Chuck Black Reviews

Page One

Added October 5, 2006

Kingdom Series Book 1: Kingdom's Dawn

Author: Chuck Black
Publisher: Multnomah Publishers, Inc
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: May 2006
Genre: Young Adult: Fantasy/Christian
Format: Paperback
Price: $8.99
ISBN: 1590526791
Reviewer: Phillip Tomasso III

Chuck Black's Kingdom's Dawn, is the first in what he calls the Kingdom Series. The writing style is engaging, and taut. Readers will breeze through the story, hungry for more. My thirteen-year-old son, a hopelessly reluctant reader devoured the three books in the series in less than a month, and so have I. (Look for reviews on Kingdom's Hope, and Kingdom's Edge). Similar to C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, Black tells two stories simultaneously. However, the parallels between fiction and fact are much more clear and defined in Black's writings. The medieval adventures in this book are significantly similar to those found in the Old Testament.

Leinad is the main character. He's a farmer who works the fields with his father. Despite this simple life, Leinad's father spends countless hours a day developing his son's skills with a sword. More importantly, Leinad's father teaches and expects Leinad to always be loyal to the King.

When Leinad's father is brutally slayed, Leinad realizes that his father had been training him for a purpose. He Kings needs him to set out on a dangerous mission to free his people from Lord Fairos' ruthless slave master.

Filled with action and bite-size chapters, this book is ideal to lovers of fantasy stories, regardless of the reader's age.

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Added October 5, 2006

Kingdom Series Book 2: Kingdom's Hope

Author: Chuck Black
Publisher: Multnomah Publishers, Inc
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: May 2006
Genre: Young Adult: Fantasy/Christian
Format: Paperback
Price: $8.99
ISBN: 1590526805
Reviewer: Phillip Tomasso III

Kingdom's Hope is book #2 in Chuck Black's Kingdom Series. (See related reviews for Kingdom's Dawn, Book #1, and Kingdom's Edge, Book #3). Black writes a compelling tale where there are clearly two stories being told. The first story is the most obvious.

In it, Leinad, a 16 year-old ex-farmer, is now using the sword skills he acquired through intense training first with his father and then with the King. Because of his loyalty, the Kind needs Leinad's help. Since the King has been away, the evil Lord Fairos has captured and taken prisoner the King's people. The King now wants Leinad to demand that Lord Fairos free his people.

The second story found within the same pages, comes directly from the Bible. Book #2 focus it's energy on the story of Moses as he leads the slaves freed by the Egyptians across the wilderness.

As trials and tribulations arise, the people Leinad freed begin to murmur, and believe they were better off when they were slaves. If their whining isn't trouble enough, unexpected pitfalls and enemies continually challenge Leinad's ability to effectively lead and follow the King's plan.

The constant clanking of endless dueling swordfights keep the reader flipping pages. Again, Black writes in a concise reader-friendly style that will appeal to anyone who enjoys reading. Though geared toward young adults, this book is appropriate for readers of all ages. I believe that it will also be well received by those out there who classify themselves as "reluctant readers" Black is clearly a talented storyteller, and his books are clearly inspirational.

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