A clean, Christ-centered alternative for fans of Harry Potter and Narnia
One of the first chapter book series I read out loud with my children was Harry Potter. The magic, intrigue and young hero create engaging stories of good winning over evil—but they lack a spiritual component.
And as lovers of fiction and a Christian family to boot, we also read through The Chronicles of Narnia. My kids enjoyed that as well.
Nowadays at 12 and 15, they do their own reading instead of us reading books aloud together. Finding an engaging Christian book series for teens is a bit like finding a unicorn.
That’s why I was incredibly excited for a chance to check out The Issachar Gatekeeper series by L.G. Nixon — an adventurous Christian fantasy series for teens. It reminds me of a mash-up between Harry Potter and Narnia.
I received free copies of “The Ghost of Darwin Stewart” and “The Ghost Writer,” two exciting Christian books for teens, in exchange for my honest review and social media coverage. All opinions are my own.
The main premise
We first meet Lucy Hornberger in the first book of the series, “The Ghost of Darwin Stewart.” Lucy is an average 13-year-old girl struggling with all things a young teen faces from friendship to chores to parent problems.
However, she also learned pretty quickly that she’s been chosen to vanquish ghosts. Her best friend, Schuyler Williams, is tasked with assisting her.
Together, they face intense spiritual battles and begin to understand the power and authority of The High King, who reigns over all that is good.
Lucy’s saga — and trials — continue in “The Ghost Writer” when she discovers a fellow student who’s been cursed.
Lucy is the perfect heroine for the series. She has faults and struggles youth readers will relate to. Even I — as a middle aged mama — found myself relating to her many times!
The recommended ages for this book is 12 to 17. That seems pretty spot on to me.
Ghosts in a Christian book
Don’t let the word “ghost” throw you off. These books aren’t about haunted houses or spooky specters.
Ghosts are often taboo in Christian circles — and understandably so in the sense of departed souls haunting others. But, that is not the take or interpretation in these books.
Nixon, a devout Christian, portrays these ghosts as manifestations of demon spirits. Early in the series, Lucy learns the ghost she sees isn’t the real Darwin Stewart but a demon taking his form.
(Read about Nixon’s viewpoint on ghosts reflected in the books here.)
How it connects to the Bible
Through The Issachar Gatekeeper series, Nixon draws inspiration from Scripture in ways that are both familiar to Christian readers and approachable for those new to the Bible. She crafts thrilling and mysterious stories without straying from Christian beliefs.
Much like in The Chronicles of Narnia, characters and situations aren’t called precisely the same as in the Bible. Yet, it also doesn’t take much thought for those familiar with God’s Word to pick out the key players.
The High King clearly represents God, while Darnathian, the main antagonist, represents Satan.
What Nixon does beautifully through her engaging fiction books is show stories and examples of the character of God and His goodness, mercy and forgiveness. The books showcase struggles of faith that everyone faces.
As an avid reader of Christian fiction myself, I love stories where the lessons are seamlessly woven in and don’t feel like a sermon. Both “The Ghost of Darwin Stewart” and “The Ghost Writer” do this very well.
Where to find these Christian books for teens
You could start with book two, “The Ghost Writer,” but I highly recommend beginning with book one to fully grasp the characters and storyline.
The series is sold at book retailers, but the best deal right now is on L.G. Nixon’s website. For $23.99 you get the two books mentioned here, the third book in the series (“The Ghost You Can’t See”) plus a bonus novella book “The Ghost in Your Christmas Present.”
Looking for more great Christina books for teens and children? Check out these as well:
“The Message Student Devotional Bible”
Family read aloud chapter books for kindergarten through 5th graders
