The Serpent Slayer and the Scroll of Riddles: The Kambur Chronicles

I liked it - it is written for a much younger audience though, I think it'd be great for 12 and under. I'd like to read his other book meant for adults.

Aimed at younger kids, I loved this as something of a devotional.

This was a sweet, magical adventure through some well-known Bible stories, bringing them to life for kids in a way that I think they would find engaging and appealing. I appreciated that you could try to solve the riddles alongside Nomi and Emmet; however, I do think that some of the language, especially in the rhyming riddle, might be confusing and unfamiliar for kids, making it harder to fill in the blanks.

Nomi and Emmet are fleeing from a bully when Emmet, in anger, throws a rock and breaks a window. While hiding, they stumble upon a package addressed to them with a mysterious dice-like object inside. Recognizing it from the sign of a local bookshop, they go to meet Mr. Mag, who explains what the object it and the legend behind it. From there, the siblings go on a magical adventure through the Bible, starting with Adam and Eve and visiting a few other popular characters before making their way back home. What they learn along the way is a kid-friendly presentation of the gospel that inspires them (and Emmet especially) to go back to the "scene of the crime" and apologize for his actions.

This book had nice short chapters, perfect for kids, and some illustrations throughout to help you picture the adventures Nomi and Emmet were on. It seems like it was meant to be a series, but I can't find any information regarding more books, so maybe that didn't end up happening – but if it does, I'd be interested to see what happens next.

Two children find a mysterious Roman artifact with the power to transport the wielder to the distant past using tome travel. Wait… I thought it was supposed to be “time travel?”

Nope, it’s tome! You see, the ancient device, when combined with the appropriate ancient scroll, sends the user into the scroll’s story. But what if the scroll happens to be the Bible? For siblings Emmet and Nomi, it’s back to the Garden of Eden they go.

Only it’s not the Eden they expect. With the Man shut out of the garden along with the Woman, the children find the happy first couple not so happy. Turns out there’s more to Adam and Eve’s story—quite literally—as the scroll reveals a series of riddles known as “The Serpent Quest” for the children to solve.

The first riddle? What is poison to the heart? Find the answer. Make your start.

Adam and Eve have the answer. They know it all too well. Poison entered their hearts when they believed the serpent’s lie that God isn’t good.

As the children solve more riddles, the artifact transports them to new eras in the Bible. Emmet and Nomi will tremble in awe before the parting of the Red Sea and feel inspired as young David takes down Goliath, a.k.a. “Seed of the Serpent.”

Every location will have its own clues that the siblings must find in order to complete “The Serpent Quest” on the scroll. All the while, the children encounter different opposing forces to the scroll, known as the “Children of the Dragon.” But don’t worry! The riddles point to a “Serpent Slayer” who is coming to defeat the dragon once and for all.

Things don’t look promising, however, when the scroll jumps to the time of Jesus right before his crucifixion. All the clues point to Jesus as the “Serpent Slayer.” But how can Jesus defeat the dragon if he’s dead? The riddle of the cross may just be the greatest riddle of all.

Author Champ Thornton, who is also a pastor, has done a fantastic job of presenting the message of salvation to younger kids and preteens with his fast-paced, time-travel adventure. In a stroke of masterful storytelling, Thornton partners with the Gospel to bring power to each page. Young hearts will burn with fresh, revelation-light as they witness the Good News through the eyes of Emmit and Nomi.

Co-author Andrew David Naselli, an intellectual as well as a theologian, transforms the biblical serpent into an effective middle-grade literary device. From Genesis to Revelation, Naselli underscores the forces against Emmit and Nomi with a dragon motif.

The snake in the Garden of Eden reappears as the cobra on Pharaoh’s crown and the scales of Goliath’s dragon-like armor. The serpent of old manifests itself again as the brood of vipers that Jesus says are the Pharisees. The final expression, as the siblings learn, is the dragon of Revelation.

The devil fears these connected dots, and Naselli and Thornton offer it to kids here in full. By the turn of the last page, heels will have a heavier thump on the head of the enemy. But more importantly, kids will have grown closer to the One who defeated the dragon once and for all.

“The Serpent Slayer” by Champ Thornton and Andrew David Naselli earns our highest recommendation.

The kids loved this book.

Pre read for school library 3.5- Though the time travel story isn’t new the inclusion of riddles throughout the story adds another element of intrigue. The story follows two siblings who are taken back in time through a magical scroll to Bible times. The two siblings must solve riddles to beat the serpent in each Bible story (I.e. The enemy) and ultimately see how God’s salvation redeems the story over all.

Like Superbook with deeper theology woven through, in written form. Really enjoyed reading this to my kids - its riddles and stories kept the interest of ages 5-10. Recommended for a family read-aloud book!

My children (6,5, and 3) really enjoyed this. Will be buying the rest of the series if they ever release them.

Adventure, mystery, excitement and a really good riddle.

There are great features of this story that are beneficial and entertaining for readers.

I feel the time travel aspect is a strong attraction for readers.
The children are described in detail. They are children who represent diverse people. I love this aspect.
The story begins with a bully threatening them. This situation leads them to discover the scroll and adventure. Their threatening situation is a building point to the Bible people they will meet who will help them with that problem in their own life.
I love the particular Bible stories chosen for this book. For example, the story of the parting of the Red Sea.
The Serpent Slayer and the Scroll of Riddles is a unique, creative way to tell Bible stories to young people.
The descriptions of people and the environment is vivid and lively. It is not written to be scary or anxious stories.
In the later travels, Nomie is ready to return home. So often in an adventure or travel story a character wants to return home. The routine and the familiar win-out.
Bible verses are included in the dialogue of the stories. Because I read a pdf file, I don’t know the translation used. New Growth Press does not state the translation used either.
The last two chapters are the full poem of The Serpent Quest and a Reader’s Guide.
The book is written with an intention of a parent, grandparent, or teacher to be the guide for the young readers. The book is intended to be a tool for further discussion.
Source: I received a complimentary pdf copy from Audra Jennings and New Growth Press. I am not required to write a positive review.

The Serpent Slayer is a delightful tale of time travel to biblical times. Our protagonists, Emmet and Nomi, are observers of many of the most well know Bible stories from both the old and new testament. This is a unique book that would be great for late elementary school students.

While this complimentary book was provided for review by New Growth Press, no other compensation was given. All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.

“The Serpent Slayer and the Scroll of Riddles” presents the overview of Biblical narrative through two kids plunging into the narratives themselves. It’s creative but sometimes the writing did not grab my attention, though the story was compelling.
*This was read as a pre-release to review.

Reading this story made me wish I were a kid again, getting lost in a good novel of adventure. That idea comes to life here. Nomi and Emmet enter into biblical adventures including the Fall, the Exodus, David and Goliath, Jesus teaching, his death and resurrection.

The story starts with action as Emmet and Nomi are pedaling furiously to get away from a bully. Then they find a strange object that leads them into a tome adventure, particularly a scroll adventure. The action slows quite a bit as the kids travel to biblical time. They become observers to action but do not take part in it themselves for the most part. There are good moral lessons included, such as the danger of being attracted to power and wealth, how to oppose the enemy, asking for forgiveness and the substitutionary death of Jesus.

I always like to learn something when I read fiction and this time it was about dodecahedrons. They are twelve sided objects from Roman times. Many have been unearthed in Europe and their use is unknown. Young readers will also be introduced to a shofar.

This is a good novel for readers aged 9-13. It has adventures in biblical times but mostly mere observation. Children familiar with Bible stories may have some impatience with Emmet and Nomi in their lack of recognizing the biblical stories they have fallen into even though they attend church. Potential readers for this adventure would be children not familiar with Old Testament stories. There is a Reader's Guide with a theological summary for kids. The book book could be used in a youth reading group with an adult using the story as a teaching outline for sharing the gospel.

I received access to an advanced digital copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Aimed at 9-13 year olds, this fictional adventure book draws in biblical accounts. Through various discoveries, 12-year-olds Emmet and Nomi find themselves physically drawn into biblical stories and having to solve riddles to get home. They land in the Garden of Eden, the exodus, with David & Goliath, and to Jesus and his teaching, and each time they have to find out what is happening for themselves - as if they have no bible knowledge. It is anchored around the idea of snakes & dragons as the enemy and the one who is the Serpent Slayer. It’s an innovative way of following a theme through biblical teaching in a way that kids will grasp, although tends to overplay the dragon aspects (especially in the explanation at the end). I prefer Thornton’s Radical Book for Kids, but this might have appeal for those that want to try some kids Christian fiction.