The Valley of Decision
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
Joel iii.xiv
Far away, beyond the Northwood and the Black Mountains, Belenus rules the kingdom of the north.
How many centuries, how many thousands of years, he has held the north, no one knows. But when our distant fathers came over the mountains, he was there.
The Dochraitay are his servants – mortal Men, who live and die in the grasp of their undying master. They till and harvest Belenus’ fields, fight his wars, and bear children for his use.
When Belenus sends them over the mountains to destroy us, they will fear him, and we will fear them. But when the moment of choice comes in the valley of decision, hearts will be exposed.
Lives will shatter.
The world will change.
What no one ever guessed will happen.
– a wisewoman of Alamir
The Valley of Decision
by Shannon McDermott
Praise & Endorsements
A solid fantasy that wears its spirituality lightly yet effectively. — Kirkus Reviews (see the review in its entirety at kirkusreviews.com)
The Valley of Decision transports its readers into a fantasy world as rich and authentic as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The novel is high fantasy with a neo-medieval setting. McDermott’s characters and storytelling are not only credible, they are totally enthralling, imaginative, and original. She has created a trio of men—Keiran, Caél, and Jarmith—who cannot possibly be any more different from the other, but they forge an alliance of friendship and championship that is then capable of delivering a host of people and other creatures from the oppressive grip of the evil Belenus. Through their struggle and battle for liberty comes the revelation that we all have to choose which master to serve. It will either be the one that steals, kills, and destroys; or else the Eternal One, who is good, restores, and can set us free. – Dr. Brenda Ayres, Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Writing, Liberty University.
This is a very intriguing and enjoyable Christian high fantasy leaning toward the heroic. – David Bergsland, full review at Reality Calling
This is a tale of strong male friendships that are not girlified. This is a story of a people’s struggle for freedom and survival. This is a story of personal redemption. Valley of Decision is a light allegory of our own lives and struggles. Sarah Holman, full review at Homeschooled Authors
The characters were definitely my favorite part of the book. I really enjoyed coming to understand the complexities of the three main characters, who interestingly are all male. I also really enjoyed the unfolding mystery of who the Fay are and why they are a part of this world. Tina Chen, full review at Mommynificent
Journeying Through The Valley of Decision
