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The Staff and the Sword #3
A Draw of Kings
Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, much is changed on their return. In the wake of the king's death, Duke Weir is ruling the country--and his intentions are to marry Adora to bring an heir.
With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war--and at growing risk from the armies of Merakh and Morgol.
A dangerous mission to free Errol succeeds, but the dangers facing the kingdom are mounting with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw near. Will the revelation of Illustra's next true king come in time or will all be lost?
With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war--and at growing risk from the armies of Merakh and Morgol.
A dangerous mission to free Errol succeeds, but the dangers facing the kingdom are mounting with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw near. Will the revelation of Illustra's next true king come in time or will all be lost?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2014
170 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
About the author
Patrick W. Carr
15 books658 followersPatrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last eighteen years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary. Patrick and Mary have four sons who are living their own adventures all across the country. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
July 13, 2014
WOW! WOW! And WOW!
This is one of the best trilogies I've ever read. It's definitely in my top 3. I even decided to put a new category in my bookshelves for "favorite trilogies" just because of this book.
People! You need to trust me and read this.
Why?
Because it has everything a reader of fantasy/fiction loves. (Well, at least for me)
Mature writing. The writing for me was damn near flawless. The dialogue, descriptions of places, people and things were just right. Nothing too much, nothing too little. I could feel, see, hear and almost taste words coming off the pages.
Mature characters. There's always that book that promises a strong hero or heroine that always ends up as "annoying" and "forced". Well, not the case here -although the author never promised such, he nonetheless delivered such heroic characters that made me feel joyful, tearful and throw out few fist pumps.
I've never read such strong men who could show such a tender side at times, and have it not feel forced or awkward.
I've never read two heroines who were so strong and kick ass, yet.. Still very much ladies. That was brilliant.
Fast paced. I'm sure you've heard before how a book grips you from the first page to the last. Well, I'm here to repeat that cliche. Except, I'll say it differently. From the very first chapter I was Completely. Sucked. In. it lasted until the final page of the third book! It did not in anyway subside. At. All. This is one of those trilogies that you have to read the books back to back, because you just can't get the story or characters out of your head. Yes, it's that good.
Incredible story line. Now that would be a spoiler, so.... Not going there. Read the book(s) yes, all of them. :)
Romance. I see you romance readers -you dirty girls on my friends list- *points finger* thinking "woohoo! Smexy time!" It's not that kind of romance, but I promise you'll fall in love with the development. ;) trust me....
Perfect execution. This trilogy was well thought out. Everything came at just the right time. Information that was withheld, and driving me nuts with angst, was released just so... And it was spaced through out the entire trilogy, not just BOOM! All at the end, and holy crap what an ending o_O
Angst. "Turn up the angst!" that was a quote from, Tom. My buddy reading partner in crime. Thanks for the BR, Tom. I'm so glad I had someone to vent to! Lol
Twists and turns. there was plenty of twists and turns throughout the series. Some you can see coming and others, not at all. Regardless, I was completely entertained.
Religious politics I found the religion and political aspect of this book amazing. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect. In fact, I wasn't even sure I wanted to read this because of that. Um... That would have been a HUGE MISTAKE! Don't make that your mistake. This is first and foremost... A fantasy, with a nice twist on religious power.
POVs. I have to throw this in here because I absolutely love how the POVs were introduced in this trilogy.
I wish more authors would do this!
I don't consider this a spoiler BTW but if you don't want to know about POVs, skip this last part.
Book one we're introduced to Errol. He is the main character and the POV -which is in 3rd person past tense- (my absolute favorite) is his through out book one. We're introduced to other, important, characters as well.
Book two we get 2 POVs and I loved it because we're already very familiar with the other character and love him or her.
Book three -the most intense by far- we have 3 POVs and let me tell you. It was perfect!!
What a gem I found in these three books. Truly. I have found a new favorite fantasy author. I will be looking forward to his next book.
That is all, folks.. :) happy reading.
June 15, 2018
A Draw of Kings is the final book in The Staff and the Sword trilogy. I'm very glad to have finished this series. Even though I did enjoy the first two books quite a bit, I'll admit that I don't think fantasy is one of my favorite genres anymore (or at least not high fantasy, which is how I think this would be classified? Not sure.). I know that a lot of people have LOVED this series; so, if you are into high fantasy, I think you might like it.
The characters were great and, for what it was, the writing was also good. I just had a hard time following everything and I think that was because of all the names and things that were necessary for the world of the story.
I will say that the ending was intense. I didn't love the way it turned out, but I did like that it was unexpected.
All in all, A Draw of Kings was a fine read, but not for me. If you like high fantasy, then I think you will probably enjoy this trilogy.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*
The characters were great and, for what it was, the writing was also good. I just had a hard time following everything and I think that was because of all the names and things that were necessary for the world of the story.
I will say that the ending was intense. I didn't love the way it turned out, but I did like that it was unexpected.
All in all, A Draw of Kings was a fine read, but not for me. If you like high fantasy, then I think you will probably enjoy this trilogy.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.*
March 17, 2014
How do you share your thoughts on the end of a story that has been building since book one, and without giving anything away?
Errol Stone's journey continues. The back of the cover makes you think that him being imprisoned and the attempt to free him would be the story we are about to read. Oh no. Don't let that fool you. That's only the beginning!
Then the rest unfolds as Errol and his companions must split up to prepare to fight the final battle with odds seemingly insurmountable.
The story is huge, complex, and at times, I was slightly confused, but I so wanted to know who would live and who would die. Would it be Liam or Errol?
The characters deepened in many ways, except for Liam. I got a little annoyed with him. He was always perfect and beautiful, and all the characters practically swooned in his presence. But then I tend to go for the underdog.
The ending should have felt perfect, but it didn't for me. I felt set up, knowing that I was being set up to "feel" one way, when I knew the truth, yet hoped, yet didn't want to hope. It is hard to explain. Yet with the final explanation with the remaining characters, the conclusion slid into place for a bittersweet ending that will have me reflecting on Errol's story for a while.
That said, I love this series and feel that these characters and their story will remain with me for the rest of my life.
Highly recommended!
*In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my review.*
Errol Stone's journey continues. The back of the cover makes you think that him being imprisoned and the attempt to free him would be the story we are about to read. Oh no. Don't let that fool you. That's only the beginning!
Then the rest unfolds as Errol and his companions must split up to prepare to fight the final battle with odds seemingly insurmountable.
The story is huge, complex, and at times, I was slightly confused, but I so wanted to know who would live and who would die. Would it be Liam or Errol?
The characters deepened in many ways, except for Liam. I got a little annoyed with him. He was always perfect and beautiful, and all the characters practically swooned in his presence. But then I tend to go for the underdog.
The ending should have felt perfect, but it didn't for me. I felt set up, knowing that I was being set up to "feel" one way, when I knew the truth, yet hoped, yet didn't want to hope. It is hard to explain. Yet with the final explanation with the remaining characters, the conclusion slid into place for a bittersweet ending that will have me reflecting on Errol's story for a while.
That said, I love this series and feel that these characters and their story will remain with me for the rest of my life.
Highly recommended!
*In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my review.*
February 3, 2014
This book is the epic conclusion to the Staff and the Sword series. Truths before undefined—and even some thought known—are blurred before they are redefined in the finishing novel A Draw of Kings.
Who is Errol?
Who Liam?
You thought you knew?
Think again.
Having read A Cast of Stones as well as The Hero’s Lot I thought I would be prepared for everything A Draw of Kings had to say. After all, what more was there to say? It seemed to me every hidden truth was revealed in the second novel. However, I was wrong.
There is more.
Much, much more.
I doubt, having read the trilogy only once, I caught everything that added to importance of the overall message. But I caught enough to make me think.
That’s what I search for.
Books that make me think.
I find so few that I often scorn those that are lesser than what I am looking for. Hence my reason for my blog site.
There was perhaps only one thing that remained unaddressed that I wished the author would have delved more deeply into within the series. However, I leave that to the reader to find out and judge for himself.
Though not overtly allegorical, The Staff and the Sword series hold rich, deep biblical parallels that deserve to be examined at length. Especially by Christians who know the Word of God. There is some allegory as the trilogy mentions Deas, Eleison and Aurae which would be God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But that is about all I could find allegorically speaking.
Despite my pile of unread books, I know that I’ll reread Patrick Carr’s trilogy in the future. I realize that trilogies are meant to be read together. But this trilogy, in order to catch all of the meaning, needs to be read together.
Patrick Carr has an amazing, intellectual mind to have written a series such as this one. I am not impressed very often by books of one kind or another. I’ve read so many I know the cadence of writing, the way a plot is achieved, how the characters are written.
But The Staff and the Sword series made me second-guess myself again and again. And for that I thank the author. His books are the type I look for. And will continue looking for. Errol Stone is a character with such defined strength, weakness and depth I scarcely remember the last time a character so impressed himself on my mind. He is certainly not one I am soon to forget.
If you are going to read this trilogy, look out for a ride. The pace gets faster and faster with each novel. It takes a lot of thinking to keep up. And it never stops and does not slow down unless to build up the plot in order to go at breakneck speed again. I hope to read more fantasy by this author in the future. This is what Christian fantasy is and should be defined as. Well done, Patrick Carr!
I give A Draw of Kings 5 out of 5 stars.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley. The opinions and ideas stated are mine and mine alone. My review is an honest opinion of this book.
Who is Errol?
Who Liam?
You thought you knew?
Think again.
Having read A Cast of Stones as well as The Hero’s Lot I thought I would be prepared for everything A Draw of Kings had to say. After all, what more was there to say? It seemed to me every hidden truth was revealed in the second novel. However, I was wrong.
There is more.
Much, much more.
I doubt, having read the trilogy only once, I caught everything that added to importance of the overall message. But I caught enough to make me think.
That’s what I search for.
Books that make me think.
I find so few that I often scorn those that are lesser than what I am looking for. Hence my reason for my blog site.
There was perhaps only one thing that remained unaddressed that I wished the author would have delved more deeply into within the series. However, I leave that to the reader to find out and judge for himself.
Though not overtly allegorical, The Staff and the Sword series hold rich, deep biblical parallels that deserve to be examined at length. Especially by Christians who know the Word of God. There is some allegory as the trilogy mentions Deas, Eleison and Aurae which would be God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But that is about all I could find allegorically speaking.
Despite my pile of unread books, I know that I’ll reread Patrick Carr’s trilogy in the future. I realize that trilogies are meant to be read together. But this trilogy, in order to catch all of the meaning, needs to be read together.
Patrick Carr has an amazing, intellectual mind to have written a series such as this one. I am not impressed very often by books of one kind or another. I’ve read so many I know the cadence of writing, the way a plot is achieved, how the characters are written.
But The Staff and the Sword series made me second-guess myself again and again. And for that I thank the author. His books are the type I look for. And will continue looking for. Errol Stone is a character with such defined strength, weakness and depth I scarcely remember the last time a character so impressed himself on my mind. He is certainly not one I am soon to forget.
If you are going to read this trilogy, look out for a ride. The pace gets faster and faster with each novel. It takes a lot of thinking to keep up. And it never stops and does not slow down unless to build up the plot in order to go at breakneck speed again. I hope to read more fantasy by this author in the future. This is what Christian fantasy is and should be defined as. Well done, Patrick Carr!
I give A Draw of Kings 5 out of 5 stars.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley. The opinions and ideas stated are mine and mine alone. My review is an honest opinion of this book.
February 18, 2017
A Draw of Kings is a decent ending to a good Fantasy series that I really enjoyed. It wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped, but still decent.
It gets right to the action and never drags. At the beginning, everyone gets scattered again and for a while I really wondered how they were all going to get back and wrap things up. As far as a Fantasy adventure goes, with all hell breaking loose and the fate of the world depending on the tenuous hope of a few people with impossible tasks, it was a fun story and fairly satisfying.
It was not, however, as mature and 'brilliant' as many others where the way everything comes together at the end leaves you breathless and full of admiration. That didn't happen.
Still, I really enjoyed this series and I think it's one worth recommending to people who aren't necessarily after 'something new' in Fantasy. This isn't genre-shattering. It's just a fun heroic Fantasy with lots of elements that feel familiar yet a little different.
It gets right to the action and never drags. At the beginning, everyone gets scattered again and for a while I really wondered how they were all going to get back and wrap things up. As far as a Fantasy adventure goes, with all hell breaking loose and the fate of the world depending on the tenuous hope of a few people with impossible tasks, it was a fun story and fairly satisfying.
It was not, however, as mature and 'brilliant' as many others where the way everything comes together at the end leaves you breathless and full of admiration. That didn't happen.
Still, I really enjoyed this series and I think it's one worth recommending to people who aren't necessarily after 'something new' in Fantasy. This isn't genre-shattering. It's just a fun heroic Fantasy with lots of elements that feel familiar yet a little different.
February 22, 2015
This review appears on my book blog as well: http://unaeve.blogspot.com/ (please visit and say hi if you have time ;))
A Draw of Kings is a great ending to an amazing Fantasy series that rests now on my favorite shelves. Like the two previous books this one didn't disappoint either.The world building,the characters, the story - everything is deep, thorough, full and rich even complicated at times.
It is full of action and it hardly ever or even never drags away.
The kingdom of Illustra is on the breeches of war.And the kingdom still hasn't find there king.The one who is supposed to fight for his kingdom and die saving it.But whenever they cast the lots, they get the same results-Errol and Liam.Both names.
So who will be the next king?
Errol Stone's adventures continue with a lot of suspense action and plot twists that kept me on edge and guessing until the very end.
I gave it four instead of five stars just because at moments i felt a bit lost as things tended to get overcomplicated.
But i really enjoyed this series and it's very much worth recommending!
This review appears on:
Good reads | Amazon.com | Book Depository| Facebook
A Draw of Kings is a great ending to an amazing Fantasy series that rests now on my favorite shelves. Like the two previous books this one didn't disappoint either.The world building,the characters, the story - everything is deep, thorough, full and rich even complicated at times.
It is full of action and it hardly ever or even never drags away.
The kingdom of Illustra is on the breeches of war.And the kingdom still hasn't find there king.The one who is supposed to fight for his kingdom and die saving it.But whenever they cast the lots, they get the same results-Errol and Liam.Both names.
So who will be the next king?
Errol Stone's adventures continue with a lot of suspense action and plot twists that kept me on edge and guessing until the very end.
I gave it four instead of five stars just because at moments i felt a bit lost as things tended to get overcomplicated.
But i really enjoyed this series and it's very much worth recommending!
This review appears on:
Good reads | Amazon.com | Book Depository| Facebook
February 21, 2014
What a journey! What an adventure! I’m so sad it’s over!
Absolutely one of my fave fantasy series!
Carr is a master story-teller and world-builder.
I admit I was apprehensive about where this series was going and when I first met Errol, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into…but we’ve come a long way baby and every bit of the journey has been unforgettable!
Intense build-up, an epic turn of events and a very very unique twist on the entire “magic” aspect- make the series shine!
What I love most is the lesson of faith learned through this spectacular work of fiction, to me it is that God can use anyone (big or small, important or unimportant) to do great things for His glory!
Absolutely one of my fave fantasy series!
Carr is a master story-teller and world-builder.
I admit I was apprehensive about where this series was going and when I first met Errol, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into…but we’ve come a long way baby and every bit of the journey has been unforgettable!
Intense build-up, an epic turn of events and a very very unique twist on the entire “magic” aspect- make the series shine!
What I love most is the lesson of faith learned through this spectacular work of fiction, to me it is that God can use anyone (big or small, important or unimportant) to do great things for His glory!
March 26, 2022
Okay, I need to fully review this, but this series is just absolutely wonderful and I cried at the end of this installment. Highly recommend.
December 17, 2017
Updated review Jan. 27th, 2017:
SO YEAH. 5 stars. Because reasons.
Notes: A) warning: lots of ranting and raving. B) Do not go into this book expecting to read it quickly and grasp everything that happens. Because you won't. Learn from my mistake as I will mention soon.
A Draw of Kings is my favorite ending to a trilogy (and maybe to a series) that I've ever read. Hands DOWN. This doesn't necessarily mean that I liked it
more than let's say...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but in terms of the entire series this is (perhaps) the most satisfying end to a series that I have read thus far. All expectations were met and exceeded. This book does, however have a list of issues I found in this reread but my raving will extend forever so let's jump in!
Some dislikes:
•I feel like at this point the fact that no map exists is beyond screaming for me. Like screaming doesn't even cover my feelings of there being no map. BUT I'LL GET OVER IT. Maybe.
•The plot is kinda stupid with the whole thing of "oh so yeah there's this book that is REALLY important and can't fall into the wrong hands etc. etc. BUT WE LEFT IT IN MERAKH because we didn't feel like bringing it????" To "ok we'll go back and get it and nearly get the ONE WHOSE SUPPOSE TO SAVE THE WORLD KILLED A FEW TIMES. No biggie. It's cool." ??? WHY. JUST WHY.
•I still find Martin and his squad utterly boring even though we got to see the Morgols *shrieks* and Karele grew on me significantly. (The guy is super interesting.) They're just not my favorites and had me nearly groaning every time they're chapters came.
•The showing of characters and their emotions rather than telling improved significantly in this book BUT all the action scenes, especially the war and battle scenes, were, in my opinion 95% tell and 5% show which made them boring to read and subtracted from the main thread of the story AKA I WAS SO BORED BY THE WAR SCENES THAT I MISSED THE MOST IMPORTANT PART MY FIRST TIME THROUGH.
•Errol doesn't get as much page time. As the books go on Errol's page time decreases which isn't a huge problem here because of Adora's pov which I'll get to later, but I just wanted more of his. I felt as though throughout the series we really knew Errol on an emotional level and experienced everything right with him, but by the pivotal moment of the ending, that was stripped away and we just...watched. His whole master plan at the end was also entirely missed the first time I read it because I wasn't seeing it from his perspective.
• The ending is also very very VERY confusing so if you know exactly what happened and why I BEG YOU TO TELL ME. It's just that everything having to do with Deas confuses the crap out of me. And he will just do things without any explanation. This is realistic to God, because God does do things without explaining but at some point we come to understand. BUT NOPE, NOT IN THIS BOOK. We don't know a thing. And it's driving me over a cliff.
LIKES/LOVES:
•The first chapter throws us right into Adora's pov which if you had told me back in book 2 that she would have A LOT of page time I would have told you I wasn't going to read book 3. But I actually really like seeing the story in her perspective. It opened my eyes to her character more. Though Adora has made zero sign of regretting some former, stupid (like reaaaalllly stupid) decisions I found her choice making here great! Especially when the guys *cough*Liam*cough* told her she was going to do one thing but she knew what she had to and did it anyway even while it was the opposite. #thegirlrules
•CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN ROKAH AND ADORA??? One of my favorite tropes are slow burning relationships whether that be in terms of family, friendship, romance etc. Up until this point I had only read romantic hate to love relationships, but here it's a female friendship applied to this trope. AND I ADORE IT. (See what I did there?? Hahahahah heh heh. Okay I'll stop.) It's actually realistic and both women are so very different and strong in their own ways. And now Rokah calls Adora sister AND IM JUST SO FOR IT. It's like Sam and Frodo but it's girls and their a lot more badass and they hated each other at first. Okay so not like Sam and Frodo but I love them all the same so...its...yeah.
•So Liam is actually not the perfect god like future King that he was suppose to be before!? He's actually human (haha)...finally. And we realize that he can actually be an indecent person sometimes because we saw some of his actions through Adora's eyes rather than Errol who thought of Liam as perfection his entire life. I didn't like Liam in some parts but I liked that he was finally portrayed as a more human character.
•The world building gets even better! One of my favorite tropes is when there's a war and the main guys have to go off and gather allies and we get to see all the convincing of people to join them etc. etc. and it's all very interesting. The Morgols become actual characters rather than "the horsemen in the mountains who hate the kingdom peeps." And we are also introduced to the Ongols which are an entirely new type of people group. We also get to see more of a diversity in religion with these two groups introduced.
•There's this plot twist at the end that I didn't even catch until I read it a second time. And I didn't see it coming because I was too engrossed in how utterly BORING THE WAR SCENES WERE.
•Errol. I need not say more, friends.
But I will anyway because I simply cannot resist.
He's shown to actually be not only supremely loyal and downright good but also really smart! Brilliant actually. So brilliant THAT I DIDN'T SEE IT THE FIRST TIME THROUGH.
Here's a quote!
"With Errol, it's different. It's as if he's so human, he's almost every man. Unassuming, almost ordinary, and yet despite the terrible price he pays in injury and sacrifice, he finds a way to win. Liam is a man anyone would be honored to die with. Errol is a man people die for."
So if you are confused about the ending here are the facts I have garnered:
Previous review Jan. 4th, 2016:
I can't even begin to explain how much I love this book and this trilogy!!! AHHHH that ending!!!!! OH AND THE BOOK NEEDS A MAP!!! Full reviews to come on these three books!
SO YEAH. 5 stars. Because reasons.
Notes: A) warning: lots of ranting and raving. B) Do not go into this book expecting to read it quickly and grasp everything that happens. Because you won't. Learn from my mistake as I will mention soon.
A Draw of Kings is my favorite ending to a trilogy (and maybe to a series) that I've ever read. Hands DOWN. This doesn't necessarily mean that I liked it
more than let's say...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but in terms of the entire series this is (perhaps) the most satisfying end to a series that I have read thus far. All expectations were met and exceeded. This book does, however have a list of issues I found in this reread but my raving will extend forever so let's jump in!
Some dislikes:
•I feel like at this point the fact that no map exists is beyond screaming for me. Like screaming doesn't even cover my feelings of there being no map. BUT I'LL GET OVER IT. Maybe.
•The plot is kinda stupid with the whole thing of "oh so yeah there's this book that is REALLY important and can't fall into the wrong hands etc. etc. BUT WE LEFT IT IN MERAKH because we didn't feel like bringing it????" To "ok we'll go back and get it and nearly get the ONE WHOSE SUPPOSE TO SAVE THE WORLD KILLED A FEW TIMES. No biggie. It's cool." ??? WHY. JUST WHY.
•I still find Martin and his squad utterly boring even though we got to see the Morgols *shrieks* and Karele grew on me significantly. (The guy is super interesting.) They're just not my favorites and had me nearly groaning every time they're chapters came.
•The showing of characters and their emotions rather than telling improved significantly in this book BUT all the action scenes, especially the war and battle scenes, were, in my opinion 95% tell and 5% show which made them boring to read and subtracted from the main thread of the story AKA I WAS SO BORED BY THE WAR SCENES THAT I MISSED THE MOST IMPORTANT PART MY FIRST TIME THROUGH.
•Errol doesn't get as much page time. As the books go on Errol's page time decreases which isn't a huge problem here because of Adora's pov which I'll get to later, but I just wanted more of his. I felt as though throughout the series we really knew Errol on an emotional level and experienced everything right with him, but by the pivotal moment of the ending, that was stripped away and we just...watched. His whole master plan at the end was also entirely missed the first time I read it because I wasn't seeing it from his perspective.
• The ending is also very very VERY confusing so if you know exactly what happened and why I BEG YOU TO TELL ME. It's just that everything having to do with Deas confuses the crap out of me. And he will just do things without any explanation. This is realistic to God, because God does do things without explaining but at some point we come to understand. BUT NOPE, NOT IN THIS BOOK. We don't know a thing. And it's driving me over a cliff.
LIKES/LOVES:
•The first chapter throws us right into Adora's pov which if you had told me back in book 2 that she would have A LOT of page time I would have told you I wasn't going to read book 3. But I actually really like seeing the story in her perspective. It opened my eyes to her character more. Though Adora has made zero sign of regretting some former, stupid (like reaaaalllly stupid) decisions I found her choice making here great! Especially when the guys *cough*Liam*cough* told her she was going to do one thing but she knew what she had to and did it anyway even while it was the opposite. #thegirlrules
•CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN ROKAH AND ADORA??? One of my favorite tropes are slow burning relationships whether that be in terms of family, friendship, romance etc. Up until this point I had only read romantic hate to love relationships, but here it's a female friendship applied to this trope. AND I ADORE IT. (See what I did there?? Hahahahah heh heh. Okay I'll stop.) It's actually realistic and both women are so very different and strong in their own ways. And now Rokah calls Adora sister AND IM JUST SO FOR IT. It's like Sam and Frodo but it's girls and their a lot more badass and they hated each other at first. Okay so not like Sam and Frodo but I love them all the same so...its...yeah.
•So Liam is actually not the perfect god like future King that he was suppose to be before!? He's actually human (haha)...finally. And we realize that he can actually be an indecent person sometimes because we saw some of his actions through Adora's eyes rather than Errol who thought of Liam as perfection his entire life. I didn't like Liam in some parts but I liked that he was finally portrayed as a more human character.
•The world building gets even better! One of my favorite tropes is when there's a war and the main guys have to go off and gather allies and we get to see all the convincing of people to join them etc. etc. and it's all very interesting. The Morgols become actual characters rather than "the horsemen in the mountains who hate the kingdom peeps." And we are also introduced to the Ongols which are an entirely new type of people group. We also get to see more of a diversity in religion with these two groups introduced.
•There's this plot twist at the end that I didn't even catch until I read it a second time. And I didn't see it coming because I was too engrossed in how utterly BORING THE WAR SCENES WERE.
•Errol. I need not say more, friends.
But I will anyway because I simply cannot resist.
He's shown to actually be not only supremely loyal and downright good but also really smart! Brilliant actually. So brilliant THAT I DIDN'T SEE IT THE FIRST TIME THROUGH.
Here's a quote!
"With Errol, it's different. It's as if he's so human, he's almost every man. Unassuming, almost ordinary, and yet despite the terrible price he pays in injury and sacrifice, he finds a way to win. Liam is a man anyone would be honored to die with. Errol is a man people die for."
So if you are confused about the ending here are the facts I have garnered:
Previous review Jan. 4th, 2016:
I can't even begin to explain how much I love this book and this trilogy!!! AHHHH that ending!!!!! OH AND THE BOOK NEEDS A MAP!!! Full reviews to come on these three books!
June 19, 2025
Such a good book series!! If you love fantasy and the Catholic Church, you will not be disappointed by the Sword and the Staff! I read it when I was fourteen and now again at twenty-four and it’s still as good, if not better than I remember! Highly recommend!!
December 30, 2021
5 stars/would re-read/would recommend
I can't decide whether I'm rating it 4.5 or 5!!! We'll go with 5.
This book has it all. It knocked me flat with twists, stole my breath with tension, and lifted my heart with giddy joy. It made me want to live in Illustra, with Rokha and Meradoch and Errol and all my favorite characters. (I felt like bowing to Liam...) This was such an amazing climax and finish to the trilogy that had already stolen my heart. I loved everything about it except for one thing, which I'll put in my "Things I Didn't Like" section.
Things I Loved:
1) The plot was intricate, tied together, and perfect. It felt real!
2) The characters were believable without being annoying. Side characters were just as developed as main characters, just as admirable, just as amazing. I found myself rooting for not only the main characters but the awesome side characters (Meradoch, Ablajin, Hadari, Phamba, Tek) as well. When things happened to side characters, I cried.
3) The romances were perfect without being overbearing, gross, or taking over the story. They just felt real, like they were really happening. They added to the story, accenting it without detracting.
4) The worldbuilding was so complete. I feel I can now envision the whole world, complete with terrain between and around cities. When I read A Cast of Stones, I was literally so bitter that Carr hadn't included a map, but I've now discovered it was because he wanted to build the world entirely through words. I appreciated his style and I practically live in Illustra now! (of course I choose to inhabit Haven.)
5) The church. The book. Deas, Eleison, and Aurae. SO GOOD!!!!
6) The climax was great. The war built with such fervor. All the missions were interesting and successful in their own ways. Whereas there were moments in The Hero's Lot where the missions felt redundant and repetitive, A Draw of Kings presented a wonderful tapestry of intertwining purposes that never fell flat. Everything from Errol's mission to Martin, Karele, Luis, and Cruk's mission was tense, crackling, and necessary.
7) The plot twists were jarring. I've never read such unexpected twists. I can usually predict everything that is coming, even when the twists are obscure. These twists caught me by surprise and left me reeling.
Things I Liked:
1) The Malus. They were absolutely disgusting, which is why I didn't put them in the "Things I Loved" section, but they were so believable - to the point of making me cringe, wince, and almost throw up multiple times. Definitely amazing how Carr wrote them to be so disgusting but yet didn't let that evil overflow into the rest of the book.
Things I Didn't Like
1) The ending. It felt so incomplete.
2) Deas: merciful God? I think not. For all the characters' invocations of "merciful Deas," Carr certainly didn't portray Him that way. And that bothered me. Carr was writing about my Jesus, right? So where was my Jesus? What became of the Gospel, good news, love? And he could have saved it with the ending, but the ending left questions, not answers, and the only mention we have of Deas before we get to the end is that He has done something clearly not merciful. What?
Summary:
1) I loved this book. It wrecked me. This is more than I can say for most books.
2) The climax, plot, characters, and world were all good.
3) Everything about Deas was great, except for what I mentioned under "Things I Disliked."
4) This was the best book of the trilogy.
So after that very very veeery long review, I will say simply this: READ THIS BOOK!!!! But prepare to die inside.
I highly recommend this book.
I can't decide whether I'm rating it 4.5 or 5!!! We'll go with 5.
This book has it all. It knocked me flat with twists, stole my breath with tension, and lifted my heart with giddy joy. It made me want to live in Illustra, with Rokha and Meradoch and Errol and all my favorite characters. (I felt like bowing to Liam...) This was such an amazing climax and finish to the trilogy that had already stolen my heart. I loved everything about it except for one thing, which I'll put in my "Things I Didn't Like" section.
Things I Loved:
1) The plot was intricate, tied together, and perfect. It felt real!
2) The characters were believable without being annoying. Side characters were just as developed as main characters, just as admirable, just as amazing. I found myself rooting for not only the main characters but the awesome side characters (Meradoch, Ablajin, Hadari, Phamba, Tek) as well. When things happened to side characters, I cried.
3) The romances were perfect without being overbearing, gross, or taking over the story. They just felt real, like they were really happening. They added to the story, accenting it without detracting.
4) The worldbuilding was so complete. I feel I can now envision the whole world, complete with terrain between and around cities. When I read A Cast of Stones, I was literally so bitter that Carr hadn't included a map, but I've now discovered it was because he wanted to build the world entirely through words. I appreciated his style and I practically live in Illustra now! (of course I choose to inhabit Haven.)
5) The church. The book. Deas, Eleison, and Aurae. SO GOOD!!!!
6) The climax was great. The war built with such fervor. All the missions were interesting and successful in their own ways. Whereas there were moments in The Hero's Lot where the missions felt redundant and repetitive, A Draw of Kings presented a wonderful tapestry of intertwining purposes that never fell flat. Everything from Errol's mission to Martin, Karele, Luis, and Cruk's mission was tense, crackling, and necessary.
7) The plot twists were jarring. I've never read such unexpected twists. I can usually predict everything that is coming, even when the twists are obscure. These twists caught me by surprise and left me reeling.
Things I Liked:
1) The Malus. They were absolutely disgusting, which is why I didn't put them in the "Things I Loved" section, but they were so believable - to the point of making me cringe, wince, and almost throw up multiple times. Definitely amazing how Carr wrote them to be so disgusting but yet didn't let that evil overflow into the rest of the book.
Things I Didn't Like
1) The ending. It felt so incomplete.
2) Deas: merciful God? I think not. For all the characters' invocations of "merciful Deas," Carr certainly didn't portray Him that way. And that bothered me. Carr was writing about my Jesus, right? So where was my Jesus? What became of the Gospel, good news, love? And he could have saved it with the ending, but the ending left questions, not answers, and the only mention we have of Deas before we get to the end is that He has done something clearly not merciful. What?
Summary:
1) I loved this book. It wrecked me. This is more than I can say for most books.
2) The climax, plot, characters, and world were all good.
3) Everything about Deas was great, except for what I mentioned under "Things I Disliked."
4) This was the best book of the trilogy.
So after that very very veeery long review, I will say simply this: READ THIS BOOK!!!! But prepare to die inside.
I highly recommend this book.
February 14, 2022
My rating: 2 out of 5 stars
The first two books in "The Staff and The Sword" series were so good. Unfortunately the conclusion to it, "A Draw of Kings," is not as great, in my opinion.
This book ended up being confusing and if I'm honest, a little dull. It felt like over half of this book was spent describing battles and planning military strategy. I'm not against action packed books, I actually prefer them, but it felt like there were too many of them in this book. I think all the action scenes were supposed to make me excited, but instead they bored me.
I think one of the reasons why I found them dull is because they were also confusing. There were many times that 3 completely different battles going on at the same time and were being told from the POV of each of the 3 main characters (Errol, Martin, and Adora). When the POV changed from one character to another, I would get confused on who and where they were fighting.
Another thing that disappointed me in this book was the romance. From the moment the romance started between Errol and Adora started, I liked it. I loved how their romance had progressed in "The Hero's Plot" and hoped it would continue to do so in "A Draw of Kings". It made me so sad that Errol and Adora barely had any moments together in this last book, thanks to the fact they are in completely different countries most of it. Any time they have together is brief and not romantic.
I also didn't love the ending. It felt soooo confusing. It seemed like the prophecies got fulfilled, though I'm not really sure how. I really need someone to explain to me Errol's battle against Belaaz, because I still don't get it.
I am glad "A Draw of Kings" did have a happy ending, though!
I don't want to end this review on a negative note, especially since there were some things I liked about it.
I liked the plot twists. The one concerning Liam was especially shocking and caught me off guard.
I also liked some of the new side characters were are introduced to, like Ablajin and Waterson (Waterson especially. His dry sarcasm was great). I wouldn't mind reading another book set in this world, if featured some of the side characters from this series.
I also liked how the author interwove so many Biblical truths into his story. That is not an easy feet to do, especially in a fantasy book. I can tell this author was very initial with how he did that.
Though I am sad that I didn't love the last book in "The Staff and The Sword," series, I am glad I read it. Despite it's rough ending, this series is one I will recommend.
The first two books in "The Staff and The Sword" series were so good. Unfortunately the conclusion to it, "A Draw of Kings," is not as great, in my opinion.
This book ended up being confusing and if I'm honest, a little dull. It felt like over half of this book was spent describing battles and planning military strategy. I'm not against action packed books, I actually prefer them, but it felt like there were too many of them in this book. I think all the action scenes were supposed to make me excited, but instead they bored me.
I think one of the reasons why I found them dull is because they were also confusing. There were many times that 3 completely different battles going on at the same time and were being told from the POV of each of the 3 main characters (Errol, Martin, and Adora). When the POV changed from one character to another, I would get confused on who and where they were fighting.
Another thing that disappointed me in this book was the romance. From the moment the romance started between Errol and Adora started, I liked it. I loved how their romance had progressed in "The Hero's Plot" and hoped it would continue to do so in "A Draw of Kings". It made me so sad that Errol and Adora barely had any moments together in this last book, thanks to the fact they are in completely different countries most of it. Any time they have together is brief and not romantic.
I also didn't love the ending. It felt soooo confusing. It seemed like the prophecies got fulfilled, though I'm not really sure how. I really need someone to explain to me Errol's battle against Belaaz, because I still don't get it.
I am glad "A Draw of Kings" did have a happy ending, though!
I don't want to end this review on a negative note, especially since there were some things I liked about it.
I liked the plot twists. The one concerning Liam was especially shocking and caught me off guard.
I also liked some of the new side characters were are introduced to, like Ablajin and Waterson (Waterson especially. His dry sarcasm was great). I wouldn't mind reading another book set in this world, if featured some of the side characters from this series.
I also liked how the author interwove so many Biblical truths into his story. That is not an easy feet to do, especially in a fantasy book. I can tell this author was very initial with how he did that.
Though I am sad that I didn't love the last book in "The Staff and The Sword," series, I am glad I read it. Despite it's rough ending, this series is one I will recommend.
May 13, 2014
You must read 'A Cast of Stones' and 'The Hero's Lot' before this final book of the trilogy. This review includes a few spoilers from those first two books.
It's exciting to see all the loose ends tied up. The huge war, precipitated by King Rodran's death, is inevitable. The need for a new king is desperate, but Luis' carved lots still refuse to cooperate and give a straight answer of either Liam or Errol. This time, we have three points of view to follow, Errol's, Martin's and Adora's. Things are happening everywhere and the attempted grab for royalty by the corrupt Weir family is just the start.
To summarise quickly, Martin and co. accompany Karele on a quest to find his father, Ablijin, and gain the support of his people. Princess Adora is chosen to journey back to the Shadow Land exiles to consolidate their support. And Errol and co. are on a mission to recover the holy Book and return it to the Church.
Princess Adora shows yet another side of herself, the fierce warrior princess who will do anything to stand by her man. Her royal position provides her the opportunity to give Errol's old tormentor, Pater Antil, what he's had coming to him for years. Yet I can't help feeling that, all along, he's already reaped his actions without knowing it. Robbing himself of the chance to have a relationship with such an awesome son is surely more terrible than what Adora puts him through (for which I loved her. Her relationship with Errol is one of my favourites). What Antil says at the end of his last scene is thought-provoking and hard to shake away.
The big question which keeps us turning pages is answered brilliantly. Why did the lots keep delivering a tied result? I can understand how Luis, who put hours into his cast lots over 6 years, would call himself a dunce for overlooking it. What a clever twist - and how intriguing. The human agents were getting flustered and confused,but as far as the impersonal lots were concerned, they were giving just what they were asked for.
I do have a minor gripe or two about the ending. Not for what was there, which was fantastic as usual, but for what wasn't there! Those last few chapters seemed a bit gappy in some ways. I was especially disappointed to have no passage from Errol's point of view after the events of his big moment. We've been with him every breath of his journey, since he was a drunk in Callowford, cheering him on. Not having any processing of the major climax of events in his head left me feeling a bit cheated. In a way, it felt as if he was distancing himself from me as well as from the kingdom folk, and being one of his biggest fans, I didn't appreciate the distance. Still, that won't affect my final opinion of what I call a 5+ star series.
Having completed the trilogy, I'll be recommending it to all, including fantasy lovers I know who have objected to the magic element in other series such as 'Harry Potter.' There is no hocus pocus in the Staff and the Sword trilogy, but plenty of spiritual warfare. Everything is based on the Bible, including the old church system of lot casting. The Illustrian concept of the Holy Trinity is a mirror of ours and there is rich symbolism reflecting the story of Redemption. If you're looking for a stunning fantasy series, these books are a must-read. I'm sure you'll find Errol and his friends well worth it.
It's exciting to see all the loose ends tied up. The huge war, precipitated by King Rodran's death, is inevitable. The need for a new king is desperate, but Luis' carved lots still refuse to cooperate and give a straight answer of either Liam or Errol. This time, we have three points of view to follow, Errol's, Martin's and Adora's. Things are happening everywhere and the attempted grab for royalty by the corrupt Weir family is just the start.
To summarise quickly, Martin and co. accompany Karele on a quest to find his father, Ablijin, and gain the support of his people. Princess Adora is chosen to journey back to the Shadow Land exiles to consolidate their support. And Errol and co. are on a mission to recover the holy Book and return it to the Church.
Princess Adora shows yet another side of herself, the fierce warrior princess who will do anything to stand by her man. Her royal position provides her the opportunity to give Errol's old tormentor, Pater Antil, what he's had coming to him for years. Yet I can't help feeling that, all along, he's already reaped his actions without knowing it. Robbing himself of the chance to have a relationship with such an awesome son is surely more terrible than what Adora puts him through (for which I loved her. Her relationship with Errol is one of my favourites). What Antil says at the end of his last scene is thought-provoking and hard to shake away.
The big question which keeps us turning pages is answered brilliantly. Why did the lots keep delivering a tied result? I can understand how Luis, who put hours into his cast lots over 6 years, would call himself a dunce for overlooking it. What a clever twist - and how intriguing. The human agents were getting flustered and confused,but as far as the impersonal lots were concerned, they were giving just what they were asked for.
I do have a minor gripe or two about the ending. Not for what was there, which was fantastic as usual, but for what wasn't there! Those last few chapters seemed a bit gappy in some ways. I was especially disappointed to have no passage from Errol's point of view after the events of his big moment. We've been with him every breath of his journey, since he was a drunk in Callowford, cheering him on. Not having any processing of the major climax of events in his head left me feeling a bit cheated. In a way, it felt as if he was distancing himself from me as well as from the kingdom folk, and being one of his biggest fans, I didn't appreciate the distance. Still, that won't affect my final opinion of what I call a 5+ star series.
Having completed the trilogy, I'll be recommending it to all, including fantasy lovers I know who have objected to the magic element in other series such as 'Harry Potter.' There is no hocus pocus in the Staff and the Sword trilogy, but plenty of spiritual warfare. Everything is based on the Bible, including the old church system of lot casting. The Illustrian concept of the Holy Trinity is a mirror of ours and there is rich symbolism reflecting the story of Redemption. If you're looking for a stunning fantasy series, these books are a must-read. I'm sure you'll find Errol and his friends well worth it.
August 15, 2015
This book did one of the hardest things possible for a book to do. Be a Christian fantasy book that is considered excellent by both Christians and non-Christians. I know this because I handed the first book in this series off to a co-worker who, while not against Christianity per say, isn't Christian. That said, he thoroughly enjoyed A Cast of Stones and later asked to borrow the next two in the trilogy because of how good they were. To put it shortly, the story, characters, and plot are good enough to receive rave reviews from both Christian and secular readers-an impressive feat indeed.
Hats off to Patrick Carr. Hats off.
Picking up right where the cliffhanger of book two left off, a Draw of Kings starts of at lightning speed and only slows down minutely to make sure all of the wonderfully fleshed out characters that we have grown to love and hate get their moment in the sun. The battle for Ilustra is on the horizon, and the barrier is about to fall along with the stability of the royal house.
While Pater Martin has been my favorite character from day one, every character grew even more onto me. Errol especially has grown so much since book one that there were twinges of doubt over who would be king and who would die-since midway through the book, both men looked like they could have easily have fulfilled either role.
Honestly, my favorite thing about the series (besides the high-quality writing, phenomenal character development, and the well-executed mesh of politics and religion) was the same this that stuck out to the aforementioned friend. The readiness that both Errol and Liam had to fulfill the prophecy. Many contemporary fantasies are circled around characters finding ways to either cheat the prophesies *Cough Percy Jackson and the Olympians Cough* or have their lead characters heroism rooted in their self-determination to do what they want regardless of some prophecy. This book is refreshing because everyone-Errol especially-were willing to take responsibility for what had to be done, even if the prophesy they were working toward predicted the death of a hero. Sacrifice was a huge theme running through this novel, and it certainly fit.
My only complaint about the book is the feeling that the last battle was a little rushed. With all of the buildup, I would have liked to have seen a little more of the final battle.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys high fantasy and character driven action novels. I cannot praise this book more.
Hats off to Patrick Carr. Hats off.
Picking up right where the cliffhanger of book two left off, a Draw of Kings starts of at lightning speed and only slows down minutely to make sure all of the wonderfully fleshed out characters that we have grown to love and hate get their moment in the sun. The battle for Ilustra is on the horizon, and the barrier is about to fall along with the stability of the royal house.
While Pater Martin has been my favorite character from day one, every character grew even more onto me. Errol especially has grown so much since book one that there were twinges of doubt over who would be king and who would die-since midway through the book, both men looked like they could have easily have fulfilled either role.
Honestly, my favorite thing about the series (besides the high-quality writing, phenomenal character development, and the well-executed mesh of politics and religion) was the same this that stuck out to the aforementioned friend. The readiness that both Errol and Liam had to fulfill the prophecy. Many contemporary fantasies are circled around characters finding ways to either cheat the prophesies *Cough Percy Jackson and the Olympians Cough* or have their lead characters heroism rooted in their self-determination to do what they want regardless of some prophecy. This book is refreshing because everyone-Errol especially-were willing to take responsibility for what had to be done, even if the prophesy they were working toward predicted the death of a hero. Sacrifice was a huge theme running through this novel, and it certainly fit.
My only complaint about the book is the feeling that the last battle was a little rushed. With all of the buildup, I would have liked to have seen a little more of the final battle.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys high fantasy and character driven action novels. I cannot praise this book more.
July 7, 2020
The women were pushed back to supporting roles in this last book of the series, and I was not satisfied with the ending. All of those various countries and cultures, and could be any women running anything?? There were so many unanswered questions at the end, and for some reason one of the major threats of attack towards Illustra was dropped and never brought up again. ?? The resolution was wrapped up too quickly, and the last chapter was so vague I had to read it twice to figure out who he was talking about. The "twist" was pretty obvious, so it fell a little flat when it came to fruition. It was an entertaining read, and while I got to see how it all turned out, I had higher Hope's for the conclusion of the series.
May 15, 2019
Wow where do I begin with is book?! Oh I know, it was A-MAZING!! Think of it as a crossover book/series if The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 met The Bibical story of David and Goliath.
This book was TRULY amazing!! It kept me wanting more after each chapter!! I wish this series continued beyond 3 books BUT I'm glad Adora had a happy ending!!
If you love Christian Fantasy books THIS is DEFINATELY for you!!
This book was TRULY amazing!! It kept me wanting more after each chapter!! I wish this series continued beyond 3 books BUT I'm glad Adora had a happy ending!!
If you love Christian Fantasy books THIS is DEFINATELY for you!!
December 31, 2016
(until I have time to write a coherant review)
My only complaint is that I had to read the last five or six pages a dozen or so times to understand what had happened. It was excellent until that point. :P
My only complaint is that I had to read the last five or six pages a dozen or so times to understand what had happened. It was excellent until that point. :P
August 6, 2020
*sucks in a breath*
This was great. A perfect conclusion to the series and well done, too. I'm /still/ skeptical about the main couple but that's because Errol deserves better even if his lady is pretty cool. And I liked that their romance was awkward and, well, sometimes quite stupid considering they are young... also. I kiiiiiiind of wish things would have ended more bittersweetly but that's me and my love of death and angst talking (writing).
Shoving those opinions asides, the symbolism was done very well, as was the theology and worldbuilding. I will say that my spent brain had trouble keeping up with the settings but the story didn't suffer from it (for me). And the characters...and all their wrap ups. It was...beautiful (even if a little trope-y, to be honest. I don't think their ends followed any tropes, I mean, but it just felt a liiiiiittle like one). I'm also impressed at the massive story plot the author managed to weave without making it too much or too boring.
All in all, it was solid Christian fantasy, even if sometimes it felt a bit flat for me (story details wise, because I'm picky like that).
Oh, and I realize I didn't put any content warnings...there are none, except for a good amount of violence. Not gory, but not pretty either as it is war.
This was great. A perfect conclusion to the series and well done, too. I'm /still/ skeptical about the main couple but that's because Errol deserves better even if his lady is pretty cool. And I liked that their romance was awkward and, well, sometimes quite stupid considering they are young... also. I kiiiiiiind of wish things would have ended more bittersweetly but that's me and my love of death and angst talking (writing).
Shoving those opinions asides, the symbolism was done very well, as was the theology and worldbuilding. I will say that my spent brain had trouble keeping up with the settings but the story didn't suffer from it (for me). And the characters...and all their wrap ups. It was...beautiful (even if a little trope-y, to be honest. I don't think their ends followed any tropes, I mean, but it just felt a liiiiiittle like one). I'm also impressed at the massive story plot the author managed to weave without making it too much or too boring.
All in all, it was solid Christian fantasy, even if sometimes it felt a bit flat for me (story details wise, because I'm picky like that).
Oh, and I realize I didn't put any content warnings...there are none, except for a good amount of violence. Not gory, but not pretty either as it is war.
April 21, 2024
a great trilogy
Highly recommend Errol’s quest/compulsion adventures! Great characters throughout each book! Be warned you will stay up late reading when you should be sleeping!!!
Highly recommend Errol’s quest/compulsion adventures! Great characters throughout each book! Be warned you will stay up late reading when you should be sleeping!!!
March 19, 2014
The kingdom of Illustra is faced by a two-front war. Or a three-front war. It depends at how many different points the foreign hordes can force their way into the country. Illustra needs to find their soteregia, their savior-king. Then they will crown him. Then he will go and fight for them.
Then he will die, and save them.
Every time they cast the lots to find the savior-king, the lots say Errol and Liam, each name as many times as the other. So Illustra prepares for war, and goes out to battle, all the while waiting for something to reveal the truth, to untwist the Gordian knot. Who is soteregia, and why does the cast of lots fail?
A Draw of Kings is the final book in The Staff and the Sword trilogy, written by Patrick W. Carr. Here Errol’s journey – begun as the village drunk two books earlier – finally ends, and here they discover at last who the Soteregia is.
Carr handles a large cast of characters, and honors all the principals with a true part to play in the story. The narrative is complex, as the characters divide into three storylines, for a while widely divergent from each other. There was a little confusion to this at the beginning, when it took Carr several chapters to return to one storyline. (Two missions actually began on a ship, and at one point I forgot they were different ships. I remember when I figured this out. Huh! That’s why Martin wasn’t around during the storm!)
Even at the beginning, I appreciated the multiple storylines, where the characters pursued the same goal with different quests and in different theaters. It suited Illustra’s many troubles.
It also allowed Patrick Carr to display the vastness of the world he has created, from Ongol to the steppes to Illustra herself. Finally, the different storylines gave the assemblage of characters space to work and to shine.
The most important part of any story is the end. Ending a story that has sprawled across three books and a thousand pages is especially hard, and hardest of all is ending a story you yourself have tied into a Gordian knot. But Patrick Carr succeeded in crafting a satisfying ending, in cutting through his Gordian knot, and it is this success, of all his successes, that is most impressive.
A Draw of Kings had a strong religious element that still felt somewhat to the side of the action. I enjoyed picking out the real-world parallels (I caught a nod toward Calvinism!), and I was moved by Errol’s final conclusion regarding the mercy of Deas. I wish that part of the book had been stronger, though perhaps the story didn’t have room for it.
The flaw of this book was a favoritism towards Errol that infected the other characters. They were partisans for Errol, and occasionally it made them act less than what they were. Adora was wrong to invite Antil to dinner, only to prod and taunt him; if you make someone your guest you need to treat him as a guest. Far worse was the archbenefice, who punished one man’s insolence to Errol by having his teeth broken.
Worst of all was Martin. He expressed his willingness to “search church law and tradition” for a way to execute Antil. Justice is rarely served this way. I have already determined I want to kill you, so all that’s to do now is to scour law and tradition for some technicality on which to do it. And with Illustra on the brink of annihilation and the church having just regained holy Scripture that had been lost for centuries, Martin made a priority of “correcting perceived slights to Errol on behalf of his predecessor and Rodran”.
Yet this flaw was ultimately a minor one, and A Draw of Kings is not only the last book of its series, but the best. It seals The Staff and the Sword as a rich and compelling fantasy, the sort of story that suggests a thousand other stories to be told.
Then he will die, and save them.
Every time they cast the lots to find the savior-king, the lots say Errol and Liam, each name as many times as the other. So Illustra prepares for war, and goes out to battle, all the while waiting for something to reveal the truth, to untwist the Gordian knot. Who is soteregia, and why does the cast of lots fail?
A Draw of Kings is the final book in The Staff and the Sword trilogy, written by Patrick W. Carr. Here Errol’s journey – begun as the village drunk two books earlier – finally ends, and here they discover at last who the Soteregia is.
Carr handles a large cast of characters, and honors all the principals with a true part to play in the story. The narrative is complex, as the characters divide into three storylines, for a while widely divergent from each other. There was a little confusion to this at the beginning, when it took Carr several chapters to return to one storyline. (Two missions actually began on a ship, and at one point I forgot they were different ships. I remember when I figured this out. Huh! That’s why Martin wasn’t around during the storm!)
Even at the beginning, I appreciated the multiple storylines, where the characters pursued the same goal with different quests and in different theaters. It suited Illustra’s many troubles.
It also allowed Patrick Carr to display the vastness of the world he has created, from Ongol to the steppes to Illustra herself. Finally, the different storylines gave the assemblage of characters space to work and to shine.
The most important part of any story is the end. Ending a story that has sprawled across three books and a thousand pages is especially hard, and hardest of all is ending a story you yourself have tied into a Gordian knot. But Patrick Carr succeeded in crafting a satisfying ending, in cutting through his Gordian knot, and it is this success, of all his successes, that is most impressive.
A Draw of Kings had a strong religious element that still felt somewhat to the side of the action. I enjoyed picking out the real-world parallels (I caught a nod toward Calvinism!), and I was moved by Errol’s final conclusion regarding the mercy of Deas. I wish that part of the book had been stronger, though perhaps the story didn’t have room for it.
The flaw of this book was a favoritism towards Errol that infected the other characters. They were partisans for Errol, and occasionally it made them act less than what they were. Adora was wrong to invite Antil to dinner, only to prod and taunt him; if you make someone your guest you need to treat him as a guest. Far worse was the archbenefice, who punished one man’s insolence to Errol by having his teeth broken.
Worst of all was Martin. He expressed his willingness to “search church law and tradition” for a way to execute Antil. Justice is rarely served this way. I have already determined I want to kill you, so all that’s to do now is to scour law and tradition for some technicality on which to do it. And with Illustra on the brink of annihilation and the church having just regained holy Scripture that had been lost for centuries, Martin made a priority of “correcting perceived slights to Errol on behalf of his predecessor and Rodran”.
Yet this flaw was ultimately a minor one, and A Draw of Kings is not only the last book of its series, but the best. It seals The Staff and the Sword as a rich and compelling fantasy, the sort of story that suggests a thousand other stories to be told.
March 23, 2016
I love that Carr has included Christians in his wonderful world building, even using similar labels for God, Jesus, Archbishop, etc. When authors do this I fangirl on the inside. There is very rich history and back-story to the entire world and when you're reading, you forget reality. Most books don't have this quality, but this one did.
For the characters, I truly enjoyed reading about Errol and his struggles with doing the right thing against doing the easiest thing. He develops a wonderful sense of personality and character throughout the book. I felt so emotionally attached to Errol, being a casual observer in this war that has threatened his home land, that I just couldn't help empathize with him. Then there's Liam, whom is deemed the "golden boy" and all-around perfect man who is kind-hearted and wonderfully drawn out.
Diving into A Draw of Kings, the third and final book in the Staff and Sword Trilogy is as comparable as reading one of my favourite fantasy adventure novels, with a Christian focus of course. Story-telling comes easily to Patrick, and I wouldn't stop at just picking up this trilogy, I'd gobble up all his others as well. The only thing that I had a problem with was that it tended to drag..There's such extensive stories in play, that I felt super impatient. I did have to stop reading only because I had to remember all the mini plot-points because there's just so much to take in.
Overall, I highly recommend this trilogy to high fantasy and christian readers alike <3
For the characters, I truly enjoyed reading about Errol and his struggles with doing the right thing against doing the easiest thing. He develops a wonderful sense of personality and character throughout the book. I felt so emotionally attached to Errol, being a casual observer in this war that has threatened his home land, that I just couldn't help empathize with him. Then there's Liam, whom is deemed the "golden boy" and all-around perfect man who is kind-hearted and wonderfully drawn out.
Diving into A Draw of Kings, the third and final book in the Staff and Sword Trilogy is as comparable as reading one of my favourite fantasy adventure novels, with a Christian focus of course. Story-telling comes easily to Patrick, and I wouldn't stop at just picking up this trilogy, I'd gobble up all his others as well. The only thing that I had a problem with was that it tended to drag..There's such extensive stories in play, that I felt super impatient. I did have to stop reading only because I had to remember all the mini plot-points because there's just so much to take in.
Overall, I highly recommend this trilogy to high fantasy and christian readers alike <3
February 14, 2014
A Draw of Kings, the final installment of The Staff and the Sword series, was well worth the wait. Patrick W. Carr finished the story well, and kept it entertaining.
Carr did more than just tell a good story, there are plenty of lessons we all need to learn and keep in mind. The characters were used to illustrate honesty, forgiveness, love, and other traits. However, there are deeper concepts that be seen in the book.
Though never mentioned by a name we use, God is prominent through out the story. People are faced with following their own will or submitting to Deas' (God) perfect will. Each one must decide whether to take matters into their own hands, or believe that Deas knows what is best and to trust in that.
There is also the concept that we must not rest on tradition to save us, but to constantly seek the truth. A whole group had to put away traditions that had been corrupted and look for the true answers.
I have seen series that lost their appeal over the course of being written, but I enjoyed each book in the series. I think that it can be used to teach others about God (and a little about the Trinity) in a way that makes it less obtrusive. It can be a way to open the door with friends and families to talk about God.
I received a free copy of A Draw of Kings from Bethany House in exchange for this review.
Carr did more than just tell a good story, there are plenty of lessons we all need to learn and keep in mind. The characters were used to illustrate honesty, forgiveness, love, and other traits. However, there are deeper concepts that be seen in the book.
Though never mentioned by a name we use, God is prominent through out the story. People are faced with following their own will or submitting to Deas' (God) perfect will. Each one must decide whether to take matters into their own hands, or believe that Deas knows what is best and to trust in that.
There is also the concept that we must not rest on tradition to save us, but to constantly seek the truth. A whole group had to put away traditions that had been corrupted and look for the true answers.
I have seen series that lost their appeal over the course of being written, but I enjoyed each book in the series. I think that it can be used to teach others about God (and a little about the Trinity) in a way that makes it less obtrusive. It can be a way to open the door with friends and families to talk about God.
I received a free copy of A Draw of Kings from Bethany House in exchange for this review.
February 25, 2014
I have been waiting to read this since I finished book two of the series. I wanted to find out how they were going to resolve the many problems unearthed during the first two books.
I enjoyed reading the book. There were things that I didn't like, but it's the author's prerogative to kill characters and throw new villains and old into the mix. Overall, the story problems were resolved and the conflict rose to a peak.
I had a hard time following the climactic scene in the book. It was a battle, so I expected chaos. The problem came when the author kept cutting to other things happening in nearby locations. I'm still not sure what actually happened to Errol on the battlefield or the significance of the twirling glitter. It is clear by the final chapter, he lives on.
It was nice to have a glimpse of what went on in the "new" kingdom. I don't know why everyone came to visit the farm at the end. It seemed like a cheap way for the author to show us where Adora and Errol were at the time and served no purpose for me other than to hale back to when we first met Rale.
If you like the series, you will want to read this conclusion. Two parts of the plot which were supposedly "secret" throughout the series are revealed. Both appeared quite obvious to me all along. I only gave it four stars because I felt like the other two were better; this one felt rushed.
I enjoyed reading the book. There were things that I didn't like, but it's the author's prerogative to kill characters and throw new villains and old into the mix. Overall, the story problems were resolved and the conflict rose to a peak.
I had a hard time following the climactic scene in the book. It was a battle, so I expected chaos. The problem came when the author kept cutting to other things happening in nearby locations. I'm still not sure what actually happened to Errol on the battlefield or the significance of the twirling glitter. It is clear by the final chapter, he lives on.
It was nice to have a glimpse of what went on in the "new" kingdom. I don't know why everyone came to visit the farm at the end. It seemed like a cheap way for the author to show us where Adora and Errol were at the time and served no purpose for me other than to hale back to when we first met Rale.
If you like the series, you will want to read this conclusion. Two parts of the plot which were supposedly "secret" throughout the series are revealed. Both appeared quite obvious to me all along. I only gave it four stars because I felt like the other two were better; this one felt rushed.
March 20, 2016
A Draw of Kings is the long awaited conclusion to Patrick Carr's The Staff and the Sword series. Here, the kingdom of Illustra faces invasion on multiple fronts, as well as the wrath of an ancient enemy who has long desired to fill her golden lands with corruption and death. The king is dead, the arts of the Conclave have thus far failed to provide another, and greed grips the hearts of the barons as the power vacuum calls to them to fill it's void. In the middle of the chaos, Errol Stone is tossed around like debris in a hurricane. As the only living omne, he is crucial in the coming draw, where lots will be cast to determine the next king. With the Princess Adora and their ragtag companions, they will search high and low for both allies and answers desperately needed if any are to survive the coming storm.
A Draw of Kings is a well-developed conclusion to Carr's series, as Errol, Liam and Adora seek to fulfill the prophecy and bring about a new peace for their kingdom. The characters are very likable and the plot engrossing, with a twisting climax that will have you at the edge of your seat.
A Draw of Kings is a well-developed conclusion to Carr's series, as Errol, Liam and Adora seek to fulfill the prophecy and bring about a new peace for their kingdom. The characters are very likable and the plot engrossing, with a twisting climax that will have you at the edge of your seat.
September 10, 2016
WOW!! Just WOW! It's so nice to not have to throw up a 4.5 and mull over which way to swing for a couple days. Total 5 and right to the favorites shelf! I had some problems with the first two books here and there but this was the perfect book! Totally consumed me. Thanks for getting this on my radar Rose!
December 12, 2014
Woot! What a thrill! I devoured all 3 of these books! They were so good. Heroes really worth rooting for and bad guys worse than bad. Yet I kept hoping the heroes would do the right thing, because they deserved to be true, honest and trustworthy even in their darkest moments, and refuse to give in to bitterness or unforgiveness. I loved how the themes of a knowable God flowed through it all.
December 4, 2014
I was breathless until the end!
March 27, 2023
Truly epic
This trilogy was so amazing - the pacing was so great, there was not a single dull moment in the entire series. I'm so sad to be done reading it!
This trilogy was so amazing - the pacing was so great, there was not a single dull moment in the entire series. I'm so sad to be done reading it!
April 16, 2023
3.5
A lot of this series was super stereotypical of other fantasy series, but this is one of the best christian fantasy series that I have found.
A lot of this series was super stereotypical of other fantasy series, but this is one of the best christian fantasy series that I have found.
March 4, 2015
A good conclusion to the Staff & Sword series. Highly recommend.
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