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The Contender #4
Warrior Angel
Sonny Bear, the Tomahawk Kid, is on a fast downhill slide with the heavyweight championship at stake. He hardly knows who he is anymore, or why he should keep on fighting. Then the first e-mail arrives. Do not lose heart. I come on a Mission from the Creator to save you.
-- Warrior Angel The Warrior Angel might be just what Sonny Bear needs -- but will Sonny be prepared to save him, too?
-- Warrior Angel The Warrior Angel might be just what Sonny Bear needs -- but will Sonny be prepared to save him, too?
- GenresSports
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
7 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 25, 2022
Being a professional heavyweight boxer not only takes a lot of skill and training, but it also takes the time and courage to keep up what you are doing. In the book Warrior Angel, by Robert Lipsyte, the main character, Sonny Bear, is a heavyweight champion, but he struggles with the conflicts of drugs and his current mental state. Sonny has started to lose faith in himself as a person as well as his future in his boxing career. Lipsyte shows how the protagonist struggles at least as much with his psyche as he does in the ring, which causes his inner conflicts to be complicated by his encounters with a mentally ill youth who claims to be on a mission from the creator-to save Sonny. Sonny desperately needs someone or something to help remind him that he is still the champ. A character in the book named Starkey he does not know Sonny knows how to help him get back into the ring. Only problem is that he needs to find Sonny before it is too late. The big mystery lies within Starkey’s hands in helping Sonny get back on track.
The Warrior Angel is a good book to read if you are ever into sports, especially boxing. It truly goes deep into mental problems and how it is an obstacle to do something that you are really good at, which the author does a good job describing in the book. The book constantly talks about Sonny’s struggles as he is desperately seeking help in order to get him back on track to defend his title as the heavyweight champion. We can see an example of his struggle when the author describes “Starkey could sense that Sonny’s murkiness never completely cleared and that he never quite connected with his body, even when his hands were up and began to move his feet.” (Lipsyte 24). This helps illustrate how Sonny struggles with his boxing skills as his mental health continues to deteriorate. Later on in the book, Sonny starts to get the help he needs from an Angel, which is Starkey. Lipsute narrates the scene where Sonny feels confident after practice and says “Johnson asked, ‘What about you?’ Before Starkey could answer, Sonny says ‘He stays here too.’ Johnson took a step back and looked him over. ‘Never seen this before,’ he muttered, and Sonny knew everything was going to be all right.” (Lipsyte 89). This transition immediately changes the whole plot of the story. The beginning of the book starts off with Sonny in a deep dark place, facing mental health issues. I personally enjoyed reading this book as it really goes in depth with people struggling with issues mentally. It speaks for other people who are going through this, and encourages you to get someone to help out during this tough time.
The Warrior Angel is a good book to read if you are ever into sports, especially boxing. It truly goes deep into mental problems and how it is an obstacle to do something that you are really good at, which the author does a good job describing in the book. The book constantly talks about Sonny’s struggles as he is desperately seeking help in order to get him back on track to defend his title as the heavyweight champion. We can see an example of his struggle when the author describes “Starkey could sense that Sonny’s murkiness never completely cleared and that he never quite connected with his body, even when his hands were up and began to move his feet.” (Lipsyte 24). This helps illustrate how Sonny struggles with his boxing skills as his mental health continues to deteriorate. Later on in the book, Sonny starts to get the help he needs from an Angel, which is Starkey. Lipsute narrates the scene where Sonny feels confident after practice and says “Johnson asked, ‘What about you?’ Before Starkey could answer, Sonny says ‘He stays here too.’ Johnson took a step back and looked him over. ‘Never seen this before,’ he muttered, and Sonny knew everything was going to be all right.” (Lipsyte 89). This transition immediately changes the whole plot of the story. The beginning of the book starts off with Sonny in a deep dark place, facing mental health issues. I personally enjoyed reading this book as it really goes in depth with people struggling with issues mentally. It speaks for other people who are going through this, and encourages you to get someone to help out during this tough time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2023
In the book Warrior Angel by Robert Linsyte,I liked but also thought it got boring in this book because it's paste in the book and story about Sonny bear.Who is my favorite character and his boxing journey.How he's the youngest to every win a heavyweight title is amazing but also boring because it's basically the same.It not being intense makes it boring for me but the theme was really nice if your into boxing and midlife crisis stories.I rate this book 4 stars out of 5.
August 26, 2025
I was informed this was a direct sequel to The Contender by the same author, but I feel there may be a book or two in between. because of that I was a little lost, expecting to pick up where the contender left off
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November 1, 2016Warrior Angel
I read the book Warrior Angel, now when you hear that you probably think of an Angel who fights, in this case that is true, but let's make more sense of it. This book goes on to talk about Sonny Bear, aka the youngest man to ever win a heavyweight championship belt. But something throws him off his tracks, he is setup for one of the worse down falls of his career. He has to box a man who was just supposed to be a landslide win for him, but he comes into the match not mentally or physically prepared. The result of this match is shocking, as you can guess. I believe he was nervous and just stressed out, because everyone was telling him what to do, and how to change, and always picking on him, maybe this had to do with his ethnic race. His race had Native American heritage in it. So because he isn't feeling mentally stable before the match, he has one of his buddy's Starkey , he tries help him but Sonny refuses help. Starkey helps in a home for non mentally stable kids. So because Sonny needs help and Starkey thinks he can, the book switches between both characters, kind of like "talking" to them selves. Which really confused me as I was reading it. So Starkey the "Angel" tries to keep Sonny mentally stable. After the fight I talked about up there, Sonny feels as if he isn't the champ, and that he has no need to fight, so Starkey tries to keep him mentally stable, keep telling him he is still the champ and that people still pay to come watch HIM fight, So I kind of relate this to the Mayweather, Pacquiao fight, the champ was suppose to win, but in reality it was very close, granted the champ still won. So If I had to rate this book out of 10, I would have to rate it a 9, because it is just like my wrestling life, so much stress and emotions, but you just have to fight through them, and get the job done. Would definitely read again.
I read the book Warrior Angel, now when you hear that you probably think of an Angel who fights, in this case that is true, but let's make more sense of it. This book goes on to talk about Sonny Bear, aka the youngest man to ever win a heavyweight championship belt. But something throws him off his tracks, he is setup for one of the worse down falls of his career. He has to box a man who was just supposed to be a landslide win for him, but he comes into the match not mentally or physically prepared. The result of this match is shocking, as you can guess. I believe he was nervous and just stressed out, because everyone was telling him what to do, and how to change, and always picking on him, maybe this had to do with his ethnic race. His race had Native American heritage in it. So because he isn't feeling mentally stable before the match, he has one of his buddy's Starkey , he tries help him but Sonny refuses help. Starkey helps in a home for non mentally stable kids. So because Sonny needs help and Starkey thinks he can, the book switches between both characters, kind of like "talking" to them selves. Which really confused me as I was reading it. So Starkey the "Angel" tries to keep Sonny mentally stable. After the fight I talked about up there, Sonny feels as if he isn't the champ, and that he has no need to fight, so Starkey tries to keep him mentally stable, keep telling him he is still the champ and that people still pay to come watch HIM fight, So I kind of relate this to the Mayweather, Pacquiao fight, the champ was suppose to win, but in reality it was very close, granted the champ still won. So If I had to rate this book out of 10, I would have to rate it a 9, because it is just like my wrestling life, so much stress and emotions, but you just have to fight through them, and get the job done. Would definitely read again.
January 7, 2017
The book, Warrior Angel by Robert Lipsyte, was about a boxer named Sonny Bear, a heavyweight champ, needs help from someone perhaps an angel because he is on a fast downhill slide. Nothing really matters to him anymore not the money, not the fame, and not even the title. He starts to question himself about who he is and if he should continue fighting as he has done for a long time and remain with the championship. Sonny was not in the same mental state that he was in one point of his life when he was a really heavyweight champ in boxing. He needed someone or something to make him realize that he is still the champ. Starkey is someone that Sonny met later on and did not really know him that well, but Starkey could help him get back into the boxing ring. Starkey is able to help him get back on track in his regular mental state and wanting to keep his title with him.
A character that I like the most in the book Warrior Angel is Starkey. This is because throughout the novel he is trying to help out Sonny who he knows only a little bit. He is kind and willing enough to help someone else out so that Sonny could get his life back in order. Even though he knew he wasn’t going to get anything out of helping Sonny out, he did it anyways.
In my opinion, the good part in the book is that in the beginning and a little of the middle of the book it is really interesting and I was enjoying it. But after that to around the end it got boring for me and I was unhooked as the book got tedious to me. It is an alright book and I would recommend it to people that want to read different types of books and like to try new books. I would not recommend this book to a reader that is looking for a really interesting book other than that I think anyone could read it.
A character that I like the most in the book Warrior Angel is Starkey. This is because throughout the novel he is trying to help out Sonny who he knows only a little bit. He is kind and willing enough to help someone else out so that Sonny could get his life back in order. Even though he knew he wasn’t going to get anything out of helping Sonny out, he did it anyways.
In my opinion, the good part in the book is that in the beginning and a little of the middle of the book it is really interesting and I was enjoying it. But after that to around the end it got boring for me and I was unhooked as the book got tedious to me. It is an alright book and I would recommend it to people that want to read different types of books and like to try new books. I would not recommend this book to a reader that is looking for a really interesting book other than that I think anyone could read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 15, 2011Warrior Angel written by Robert Lipsyte is a descent book. It is not the best book I have read because it is not intense during most of the story which makes me want to stop reading this book. Also another reason that I didn't think this book was that interesting because this happens in like every boxing movie or book you see or read. Just like how a boxer meets a person who will help him with train and succeed in the future. But one thing I liked about this book is that at least the author added a little spice in the end where Sonny has to save Starkey even though he has been helping Sonny out with boxing and conditioning. One improvement this book could of have is to change the story line with something else other than boxing. BUt overall I think this book was an ok book to read and I would recommend it to all the kids interested in boxing.
May 8, 2013
"Warrior angel" is a regualar book I think.I started to read this book because saw it was about boxing and I love boxing I also fund interesant the title. The first chapter was okay "Sonny" the main character of the book was getting prepared on his lokeroom to fight defending his hevyweigth title.It all started on that night when his performance on the ring was bad he was confuced on who he was and if he still wanted to fight. After the figth he recibe an email from "Warrior Angel" a misterios fan of sonny.On that email he said to sonny "do not lose heart. I come on a mission from the creator to save you. I read few more chapter I havent read all the book. But what i have read I did not like it because its almost about Sonnys mental illness and not about boxing anymore.
June 25, 2009
I picked this book up because I am always looking for new books to recommend to boy-readers who want to read about boys doing boy-things. Also, I know a fair amount about boxing so I was interested -- especially because Robert Lipsyte is a NYT sports writer. However, I found this story to be just short of incoherent, and I found the mental illness of the narrator to be more disturbing than mysterious and compelling. I did not like this story at all; very disappointed. I read a little more than half the book and ultimately did not finish it.
November 20, 2007
This book wasnt that good, it was about a heavy weight champion who was going through all these midlife crisis and he doesnt know what to do. Starkey, who said he was sent from one of the angels to help save the heavy weight champion.
It wasnt all that interesting but it was easy to relate to, from all the problems that they had. It was a okay book. The language was very easy and understandable.
It wasnt all that interesting but it was easy to relate to, from all the problems that they had. It was a okay book. The language was very easy and understandable.
February 13, 2009
This was a great book it had mostly action and a little suspense. It's about a kid named Sonny who is an Indian Boxer who is in mental trouble. So a stranger named Warrior Angel sends an e-mail to Sonny saying to stay strong he is on the way to help. That's all im going to say before i give away the book. In all this was a great book.
Currently reading
September 23, 2011The book im currently reading is Warrior Angel by Robert Lipsyte. This book was published January 1, 2004. This book is about a boxer and this book has won a harper trophy. Also this book has 183 pages
and it took me 2 days to read this book. the characters are two tedenage boys and the setting took place in a boxing gym.
and it took me 2 days to read this book. the characters are two tedenage boys and the setting took place in a boxing gym.
September 16, 2008
I liked this book because it has alot of boxing. But there were some parts that i didn't like because in the middle of the book when there wasn't action it started to get kinda boring but i got through it.
January 8, 2009
Warrior Angel came out to be a really good book about boxing. It's about a teenage boy named Sonny Bear (who is know as the Tomahawk Kid in the ring) who wants to become a champion boxer, but he needs help to fight aganist the champion boxer.
February 19, 2014
This book is confusing, it goes from place to place and person to person. I didn't like it as much as The Contender, nothing is as good as the original though. It was okay I guess but I wouldn't recommend it to anybody.
September 8, 2008
If you like fighting books about a guy going down hiill should read this book.
November 5, 2009
i started this book about two weeks ago and am about 3/4 of the way through it. this book as action packed thriller. once you start reading it you dont wanna put it down. i rate this one a 10.
June 18, 2011
Out of the whole serious this is the most confusing one. It is all over and the narrators change every other chapter
February 21, 2014
One of the best books I've read so far, there are a lot of lessons in it.
June 22, 2014
Not as good as the other three in the series, but still an interesting YA read.
April 16, 2015
No I Didn't like this book at all.
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January 20, 2016It was pretty good it taut o never give up in what you do.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews