Isle of Darkness and Light: 1862: Marooned Where Pirates Lurk

By Elizabeth Ann Boyles

Description:

Brothers torn apart. A remote Pacific island. A clash of cultures—and of faith.

In 1862, New York sailor Tom Ballard is stranded on a quake-plagued island, abandoned by his ship. An angry pirate prowls the shore; deeper inland, Tom encounters Sara and Daisuke Ogawa, a marooned Japanese sister and brother. Although united by the need to survive the wilderness and the growing pirate threat, the three castaways struggle with opposing cultures, suspicion, and sharply different beliefs.

Meanwhile, aboard the departing ship, Terry Ballard races to save his brother. But his quest for help thrusts him into a court trial in Nagasaki—and into the schemes of ruthless treasure hunters.

Book Takeaway:

God's Providential oversight is clearly portrayed, and the Gospel is presented as a natural part of the story's adventure, peril, and growing insights.

Why the author wrote this book:

So often the Western missionary is the one providing truth. In this story, the Japanese pair are new Christians who are the truth bearers for the skeptical American sailor. I chose an uncharted island because the challenges of survival would force the characters to become a team despite their clashing cultures and beliefs.