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Ancient Earth Trilogy #2
A Hero's Throne (Library Edition) (Volume 2)
"Knights of Ennor — the time has come to awake. Rise up to fulfill your secret oath and sacred duty." Deep beneath the streets of England lies another realm . . . one few in our modern world know exists. Daniel and Freya, however, know it all too well. Eight years ago, these friends first journeyed through portals into the hidden land of Niðergeard — discovering a city filled with stones, secrets, and sleeping knights that serve to protect the world they call home. But Niðergeard has fallen to dark forces, overrun by its enemies. Gates are being opened between the worlds that should have been kept closed. The battle lines for the war at the end of time have been drawn, and opposing forces are starting to gather. Having served for centuries as the first and last outpost at the borders to other worlds, Niðergeard must be reclaimed and the mystery of its fall discovered. Daniel and Freya, along with an ancient knight and a Scottish police officer, must return to the legendary city, rally the surviving citizens, and awaken the sleeping knights — knights who are being killed, one by one, as they sleep. But time is running out faster than they know.
Audio CD
First published December 19, 2012
11 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Ross Lawhead
24 books31 followersRoss Lawhead comes from a literary household and has written since he could hold a crayon. He has collaborated with his father on a trilogy of speculative fiction, written and illustrated a graphic novel, and published two volumes of "awful" poetry in a series called "The Colour Papers." He lives in Oxford and this is his first full-length novel. For more on Ross' musings on comics, movies, books and culture, visit www.rosslawhead.com/blog/
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 4, 2013
First, I must say that this is NOT a stand alone novel. If you haven’t yet read The Realms Thereunder, book one in the series, then you can read my review at http://landofmysojourn.net/blog/?p=9178.
If you have read The Realms Thereunder, then prepare to be reunited with its cast of characters as the saga continues. In this fascinating sequel there is character growth and character decline. New children enter into the tale as dark myth and legend move into modern day.
I found the pace of A Hero’s Throne a bit quicker than that of its predecessor as many new and old tales were woven into the storyline. Again, the story is not without significant violence, but it remains in keeping with the overall struggle against darkness around which the series revolves. As expected of a middle book, the plot trails off without resolution, so readers are left awaiting the conclusion of the trilogy.
All in all, I am captivated by the imagination and intricacy of this series and I look forward not only to reading the conclusion of this Ancient Earth Trilogy, but I also look forward to future work from Ross Lawhead. This up and coming author is one that I will be watching as his writing career progresses.
If you have read The Realms Thereunder, then prepare to be reunited with its cast of characters as the saga continues. In this fascinating sequel there is character growth and character decline. New children enter into the tale as dark myth and legend move into modern day.
I found the pace of A Hero’s Throne a bit quicker than that of its predecessor as many new and old tales were woven into the storyline. Again, the story is not without significant violence, but it remains in keeping with the overall struggle against darkness around which the series revolves. As expected of a middle book, the plot trails off without resolution, so readers are left awaiting the conclusion of the trilogy.
All in all, I am captivated by the imagination and intricacy of this series and I look forward not only to reading the conclusion of this Ancient Earth Trilogy, but I also look forward to future work from Ross Lawhead. This up and coming author is one that I will be watching as his writing career progresses.
October 3, 2013
Ross Lawhead's second book is an excellent addition to his Ancient Earth trilogy, and ups the ante with lots of twists and turns.
Not only do we learn about the past history of this fascinating underground world (and the dimensions beyond), but we also begin to understand the true depth of what's at stake.
Like a shark circling in the water, the dangers close in upon the characters, until ... but I won't give away the surprise ending!
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Ross's epic conclusion in book 3!
Not only do we learn about the past history of this fascinating underground world (and the dimensions beyond), but we also begin to understand the true depth of what's at stake.
Like a shark circling in the water, the dangers close in upon the characters, until ... but I won't give away the surprise ending!
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Ross's epic conclusion in book 3!
November 16, 2016
I really liked this book. However, there are parts that are quite confusing, which is why I took a break from reading it about halfway through. It all comes together in the end, leaving just a few loose ends, which will all get tied up in Book 3, I imagine. I had to labour through parts of it, which is why I only give it 3 stars. Having said that, I really enjoyed Book 1, and now I'm looking forward to the finale in the next book. Really like this series as a whole!
September 28, 2016
I wasn't sure at first if I had picked up the right book. I thought maybe I got the 3rd book by accident. It felt choppy and confusing and not a good continuation in the series. maybe if I just read the next book I might change my view on this one.
August 30, 2017
Overall, I think I really enjoyed this book... But more for how it ended up turning the hero and enemy trope on its head. From where the first book ended to where this one did, Lawhead has done an interesting switch on what the conflict actually is and who the players are.
Obviously, I would recommend reading the first book before this one. The kind of cultural and mythical background for the story setting is laid out much better in book 1, and I kind of liked that Lawhead didn't spend too much time recounting the previous story. That being said, I'm slightly hooked at this point, because I have no idea where this story is going, and that fascinates me.
The main characters are starting to gel, somewhat, for me. I think they're supposed to be complex characters... But I'm not too sure. I guess I'm still having trouble connecting with them.
So, in the end, the story, at this point, is rather convoluted but fascinating. Curious to see how it all plays out.
Obviously, I would recommend reading the first book before this one. The kind of cultural and mythical background for the story setting is laid out much better in book 1, and I kind of liked that Lawhead didn't spend too much time recounting the previous story. That being said, I'm slightly hooked at this point, because I have no idea where this story is going, and that fascinates me.
The main characters are starting to gel, somewhat, for me. I think they're supposed to be complex characters... But I'm not too sure. I guess I'm still having trouble connecting with them.
So, in the end, the story, at this point, is rather convoluted but fascinating. Curious to see how it all plays out.
February 3, 2013
Ross Lawhead in his new book “A Hero's Throne” Book Two in The Ancient Earth Trilogy published by Thomas Nelson returns us to the world of Nidergeard and Daniel Tully and Freya Reynolds.
From the back cover: “Knights of Ennor—the time has come to awake. Rise up to fulfill your secret oath and sacred duty.”
Deep beneath the streets of England lies another realm . . . one few in our modern world know exists. Daniel and Freya, however, know it all too well. Eight years ago, these friends first journeyed through portals into the hidden land of Niðergeard—discovering a city filled with stones, secrets, and sleeping knights that serve to protect the world they call home.
But Niðergeard has fallen to dark forces, overrun by its enemies. Gates are being opened between the worlds that should have been kept closed. The battle lines for the war at the end of time have been drawn, and opposing forces are starting to gather.
Having served for centuries as the first and last outpost at the borders to other worlds, Niðergeard must be reclaimed and the mystery of its fall discovered. Daniel and Freya, along with an ancient knight and a Scottish police officer, must return to the legendary city, rally the surviving citizens, and awaken the sleeping knights—knights who are being killed, one by one, as they sleep.
But time is running out faster than they know.
There is a land beneath Great Britain where visitors do not go. Both Daniel and Freya are needed to stop the mythical world from taking over ours. What has happened to Nidergeard and can these two fulfill their individual quests and wake the sleeping knights?
I think Ross Lawhead has done a great job of taking lots of old British mythology and weaving all of them into his novel. There is much to learn about Nidergeard and the sleeping knights who are there to protect it when the need arises. “A Hero’s Throne” is a fantasy adventure where the battle for good and evil has never been so important. The freedom of our world is as stake and we cannot afford to lose. This is a page turning thriller as the war of light against darkness rages. In these pages there is much to learn of mythology and, I think, Mr. Lawhead has taught us well. I am looking forward to seeing how all these plot threads are woven together in book three.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: “Knights of Ennor—the time has come to awake. Rise up to fulfill your secret oath and sacred duty.”
Deep beneath the streets of England lies another realm . . . one few in our modern world know exists. Daniel and Freya, however, know it all too well. Eight years ago, these friends first journeyed through portals into the hidden land of Niðergeard—discovering a city filled with stones, secrets, and sleeping knights that serve to protect the world they call home.
But Niðergeard has fallen to dark forces, overrun by its enemies. Gates are being opened between the worlds that should have been kept closed. The battle lines for the war at the end of time have been drawn, and opposing forces are starting to gather.
Having served for centuries as the first and last outpost at the borders to other worlds, Niðergeard must be reclaimed and the mystery of its fall discovered. Daniel and Freya, along with an ancient knight and a Scottish police officer, must return to the legendary city, rally the surviving citizens, and awaken the sleeping knights—knights who are being killed, one by one, as they sleep.
But time is running out faster than they know.
There is a land beneath Great Britain where visitors do not go. Both Daniel and Freya are needed to stop the mythical world from taking over ours. What has happened to Nidergeard and can these two fulfill their individual quests and wake the sleeping knights?
I think Ross Lawhead has done a great job of taking lots of old British mythology and weaving all of them into his novel. There is much to learn about Nidergeard and the sleeping knights who are there to protect it when the need arises. “A Hero’s Throne” is a fantasy adventure where the battle for good and evil has never been so important. The freedom of our world is as stake and we cannot afford to lose. This is a page turning thriller as the war of light against darkness rages. In these pages there is much to learn of mythology and, I think, Mr. Lawhead has taught us well. I am looking forward to seeing how all these plot threads are woven together in book three.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
December 19, 2014
I wish it was possible to rate a book like you rate a hotel -- numbers of stars for various aspects of the book, not just for the book in its entirety. From this perspective I would have given the book a range of stars. But.... generally speaking, as a whole, I really enjoyed this book. I hope Ross Lawhead has plans to write more novels as I would happily purchase them. I am a huge fan of history and historical fiction, so my favorite aspect of this book was that he, to quote RL himself, "...pulled as many myth elements as [he] could from lore and legends of Anglo-Saxon England in order to put some power behind the themes [he] was using and the world [he] was creating." There were many of the people from history I have read about and find fascinating -- King Alfred, Queen Emma, King Stephen, (references to) the Empress Maud and Henry II, King John, etc. (As I side note, I recommend Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series for anyone interested in historical fiction about the Anglo-Saxon period, and Sharon Kay Penman and Elizabeth Chadwick for the rest I named.)
The scope of the plot is epic in the style of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis' Narnia series. This is both an asset and a liability in that sometimes I feel as though the various threads and plot elements get a bit choppy and confusing. Not everything is seamless, though I am at a loss to be able to articulate exactly how or why. Sometimes the dialogue is jarring and I have to reread sections to understand what the characters are getting at, nor do I always understand the motivations and mood swings.
The book was a page turner, and I am still mystified by how in the world everything will end in book three, as I, like the protagonists, can't decide who is good and who is evil. I can still see it going either way and fully expect a shocking twist at the end of the last book.
The scope of the plot is epic in the style of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis' Narnia series. This is both an asset and a liability in that sometimes I feel as though the various threads and plot elements get a bit choppy and confusing. Not everything is seamless, though I am at a loss to be able to articulate exactly how or why. Sometimes the dialogue is jarring and I have to reread sections to understand what the characters are getting at, nor do I always understand the motivations and mood swings.
The book was a page turner, and I am still mystified by how in the world everything will end in book three, as I, like the protagonists, can't decide who is good and who is evil. I can still see it going either way and fully expect a shocking twist at the end of the last book.
February 13, 2013
Freya and Daniel, with their newfound companions continue on their quest to awaken the sleeping knights in their mission to save the world, from the dark forces below.
Ok, first of all I want to tell you that it is VERY important to read the first book in the trilogy before picking this one up, because it picks up instantly after the last one. Even though I had read the first book in the series, I still found myself confused for quite some time because I had read the first book 2 years ago, and I had forgotten alot of key plot twists and important facts. Another thing that made it really hard to get into at first was how many different story threads there are that at first are hard to put together. But when everything started to fall in place and I remembered again the book picked up and I enjoyed it immensely.
There is plenty of action, and lots of chapter cliffhangers that kept me reading. I loved the very fantastical, yet allegoricalness of this book, because the allegory doesn't pop right out at you the first page of the book, it grows and takes form as you read.
Overall, I kinda felt like I couldn't enjoy this book as much as I could have because of the length of time in between reading the first book and the second, so I guess that would be my fault. But if you like speculative fiction I think that you will enjoy Mr. Lawhead's The Ancient Earth Trilogy.
I recieved this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Ok, first of all I want to tell you that it is VERY important to read the first book in the trilogy before picking this one up, because it picks up instantly after the last one. Even though I had read the first book in the series, I still found myself confused for quite some time because I had read the first book 2 years ago, and I had forgotten alot of key plot twists and important facts. Another thing that made it really hard to get into at first was how many different story threads there are that at first are hard to put together. But when everything started to fall in place and I remembered again the book picked up and I enjoyed it immensely.
There is plenty of action, and lots of chapter cliffhangers that kept me reading. I loved the very fantastical, yet allegoricalness of this book, because the allegory doesn't pop right out at you the first page of the book, it grows and takes form as you read.
Overall, I kinda felt like I couldn't enjoy this book as much as I could have because of the length of time in between reading the first book and the second, so I guess that would be my fault. But if you like speculative fiction I think that you will enjoy Mr. Lawhead's The Ancient Earth Trilogy.
I recieved this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
November 25, 2016
RATING 3.33 STARS
There's a scene in THE POLAR EXPRESS where the train has gotten airborne and is careening across the ice with no track to guide its path. For a good stretch of this book, I felt like that train... aimlessly drifting through the air and hoping beyond all hope that there was a track somewhere up ahead that the narrative would drop down on to make sense of all the side plots that were introduced.
Fortunately, it does, but it was still a longer read than expected - took a bit of work to follow along. I'm interested enough to read the final installment, but it may be a while before I get around to it.
Lawhead does build an imaginative world and an elaborate landscape, but it's not a book you can really relax with if you want to keep up with who's who and what's what.
There's a scene in THE POLAR EXPRESS where the train has gotten airborne and is careening across the ice with no track to guide its path. For a good stretch of this book, I felt like that train... aimlessly drifting through the air and hoping beyond all hope that there was a track somewhere up ahead that the narrative would drop down on to make sense of all the side plots that were introduced.
Fortunately, it does, but it was still a longer read than expected - took a bit of work to follow along. I'm interested enough to read the final installment, but it may be a while before I get around to it.
Lawhead does build an imaginative world and an elaborate landscape, but it's not a book you can really relax with if you want to keep up with who's who and what's what.
September 1, 2015
It is very hard for me to give five stars. That being said it was hard not to give this book five stars. I enjoyed this book enough that during the busiest time of my year (and with a baby due at any time),I read it in six days. Thank you Ross Lawhead for this literary offering. I am very much looking forward to book 3.
September 8, 2016
While now quite as good as the first book in the series, this was a certainly a good middle book. Building on the first book, relatively few new characters were introduced (which I think was a good thing), while many new situations and ideas were introduced with almost no explanation. This made the book confusing, but also lead nicely to the third and final book of the series.
March 19, 2013
I started reading Ross Lawhead's books because I really liked his fathers books. I do not think he is the writer his dad is yet but maybe one day... This book was okay. Not great but not bad either. On to the next one.
March 29, 2013
It seems that this is typical of a second book in a trilogy...left more questions unanswered than answered. I will definitely read the next installment.
February 6, 2014
Great book but its the between book in a trilogy so I'm stuck awaiting an ending.
April 3, 2017
I found this book to be a little more confusing than the first one.
There were a few times with the characters where I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I am looking forward to the next book to see if it clears up some of my questions though.
It's a fascinating subject matter and makes for a very interesting series.
There were a few times with the characters where I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I am looking forward to the next book to see if it clears up some of my questions though.
It's a fascinating subject matter and makes for a very interesting series.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews