Arena - Karen Hancock Book Review

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Review Summaries

" Bethany House, 2002, 393 pp. ISBN: 0764226312 Callie Hayes earns a below living wage so when her friend Meg Riley needs moral support to be a guinea pig in a harmless psychology experiment, Callie reluctantly agrees. At the lab, Callie refuses to trek across a rat maze called Arena. The prompter informs her that her only exit is by staying on the white road to the gate with her only help a field manual. In the Arena battle fatigued Pierce Andrews rescues Callie from some nasties. He tells her that he has wandered the Arena for five years with no end in sight. Callie and Pierce with a crew of misfits trek together praying they reach the gate. Along the way they battle strange wild things like the evil Trogs. As hopes wanes, only the field manual gives them hope until they meet a seemingly pious benefactor, who brings them faith that with a Christian belief they can stay on the righteous path to the gate. ARENA is a Christian fantay allegory filled with detours, trials and tribulations. Harriet Klausner "
Harriet Klausner, Resident Karen Hancock Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - has game where people are hunted
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Religious overtones? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - teacher
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
Earth setting: - current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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