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Merlin's Immortals #1
The Orphan King
The future of the Immortals is in the hands of an orphan
My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil.
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas is determined fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids and leaves the monastery on an important quest.
Thomas quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions—a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful, silent woman whom may not be all she seems. From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both comradery and suspicion.
Can he trust those who would join his battle…or will his fears force him to go on alone?
My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil.
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas is determined fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids and leaves the monastery on an important quest.
Thomas quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions—a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful, silent woman whom may not be all she seems. From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both comradery and suspicion.
Can he trust those who would join his battle…or will his fears force him to go on alone?
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2012
28 people are currently reading
806 people want to read
About the author
Sigmund Brouwer
252 books406 followersSigmund loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
July 12, 2012
Review by Jill Williamson
Thomas is planning an escape from the corrupt monastery he grew up in. He has many secrets left for him by his dead mother. But when he sets out to accomplish that which he has been planning for years—to take the castle Magnus—he finds himself in the company of an odd band of companions. Some know things they can’t possibly know. Who to trust? And who are the Immortals?
This book was so cool! I loved it. My kind of story. 1. Medieval. 2. A mystery. 3. Mentions of King Arthur and Merlin. The characters were wonderful. A young orphan, a mysterious knight, a pretty girl, and a pickpocket boy. Who to trust? What is going on? So many questions that all played out to a satisfying conclusion. And at only 224 pages, a really quick read. Highly recommended!
Thomas is planning an escape from the corrupt monastery he grew up in. He has many secrets left for him by his dead mother. But when he sets out to accomplish that which he has been planning for years—to take the castle Magnus—he finds himself in the company of an odd band of companions. Some know things they can’t possibly know. Who to trust? And who are the Immortals?
This book was so cool! I loved it. My kind of story. 1. Medieval. 2. A mystery. 3. Mentions of King Arthur and Merlin. The characters were wonderful. A young orphan, a mysterious knight, a pretty girl, and a pickpocket boy. Who to trust? What is going on? So many questions that all played out to a satisfying conclusion. And at only 224 pages, a really quick read. Highly recommended!
June 30, 2022
This book left me with mixed thoughts.
WHAT I LIKED
Brouwer writes with a style similar to Wayne Thomas Batson's. The author also painted a vivid setting set within an historical fantasy landscape, in which is it obvious he strove to present historical accuracy. The cast of characters was well-done overall ad the premise really had potential. I also appreciated a certain character finally realizing his need for faith when I was beginning to doubt he'd never recognize his need for truth.
WHAT I HAD A HARD TIME WITH
When approaching my perceived negatives with a book, I always try to take the two/one approach I learned in speech class. Two positives for every negative. I fear that ratio can't quite be followed here for the most part. Please do remember these are my opinions. If what bothers me does not bother you, you'll like this book to a greater extent than I did.
Thomas' first chapter was strong. Really strong. The second chapter caught me off guard and made me wonder if I missed something in the first. There is an air of mystery to this book, which I certainly don't mind, but it wasn't quite presented in a way I found easy to follow. Others who are more into mystery and suspense may not have that issue. I was confused and wondering how on earth everything tied in. The resolution didn't quite answer all my questions (granted, this is the first book in the series, so this must be taken with a grain of salt). The best way I could describe this is it feels jumpy.
At times, Thomas is this grave, mature character who thinks with his head. Other times, he acts immature and completely out of character regarding how he was portrayed in the first chapter.
The chant/verse/saying the people believed about an angel delivering them honestly was a little creepy. Kudos to the author for being creative in how he brought this about, and it was quite clever, but that chant just really set me on edge.
Thomas and the two female characters. Like I aforementioned, Thomas swings between being grave and mature or the opposite. He's smart, quite intelligent, actually, but the first time he sees an attractive girl he's utterly smitten. And then a chapter or two later he's thinking about kissing her. Whoa, boy. You've known her for only a few days at the most. Don't get carried away. I heartily disliked this character. The other female character is a sweet girl who deserves better than she received. I really wanted Thomas to appreciate her more and for her to be the love interest. Perhaps she will be in the upcoming books. I don't know. But right now, I wasn't fond of the direction Thomas was allowing his heart to take.
The following are my major concerns.
There is an innuendo about an older man and a young woman. Quite unnecessary and the reason why I can't recommend this for a pre-teen/young-teen audience. I was actually surprised to see it in the book, considering WaterBrook published it.
There are some usages of "hell". I'm one of those readers who will dock any book for using it unless it's specifically discussing the place opposite of Heaven. That's not how most of these were used. So a dock off the stars for mild profanity.
If the "negatives" in this review don't bother you, then I believe you will enjoy this book. I've not read any other of Brouwer's books, but it's obvious he has a strong, captivating writing style and an exemplary eye for detail. This book wasn't for me, though, and I can't recommend it to pre-teen and young teen readers due to the major issues listed above.
WHAT I LIKED
Brouwer writes with a style similar to Wayne Thomas Batson's. The author also painted a vivid setting set within an historical fantasy landscape, in which is it obvious he strove to present historical accuracy. The cast of characters was well-done overall ad the premise really had potential. I also appreciated a certain character finally realizing his need for faith when I was beginning to doubt he'd never recognize his need for truth.
WHAT I HAD A HARD TIME WITH
When approaching my perceived negatives with a book, I always try to take the two/one approach I learned in speech class. Two positives for every negative. I fear that ratio can't quite be followed here for the most part. Please do remember these are my opinions. If what bothers me does not bother you, you'll like this book to a greater extent than I did.
Thomas' first chapter was strong. Really strong. The second chapter caught me off guard and made me wonder if I missed something in the first. There is an air of mystery to this book, which I certainly don't mind, but it wasn't quite presented in a way I found easy to follow. Others who are more into mystery and suspense may not have that issue. I was confused and wondering how on earth everything tied in. The resolution didn't quite answer all my questions (granted, this is the first book in the series, so this must be taken with a grain of salt). The best way I could describe this is it feels jumpy.
At times, Thomas is this grave, mature character who thinks with his head. Other times, he acts immature and completely out of character regarding how he was portrayed in the first chapter.
The chant/verse/saying the people believed about an angel delivering them honestly was a little creepy. Kudos to the author for being creative in how he brought this about, and it was quite clever, but that chant just really set me on edge.
Thomas and the two female characters. Like I aforementioned, Thomas swings between being grave and mature or the opposite. He's smart, quite intelligent, actually, but the first time he sees an attractive girl he's utterly smitten. And then a chapter or two later he's thinking about kissing her. Whoa, boy. You've known her for only a few days at the most. Don't get carried away. I heartily disliked this character. The other female character is a sweet girl who deserves better than she received. I really wanted Thomas to appreciate her more and for her to be the love interest. Perhaps she will be in the upcoming books. I don't know. But right now, I wasn't fond of the direction Thomas was allowing his heart to take.
The following are my major concerns.
There is an innuendo about an older man and a young woman. Quite unnecessary and the reason why I can't recommend this for a pre-teen/young-teen audience. I was actually surprised to see it in the book, considering WaterBrook published it.
There are some usages of "hell". I'm one of those readers who will dock any book for using it unless it's specifically discussing the place opposite of Heaven. That's not how most of these were used. So a dock off the stars for mild profanity.
If the "negatives" in this review don't bother you, then I believe you will enjoy this book. I've not read any other of Brouwer's books, but it's obvious he has a strong, captivating writing style and an exemplary eye for detail. This book wasn't for me, though, and I can't recommend it to pre-teen and young teen readers due to the major issues listed above.
December 1, 2012
Posted in (http://angelroman.ccijovenes.org/)
First, I was attracted to the book for its cover, not just the design but the name itself: Orphan, King, Merlin, Immortals, that’s sounds cool, the mysterious guy and the “medieval feeling” attached to it.
The narration pace flows well, you can get some details from here and there, and know where you are, and whom the characters are. It’s easy to identify the main characters but also you can feel identified with one of them, their personalities are nicely crafted. The “team” formula while simple remain powerful trough the story.
As a christian book, a message of faith and confidence on God unfolds from begining to the end. It’s not an “in your face” message, which is good, and takes more strenght from the plot itself, so nothing seems forced.
In the other hand, the feeling I had with the book was like when you push fastforward to a movie. Yes, you get the glimpse of the story, but some details get lost. In some parts I just couldn’t relate to a place description because there wasn’t enough detail. There was more potential with details on places, characters, and action. Talking about this topic, being a historical-action-medieval story I expected an epic climax full of action, fighting and maybe some, just some little blood, but instead there’s a weak solution to solve a strong conflict.
At the end, the book finishes very well. Left me wanting to read the next book, which is expected to be released early in 2013, and also wishing the story to be more developed and exciting.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for an honest review.
First, I was attracted to the book for its cover, not just the design but the name itself: Orphan, King, Merlin, Immortals, that’s sounds cool, the mysterious guy and the “medieval feeling” attached to it.
The narration pace flows well, you can get some details from here and there, and know where you are, and whom the characters are. It’s easy to identify the main characters but also you can feel identified with one of them, their personalities are nicely crafted. The “team” formula while simple remain powerful trough the story.
As a christian book, a message of faith and confidence on God unfolds from begining to the end. It’s not an “in your face” message, which is good, and takes more strenght from the plot itself, so nothing seems forced.
In the other hand, the feeling I had with the book was like when you push fastforward to a movie. Yes, you get the glimpse of the story, but some details get lost. In some parts I just couldn’t relate to a place description because there wasn’t enough detail. There was more potential with details on places, characters, and action. Talking about this topic, being a historical-action-medieval story I expected an epic climax full of action, fighting and maybe some, just some little blood, but instead there’s a weak solution to solve a strong conflict.
At the end, the book finishes very well. Left me wanting to read the next book, which is expected to be released early in 2013, and also wishing the story to be more developed and exciting.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for an honest review.
October 21, 2013
The story had so many gereranlitites and vagaries that it felt like being on a wild goose chase.
There were all these questions and no answers. I don't feel like anything was offered at the end to give even a hint of what was happening (in the long term).
Thomas was a weak character and the moments he was made to appear intelligent- such as his discovery of Isabelle's treachery or his confrontation with the monks- didn't follow character.
There was much too much repetition- I never want to have to read the chant about being released from oppression by an angel - NOT EVER!
So much of what happened was so unreal it was positively ridiculous. From not killing attackers because it was kinder to spare them to the non-battle and take over of Magnus which read a little too much like a fairytale. There was no true conflict. Everyone followed and surrendered without a fight - Pfff...that would never ever have happened in the 14th or any other century for that matter.
Everything was way too neatly tied up. It's like you could feel the author's aversion to violence because even in the moment that someone had been killed or wounded there was an underlying philosophy of compassion which never fit the moment. You'd have to be a saint to feel compassion for an enemy who'd tried to betray, attack and kill you; most humans are not capable of that kind of compassion immediately - maybe with time, people are capable of forgiving such awful intentions but it certainly doesn't occur right after the event.
This book needed to be more refined, needed more detail, less repetition and a more solid destination.
There were all these questions and no answers. I don't feel like anything was offered at the end to give even a hint of what was happening (in the long term).
Thomas was a weak character and the moments he was made to appear intelligent- such as his discovery of Isabelle's treachery or his confrontation with the monks- didn't follow character.
There was much too much repetition- I never want to have to read the chant about being released from oppression by an angel - NOT EVER!
So much of what happened was so unreal it was positively ridiculous. From not killing attackers because it was kinder to spare them to the non-battle and take over of Magnus which read a little too much like a fairytale. There was no true conflict. Everyone followed and surrendered without a fight - Pfff...that would never ever have happened in the 14th or any other century for that matter.
Everything was way too neatly tied up. It's like you could feel the author's aversion to violence because even in the moment that someone had been killed or wounded there was an underlying philosophy of compassion which never fit the moment. You'd have to be a saint to feel compassion for an enemy who'd tried to betray, attack and kill you; most humans are not capable of that kind of compassion immediately - maybe with time, people are capable of forgiving such awful intentions but it certainly doesn't occur right after the event.
This book needed to be more refined, needed more detail, less repetition and a more solid destination.
August 13, 2012
I wish I would check before I read a "book one" of a series to determine if any other books in the series are published or if I am going to have to wait many years for installment number two to be published. You would think I had learned SOMETHING from J.K Rowling!
This is book one (obviously) and Book 2 is not due out for another year or so, by which time I am certain to have forgotten what this book was about or that I was even mildy interested in reading more.
I say "mildly" because I feel in a way as though I was tricked by this book. I believe all books with a religious slant should come with a warning - the way music comes with an "explicit lyric" warning for consumers. Unfortunately there was no such warning on this book and of course I was more than 100 pages in before the whole "why would a loving God allow this to happen" conversation and preaching took place.
On one hand I am glad I picked the book up because it turns out the author is a Canadian and I am committed to reading 5 books by Canadians in the next year, but had I know Brouwer was a well known author of evangelical books I would have passed on this one.
Thomas was raised in a monastery where he was ill treated. His mother (who he was taught never to reveal ans anything but his nursemaid) has taught him to read and write in French and Latin and he has continued to read and learn past her death. Without knowing his full role in fulfilling prophesy and unaware of his allies and enemies he leaves the monastery and begins to follow a path laid out for him by his mother prior to her death.
This is book one (obviously) and Book 2 is not due out for another year or so, by which time I am certain to have forgotten what this book was about or that I was even mildy interested in reading more.
I say "mildly" because I feel in a way as though I was tricked by this book. I believe all books with a religious slant should come with a warning - the way music comes with an "explicit lyric" warning for consumers. Unfortunately there was no such warning on this book and of course I was more than 100 pages in before the whole "why would a loving God allow this to happen" conversation and preaching took place.
On one hand I am glad I picked the book up because it turns out the author is a Canadian and I am committed to reading 5 books by Canadians in the next year, but had I know Brouwer was a well known author of evangelical books I would have passed on this one.
Thomas was raised in a monastery where he was ill treated. His mother (who he was taught never to reveal ans anything but his nursemaid) has taught him to read and write in French and Latin and he has continued to read and learn past her death. Without knowing his full role in fulfilling prophesy and unaware of his allies and enemies he leaves the monastery and begins to follow a path laid out for him by his mother prior to her death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2012
The Orphan King Book Review
Many stories deal with the classic fight of good versus evil. I’d describe ‘The Orphan King’ as a mix of fairy tale, fantasy & historical fiction.
Thirteen hundred & twelve is the year and times are dark. Science is regarded as evil & the wealthy reign. Thomas has served four hypocritical monks for the length of his childhood. Believing himself to be just another penniless orphan. He’s tended their garden & weathered their brutality.
Before her death, his mother had provided him with several veiled clues as to his destiny. Upon finding evidence of his true identity, Thomas flees the abbey.
Hangings were common in this era, even for minor offenses. Following his flight from the monks, Thomas attends one, but not as a spectator. One of the Knights Templar has been sentenced. William, the knight, has been expecting Thomas. True to his calling, Thomas initiates a rescue. But why is he to rescue William? Who is Thomas, really, & what is he set to accomplish?
Secretive twists fill the plot. Every character is in on the mystery, except the reader. Puzzling at times while straightforward in others, one must remain an alert reader. It’s not as if the plot is terribly complicated. One can connect the dots with minimal effort. New characters were dropped in unexpectedly which caused frequent breaks in the action.
Vivid imagery & colorful metaphors are plentiful. Dissecting the emotions of the two main characters, it is easy to see why they do what they do. Knights Templar members have always been popular in fiction. Their adventures are timeless. Even after taking this all into account, I wish we’d come to the point sooner.
We’re well into it before everyone’s relations become clear. It’s well-written, but the waiting game of explanation was too long for me. Grab my attention & keep it. I wasn’t able to keep my mind focused on the plot.
Being well-written, but disappointingly not well grounded gives it a sufficient 3 of 5 stars.
More info on the author, Sigmund Brouwer, and the book are available through www.waterbrookmultnomah.com. I received 1 eBook & 1 printed book to write my review without further compensation.
Many stories deal with the classic fight of good versus evil. I’d describe ‘The Orphan King’ as a mix of fairy tale, fantasy & historical fiction.
Thirteen hundred & twelve is the year and times are dark. Science is regarded as evil & the wealthy reign. Thomas has served four hypocritical monks for the length of his childhood. Believing himself to be just another penniless orphan. He’s tended their garden & weathered their brutality.
Before her death, his mother had provided him with several veiled clues as to his destiny. Upon finding evidence of his true identity, Thomas flees the abbey.
Hangings were common in this era, even for minor offenses. Following his flight from the monks, Thomas attends one, but not as a spectator. One of the Knights Templar has been sentenced. William, the knight, has been expecting Thomas. True to his calling, Thomas initiates a rescue. But why is he to rescue William? Who is Thomas, really, & what is he set to accomplish?
Secretive twists fill the plot. Every character is in on the mystery, except the reader. Puzzling at times while straightforward in others, one must remain an alert reader. It’s not as if the plot is terribly complicated. One can connect the dots with minimal effort. New characters were dropped in unexpectedly which caused frequent breaks in the action.
Vivid imagery & colorful metaphors are plentiful. Dissecting the emotions of the two main characters, it is easy to see why they do what they do. Knights Templar members have always been popular in fiction. Their adventures are timeless. Even after taking this all into account, I wish we’d come to the point sooner.
We’re well into it before everyone’s relations become clear. It’s well-written, but the waiting game of explanation was too long for me. Grab my attention & keep it. I wasn’t able to keep my mind focused on the plot.
Being well-written, but disappointingly not well grounded gives it a sufficient 3 of 5 stars.
More info on the author, Sigmund Brouwer, and the book are available through www.waterbrookmultnomah.com. I received 1 eBook & 1 printed book to write my review without further compensation.
August 3, 2012
"The Orphan King" by Sigmund Brouwer is the first book in the "Merlin's Immortals" series. The next book "Fortress of Mist" becomes available in February of 2013. From what I understand, it is an updated or revamped version of an older book. This is the first book I've read by this author, so I'm unable to shed much light into that.
In this book we meet a young man, Thomas. An orphaned boy who has been raised in a monastery by gluttonous and greedy monks who would rather fill their own bellies and wallets than help needy villagers. Set in the heart of Northern England in AD 1312, the world is a dark and discouraging place filled with corrupt lords and impoverished lands.
Thomas escapes the monastery. With the help of a knight, a mute girl and a pickpocket he sets out to fulfill his destiny. Along the way he is mentored by the older and wiser knight, secretly falls in love with the girl and obtains a bit of brotherly affection for the young thief. Their adventures along the way form trust and friendship that will either help or hinder the success of Thomas' quest.
I felt like this book had a lot of potential and it was a very enjoyable fast read. But I felt that while the characters were fleshed out really well and had a lot of life to them, it just seemed a little rushed. The fantasy part of the story was very appealing to me. I enjoy a good fantasy story and its a genre I read quite often. However, I felt that the idea of Merlin and Druids all seemed a bit conflicting for the Christian theme. Now, granted, I am not opposed to mixing fantasy and Christianity, especially in the setting of an allegory but I felt as if this story just didn't really nail it. Did I enjoy the story? Yes. Will I read the next? Yes. But I just felt it was a little rough around the edges.
I received The Orphan King as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.
In this book we meet a young man, Thomas. An orphaned boy who has been raised in a monastery by gluttonous and greedy monks who would rather fill their own bellies and wallets than help needy villagers. Set in the heart of Northern England in AD 1312, the world is a dark and discouraging place filled with corrupt lords and impoverished lands.
Thomas escapes the monastery. With the help of a knight, a mute girl and a pickpocket he sets out to fulfill his destiny. Along the way he is mentored by the older and wiser knight, secretly falls in love with the girl and obtains a bit of brotherly affection for the young thief. Their adventures along the way form trust and friendship that will either help or hinder the success of Thomas' quest.
I felt like this book had a lot of potential and it was a very enjoyable fast read. But I felt that while the characters were fleshed out really well and had a lot of life to them, it just seemed a little rushed. The fantasy part of the story was very appealing to me. I enjoy a good fantasy story and its a genre I read quite often. However, I felt that the idea of Merlin and Druids all seemed a bit conflicting for the Christian theme. Now, granted, I am not opposed to mixing fantasy and Christianity, especially in the setting of an allegory but I felt as if this story just didn't really nail it. Did I enjoy the story? Yes. Will I read the next? Yes. But I just felt it was a little rough around the edges.
I received The Orphan King as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.
August 15, 2012
Ever since I was 11, if it had to do with the Middle Ages, I was all over it. Books set in the Middle Ages were hard to find. Most people thought that if it looks anything like history, kids will run away. Maybe most kids will, but I know I loved it.
When I saw the cover of The Orphan King, I was pretty sure I wanted to review it. When I read the description, I knew I did. I ordered it and waited for it expectantly. When it came, my youngest sister (13) begged to read it. The next day she handed it back to me and said she thought it was great.
I opened the book one day, wanting something to relax with, and pretty soon I was drawn into an exciting story, full of adventure, intrigue, and non-stop action. It kept me turning the pages until I finished.
Sigmund Brouwer, in only a few pages, builds a world in vivid descriptions. Even though this is a smaller book, the characters were well developed and so were the locations. I loved the setting as well as the band of misfit characters that make up the story.
There is a hint of romance, but it is very small, and there is even a good lesson about beauty not being everything. Parents of boys especially will like the subtle message of guarding your eyes. The only thing that I really didn’t like about this book is that I have to wait until February until the next book is out.
If you are looking for an action-filled, adventurous book, this is for you.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
When I saw the cover of The Orphan King, I was pretty sure I wanted to review it. When I read the description, I knew I did. I ordered it and waited for it expectantly. When it came, my youngest sister (13) begged to read it. The next day she handed it back to me and said she thought it was great.
I opened the book one day, wanting something to relax with, and pretty soon I was drawn into an exciting story, full of adventure, intrigue, and non-stop action. It kept me turning the pages until I finished.
Sigmund Brouwer, in only a few pages, builds a world in vivid descriptions. Even though this is a smaller book, the characters were well developed and so were the locations. I loved the setting as well as the band of misfit characters that make up the story.
There is a hint of romance, but it is very small, and there is even a good lesson about beauty not being everything. Parents of boys especially will like the subtle message of guarding your eyes. The only thing that I really didn’t like about this book is that I have to wait until February until the next book is out.
If you are looking for an action-filled, adventurous book, this is for you.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
December 6, 2012
The character of Thomas is very strong in this novel. He is brave, admirable, and unstoppable in the face of danger. In my son's words, this character is "epic." He works toward fulfilling his destiny to conquer Magnus castle and the druid order. It's a classic battle of good vs. evil, all of which will appeal to teens who are fans of Arthurian lore. There are great themes of faith, friendship, trust, courage and hard work.
The author weaves a great plot with twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing as to the back story behind Thomas' supposed "friends". My son enjoyed details about the time period and was drawn in by the story's setting and author's descriptive language.
The ending leaves you hanging and asking a few "why's." We both look forward to the next book in the series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Waterbrook Mulnomah's Blogging for Books program. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
The author weaves a great plot with twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing as to the back story behind Thomas' supposed "friends". My son enjoyed details about the time period and was drawn in by the story's setting and author's descriptive language.
The ending leaves you hanging and asking a few "why's." We both look forward to the next book in the series.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Waterbrook Mulnomah's Blogging for Books program. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
June 13, 2019
DNF at 1/3 of the way through. It tried too hard to be mysterious and ended up withholding too much, leaving the nature of the protagonist's quest (and unnamed enemies) so vague that I soon lost interest. The knight he meets along the way is likewise too 'mysterious' to be interesting; his 'logical' secretive actions end up feeling erratic and stupid. Not stupid the way he's trying to appear like a simple musclehead to the boy, but stupid as in "why the hell would you do that?"
I have too much else to read to force my way through the rest of this.
I have too much else to read to force my way through the rest of this.
August 1, 2012
A run-of-the-mill easy, recipe-esque historical fantasy story. You're thrown with unbelievable characters that you're supposed to magically care for and the internal monologue is overbearing in trying to create tension. I dropped it hafway through.
February 2, 2024
Sadly quite boring (2 stars)
I've previously read thrillers by Sigmund Brouwer and enjoyed them immensely. This book for young adults sounded very promising, and describes the young hero Thomas leaving the safety of the monastery he knows, and begin a journey of discovery, with some unlikely and mysterious companions with him.
The Orphan King is part of a series, which was originally published under the single title Magnus, but Sigmund Brouwer returned to it and reworked it. Having read some of Brouwer's other work, I was quite disappointed with this book. The action was quite boring, and the book itself was even confusing at times. I like medieval style fantasy adventures, so this genre would normally appeal to me a great deal, but this story wasn't at all gripping, and I had to force myself to finish it, and sadly I had no desire to read the rest of the series.
I've previously read thrillers by Sigmund Brouwer and enjoyed them immensely. This book for young adults sounded very promising, and describes the young hero Thomas leaving the safety of the monastery he knows, and begin a journey of discovery, with some unlikely and mysterious companions with him.
The Orphan King is part of a series, which was originally published under the single title Magnus, but Sigmund Brouwer returned to it and reworked it. Having read some of Brouwer's other work, I was quite disappointed with this book. The action was quite boring, and the book itself was even confusing at times. I like medieval style fantasy adventures, so this genre would normally appeal to me a great deal, but this story wasn't at all gripping, and I had to force myself to finish it, and sadly I had no desire to read the rest of the series.
February 15, 2024
I wasn't entirely sure if I would have been able to finish reading this one. This is just one of those books that doesn't hook you in right away, but slowly pulls you into the story as it progresses. I was hoping that this book would get better, but I found the story lacking.
The story progressed fairly quickly, but the characters were dry and predictable, and Sigmund Brouwer's attempt at making the characters appear mysterious failed since he gave each character their turn in their POV which took away the suspense there should have been.
The plot was obvious from the beginning, the betrayers/enemies were also obvious, and the ending was way too easy.
The story progressed fairly quickly, but the characters were dry and predictable, and Sigmund Brouwer's attempt at making the characters appear mysterious failed since he gave each character their turn in their POV which took away the suspense there should have been.
The plot was obvious from the beginning, the betrayers/enemies were also obvious, and the ending was way too easy.
September 4, 2017
Thomas is an orphan who has been raised in a monastery by four corrupt and violent monks. He makes his escape to pursue a destiny that he doesn't quite understand. He starts his journey with three unlikely companions that he saves from the gallows - a knight, a pickpocket and a beautiful deaf-mute young woman. Together they travel to the kingdom of Magnus to overthrow it's evil lord. This is a good story and is part one of a series. I probably will not continue with the other books because of inconsistencies and too many unexplained loose ends.
March 18, 2020
3.75 stars
At first the book was slow and so puzzling. I was confused and while I appreciate and like a certain amount of mystery, I dislike feeling like I have no handle on things. However, it gets much more interesting as it goes along. I might have to buy the rest as Kindle books since no library has the rest of the series.
One other thing of note: it is strange to have fantasy in the real world. It makes for some shocks brocade I become immersed in a fantasy only to have “London” or “Marco Polo” or “Italy” thrown in.
At first the book was slow and so puzzling. I was confused and while I appreciate and like a certain amount of mystery, I dislike feeling like I have no handle on things. However, it gets much more interesting as it goes along. I might have to buy the rest as Kindle books since no library has the rest of the series.
One other thing of note: it is strange to have fantasy in the real world. It makes for some shocks brocade I become immersed in a fantasy only to have “London” or “Marco Polo” or “Italy” thrown in.
April 23, 2021
Our hero overcame impossible odds to become who he is, and his development is an important part of the tale. I should have just ordered all four books at once from the library, as the story doesn't wrap up at the end of book one. I will enjoy seeing where the story goes from here. I would recommend it for older elementary on up - there are a few moments too much for younger readers - mostly implied but not always. While God is mentioned in this book, it is not "religious" and anyone could enjoy it.
April 10, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. I gave it 5 stars because it fulfills its duty as a young reader’s book with excellence. It’s got great characters, a fun plot (even if it’s predictable), and the overall writing was executed for the target audience well without dumbing it down.
I highly recommend this book to any young reader getting ready for the transition to the YA section of the bookstore and really to anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned fun story.
I highly recommend this book to any young reader getting ready for the transition to the YA section of the bookstore and really to anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned fun story.
April 4, 2025
Sigmund Brouwer has been one of my favourite authors for almost 30 years. I read his novel Magnus many years ago. This was a fun way to get back into the same time period that Magnus was set in. I'm excited to continue the series and see where Thomas' adventures take him!
June 24, 2021
This four-part series (originally also a single novel named Magnus), inspires some of my best childhood memories. Even now, after the fourth time reading, it's still gripping front to back.
If you love adventure, mystery, hidden warfare, hiding in plain sight and a healthy dose of christian charm, then this series is definitely for you!
If you love adventure, mystery, hidden warfare, hiding in plain sight and a healthy dose of christian charm, then this series is definitely for you!
September 18, 2019
Read & loved the whole series! Medieval England is eloquently described in this epic quest as we follow our young hero, Thomas, from his monastery home into the mysterious world of the druids! Very believable world!
February 23, 2017
Weirdly a strong Christian influence in the book but not over powering. The book make you ready for the next in the series. I check it out from my local library.
October 17, 2019
Very good book
February 10, 2023
This is a mysterious story of a boy who grew up in a monastery and went to seek his destiny. His nurse taught him a lot before she passed away and gave him cryptic messages to follow. He rescued a knight, a pickpocket, and a deaf and mute girl from the gallows. Together they capture a formidable castle. I know this sounds far-fetched and I'm kind of left hanging at the end of the book. I guess that's why there are more books to follow this one.
August 20, 2012
Thomas has had it up to here with the servant's life. As low man on the abbey totem pole, he is little more than a slave to the corrupt monks. And yet, until now, he has been content to bid his time, studying the secret books him mother left him and preparing for the destiny that awaits him. And now, finally, it is time. With the assistance of a lone knight, an impish young pickpocket, and a pretty deaf mute who is more than she seems, Thomas sets out to find and reclaim the mysterious and impregnable castle Magnus from the cruel Lord Mewburn. But there are forces at work behind the scenes, sometimes helping, sometimes hindering Thomas's plans. Who can he trust? What is he to make of the dark tales his mother told him--tales of shadowy Druids and powerful Immortals? And what of Thomas himself? Is he on the side of right, or merely a tool in the hands of another?
This is, at its heart, a perfectly serviceable young adult novel. At just over 200 pages, it's not too intimidating, and it's got plenty to draw in young readers: Knights! Castles! Science masquerading as magic! Bandits! Chivalry! Disguises! Dungeons! Secret societies! Hidden knowledge! And no fewer than two damsels in distress!
And there's some substantive stuff tucked in as well. Thomas's years at the abbey, surrounded by heartless greed, corruption, and cruelty, have turned him off to the idea of God. Yet, in his showdown with the monks, he uses their sin to prove that they have nothing to do with God at all--that their behavior is inconsistent with the character of the God they purport to serve. Later, when he is confronted by someone whose faith is demonstrated by kindness, integrity, and courage--someone who remains confident in God's sovereignty and goodness despite extreme hardship--he finds himself rethinking his dismissal of God. Some of the religious stuff is a bit awkward and ham-handed, and even slightly anachronistic, as when Thomas is told that 'God grants you peace when you accept Him'. Granted, I'm no expert, but I feel like a lot of the 'accept God' language is a more recent development. But there's a lovely (and fairly subtle) point about the contrast between physical beauty and the internal beauty that manifests itself through actions and service and a kind heart.
Not that it's a great book, mind you. The characters are decently drawn, and there are a fewer good action sequences early in the book. Sadly, the climax, when it occurs, is rather rushed and, well, anticlimactic. In the wake of Harry Potter, we've seen more and more fantasy series emerge onto the young adult literature scene--many of which are more analogous to a multi-part novel than a series of connected books. It is not uncommon for an author to be so eager to build suspense for later books that he (or she) ends the initial book without resolving any of the major conflicts in the story. Brouwer does a good job of actually resolving the central plot point (Thomas's plan to conquer Magnus) while leaving intact plenty of peripheral questions to be addressed in future installments.
Bottom line: If you're looking for good Christian-adjacent young adult fiction, particularly for actual young adults (as opposed to adults like myself who enjoy the occasional YA read), you could do a lot worse than this book. Brouwer has upwards of a dozen YA series under his belt by now (and more than 100 titles), and this particular series (Merlin's Immortals) is actually a revised and expanded version of his Winds of Light series from the early '90s. I'm not familiar with the original series, so I don't know if it's good enough to merit revision and expansion, but hopefully Brouwer's learned a few things in the last 20 years and will produce a solid series.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
This is, at its heart, a perfectly serviceable young adult novel. At just over 200 pages, it's not too intimidating, and it's got plenty to draw in young readers: Knights! Castles! Science masquerading as magic! Bandits! Chivalry! Disguises! Dungeons! Secret societies! Hidden knowledge! And no fewer than two damsels in distress!
And there's some substantive stuff tucked in as well. Thomas's years at the abbey, surrounded by heartless greed, corruption, and cruelty, have turned him off to the idea of God. Yet, in his showdown with the monks, he uses their sin to prove that they have nothing to do with God at all--that their behavior is inconsistent with the character of the God they purport to serve. Later, when he is confronted by someone whose faith is demonstrated by kindness, integrity, and courage--someone who remains confident in God's sovereignty and goodness despite extreme hardship--he finds himself rethinking his dismissal of God. Some of the religious stuff is a bit awkward and ham-handed, and even slightly anachronistic, as when Thomas is told that 'God grants you peace when you accept Him'. Granted, I'm no expert, but I feel like a lot of the 'accept God' language is a more recent development. But there's a lovely (and fairly subtle) point about the contrast between physical beauty and the internal beauty that manifests itself through actions and service and a kind heart.
Not that it's a great book, mind you. The characters are decently drawn, and there are a fewer good action sequences early in the book. Sadly, the climax, when it occurs, is rather rushed and, well, anticlimactic. In the wake of Harry Potter, we've seen more and more fantasy series emerge onto the young adult literature scene--many of which are more analogous to a multi-part novel than a series of connected books. It is not uncommon for an author to be so eager to build suspense for later books that he (or she) ends the initial book without resolving any of the major conflicts in the story. Brouwer does a good job of actually resolving the central plot point (Thomas's plan to conquer Magnus) while leaving intact plenty of peripheral questions to be addressed in future installments.
Bottom line: If you're looking for good Christian-adjacent young adult fiction, particularly for actual young adults (as opposed to adults like myself who enjoy the occasional YA read), you could do a lot worse than this book. Brouwer has upwards of a dozen YA series under his belt by now (and more than 100 titles), and this particular series (Merlin's Immortals) is actually a revised and expanded version of his Winds of Light series from the early '90s. I'm not familiar with the original series, so I don't know if it's good enough to merit revision and expansion, but hopefully Brouwer's learned a few things in the last 20 years and will produce a solid series.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
July 21, 2012
The Orphan King's a medieval fantasy with a lot of potential, but for a couple of reasons I don't think that potential's been realized. There are actually two plots going on, the first with Thomas as an orphan trying to reclaim his birthright, and the second's a bigger, overarching conspiracy with druids and templars. Honestly, only the later really interested me, and this book seems to have left so much of that plot unexplored and unresolved, I just have so many questions about what's going on, it left me really unsatisfied.
Anyway, the start's pretty standard, some fairly melodramatic stuff with Thomas being mistreated by a bunch of selfish monks. And right away, I start noticing a common theme with a lot of these secondary characters, besides Thomas and William, the cryptic knight who joins him on his quest to reclaim Magnus, nobody's really that well developed. Like these monks, they're so over the top nasty and easy to hate, I didn't get into the story until Thomas flees the abbey and gets on with his adventure. And even then, the supporting characters aren't great at all, John's the typical scamp slash thief character while Katherine and Isabelle, while not weak damsels in distress, aren't really that well developed and make a really lame triangle. I just wanted to see more, motivations and character and personal moments, from these characters than what I got. Like Katherine, how does she feel about having to hide under all her bandages? Or Isabelle, how does she feel about her conflicted loyalties? And I'm disappointed I didn't get that. Oh, and maybe I’m also disappointed the villain's really more of a villain in name only, I don't think he even appears.
I did like Thomas though. He's sort of like the typical hero character in that he has a lot of strengths - he's brave and chivalrous and does all sorts of stuff nobody else thinks of doing, but he also has weaknesses - he's got a big head and is too eager to do right, so he's far from an annoyingly perfect character. Acting without thinking, yeah I can relate. And William is a pretty good foil as the gruff, experienced advisor who knows a thing or two and can keep Thomas in line. But I think I would've enjoyed the story more if it hadn't jumped around from point of view to point of view. A lot of William's point of view I think kinda killed the story for me. Instead of letting me figure out what William's plans and goals are, I'm kinda beaten over the head with it by William just straight up telling me, it really ruined the intrigue and killed off any complexity to the story.
And while some things like William's motivations are over explained without any subtlety at all, other things are under explained. I really thought Magnus, for example, was a sword for the longest time, until, yeah, it's actually a castle. Woops. Then there's the whole cat and mouse game between the druids and the templars, which appears to happen independently of but is related to Thomas's quest to reclaim Magnus. It’s all so intriguing, definitely captured my interest, but in the end, I really have no idea what to say about any of it because I don't even know if the group opposing the druids is just the templars, or it includes others as well like the mysterious Immortals. One of the first questions Thomas asks in the book is who the Immortals are, and after finishing this book I know exactly as much as when I started, which is that they're connected to the plot and Magnus, somehow. I realize of course more will be revealed by the sequel, but the complete lack of information is really frustrating.
Maybe if this book was longer and certain parts were rewritten, I'd have really liked it. But as it is, it really feels like wasted potential.
Anyway, the start's pretty standard, some fairly melodramatic stuff with Thomas being mistreated by a bunch of selfish monks. And right away, I start noticing a common theme with a lot of these secondary characters, besides Thomas and William, the cryptic knight who joins him on his quest to reclaim Magnus, nobody's really that well developed. Like these monks, they're so over the top nasty and easy to hate, I didn't get into the story until Thomas flees the abbey and gets on with his adventure. And even then, the supporting characters aren't great at all, John's the typical scamp slash thief character while Katherine and Isabelle, while not weak damsels in distress, aren't really that well developed and make a really lame triangle. I just wanted to see more, motivations and character and personal moments, from these characters than what I got. Like Katherine, how does she feel about having to hide under all her bandages? Or Isabelle, how does she feel about her conflicted loyalties? And I'm disappointed I didn't get that. Oh, and maybe I’m also disappointed the villain's really more of a villain in name only, I don't think he even appears.
I did like Thomas though. He's sort of like the typical hero character in that he has a lot of strengths - he's brave and chivalrous and does all sorts of stuff nobody else thinks of doing, but he also has weaknesses - he's got a big head and is too eager to do right, so he's far from an annoyingly perfect character. Acting without thinking, yeah I can relate. And William is a pretty good foil as the gruff, experienced advisor who knows a thing or two and can keep Thomas in line. But I think I would've enjoyed the story more if it hadn't jumped around from point of view to point of view. A lot of William's point of view I think kinda killed the story for me. Instead of letting me figure out what William's plans and goals are, I'm kinda beaten over the head with it by William just straight up telling me, it really ruined the intrigue and killed off any complexity to the story.
And while some things like William's motivations are over explained without any subtlety at all, other things are under explained. I really thought Magnus, for example, was a sword for the longest time, until, yeah, it's actually a castle. Woops. Then there's the whole cat and mouse game between the druids and the templars, which appears to happen independently of but is related to Thomas's quest to reclaim Magnus. It’s all so intriguing, definitely captured my interest, but in the end, I really have no idea what to say about any of it because I don't even know if the group opposing the druids is just the templars, or it includes others as well like the mysterious Immortals. One of the first questions Thomas asks in the book is who the Immortals are, and after finishing this book I know exactly as much as when I started, which is that they're connected to the plot and Magnus, somehow. I realize of course more will be revealed by the sequel, but the complete lack of information is really frustrating.
Maybe if this book was longer and certain parts were rewritten, I'd have really liked it. But as it is, it really feels like wasted potential.
July 16, 2012
The Future of the Immortals is in the hands of an orphan.
"My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. How you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil."
The last words of his dying mother would completely change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he know nothing of his mysterious past or fulfilling his imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Determined to defeat these mysterious enemies, Thomas leaves the monastery on an important quest.
He quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions - a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful silent woman who may not be all she seems. From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both camaraderie and betrayal.
Can he trust those who would join his quest....or will his fears force him to go on alone?
I have read most of Sigmund Brouwer's books, and I have enjoyed almost all of them immensely. However, the Orphan King fell flat for me and did not meet the expectations I have for a Sigmund Brouwer novel. The plot line was interesting, but I did not like the pace, nor the way the author revealed unknown information. The book was too short at only 200 pages, so the storyline felt as if it was crammed into a very short space. There were also times when the story moved too slow, and there were also important aspects of the story that were skimmed over. The novel almost felt as if it squished together and watered down to make it a young adult novel, and the worth of the story suffered as a result. There were parts of the storyline that I enjoyed, but as a whole the plot did not flow well. At the end of the novel there were still many aspects of the plotline that were still in the dark, which left me confused about many of the connections the author was trying to make. While a few strings left untied to be solved in a sequel is a good thing, I felt like I was tangled in a mess of strings.
The characters were decently developed, considering the length of the novel. Most of the characters were left in shadow and mystery even at the end, so I still had little information about them. Thomas was the only character with any real development. The rest of the supporting characters were static and one dimensional. I hope that the next book in the Merlin's Immortals series reveals more about these characters.
Overall, Orphan King was only an alright book. The plot was interesting but confusing and too short to explain anything. The characters had very little to no development. I will read the next book in Merlin's Immortals series in order to clear up the mess the first one left, but only for that. If anyone is interested in reading a novel by Sigmund Brouwer, this is not the first one I would recommend. The Sam Keaton: Legends of Laramie and the Nick Barrett Mystery series are both excellent series that Sigmund Brouwer has written.
I received this novel for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
"My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. How you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil."
The last words of his dying mother would completely change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he know nothing of his mysterious past or fulfilling his imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Determined to defeat these mysterious enemies, Thomas leaves the monastery on an important quest.
He quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions - a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful silent woman who may not be all she seems. From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both camaraderie and betrayal.
Can he trust those who would join his quest....or will his fears force him to go on alone?
I have read most of Sigmund Brouwer's books, and I have enjoyed almost all of them immensely. However, the Orphan King fell flat for me and did not meet the expectations I have for a Sigmund Brouwer novel. The plot line was interesting, but I did not like the pace, nor the way the author revealed unknown information. The book was too short at only 200 pages, so the storyline felt as if it was crammed into a very short space. There were also times when the story moved too slow, and there were also important aspects of the story that were skimmed over. The novel almost felt as if it squished together and watered down to make it a young adult novel, and the worth of the story suffered as a result. There were parts of the storyline that I enjoyed, but as a whole the plot did not flow well. At the end of the novel there were still many aspects of the plotline that were still in the dark, which left me confused about many of the connections the author was trying to make. While a few strings left untied to be solved in a sequel is a good thing, I felt like I was tangled in a mess of strings.
The characters were decently developed, considering the length of the novel. Most of the characters were left in shadow and mystery even at the end, so I still had little information about them. Thomas was the only character with any real development. The rest of the supporting characters were static and one dimensional. I hope that the next book in the Merlin's Immortals series reveals more about these characters.
Overall, Orphan King was only an alright book. The plot was interesting but confusing and too short to explain anything. The characters had very little to no development. I will read the next book in Merlin's Immortals series in order to clear up the mess the first one left, but only for that. If anyone is interested in reading a novel by Sigmund Brouwer, this is not the first one I would recommend. The Sam Keaton: Legends of Laramie and the Nick Barrett Mystery series are both excellent series that Sigmund Brouwer has written.
I received this novel for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Press in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2012
The first book in the Merlin’s Immortals series, The Orphan King is the beginning of an epic battle between good and evil. Thomas, an orphan raised in an abbey, has known from a young age that he has a special destiny, one he must fulfill or die trying. With the help of a knight he must first rescue from the gallows, he plans to retake the castle Magnus from the man who stole it from Thomas’s family and forced his mother to hide him at the abbey. At first, it appears as though Thomas’s fear may defeat him before his journey begins, but then his courage and determination shine through. He is filled with the necessary fire to stand up for what is right and to fight against those who oppress and inflict pain upon the innocent and the weak. But does he have the wisdom to discern those who wish to use his sense of justice for their own nefarious plans from those who truly need his help and wish to aid his mission?
This book is packed with adventure and intrigue. Each chapter brings a new twist and adds just enough information to allow the reader to discover what is going on right alongside Thomas. The Christian theme is masterfully woven into the plot, revealing itself more through Thomas’s doubts than through any great displays of faith. As Thomas travels the path laid before him, he ponders the same type of questions many people have, such as why a loving God would allow such evil to occur to those helpless to defend themselves. Thomas’s journey also shows the necessity of wisdom and looking beyond a pretty face or compelling words to a person’s true intentions. Not everything is as it seems, and Thomas soon learns that not everyone can be trusted.
With this new series, Sigmund Brouwer has given teens and adults a glimpse into the superstitious medieval times. He adds just enough easily explained “magic” to emphasize the mystique of the educated in the Middle Ages while avoiding turning this into yet another “sword and sorcery” fantasy novel that reads like a dozen others. The Orphan King has a unique plot filled with mystery and questions that leave the reader begging for more.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. The manner in which I received this book has no bearing on this review. All opinions in this review are my own and based solely on the contents of the book and my experience reading it.
This book is packed with adventure and intrigue. Each chapter brings a new twist and adds just enough information to allow the reader to discover what is going on right alongside Thomas. The Christian theme is masterfully woven into the plot, revealing itself more through Thomas’s doubts than through any great displays of faith. As Thomas travels the path laid before him, he ponders the same type of questions many people have, such as why a loving God would allow such evil to occur to those helpless to defend themselves. Thomas’s journey also shows the necessity of wisdom and looking beyond a pretty face or compelling words to a person’s true intentions. Not everything is as it seems, and Thomas soon learns that not everyone can be trusted.
With this new series, Sigmund Brouwer has given teens and adults a glimpse into the superstitious medieval times. He adds just enough easily explained “magic” to emphasize the mystique of the educated in the Middle Ages while avoiding turning this into yet another “sword and sorcery” fantasy novel that reads like a dozen others. The Orphan King has a unique plot filled with mystery and questions that leave the reader begging for more.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. The manner in which I received this book has no bearing on this review. All opinions in this review are my own and based solely on the contents of the book and my experience reading it.
August 18, 2012
Today I am reviewing The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
When I saw this book was eligible for review, I was instantly interested. The storyline sounded very cool, and it intrigued me. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. After having a tough time getting the ebook to work, I finally settled in to read some of it. It WAS interesting. The characters were (mainly) lovable in their own ways, and I cheered for Thomas on his quest.
That being said, the book didn't quite reach the expectations I set up for it. Maybe that isn't fair, because it really is a well written book. Here are the things that made the story less satisfying for me. The pace: It was too fast, in my opinion. I never got the chance to get to know the characters well because the story was going by so quick. It also left me in confusion about some points of the story. Which leads to... the length: There's nothing wrong with a book being only a bit over 200 words, but instead of Mr. Brouwer taking artistic liberties, it seemed as if he was trying to cram all his ideas into a little box. Confusion: I was confused about what was happening, and constantly trying to figure out just what on earth was going on- though I believe some of them will be explained in book 2. Finally, all of these things made it hard for me to connect with the story and characters.
Now that the negative part is over, I will say this: I enjoyed the book! Besides the things that dissatisfied me, it was exciting. The action almost never stops, and as I said before, as far as I got to know them, the characters WERE likable. I recommend this book for a quick read, when you don't have the time to invest in a 400 page epic. Don't go into the story expecting too highly, but don't let this review sway you to not give it a try. In all likelihood, you will enjoy it. I did. I give this story three stars. Almost four.
So check out Chapter 1 here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/89986193/Th...
and think about purchasing it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Orphan-King...
Hope this review was helpful!
~A young author
When I saw this book was eligible for review, I was instantly interested. The storyline sounded very cool, and it intrigued me. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. After having a tough time getting the ebook to work, I finally settled in to read some of it. It WAS interesting. The characters were (mainly) lovable in their own ways, and I cheered for Thomas on his quest.
That being said, the book didn't quite reach the expectations I set up for it. Maybe that isn't fair, because it really is a well written book. Here are the things that made the story less satisfying for me. The pace: It was too fast, in my opinion. I never got the chance to get to know the characters well because the story was going by so quick. It also left me in confusion about some points of the story. Which leads to... the length: There's nothing wrong with a book being only a bit over 200 words, but instead of Mr. Brouwer taking artistic liberties, it seemed as if he was trying to cram all his ideas into a little box. Confusion: I was confused about what was happening, and constantly trying to figure out just what on earth was going on- though I believe some of them will be explained in book 2. Finally, all of these things made it hard for me to connect with the story and characters.
Now that the negative part is over, I will say this: I enjoyed the book! Besides the things that dissatisfied me, it was exciting. The action almost never stops, and as I said before, as far as I got to know them, the characters WERE likable. I recommend this book for a quick read, when you don't have the time to invest in a 400 page epic. Don't go into the story expecting too highly, but don't let this review sway you to not give it a try. In all likelihood, you will enjoy it. I did. I give this story three stars. Almost four.
So check out Chapter 1 here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/89986193/Th...
and think about purchasing it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Orphan-King...
Hope this review was helpful!
~A young author
February 17, 2013
The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer is a tale of intrigue in the tradition of medieval history where light and dark war over a mysterious castle called, Magnus.
Magnus was built by Merlin. It’s strangely untouched by the King of England or stormed by any Earl. The defenses are impenetrable with nearly ten years of food and water, high walls, numerous escape passages, and two moats. Long ago, Sarah watched as her family perished within it’s walls, and she took baby Thomas to be raised in a monastery to learn the secrets of the Immortals. Magnus became ruled by one loyal to the Druids.
The Druids are evil, blackmailing other Earl’s to do their bidding and using secret knowledge to cause deadly illnesses to overcome those who stand against them. Some view what they do as magic, but the Immortal’s know that knowledge can appear as magic. Thomas knows what he must do, but he doesn’t know who is on his side, the stories of the Druids, or the Immortals. Sarah left him without that knowledge. After Sarah passed, Thomas kept the books of knowledge in a cave while he freed himself from the corrupt monks and goes to free a knight set to be hung in the nearest village.
What Thomas doesn’t know is the bigger picture. The knight is one of many who know of Thomas’ existence and the hanging was a ploy. Thomas is the next king of Magnus. Thomas’ plan goes only as far as conquering Magnus, but he doesn’t yet know what to do with it afterwards. He is still left largely in the dark on who his enemies are as he and his three companions begin their quest to Magnus.
The Orphan King is fashioned after typical medieval stories where others seek positions of power over the rightful heir; the rightful heir being Thomas. Thomas is more than he seems and manages to keep his enemies mystified by his potions and secret knowledge. The Druids and the Immortals seek his hand on their side. The story has a love story intertwined between one of the Immortals, Katherine, and Thomas. The love story will go forward into the second book in the Merlin’s Immortal’s series where it leaves one begging for more.
Sigmund Brouwer is a great story-teller. This novel had my attention from the first and I gave it five stars. Tomorrow I review Book two in the series, Fortress of Mist.
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Magnus was built by Merlin. It’s strangely untouched by the King of England or stormed by any Earl. The defenses are impenetrable with nearly ten years of food and water, high walls, numerous escape passages, and two moats. Long ago, Sarah watched as her family perished within it’s walls, and she took baby Thomas to be raised in a monastery to learn the secrets of the Immortals. Magnus became ruled by one loyal to the Druids.
The Druids are evil, blackmailing other Earl’s to do their bidding and using secret knowledge to cause deadly illnesses to overcome those who stand against them. Some view what they do as magic, but the Immortal’s know that knowledge can appear as magic. Thomas knows what he must do, but he doesn’t know who is on his side, the stories of the Druids, or the Immortals. Sarah left him without that knowledge. After Sarah passed, Thomas kept the books of knowledge in a cave while he freed himself from the corrupt monks and goes to free a knight set to be hung in the nearest village.
What Thomas doesn’t know is the bigger picture. The knight is one of many who know of Thomas’ existence and the hanging was a ploy. Thomas is the next king of Magnus. Thomas’ plan goes only as far as conquering Magnus, but he doesn’t yet know what to do with it afterwards. He is still left largely in the dark on who his enemies are as he and his three companions begin their quest to Magnus.
The Orphan King is fashioned after typical medieval stories where others seek positions of power over the rightful heir; the rightful heir being Thomas. Thomas is more than he seems and manages to keep his enemies mystified by his potions and secret knowledge. The Druids and the Immortals seek his hand on their side. The story has a love story intertwined between one of the Immortals, Katherine, and Thomas. The love story will go forward into the second book in the Merlin’s Immortal’s series where it leaves one begging for more.
Sigmund Brouwer is a great story-teller. This novel had my attention from the first and I gave it five stars. Tomorrow I review Book two in the series, Fortress of Mist.
In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
August 11, 2012
The future of the Immortals is in the hands of an orphan
My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil.
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. Now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas leaves the monastery on an important quest to fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids.
This book is packed with adventure and intrigue. Each chapter brings a new twist and adds just enough information to allow the reader to discover what is going on right alongside Thomas. The Christian theme is masterfully woven into the plot, revealing itself more through Thomas's doubts than through any great displays of faith.
This book heralds as Christian fiction, but there was very little of God in the book. Still, it fit in well with the storyline. Thomas does not believe in God, and it's not until the end that his views are challenged and he is forced to reconsider. The foreshadowing is that there will be more about his journey of faith as the series unfolds, which just added the anticipation for the next book.
The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer is a tale about noble knights, ancient secrets, mysterious castles, evil conspiracy, love, and the destiny of one young man that will change everything. I was disappointed with the story. In the beginning of the book, I felt like I had jumped in the middle and I had missed the whole back story. I found it hard to really get into the book. I pressed through and about half way in I was able to make sense of the book. The overall storyline is good and enjoyable and would recommend this book for teens and young adults.
I received this EBook from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in their Blogging for Books program for my review.
My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil.
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. Now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas leaves the monastery on an important quest to fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids.
This book is packed with adventure and intrigue. Each chapter brings a new twist and adds just enough information to allow the reader to discover what is going on right alongside Thomas. The Christian theme is masterfully woven into the plot, revealing itself more through Thomas's doubts than through any great displays of faith.
This book heralds as Christian fiction, but there was very little of God in the book. Still, it fit in well with the storyline. Thomas does not believe in God, and it's not until the end that his views are challenged and he is forced to reconsider. The foreshadowing is that there will be more about his journey of faith as the series unfolds, which just added the anticipation for the next book.
The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer is a tale about noble knights, ancient secrets, mysterious castles, evil conspiracy, love, and the destiny of one young man that will change everything. I was disappointed with the story. In the beginning of the book, I felt like I had jumped in the middle and I had missed the whole back story. I found it hard to really get into the book. I pressed through and about half way in I was able to make sense of the book. The overall storyline is good and enjoyable and would recommend this book for teens and young adults.
I received this EBook from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in their Blogging for Books program for my review.
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