Before I dive into the spiritual elements found in Dragons of the Valley, I want to revisit what I mean by that. There is a lot of debate out there (for writers and authors) about how much of our faith we should put into our books. Is there too much gospel? Not enough? Should there be an altar call? Or should there just be a moral theme for our readers to take away?
After thinking about this debate (and reading what others have to say), I think I will say yes. Yes to it all. Because we need all kinds of books. We need books that lay out the gospel. We need books that show what it means to follow Christ. We need books that slowly introduce Christ to people who would never otherwise darken the doorway of a church.
We need all kinds of books that will bring the reader into a deeper understanding of God (more specifically, an accurate understanding of God; there are books out there that are not theologically sound).
So for those of us who write out there, we should write the stories God has impressed upon our hearts. For some of us (like me) there will be strong Christian elements. For others (like a friend of mine), God will not even be mentioned in the first book. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t there.
Okay, jumping off my soapbox now :).
Wulder is the name given to the personification of God in Dragons of the Valley. He created the world, is an intimate part of the lives of the races he created, and loves unconditionally. One of the spiritual themes in Dragons of the Valley is the people of Chiril had forgotten Wulder. Their ancestors failed to pass down the writings and knowledge of Wulder, which resulted in this generation knowing nothing of him. It isn’t until the artist Verrin Schope returns from Amara with the wizard Fenworth and the tumanhofer librarian Librettowit that the people of Chiril are reintroduced to Wulder.
This is an important point. Later in the book, the race of Kimens realize it only took two generations for them to completely forget Wulder. He was still there, in their songs and dances. But the moment their ancestors stopped talking about Wulder, they forgot.
We as humans can easily forget too. How many of us forget birthdays or anniversarys! I think that is why God admonishes us to teach our children about Him, to read His word, and why there is communion (In Remembrance of Him…). We do this so we do not forget Him. We pass on what we know so the next generations know what God has done for them.
I highly recommend Dragons of the Valley for anyone looking for a light Christian fantasy full of good spiritual truth 🙂
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Morgan L. Busse 
I like your conclusion about the spiritual elements of a story. My new goal is to try to evaluate a book based on what it looks like the author was trying to accomplish. Does it appear to be allegorical? Then that’s how I’ll rate it. Was it creating types that point to the true, was it employing symbolism, was the Christianity overt, was it planting a seed of some kind? It’s not the easiest way to evaluate a book, but I think it’s worth the effort.
Wonderful series of posts on Dragons of the Valley. Gald you’re back on the tour, Morgan. 😀
Becky
Also glad! 😉
I’m glad I’m back too! And its fun to have read a book I want to share with my son (can’t believe my son is that old now… lol).
BTW, have you checked out Donita’s picture books? You have other young ‘uns that might enjoy those a lot. Also the two contests connected with them. (Maybe you left a comment to my post about those — I’m off to answer, so I’ll soon know. 🙂 )
You are so spot on in your gleaning of the spiritual message. There are other spiritual themes as well. The way Verrin Schope love Lady Peg reminds me of how Christ loves us. We must spout utter nonsense to His all-knowing ear, and yet, He cherishes us.
Very true 🙂
Reading your blog about books sharing the gospel reminded me of my friend Joan who came to Christ after reading the “Left Behind” series. I am so thankful God prepares fertile ground for His message. I am currently reading the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
I love the part where Eustace tries to shed his scales on his own.
Love, mj
I always loved that scene too MJ. Even at a young age (I was somewhere between 10-12 yrs old) I understood that no matter how much we try to take away our own sin, we can’t (just like Eustace trying to get rid of his scales). Only God can 🙂
Very cool and unique review. I love the spiritual messages Mrs. Paul weaves throughout her books!
Hi I bought this book Dragon Knight @ a Christian book store with the intent of reading it to my grandchildren. I didn’t know it was a series. My question was who is Wulder? Found the answer on this page. Thanks, js
Hi Jackie 🙂 I’m glad you found your answer. This is a great series and I’m sure you’ll have fun reading it to your grandkids!