Reviews

"No author has captured my reluctant boy reader who thrives on adventure like Alan W. Harris has."

"Out of 5 stars Larkin’s Journal was a 10 star book! Dr. Alan Harris is a master when it comes to storytelling."

"With characters reminiscent of Hobbits, sporting ready and witty tongues to match any Narnian Dwarf, the Larkin fight the Renegades in battles that rival the Lord of the Rings. In the style of Redwall and The Wingfeather Saga, this series by Alan W. Harris will delight lovers of Tolkien and Lewis alike. If you love The Green Ember or The Growly Books, you need to read Hawthorn’s Discovery."

“From the very first page, I was swept up in the adventures from The Tales of Larkin. I’ve long been on the lookout for an exciting – and yet character-building – book for our younger children to read and such books are not easy to come by these days! Just to be sure, however, I handed it over to our 12-year-old son and then watched him devour the story even more rapidly than me. This one is an absolute winner for parents and children alike!”

"Thank you for creating a world my kids can enter and learn about the heart of Jesus. You have a fan base in Georgia!"

The The Tales of Larkin perfect for the whole family to read aloud. The Larkin world consists of foraging, fighting, building, and hunting. Action-packed, full of comedy, and very exciting, a budding warrior or bandit will thoroughly enjoy this series.

"Locusts in a field of corn have nothing on our boys reading The Tales of Larkin. Devour – it’s the best word to describe their response to author Alan Harris’ new book. Hawthorn’s Discovery is a story packed with adventure, courage, honor, friendship, treachery, danger, great loss, and intrigue . . . and just about everything a great story has to have. But, beyond the great storytelling, it’s a story about The Story of redemption, woven artfully into the history of the tiny race of hearty people called Larkin."

“To keep the attention of my two boys, a story must be full of adventure, easy to understand, and move quickly. To meet my highest mark of approval, it must be packed with meaning, make them think, and point them to Christ. The Tales of Larkin do all of these things and more! Hawthorn and his crew have made a permanent mark on our hearts and honestly, feel like family. A recommendation can’t get any better than that. The whole McGlothlin family gives it a big thumbs up!”

“I love it when an author can combine adventure, imagination, fantasy, and real-world truth. Alan Harris has done just that with his romping The Tales of Larkin series. With brilliant story weaving, these books will delight both children and adults at the same time. In fact, both my husband and my daughter are eagerly awaiting the second book! They are perfect for the family bookshelf…read-aloud classic for years to come.”

“My son got lost in The Tales of Larkin and barely came up for air. Engaging, heartening, and packed full of adventure and heroism, it inspired my young reader to live for a higher purpose. The book was an instant hit in our home. Thank you, Alan Harris, for this delightful story!”

"This is no run of the mill novel, but rather it is a story like no other that could quite easily jog right in there alongside of such greats as C.S. Lewis or even Tolkien. In fact, I would say it is the best of Lewis and Tolkien, woven together into one novel to which Harris has added fresh new vigor and the sweet sweet truth of the Savior's love for us all!

"It's original, a breath of fresh air, and will keep your children's attention from start to finish!"

“Every chapter of Hawthorn’s Discovery captivated my kids with high adventure and humor while the parallels between this tiny world and ours left them chattering long into the night. It is a gift to find a book that elevates my child’s understanding of spiritual things. ‘Mom! Listen to this!’ they exclaimed every time Larkin’s tale illuminated another portion of our own Story. Nothing makes this mama happier than a book series I can wholeheartedly entrust to my children.”

I really loved The Maker's Medicine Girl! I think every girl who likes Laura Ingalls Wilder should read it. Mr. Harris melds frontier style writing with the fluent way he wrote The Tales of Larkin. I loved The Maker's Medicine Girl! This book is EPIC!!!

The first book in The Flintlock Saga series, The Young Frontiersman, is a captivating story filled with loads of action, adventure, and just enough danger to keep you on the edge of your seat! I am reading this aloud to our four kids ages 4-15 and they ALL beg for “one more chapter!” Set in Kentucky in the 1700s, this story touches on the trials and triumphs of settlers as they move Westward to settle new land. What we love most about this story, is how with every trial/triumph, some characters are mindful to seek the Lord’s help/give Him all the glory, encouraging those around them to draw nearer to the Lord and place their trust in Him.

It is refreshing to have a series that exemplifies the importance of godly character qualities and has deep spiritual lessons throughout. The included chapter discussion questions have been fabulous for engaging our kids in deep, meaningful discussion about the actions and qualities of different characters. The author takes this opportunity to point us back to Jesus and the godly character He maintained.

Who says being a Child of God has to be quiet and boring? Quite the contrary! Action, adventure, and danger coupled with godly character building and deep spiritual lessons... What are you waiting for?

I’m a 15-year-old who has just recently read books one and two in The Flintlock Sagas. I found them absolutely thrilling, and was encouraged to give you my opinion of your wonderful stories.

To start with, the first book, The Young Frontiersman, was a wonderful start to the series. It was filled with suspense and witty dialog, and while the battles and excitement were quite engaging, it did nothing to take away from the light of the Lord’s work in this story. It was a delight to read, and I’m sure I will reread it more times in the future. Then, The Maker’s Medicine Girl--my personal favorite. In your preface, you said that you were trying to write a book that was more appealing to girls. At first, I almost laughed--your first book had been such a treat to read for myself, and I was a girl! But The Maker’s Medicine Girl absolutely captivated my attention from start to end, drawing me into the story so vividly it astounded me. Ember, Prisha, Rebecca, Susanna, and Rayford--all the characters seemed to jump from the page from the first sentence, making it a very interesting experience.

What surprised me most about this story was your portrayal of the Lord, speaking to Ember directly through His spirit and presence. It was done so seamlessly that, far from distracting from the story, it added to the suspense and almost magical effect in the scenes. Whether or not you make another book in the series is up to you--the open ending of The Maker’s Medicine Girl was wonderfully done, so I don’t think it’s entirely necessary if you don’t feel led to. But I would be among the first to read the third in the series if it was written!

God’s hand was very visible in these books, both in the story and in the author’s writing, and I hope that others were as touched by its captivating adventures as I was. Thank you for taking the time to write the series, and I hope God works wonders in your life!