Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key is one of those stories that feel like they’re written just for me. As you might already know, middle-grade fantasy is my favorite genre. There’s just something about twelve-year-old boys and girls (or rabbits and hobbits!) going on adventures in fantastical settings while fighting terrible villains alongside loyal friends that is special to me. This story is full of those things. The only thing I wish could be a little different was the boy/girl romance stuff, but even that wasn't a huge part of the story.
In middle grade fiction, often as a young adventurer enters the story an author gives him someone to advise and guide him (he's only around twelve or thirteen after all!). The hero himself is ultimately supposed to be key to saving the day at the end, but if he is to truly succeed he usually has friends and mentors coming alongside him to help him get there. This story followed this trend.
I hadn't realized it for a while, but this is one reason I tend to enjoy children's fiction more than adult fiction.
Somehow people think that a child's story should be about doing things with help and hope, while an adult story should be about facing the hard realities of life alone with the harsh viewpoint that happy endings are a myth.
But it is my firm opinion that every story needs a Gandalf character and every story needs hope.
The fantastical, hopeful children’s story with a character with guidance, faithful friends and a happy ending is actually more of a reality (at least for the Christian) than a “realistic” story about an adult who lives in a dreary boring world and learns to face the hardships of life alone.
The quote above comes from Jack Zulu’s 'mentor', a very excellent Gandalf-like character most often referred to as Mr. Wheeler. (Spoiler alert) Rancast is the villain who tempts Jack to join him. Throughout the story Jack is desperate to leave his small town and be something great. Rancast offers this to him and more. Jack is about to give in, but his friends suspect and intervene. It is Benny, Jack's best friend, who ultimately saves the day. And in the final conflict it is only through the advice and training of Mr. Wheeler that he ultimately succeeds in overcoming.
"Rancast tells a kind of truth to amplify lies"- Mr. Wheeler
"You can exalt yourself or humble your heart. You can choose the way of life or the way of death. There are no other paths." -Mr. Wheeler
When the enemy twists the truth and calls for us to break off from what we were created for we instead should embrace God's design, dig deep and grow where He has called us and not give the enemy an opportunity to tear us up and enlist us in the ranks of his army by rebelling against His designs.
To acknowledge that God has created us for anything (or to be anywhere) is pretty big in this day and age, so I deeply appreciate how S.D. Smith and his son J.C. Smith unashamedly proclaimed it in their story. And not in a preachy, annoying way either.
Oh yes! Did I mention that a father and son co-authored this? Speaking of mentorship, S.D. Smith is one of my favorite authors and he is passing his craft on to his son. This book is the first in a series that they're doing together and I can’t wait to read the next books.
P.S. I never really thought about the role of a mentor figure in good stories till I listened to this podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4wTu9_VTNY ( Stories are Soul Food)