Rating: Needs Parent Supervision

Reading Level: Middle School

Witt, courage, determination and loyalty continue the saga. I have two main concerns:

  • More references to “the devils” this time sort of prayers to them or about them. This was my biggest concern; highly recommend talking to your kid about prayers to God in the name of Christ being the only source of hope.
  • Stubbornness; the main character is doggedly stubborn and doesn’t accept help from others. Not a very good model of listening to wisdom from friends or pausing to consider wiser alternatives.

Other Possible Concerns:

  • Violence (abuse, punches, knife wounds, slaps, swordfights)
  • Murder (pirates murder a little girl’s parents, several other murders…)
  • Deception, lies, and deceitfulness (sometimes appropriate when directed toward the villain).

Overall a great tale of persistence.

Rated Middle School more for some what violent content than reading level. I do think it is well done, i.e. appropriate for youth of that age.

I preferred the first book in the series, The False Prince, but this one admittedly had a great resolution of the primary plot. See also my review of Book 3, The Shadow Throne.