Realm Explorers Part XCXII: Embark on The Quest with Walter Cantrell

Welcome to Realm Explorers!  In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors.  Enjoy your travels!  And don't forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. 
Today only, the first book in the series is on sale for 99 cents!

Author’s name:

Walter Cantrell

Title of book and/or series:

Disciple’s Quest

Books currently available:
Disciple’s Quest: The Adventure Begins, Disciple’s Quest 2: The Adventures of Jeremiah and Zeal, Disciple’s Quest 3: Esther and Overcomer: Women of God

Coming 2017 and beyond:

Disciple’s Quest 4: Warriors of God, Disciple’s Quest 5: The Judgment of God, Disciple’s Quest 6: The Kingdom of God

Brief summary of the story:

The Disciple’s Quest series starts out in a similar way as Pilgrim's Progress. The main character lives in the Town of Lost and discovers that he owes a debt to an Invisible Being. This propels him to embark on a Quest, and the story unfolds from there. The journey that Disciple travels is a mirror to the challenges and hardships Christians encounter in their everyday lives. While the story starts off in a similar fashion as Pilgrims Progress, readers soon discover that they’re in a much different setting with more relatable characters and a more fleshed out world. In Book 2, two more characters are introduced who are on a parallel journey, and then two more in Book 3. By the end of Book 3 all of the characters are brought together, and they form a team that becomes the focus of Books 4-6. Once the series gets to Book 4, it becomes more like Lord of the Rings with an emphasis on the big picture battles that Christians face as a group.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

In Books 1-3, the world unfolds from the perspective of the individuals on their Quests. What we learn in these first books is there are towns and cities that function in a similar technological era of Late 1700’s America. Those on the Quest experience a realm of existence that those not on the Quest are not even aware of. For those on the Quest, they experience spiritual battles where the enemies are personified as giants, ogres, trolls, goblins, and other creatures that resemble animals or half-animals.

In later books we will learn that the areas outside the Quest are known as the Outer Realm, and the land occupied by those on the Quest is representative of the Kingdom of God. What you also learn in Book 4 is that the goal of the Forces of Darkness is to confine those on the Quest to as small an area as possible, while those on the Quest are trying to expand that area to encroach further into the Outer Realm.

What dangers should we avoid on The Quest?

There are always dangers that are lurking around every corner. You won’t be able to avoid them, and in fact your chosen path may take you directly into their strongholds. But what you can do is be prepared.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common on The Quest?

When each person starts their Quest, they are given Armor and a Sword. These weapons correspond to the armor outlined in Ephesians 6.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel on The Quest?

Most travel is by foot, but horses, wagons, and donkeys are also used.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter on The Quest that we don’t see on Earth?

Most of the plants and animals are the same as we would encounter on the earth at this time. There are a few exotic plants and fruit trees, but usually these are a warning that something isn’t right.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people on the Quest?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

Almost everything on The Quest is supernatural from the standpoint that it is a spiritual existence that is unknown to those who live in the Outer Realm, but there is no magic along the lines of what would be found in a Harry Potter book.

Is there a particular religion practiced?  Please describe what it involves.

Those who live in the Outer Realm practice a variety of religions, but all those on the Quest worship Jesus Christ in accordance with what we know as Evangelical Christianity.

What is the political or government structure in this land?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?

We’ll learn in Book 5 that in the Outer Realm there are a variety of local and governmental rulers throughout the earth. Some are more tolerant of those on the Quest than others. The governmental authority in the land where my characters travel is more tolerant that most places on the earth, but that is quickly changing.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

Many of the battles are taken from my own experiences in individual and corporate spiritual warfare.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

In a way, all of my books are controversial because they present a strong Evangelical Christian view that there is only one way to God. But in Book 2, I deal with some hot-button topics such as homosexuality, racism, gender roles in marriage, the tensions between Law and Gospel, and the role of the Holy Spirit.

Author Autobiography:

I’ve never been one to read Christian Fiction because I considered it a waste of time. If I was going to spend time reading, then I was going to read the Bible or other serious non-fiction Christian books. But in October of 2014 I read Pilgrims Progress for the first time, and I was struck by all the possibilities of conveying Biblical teaching in an adventure story. Soon thereafter I got the idea to write Disciple’s Quest, and the series was born. I had been working on a non-fiction Christian book off and on for a couple of years, but I hit a roadblock in early 2014, so I put that book on shelf. But when I began to write Disciple’s Quest, I discovered that all the research and time I had put into the non-fiction book translated really well into the context of the world of Disciple’s Quest.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?  Please include links.

My books are available in Paperback and Kindle. Click Here to buy my book in Kindle Format.   Today only this first book in the series is on sale for just 99 cents!

Where can readers connect with you online? 

My Facebook Page

I hope you all enjoyed The Quest.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.

Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the Shinrin King, in Realm Explorers Part XCXIII!

-Annie Douglass Lima