I hosted Nathan Keys on 10/07/19 on another blog, now defunct.
Today, I am hosting novelist, Nathan Keys who novel, The Epic of Marindel: Chosen is released today, July 9th. He relates the story behind how this novel was written and dwells heavily on God's involvement and inspiration.
I came across Nathan and his novel from his GoFundMe advert on my Facebook feed. When I read the campaign, the blurb for the novel, and the vision he had for it, I was impressed. This encouraged me to review it so I contacted him for a review copy. I am so glad I did and it was a well-constructed story, replete with biblical truth and allegory that it was awarded the Reality Calling Christian Redemptive Fiction Award.
My review can be found here that also contains his Award.
Now before we begin, here is what The Epic of Marindel: Chosen is about:
Long ago, the elven Kingdom of Marindel governed the realm of Tyrizah from its place on the back of a giant sea turtle. But when a great evil was unleashed, the Era of Peace came to a tragic end. Thousands of years passed, and Marindel was all but forgotten.
Connor, a young farmer with a wild imagination, always longed for adventure. When bizarre events cause him to realize his role in the greatest story of all, Connor embarks on a quest to defend the Great King’s daughter from a wicked sorcerer, whose darkness grows with every passing day.
Tarento, a promising Samurai warrior, is disillusioned with the grandeur of his own kingdom. But when he hears the voice of a King he cannot see, he discovers his destiny to save the people of Felidae from impending disaster.
As their journeys entwine, Connor and Tarento will travel across the realm, uncover the mysteries of Marindel, and face unimaginable odds in their fight to survive. Tension broils in the city of Cloud Summit as diabolical factions vie for control of the Kingdom of Armavir. The adventurers must make a daring rescue attempt—but at what cost?
Now I will hand you over to Nathan so he can recount how his Award-winning novel came to be.
The Epic of Marindel began with a dream.
I had given my writing gift to the Lord several years prior, telling Him that I didn’t want to write a book unless it was something that would give Him glory, and empower readers with hope and purpose. Four years later, I began to sense my imagination was gearing up for something.
One night, I had a vivid dream of a girl in an underwater world using magic to make plants grow. When I awoke, I asked the Lord what it meant. He said, “This is where I’d like you to start.” In that moment I understood that the dream was a symbol of Eden, before the fall, with mankind (the girl) exercising God-given authority (magic) to make plants grow (cultivate creation, create life, etc). Over the next few days, I spent time praying and processing how to begin. On August 1st 2014, I began writing the first chapter of The Epic of Marindel: Chosen, with only a minimal idea of where it would go. Since then, it has taken a life of its own, and has been prophesied to reach the nations. I’m honored to be used by God to use my writing gift to craft such an incredible story and share His glory with the whole world!
The purpose of The Epic of Marindel, as a complete series, is to tell the story of Jesus’ pursuit of His Bride, the Church, with emphasis on the events leading up to His second coming. The primary audience is a group referred to as “the generation of the Lord’s return,” those who will be alive to witness and experience the final days. The Epic of Marindel, while it is a riveting adventure story that many people will enjoy, is also a discreet warning letter to the Bride of Christ: “See yourself in this story, and understand the urgency of the times. The final days are coming, and they’re coming fast!”
Even in Chosen, Book I of the series, several characters describe a coming conflict, the likes of which the realm of Tyrizah has never seen. In the following excerpt, Prince Eli describes the conflict to the protagonist, Connor, and the role he will play:
“The times are changing, and tension builds between the forces of good and evil in this realm. A time is soon coming when all the kingdoms of Tyrizah will be deceived by the (Great) Serpent, and they will try to destroy Melody once and for all. Even then, out of every kingdom, a remnant will remain steadfast to resist the will of the Serpent. Against all odds, they must unite as one to defend her in her darkest hour. Only through their courageous love and sacrifice will Melody remember the love of the Great King. Only then will she call for the Great Prince of the Sea, and only then can there be everlasting peace in the realm of Tyrizah. … Connor, you are the Final Seer. It is your word, your devotion to truth, your courage, and your leadership that will rally the remnant of every kingdom to stand as one in the final days.”
The Final Conflict, as I call it, will develop and unfold over the course of the series. Characters such as Connor will undergo immense trials and challenges over the course of several years in order to be prepared for the Final Conflict. At the same time, some characters will be involved in realm politics, where the reader will see the gradual unification of the realm against Melody (who represents Israel) and all followers of the Great King.
What does that mean for us? I believe we are in a very similar time here on Earth. We as the people of God need to be aware of what’s happening around us, in tune with the Spirit at all times, so that we will not be alarmed when the real Final Conflict begins. We know how the story will end; there are hundreds of Scripture passages where Jesus, the apostle John, and others tell us what is going to happen. While I don’t intend for The Epic of Marindel to be a play-by-play strategy book for surviving the End Times (that Book has already been written), it is my hope that it will awaken the souls of Christian readers to the urgency of these matters, perhaps in ways that eschatological debates and sermons may not be able to do.
What is the response I’m hoping for? I’d encourage readers of The Epic of Marindel: Chosen and of this blog post to develop a deep friendship with God, practice obeying Him in simple things, study His plan for Israel in the Scriptures, and always keep watch, so that when trials and persecutions escalate on a global scale, we will all be united in Christ together, ready to herald the coming of the King of Kings.
Don’t wait! Start now! It will never be easier to seek after God and His purposes than it is right now. Who knows? You might be a “Connor” with a big role to play in the grand finale. And the only way to know if you’ve been chosen for such a task—and then to prepare for it—is to commune with Jesus every day. That is the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength.” Trust me, He will show you just how significant your life can be if you tune your heart to hear His voice and spend time with Him as with a friend!
The Final Conflict isn’t so intimidating once you realize how “in charge” He really is.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
Psalm 2:1-6
If you want to follow Nathan on social media and keep up to date with his writing and the continuation of The Epic of Marindel, he is found on the following media platforms:
If you would like to investigate this novel further, click on the image below:
About Nathan Keys:
Nathan keys is an award-winning epic fantasy author based in San Diego, CA. It is his dream and vocation to write empowering stories that will not only captivate readers but leave them with hope and purpose.
Nathan has been fascinated with storytelling from an early age. As a child, he invented worlds and creatures, played pretend, and told stories to anyone who would listen. He completed his first “novel,” an 85,000-word fanfiction, at age 13. He spent high school summers creating plotlines for role-playing games on a forum site, where many concepts for characters, creatures, and kingdoms in The Epic of Marindel were first developed.
The Epic of Marindel: Chosen is his first published novel. The first of many.
In addition to writing, Nathan works full-time in the biotech industry, serves as a vision lead at the San Diego Kingdom Writers Association, and is a hospitality shift lead at All Peoples Church in San Diego. During his free time he enjoys hiking, exercise, travelling and visiting coffee shops, breweries, and wineries with good friends.
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