The Restorer

Sharon Hinck continually surprised me. The story line did not follow the predictable at any turn. Pick this one up and give it a try. See if you aren't flabbergasted a time or two.

Hinck breaks fresh ground in faith-based fantasy, seamlessly incorporating an ordinary woman-next-door into an extraordinary world where she must perform supernatural deeds in order to save a people she's never met. There are no royal bloodlines involved, no thrones to win, and no quest for a talisman. With only an unlikely set of allies and a hodge-podge of archaic and technological resources to aide her, the heroine must truly trust the One to have any hope of victory against overwhelming odds. Hinck's world-building is superb as we meet ethereal Singers and mind-bending Rhusicans, among an array of imaginative new people groups. Highly recommended for any reader who loves a good adventure tale, regardless if fantasy is their genre of choice. There is plenty here for any fiction-lover to relate to, as the storyline inspires the reader to see how an extroardinary God can work wonders through an ordinary person. In our everyday lives, we often encounter situations that place us into "another world," so to speak. Hinck's tale ministers comfort and encouragement to anyone moving into an unfamiliar and challenging place in their life.

The Restorer takes us into the life of frustrated soccer mom, Susan Mitchell. Her life has become a series of hum-drum events and she longs to serve the Lord in a mighty way. Susan inadvertently stumbles into an alternate universe and a string of adventures like none she has ever dreamt of. The country she finds herself in is in the midst of a turbulent struggle for its own survival. Susan must find a way to survive this foreign world and find a way back home. Befriended by strangers whom she fears, but is forced to trust, Susan leans on the Lord for strength. But, is God present in this strange place? Sharon Hinck, the author of the mom-lit Becky Miller books enters a new genre with The Restorer, the first book in The Sword of Lyric series. Hinck blends her traditional mom-lit with fantasy and the end product is a unique blend of genres that is refreshing. Readers will find that The Restorer appeals to a wide range of reading tastes. One of the most enjoyable elements of fantasy is that you never know what to expect. The Restorer is no different. The story holds you on the edge of your seat and a number of twists keep you reading. Review by: Jill Hart, CWAHM.com

It's been a long time since I inhaled a book, though of late there have been a couple I've gulped down pretty quickly. One such was Hinck's Renovating Becky Miller. Fans of the Becky Miller books will also love The Sword of Lyric books. But so will fantasy lovers. This first in the series is a story about Susan, a soccer mom turned Restorer. The characters are wonderfully accessible and engaging. They feel like they could be the neighbors next door or the couple in your Bible study. Maybe she teaches your daughter's Sunday school class. Maybe he is a regular on church work days. Or maybe they are you. On the other hand, the world in which Susan finds herself is a brand new place. It is NOT Middle Earth or another Narnia. It is a place with a surprising mix of technology and primitive devices, and we see it through the eyes of soccer-mom Susan, so we understand it the way she does. The novel is a story for Christians, without a doubt, but Hinck communicates the faith elements in a unique way. She does not use symbolism, and she does not put Christianity in the fantasy world ... not exactly, anyway. The parallel place has people of the Verses and they worship the One, creator of the world. They are looking for a Deliverer. Susan is a Christian and recites Scripture, but she doesn't try to bring Christ to these people. She simply concludes that in her world the Deliverer has already come whereas these people are still waiting for Him. It is as if she is with a group of Old Testament Israelites (though the world bears no resemblance to that of the Promised Land). The bond she feels with these people is in large part because they both believe in the One who has sent/will send the Deliverer and has made Himself known through Scripture/the Verses. The worlds may be parallel. God is the same. Very powerful! The story is outstanding, too--full of tension, conflict, intrigue, suspense, surprises, danger, sadness, triumph, hope, fear ... I can't begin to capture it all and certainly do not want to spoil the story by telling you specifics. The pace is fast but every step is properly motivated and understandable. I have to qualify that statement because there is a period when Susan is adjusting to the parallel world and nothing makes sense to her. It all fits, but Hinck doesn't tip her hand and show you prematurely where everything belongs. I enthusiastically recommend The Restorer as a Must Read for fantasy lovers and for Christian women. I highly recommend it for every other reader.