Customer Reviews

Corus the Champion

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Corus The Champion continues the well-written, character-steeped form of the previous book. The plot continues well also. All the Christian teaching in the book was accurate, yet behind-the-scenes. Lots of characters come forth and strut their stuff in this volume, and it worked well. Kudos to Mr. Briggs!

This book was provided free by the publisher, in conjunction with CSFF Blog Tours. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are mine.

I've grown sceptical of any review putting a new author in the company of Tolkien and Lewis, but Dean Barkley Briggs belongs there!
Writing as much from imagination as personal experiences, his tales of dimensional travels are also reintroductions to the classic tales of history. The fabled Taliesin is both new and familiar.
I was recently asked if I have a favorite character. I honestly don't! Each of the four Barlow boys has his own charm. Their allies are unique and often endearing. How can I choose one?
If you confuse easily, you might want to takes notes. Our friends and brothers 'divide and conquer' (we hope!) in this installment.
I heard the editor's town suffered a tornado in the spring. That might explain the pair of "oopses" I found. Chapter 22, page 207: Sorge snapped. He through (not threw) up his hands, exhausted.
And then there's the already cited reference to Poplar Springs Baptist Church's need for kettle drums on page 309. Living near Mount Mourne, NC, rather than Mount Bourne, and not far from Poplar Grove Baptist, I was rolling with laughter! I'd like to meet Gabe and Ewan here.
I know these books are considered young adult fiction, but I'm... more in the AARP crowd and LOVE what I'm reading. I'd like to see this series go on for many more books. Coerce your friends into reading them. That's why I am. (Thanks to Mindy and son Daniel)

In 2009, I read the amazing debut novel of Dean Briggs (D. Barkley Briggs), called The Book of Names (Legends of Karac Tor). What separated it from other Young Adult fantasy books was not the excellent story, which it did have, but the superlative writing. Then, the publisher ran into financial problems, as did many companies (and individuals), and the contract was cut. Would the other books in the series (Legend of Karac Tor), ever see the light of day?

In late 2010, the author e-mailed me, as I had signed up for the online newsletter, to say that AMG Publishers and Living Ink Books had bought up the entire series. I ordered the sequel, Corus the Champion as soon as it became available.

This is a sequel in the truest sense of the word. It is not just another book set in the same place with some of the same characters; the story picks up exactly where the previous book ended. A summary of the first story is needed. In the first book, we meet the Barlow brothers, Hadyn (14), Ewan (13), and the twins Gabe and Garrett. After their mother passed away, their father went ahead with the planned family move from the city to a rural area. While cleaning out a briar thicket at the back of their new property, the boys discover a stone archway, and disappear into it, after receiving scrolls inviting them do so. The scrolls were delivered by crows.

On the other side, Hadyn and Ewan join up with Sorge, a warrior monk, and Flogg, a very grumpy gnome, to oppose the evil witch Nemesia. Why is Nemesia evil? She is trying to destroy Karac Tor by rendering its youth without souls or identity or any determination. By doing so, she is creating an army of slaves to serve her. Meanwhile, Garrett Barlow entered the arch later, and we learn little of him, or his twin, Gabe, until the sequel.

In the sequel, one focus is on Corus of Lotsley, a descendant of Lahns of Lotsley. Lahns had also traveled between worlds, only going the other way from the Barlow boys. If you think about his name, Lahns of Lotsley, you might figure out how his name was corrupted and by what name he became known here. In Karac Tor, Corus was once the greatest champion in the land, but he bears the family curse, and he has been long missing. Is he alive? What happened to him? What is the family curse? What was the relationship between Corus and Sorge, the warrior-monk?

There are multiple story-lines here. While Sorge seeks Corus, Evan and Gabe seek the legendary Sleeping King, but must first escape the Fey. Hadyn and his companions are trying to unite the different lands of Karac Tor, as they believe war is coming. Who will succeed? Who will survive? At what cost?

What about the fourth Barlow brother, Garrett? Well, he was quite busy traveling. When he went through the arch in the family's backyard, he did not end up in Karac Tor. Instead, he found himself in Ynys-Witrin, where he met a rather unusual traveling partner and witnessed a piece of history. He and his new friend then traveled through the arches, to different times and places, so that Garrett would learn certain things. What he learned would prove very useful when he finally arrived in Karac Tor and was reunited with his brothers.

After setting a very high standard with the first book, I was wondering if Mr. Briggs would be able to maintain the quality of the writing. While this book can be a bit confusing at first, as it assumes the reader is very familiar with the first book and able to jump right back into the story where it left off, the answer is a definite yes. Not only is the very high writing quality maintained, the story is faster-paced, more action-packed, and more complex. The different story-lines switch from chapter to chapter, and I felt the continuity and flow were maintained throughout.

I believe I did not do a great job of giving a good plot summary here, but the story is complex enough to make it a challenge to summarize it without spoiling it. The bottom line, for me, was that it was consistently difficult to put this book down. While I will not spoil the ending, I will say that it involves quite a surprise, and amounts to a great cliff-hanger.

What I admire about the writing in this series is that it does not "dumb down" the vocabulary for the Young Adult target audience, as some YA novels and series do. The word-choice, phrasing, and imagery are just as complex as the story. Young Adult readers are probably some of our most avid readers, and I believe they deserve books that can honestly be labeled as literary and literature. This book and its predecessor both fit those labels. By doing this the author opens his work to be enjoyed as much by adults as by younger readers.

Until the publisher is able to correct it, I did find one, rather startling, editing error. On page 309, there is a sentence fragment, completely unrelated to the story, buried within a sentence. It creates a somewhat jarring interruption in an otherwise smoothly-flowing story. I did notify the author, by e-mail, and he had thought that error had been corrected before printing; he later discovered that the error was a by-product of a tornado hitting the editor's hometown. I want to stress, though, that this book, except for that one error, is extremely well edited.

The next book in the series, The Song of Unmaking (Legends of Karac Tor), is scheduled for release this fall (2011), and I eagerly await it, especially with this book having a startling development right at its cliff-hanger ending.

It is 418 pages long. Both books, by the way, have excellent cover-art.

(This review was first posted on Epinions)

Corus the Champion by D. Barkley Briggs is a book that has a history. A long painful history for readers waiting seemingly in vain for it to be published. Well last month, the wait ended. Returning to Karac Tor Mr. Briggs continues this fantasy epic.

In Corus the Champion all four Barlow brothers are now involved in making the future of Karac Tor; and for Garret Barlow, literally making the future. Unfortunately, the future is a precarious thing. Kr'Nunos in his many forms, is on the move after brooding for ages and the people are ripe for deception. The old cultic haunts have returned and blood sacrifices are allowing the Watches to regain flesh. While Nemesia may be gone, freeing her young hoard , Kr'Nunos is prepared to dominate the land with his own created beings, Quil. And just when the need is greatest the missing champion Corus is prepared to turn his back on his quest to find the sleeping king--or kill him--after being beaten and starved in the bowels of the earth. In a story wrought with treachery, love, pain, honor, hope and despair; Mr. Briggs manages to write a fantasy reader's masterpiece.


A champion who would not leave his chains, a great warrior king from another world, and a fey Queen who demands the highest price of freedom. Sacrifices are made, loyalties forged, and tears cried.

When final days- bring final woes
Doors shall open- doors shall close
Fate for one-For all unleashed
War of swords-Slay the beast


I very much enjoyed this book, even with it's heavy overtures. I recommend The Book of Names and Corus the Champion to any fantasy lover. Can't wait for book #3.

D. Barkley Briggs in his new book, "Corus the Champion" Book Two in the Legends Of Karac Tor series published by Living Ink Books returns us to the lives of the Barlow brothers and Karac Tor.

From the back cover: He was once the greatest champion in the land.
Then he disappeared.

With Nemesia's defeat, the Barlows have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands. But the victory is short-lived. An even greater evil stirs in the north with a fierce new army bent on destruction. As the twins, Gabe and Garret, discover their own special powers and chase down long forgotten mysteries hidden in time, a thin thread of hope emerges: a fabled king was once rescued from death on our world and hidden on Karac Tor. But who is he?

Each brother has their part to play. Hadyn must travel north to warn the land barons, while Ewan and Sorge set out to rescue Corus from the clutches of Hel. As ancient destinies rise from the ash heap of history, Ewan is left with a bitter choice. Will he sacrifice what is most precious to discover whether Corus lives? Even more important, if Corus is alive, can he wake the Sleeping King of legend...before it's too late?

"Corus the Champion" is a fantasy in the tradition of "The Chronicles of Narnia" or "The Lord Of The Rings". Karac Tor is full of invading forces trying to take over the land already occupied. The Barlow brothers are there to use their special powers, only available to them there, to help defend and defeat these forces. The books are outstanding, each one delivers more excitement than the last. D. Barkley Briggs is using his knowledge of fable and lore to craft a world for us desperately in need of a savior. Each book is rich in Bible story cleverly tucked into the fantasy elements. The book is filled with examples of faith, sacrifice, honor and nobility. I recommend this series highly and am looking forward to the next one.

If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and business professionals please go to Kingdom Highlights where it is available On Demand.

To listen to 24 hours non-stop Christian music please visit our internet radio station Kingdom Airwaves

Disclosure of Material Connection: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I have had the delightful opportunity to be a part of the Legends of Karac Tor when I reviewed book three in the series, The Song of Unmaking. Now I get to further my reading pleasure in taking my readers back a bit to book two in the series, Corus the Champion by Dean Barkley Briggs.

First a bit of history on Mr. Briggs, who wrote the series for his children who were dealing with their own personal tragedy of losing their mother. In a twist of divine providence, Mr. Briggs soon met another woman who was also grieving the loss of her husband and was raising her children alone. God stepped in and a new family was born when the two met and later married.

In the first book in the series, The Book of Names, the brothers from our world enter a world of myth and legend to find the courage to answer the call, you see in the Hidden Lands of Karac Tor, names are being stolen and darkness is spreading. This book begins the series that picks up again in the second book, Corus the Champion.

The Barlow boys, from book one, have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands with the defeat of Nemesia. Yet as all great books have in store, their victory is not secured as a new enemy emerges from the North with a new army now bent on destruction. Just as Gabe and Garret, the twins are discovering their special powers that are only available in this new land. Gabe has the ability to speak to birds while Garret is like a young Arthur if you will, learning new abilities from a Merlin like character Tal Yssen. The boys now learn about a fabled king that was rescued from death in our world and is now hidden in Karac Tor. Will the boys be able to find and rescue this king from their own world or will they have to make sacrifices to save their friends?

To find out, you'll have to read this series of great adventure books from Dean Barkley Briggs. My recommendation would be to start at the beginning like any great series and work your way through them one at a time. This one to start with may be a bit confusing as a stand alone, but with persistence is truly a great story to immerse yourself and your children in.

I received this book compliments of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy book tours for my honest opinion and now having read the first three, will be going back and rereading them from the beginning. It's like reading The Chronicles of Narnia in the middle of the series, you can figure it out but its more enjoyable to read it from the beginning. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and definitely captures a child's love of fantasy and adventure in this one.

Once again, D. Barkley Briggs has managed to capture the mystery of Arthurian legend, the enchantment of fairy tale folklore, and the valor of Celtic and Norse mythology. This rousing second installment of the Legends of Karac Tor delves deeply into the heart of heroism, its joys and sorrows. Train with the Barlow brothers as they separately learn how to use the incredible gifts they have received from Aion, the God-King. Let yourself burn with adventure while you follow them into battle against the growing evil inside the realm of Karac Tor.

Mr Briggs has succeeded in not only carrying along the momentum begun in the first installment of this series, but elevating it. The first book established the characters, the setting, and the atmosphere while setting the stage for the plot to come. This book develops everything satisfyingly, but doesn't stop there. There are layers here, a depth that was hinted at in the first book, but is now unfolding little by little.

The prose is still excellent: "Here, strewn among verdurous fields with gushing rivers and groves of olive trees, in the shadow of the towering, majestic cliffs - here was the splendor of the Hidden Lands..." "His prisoner had limp hair and a long, ragged beard, laced with gray and knotted with frozen water like pearls on a necklace... The two were alone in a chamber of blue cold, a hole in a mountain of snow and ice." But it remains grounded, and the dialogue between the brothers feels genuine and natural, as do their relationships.

In this book is a character who experiences a lostness, a searching for place and meaning; another who undergoes a heart-wrenching loss, and another who must endure unimaginable suffering and torture. There are impossible tasks undertaken by those who feel unprepared. There is a near hopelessness in the face of overwhelming odds. But through it all is a hope and a loyal love shown by the Barlows and their companions. I can't wait to see what happens to them!