Wednesday, September 29, 2010



Venom and Song:
The Berinfell Prophecies Series - Book Two
by
Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper


Blog Tour - Day 3
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

(click image for Amazon link or click link below)

Venom and Song - available from:




Author Blogs:
Wayne Thomas Batson – http://enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com/
Christopher Hopper – http://www.christopherhopper.com/blog/

Months before I heard about the Venom and Song CSFF Blog Tour,
I purchased a copy of the book at SAMS Club because
I enjoyed Curse of the Spider King so much.


This is Day 3 of the CSFF blog tour for a great read by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper. The book title is Venom and Song, a sequel to another arachnophically titled book named, The Curse of the Spider King. I mentioned the Spider King in my tour day 2 blog. Today's blog title comes from the view that the Spider King would have everyone at odds with one another so that he can achieve what is best for himself. In contrast, Ellos the Creator, would have his followers work together to achieve for is best for all. The Spider King's focus is ever inward, while Ellos focus is on others around us.

The Spider King would have everyone the same, much like tiny chess pieces he continually moves around his strategy board. Ellos created each one with a different gift. Even among the young Elf lords, there are differences between what each can accomplish as different situations require different abilities.


There are temperament differences , and even skin colors like Kat Simonson the blue-skinned Elf. I liked the way the authors handled this point for young readers. Kat Simonson thought she was strange and different, but at the coronation she realises her skin is merely a different manifestation of Elven kind. Young readers who feel left out because they look or act differently than their peers will empathize with the blue-hued Elf maiden. Reading Venom and Song may help readers come to realize their differences are what provide different abilities complimenting and augmenting the abilities of others.


I Corinthians 12 points out that we can not all be an eye, for then where would be our sense of hearing? Venom and Song points out that not all Elf Lords are able to cast fire or perfectly aim arrows. Each gift strengthens Ellos' work when the members combine forces. Even the Spider King grudgingly admits that removing one Elf lord will change little, but it will weaken the seven lords' group as a whole. The seven young lords were brought to Allyra because they are part of a grand plan that was centuries in the making by Ellos. Returned home, they must learn to unite for this plan to work together, or all is lost.


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Tuesday, September 28, 2010



Venom and Song:
The Berinfell Prophecies Series - Book Two
by
Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper

Blog Tour - Day 2

LORD OF THE THINGS OR THE SPIDER KING STRIKES BACK

(click image for Amazon link or click link below)

Venom and Song - available from:



Author Blogs:
Wayne Thomas Batson – http://enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com/
Christopher Hopper – http://www.christopherhopper.com/blog/


Months before I heard about the Venom and Song CSFF Blog Tour,
I purchased a copy of the book at SAMS Club because
I enjoyed Curse of the Spider King so much.

For day two of the Venom and Song blog I wanted to discuss the series' arch-villain, The Spider King. The name works well on a couple of levels for me. The Spider King controls thousands of gwars and their warspiders. So visually he reminds me of a large spider carrying multitudes of tiny, less powerful spiders. On a spiritual level, the Spider King lives up to his name because he is the ultimate planner/schemer that tries to track his prey within his web before disposing of the body, or in this case the spirit. The Spider King preys on weaknesses and uses deceptions to twist truths and beliefs.

Early on in Venom and Song, a Wisp - a shape shifting trail of smoke - nearly kills one of the Elf lords after assuming the form of Jimmy's teacher, Mr. Wallace. The Spider King uses the Wisp on the inside to provide information and remove the young lords as they come into their powers. These powers, or abilities, are most evident and strongest in the royal bloodlines, so the Spider King must remove the lords before they help thwart his plans for conquest. The Spider King wants to remove these pure bloodlines once and for all, so that he will triumph over all of Allyra and eventually Ellos himself.
The Spider King sees himself as the ultimate strategist; able to out wit, out think, and out plan anyone. His pride is his undoing. That and his undying thirst for vengence against the Elfs. These actions by the Spider King's struck me as allegory for Satan's vain attempts at killing Christ. The Elfs were defeated and driven underground for a time, but came forth again, though the Spider King thought he had won. Much of the Spider King's strength derives from lies and deceit. Those who remain faithful to Ellos find more strength than they possess alone, making it harder for the Spider King to warp them into pawns for his plans. The Spider King is the anti-thesis of Ellos; pure evil for Ellos' pure good. Small wonder the Spider King would see all Elfkind removed. The Elfs are a reminder to the Spider King that someone greater than he exists, and that person is Ellos; Lord of All.

Tomorrow: WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
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Monday, September 27, 2010



Venom and Song:
The Berinfell Prophecies Series - Book Two
by
Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper

Blog Tour - Day 1

CAVE SURFING ELVES

(click image for Amazon link or click link below)

Venom and Song - available from:



Author Blogs:
Wayne Thomas Batson – http://enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com/
Christopher Hopper – http://www.christopherhopper.com/blog/


Months before I heard about the Venom and Song CSFF Blog Tour,
I purchased a copy of the book at SAMS Club because
I enjoyed Curse of the Spider King so much.

After reading Curse of the Spider King, I expected lots of action and a great story from the sequel by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper. Venom and Song didn't let me down. After an opening battle continued from the escape in book one, the second chapter drags six of the seven young elf lords on a harrowing trip through underground rapids in small watercraft called cavesurfers. Holding a torch, let alone keeping it dry while shooting twisting, turning currents is near impossible, so the cavesurfers carry their own torchcells that work like headlights in the darkness. Of course, if the group survives the rapids, there is always Dalage Falls and the deadly whirlpool below to endure. And this is only the first three chapters.
If you read Curse of the Spider King, you may remember there were seven elfin lords brought to Earth as babies for their protection. Only six of the young lords fought through the watery passage. Gravely injured, Autumn is carried ahead to Nightwish for intensive healing. But secrets uncovered at Nightwish will forever change the relationship between brother and sister, Autumn and Johnny. All seven lords must survive the trip and attend the investment ceremony as lords if the Elfs of Berinfell are to ever regain their cities and life above ground.

Venom and Song is filled with action, plot twists, and more action. The teenagers may survive their coronation ceremony, but will they survive drill camp and train enough to face more of the Spider King's troops? Things aren't always what they seem, even among your own kind. The Spider King has prepared too, and he wants to finish off those annoying Elfs once and for all. More about that tomorrow.


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