The Shadow Lamp CSFF Tour - Day Three

 

 The Shadow Lamp

Bright Empires - Book Four by Stephen R. Lawhead

Last Day of the Shadow Lamp Blog Tour

The End of It All, or Only the Beginning?-  

click image for Amazon link or click link below) Shadow Lamp- available from:

Amazon -    http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Lamp-Bright-Empires-Quest/dp/1595548076/
CBD -    http://www.christianbook.com/the-shadow-lamp-bright-empires/9781595548078/pd/548078?product_redirect=1&Ntt=548078&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP
Author Website -  http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
Author Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-R-Lawhead/84503526872

I received a review copy of The Shadow Lamp by Stephen R. Lawhead from the nice folks at Thomas Nelson in conjunction with the Nov CSFF Blog Tour

 

I wonder if the reason for ley lines is to illustrate the connections between The Creator's plan and our actions as humans? Kit finds that at some point, the strongest ley lines connect back to the Spirit Well. Maybe I'm looking for allegory where none exists, but I wonder if The Spirit Well is an allegory for Christ; who referred to himself as the Well of Life and a provider of Living waters? Lord Burleigh denies God's existence, yet never stops to consider how all the wonders of the world came into existence in perfect harmony. Could stronger ley lines connect stronger occurrences of faith in those locations or by those people with the Spirit Well's living water? Maybe ley lines are like tributaries leading back to the Spirit Well. The Spirit Well waters were described by Kit as full of light; having an inner glow. I pictured the ley lines as glowing lights beneath the ground, kind of like fiber-optics, that connect back to the source - The Spirit Well. Shadow Lamps reveal hidden ley line locations by reflection ley line locations. Are we acting like Shadow Lamps to a lost world by reflecting the source of life, and living waters, Jesus?

I enjoyed The Shadow Lamp. The author delves deeper in each volume in the series. The fifth book is due out next year, and I'm looking forward to having all my new questions answered by the final chapter in The Bright Empires storyline.
 

*Participants’ links:
 

Julie Bihn Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Thomas Fletcher Booher Beckie Burnham Jeff Chapman Karri Compton Theresa Dunlap April Erwin Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Becky Jesse Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Carol Keen Rebekah Loper Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Mirriam Neal Writer Rani Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Jojo Sutis Rachel Starr Thomson Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Rachel Wyant Phyllis Wheeler Deborah Wilson

The Shadow Lamp CSFF Tour - Day Two

 

 The Shadow Lamp

Bright Empires - Book Four by Stephen R. Lawhead

Second Day of the Shadow Lamp Blog Tour

Coffee, Doughnuts, and the Burley Men, or Everything is Part of the Bigger Plan 

click image for Amazon link or click link below) Shadow Lamp- available from:

Amazon -    http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Lamp-Bright-Empires-Quest/dp/1595548076/
CBD -    http://www.christianbook.com/the-shadow-lamp-bright-empires/9781595548078/pd/548078?product_redirect=1&Ntt=548078&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP
Author Website -  http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
Author Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-R-Lawhead/84503526872

I received a review copy of The Shadow Lamp by Stephen R. Lawhead from the nice folks at Thomas Nelson in conjunction with the Nov CSFF Blog Tour

 

The Burley Men and Lord Burleigh have been a thorn in the side of Kit and Mina, and the rest of the good guys at the Zetetic Society for the past three volumes of the Bright Empires series, and the Shadow Lamp is no exception to Burleigh and group's interference. Today I wanted to discuss The Master Plan, as hinted at in the series. Actions occur as part of The Creator's Master Plan. When Mina accidently arrives in Prague, all seemed lost. Yet she meets and befriends Etzel, the baker, on the way to town. Mina and Etzel go into business together, and open the very first coffee house. Their Grand Imperial Kaffehaus is such a success it gains the attention of the court alchemists, especially Balthazar, who is hired by Lord Burleigh to manufacture the Shadow Lamps.

On Mina's earlier ley travels, she finds a much needed mentor in Brother Lazarus. Brother Lazarus travels with Kit, and later Cass, who's father, Tony, is an astrophysicist. Brother Lazarus and Tony's discussion lead to their discovery that the universe's expansion is slowing. If that's not bad enough, Lord Burleigh finds out about the Grand Imperial Kaffeehaus and pay Etzel a not so friendly visit one night. In the Shadow Lamp, we learn more about the formation of The Burley Men, and about Etzel. Before the fourth book, Etzel seemed more a less a hard-working, every day kind of support character. In The Shadow Lamp we learn more about Etzel's faith, and his integrity to protect his friends. Even in hard times, Etzel vows to protect their location as The Burley Men try to beat the answer out of him.

I also like Kit and Cass's almost accidental discovery. It seemed to tie the Shadow lamps, The Skin Map, and the Ley Lines together nicely. One of the many things I enjoy so well about Mr. Lawhead's books, is his rich, eye to details. His far-ranging storylines illustrate so well, to me, that we all play a part in the grander scheme of things. While we may think we matter little, to The Creator, each of us are important and our actions and choices have far-reaching consequences.
 

Day 3 Blog: The End of It All, or Only the Beginning?- Day Three how The Bright empire series may explain some spiritual truths
 

*Participants’ links:
 

Julie Bihn Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Thomas Fletcher Booher Beckie Burnham Jeff Chapman Karri Compton Theresa Dunlap April Erwin Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Becky Jesse Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Carol Keen Rebekah Loper Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Mirriam Neal Writer Rani Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Jojo Sutis Rachel Starr Thomson Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Rachel Wyant Phyllis Wheeler Deborah Wilson

The Shadow Lamp CSFF Tour - Day One

 

 The Shadow Lamp

Bright Empires - Book Four by Stephen R. Lawhead

First Day of the Shadow Lamp Blog Tour

Who Turned the Lamps Out?

click image for Amazon link or click link below) Shadow Lamp- available from:

Amazon -    http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Lamp-Bright-Empires-Quest/dp/1595548076/
CBD -    http://www.christianbook.com/the-shadow-lamp-bright-empires/9781595548078/pd/548078?product_redirect=1&Ntt=548078&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP
Author Website -  http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
Author Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-R-Lawhead/84503526872

I received a review copy of The Shadow Lamp by Stephen R. Lawhead from the nice folks at Thomas Nelson in conjunction with the Nov CSFF Blog Tour

 

   The title, The Shadow Lamp, seemed a contradiction at first. Why would a lamp dispel light? But, when Kit and other ley line travelers use the lamps, they are able to locate the ley lines for travel. The lines are hidden to sight, but the small brass boxes enable them to find their way across space and time. If you're not too sure about ley line travel, here's a short video from the third book in the Bright Empires series, The Spirit Well:

 Book four, The Shadow Lamp, begins with Kit, Mina, and Brother Lazarus examining a burned out ley lamp. It sounded as if the lamp overloaded and had a melt down. Melt down seems like a good theme for this book in the series. Kit is returned to the future from the time of the River City Clan, but he realizes he was most at peace and contented with them. Newcomer, Cassandra Clarke, goes looking for information about Kit's grandfather, Cosimo, and seems to fall for the grandson. Anthony Clarke, Cass's father, searches the ley lines for his daughter and instead encounters the Zetetic Society. Even Lord Burleigh encounters problems with his plans, and we learn a bit more about the beginnings of the Burley Men. I know that's a lot of names, new and old, but Mr. Lawhead's story is as big as time and space.

This latest addition to the Bright Empires series deepens many existing characters, and adds some interesting new one. Cass and Kit seem an item, so I wondered if Min and Etzel are a pair. I liked the character of Cass's mentor, Brother Lazarus. He seems wise beyond his years, and many he comes into contact with seem better for Brother Lazarus' guidance. Mr. Lawhead has a knack for explaining complex theories in simple terms by way of Brother Lazarus. It kind of struck me that Cass's dad, Tony, is able to speak to her about matters of science and logic. As a counter-point to Tony, Brother Lazarus explains matters of faith and knowledge beyond normal human understanding.

My still unanswered question, is what is the purpose of the inter-temporal ley lines? Are they a cosmic accident, or all part of the greater plan hinted at in this book? Like an onion, each new layer peeled away in the Bright Empires saga, seems to yield more questions than answers. The Shadow Lamp is one of those books I enjoy reading because it makes me stop and think long after turning the last page.

 

Day 2 Blog: Coffee, Doughnuts, and the Burley Men, or Everything is Part of the Bigger Plan - Day Two I'll discuss how Lord Burleigh secretly helped Kit and Mina when he developed the Shadow Lamp they borrowed for ley travel. 

*Participants’ links:
 

Julie Bihn Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Thomas Fletcher Booher Beckie Burnham Jeff Chapman Karri Compton Theresa Dunlap April Erwin Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Becky Jesse Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Carol Keen Rebekah Loper Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Mirriam Neal Writer Rani Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Jojo Sutis Rachel Starr Thomson Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Rachel Wyant Phyllis Wheeler Deborah Wilson