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Matt, I bought the book from you at the HEAV conference. My wife Andrea has already finished it and loved it…very hard to put down. But she wasn’t happy when it ended…SHE WANTED MORE! Maybe the book would make a good movie. Perhaps getting the family that did PenDragon to turn it into a film would work. In Christ, Chris |
Also Available |
Hi Matt, I enjoyed reading "Foundlings". Some parts were action-packed while all parts were written with details that stir up the imagination. I especially appreciated the way you tied in Biblical messages throughout the story. I think a lot of folks will like your writing style. God Bless, Russ Miller, Founder of Creation, Evolution & Science Ministries www.creationministries.org |
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5 out of 5 Stars Great book for kids and their parents. We just finished this book reading to our 8, 6, and 4 year old and they loved it. One good sign that a book is well written is that the parents enjoy reading it as well and this book meets that requirement. Good character development with real heroes that you would want your children to emulate. Scripture was interwoven throughout the story but we loved that it didn't seem forced or unnatural. So glad we found this book. Can't wait for Book 2. It left us hanging at the end! Amazon review by Christy "So many books so little time" (PA United States) |
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The story is written to appeal to all ages, and would make a great "read aloud", but it is easily read by independent readers aged 10 and up. I highly recommend it for Middle Schoolers! We loved this book and I already ordered Book Two; "Paladins" because "Foundlings" ends at a cliffhanger! We can't wait to see what happens next. Merit K. homeschool mother and blogger at Mission Possible |
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"Well done! A scripturally faithful, and yet realistically creative work. We tend to think of the men and women of old as sanctified cavemen. You brought them to life before our mind's eye. You should have seen my kids faces when I got to the last chapter and put it on hold till the next night. They couldn't believe what I was doing to them. We pray God's blessings on your work, will be happy to endorse it, and most importantly, look forward to the next book in the Peleg Chronicles." - Steve Murphy, Publisher, Homeschooling Today Magazine "In the majority of our entertainment media, whether the big screen at the theater, the flat screen in the living room, or the pages of our books, we are bombarded with a secular worldview. Even more concerning is the anti-Christian message in much of the same media. It is refreshing to be entertained by a story that has faith in God as its centerpiece. This first book of The Peleg Chronicles is undeniably Christian in its overtones. The heros are faithful to the "God of Noah" while the evil fear the pagan gods. But best of all, several characters are drawn to the hope and promises of our Creator as they deal with the internal struggles of their own human nature and observe the hope, grace and love from the followers of the one and true God. The tale entertains, uplifts and inspires readers of all ages. But most importantly, it fosters a biblical worldview and Godly character into the hearts and minds of our youth." - Jeff Purkiss, Founder, Squires2Knights Ministries "An enjoyable read, one that encourages faithfulness, loyalty, adventure and Christian values in an exciting fashion." - Phillip O'Donnell, Author of Dinosaurs Dead or Alive? |
"I have read many Christian books and I have yet to find a book that has been so eloquent in its suspense and Biblical truth. I cannot wait to read the next book!" - Kaleb, age 14 "This book was excellent! I loved how it was not only suspense-ful and full of adventure, but it was also very God-honoring with many Biblical principles such as faith, prayer, and trust in God throughout the story." - Lina, age 16 "To be perfectly honest, I've never thought that Christian literature could be filled with such adventure and excitement and still be firmly set on God. Foundlings proved me wrong! Foundlings was an excellent book. I am looking forward to the next book in the series." - Chad, age 13 "As a mother of six children with ages ranging from 19 down to 5, I enjoy having a "read- aloud" time with them. I enjoyed Foundlings just as much as the children did. Mr. Harding is a very talented author and I especially appreciate the way he wove Scripture throughout his book!" - Dawn, mother of six "The book has lots of scripture in it and it's really exciting. The story hooked me from the first page. The characters showed good morals and chivalry. I especially like McDougal for his nobleness of character and his oddities. Foundlings is high on my list of favorite books." - Meeka, age 13 "Full of articulate description, giving me the feeling that I was experiencing the drama with him. A true masterpiece!" - Kyle, age 15 "The tale combines the modern suspense novel with the language of the past to resonate with a poetic quality rarely found in contemporary fiction. Foundlings is a work all its own. I couldn't put it down." - Chelsea, age 17 |
An action packed story ... This story works great as a read-aloud to children five and over; as well as a literature book to read alone from age eleven to adult. This is a book for those who like adventure and suspense, dragons and danger, and good vs. evil. Learn For Your Life Kid Friendly Homeschool Curriculum The Peleg Chronicles Unit Study Creation Literature |
Dear Mr. Harding, On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give it (Paladins) a perfect 10 ... at least one of the top three books I have ever read. I would give the first book (Foundlings) a 9. Lots and lots of action! Super ... A wonderful, fabulous book. Thank you for writing it! Isaiah, 13 |
This book was totally AWESOME! I liked how loyal Lord McDougal is to his God, and his friends. "The Gospel" at the end of the book is great for those who are just learning about God, and those who need to |
Homedaze by Renita |
We are always in search of more reading material in our house. We seem to go through books like they are tissue paper and it is hard to find appropriate books for our kids … I was more than a little curious when I read "No Humanism, No Evolution, No Magic" after having read what the book was about. I couldn't imagine how the book was going to live up to those claims. But it did! The Peleg Chronicles: Foundlings is a great book that is full of adventure, wonderful characters, and an exciting story line. I greatly enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to handing it to my younger children to read. I know they will enjoy it as much as I did. I asked my twelve year old daughter to read this book as well. Here are her thoughts: "I found it a tiny bit confusing at first because it had flashback like moments. But, later on I couldn't put the book down. It was just that good!" She is begging for us to get the next one. If you are looking for a great read that is safe for your kids, head on over and order this book. I can't wait to read the next one! |
know more about Him. This book will be handed down in my family for generations! Rachel, age 12 |
5 out of 5 Stars If you are looking for a thrilling read, this is one adventure you will not want to miss! Set in the day right after the flood of Noah makes this book original and exciting! I have read Foundlings three times now and have yet to get tired of its much needed message and thrilling ride. It is hard to find books that are so Biblically accurate and wholesome in today's society. Any avid reader will not be disappointed! Giants, swords, mysterious inventions like wet-fire, dragons, lords, castles, and evil dragon priests all give this book incredible action and extraordinary twists! I love Harding's unique characters: McDougal for his Noble spirit and oddities, Fergus with his quiet manner and loyal nature, Theiry for his chivalrous quality and passion for God, and Oded the giant whose simple mind gives way to a master animal trainer, which gives his personality an interesting twist. This is only to name a few of Harding's intriguing characters that give his book its flavorful read. To sum it up, it was refreshing to get a hold of such a wholesome book and I am looking forward to reading Matthew Harding's second installment. Amazon review by Kaleb Haman "dukesdaddy14" (Mattaponi, VA USA) |
Harding blends a thriving feudal society complete with knights, counts, and princesses with the dragons (think dinosaurs), giants, and a cave-dwelling group of men called dwarves with the ongoing attempts of darkness to smother the light. Perhaps the fastest way I can describe it is to say that Foundlings is something akin to Lord of the Rings meets biblical fiction, with no magic, evolution, or humanism thrown into the mix. If that idea excites you - you're not alone. As a devoted Christian father, his four young children no doubt inspire Harding; wanting them to have access to noble, God-honoring literature that supports a biblical worldview, he put his own pen to the task. As I share his goals I was almost jumping up and down with excitement when I learned of this new series. I must applaud Harding's work. It's rare to find an author so dedicated to folding biblical truth within the pages of a good, clean story that honors God and promotes Godly character. Harding left us with a dramatic cliffhanger at Foundling's end, and our entire family is now eagerly awaiting a new set of adventures for Lord McDougal and his band of motley, faithful comrades. As soon as we turned the last page my daughter asked me when we can find out what happens next. Good question! |
We are a family of readers. From the youngest to oldest, we all enjoy good quality books. Books are like everything else, there are very good ones and very bad ones. And there are many in between. Therefore, you cannot be too careful when choosing books. As believers in Christ, my husband and I try to be diligent in searching out the best things to put into our minds. It is because we believe that what goes into the mind also goes into the heart. We are told in God's Word to "keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life", Proverbs 4:23. While we love reading, and I encourage my children to do it often, it needs to be more than just entertainment. I want them learning. I want them to be inspired. I want them to meet men and women in the books they read, of the highest character. I desire for my boys to be motivated to be brave and strong. I want them stirred up for greatness, not for self glory but because they are children of the King. I want my daughter to read of noble ladies of utmost disposition. I want her to be encouraged in her faith. And I always desire for our family to be pointed to God in everything we do. Sometimes it is hard finding such commendable literature. But sometimes, God just brings it to your door. That was the case with our family's newest delight, Foundlings, Book One of The Peleg Chronicles. It was written by Matthew Christian Harding. In our family, we save the best books to read together. Dana usually reads one chapter each night before bed. From the first page our family was captured. This book was an absolute pleasure. After reading to the children five chapters the first night, Dana read ahead and finished Foundlings the following day. We have already purchased the second book, Paladins, to read to the children. There are too many heroes in this book to count. But in my opinion the biggest is the author. He is committed to produce the highest quality of Christian fiction without evolution or humanism. There is no magic and no compromise. Matthew Christian Harding is dedicated to the Word of God and has even enclosing the Gospel at the end of his book. More than an entertainer, Harding is a servant of the God of Noah and has been given a great ministry. |
I must admit, I was less than excited to receive this book for review. I tend to read more for information and learning, than for entertainment. I do, however, have children who LOVE to read for entertainment. So, after a quick perusing of the book, I turned it over to my 15 year old son, Thomas. He LOVED this book! I asked Thomas to write a short review for me on this book. Here is Thomas' review- "I've read many other fantasy books, but being a Christian, I don't hold with all the magic and wizardry found in them. Foundlings provides a very much needed message that God is in control. It's refreshing to have a hero that fights for God's honor. I fear there's not enough of that in today's literature." I knew he was enjoying it when he asked me to please get the second book in the series, when he was only half-way through with The Foundlings! I've since overheard many conversations between Thomas and his sisters telling them how much he enjoyed reading this book and how they should do the same. I'd say that's a pretty hearty recommendation! |
We were so excited when we saw this book. We have a lot of books that interest our daughters. But not many that our son enjoys reading. When he first saw this book he wanted to instantly dive in. His birthday is coming and we will be getting book 2 for him. YEAH!! Finally he enjoys reading!! Thank you SO much Matthew Christian Harding! Like I said before, we loved this book. It's very difficult to find books that hold the interest of my son that we approve of. Of course he loved all the characters, action and adventure. This book has opened up a whole new world for our son. |
Foundlings is a fantastic read-a-loud for the family! The characters all have to deal with situations where they have to put their trust and faith in God in one way or another…and they see His power and mercy revealed, as will you! "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1. But in this story, you will see how the Lord works. I highly suggest this book to all Christian families, especially ones that love adventures. |
Author Matthew Christian Harding has penned a book that will keep you and your children wanting more! The best aspect of this book is the creationist view of history and the accordance of the Word of God that is lacking in many books available to our children. It is a tale interweaving Christian history and imagination that is refreshing and the best christian literature for children that I have found to date! |
By Mom of three girls at Simple Southern Pleasures |
One thing I've learned with having 3 children is that you can't be too careful about what they put into their minds. I've always told them that what goes in through their minds ends up in their hearts … The Peleg Chronicles is a book I proudly read in our home and let my girls read on their own. It's so refreshing to find good literature in today's world that not only is exciting, but glorifies our Lord. I highly recommend Peleg Chronicles and hope you enjoy it as much as we have. |
"My son read the whole book in less than one day. He could not put it down." |
When I was younger, I enjoyed reading fantasy fiction. However, God began to convict me about the magic and humanism that pervaded the books, and I chose to discontinue reading fantasy books. Though Mr. Harding rejects the fantasy classification for his books, it was wonderful to read a book set in an earlier time (with kings, dragons, giants and dwarves) that was not only SAFE to read … but more importantly glorified the Lord. I feel confident in recommending this book to my children and others looking for Christian alternatives to fantasy fiction. April E., mother and blogger at ELCLOUD HOMESCHOOL |
One or two of our children wanted to read this as soon as it came but we asked them not to. I wanted to use it as a read-aloud. We often do this with books that we feel may have ideas or doctrines that we do not agree with so that we may take the opportunity to discuss them with our children. My plan was to read this book over several weeks during lunch time. This plan did not work very well. Within the very first three chapters we were hooked. This book was read over a period of barely more than a week as it was read at breakfast, lunch and anytime that the kids were finished with their chores with minutes to spare. This book actually seems designed for reading aloud especially in that the chapters are not overly long. You can take this book in small bites or read more chapters at a sitting if you have the time. Additionally the author has mastered the art of keeping you hanging at the end of a chapter, which worked well for us to urge our children to be timely in their chores because they all wanted to know "what happened to...", the most intense time of desire to get back to the book coming as we put the book away after one of the characters ascends a stone wall only to pull himself over a ledge and finds himself at the end of a drawn sword. I was followed around by the boys and Emma (12 yrs old) alike asking "what happened...who held the sword...what did he do....?" until I finally was worn down and promised an additional reading for the day! This book captivated our imaginations. It prompted us to revisit our ideas and assumptions of what the world was like in a shadowy time of history. It inspired to do all to the glory of God as we followed the characters through their days relying on God to bring them through. We do not fight dragons, here on Swede Farm, nor giants--but we do have to work with oft-times difficult animals and that doesn't even include siblings! This book was a good reminder of how we can gain confidence and strength and comfort by relying on God and turning to his word. There is Scripture through and through this book as the characters make the words of The Book their own. In the spirit of Tolkien, there is also enough swashbuckling to keep even young boys in their seats for the reading--as well as intrigue which serves to keep olders engaged. The book prompted discussions about the nature of dragons and giants and witches. |
Matthew Christian Harding has a natural ability to draw you into his story. At times I really felt part of the adventure- almost as if I were holding my breath to see what would happen next. Denise Allen, Light, Liberty, & Learning |
"I read Foundlings in one sitting. (Till 4:30am) just so I could find out what happened next. I was lost in the world of Peleg until the end of the book, and I want to go back. You will find that only Tolkien rivals Foundlings. I recommend that you enter the world of Peleg, and be immersed in adventure and you will not want to put it down. When you have to you will be craving the next installment of the Peleg Chronicles." - a son of the Quinnschillings |
What I found most interesting about this story is how effectively and realistically the author wove scripture into the story, even in a time when printing presses did not exist, so all knowlege of scripture was from hearing and memorizing it. You have to consider, also, that not all scripture we have today would have been available to the people of this novel. Yet, the book is rich in wisdom and full of God's Word in a way that brings it to life, through the actions and speech of the characters. It is humbling that these characters who own so little in material goods, have so rich a knowlege and love of God's Wod. Your children may just be inspired to learn more scripture and insert it into their battles against foes both imaginary and real ... Of course, I enjoyed the daring escapes and rescues, but I will not say involving whom because I don't want to give the plot away. It is very suspenseful (once you pass the first few chapters) and you will breeze right through the book. You will probably stay up past your bedtime just to finish it (I did). |
Book One |
Blessings Pour Out by Heather |
Book Two |
When I found out that I'd be reviewing a book for Zoe and Sozo Publishing, I have to admit I was less than thrilled. I hate to admit that when it comes to reading for pleasure, I tend to stick to blogs and homeschool-how-to books but when the book arrived and I read the cover and introduction, I knew it would be something my 17-year old son would love. So I did what every great homeschooling mom would do, I passed my work off on my son who was all too eager to thumb through the pages. What happened next surprised me, he disappeared for a couple hours, finally reappearing from his room exclaiming that I MUST read this book! In fact, not only should I read it, it should also be chosen as our next family read aloud AND it should be turned into a movie because it would be great on the big screen! |
Book Three |
Live The Adventure by Tonya Prater |
$11.95 each |
"McDougal is the greatest fighter on planet earth!" - Nathan, 13 |
The third book in your Peleg Chronicles arrived yesterday and I picked it up with no knowledge of the dangerous or malicious content contained within. However I would soon learn. Your book was impossible to put down from the very first, distracted me as I tried to proceed through my daily tasks and deprived me of many hours of sleep, keeping me up late into the night. No sooner did I pick it up this morning then I was once more glued to the page and barely succeeded to finish it before church began. In short I accuse you of crafting a novel so gripping and interesting it is a danger to all who read it who might experience loss of sleep and or time from the gripping contents contained within. I now ask you how do you defend yourself? Basically you have out done yourself! I hardly thought you would be able to beat the level of interest of Paladins or the level of intensity in Foundlings yet you were able to combine both elements with such skill that I truthfully enjoyed Loresmen much more than the other two. I don't know if I set any records but I read it in under 19hrs. (From 2:00 on Sat. to 9:00 Sun.) It was totally awesome. Thank you so much. It was an epic tale. I'm only sad it comes to an end. Thank you so much for a wonderful novel! God bless you!" |
"I picked up both of your books at the NCHE conference two weeks ago. I just wanted to send an email and let you know that the books are a hit! Even my 17 year old is devouring them! He's already read them twice each, and plans to read them even more. Thanks so much for well-written books that are interesting and mindful of the values we like to uphold. May God bless you in your work." - Heather, Promised Land Ministries |
Nathan, age 15 |
"Great book! I would like the book to be about 500 pages; no 600 pages. The doctrines and examples are powerful. Can you do a new series about the Giants? Maybe a short story? How about Fergus' training from a youth? Thiery's memorization days with Oded? Back story, side story, or continuing story! Maybe even a short play by Gettlefinger? Your stories are a delight to my family. Your messages strengthen our faith. Your doctrines strengthen our resolve to live by God's word alone. Sola Scriptura. May God be praised!" - Peter Rowell, father of six |