Tobias had never been in the throne room before. He had often visited the castle during festivals or speeches, but had always remained in the outer courtyard. And now he had requested an audience with King Melchizedek, on the premise that… He decided not to think about it. The whole idea was too ridiculuous.
So begins Peter van Kampen’s allegorical fantasy novel, The Battle for Moriah. I was hooked from those opening lines, as Tobias ventures into the castle on a crazy quest. Yet that is just the beginning of his adventures, for little does he know that the ancient enemies of the kingdom are stirring and preparing for war. Tobias’ quest that day puts him in the middle of the battle, fighting for his life, his home, and the woman he loves.
One of my favourite parts of this novel was the names. Every person, dragon and creature in The Battle for Moriah has a name taken from the Bible, which gives clues about their character and their role in the story. I had a lot of fun figuring out the names and guessing what each character would do, but even so, I was often surprised by the twists of the story—like Sarah riding out at the head of the army during one battle.
Peter van Kampen is a youth minister and Catholic speaker. He has a degree in Philosophy and Theology and blogs about Faith and Reason. He and his wife have four children and make their home in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. The Battle for Moriah is his debut novel; he is currently working on his second book. Peter is actually a good friend of my husband and was instrumental in my husband’s conversion to the Catholic Church.
I bought this book and am reviewing it just because I like reviewing books; all opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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