The Winter War

The Prince Warriors #4

by Priscilla Shirer, Gina Detwiler

Two years ago, the Prince Warriors lost one of their own, but now they must stand firm . . . because death is coming once again. In this sequel to Priscilla Shirer’s best-selling trilogy, the Prince Warriors return to Ahoratos to find it bare and dangerous. The Winter War is upon them.

Don't miss all the adventures of the Prince Warriors, perfect for all middle-grade readers! Also available: The Prince Warriors, The Prince Warriors and the Unseen Invasion, The Prince Warriors and the Swords of Rhema, and Unseen: The Prince Warriors 365 Devotional. 

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Young Adult, Christian Fantasy, Middle Grade

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2018

About the author

Priscilla Shirer is a wife and a mom first. But put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart and you’ll see why thousands flock to her conferences and dive into her Bible study series’ and books each year.

A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Priscilla holds a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies and considers it a privilege to serve believers from every denomination and culture by helping them to know the truths of Scripture intellectually and encouraging them to experience these truths practically by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to Priscilla’s participation in many church and para-church conferences across the globe each year, Going Beyond Ministries hosts AWAKEN – an outreach event in their hometown designed to encourage and mobilize women locally. This free gathering brings together thousands of women from different denominations and backgrounds several times a year in an effort to stir revival.

Going Beyond Ministries also equips believers through books and Bible study resources. Priscilla has authored over a dozen video driven studies for women and teens on a myriad of Biblical characters and topics including Jonah, Gideon, the Exodus, discerning God’s voice, The Armor of God.

Her books include Discerning the Voice of God, God is Able, and two New York Times Bestsellers – The Resolution for Women and Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer, which was named the 2016 Christian Book of the Year. Her latest offering is a 365-day devotional called Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks. In 2016, Priscilla ventured into the world of children’s publishing with The Prince Warriors, a fiction 4-book series and accompanying 365-day devotional (Unseen) designed to equip tween boys and girls for victory in spiritual warfare.

Priscilla has been married to Jerry for 20 years. Between studying and writing, she spends most of her time cleaning up after (and trying to satisfy the appetites of) their three growing boys – Jackson, Jerry Jr. and Jude.

Reviews

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best book in the series with a strong, intricate plot and satisfying characterisation. Prince Warriors from all around the world meet in the Cave of Ahoratos to be given their orders by Ruwach for the upcoming war.

Poneros has created an armour of lies to gird his new battle general Thayne. In addition, he's taken the Mountain of Rhema, constructed a pyramid on the top, and stilled its breath. Now the mountain is the birthplace of the Lava Forgers and of Askalons, automated iron chariots that roam the landscape looking for Prince Warriors by detecting movement. Monstrous birds - Bone Breakers - as well as dragons guard the way up. And the way through the mountain is guarded by waterways and pools where leviathans have been stationed.

Levi is totally distracted by the sudden illness of his father and so fails to curb Xavier's excesses when he tries to lead the entire army of Prince Warriors over the Bridge of Tears and destroy Poneros' army before it even gets a shot fired. Xavier has fallen for a clever ambush, and now much of the army is immobilised by snakes and ice webs.

Winter has come.

And, unless the immobilised warriors can be freed in forty days, Poneros will rule Ahoratos. And his plans for domination certainly don't end there. Levi and Brianna somehow have to make it past all the enemy forces, reach the top of the mountain and drop a pot of water in it. They don't have a clue how this will destroy Poneros' fortress, but they know by faith that they have all they need.

[Andrew kutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was shocked when I saw that there was a forth book in the prince warriors series, I read the first three last year and I really enjoyed them, and this one was very enjoyable to. it did a really well job of depicting grief feeling like everything is falling apart. the only thing I had a little problem with was it wasn't written the best, there were some times that it was worded weird, but it was mostly because they wanted to make sure that when they used a word that a kid didn't know they would be able to learn what it meant. I recommend this book to any one who likes adventures.

[Laura The Book Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this series. We finished reading it today and then went to the website and enjoyed watching videos, reading the “secrets,” and looking at the character cards. I wish I had read the secrets after each book, but it was a good review today. Also, this book’s secrets weren’t on the website yet. Will have to check that at a later time.

This entire series sparked lots of great conversations.

[Ellie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

This was amazing! I loved the pattern of forty, which made it feel more like an allegory XD. This book deals with pretty heavy themes for the age range, but it deals with it in a great way for kids to read. I really enjoyed it and loved watching all the character development and all of the kids' struggles. I have to say, I related to Levi so much. His fear of his dad dying reminds me of something I went through with my great-grandmother a few years ago, and it made him seem so real to me. I loved how Mr. J. Ar. was so peaceful abot his death. I'm not sure how I feel about the nameless king, Ruwach, and Gavreel, because it felt almost like they were supposed to represent the Trinity and it didn't seem like an accurate portrayal to me. That's why I took off half a star. Not sure, though, so🤔 For the most part, though, this was an amazing book! It had my heart literally pounding wondering what was going to happen to the characters, and it was overall amazing! Highly recommend!(7+, maybe older for kids who would be sensitive to or scared by death of a parent. Happens very peacefully, but still there

[✨Genessa✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, this series, was kind of a rollercoaster of emotions. But I loved every moment of it! It was like a breath of fresh air to read literature about God that gave spiritual insights and who we are in Christ. We're all Prince Warriors! I have to admit, I'm sad to let these characters and books go, but it was an awesome experience. If you're reading this review, chances are you've already read the other books, but if you haven't, go and read it! This series is worth the read despite it being middle grade.

[Jameska Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best warfare training EVER!!!

I most like that this series helped me in my own spiritual warfare. I least like that the series is over. I have become very found of these as each of them have become friends.

[Cyber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. But, (this is a spoiler) why did Levi's dad have to die? I mean, it would have been slightly better if his dad had gotten better. But all-in-all it was an amazing book just like its predecessors.

[Abbey Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad Priscilla Shirer wrote this as a sequel to the original trilogy, because it's my favorite of all 4 books!! I feel like the spiritual parallels were deeper in this novel, the action was more gripping, and I was actually left wondering several times what would happen or how they would get through a certain situation (as an adult reading a teen book, that doesn't always happen). I'm a big fan of the whole series, and I look forward to reading it again with my kids as they all grow up.

[LaTrice McNeil-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute series!

[Hannah Darling · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a cute series, and this last book was definitely different from the other ones.

[Mikaela Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Levi opened the door. He stepped inside, keeping one hand on the doorknob in case he had to leave quickly. the smell of dead worms filled his nostrils.

'Why are you here, Levi?' said a voice.

'You know my name?'

'Of course.'

Levi took a deep breath. 'I want to see you. I want to see... your face.'

'Close the door.'

Levi hesitated. Then he slowly closed the door. To his surprise, the room brightened, a pale light rising up from the dusty floor. Levi gasped at what he saw..."

I work in a bookstore, and Priscilla Shirer's Prince Warriors books are some of the most popular children's books we have in the store. I think these books are so popular because they weave in truths from the Bible into an engaging fictional story. Readers learn more about God and His plan for their lives as they read these books.

Before I go any further, I would like to clarify that I, personally, did not read this book, nor have I read the first three books. In order to give an accurate review of this book, I asked my 13-year-old brother, Ben, to read this and give me his honest opinion since he has read the other three books as well.

According to Ben, this book was extremely well written and held his attention (which is saying a lot for a middle school boy). He has enjoyed all four of Shirer's books and hopes there will be more in the future. Further, Shirer has written a book that is captivating and emotionally engaging.

After hearing the reviews from both my brother and others, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is so difficult to find clean, edifying books for kids. This series provides kids with an engaging, action-packed story and provides parents with peace in knowing their children have a safe book to read.

I received this book for free from B&H in exchange for my honest review.

[Joshua2.0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

as usual Priscilla Shirer strikes my attention again in her sequel of Prince Warriors The winter war it talks a lot about asking Ruwach for help and "you have everything you need" Ruwach is his normal self thankfully and i love the new tension that every warrior has and i love how you left the book with out a question to behold i loved the wars that happened through out the book. i just love the Prince Warriors series and Priscilla Shirer

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't say enough about this series. We read all four books as a family with our 11-year-old twins. We all enjoyed them and it afforded some great discussions. Love all the types and shadows. Great job using your God given gift of writing. Hope to see more of this series or another for young readers (and the not so young too)!

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Ahoratos, it is winter. The Prince Warriors must defeat Thayne, an evil enemy Poneros has created. But they will suffer many hardships and losses, and battle many foes to defeat the enemy.
This was a great book. It shows how God loves us and helps us through our times of need, and helps us battle against our foes.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle School young people would love this!!!

I highly recommend this series for your young person...tweens, middle, high school. I’m an adult and I couldn’t put it down especially the final book. Would be a great study for Christian young people.

[Joshua Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!! This is an extra to "The Prince Warriors," at least I think it is . . . Anyway, this is basically the big battle at the end of the series. A great book, even though it's not technically part of the series it's still my favorite one.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a reminder to stay woke and be willing to take action for what is right and focus on that. Have faith.

[Kelly Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have not read these books, you are missing out on a great treat. There danger, suspense, and lots of God’s love.

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was really good and I liked that Mary Stanton was a Prince warrior and she says funny things like... "Guys! I'm starting to like it here but it could really use a starbucts."

[Shay #FreePalestine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the series!! Loved.😃

[Tiah Varner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good. Not a huge fan but i liked the story line 6/10

[Karina (Karina's Christian Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Number of pages: 325

Genre: Fantasy/Allegory

Series: The Prince Warriors #4

Age recommendation: 9-13

Summary: It is winter in Ahoratos, and there is trouble brewing: Poneros is plotting to overthrow Ahoratos once and for all. Along with his newly created forgers, he captures Mount Rhema. Can the Prince Warriors overcome Poneros’ army and win back the land?

My thoughts: There is a lot of Christian content in this book, but it’s also very mixed up. There are so many good messages about trusting God, and Him giving us all the things that we need and us just needing to ask God for help because He’s always with us and wants to help us. However, some things are really mixed up. This book appears to be set in the end times/Armageddon time period, but the Prince Warriors are the ones who do all the fighting, and then Ruwach (who I think is supposed to represent Jesus) sweeps in on his white horse at the end. (In the Bible it talks about Jesus leading on his white horse and the church following behind; see Revelation 19). There’s also some allusion to Moses and Aaron as there’s a staff that turns into a snake, which I'm not sure how that fits into end times. I think I’m reading way too much into the story, however there’s so much that is not clearly explained, which just leads to more questions. I would have preferred that the author try to include less in the story, and explain what she did include better. I don’t need profound biblical truths or events portrayed perfectly in the book, I just think whatever she included should be adequately explained, and I think some things were just too vague.
I liked the story. When I didn’t think too deeply about the allegory, it was a lot better. Honestly, if it was just a regular battle that wasn’t supposed to represent anything else I probably would have liked it even more.
The ending was so sad. Mr. J. Ar. dies and it’s so sad. I didn't want him to, but death is a part of life. A lot of things happen that we don’t like and we just have to trust that God knows what He’s doing. Sometimes God will explain to us what He’s doing, and sometimes He won’t. We just have to trust Him, remembering He loves us and wants what’s best for us.
I also don’t like that throughout the whole series, being a Prince Warrior is something the characters try to hide from everyone (except other Prince Warriors). If Prince Warriors are supposed to represent Christians, I cannot agree that we would not share our faith with our family and friends. That is the complete opposite: everyone should know that we’re Christians. We should be sharing our faith with those around us. Again, I’m probably reading too much into this allegory.
I think if I were younger and not trying to analyze the allegory so much, I could have taken out the good things and glossed over the bad/confusing parts. I would have enjoyed it a lot more (although I did still like it).

My personal rating: 3.5/5 stars.

Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...

[Manette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the nuisances of biblical truths throughout. I give it a 5-star rating on spiritual values, if it were possible, I would give more than five stars for the biblical truths presented in these books.

The target audience is geared to middle school boys but girls can also enjoy this series and gain from reading them or having the books read aloud to them. The latter is beneficial because it provides lots of opportunity for discussion and life application about the armor of God. We talked about its importance and how we are to use it in daily life and how so much of what we battle is in the unseen realms.

I read this series aloud to a teenage girl who couldn’t get enough. We both looked forward to reading time.

[Garrett Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think some of things I like best from this series were how simple get profound how actually living with the armor of God can be - how the kids had to daily depend on Him by going to the water every time, how matter-of-factly they put on their armor because they knew they needed it, how they prayed to Him and trusted Him even after the times they messed up. The Winter War was the best in the series I thought, and overall I enjoyed the clear imagery of putting faith to action. Her writing style wasn’t my favorite because it came across more corny/awkward to me but what was more important was what she was saying through the story and living by faith.

[Tammi Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince Warrior series, written for youth, is a must read for parents, grandparents, and, of course, the kiddos. It should be in the church libraries and read as a 10-15 minute story time closer for Sunday School or children's church. The battle is real, God's Word is our armor, and this series puts it all into a story that is not only imaginative, but the allegory will bring tears to even the oldest eye. God is faithful. He is fighting for us, but we have to be prepared and doing battle ourselves, too. He always provides what we need, including being able to call on Him for help. These books are a wonderful telling of that.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Winter War is a fantastic end to a fantastic series! While the other three books in the series deal with the current spiritual batt;e we are engaged in as Christians, the events of this book symbolize the battle that will take place both leading up to and when Christ returns in a way that isn'tt scary or intimidating. The Prince Warrior series is a great read for older kids and adults that can spark conversations abourt Spirtual warfare. Thank you Priscilla Sheier for writing these amazing books!

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fitting sequel to the Prince Warrior series. Still some questionable theological implications (audibly hearing Ruwach's voice being primary,) but overall still teaches good lessons with positive authority role models.

Darker and sadder 😭 than the first three, with the violence a little more pronounced. But only slightly.

Hard to give content warnings without spoilers here, but just make sure kid readers are ready for bittersweet endings and grief storylines before tackling this. Handled well though.

[Taelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book at the start and all the way through, but when Mr. J Ar dies I started to cry so much. I mean, you think that he is all good when he returns to Ahoratos and saves the day. That he is healthy. And I just can’t imagine how hard it was on Levi. I might just be my favorite book in the series.

[Tammi Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series is a must read for parents, grandparents, youth. There is a battle raging that we cannot see, but God has given us the equipment to wage war on that battle that is happening in the spiritual realm. An imaginative story of a group of friends that will bring tears to the eyes of even the older reader. The allegory is beautiful.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book series was written at a level that I feel is targeted for middle schoolers. That being said, I was still able to read and comprehend the main ideas. The Prince Warriors series does a good job of reminding readers that God is stronger than our weaknesses and fears.