Thursday, December 30, 2010

Review: Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor

Two friends face the Dark Knight’s deadliest scheme, but only one knight has the courage to overcome.

Sir Quinlan leaves his boyhood friend to serve the Prince, fighting a battle darker and more intense than any he’s ever known. The mysterious Sir Baylor recruits him into the ranks of an elite unit of knights known as the Swords of Valor, but when tragedy strikes and everyone blames Quinlan, the Swords of Valor disband, ending a legacy of heroic deeds.

Alone and despairing, Quinlan wanders the kingdom, fleeing his past. His providential encounter with Taras, a mysterious Silent Warrior and former trainer of Valor Knights, offers Quinlan a chance to redeem himself and learn the ways of the secret warriors.

The training is grueling, and just when Quinlan seems to have left his failures behind, he receives an impossible challenge from the Prince—one that will force him to face his past…and the mighty men who blame him for the tragedy that ruined them.

Can Quinlan reunite the Valor Knights in time to save the people from the Dark Knight’s evil plot to rule the Kingdom of Arrethtrae, or will the Valor Knights lose the most important battle of all? (description from Amazon.com)


I came to Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor rather hesitant. I had read some of his novels before, the Kingdom series. While I had enjoyed them, the writing had always been dry and a little boring.

However, this book was different. Evidently Chuck Black's writing has improved, or some other factor had strengthened his novels. I was easily able to imagine the settings and places, and the tale was entertaining while it brought a great message as well. The characters were well developed and fleshed out--especially for such a short book. (Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor falls just short of two hundred pages.)

There were two things that impressed me about this novel. First, considering the length, this book was very complete. Usually when I read books like this, I feel like there could have been more plot. But the plot is wonderfully complete and circular. Second, the allegory was more veiled than it had been in the Kingdom series. The allegory itself entertained, while it had a hidden meaning behind it.

The overall message of the book was excellent. I can relate to feelings of complacency and apathy.

Unfortunately, there were several cons to this book as well.

While the first chapter kept my attention, the author dropped the backstory bomb in the first two pages of the second chapter. He explained at length the backstory of several different things, and completely jerked me out of the story. Not a good thing. Fortunately I kept reading, and the tale turned out to be quite good.

I also felt like the creature in the middle of the book (I won't name it and thus avoid a spoiler) was a bit overdone. When it turned out the way I did, I grimaced and thought to myself, "Wow...cliche." This doesn't really effect the entire plot of the book though.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone. The ending alone is worth the entire journey--it made me shiver. Great job, Mr. Black! Now, the question is--are you living your life to the fullest it can be for the real Prince?

Rated 8.9 out of 10. Highly recommended. :)

(I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review.)

EDIT: Wait, wait, don't go yet!  Could you please rank my review?  Pretty please?  With pie?  Thanks. ;)  Here's the link: My Review.

7 comments:

Mackenzie A. Lockhart said...

AWWK!!! It's been ages since I've visited your site *cries* I'm such a bad blogger.

So I can't really say, "Nice to see you back" because I know you've been posting for quite a while on and off now :P And I have seen your welcomed comments on my own blog. But, to my great disgust, I have not bothered to comment at all :( In fact, I haven't commented on another blog for...a long time. :S So I suppose this is just me saying, "Haroo! I'm back! Not to stay, but I am here and I have read this post."


:)

A very discouraged,
Squeaks.

Signed with Zzzz's (oh yeah, I'm tired...*ahem*)

Jake said...

Aha! Squeaks is here! I have been wondering where Squeaks has been. :) Thanks for stopping by Squeaks! Good to hear from ye again. :)

Mackenzie A. Lockhart said...

:) You're welcome! But I won't be back for long. I'm off to university January 4th, and even though I've been taking 1st and 2nd year courses at home, this'll be my first "official" time living by myself and such. Hehe...in fact, it'll be practically the first time I've gone to school...since I've been homeschooled up until this point lol.

Squeaks.

Jake said...

Good luck, and Ellos go with ye Squeaks! :) Tis exciting news!

Mackenzie A. Lockhart said...

:P It is, exciting but also very scary. I've been having nightmares on and off for the last 3 weeks :S Thank God I've got Jesus to help me lolz!

Squeaks.

Marian said...

Good review! Is it ok to read it as a "standalone" book, or would I have to read the rest of the series?

Jake said...

@Squeaks
Nightmares? O_o Och. Aye! :) Thank the Lord. :)

@Marian
It is readable as a standalone book, but it does have a introduction where ye are introduced to the world of Arrethtrae. :) Very easy to read, and not confusing at all.