I Finally Found "The Lost Kingdom" & Am About To Take "A Step of Faith!"

While waiting on a bench outside the mall for my best girlfriend (who never did show! Hi, Bethany!), I managed to finish off "The Lost Kingdom," a sci-fi fairy tale written by Nikki Bennett, the wife of a good friend of mine (Hi, Steve!). In the book, four children-Alistair, Maggie, Joe, & Clarence-are whisked from a bookshop to a magical fairytale land, where it is revealed that 5 strangers (Al, the bookshop owner would show up eventually) would fulfill the prophecy and right the kingdom that was wronged centuries ago when their princess vanished. It turns out that Maggie (or "Mags") is the missing princess who disappeared into the mountains! At least, that's what they were told by Sir Gunnywald when he met up with the 4 children after they were transported to the kingdom by the rat who inhabited the bookshop. It is revealed that the rat--whom the children dubbed "Mickey"--was really a dragon. His true name is never revealed, however. Most impressive is the fact that Mickey can produce many fires--a "soothing fire" to clear the mind and a "quick-grilling, nicely smoky fire that perfectly cooks any meat" being two of the main ones. I can honestly say I didn't find anything I didn't like about this book. Most, if not all, of the characters were likeable, even the so-called "evil wizard" who supposedly lured the princess into the mountains in the first place. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more books from the "Firedrake Guild" series. In the meantime, I can't wait to take "A Step Of Faith" with Richard Paul Evans, my favorite author! Incidentally, this book is also part of a series. It is the fourth book in Evans' "The Walk" series. (Book #1: The Walk, Book #2: Miles To Go, Book #3: The Road To Grace) Alan Christoffersen lost his heart when his wife was killed in an accident almost one year ago. He lost his trust when his business partner stole his advertising business. He lost his home when the bank took his house. So Alan decided to leave his painful memories behind and walk from Seattle to the farthest point on his map, Key West, but in St. Louis, he is forced to stop Because his severe vertigo is diagnosed as the side effect of a brain tumor, Alan must go to Los Angeles for treatment. He is surrounded by those who care most for him: his father, who is happy to have Alan back in his childhood home; Falene, who has been by his side through his most difficult times; and Nicole, who helped him recover from a mugging in Spokane. One by one, Alan alienates them all, and he resumes his journey in angry loneliness. The people he meets as he walks the dusty southern back roads have lessons to teach Alan about accepting love. He just has to have faith that life can be worth living again--and that the woman he rejected will be willing to forgive him. I suspect that I am going to have to read this book with a box of Kleenex within arm's reach! This isn't the first book by Evans that I have read, and it won't be the last!