The fifth book in the Knights of Arrethtrae Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor continues the adventure for fans of the series.The story explores the meaning of living out your faith through an allegorical story of knights serving the Prince, son of the one true King.
In this installment, Sir Quinlan wrestles with what it means to be a knight and serve the Prince as he has been called to do. He finds there are many distractions from what he is supposed to be doing.
One of my son's favorite creatures was the paytha; an
excellent representation of potentially harmless pursuits or interests that become too big. If you feed them a little, they stay little. Also, the cost of a paytha seemed high, as you can not buy a paytha, but you trade a piece of your "armor." In essence giving away a part of your preparedness for battle with the enemy.
My son truly enjoys these stories. He said he liked "this book because it shows that God sees good in everybody and can use them for all things."
Themes: Christianity, valor, courage, humor
Plot: Sir Quinlan finds purpose fighting in a unit known as the Swords of Valor, but tragedy follows and Quinlan is blamed. Lost and uncertain, he begins to wander the kingdom, avoiding his past. During these dark times Quinlan meets Taras, a Silent Warrior who may be able to teach him about redemption and the ways of the secret warriors.
When it is time, the Prince challenges Quinlan to meet his true purpose. Will he be able to reunite the Swords of Valor? Will he allow the Prince to use him as He sees fit?
Style: A character driven novel, with enough adventure thrown in to keep readers reading. Narrative interspersed with dialogue; although some sections seem slow or wordy rather than enticing adventure.
Setting: Indeterminate time of knights and kingdoms ruled by Kings. Unusual creatures and uncommon places will entice younger readers.
Age Recommendation: 12 and Up seems appropriate. Some themes (young romance and violence) are addressed in a way that may not be appropriate for the youngest readers. Examples: The young boys Tav and Twitch go on what amounts to a date/blind date. Violence: the Dark Knight deals harshly with his subjects as described in one instance when the Knight cuts one of his servants under the eye and down the face.
This review is made possible through a
Free review copy acquired from Multnomah Publishing.
1 comment:
I really enjoyed this book as well. It appeals to teens, and would probably most interest boys.
Post a Comment