Hi, Aadi here. This week I am reading The Arrow Bringer by Lisa Mayer.

I am so impressed with the girl in this story! She didn’t let leukemia stop her from trying to save her friend, Shawn. I don’t know if I’d be that brave. Especially considering there are dragons on Alethia. No thank you. Dragons are even scarier than the Red Guard. I’ll stay in Nacerma.

Go check out her story and then stop back next week on Tuesday. Mischa and I will be chatting with Evangeline.

The Aletheian Journeys: The Arrow Bringer by Lisa Mayer
Create Space
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Catholic/Christian Allegory

The Arrow Bringer tells the story of Evangeline Lewis, a high school junior who has just been diagnosed with Leukemia. Shortly after her diagnosis, Evangeline encounters a mysterious being known as the Arrow Bringer. She is given a choice: spend her last days in peace with her family, or help save another world called Aletheia from a great evil.

She chooses to stay.

All she wants after this is to make the most of what is left of her life. It seems like this will be possible, despite her guilt, until she learns that Shawn Lawrence—the closest person she has to a friend—has gone to Aletheia in her place. His life now hangs in the balance.

Now it is up to Evangeline to save Shawn and race to fix her mistake as a shadow falls over Aletheia and the new friends she finds there. But the clock is ticking. Even as her disease consumes her body, a new enemy and more imminent perils pursue her. And she must endure all and help save Aletheia while keeping her darkest secret: that all of it is her fault.

Excerpt:

“What are you doing here?” A voice demands sharply, startling me.

My head jerks in the direction of the voice. I catch sight of a guard about my age charging toward me on a black mare. I try to make out his features, but his face is too shadowed. “Who’s there?” I call, unnerved.

“I mean you no harm,” he answers. “My name is Khyton.” I breathe a sigh of relief, remembering that Khyton had killed the dragon that attacked Shawn. “What is your name?”

Before I can answer him, I suddenly get a strong feeling that I’m being watched. Despite the darkness, I catch sight of movement from the corner of my eye. Khyton and I both turn skyward, just in time to see a deep red, thirty-foot dragon emerging from the clouds. It passes through a moonbeam as it barrels toward us, revealing its blind, milky white eyes, deadly claws, and sharp spikes protruding along its spine.

“We need to move!” Khyton plunges his arm down to pull me up on the horse. But he isn’t fast enough.

Scorching coals wrap around my right leg, burning me straight through my jeans and yanking me to the ground. I cry out as the force of the momentum snaps me backward, knocking my head against the ground.

“Make noise!” Khyton yells urgently. “I can’t see you!”

The sound of his voice reminds me that this isn’t over. I immediately start to scream, clawing at the ground as I try to slow my momentum. But it’s not doing any good. Despite the darkness, I make out the dragon’s tongue bringing me closer to its mouth.

I have seconds left to live.

Have you read this book already? Tell us what you thought of it.