Tennis Shoes Adventure Series

The Tennis Shoes Adventure Series is a series of LDS fiction novels written by Chris Heimerdinger and most widely read by young adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There are eleven books in the series so far:

1. Tennis Shoes among the Nephites (1989)
2. Gadiantons and the Silver Sword (1991)
3. Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent (1995)
4. Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent, Part Two (1996)
5. The Sacred Quest (formerly Tennis Shoes and the Seven Churches) (1997)
6. The Lost Scrolls (1998)
7. The Golden Crown (1999)
8. Warriors of Cumorah (2001)
9. Tower of Thunder (2003)
10. Kingdoms and Conquerors (2005)
11. Sorcerers and Seers (2010)
12. Thorns of Glory (2012)

General synopsis

The main characters of the series are Jim Hawkins and, later, his family and friends. The novels involve people from modern times being transported to the past (at various times and locations described in the Standard Works) by means of a cave in Wyoming called "Frost Cave" (a real cave on the Spirit Mountain in Cody, Wyoming) in the United States. They feature both Book of Mormon and Bible themes.

The first four books feature Jim Hawkins as the main character: first as a teenager, then as a young man in college and in the third and fourth as a father of three children.

• In book 1, Jim, his friend, Garth, and his younger sister, Jennifer, discover a time passage and spend two months in the time of the Nephites, at the time of Helaman around 67 B.C.
• In book 2 (Gadiantons and the Silver Sword), a few inhabitants of Book of Mormon times travel to the present day in search of an evil sword, the Sword of Coriantimur, an infamous sword that continuously pops up in the lives of the family, throughout many of the books. It ends with Jim destroying it, in modern times.
• Books 3 and 4 are two parts of the same story, when Jim Hawkins' 16 year-old daughter, Melody, is kidnapped and Jim takes his other two children, Steffanie and Harry, with him to early first-century Book of Mormon times to rescue her. They are caught in the maelstrom of the Savior's death, while in the Americas and are there to witness Jesus Christ's coming to the people of the Americas after his resurrection. These are also the first books in the series to be written in somebody besides Jim's point of view. The 3rd and 4th books are written in dual person, about half in Jim's point of view and the rest in Melody's point of view.
• Books 5–7 are another multi-part story, in which many members of Jim Hawkins' now-large family visit the land of Israel in late first-century Biblical times.

• Book 5 (The Sacred Quest) starts with Harry setting off with his stepsister to be, Meagan, to Ancient Roman times and save the only existing copy of the Book of Matthew.
• Book 6 (the Lost Scrolls) has Harry and Meagan, finding more "Lost Scrolls" and saving them from the evil Sorcerer, Simon Magus, who wants to destroy the sacred books.
• Book 7 (The Golden Crown) Harry gets stranded on a Greek island in 73 A.D., with Micah, but get off with the help of a Fisherman. While Harry and Gidgiddoniah are trying to save Jesse and Mary from Epigonus, an evil Greek councilman, Gid is killed. Meagan and Garth take Apollus to the present day, and come back with Jim, Sabrina, and Steffanie to find Harry and meet John the Beloved and Mary, the mother of Jesus. They all go home, expecting a peaceful life back home.

• Books 8 and 10 involve fourth-century Nephite settings, and book 9 (Tower of Thunder), the early-Biblical time of Abraham and Noah (close to 3000 B.C.)

• Book 8 (Warriors of Cumorah) starts with Todd Finlay, a man who tried to kill Jim and Garth back in book 2, kidnapping Josh and Becky, to use as leverage. Apollus, Meagan, Ryan, Mary, and eventually, Becky, dash through the caves after Todd and Josh. Apollus, Ryan, and Meagan get sent close to end of the world of the Nephites. Mary, Josh, and Becky get sent to Israel in 1830. It ends with Harry, fresh off his mission. Harry, Marcos, Garth, and Jim all set out to find everyone else. Jim goes back to protect Sabrina, Melody, Jenny, and the little kids, while, Marcos and Garth go to the same era as Apollus, Meagan and Ryan. Harry, as he's about to go by himself, meets up with his sister, Steffanie, and they go to Ancient Biblical times to find everyone.

Characters

Protagonists

• Jamie "Jim" Hawkins: father of Melody, Steffanie, and Harrison. Best friend of Garth Plimpton, known among the Nephites as "Jimhawkins". Brother of Jenny, and original character from Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites.
• Renae Fenimore Hawkins: Wife of Jim, introduced in book 2 and deceased as of Book 3. Mother of Melody, Steffanie and Harrison.
• Garth Plimpton: Friend of Jim, known among the Nephites as "Garplimpton". Husband of Jennifer, original character. Father of Rebecca and Joshua.
• Jennifer "Jenny" Hawkins Plimpton: Sister of Jim, wife of Garth, original character and mother of Rebecca and Joshua.
• Melody Constance Hawkins Sanchez: Oldest child of Jim, wife of Marcos. Ovarian Cancer survivor, adopted Mother of Carter.
• Marcos Alberto Sanchez: Husband of Melody, son of Jacob of the Moon, convert to Christianity. Adopted father of Carter, killed Ashira [Akish's queen/wife], saved the heir to the throne of King Omer.
• Carter Sanchez: Adopted son of Melody and Marcos.
• Steffanie Hawkins: Second child of Jim.
• Pagag*: Son of the Mahonri Moriancumer [Brother of Jared], in love with Steffanie. Is sent back to Jaredite times after the Gadianton Ghosts try to attack Meagan and Becky, gives up the throne.

• Harrison "Harry" Hawkins: son of Jim, has the gift to use the Seer Stone, is a falconer and swordsmen. He is stranded on an island after his ship crashed. He learns how to fight and is a leader and return missionary.
• Mary Symeon: Grand-niece of Jesus Christ.
• Sabrina (Sorenson) Hawkins: Wife of Jim [after Renae's death], is introduced in book 3, mother of Meagan from a previous marriage, mother of Gidgiddonihah.
• Gidgiddonihah "Baby Gid" Teancum Hawkins: Son of Jim and Sabrina [after Renae's death]
• Meagan Sorenson: Daughter of Sabrina from a previous marriage.
• Apollus Brutus Severillus: Fiancé of Meagan, first introduced in book 5, Centurion of the 5th Legion of Rome, goes to modern day with Garth and Meagan in book 8, leaves to go to Mexico and comes back after he realizes there is danger, fights in a Nephite Gladitorial Contest against Gidgiddoniah, because both were tricked into it, heals people with the priesthood with Ryan, proposes to Meagan, is included in the delegate to go to the top of Cumorah.
• Joshua "Josh" Plimpton: Son of Garth and Jennifer, Chief Captain of a portion of the Nephite Army.
• Rebecca "Becky" Plimpton: Daughter of Garth and Jennifer, has the gift to use the Seer Stone.
• Gidgiddonihah: Old Nephite warrior, veteran of Gadianton Wars, head of the Big Group, namesake of "Baby Gid", becomes Chief Captain in the Nephite Army, killed with his 10,000 warriors.

• Jesse: Jewish [from 70 A.D.], Micah and him are like brothers, orphan, adopted by Symeon but is once again orphaned when Symeon is crucified. Goes to Nephite lands and is trained by Gidgiggoniah, adopted brother of Mary, like a little brother to Harry and the rest.
• Micah: Jewish [Assine, from 70 A.D.], Harry's best friend, goes to Nephite lands and is trained by Gidgiddoniah. Jesse and him are like brothers, dies from a poisoned-tipped arrow from a Gadianton Ghost.
• Ryan Champion: Meagan's ex-boyfriend, falls in love with Tz'ikin, gets sent back to modern day time after the Gadianton Ghosts try to attack Meagan and Becky.
• Jacobah: Ryan's bodyguard, assigned to him by Prince Lamanai, convert to Christianity, breaks his leg helping Ryan & is healed, warns Ryan about losing the memories of his experiences.
• Tz'ikin: Lamanite assassin, killed by her father while trying to save Meagan.
• Quinn: Melody's ex-boyfriend, sold her out to save his own life.
• Captain Teancum*
• Captain Moroni*
• Hamira: Female Jaredite warrior. Youngest daughter of Akish and Asherah. Granddaughter of King Jared. Great-granddaughter of Kig Omer. Sister to Nimrah.
• Ammonchi: Banner chief of the Fox Division of the Nephite Army, under the command of Captain Josh.
• Anna: Second oldest half-sister of Jesus Christ.

Antagonists

• Amalickiah*
• Todd Finlay: Obsessed with Coriantimur's Sword, kidnaps Rebecca and Joshua at Lagoon.
• Mehrukenah: Gadinaton Assassin
• Jacob* (of the Moon)
• Kumarcaah
• Simon Magus*
• Epigonus†
• Nimrod*
• Mardon†: Son of King Nimrod
• Akish*: Sorcerer among the Jaredites who conspired to reinstall King Jared to the throne. Later had Jared murdered and usurped the throne. Since book 8: Warriors of Cumorah, Akish has pursued the Silver Sword. Akish created the weapon with via sorcery and believes that it will help him to defeat his enemies.

• Agath: Brother of Akish, the Jaredite sorcerer. Loyal follower and commander in his army.
• Avram: Captain of the guard in the house of Caiphas, the high priest.
• Antionum: Lamanite warrior from the village of Sielbalche, participated in the rescue of Moroni and Gigal in book 8 (Warriors of Cumorah).
• Spearthrower Owl†
• Fireborn†
• Prince Lamanai/Prince Eagle Sky Jaguar
• Nimrah: Son of Akish
• Chief Judge Zenephi*
• Gadianton Ghosts: Assassins that blinded Meagan & killed Micah.
• Annas or Ananus: First high priest of the Sanhedrin over the newly formed province of Judea in AD 6.

* People from Mormon scriptural records who appear in the series.
† Characters based on other historical records.

Thorns of Glory books

In an interview included in The Passage to Zarahemla DVD, Heimerdinger said that volume 11 would likely be published in 2009 and called Thorns of Glory.

In an announcement published on his official blog on November 22, 2009, however, Heimerdinger said that because of the complexities involved with the book he is currently writing, there will likely be 2 more volumes in the current adventure. Heimerdinger said that tentative plans are for book 11 (Sorcerers and Seers) to be published in early fall in 2010, with volume 12 (more appropriately named Thorns of Glory) to be published 6–12 months after book 11.

Later in his official blog, Heimerdinger says that he has submitted the draft to his publisher, and he doesn't know how far into the editing process they are. He did say, however, that "as of now the publisher's plan is to release the book this fall—September, if I understood them correctly. Things can change, but as of now, that's the intent."

References

• Heimerdinger, Chris (1989), Tennis Shoes among the Nephites, American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, Incorporated, ISBN 9781577344674 .

External links

• interrogation report review of the book
• Book of Mormon Adventures: Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites: About the Author