The Orphan King

The Orphan King is the first book in a series titled "Merlin's Immortals" written by Sigmund Brouwer and was published this year.

"My greatest fear was that they would find us and make us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil."

The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or fulfilling his imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle the truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who oppose them. Determined to bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids, Thomas leaves the monastery on an important quest. 

He quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions-a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful silent woman who may not be all she seems. From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both camaraderie and suspicion. 

Can he trust those who would join him in battle....or will his fears force him to go on alone?

When I first read the summary for this book, I thought it was right up my ally. And don't get me wrong, I liked it a lot. It was an enjoyable quick read. But that's just what it was. A very quick read.

The overall story was good. The characters were well developed, the plot was very good, it wasn't poorly written, as I said, overall it was a good story. But it was so fast, their was no break or lull to build anticipation between plot twists, or any break in the plot whatsoever. It was one twist after the other and they were all so close together at times I got a little confused and was like, "Weren't they doing something else on the last page?"

And even though Brouwer could have put more content into the story, maybe added a few more chapters, I as a teenager liked it, and I will read all the sequels, and I would recommend it to others who enjoy the fantasy genre. And even then it's not just fantasy, it's action, adventure, and even a hint of romance. Who wouldn't like it? But, it is more geared toward the younger generation (highschoolers) then it is toward adults. But hey, I'm not adult, so I can't speak for them. If you don't like it, okay, but if you do, awesome!

I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for writing a fair and honest review.