 

September 30, 2011