Conservative Book Talk

The Shining Sword is an analogy of the armor of G-d. The author uses fictional characters and a season in their lives to show how she believes the armor of G-d is portrayed in the Bible. (I consider it accurate)

Lanus is our main character and he is very lazy. His favorite activities include wrestling and sleeping in the grass. He works only when he absolutely has to, and looks to the villagers for free meals here and there. He does not sound like much of a hero does it. No, and that disturbed me at first, that the author chose such a character for her hero, but it soon became clear that Lanus’s character was soon to get a wake-up call.

As Lanus is leisurely lying in the grass on a hill, he sees a familiar figure approaching, who turns out to be a friend that disappeared a year ago. Robin, the friend, tells Lanus of his life as a solider of the King, and that he came to invite him to visit the King’s home beyond the little valley where Lanus lives, and to become a soldier of the King.

Lanus agrees to visit, and is impressed with the work and lifestyle Robin and his comrades live in, yet the work part is still a bit bothersome to him. So instead of staying he goes back to the village. Yet instead of staying, you guessed it, he decides to return and become a soldier of the King, and face the enemy (the devil). From there we watch Lanus grow, fall and get back up again and learn proper use of the armor of the King. (G-d)

I must admit I considered this book a bit of a bore for the first 10 or 15 pages, the way the author began things was a little tedious and not very catching. However, I persevered because a friend lent it to me and I told him I would read it. After those first few pages, it began to pick up speed. It never reached 90 miles per hour, but it did end up keeping my interest and finishing out as a book worth reading. (198 pages at most)

If you end up reading this book, let me know what you think about the way the author portrays the armor of G-d. I liked it and thought it a good reminder.

Tags: Charles G. Coleman, Hannasus, Religious, The Shining Sword

Plot: As a note, reviews of the first three books have already been written, you may find them in the archives. It will give you background on our character.

Eagle Strike begins where Skeleton Key left off. Alex Rider is now trying, once again, to become a normal schoolboy.

He almost secedes when he accepts a friend’s invitation to go on a two week vacation with them. All goes well, until Alex sees the assassin that killed his uncle, Ian Rider.

His friend’s father is almost killed in an explosion in their rental home, the police say it was a leaking pipe, but Alex knows it was no accident, and sets out to find out to kill the man who set the bomb. Thinking it was set to kill him instead. He finds and follows the man until caught, and is forced to participate in a bull fight. His choice was fight the bull or be shot, he chose the former.

He of course lives, and continues back home while his friend stays with her father in the hospital. Back in Brittan, Alex suspects a multimillionaire of evil intentions and bring it to the MI6’s attention. They do not believe him, considering the man’s reputation for good, so it is up to Alex to discover the truth behind the mask.

Negative: From what I recall, there is nothing terribly negative, there is implied swearing, but the word is never actually said. Some people are killed, a man drowned in coins, our hero is forced to go through a rigged obstacle course. Nothing graphic, but certainly not for the very young. (below age 10)

Overall: Overall, rating this book from 1 to 10, ten being highest, I would definitely, without a doubt, give this book a 10. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end, a thriller of a book, I hope you have time to get your hands on this and the three before it. (and the others after Eagle Strike, in the Alex Rider series)

Tags: Alex Rider, Anthony Horowitz, Eagle Strike, fiction, Hannasus, youth

Plot: To give you a bit of background on the author. Henry Winterfeld began writing for children in 1933, when he wrote Trouble at Timpetill to entertain his son, who was sick with scarlet fever. He went on to write a number of books which have been published around the world.

This book begins with a class of boys presenting a slave to their school teacher for his fiftieth birthday. After letting the boys know in no uncertain terms that he has no desire for a slave, and that he is not fifty but seventy-two, Master Xanthos orders them to return the slave to the seller.

The boys attempt to do so, but find that the seller has fled town after being threatened for selling this slave.

Unhappy at their new circumstance, the boys make their way back to their school master. However, on the way they are attacked by an old, one eyed, gladiator who wants to take Udo, the slave. The boys manage to escape the Roman market place, after pouring a pot of honey on the man’s head.

Later they find that the slave was carrying a message to an unknown man, this message contained the name of a famous Roman senator who they plan to murder. This senator turns out to be one of the boys fathers, the race is on the figure out whose father, and change his fate before it is too late.

Negative: No swearing that I can recall, a bit of fighting, but nothing that produces blood. A man threatens the life of a boy, and a boy pours a pot of honey over bad guys head. Nothing serious

Overall: I loved this book, it was so funny! I read the first and it was equally funny. I recommend this to all with no reserves, Henry Winterfeld knows how to write a good and funny mystery.