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John Sims' tale that began as a bedtime story for his sons, has expanded into a compact, yet imaginative full-length work. Set in a time of long ago, The Fable of Endelhiam brings readers to a world of fantasy. Here the atmosphere is entwined with wizards, fire-breathing dragons, magic spells, and the ever present conflict of good vs. evil. With the help of a special transport button, young brothers Zach and Jake set out to find their parents and fellow villagers, who have been enslaved by the notorious Tylonian Wizards. While the two may argue like typical siblings, they often compromise for the sake of saving their mother and father.
When Jake suffers from the fire of a dragon's wrath, he temporarily becomes a "human kit" pet to a family of Warted Ground Diggers. Sims uses traditional conversation between humans and the creatures of this natural habitat. With minor differences in their languages, they learn to communicate. Here the Giant Lake easily translates to the Great Pond, a potato is a juice ball, and gold is references as fire rock. In the cavernous realm of this well-paced adventure quest, readers will witness natural enemies, like humans and Mud Flingers, cleverly joining forces to thwart the powers of evil.
Like the infamous melting witch in The Wizard of Oz, Sims presents tyrannical sorcerers that lose their power if they touch water. Here manufactured floods and rock slides will serve the greater good. In a nod to ancient times where measurements are made in "knees," the author seamlessly blends natural settings, character ingenuity, and the magic of incantations to emphasize the ultimate thematic bond of friendship and harmony. As with many a fable, there are valuable heroics and lessons to be learned. Sims clearly has a knack for imparting each of these elements into a classically inspired tale, in a truly creative way.