What do you think?
Kingdom #1
Kingdom's Dawn
A Riveting Medieval Parallel to the Bible
Good and evil clash. Leinad and Cedric are determined to not only survive, but claim hope and victory! In Kingdom’s Dawn , Leinad and Tess, along with all the king’s people, must escape slavery by the powerful Lord Fairos. Kingdom’s Hope finds them free and arriving in the Chessington Valley. But when they forget the king, will Kergon and the Kessons capture them for good? After many years, Kingdom’s Edge finds Cedric living a hopeless life until a stranger appears with powerful words of a new kingdom and a grand army. Finally, Kingdom’s Reign marches you through the danger of earth’s last days as the evil dark knight threatens to defeat the prince once and for all. Swords, knights, and battles define these captivating tales that parallel biblical events from Genesis to Revelation!
He’s just a young man, but that doesn’t change the truth.
He was chosen…
Sixteen-year-old Leinad thought he was a common farmer’s son, nothing more. He wondered why his father had trained him for years to master the sword—not exactly a tool of the trade for farmers—but one tragic event initiates a world of revelation.
Only then does he begin to understand his calling—a calling no other man in the entire kingdom of Arrethtrae can fulfill—a calling given him by the King himself.
Teamed with a young slave girl, Leinad is thrust into adversity and danger—for the Dark Knight and his vicious Shadow Warriors will stop at nothing to thwart the King’s plan to restore the kingdom. Leinad will need more than a sharp blade and a swift hand to fulfill his mission and survive the evil plots of the King’s sworn enemies!
Journey to Arrethtrae, where the King and His Son implement a bold plan to save their kingdom; where courage, faith, and loyalty stand tall in the face of opposition; where good will not bow to evil—and the future of a kingdom lies in the hands of a young man.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDED
Story Behind the Book
“When my six kids’ eyes glossed over during a reading from the Bible, I paused to explain the significance of redemption to a sin-sick soul. I was rewarded with patronizing elephant nods and more blank stares. Shortly thereafter, I awoke in the middle of the night with a medieval story enveloping my mind. I wrote it down and later read it to my children. Their waning attention transformed into complete anticipation. I was amazed and disappointed. Why did it take a fictional story, not a Bible passage, to get that response? Then I realized—that is how Jesus taught! Parables are powerful! I penned the Kingdom series to help young people get excited about the supremely significant story of Jesus Christ and His mission to save mankind.”
— Chuck Black
Good and evil clash. Leinad and Cedric are determined to not only survive, but claim hope and victory! In Kingdom’s Dawn , Leinad and Tess, along with all the king’s people, must escape slavery by the powerful Lord Fairos. Kingdom’s Hope finds them free and arriving in the Chessington Valley. But when they forget the king, will Kergon and the Kessons capture them for good? After many years, Kingdom’s Edge finds Cedric living a hopeless life until a stranger appears with powerful words of a new kingdom and a grand army. Finally, Kingdom’s Reign marches you through the danger of earth’s last days as the evil dark knight threatens to defeat the prince once and for all. Swords, knights, and battles define these captivating tales that parallel biblical events from Genesis to Revelation!
He’s just a young man, but that doesn’t change the truth.
He was chosen…
Sixteen-year-old Leinad thought he was a common farmer’s son, nothing more. He wondered why his father had trained him for years to master the sword—not exactly a tool of the trade for farmers—but one tragic event initiates a world of revelation.
Only then does he begin to understand his calling—a calling no other man in the entire kingdom of Arrethtrae can fulfill—a calling given him by the King himself.
Teamed with a young slave girl, Leinad is thrust into adversity and danger—for the Dark Knight and his vicious Shadow Warriors will stop at nothing to thwart the King’s plan to restore the kingdom. Leinad will need more than a sharp blade and a swift hand to fulfill his mission and survive the evil plots of the King’s sworn enemies!
Journey to Arrethtrae, where the King and His Son implement a bold plan to save their kingdom; where courage, faith, and loyalty stand tall in the face of opposition; where good will not bow to evil—and the future of a kingdom lies in the hands of a young man.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDED
Story Behind the Book
“When my six kids’ eyes glossed over during a reading from the Bible, I paused to explain the significance of redemption to a sin-sick soul. I was rewarded with patronizing elephant nods and more blank stares. Shortly thereafter, I awoke in the middle of the night with a medieval story enveloping my mind. I wrote it down and later read it to my children. Their waning attention transformed into complete anticipation. I was amazed and disappointed. Why did it take a fictional story, not a Bible passage, to get that response? Then I realized—that is how Jesus taught! Parables are powerful! I penned the Kingdom series to help young people get excited about the supremely significant story of Jesus Christ and His mission to save mankind.”
— Chuck Black
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Chuck Black
37 books811 followersChuck Black first wrote Kingdom’s Edge to inspire his children to read the Bible with renewed zeal. This captivating expanded parable led him to write the Old Testament allegories, Kingdom’s Dawn, Kingdom’s Hope, Kingdom’s Call, and Kingdom’s Quest. Chuck's currents works include the Knights of Arrethtrae series, Call to Arms, and his series in progress, Wars of the Realm.
Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and currently works as an engineer for a firm designing plastic consumer products and has coinvented eleven patented construction products now being sold internationally. He has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and served eight years in the United States Air Force. Chuck and his wife have six children and live in North Dakota.
It is Chuck’s desire to serve the Lord through his work and to inspire people of all ages to study the scriptures in order to discover the hope and love of a truly majestic King and His Son.
Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and currently works as an engineer for a firm designing plastic consumer products and has coinvented eleven patented construction products now being sold internationally. He has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and served eight years in the United States Air Force. Chuck and his wife have six children and live in North Dakota.
It is Chuck’s desire to serve the Lord through his work and to inspire people of all ages to study the scriptures in order to discover the hope and love of a truly majestic King and His Son.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews
February 5, 2015
Reread: and STILL loving it
August 7, 2013
I am sadly disappointed in this book. I wanted to like it--I really did.
Have you ever heard the term 'show, don't tell'? This is the perfect example of how one shouldn't do it. The whole book 'tells' us the story instead of showing us. For example, at one point Leinad expresses how close he's become to Tess, but there's no example of that. The only few scenes between the two of them before that were when he met her and watched his father interact with her, when he saved her from the cellar, and when they were running from the black locust-like bugs. No closeness, just action and very short dialogue. Pick any spot in the book; it's all like that.
Characters were also lacking. I can't think of one character, Leinad included, that had any depth. They showed no particular interest in anything, they had no conflicts, and they had very little history... These people were supposed to represent characters from the bible, but if someone read this without knowing anything about the bible, how would they glean anything from these characters, or lack thereof?
Not only that, but the 'bad guys' in the book were all bad for no apparent reason. In fact, anyone not serving the King was either bad, a fool or weak. It's kind of a poor look at the world and the people in it. I wouldn't want my child thinking everyone that wasn't a Christian was less than anyone that was.
There are some shining moments, though. It was fun to try and figure out what the analogy was and who people represented. The sword fighting moments were also fun to read. I might also mention that Chuck Black was very good at causing hardships on his main characters. I say this as a good thing. If we know a character is good at something and will likely use it to complete their purpose, it's awesome if the author takes that talent away or rather makes it hard, even impossible for that character to use that talent. It creates good conflict and make the story much more interesting to read. It's sort of like cutting off the trigger finger of a gunslinger.
That brings me to another point. There seems no purpose for why Leinad is suffering. Sure it's analogy to the bible, but those all had some reason to happen. For Leinad, he's just thrown into it with no explanation. Even when he meets up with the King later, no explanation is offered, just a "Don't doubt me". There might be some explanation later in the series, but for now, nada.
This brings me to my last point. There's no story arc at all. The book starts about three chapters in (I mean it. Black could've condensed the first few chapters into a few paragraphs and not lost anything in the telling) and throws Leinad into a mission which he completes (sort of) almost right away. Then he just kind of wanders into bad situations. There's no goal or anything that he's trying to accomplish. And then at the end, there's no big conflict he has to overcome, except maybe that he 'doubted' the King which is loose and a little bit lazy writing. I sure hope the author has put as much thought into the next books as he put into creating the analogy.
Actually, I have one more small point. It is clear to me that Black has never gone hungry or starved. If he had, he would know that not eating after a few days would not make someone so weak that they would collapse. In fact, if one doesn't eat anything by the fifth day (which was referenced by Black) they wouldn't feel bad at all, but even a little good since the body has started eating the stored cells. Now, if he had said more than a week or a couple weeks it would have been more plausible... Oh well, small matter.
Have you ever heard the term 'show, don't tell'? This is the perfect example of how one shouldn't do it. The whole book 'tells' us the story instead of showing us. For example, at one point Leinad expresses how close he's become to Tess, but there's no example of that. The only few scenes between the two of them before that were when he met her and watched his father interact with her, when he saved her from the cellar, and when they were running from the black locust-like bugs. No closeness, just action and very short dialogue. Pick any spot in the book; it's all like that.
Characters were also lacking. I can't think of one character, Leinad included, that had any depth. They showed no particular interest in anything, they had no conflicts, and they had very little history... These people were supposed to represent characters from the bible, but if someone read this without knowing anything about the bible, how would they glean anything from these characters, or lack thereof?
Not only that, but the 'bad guys' in the book were all bad for no apparent reason. In fact, anyone not serving the King was either bad, a fool or weak. It's kind of a poor look at the world and the people in it. I wouldn't want my child thinking everyone that wasn't a Christian was less than anyone that was.
There are some shining moments, though. It was fun to try and figure out what the analogy was and who people represented. The sword fighting moments were also fun to read. I might also mention that Chuck Black was very good at causing hardships on his main characters. I say this as a good thing. If we know a character is good at something and will likely use it to complete their purpose, it's awesome if the author takes that talent away or rather makes it hard, even impossible for that character to use that talent. It creates good conflict and make the story much more interesting to read. It's sort of like cutting off the trigger finger of a gunslinger.
That brings me to another point. There seems no purpose for why Leinad is suffering. Sure it's analogy to the bible, but those all had some reason to happen. For Leinad, he's just thrown into it with no explanation. Even when he meets up with the King later, no explanation is offered, just a "Don't doubt me". There might be some explanation later in the series, but for now, nada.
This brings me to my last point. There's no story arc at all. The book starts about three chapters in (I mean it. Black could've condensed the first few chapters into a few paragraphs and not lost anything in the telling) and throws Leinad into a mission which he completes (sort of) almost right away. Then he just kind of wanders into bad situations. There's no goal or anything that he's trying to accomplish. And then at the end, there's no big conflict he has to overcome, except maybe that he 'doubted' the King which is loose and a little bit lazy writing. I sure hope the author has put as much thought into the next books as he put into creating the analogy.
Actually, I have one more small point. It is clear to me that Black has never gone hungry or starved. If he had, he would know that not eating after a few days would not make someone so weak that they would collapse. In fact, if one doesn't eat anything by the fifth day (which was referenced by Black) they wouldn't feel bad at all, but even a little good since the body has started eating the stored cells. Now, if he had said more than a week or a couple weeks it would have been more plausible... Oh well, small matter.
March 10, 2023
Sadly, this wasn’t for me.
I thought the Biblical threads were really cool, but the setting and the plot just didn’t do it for me.
I thought the Biblical threads were really cool, but the setting and the plot just didn’t do it for me.
December 29, 2016
This was a very fun read! A clean and Christian alternative to Brian Jacques. I really appreciated how the author was able to write an exciting adventure without getting too dark or violent and I loved the allegories. I wish I had known about these books when I was a tween or young teenager...
Its nice to have a good, Christian fantasy adventure that I can recommend to younger readers without any reservations! These would be great to read aloud.
I will definitely read the rest of the series.
Its nice to have a good, Christian fantasy adventure that I can recommend to younger readers without any reservations! These would be great to read aloud.
I will definitely read the rest of the series.
January 31, 2023
4.5⭐️
I didn’t realize that this series came before the Knights of Aerethtrae, or I would’ve read them in order!
I love this world that Chuck Black has written and I’m excited to read the rest of this prequel series!
I didn’t realize that this series came before the Knights of Aerethtrae, or I would’ve read them in order!
I love this world that Chuck Black has written and I’m excited to read the rest of this prequel series!
September 11, 2018
Though this series was written super fast paced, I found it entirely enjoyable. The characters were relatable, and I sympathized with them. This was a wonderful book!!
June 20, 2013
I'm not a big fan of allegory.
While I admire what Chuck Black has done with this story, it suffers from the usual problems of the genre: characters subordinate to a plot, thin and not quite credible motivations, a storyline that 'just happens' rather than is deftly patterned and cohesive. It's a straight string, rather than a woven tapestry.
Leinad is a farmboy whose father has trained him with the sword. He wonders why. He starts out as symbolic of 'Seth', morphs into 'Noah' then 'Joseph' and then 'Moses'.
Sure there were some great scenes - daring rescues and ferocious swordfights - but at the end of it all, I was left wondering why. Sure some scenes were more dramatic than Scripture, but many were stripped of their richness and texture.
A straightforward fantasy, loosely based on Genesis, might have worked far more satisfactorily in terms of story structure. At least it would have for me. However, if you are a fan of allegories like Pilgrim's Progress, don't let my quibbles put you off. This is an ideal start - especially for kids.
While I admire what Chuck Black has done with this story, it suffers from the usual problems of the genre: characters subordinate to a plot, thin and not quite credible motivations, a storyline that 'just happens' rather than is deftly patterned and cohesive. It's a straight string, rather than a woven tapestry.
Leinad is a farmboy whose father has trained him with the sword. He wonders why. He starts out as symbolic of 'Seth', morphs into 'Noah' then 'Joseph' and then 'Moses'.
Sure there were some great scenes - daring rescues and ferocious swordfights - but at the end of it all, I was left wondering why. Sure some scenes were more dramatic than Scripture, but many were stripped of their richness and texture.
A straightforward fantasy, loosely based on Genesis, might have worked far more satisfactorily in terms of story structure. At least it would have for me. However, if you are a fan of allegories like Pilgrim's Progress, don't let my quibbles put you off. This is an ideal start - especially for kids.
December 9, 2021
I love this series! Always have!
Characters:
Leinad is the main character, and he tries so hard to trust the King and do the right thing, but it's hard, and I love watching him grow through the struggles he faces.
Tess is a little ray of Sunshine, and I love her feisty spirit!
All the other characters pass in and out of the story as Leinad and Tess travel and struggle to survive, but they are all well done and throughly enjoyable!
Themes:
Of trusting in God even when it seems He isn't there.
This book is a loose allegory to the Bible, so this builds on a lot of Old Testament events, replacing them with some fantasy elements, but still staying close to the original storyline. I really enjoy it!
Romance:
N/A
Langauge:
N/A
Overall:
I love this series and the overarching story. Leinad is such a great character! And just... yeah, this who series is awesome! They also move at a nice pace and are short, making them great books for boys of impatient readers.😁
Characters:
Leinad is the main character, and he tries so hard to trust the King and do the right thing, but it's hard, and I love watching him grow through the struggles he faces.
Tess is a little ray of Sunshine, and I love her feisty spirit!
All the other characters pass in and out of the story as Leinad and Tess travel and struggle to survive, but they are all well done and throughly enjoyable!
Themes:
Of trusting in God even when it seems He isn't there.
This book is a loose allegory to the Bible, so this builds on a lot of Old Testament events, replacing them with some fantasy elements, but still staying close to the original storyline. I really enjoy it!
Romance:
N/A
Langauge:
N/A
Overall:
I love this series and the overarching story. Leinad is such a great character! And just... yeah, this who series is awesome! They also move at a nice pace and are short, making them great books for boys of impatient readers.😁
November 10, 2011
Once again I was lost into this medieval retelling of the first few books of the Bible. I love how Chuck Black uses different things, events, and creatures to represent the happenings in the Bible.
The action doesn't stop! Lienad seems to barely escape one thing, when he is then faced with an even bigger problem. Tess makes a fun sidekick and I loved watching her grow alongside her protector, Lienad. These two did not have an easy path, yet they stayed strong to the King. The King that they'd yet to see.
I highly recommend this for readers, old and young alike. If your sibling or child can read...they should read this book! It's a bit violent in places (not overtly, but Lienad is in many fights, gets whipped, etc), but I didn't think it was ever too much for a young teen.
The action doesn't stop! Lienad seems to barely escape one thing, when he is then faced with an even bigger problem. Tess makes a fun sidekick and I loved watching her grow alongside her protector, Lienad. These two did not have an easy path, yet they stayed strong to the King. The King that they'd yet to see.
I highly recommend this for readers, old and young alike. If your sibling or child can read...they should read this book! It's a bit violent in places (not overtly, but Lienad is in many fights, gets whipped, etc), but I didn't think it was ever too much for a young teen.
November 1, 2023
I know this was a middle/children's book but oh it left me wanting more!! I mean that in a good way... if this was a YA novel and it could be expanded, it would do really well.
September 5, 2013
Again I'm a little torn on the rating here. I like the idea of this book, the set up and the plot. Sadly as is often the case with Christian fiction, the book itself...as a story/novel is a little weak.
We get a feel for the characters in the book, but they never get filled out. The book reads a bit more like an extended outline than a finished novel.
We follow the young protagonist as he faces loss, learns lessons, grows up. He meets and cares for someone. He accepts responsibility and he finds who his true enemies really are.
This is a good story and it's an idea I like. I don't know if I'll follow it up. I hope that as he writes the author will be able to tell a fuller and satisfying tale.
3 stars and not a bad read.
We get a feel for the characters in the book, but they never get filled out. The book reads a bit more like an extended outline than a finished novel.
We follow the young protagonist as he faces loss, learns lessons, grows up. He meets and cares for someone. He accepts responsibility and he finds who his true enemies really are.
This is a good story and it's an idea I like. I don't know if I'll follow it up. I hope that as he writes the author will be able to tell a fuller and satisfying tale.
3 stars and not a bad read.
February 10, 2021
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat...once one thing is passed it's not long before another event hits, poor Leinad....we love Tess and Leinad and the whole story is just great! Love these books!!!
September 25, 2019
3.5/5 stars. An interesting read.
Although it is listed on the back as Teen Fiction, it is really more like the allegorical novel Pilgrim’s Progress than a modern YA fantasy.
Kingdom’s Dawn is an allegory/fantasy retelling of the beginning of the Bible from Genesis up to the start of Exodus. It is a traditional medieval fantasy following Leinad a farm boy who is chosen to serve the King. He trains in sword fighting and is sent out with the task of saving his people from oncoming danger, but things don’t go exactly as he would like.
I liked the concept of retelling so many different biblical stories in one narrative. Chuck Black manages to weave the different pieces together to form one person’s storyline.
I enjoyed the fight scenes and the action sequences which had suspense. However the dialogue often felt awkward.
The book is very short and so not surprisingly there isn’t much time for character development or world building.
Although it is listed on the back as Teen Fiction, it is really more like the allegorical novel Pilgrim’s Progress than a modern YA fantasy.
Kingdom’s Dawn is an allegory/fantasy retelling of the beginning of the Bible from Genesis up to the start of Exodus. It is a traditional medieval fantasy following Leinad a farm boy who is chosen to serve the King. He trains in sword fighting and is sent out with the task of saving his people from oncoming danger, but things don’t go exactly as he would like.
I liked the concept of retelling so many different biblical stories in one narrative. Chuck Black manages to weave the different pieces together to form one person’s storyline.
I enjoyed the fight scenes and the action sequences which had suspense. However the dialogue often felt awkward.
The book is very short and so not surprisingly there isn’t much time for character development or world building.
May 21, 2015
This book should have been read in a day, but I put it off because it was such a thin book. I wasn't to enthused about reading it, but I picked it up it was a really interesting book! but one thing I didn't like was that it kinda to packed in to tight like it told sort of Adam and Eve then about Noah and then Joseph and I think them they started Moses. but over all it was an very interesting book I would recommend it to anyone who likes these types of books:)
April 17, 2022
Here is a book I decided to revisit after finding out a younger guy at my church started reading the series.
Having a well-grounded understanding of the Old Testament makes this story incredibly interesting, allegorizing several OT characters and patriarchs. Though reading allegory can sometimes feel like an uncomfortable middle-ground between fiction and truth, there is enough in this book to satisfy the longing for a good story as well as to remind the reader of biblical truth.
Having a well-grounded understanding of the Old Testament makes this story incredibly interesting, allegorizing several OT characters and patriarchs. Though reading allegory can sometimes feel like an uncomfortable middle-ground between fiction and truth, there is enough in this book to satisfy the longing for a good story as well as to remind the reader of biblical truth.
June 25, 2020
From the first few paragraphs I was hooked!
I love allegorical fiction like this when it relates to the Bible.
After the first few chapters everything clicked into place and I could see what parts of the Bible Chuck Black was recreating in his fictional setting of Arrethtrae (I love this name & all of the creative names of people and places in this book!).
This first book in the Kingdom series retells the Creation and the bondage of the people chosen by God in an allegory.
The ending gave me chills and tears came to my eyes more than once!
I can’t wait to continue the series and see where Chuck Black takes the characters!
I love allegorical fiction like this when it relates to the Bible.
After the first few chapters everything clicked into place and I could see what parts of the Bible Chuck Black was recreating in his fictional setting of Arrethtrae (I love this name & all of the creative names of people and places in this book!).
This first book in the Kingdom series retells the Creation and the bondage of the people chosen by God in an allegory.
The ending gave me chills and tears came to my eyes more than once!
I can’t wait to continue the series and see where Chuck Black takes the characters!
November 23, 2017
I️ love this book!!!!! It is sooo good! I️ can’t wait to read the next book in the series:) I️ even got my dad to read it! Now he cant wait for the next book either 😂 A medieval allegorical twist of the Bible... I️ love this time period!!!!!
👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼
👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼
February 28, 2015
This book wasn't my favorite. I don't know why exactly. But I think the story her was living was too close to the Bible stories. Just not my taste. But I will probably finish the series.
August 8, 2017
Interesting plotline; less than well-executed
November 8, 2023
Well-written allegory.
September 23, 2024
First of all... that cover is so cool!
Leinad goes from being a farmer with a sword to a slave called by the King.
Overview:
Language/Profanity: None
Faith: Very strong faith the form of an allegory.
Romance/Sex: None
Action/Adventure: Strong; there is danger and fighting, creatures that eat anything in it's path.
Other: Warning: Leinad and Tess are slaves, Leinad is whipped (Not too detailed but slightly detailed) There is mention of violence, and there are also battles and death.
Synopsis:
Leinad is a sixteen year-old who is thrust into an adventure as he learns of the Dark Knight and his Shadow Warriors. He must learn to truly know the King before he can do what he has been called to do.
The storyline was very interesting... I realy like storys where a different person is portrayed as someone in the Bible. And anything to do with Knights and swords is so cool!
I didn't find any inconsistencies, but it did seem to drag a bit in a few places but that might have something to do with me having read it before. The writing style was a bit odd with a lot of telling not showing, and describing a lot of things. (Not that the last thing is anything bad...I sometimes read books where I have no idea the hair color of the main characters.) I think it may have been a bit easier to get through if I had read it instead of listening.
I liked both of the main characters though, as I saw in a different comment, it was slightly odd that Tess, a fourteen+ girl, was continually called a 'little girl.' By Leinad who is two years older than her....
Favourites/Thoughts:
My favorite part is...perhaps when Tess comes to live with Leinad and his father or when Leinad first sees the sword.
I can't say I have a favorite quote, again that might be different if I read the book.
My favorite character is Quinn, though truthfully not many characters actually stood out to me.
I liked this story, but it was a bit hard to get through... I wouldn't say this was a favorite book but I still liked it.
Three point seven stars. A very interesting story for young adult readers who enjoy sword fighting, danger, and allegories.
Leinad goes from being a farmer with a sword to a slave called by the King.
Overview:
Language/Profanity: None
Faith: Very strong faith the form of an allegory.
Romance/Sex: None
Action/Adventure: Strong; there is danger and fighting, creatures that eat anything in it's path.
Other: Warning: Leinad and Tess are slaves, Leinad is whipped (Not too detailed but slightly detailed) There is mention of violence, and there are also battles and death.
Synopsis:
Leinad is a sixteen year-old who is thrust into an adventure as he learns of the Dark Knight and his Shadow Warriors. He must learn to truly know the King before he can do what he has been called to do.
The storyline was very interesting... I realy like storys where a different person is portrayed as someone in the Bible. And anything to do with Knights and swords is so cool!
I didn't find any inconsistencies, but it did seem to drag a bit in a few places but that might have something to do with me having read it before. The writing style was a bit odd with a lot of telling not showing, and describing a lot of things. (Not that the last thing is anything bad...I sometimes read books where I have no idea the hair color of the main characters.) I think it may have been a bit easier to get through if I had read it instead of listening.
I liked both of the main characters though, as I saw in a different comment, it was slightly odd that Tess, a fourteen+ girl, was continually called a 'little girl.' By Leinad who is two years older than her....
Favourites/Thoughts:
My favorite part is...perhaps when Tess comes to live with Leinad and his father or when Leinad first sees the sword.
I can't say I have a favorite quote, again that might be different if I read the book.
My favorite character is Quinn, though truthfully not many characters actually stood out to me.
I liked this story, but it was a bit hard to get through... I wouldn't say this was a favorite book but I still liked it.
Three point seven stars. A very interesting story for young adult readers who enjoy sword fighting, danger, and allegories.
March 30, 2019
Here's a good question: What does swordfighting have to do with farming?
That's the question Leinad has been asking himself for the past four years, ever since his father Peyton began training him in the ancient art of swordsmanship. Leinad's skill grows every day and his life is good, but that one question he can't find an answer to is about to change his life.
Thrust into a mission to vanquish the Dark Knight and his Shadow Warriors before they can desolate the land of Arrethtrae and completely turn its inhabitants away from the One and Only King, Leinad and a young slave girl named Tess must journey through allegorical Biblical events, searching for a way to serve the King while navigating the events of slavery, betrayal, and an unknown brother.
This book was very good with his allegories! Most of the names and places corresponded directly to a Biblical figure or place. For example: Lord Fairos, ruler of the land of Pyran Mid. Who does that sound like? Other characters such as Gabrik, Zane, and Tess all represented a person, or people, recorded in the Bible. At times it was a bit confusing because the main character, Leinad, kept switching which Biblical character he was supposed to represent. Other than that though, it was a good read. I am looking forward to the next book!
"I have prepared you for a greater purpose... stay true to the King. Discover the promise and... beware... of... your brother!"
Tolle et lege.
That's the question Leinad has been asking himself for the past four years, ever since his father Peyton began training him in the ancient art of swordsmanship. Leinad's skill grows every day and his life is good, but that one question he can't find an answer to is about to change his life.
Thrust into a mission to vanquish the Dark Knight and his Shadow Warriors before they can desolate the land of Arrethtrae and completely turn its inhabitants away from the One and Only King, Leinad and a young slave girl named Tess must journey through allegorical Biblical events, searching for a way to serve the King while navigating the events of slavery, betrayal, and an unknown brother.
This book was very good with his allegories! Most of the names and places corresponded directly to a Biblical figure or place. For example: Lord Fairos, ruler of the land of Pyran Mid. Who does that sound like? Other characters such as Gabrik, Zane, and Tess all represented a person, or people, recorded in the Bible. At times it was a bit confusing because the main character, Leinad, kept switching which Biblical character he was supposed to represent. Other than that though, it was a good read. I am looking forward to the next book!
"I have prepared you for a greater purpose... stay true to the King. Discover the promise and... beware... of... your brother!"
Tolle et lege.
March 24, 2025
A quick and enjoyable tale of young Leinad and his journey of being called by the King. Great Christian material for young adults and adults alike. I’m ordering the next book in the series.
January 6, 2024
I read this at the insistence of my 11yo who says this is possibly the best book series he has ever read (he devoured the whole set in about a day). It is not high, classic literature - there is very little character development and not much in the way of description of any kind. It’s all pretty much just bare bones action, one thing after another. But that is clearly not problematic for the target demographic, and I do appreciate the author’s goal of encompassing the large arc of God’s working with His people over the centuries. It’s an infinitely better choice than much of the YA literature out there currently and I’m glad we have this series on our shelves.
June 29, 2026
I enjoyed this Chuck Black book and find it an interesting introduction to the series!
The allegorical elements are neat—I was not expecting him to pack from Seth to the Burning Bush in one novel, but it was super neat how he did manage to tie all of Genesis and some of Exodus together. The worldbuilding elements especially were a neat addition, such as the flood not being a literal flood of water.
I also liked the little prologue, although I know some people hate it when a book starts like that. I like to have something that ties it together with the following books in the series.
Leinad was a quite compelling main character, and I really loved his relationship with his father. The first handful of chapters were my favorites. I also liked Gabrik and Tess and I wonder if Zane will show up again at any point in the future. Quinn also seemed like a promising character.
And this leads me to why I only gave this story four stars. Though I liked how Mr. Black tied all the allegorical things together, I felt there wasn’t enough time to truly get to know the other characters outside of Leinad (and Peyton was done pretty well too). I barely felt like I knew Tess, and Quinn seemed to be important but never really did anything. I take this partly as a compliment to the author—I really wanted to get to know his characters better! (And maybe I will, in the future?)
Also everything seemed to happen so fast, I felt almost anxious—I wanted to see them just living a normal life like at the beginning for a bit, just for a breather.
Finally, I’m not a huge fan of first-in-a-series books ending on a cliffhanger. I don’t mind subsequent books being cliffhangers, but I like my first books to be stand alones, or at least have something wrapped up. Unfortunately, since we stopped at the Burning Bush allegorical area, clearly, it’s a cliffhanger. I feel it would have been better for Mr. Black to have ended this at the end of the Joseph allegorical area—not only would it have been a neat wrap up, but also it would have ended the allegorical stuff with the end of Genesis, so it could easily be described as an allegorical retelling of Genesis, rather than Genesis+.
But despite my few hiccups mentioned above, I massively enjoyed the story, so I’m definitely going to be looking to get the rest of the series as soon as I come across it!
The allegorical elements are neat—I was not expecting him to pack from Seth to the Burning Bush in one novel, but it was super neat how he did manage to tie all of Genesis and some of Exodus together. The worldbuilding elements especially were a neat addition, such as the flood not being a literal flood of water.
I also liked the little prologue, although I know some people hate it when a book starts like that. I like to have something that ties it together with the following books in the series.
Leinad was a quite compelling main character, and I really loved his relationship with his father. The first handful of chapters were my favorites. I also liked Gabrik and Tess and I wonder if Zane will show up again at any point in the future. Quinn also seemed like a promising character.
And this leads me to why I only gave this story four stars. Though I liked how Mr. Black tied all the allegorical things together, I felt there wasn’t enough time to truly get to know the other characters outside of Leinad (and Peyton was done pretty well too). I barely felt like I knew Tess, and Quinn seemed to be important but never really did anything. I take this partly as a compliment to the author—I really wanted to get to know his characters better! (And maybe I will, in the future?)
Also everything seemed to happen so fast, I felt almost anxious—I wanted to see them just living a normal life like at the beginning for a bit, just for a breather.
Finally, I’m not a huge fan of first-in-a-series books ending on a cliffhanger. I don’t mind subsequent books being cliffhangers, but I like my first books to be stand alones, or at least have something wrapped up. Unfortunately, since we stopped at the Burning Bush allegorical area, clearly, it’s a cliffhanger. I feel it would have been better for Mr. Black to have ended this at the end of the Joseph allegorical area—not only would it have been a neat wrap up, but also it would have ended the allegorical stuff with the end of Genesis, so it could easily be described as an allegorical retelling of Genesis, rather than Genesis+.
But despite my few hiccups mentioned above, I massively enjoyed the story, so I’m definitely going to be looking to get the rest of the series as soon as I come across it!
June 11, 2018
After attending our local homeschool convention and meeting author, Chuck Black, I decided to read the books our youngest son loves, and it all begins with Kingdom's Dawn. This is a series of books written for elementary and middle grade readers, but after reading the first book of "The Kingdom Series", I have to say that I am hooked and looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
Kingdom's Dawn is very well written and it is a Fantasy story with knights, the world of Arrethtrae, and unusual creatures. The story included plenty of action and adventure, conflicts and battles. I came to love the characters quickly and my interest was held throughout the entire book. I forgot I was reading an elementary/middle grade book and just got caught up in the story.
In addition to being a great Fantasy story, I love the fact that it's also an allegorical story that, as a Christian, pointed me to many of the truths of the Bible. However, if you aren't a Christian or you don't like to read Christian books, those things may not be evident to you, and the book is not preachy in any way. Therefore I believe these books would appeal to all Fantasy readers, most especially to those Fantasy readers who enjoy tales of knights, castles, and kingdoms.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series and following Leinad's journey, with the hope of meeting Cedric, who tells Leinad's tale, in a future book. Also, these books do not take long to read. I finished this first book in about six hours and our son, who is a middle grade student but reads above his grade level, finished each of these books in about a week (that's reading about two hours a day).
So if you're looking for a good summer read for your children, I highly recommend this book. Our son recommends all of Chuck Black's books to ALL of his friends!
Kingdom's Dawn is very well written and it is a Fantasy story with knights, the world of Arrethtrae, and unusual creatures. The story included plenty of action and adventure, conflicts and battles. I came to love the characters quickly and my interest was held throughout the entire book. I forgot I was reading an elementary/middle grade book and just got caught up in the story.
In addition to being a great Fantasy story, I love the fact that it's also an allegorical story that, as a Christian, pointed me to many of the truths of the Bible. However, if you aren't a Christian or you don't like to read Christian books, those things may not be evident to you, and the book is not preachy in any way. Therefore I believe these books would appeal to all Fantasy readers, most especially to those Fantasy readers who enjoy tales of knights, castles, and kingdoms.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series and following Leinad's journey, with the hope of meeting Cedric, who tells Leinad's tale, in a future book. Also, these books do not take long to read. I finished this first book in about six hours and our son, who is a middle grade student but reads above his grade level, finished each of these books in about a week (that's reading about two hours a day).
So if you're looking for a good summer read for your children, I highly recommend this book. Our son recommends all of Chuck Black's books to ALL of his friends!
June 28, 2024
This book incorporates old testament themes into a medieval tale. While I did like the Biblical thread throughout the story, the flow seemed a bit off. I can see middle grade readers really enjoying this, but for me, it was just okay.
July 26, 2026
3⭐️ I audiobooked this and lowk the sound effects were just not it… it was annoying me more than anything lol but I like the storyline and will keep audiobooking these 🙃 and I loved the imagery in here 😎 the end was good
June 25, 2024
Listened to this on a road trip with my 12 year old. We had fun pointing out the parallel Bible stories. He really enjoyed the book.
August 3, 2026
I DNF’d this book. I don’t often do that. I typically try to finish a book even if I’m not enjoying it all that well. But this one was different for some reason. I wasn’t gleaning anything from it, and quite frankly, it was difficult to enjoy as just a fun story because it tried so hard to be something more.
On the back of my copy, there is a quote from Dave Jackson, author of the Trailblazer novels. He says it’s “A Pilgrim’s Progress for the XBOX generation!” But, when you really sit and think about that quote, you’re sure to have this question pop into your head: but what is the XBOX generation known for? And the answer to that is: Short attention spans, bad lifestyle choices (sitting on the couch for hours on end, drinking an unholy amount of Red Bulls and stuffing their faces with Doritos), with little care for books or what came before. Not exactly a good picture. So, upon further thought, you come to realize that he’s basically saying this is a book for the generation that doesn’t like books that much.
And this honestly shows. I found the part of the book I did read to be a poorly written, watered down version of the masterpiece allegory of the Christian walk that is Pilgrim’s Progress.
This book told me too many things, rather than showing me. (I don’t mind a book just blankly telling me a fact or the way a character feels every now and then, but this book blankly told me everything.) the prose was shallow. The allegories and symbolic elements were too on the nose for me. I didn’t have to think all that much about what each thing represented, I could easily tell.
If you have the choice between Pilgrim’s Progress and Kingdom’s Dawn, just read Pilgrim’s Progress. It is deeper, richer, and written much better than this book, and you will have a much better experience.
On the back of my copy, there is a quote from Dave Jackson, author of the Trailblazer novels. He says it’s “A Pilgrim’s Progress for the XBOX generation!” But, when you really sit and think about that quote, you’re sure to have this question pop into your head: but what is the XBOX generation known for? And the answer to that is: Short attention spans, bad lifestyle choices (sitting on the couch for hours on end, drinking an unholy amount of Red Bulls and stuffing their faces with Doritos), with little care for books or what came before. Not exactly a good picture. So, upon further thought, you come to realize that he’s basically saying this is a book for the generation that doesn’t like books that much.
And this honestly shows. I found the part of the book I did read to be a poorly written, watered down version of the masterpiece allegory of the Christian walk that is Pilgrim’s Progress.
This book told me too many things, rather than showing me. (I don’t mind a book just blankly telling me a fact or the way a character feels every now and then, but this book blankly told me everything.) the prose was shallow. The allegories and symbolic elements were too on the nose for me. I didn’t have to think all that much about what each thing represented, I could easily tell.
If you have the choice between Pilgrim’s Progress and Kingdom’s Dawn, just read Pilgrim’s Progress. It is deeper, richer, and written much better than this book, and you will have a much better experience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews