The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer

This book starts off kind of slow with two "strange" women examining the wool at a vendor's booth in the market place.  Instead they are actually 2 men that are disguised and having a cryptic discussion about the stars and what will happen in the near future including finding someone that is now a man and has a secret that can either hinder or help their cause.  The book then moves to the next chapter where we meet Thomas who has been hidden in a abbey for many years.  At first he was hidden their with his nursemaid Sarah (his mom) but then she dies and the monks make him their slave.  Thomas is expected to wait on the 4 monks, including feeding them, cleaning up after them and all sorts of other jobs.  He is given no love and really feels that he has been denied much in his childhood.  Thomas plainly remembers his mom teaching him a secret when he was much younger, but sadly she died before she could finish teaching him everything he needed to know.  Thomas decides that it is time he leaves to fulfill his destiny.  He is planning on escaping that night while the Monks are asleep, but then they do something that gives him the perfect opportunity to not only escape, but to get money and provisions for a 10 day journey.  Thomas leaves knowing only that he is to rescue a knight from the gallows, he is to proceed to a place called Magnus, where he is to conquer the king of that region based on a legend that has been passed down for years.
As Thomas begins his travels to the city of Magnus he is joined by 3 very different people.  The Knight Templar (William) that Thomas has freed from the gallows, Little John a pickpocket and Isabelle a mute and deaf girl.  Thomas ended up saving both of them when he saved the knight.  He is then told that he is to travel with all 3 of them not just the knight to the city of Magnus and that by having the others along it will ensure their safe travels to Magnus.

Sadly both sides know what Thomas is up to and are after him.  The one side is worried that the other has gotten a hold of him and that he is now working for the wrong side.  The wrong side is convinced that it won't be hard at all to turn Thomas to their side or to kill him.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be an easy read.  Towards the beginning however I had trouble keeping track of who was on what side and who was who.  Thinking that a small family tree type of chart or listing of characters at the beginning of the book may have helped.  By the end of the book I was into the characters and couldn't wait to find out what happened.  This book does have one of my pet peeves in a book.  I hate when the book ends with more questions than answers and then you have to wait many months for the sequel to be released.  Needless to say I will be watching closing for the second book in this series to be released next year.  I gave it 4 out of 5 stars as a 5 star book is one that I can't put down and will stay up until all hours of the morning reading the book.

I received a copy of this book to review from WaterBrook Multnoham Publishing Group, but the opinions expressed are my own.

The Orphan King

This book starts off kind of slow with two "strange" women examining the wool at a vendor's booth in the market place. Instead they are actually 2 men that are disguised and having a cryptic discussion about the stars and what will happen in the near future including finding someone that is now a man and has a secret that can either hinder or help their cause. The book then moves to the next chapter where we meet Thomas who has been hidden in a abbey for many years. At first he was hidden their with his nursemaid Sarah (his mom) but then she dies and the monks make him their slave. Thomas is expected to wait on the 4 monks, including feeding them, cleaning up after them and all sorts of other jobs. He is given no love and really feels that he has been denied much in his childhood. Thomas plainly remembers his mom teaching him a secret when he was much younger, but sadly she died before she could finish teaching him everything he needed to know. Thomas decides that it is time he leaves to fulfill his destiny. He is planning on escaping that night while the Monks are asleep, but then they do something that gives him the perfect opportunity to not only escape, but to get money and provisions for a 10 day journey. Thomas leaves knowing only that he is to rescue a knight from the gallows, he is to proceed to a place called Magnus, where he is to conquer the king of that region based on a legend that has been passed down for years.
As Thomas begins his travels to the city of Magnus he is joined by 3 very different people. The Knight Templar (William) that Thomas has freed from the gallows, Little John a pickpocket and Isabelle a mute and deaf girl. Thomas ended up saving both of them when he saved the knight. He is then told that he is to travel with all 3 of them not just the knight to the city of Magnus and that by having the others along it will ensure their safe travels to Magnus.

Sadly both sides know what Thomas is up to and are after him. The one side is worried that the other has gotten a hold of him and that he is now working for the wrong side. The wrong side is convinced that it won't be hard at all to turn Thomas to their side or to kill him.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be an easy read. Towards the beginning however I had trouble keeping track of who was on what side and who was who. Thinking that a small family tree type of chart or listing of characters at the beginning of the book may have helped. By the end of the book I was into the characters and couldn't wait to find out what happened. This book does have one of my pet peeves in a book. I hate when the book ends with more questions than answers and then you have to wait many months for the sequel to be released. Needless to say I will be watching closing for the second book in this series to be released next year. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars as a 5 star book is one that I can't put down and will stay up until all hours of the morning reading the book.

I received a copy of this book to review from WaterBrook Multnoham Publishing Group, but the opinions expressed are my own.