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Sir Knight of the Splendid Way
1947. 179 pages. No dust jacket. Beige cloth. Pages and binding are presentable with no major defects. Minor issues present such as mild cracking, inscriptions, inserts, light foxing, tanning and thumb marking. Overall a good condition item. Boards have mild shelf wear with light rubbing and corner bumping. Some light marking and tanning.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1899
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381 people want to read
About the author
W.E. Cule
3 books3 followersWilliam Edward Cule, or W.E. Cule, (5 December 1870 – 13 July 1944) was a British author of children's books and several books for adults on Christian themes. In all, he wrote some thirty books encompassing a number of popular genres – public school stories, adventure yarns, fairy tales, novels and Christian allegories and fable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 17, 2019
Okay, so I loved the Lamplighter audio of the book and didn't really expect this to out-do the audio, but it did. It was incredible and I don't even normally like allegories!
I loved the main character's struggles and rooted for him through the whole book. The only thing I didn't really like was that he was all alone. He never had someone who stayed with him, which I didn't like.
I loved the main character's struggles and rooted for him through the whole book. The only thing I didn't really like was that he was all alone. He never had someone who stayed with him, which I didn't like.
January 23, 2020
OH MY LANTA. 😭😍💔💖
THIS BOOK IS GOLD. It's one of my fav now.
Lamplighter Theater rocks.....
THIS BOOK IS GOLD. It's one of my fav now.
Lamplighter Theater rocks.....
November 8, 2025
This was not one of my favorite books, and I definitely struggled some with the old english writing, but it had some good allegories.
July 9, 2016
This book was so very good. I definitely was not disappointed by it. It has encouraged me in my own walk with Christ in a few ways in which I shall explain further as I progress with the review.
What I Liked: There were a lot of things that I really liked about this story and if I took time to name them all this would be a VERY long review. But, I shall just list a few of them and leave you to read the story for yourself.
W.E. Cule wove this story very well. I felt like I was right beside Sir Constant as he journeyed to the City of the Great King. In these stories of the adventures Constant has, it is pretty easy to see what the enemies represented. (I.e., Greed, pride, hate, envy, etc.) It reminded me once again that the Christian's fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the dark powers of this world. Against the things of this world that try to rob us of our relationship with Christ.
The key to Constant overcoming his enemies is to keep focused on the Vision of the Face. At times, like all of us, he falls astray and messes up, but is soon set back on the right path by the most gracious and kind King. It really hit home to me of how much a Christian's life is like that. We start out strong and in the assurance of God's love for us, but then as sinful human beings, we mess up and fall, but God is right there to pick us up when we repent and turn away from our sin, lovingly putting us back on the right path.
The descriptions in this book were very good. I could see everything as it was happening to Constant and the illustrations that accompanied this book were a nice addition.
Over all, this was a wonderful allegory depicting the life of Constant as he strives to live a life to the glory of His King. This book encouraged me and reminded me even more that even though I can't see Him, Jesus is always with me. I can't see behind the scenes how He is always working for my good, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't trust Him. I should ALWAYS trust Him and He is ALWAYS ready to help me. This book was also a very good reminder of the enemies I face every day. That the enemy is indeed real, but by God's strength and grace alone, I can overcome.
What I Didn't Like: I don't think there was anything that I really disliked about the book.
I give this book 5 stars for an adventurous tale and a wonderfully told allegory of a young knight traveling along the narrow path facing many dangers, but coming out victorious because of His mighty King!
What I Liked: There were a lot of things that I really liked about this story and if I took time to name them all this would be a VERY long review. But, I shall just list a few of them and leave you to read the story for yourself.
W.E. Cule wove this story very well. I felt like I was right beside Sir Constant as he journeyed to the City of the Great King. In these stories of the adventures Constant has, it is pretty easy to see what the enemies represented. (I.e., Greed, pride, hate, envy, etc.) It reminded me once again that the Christian's fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the dark powers of this world. Against the things of this world that try to rob us of our relationship with Christ.
The key to Constant overcoming his enemies is to keep focused on the Vision of the Face. At times, like all of us, he falls astray and messes up, but is soon set back on the right path by the most gracious and kind King. It really hit home to me of how much a Christian's life is like that. We start out strong and in the assurance of God's love for us, but then as sinful human beings, we mess up and fall, but God is right there to pick us up when we repent and turn away from our sin, lovingly putting us back on the right path.
The descriptions in this book were very good. I could see everything as it was happening to Constant and the illustrations that accompanied this book were a nice addition.
Over all, this was a wonderful allegory depicting the life of Constant as he strives to live a life to the glory of His King. This book encouraged me and reminded me even more that even though I can't see Him, Jesus is always with me. I can't see behind the scenes how He is always working for my good, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't trust Him. I should ALWAYS trust Him and He is ALWAYS ready to help me. This book was also a very good reminder of the enemies I face every day. That the enemy is indeed real, but by God's strength and grace alone, I can overcome.
What I Didn't Like: I don't think there was anything that I really disliked about the book.
I give this book 5 stars for an adventurous tale and a wonderfully told allegory of a young knight traveling along the narrow path facing many dangers, but coming out victorious because of His mighty King!
December 24, 2014
Mom and Jacob rates this 4 stars and Ellie rated it 5 stars. We listened to the audio version from Lamplighter Theatre. We love all of their audios. Ben and I gave this to Jacob when he accepted Christ to be his Savior on 12/12/14. Words can not convey our happiness for Jacob.
November 17, 2018
Never have I read a book which spoke to me in the depths of my soul quite like this one. Saint Paul tells us to put on the armor of God so that we may be strong in the Lord and able to stand our ground against the attacks of the devil. This book. An allegory, it so beautifully captures the Christian life as a walk so armed, a journey of ever striving to meet the King. It follows the adventures of a knight who ever keeps the memory of the vision of Christ before him, and nearly every sentence is rich with such great wisdom to ponder that you want to stay right there with it forever--but it's so captivating you can't put it down anyway. I HIGHLY recommend this book--it will greatly enrich the way you envision your daily walk with and toward God.
March 10, 2012
This is one of the best Lamplighter Theatre productions yet!
October 16, 2018
Cliché in places, but also very spiritually deep and it has beautiful writing. Very similar to Pilgrim's Progress in places, but overall it's unique enough to feel like its own story.
April 1, 2013
I find the doctrines this book teaches to be sound and biblical..and real to life. I was raised on 'Pilgrim's Progress', and this book spoke to me in a word picture language I understand...that never feels ridiculous or over-stated. I enjoy both stories, on different levels. To address other reviews, one shouldn't compare the two books as they are not one and the same.
That said, not every child would enjoy this story, but I believe that any child who can enjoy Lord Of The Rings could enjoy this book very much. There are some darker elements of this verbal journey, but that makes it all the more "real" and not needlessly "scary".
This is a lovely presentation (even with some illustrations) of a classic book that was carefully and attractively made available in ebook format by the Lamplighter company. Do listen to their audio of the story, but don't think you'll get the whole beautiful story unless you read the book.
There are beautiful word pictures in this book that brought tears to my eyes, because they so vividly describe God's provision and plans for each of us.
This book covers discouragement, serving God in seemingly menial ways and then gives a glimpse of how God rewards those who serve Him, temptations and getting back onto the path, as well as helping others regain the vision they once had of serving God with their all. It's packed with adventure in its truest forms: we seldom see God's providence for what it is when we're in the midst of the journey or at a fork in the road.
This book also gives one of the most important things that's lacking in most modern literature: a clear picture of good and evil. The villain, cunning as he may be, is always shown in his true identity after he's made an appearance. There is no gray area in this story, which I believe makes it an excellent choice for literature to be put into the hands of children.
That said, not every child would enjoy this story, but I believe that any child who can enjoy Lord Of The Rings could enjoy this book very much. There are some darker elements of this verbal journey, but that makes it all the more "real" and not needlessly "scary".
This is a lovely presentation (even with some illustrations) of a classic book that was carefully and attractively made available in ebook format by the Lamplighter company. Do listen to their audio of the story, but don't think you'll get the whole beautiful story unless you read the book.
There are beautiful word pictures in this book that brought tears to my eyes, because they so vividly describe God's provision and plans for each of us.
This book covers discouragement, serving God in seemingly menial ways and then gives a glimpse of how God rewards those who serve Him, temptations and getting back onto the path, as well as helping others regain the vision they once had of serving God with their all. It's packed with adventure in its truest forms: we seldom see God's providence for what it is when we're in the midst of the journey or at a fork in the road.
This book also gives one of the most important things that's lacking in most modern literature: a clear picture of good and evil. The villain, cunning as he may be, is always shown in his true identity after he's made an appearance. There is no gray area in this story, which I believe makes it an excellent choice for literature to be put into the hands of children.
Read
February 6, 2024Want-to-read: I usually dislike Christian allegory, but I begrudgingly listened to Lamplighter Theatre's version of this story and promptly had to take back everything I've ever said about the genre. 😛
Read: As someone who rarely enjoys Christian allegory, this was a fantastic read. Can I pinpoint exactly what made this so different from other allegories? Not really. Maybe it's the fact that there are still elements of surprise. Maybe it's the gorgeous descriptions. Maybe it's the way the author tells the story of the Christian walk differently than most people.
Whatever the reason, I know that Constant, Sir Pelerin, Sir Fortis, and all the host of other characters will be walking with me for years to come, and I'm so very thankful for it.
(And I still heartily recommend the Lamplighter audio drama - it and the actual book complement each other very well.)
Read: As someone who rarely enjoys Christian allegory, this was a fantastic read. Can I pinpoint exactly what made this so different from other allegories? Not really. Maybe it's the fact that there are still elements of surprise. Maybe it's the gorgeous descriptions. Maybe it's the way the author tells the story of the Christian walk differently than most people.
Whatever the reason, I know that Constant, Sir Pelerin, Sir Fortis, and all the host of other characters will be walking with me for years to come, and I'm so very thankful for it.
(And I still heartily recommend the Lamplighter audio drama - it and the actual book complement each other very well.)
July 18, 2013
This powerful allegory has been compared to Pilgrim's Progress and is often given equal worth and power. I heartily agree.
Join a young knight, Sir Constant, on his journey to the eternal kingdom, known as the City Splendid. His trials have always encouraged me, for they speak of how God ALWAYS keeps and guards His own! Sir Constant makes mistakes as well as wins mighty battles for his King. His perilous adventures will keep you on the edge of your seat and inspire you in your own race towards the Kingdom!
Cule's style of writing exceedingly beautiful. Younger readers may struggle with it, but anyone 13+ should enjoy its remarkable word pictures and medieval-like dialogue.
A must-read for any weary pilgrim in search of his King and the wonderful eternal City Splendid!
Join a young knight, Sir Constant, on his journey to the eternal kingdom, known as the City Splendid. His trials have always encouraged me, for they speak of how God ALWAYS keeps and guards His own! Sir Constant makes mistakes as well as wins mighty battles for his King. His perilous adventures will keep you on the edge of your seat and inspire you in your own race towards the Kingdom!
Cule's style of writing exceedingly beautiful. Younger readers may struggle with it, but anyone 13+ should enjoy its remarkable word pictures and medieval-like dialogue.
A must-read for any weary pilgrim in search of his King and the wonderful eternal City Splendid!
August 14, 2017
An absolutely brilliant adventure. Very similar to Pilgrim Progress, but less allegorical and more theatrical. The ending will tear at your heart, and warm it at the same time. I definitely want to re-read this book!
June 10, 2008
I loved this book ! The message in it is so good. This is something I will definatly want my children to read someday !
September 6, 2018
King Arthur meets Pilgrim's Progress in this excellent allegory! Enjoyed it as a child.
January 26, 2019
This book was really boring and I only read it for school. It also seemed like a pilgrims progress wannabe.
February 9, 2021
This book, so similar to Pilgrim’s Progress, yet so different, has quickly became a beloved book, and I have no doubt I will read it often. The allegory, that was so very rich in beautiful scriptural truths, was such a blessing, and I cried so many times as I read through this one!
As I read of the journey of Sir Constant, and all the perils he faced in His quest to make it to the Kingdom, I often cried simply because I could relate to his journey and his struggles at discerning right from wrong. I was the most touched by his encounter with the nameless knight who tended the well, and the poignant lesson the King taught him. I bawled through the whole section and have re-read it many times since I finished the story.
The garden scene, as the Gardener comes and shows the woman the flowers of her deeds was another part that was so beautifully descriptive, and made me long to hear the Master say to me, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
I am a fond, devoted admirer of The Pilgrim’s Progress and have read it more than a dozen times . . . but I love and admire this book even more. Yes, I think it is, indeed, worthy to be placed alongside the faithful Pilgrim, and it is just as helpful and touching as that masterpiece is. I learned so much, so many lessons were so gently taught through the wonderful allegory.
I wish this book were more widely known, and I know that I will be handing out my copy to friends to read, it was that good! I am so very thankful Lamplighter has republished this little gem!
As I read of the journey of Sir Constant, and all the perils he faced in His quest to make it to the Kingdom, I often cried simply because I could relate to his journey and his struggles at discerning right from wrong. I was the most touched by his encounter with the nameless knight who tended the well, and the poignant lesson the King taught him. I bawled through the whole section and have re-read it many times since I finished the story.
The garden scene, as the Gardener comes and shows the woman the flowers of her deeds was another part that was so beautifully descriptive, and made me long to hear the Master say to me, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
I am a fond, devoted admirer of The Pilgrim’s Progress and have read it more than a dozen times . . . but I love and admire this book even more. Yes, I think it is, indeed, worthy to be placed alongside the faithful Pilgrim, and it is just as helpful and touching as that masterpiece is. I learned so much, so many lessons were so gently taught through the wonderful allegory.
I wish this book were more widely known, and I know that I will be handing out my copy to friends to read, it was that good! I am so very thankful Lamplighter has republished this little gem!
March 1, 2019
Aside from the ever-appealing, realistic view of the customs of knights in the Middle-Ages, the allegorical references were both captivating and inspiring, being clearly and accurately derived from the Bible. And what with the poetic language cleverly arranged by the author, this book makes for a marvelous read, indeed!
June 14, 2018
Basically Pilgrim's Progress but with a little more sword fighting. I enjoyed this take on it, and found a few parts made me teary eyed.
This book does suffer a little from the typical indie author syndrome of needing another editing pass, but not nearly as badly as some I've seen.
This book does suffer a little from the typical indie author syndrome of needing another editing pass, but not nearly as badly as some I've seen.
March 30, 2020
Forgot how much I loved this one. Constant is so flawed & un-constant, & yet so beloved. Plus, the books's aesthetics? Perfection.
Why does Ardent just disappear, though???
Why does Ardent just disappear, though???
December 13, 2017
Another great book. We highly recommend listening to the Lamplighter Theatre Audio CD.
January 21, 2008
Every boy should read this book-it will teach him what is means to be a man.
November 3, 2023
Number of pages: 181
Genre: Allegorical Fiction
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 12+
Summary: Constant works for the knight Sir Fortis, but feels it’s finally time for him to go out on his own, and become a knight following the way of the King. First he has to survive the vigil in the chapel, but can he then continue down the right path to reach the city of the King?
My thoughts: It’s a worse version of Pilgrim’s Progress (or at least worse than the Pilgrim’s Progress adaptation for kids).
I’ll start with the good stuff: it shows that everyone’s walk with God looks a little different but that doesn’t make one person worse or better than another. One guy felt bad because he didn’t get to be a knight and couldn’t fight battles for the King, but the King tells him that he did a good job as a watchman and that was just as important as being a knight; he wasn’t less than the knights just because he did a different job. It also showed that Jesus is always with us (with the characters of the Carpenter, Good Shepherd, etc.)
I like that the characters get to help other people, even when they’re not perfect. Constant is often in the middle of his own battles and troubles when his devotion or courage reminds someone else of what they left and they join him.
I also liked that people were recognized for the little things. Every small act of kindness we do in the name of God or for His sake does not go unnoticed and He appreciates it and will reward us for it.
What I didn’t like: the book was a little magical. No one explicitly uses magic or anything, but magic is referenced a couple of times and the whole book is just a little bit odd.
Then there’s also the “vision of the face” which is probably supposed to be Jesus but it’s really confusing and strange in my opinion. I didn’t really like it.
The book didn’t have good transitions or a clear point to the journey in my opinion. Pilgrim's Progress is really clear and it's well explained what Christian is doing, but the author seemed to take it for granted that we knew what Sir Constant was doing. I assumed it was supposed to be like Pilgrim's Progress (where it’s the journey of a Christian), but I wish the book was more clear.
It’s an old book. The language is very flowery and hard to read (not too difficult to understand, but it makes reading slower and require more effort). I wasn’t super excited to read the book in the first place, so this didn’t help my enjoyment of the book. For young readers, I also think this language would make it difficult to read and understand.
I enjoyed the clear message of Jesus always being there with us to watch and to help us when we need Him. He sees everything we do for Him and He wants to help us when we call on Him.
Overall, there were some good aspects but this wasn’t my favourite book.
My personal rating: 2.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://wordpress.com/post/karinaschr...
Genre: Allegorical Fiction
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 12+
Summary: Constant works for the knight Sir Fortis, but feels it’s finally time for him to go out on his own, and become a knight following the way of the King. First he has to survive the vigil in the chapel, but can he then continue down the right path to reach the city of the King?
My thoughts: It’s a worse version of Pilgrim’s Progress (or at least worse than the Pilgrim’s Progress adaptation for kids).
I’ll start with the good stuff: it shows that everyone’s walk with God looks a little different but that doesn’t make one person worse or better than another. One guy felt bad because he didn’t get to be a knight and couldn’t fight battles for the King, but the King tells him that he did a good job as a watchman and that was just as important as being a knight; he wasn’t less than the knights just because he did a different job. It also showed that Jesus is always with us (with the characters of the Carpenter, Good Shepherd, etc.)
I like that the characters get to help other people, even when they’re not perfect. Constant is often in the middle of his own battles and troubles when his devotion or courage reminds someone else of what they left and they join him.
I also liked that people were recognized for the little things. Every small act of kindness we do in the name of God or for His sake does not go unnoticed and He appreciates it and will reward us for it.
What I didn’t like: the book was a little magical. No one explicitly uses magic or anything, but magic is referenced a couple of times and the whole book is just a little bit odd.
Then there’s also the “vision of the face” which is probably supposed to be Jesus but it’s really confusing and strange in my opinion. I didn’t really like it.
The book didn’t have good transitions or a clear point to the journey in my opinion. Pilgrim's Progress is really clear and it's well explained what Christian is doing, but the author seemed to take it for granted that we knew what Sir Constant was doing. I assumed it was supposed to be like Pilgrim's Progress (where it’s the journey of a Christian), but I wish the book was more clear.
It’s an old book. The language is very flowery and hard to read (not too difficult to understand, but it makes reading slower and require more effort). I wasn’t super excited to read the book in the first place, so this didn’t help my enjoyment of the book. For young readers, I also think this language would make it difficult to read and understand.
I enjoyed the clear message of Jesus always being there with us to watch and to help us when we need Him. He sees everything we do for Him and He wants to help us when we call on Him.
Overall, there were some good aspects but this wasn’t my favourite book.
My personal rating: 2.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://wordpress.com/post/karinaschr...
December 14, 2020
This is a great allegory of the Christian walk. I daresay that it might even surpass The Pilgrim's Progress in terms of literary excellence and the way that it captures different struggles of the spiritual life. Sir Constant is relatable, and so are the other characters that Sir Constant meets along the way. I can see myself in the Grey Questioner, the people who have given up hope in the Pass of Tears, and others. That, to me, is a great quality in a book. This is one of those books that I highly recommend to anyone who is a Christian, either new or old. It is an allegory, so there is plenty of artistic license. The heavy symbolism almost requires the reader to stop reading and ponder the depths of the ideas presented behind the symbolism. May we all be like Sir Constant in our walk: eyes on the goal and motivated to press onward to the end.
May 19, 2025
I enjoyed the story, it's a fairly decent allegory. This is the third time I've listened to the Lamplighter audio, and while it was confusing the first couple of times, I understood it a lot better the third time around.
I like the audio well enough, except for the actor who plays Sir Constant. His incessant gasping and whimpering makes him sound less like a noble knight and more like one of my pre-edits weak MMCs. 😛 I've noticed that a lot of audios seem to have that issue - however my rating of the story is (hopefully) not affected by me annoyance, lol.
Some good reminders in this one - always keep Jesus (that "vision of the Face") before you and you'll stay on course.
I like the audio well enough, except for the actor who plays Sir Constant. His incessant gasping and whimpering makes him sound less like a noble knight and more like one of my pre-edits weak MMCs. 😛 I've noticed that a lot of audios seem to have that issue - however my rating of the story is (hopefully) not affected by me annoyance, lol.
Some good reminders in this one - always keep Jesus (that "vision of the Face") before you and you'll stay on course.
June 29, 2020
Ever since I first hear Lamplighter Theatre's radio drama of this book, I have wanted to read the original work. This book is certainly one of my favorite allegories (alongside Pilgrim's Progress and Hinds' Feet on High Places). It has definitely been worth the wait to read. However, I will say that I do prefer Lamplighter's radio drama interpretation slightly more as I feel they brought out the companionship of The Great King along Sir Constant's journey. But that's just a personal preference.
March 7, 2025
Sir Knight of the Splendid Way was an enjoyable yet more difficult read. The words and language were easy to follow, but the story jumped several times at the end and it took me time to get things straight in my mind.
Not as good as Pilgrim's Progress, but I would still recommend as an allegory for Christian faith.
Not as good as Pilgrim's Progress, but I would still recommend as an allegory for Christian faith.
November 25, 2025
One of the Best Books I've Ever Reas
As a Christian, this book touched my heart in more ways than I can count. I cried, cheered, laughed, pondered, prayed, and more. This will certainly be a book I read again and again and would highly recommend to anyone, regardless of their religious background or experience
As a Christian, this book touched my heart in more ways than I can count. I cried, cheered, laughed, pondered, prayed, and more. This will certainly be a book I read again and again and would highly recommend to anyone, regardless of their religious background or experience
September 29, 2023
A wonderful crafted story for every father and son. It pulls at the heart and desires with encouragement and insight.
November 7, 2023
Freaking great! You should absolutely go get yourself a copy before they aren't available any more cause this is one worth returning to and worth having for posterity!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews