A tale of drama, suspense, and political intrigue, with spiritual implications.  
 

    Peter Krausche has woven a tale of prophecy made and fulfilled in The Traveler, the first of several books in a series.  The bulk of the story focuses on the events of the planet Piral, where a mysterious stranger has arrived.  His past is unknown, but his future may be foretold in Piral's earliest prophecies.  There is every chance that he could be the Traveler, come at a time of enormous upheaval and unrest for Piral.  Different religious groups are warring among themselves; different political groups are struggling for dominance, and a single gifted family stands in the center of the ever-gathering storm.  

    The author's focus is most clearly on his worldbuilding, sometimes to the exclusion of other elements of the story.  My greatest quarrel with the book is the curtness of the narrative.  In spite of the fact that there are supposed to be several more books after this one, the narration reads almost more like a summary of the story than the story itself.  And in spite of—or perhaps, because of—the vast sweep of the story, it's difficult to really get to know any of the characters.  The book hops from one to another like a jumping bean, and while the storyline itself is clear and easy enough to follow, we're left wishing for a deeper glimpse into the hearts and minds of the characters.  Hopefully, the following books will give us a better look at them.  This book, at least, left me with a vague jumble of names, and little more.  

    In the tradition of John White and Kim V. Englemann, the main religion of Piral is Christianity by another name, and from time to time, we catch glimpses of the glory of God, without the preachiness that is so easy for a book like this to fall into.  The devotion of the main characters was one of my favorite parts of the book.  It's so hard to find fiction that really reflects a love of God without dropping into cliché and Sunday-School phrases; the author has succeded wonderfully in that respect.  

    And, in spite of its flaws, The Traveler, is a heartwarming, fast-paced read, with enough drama, suspense, and intrigue to fill quite a hefty novella on its own and a spiritual overlay for good measure.  It makes for an exellent book to cuddle up with on a rainy Saturday.