Click on the image above to link to Amazon if you’d like to purchase the Return of the Guardian King. Unfortunately, I don’t have the review for the Shadow Within–which was my favorite of all the books–but it was really close because I love them all. I’m stepping out of the discussion focused on ROTGK and the series to post my review of Arena from several years ago, if that’s all right with you.

Also, you have until the end of today. . .oops, that’s almost here. . .5 p.m. pacific time to enter the contest. I will try to announce the winner this evening or tomorrow!

Callie Hayes agrees to be a guinea pig for science and is thrown into an alien world filled with terror and destruction looming at her from every direction. Her path of choice will decide her ultimate fate. Left to her own fears and stubborn refusal to follow instructions, she must travel the arena in search of a way out, but not alone. Many others before her have left the safe road and chosen the hard way.

Callie fights to hear the voice of truth as lies are continually thrown at her. Who does she believe? All around her are those who have chosen their own path and ended up dead, tortured, or resolved to stay in the Arena with no escape. Callie continues to make mistakes and listen to her fears as she searches for the truth, the reader cheering her on to continue and breathing a sigh of relief when she finds it, only to discover the work has just begun.

During her trek through the Arena, she develops a relationship with Pierce Andrews who is also searching for the way out. The relationship adds a dynamic dimension to the story, as the characters must make choices that will not only affect themselves, but those around them.

Karen Hancock’s first novel, she masterfully orchestrates the alien world creating an amazing Christian allegory that continually unfolds with conviction. The sheer enjoyment of unpredictability will keep readers glued to the book until the very satisfying ending. They will want to read it again!