Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue

The Knights of Arrethtrae #4

by Chuck Black

Lady Carliss faces the challenge of her life. Can she save the kingdom before it’s too late?

Determined, smart and a master of both the sword and the bow, Lady Carliss has proven herself as a veteran Knight of the Prince. Returning from a mission of aid, Carliss is plunged into adventure once again as she searches for the marauders responsible for kidnapping a friends’ family. Along the way she is reunited with Sir Dalton and discovers that the struggle in her heart is far from over. When Dalton falls to the vicious attack of a mysterious, poisonous creature, Carliss finds herself in a race against time. As Dalton clings perilously to life, she must find the antidote in the distant and strange city of Moorue.
 
While there, Carliss uncovers the master plot of a powerful Shadow Warrior that will soon overtake the entire Kingdom. Her faith in the Prince and her courage as a knight are tested as she faces evil Shadow Warriors and a swamp full of dreadful creatures. The lives of many, including Dalton’s, depend on Carliss. But she cannot save them all, for time is running out.  She faces an impossible save Dalton, or let him die so that others may live.

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

163 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Chuck Black first wrote Kingdom’s Edge to inspire his children to read the Bible with renewed zeal. This captivating expanded parable led him to write the Old Testament allegories, Kingdom’s Dawn, Kingdom’s Hope, Kingdom’s Call, and Kingdom’s Quest. Chuck's currents works include the Knights of Arrethtrae series, Call to Arms, and his series in progress, Wars of the Realm.

Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and currently works as an engineer for a firm designing plastic consumer products and has coinvented eleven patented construction products now being sold internationally. He has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and served eight years in the United States Air Force. Chuck and his wife have six children and live in North Dakota.

It is Chuck’s desire to serve the Lord through his work and to inspire people of all ages to study the scriptures in order to discover the hope and love of a truly majestic King and His Son.

Reviews

[Jaiden Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

*lowers book and stares at wall* Wow... what a crazy adventure....💖💖

Language: N/A

Violence: Fantasy action, no gore at all.

Magic: N/A

(Other: The villian is basically a fantasy drug-lord. Mentions of characters taking these drugs and being like out of it. The MC gets drugged twice.)

Whoa... I wasn’t expecting such a nail-biting experience with this one!!!😅💖 it was so good tho! Going on the action-packed, mysterious, and plot-twisty adventure with Carliss was so thrilling! Even if everything just seemed to go totally wrong the whole time! *glares at author*
I really don't know what to say... except this book was just so much fun to read even if it made me bite my nails and want to scream and throw it across the room sometimes.... it was incredible, it will rip your heart and stomp on it, you should totally read it!! *offers you book*
But in all seriousness, this book was AMAZING!!!! I really liked how Carliss was an awesome warrior but still enjoyed pretty dresses and things and was still very gentle and kind. Unlike most female warriors in fiction where they're grouchy and closed and like "I can do it myself". Like Carliss could do it herself but she is grateful for the extra help😊💖
This was so good! Incredible themes of no man left behind and as always with Black, hope!! Very nice💖👏👏
Amazing book! Be ready for the unexpected tho! These plot-twists come out of nowhere...lol...😂💖

+13

[Shantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aw! I loved it! More thoughts to come!

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Lady Carliss witnesses Dalton, a family friend, be attacked by a strange breed of lizard leaving Dalton unconscious with only a few days before the Eskar Lizard’s poison kills him.

She and Salina set out to find the uncommon herb that will potentially save his life. Along their journey, they come across a peculiar town where a unique water source has been found and those who drink of it, become a shell of a person as their mind drifts off into a kind of dreamland. The more they drink, the harder it is for them to return to their normal selves.

In this town, they meet Ganof; a seemingly harmless mentally disabled man who doesn’t seem to want to leave Lady Carliss’ side. At first they are unsure of what to make of Ganof, but eventually allow him to join them on their journey.

(There is a romance element to this instalment of the series that I didn’t love, and also found it extremely stereotypical that it was prevalent in the story following a female lead character 🙄)

I won’t say any more to avoid any real spoilers, but I really am enjoying the Knights of Aerethtrae books. The Christian themes are so evident and I love how this world has been built to encourage people to the foot of the Cross where the King of Kings was sacrificed so that we could choose eternal life!

Well done Chuck Black! 👍🏻

[Kaysie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you had to choose between saving a friend or staying to fight an evil before it can spread and hurt more people and only you can do it? I grew to really love and admire the characters in this book. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made and the consequences are sure to follow. The characters are human with joy, frustration, fear, anger and agony that we all have yet relying on The Lord they step forward when called willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their Lord while never backing down in the face of fear. Great read.

[Catherine Hawthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely read the third book before this one because it doesn't make sense if you don't, but this one is as great if not greater in terms of the story it tells.

I really like that Carliss's challenge is against the a mental and not a wholly physical threat. It suited her talents wonderfully. It really brings home the idea of using spiritual weapons against mental poisons.

[Tamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a reason it’s the highest rated book of the Knights of Arrehtrae books. Filled with huge twists and lots of adventure

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I love the perfect mix of action, romance, and mystery!!!

[Tess H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book!

[Lavay Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Technically, I read this in a day and forgot to update my reading progress! LOL!)

This book was AMAZING!

I've heard of Chuck Black's Kingdom Series and sampled the first book (either in college or high school). When I perused "The Knights of Arathea" series, this particular title caught my eye, and from reading one review describing Carliss as "an awesome warrior but still enjoyed pretty dresses... and was still very gentle and kind"... my curiosity piqued.

See here for her review!

Goodness, this book was an unexpected adventure! I found myself immediately loving and rooting for Lady Carliss, especially her unwavering faith in the Prince and her compassion for others. And it's SOO refreshing to see a female warrior who's brave, gentle, and strong in her own way (and NOT the typical "feminist" kick-butt "boss-girl" Amazon woman warrior).

So many other characters stood out brilliantly. Especially Ganoaf. Don't want to spoil it, but you'll have to read it to find out why.

The plot was so full of twists and turns that kept me glued to my seat, especially when not everyone is who they seem... and that the biggest battle is always against the spirit of darkness. I also loved subtle theme warning against the dangers of escapism and addictions to get what we want in a world without Christ, mirroring the troubles in the modern world today.

Oh, and the light, gentle romance was a delightful touch too!

Thankfully, you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this story! Brilliantly well-done!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I didn't realize when I decided to read this book that it was the 4th in a series, and I'm one of those people who really likes to start at the beginning. When reading the first chapter of this book, which gave some background information on the Knights of Arrenthetrae, I thought "Uh oh," as frankly, I found it hard to follow.

And then the second chapter came along. And all was good. :-) Throughout the rest of the book, I never once felt lost, and I actually became excited about the prospect about going back and reading the previous books, which I don't think were ruined in any way by the fact that I read this one first.

Now with that aside, this book was WONDERFUL epic fantasy! It was action-packed with a loyal, likable kick-butt female heroine. Seriously, Chuck Black has the epic fantasy novel down pat - awesome hero goes on a quest in a make-believe land where the characters have super rad names; horrible things happen on the queset that lead to mini quests, most of which end up having to do with the original quest. Oh, and of course, you can't forget to add a couple surprises (perhaps people aren't who you think they are, perhaps the world is not as it seems). And there you have it. Writing Epic Fantasy 101. Now, that may sound like a criticism of this book, but let me assure you: it is not. Epic fantasy, when done correctly, is, in its own way, unique and exciting enough to keep you guessing at every turn and not feel like you're reading some pre-determined format. And Chuck Black does it right.

Lady Carliss is a Knight of Arrenthetrae, fighting for the glory of the Prince and His Son. She is unwavering in her faith, compassion, and goodness. By the end of the first chapter (well, the first one about her), I knew that I was going to love her. And I did. She stayed loyal and true to her cause throughout the entire book. I don't know if it was meant to be so, but I loved the way she and her quest were reminiscent of Arthurian Legend. I loved her empathy and sympathy and, I repeat again, how she never wavered or strayed. She was a good person to the core.

Another thing I loved about this book was that it was a contradiction. The background story was a metaphor for the story of Christ and his teachings and lessons and the "knights" that fight for him. And Chuck Black used the quest of Carliss to teach Christ's lesson: the devil will try to tempt you into a world of fantasy where everything is as how you want it to be, but you must resist temptation, because behind that fantasy land will always lie hate and destruction and evil. And he used a fantasy novel to teach this lesson, which I thought was just brilliant. It was like saying: escaping from real life is okay from time to time, as long as you remember Christ as you are escaping.

Non-Christians (like myself), don't let that last paragraph scare you, as this book proselytizes none at all. It uses metaphors to teach important life lessons, but if you choose not to learn those lessons, they're not forced on you. It is allegory, pure and simple.

If you're in for heart-pounding, seat-grabbing, action-packed epic fantasy, then check out this book. It's short (I actually would have liked for it to be longer, with a little more background info on some of the characters and places) and easy and fun to read, and it will leave you wanting to be a better person.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One yielding to anything not of the Kingdom can first be pleasant, even euphoric, an escape into a world of fantasy, but then leads to discontentment, rebellion, addiction, deviant behavior, even death. Such was the result of tasting the waters of Moorue. Though her faith and courage are severely tested, Lady Carliss is the one who, surrounded by Silent Warriors and led by the Spirit hawk, risks all to obey the King's call and secure the Morning Star sword.

Thank you, Reader, for getting me into this series. Hopefully I can find the remaining ones. "The King reigns...and the Son!"

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Autumn Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a little while since I read a Chuck Black book - this one was the only one in the series my library didn't have and I finally got my hands on it! I don't remember all the context from the other books but that didn't take away from the book - I was engrossed pretty quickly! I guess I was a little skeptical of this one because it's about a female - and that just made me uncertain as to how it would go - but it fast became one of my favorites! This book was just what I needed at this time - and I gleaned so much from it, as Carliss fought the battle of the mind. I'm convinced that's one of the greatest battles of all. One that desperately needs to be won. Chuck Black never disappoints!

"No matter how dark the darkness, the Prince never abandons his faithful servants."

"Now be valiant, for valiant you are!"

I have seen with my own eyes, heard with my own ears, and felt with my own heart the dark evil of Lucius, his Shadow Warriors, and the Vincero Knights. But I have also seen and heard of the goodness of the King and His Son. Before I became one of His knights, I was blind to the battle being waged in this kingdom—the battle between His goodness and Lucius’s evil. I could never wish to be as I once was—blind. Though I suffer, and my family and others suffer, our blood is not wasted on the vanities of an ignorant life. Our sufferings give proof to the good cause for which we serve, and I will serve the King and His great Son all the more because of it!

“No!” she screamed in her mind. “I will not stay here!” she said. She closed her eyes, and her mind became a battlefield of reason and temptation, logic and delight, reality and fantasy. Carliss forced herself to deny the tremendous pull on her mind and emotions. She fell to the ground, still clutching her head, and cried out to the Prince. She screamed out her defiance to the dream world, and it dissolved away, finally releasing its grip on her mind.

As he drew close, he looked down at her sword. "Is it wise for me to stay a sword's length away from you?" Carliss laughed and held the weapon up in front of her. "Perhaps... at least until you talk to my father." She sheathed her sword, and Dalton laughed. "Then I shall speak with him at once," he said, grinning widely. "I've already had to many holes put in me for one lifetime."

Highly recommend!!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was nice to finally read a story with a heroine! You do have to read Sir Dalton (the previous book) before this one or parts of it won't make sense. In the previous book Lady Carliss helped Sir Dalton free some prisoners and in the process of getting to know him she started to fall in love with him, but he is practically engaged to another lady. What she doesn't know is that Sir Dalton broke it off with the other lady because he started to fall in love with Carliss. At the end of the previous story Sir Dalton ran off in search of Lady Carliss when she was discovered missing.
In the beginning of this story Dalton find Carliss, but just as he does he is bitten by a poisonous creature. Carliss finds out about a cure and when she goes in search if it she discovers and evil plot. The waters of Moorue are basically a drug that provide an escape into a fantasy world. It doesn't seem harmful at first, but it is easy to become addicted and live in the fantasy world and neglect every other aspects of a persons life. Carliss finds the cure for Dalton, but has to choose between taking the cure to Dalton in time to rescue him or helping to rescue a group of other knights. She chooses to rescue the other knights, but finds out that the information she had was wrong and the cure still gets to Dalton in time. She helps nurse him back to health and they find out about their mutual feelings for each other.
The obvious allegory is the Waters of Moorue are drugs, but it's actually broader than that and is escapism in general (whether by using drugs, escaping into video games, romance novels, or other things). Like the rest of these novels it has discussion questions and answers and author's commentary at the end.

[Phoebe Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I know why, whenever my friends and I would play fantasy/adventure (back in the good ol' days), one of them would always call herself Carliss.

I really appreciate how Chuck Black writes about female knights as well as men. I know some people object to the female warrior character - personally, I don't mind them at all - but Carliss is not the usual female warrior type. (After all, she's a warrior of the Prince.) I really appreciate her heart for the lowly and hurting, and especially her diligence to try to guard herself against wanting something she can't have. She is strong, a great fighter, but also feminine. And I love that; I think we need to see that balance more in Christian books.

Why didn't I start reading this series until my twenties?! Old me sure needs them, but younger me would have really benefited from the books. The warning against escapism and addiction in Lady Carliss is all too real and desperately needed - as is the reminder to guard your heart with all diligence.

And can we just talk for a minute about how atmospheric Chuck Black's writing is? He makes the scene feel so real! Especially the dark, creepy, intense ones . . . 😆

(Oh, and this is a good example of how to write light romance. It's very clean and lovely, ending up focused on the King instead of on the characters. Chuck Black recognizes that female characters don't depend on romance for their motivations - rather it should be their love for the King. Score!)

The King reins - and His Son! 🫡

[Quinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Carlis is a wonderful woman. She would do anything for anybody at anytime. Going beyond countless measures to save the life of a friend, “Dalton”, that got bitten by a highly and painful poisoness lizard called, “The Eskar Lizard”. In the mean time, she is being stalked by a good guy named “Ganof”. And a friend with a bad guy that is traveling with her. The only way to save Daltons life in nine days is to go to the Eskar Lizards swamp to get the swamp lily. The lizards can camoflouge them selves into anything. The only way that Carlis can get to the land of swamp lily’s is to cross a tiny bridge. But before that all happened, Carlis finds out that her friend is the bad guy when she gets into the caste of Lord Malko. Then Carlis and Ganof go to a chamber with Lord Malko. And Malko realizes that Ganof is a silent warrior. Carlis was in shock when she found out that Ganof was a silent warrior. They went through many tough times together and war. Finally, Carlis gets the lily and gets back to were Dalton was the eight night. She saves Dalton, and through out her tough journey, she new the whole time, that she had feelings for Dalton. But Dalton was already dedicated to a woman. But that ended, and at the end when Dalton is alive again, he ends up haveing feelings for her also. And it was a happily ever after.

[White House Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Knights of Arrethtrae series. You do not have to read the first two books in the series as they deal with different characters. However, I would HIGHLY recommend that you read book 3 before reading this one as it follows the same characters from that book and will help the reader better understand what is happening. This is also the first book in this series to have a female Knight as the main character. There is plenty of action and adventure even for this knight. There is a little romance between her and another knight, but it is not in too many parts. I really like these characters a lot and am glad there are two books with them. I hope they will be in some of the other books as well, but if not I am fine with that as I have enjoyed all the knights that Chuck Black has created. Once again, I definitely recommend that you read this book series.

[Jarod K Boldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5

Venture far into kingdom far far away! And join a knight of a heart after the prince’s own! As in her heart she tries to remember to never live a fellow knight in battle. May you join this courageous knight as her heart tries to help another. Will she succeed? Or shall her love for another knight fail? Go with her and see if she will find the one and only thing that might be in her hands as she tries to save her one and only love. Will he even like her? Go on this adventure and you yourself shall answer these questions your self! And may you go on a story of light! And don’t you forget:The king reins! And his Son!

[Deigan Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arg, this book . . .

I had SUCH a hard time getting into this for some reason. It just . . . wasn't working for me. I think it might've been because it was a man writing from the POV of a young woman. Whatever the reason, this book was SOOOOO hard for me to get into. IT definitely improved nearer the end, but I wasn't a fan of the Esca Lizards, like, at all. They were cool, sure, but pretty fantastical, even for Chuck Black.

I do want to finish the series, but this is probably lower among my favorites.

[Denali Christianson ~Semi-active~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!!!! I loved everything from the characters to the plot and beyond. There were many very surprising plot twists that I definitely did not see coming, and it was so fun seeing Carliss' ultimate solution to a very difficult dilemma. The end was fulfilling and complete, but left room for the characters' stories to continue. The dialogue and writing were very good and helped moved the story along. I highly recommend this book!

[Jolene Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book as I did housework and could hardly make myself stop when I needed to pause it. This is kind of a sequel to Sir Dalton and Shadow Heart. Lady Carliss was faced with some impossible decisions at times with huge consequences and she kept choosing that which was right even when it was also the hard thing to do. It's inspiring and like the other books in this series, it reminds me that we really are in a battle that is not seen with our physical eyes.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book to read with your middle school age daughter! We both gave it 5 stars! This book is very entertaining and full of suspense on every page! But along with the story line, this book teaches faith, courage, selflessness, and kindness. My 11 year old daughter and I had some wonderful discussions throughout this book. We both LOVED it!!

[Mh Weyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the series. I suppose it is an allegory for what drugs and other addictive materials can do to a person. Still good and truthful elements but less focused on the spiritually good in this book; quite dark.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book in the Kingdom of Arrethtrae!

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting page turner of a book!

[Lillian Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the plot twist in this story (but as a warning, this book can get kinda dark; we sorta skimmed over the battle part in this one.)

[Landon Killian · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story it tells of a young girl who falls in love and wants to help keep the boy alive.

[Julie Havener · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King reigns and His Son! A great story with meaning, encouragement and a bit of romance.

[Zanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

man these just keep getting worse

[Lexie Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite so far but the ending was so good! I liked how it continued on from the third book instead of starting a new story line