Winning Fiction: Review/Giveaway: The Knights of Arrethtrae

A WINNING READINGS GIVEAWAY!

Title: Books 5 & 6 of The Knights of Arrethtrae series:  Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor, Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest
Author: Chuck Black
Genre: Christian teen fiction

How to enter: Leave a comment on THIS post right here! If you're a subscriber or a follower, leave a second comment for a second entry.

Entry deadline: November 10, 2010

Restrictions: Open internationally!

That's right, enter right here for this giveaway.  The publisher provided these books for giveaway. 

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Publisher: Waterbrook Multnomah

Physical Description: 208 pages; 192 pages; paperback

List Price: $9.99 each
ISBN: 9781601421289; 9781601421296
For More Info: http://perfect-praise.com/

Synopsis:

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?

Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest. 

A knight left for dead. A country on the verge of ruin. And an evil lord rising to conquer.

Rowan is the most decorated tournament knight in Cameria, but when he is attacked and left for dead, his world collapses. Betrayed and lingering at death’s door, only a bizarre vision of his Prince and the help of a woman dedicated to the King keeps him alive. As Rowan heals, he finds new purpose in life through service to his King.

But his beloved land of Cameria has fallen victim to the tyranny of the Dark Knight.

Rowan’s countrymen need his help taking their cities back from the enemy, but all is not as it appears. The mysterious Sir Lijah insists Rowan’s purpose lies elsewhere—far away from Cameria, in an ancient city and for an ancient cause.

Rowan’s destiny is greater than he ever imagined. The final battle with the Dark Knight approaches, and he must choose where he will fight. Will he discover his true identity and purpose as a Knight of the Prince, or will the Dark Knight claim victory for eternity?

About the Author:

Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the best-selling, award-winning author of the Kingdom series and the Knights of Arrethtrae series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.

What I Liked:  Wow, wow, and wow!  This is a series I will definitely be acquiring for my daughter's library, though it will take a few years before she is ready for them.  I do believe a literary classic has been born here.

This isn't my usual genre, so I wasn't expecting to be immediately transported to a Robin Hoodesque era (with a few fantastical elements thrown in) and to become completely immersed in and inspired by the story.  And compared with the Robin Hood legends, the purpose for being and fighting are so much higher and more profound in these stories.  There is a perfect blend of narration, dialogue, and fast action.

Much more so than other Christian fantasy series (such as Narnia), the author uses direct and obvious parallels to the very real spiritual war we are in the middle of.  And unlike some realistic Christian end-time fiction (such as Left Behind), the use of fantasy gives the author room to interpret the spirit of the book of Revelation without getting into debates of prophetic interpretation.

Each book has a specific point as it portrays the grand battle between Lucius and the Prince.  Sir Quinlan's story deals with the danger of apathy, while Sir Rowan's tale highlights the sin of pride.  Discussion questions at the end are a perfect way for parents to engage their teens in meaningful conversations about the topic discussed, or to use in a teen study/book group.

Did I mention there are female knights and warriors included?  Love it!  It was tastefully done - with complete respect for the father and/or husband roles.  (And yes, I kept making a mental comparison to Maid Marion in book #6.)

I found the musical score included in each book fascinating as well.  My piano skills are a little rusty to play the pieces by sight, but a look through them makes me think they will contribute nicely to the tone and mood of the books.

I have only read books 5 & 6 of the series and find them to stand alone well, but am very much looking forward to reading the rest.

What I Didn't Like:  Really, really got nothing for you here.  The violence of the stories make them suitable for a more mature (think PG13) audience, but that violence in part is what allows you to see the awesomeness of the King and His Son.  I highly, highly recommend this book for the teens in your life - and encourage you to read them before gifting them!

Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for the review and giveaway copies of these books, and to MamaBuzz for coordinating the tour.

Posted by Jane from Mozi Esmé

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