The Next Fithian: An Ordinary Teen on a Strange, New World

Was this a new life – or a death sentence?

When Rankin Johnson boards a flight to Israel, he expects an adventure in archeology. But the airplane comes under attack and explodes in midair. Rankin shouts, “God, I’m yours!” Instantly, he’s in some other place. An angel informs Rankin the Lord is pleased to accept his offer. He dubs Rankin “the next Fithian” — a messenger from God, not to Earth, but to planet Zemna in the alternate dimension. What happened to the previous Fithian? “He was killed,” the angel says before vanishing.

On Zemna, Rankin finds a perplexing, violent world. Futuristic technology mingles with primitive ways. Also, a bizarre symbol—the Intersection of All Things—has appeared on his left palm. It’s a tool to aid his mission, but how? Rankin is supposed to share a message with this planet. Instead, he becomes a slave. What he really wants is a trip back to Earth.

With the aid of a brother and sister who become his best friends, Rankin escapes. He hopes to fulfill his mission and return home as fast as possible. But now there’s a price on Rankin’s head. More than one Zemnan would rather kill him for the reward than hear what he has to say.

Review:
“I have to say, sci-fi is not my usual pick; however, I’ve loved the author’s previous books, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad that I did! The ‘ordinary teen’ approach is amazing as it allows people to put themselves in Rankin’s shoes and be challenged as well. Sure, we may not be transported to another dimension, but are we ready to “...give an answer always to every man that asketh...” in our everyday life? This book was a different sort of adventure, but a good one. Well worth the read.” – Stephanie Clapp, Booksprout

Rick Barry has climbed mountains, jumped from perfectly good airplanes, toured WW II battlefields, and visited Eastern Europe over 50 times in Christian ministry. He holds a degree in Foreign Language Education and speaks Russian. His fiction and non-fiction have been published by Kregel Books, Focus on the Family, JourneyForth Books, Answers in Genesis, and others. His previous novels are Kiriath's Quest, Gunner's Run, The Methuselah Project, and Methuselah Project S.O.S. Visit his website at www.rickcbarry.com.