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Arthur Pye, aligned with the greatest force for good—Game Master Jesus—faces his toughest assignment ever: improving schoolmate Rick, a teenager completely dominated by self-protective pride. In this fourth in Allen Scovil’s The Parable of the Game Master series, young Arthur learns what it means to suffer for the sake of others as, assisted by a donkey named Daisy and other angelic spirits, he enters Richard’s profoundly dark and dangerous Land of the Heart.
Arthur is beset by poisonous thorns, biting insects and other demonic devices as he and Daisy circle around a mysterious mountain peak like Joshua at Jericho to help the unrepentant Rick. Is his effort doomed to failure? Maybe, because Rick refuses to admit his flaws, overcome his lying, and seek divine comfort. Even with Arthur’s support, Rick will face multiple challenges in the Abyss of Nil—and a crippling catastrophe Outside—to break free of his arrogance and let the Game Master come into his life.
Throughout this series, Scovil demonstrates that by following Game Master Jesus good things can happen. This story contrasts simple, straightforward Christian ideals exemplified by Arthur with the limitations of Rick’s hot temper, need for dominance, and secret, deep-seated fears. In an especially timely segment, Arthur, guided by the Game Master, befriends an autistic classmate, teaches him to play chess, and helps him overcome his dread of being bullied. Scovil writes with confidence, at home with current slang and comfortable with long passages of dialogue to spin his yarn. The story stands well alone, though the author has provided a quick summation of the earlier volumes for those new to series. Young readers will appreciate this fantasy, which provides basic food for thought about Christian values within an imaginative, teen-focused, rapidly changing storyline.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review