As Josh noted in a previous post, a group of young filmmakers were producing a western short. Today it has been released! I think you will really enjoy the classic good vs. bad storyline, and excellent cinematography of "Wanted". If you do like it, pass it on to your friends!
Wanted from Conquest Productions on Vimeo.
WantedWestern.com
Tueri a vulnere,
John
"The very familiarity of blessings sometimes makes us insensible to their value."
~ J. C. Ryle
While this was originally said in relation to God's Word, it is also applicable to the blessings of God-honoring literature passed down by the likes of R. M. Ballantyne.
'Twas on April 24, 1825, that R. M. Ballantyne came into this world. That's 185 years ago, today! Hurrah!
To see some interesting events that occurred in 1825, take a look at this article from last December.
Tueri a vulnere,
John
Last Tuesday I asked the readers of this blog which their favorite Ballantyne book was. And you have answered! Our winner has taken a landslide victory, literally blasting away all competition. And, ladies and gentlemen, that book is . . . The Coral Island!
For those who know Ballantyne's books well, this should come as no surprise, because The Coral Island has been the most popularly recognized and regarded of his books for a very long time. It was this book that partially inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's famous Treasure Island, as well as a literary response from William Golding in his Lord of the Flies. This last book, by the way, is from a totally opposite point of view to Ballantyne's masterpiece, and basically proposes that boys, abandoned to themselves, will naturally devolve into pagan activities.
So, why has The Coral Island been such a favorite for so long? Well, the three main reasons are the romantic setting, masterful character development, and adventurous plot.
When a British merchant ship is wrecked on a deserted South Sea island, only three boys survive. Ralph Rover, the narrator, along with Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay must struggle to survive on the island's beautiful but dangerous landscape. Although the desert-island setting has been used by many famous authors, it still, in my opinion, holds a fascination to most readers. You get to see the characters struggle against the environment, develop together as a team, and use their unique knowledge to take dominion over the earth. These necessary elements are all present in R. M. Ballantyne's The Coral Island.
The three main characters placed into this story complement and complete the novel. Ralph Rover, the narrator, is a sturdy lad of a philosophical and studious nature. Jack Martin, his senior, is strong, capable, and extremely knowledgeable. The youngest, Peterkin Gay, is a dashing, whimsical fellow who makes up for his almost impudent nature by a generous disposition, and a readiness to do anything to help out his friends.
Although I don't want to give anything away, in case you haven't read the book, Ballantyne created additional flavor by the inclusion of bloodthirsty pirates, cannibalistic natives, and natural challenges. The adventure is lively, the humor quite hilarious, and the presentation of the gospel entirely earnest, and that, I think, is why The Coral Island has been a universal favorite.
Second place was taken by Hunted and Harried, which is an exciting tale of the Scottish Covenanters during The Killing Time. To see the rest of the results, I have included the finished poll below. Thanks for voting!
Tueri a vulnere,
John
If you've been reading the information on Ballantyne The Brave about the boys' fiction author, but haven't actually purchased his books, this is a great time to do so! For three day only, Vision Forum is offering 50% off the entire set of 20 R. M. Ballantyne titles. That's $11 for each beautifully bound, hardback book!
Whether you're interested in reading them yourself, or you think a friend would appreciate the gift, I recommend acting quickly before this sale is over. I don't think you'll regret it.
Tueri a vulnere,
John
It's been awhile since we've posted any comments or questions from BTB readers, so I thought I would share one with you. Here's one from the mother of future Ballantyne-reading boys.
My oldest son is only 2 years old, but I so appreciate what you're doing in bringing awareness to such great books. As a former teacher, parents of boys often asked me for book recommendations. I only wish I'd known about authors like Henty and Ballantyne. I'm looking forward to introducing them to my boys in a few years! Blessings on all of you involved with this site!
Mrs. J.
All I can say is that it's an honor and a privilege to write about the lives of men such as Ballantyne and Henty, and I only wish I could have known them when they were alive. It's great to know that a new generation of boys are being raised with the godly books and principles of these two great authors! And, speaking of Ballantyne books, don't forget to vote on the below poll before 5:00 PM, April 12!
Tueri a vulnere
John
Here at Ballantyne the Brave, we love to find out exactly what readers like about R. M. Ballantyne and his books. For this purpose, I have created the below poll which asks the important question: "What is your favorite Ballantyne book?" I have heard many diverse opinions in favor of his different novels, so I'm interested to know which one wins. For sake of space, I have only included ten books out of the twenty produced by Vision Forum, but I believe that it incorporates most of the probable choices. With that said, let us be off to the polls!
Voting ends April 12th!
Tueri a vulnere,
John
One of the great things about this blog is it's very diverse readership. I found this to be the case just recently when a BTB reader emailed me advice concerning the makeup of my Latin motto. It seems that the translation service I used to formulate "Tutela ex Vulnero," as "Guard from Harm," was somewhat faulty. Although the words are correct in Latin, the various cases do not fit in as a phrase. Therefore, due to the suggestion of said BTB reader, I have changed my motto to "tueri a vulnere." As a Latin phrase, this is a more complete and better translation.
And so,
Tueri a vulnere,
John
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