{"id":2343778,"date":"2024-09-20T08:07:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T12:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-christian-fantasy-series-thats-sure-to-delight-all-ages\/"},"modified":"2024-09-20T08:10:29","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T12:10:29","slug":"a-christian-fantasy-series-thats-sure-to-delight-all-ages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-christian-fantasy-series-thats-sure-to-delight-all-ages\/","title":{"rendered":"A Christian Fantasy Series That&#8217;s Sure To Delight All Ages"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fa-christian-fantasy-series-thats-sure-to-delight-all-ages%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2343778&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In \u200b&#8221;Jack Zulu and the Girl with Golden\u200b Wings,&#8221; the second book in S.D. Smith&#8217;s\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/warner-bros-announces-plans-for-lord-of-the-rings-prequel\/\" title=\"Warner Bros. Announces Plans For Lord Of The Rings Prequel\">fantasy series<\/a>, the protagonist Jack Zulu grapples with his identity while embarking on a quest \u2063to protect and lead against\u2063 the tyrant Rancast. Rancast,\u2064 a \u200dpowerful supervillain, aims to assert complete control and tests\u2062 Jack&#8217;s strength in a world fraught with war and conflict. Two years after the events of the first book, Jack, now recognized as\u200b a hero in the Wayland\u2014an intermediary realm\u2014struggles\u200b with self-doubt and the\u200c burden of his choices, especially after the\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/turkey-arrests-suspect-in-haiti-president-assassination\/\" title=\"Turkey Arrests Suspect in Haiti President Assassination\">mysterious death<\/a> of his father.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/timothy-nash-freedom-demands-we-support-the-brave-people-of-ukraine\/\" title=\"Timothy Nash: Freedom Demands We Support the Brave People of Ukraine\">story unfolds<\/a> as Jack, along with his friend Michelle, who embodies \u200chope\u200d and resilience, travels through \u2064Thandalia, a land disruptive by tyranny. Their mission is\u2063 to unite the\u200c oppressed inhabitants and \u2064rally support against Rancast&#8217;s darkness. As they proceed, Jack faces moral dilemmas, temptations, and a need to define his loyalties amid internal conflicts. Themes of forgiveness, redemption, \u200band the\u200c confrontation of\u2064 evil are explored, providing Christian\u200c youth with \u200brelatable \u200dmoral lessons woven into an action-packed narrative.\u200d Notably, the book emphasizes finding purpose beyond one&#8217;s struggles and the\u2062 importance of community \u200bin the fight against\u200c darkness.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>&ldquo;A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/are-covid-case-surges-more-fake-news\/\" title=\"Are COVID Case Surges More Fake News?\">man&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s what God made you to be, son. So be that, and while you&rsquo;re at it, you might as well go ahead and be the best one you can be.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>So embarks Jack Zulu on his latest quest to protect, defend and lead amidst warring worlds and against an egomaniacal supervillain intent on converting Jack to his dark and complete tyranny, testing Jack&rsquo;s physical, psychological, and spiritual strength in withstanding the promise of shared power.<\/p>\n<p>The second book in the Jack Zulu series, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Jack-Zulu-Girl-Golden-Wings\/dp\/1951305744\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jack Zulu and the Girl with Golden Wings<\/a><\/em>, is a compelling, action-packed fantasy, wherein strong, Christian characters fight to overpower evil and destructive forces intent on overtaking the worlds.<\/p>\n<p>Crafted by seasoned storyteller, author S.D. Smith of the bestselling <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Green-Ember-Book-ebook\/dp\/B00QZ6BYNA\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MVIUQ6TTVKV8&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.h2Sz7l0FCV1dSg1Mej8HmtQdsKtw1iAj_MRr1uIlfnXcjEhid_4W5y5zL3TZYQtdcA6Q4EHKLwvcKss3E0vZnjX4gypxztdRDFktSumceAkubmseZIdELWecyQw_RdHdAW9VQ8L1fSe4F4lUnZrsMh4Hwu7o4Ln-d0DGzUEmWApUc98sAaAAGoJl-TFRDtynx22rJ27a5IWOykajVenVeBeR6KINBzd98BeWjPqx-q0.1DQ0ixbdYkonvQSXpOyy4cHBLEkBTP1ZyDzMDGLsDCM&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Green+Ember&amp;qid=1726769464&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=green+ember+%2Cstripbooks%2C84&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Green Ember series<\/a><\/em>, and his son J.C. Smith, the <em>Girl with Golden Wings<\/em> picks up two years after the first book in the series, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Jack-Zulu-Waylanders-Key-Smith-ebook\/dp\/B0CMKF8SYW\/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8UHB0YBAStKG7ss9PsjPhvGaOJGvkrxciVmChVjKpBs.mmBCRrNBd-tYw1MRipaMlY6TwaIqDPAWIcDA2nVVOtY&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Jack+Zulu+and+the+Waylander%E2%80%99s+Key&amp;qid=1726769434&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/10\/07\/how-a-father-and-son-came-together-to-tell-stories-about-virtue-and-hope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jack Zulu and the Waylander&rsquo;s Key<\/a><\/em>, ends.<\/p>\n<p>While Jack has officially earned hero status in the Wayland, the world between worlds that connects his small hometown of Myrtle, West Virginia to lands undiscovered by many earth-walkers, he is still riddled with self-doubt and despondency over his internal struggles with pride and power.<\/p>\n<p>Jack&rsquo;s struggle is amplified by greater self-discovery. He learns that his choices directly impact the future and destiny of the worlds, and he must carve out his own path to fulfill an unforeseen purpose, without the guidance and strong hand of his father, whose death remains shrouded in mystery.<\/p>\n<p>Jack joins an entourage traveling through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/live-action-avatar-the-last-airbender-trailer-has-fans-hopeful-itll-live-up-to-the-original\/\" title=\"Fans hopeful for live-action &#039;Avatar: The Last Airbender&#039; trailer to match the original\">war-torn world<\/a> of Thandalia, where legends of miraculous healing and tremendous valor are overshadowed by the destruction and tyranny proliferated by Rancast, a human who has acquired god-like powers and destroys everything that stands in the way of his quest for total and absolute rule. The success of the journey is paramount to the leaders of the alliance upholding the worlds&rsquo; freedom.<\/p>\n<p>The party moves cautiously through foreign canyons and valleys immersed in otherworldly hues under the ultra-bright light of the Thandalian sun, their mission is to rally Thandalia&rsquo;s holdouts and its remaining inhabitants by parading the Thandalian princess, Jack&rsquo;s longtime friend Michelle, through the towns to where the military has just won a major victory. There, the girl with golden wings will be presented to her ancestral people as an emblem of hope and light against the dark forces beleaguering the people and their homeland.<\/p>\n<p>But the journey is marred by treachery; wolves hide in sheep&rsquo;s clothing and Jack must determine where his loyalty truly lies as temptations to turn inward multiply, confusing his sense of purpose.<\/p>\n<p>Christian youth will find a plethora of familiar themes in the second <em>Zulu <\/em>book, from the admonishment of infant death, about which a character tells Jack, &ldquo;evil gods have always demanded the blood of children. Sometimes it&rsquo;s for crops, other times for a better career or an easier life, but it&rsquo;s always blood and it&rsquo;s always kids. We do it in our world, too. We just call it by another name,&rdquo; to the redemption and mercy offered to each person who chooses the side of good.<\/p>\n<p>Jack&rsquo;s primary mentor, a good and wise sage who holds high status in the Wayland, encourages his apprentice to lean into his Christian beliefs. &ldquo;We are all of us guilty,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;but the enemy wants that to be the end of the story. It is not. The story is not over. Forgiveness is ours and a chance to start again. Again and again. We must turn not to the Accuser but to the Advocate. There-<em>there<\/em>-my good friend, will we find the way of life.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The heroes&rsquo; arduous trial through a sacred wood, only complete through ritual and sacrificial offerings, serves as a purifying spiritual test of Jack&rsquo;s character before his final trial, furthering the story&rsquo;s Christian underpinnings.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, it is Jack and Jack alone who must decide how to defeat and overcome the turmoil within, and the villainy that surrounds him and threatens the girl with golden wings. In conclusion, the Smiths curate a cliffhanger ending that promises more books to come.<\/p>\n<p>A story desperately needed in young adult fiction, and increasingly absent from the mainstream, <em>Girl with Golden Wings <\/em>celebrates sacrifice, morality, and the refusal to submit to the oppressive will of the enemy; characters seek heroism by submitting to Christian tenets, relying on mercy, grace, and forgiveness to attain altruistic ideals.<\/p>\n<p>The Smiths draw on elements of high fantasy and complex histories in the tradition of Lewis and Tolkien, appealing to multiple generations of readers, building the series on foundational, objective truths that counteract the increasingly subjective cultural &ldquo;moralism&rdquo; defining modern youth entertainment. Well worth the read and a highly anticipated continuing series.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Ashley Bateman is a policy writer for The Heartland Institute and blogger for Ascension Press. Her work has been featured in The Washington Times, The Daily Caller, The New York Post, The American Thinker and numerous other publications. She previously worked as an adjunct scholar for The Lexington Institute and as editor, writer and photographer for The Warner Weekly, a publication for the American military community in Bamberg, Germany.     Ashley is a board member at a Catholic homeschool cooperative in Virginia. She homeschools her four incredible children along with her brilliant engineer\/scientist husband.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A man is defined by what God created him to be, son. Embrace that, and strive to be the best version of yourself.&#8221; With this wisdom, Jack Zulu sets off on a new adventure to safeguard, defend, and guide others in a world torn by conflict and against a power-hungry supervillain determined to lure Jack into his dark regime. This journey will test Jack&#8217;s physical, mental, and spiritual resilience as he faces the temptation of shared authority.<\/p>\n<p>The second installment in the Jack Zulu series, titled *Jack Zulu and the Girl with Golden Wings*, is an engaging fantasy filled with action. It features strong Christian characters battling against evil forces that threaten their worlds. Written by experienced storyteller S.D. Smith\u2014known for the bestselling *Green Ember* series\u2014and his son J.C. Smith, this sequel takes place two years after *Jack Zulu and the Waylander\u2019s Key*.<\/p>\n<p>Although Jack has gained hero status in Wayland\u2014the realm connecting his small hometown of Myrtle, West Virginia to uncharted territories\u2014he grapples with self-doubt stemming from internal conflicts regarding pride and power. His journey toward self-discovery reveals that his decisions significantly influence the future of these worlds; he must forge his own path without relying on his father\u2019s guidance\u2014a figure whose mysterious death looms over him.<\/p>\n<p>As Jack travels through Thandalia\u2014a war-ravaged land where tales of miraculous healing are overshadowed by destruction wrought by Rancast, a human wielding god-like powers\u2014he joins an entourage tasked with rallying support among Thandalia&#8217;s remaining inhabitants. Their mission involves parading Michelle\u2014the Thandalian princess and one of Jack&#8217;s closest friends\u2014through towns recently liberated by military victories as a symbol of hope against encroaching darkness.<\/p>\n<p>However, treachery lurks along their path; disguised threats challenge Jack\u2019s loyalties while temptations arise that cloud his sense of purpose. Young Christian readers will recognize familiar themes throughout this second book\u2014from reflections on infant sacrifice echoed in dialogue about how &#8220;evil gods have always demanded blood&#8221; to messages about redemption available for those who choose goodness.<\/p>\n<p>Jack&#8217;s primary mentor\u2014a wise sage respected within Wayland\u2014urges him to embrace his Christian faith: &#8220;We are all guilty,&#8221; he explains; &#8220;the enemy wants us to believe that&#8217;s where our story ends\u2014but it isn&#8217;t! Forgiveness allows us endless chances for renewal.&#8221; The heroes&#8217; challenging passage through sacred woods serves as both a spiritual trial for Jack\u2019s character before facing ultimate challenges ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, it falls upon Jack alone to confront both inner turmoil and external villainy threatening Michelle\u2014the girl with golden wings\u2014as they navigate their perilous journey together towards resolution. The Smiths conclude this chapter with an enticing cliffhanger hinting at more adventures ahead.<\/p>\n<p>This narrative fills a crucial gap in young adult literature often lacking moral depth while celebrating themes like sacrifice and integrity amidst adversity; characters pursue heroism grounded in Christian values such as mercy and forgiveness rather than succumbing under oppressive forces around them. Drawing inspiration from high fantasy traditions reminiscent of Lewis or Tolkien appeals across generations while reinforcing foundational truths counteracting today\u2019s subjective cultural narratives prevalent within youth entertainment realms\u2014a compelling read eagerly awaited as part two unfolds further! <\/p>\n<p>Ashley Bateman is a policy writer at The Heartland Institute who also blogs for Ascension Press; her work has appeared widely including outlets like The Washington Times or The New York Post among others\u2014all while actively participating within her local Catholic homeschool community alongside her husband raising four remarkable children together!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":638,"featured_media":2343779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Book-Cover-Featured-Image-15.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[21719,41309,41308,27722,41310],"class_list":["post-2343778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-age-appropriate","tag-book-series","tag-christian-fantasy","tag-family-friendly","tag-fantasy-adventure"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Book-Cover-Featured-Image-15.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2343778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2343778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2343779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2343778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2343778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2343778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}