This is a great adventure and coming-of-age story for tweens and young teens. I think even adults who enjoy YA historical fantasy that isn't too challenging to read will also enjoy it. It isn't Dostoevsky or Melville, but it isn't trying to be.
It accomplishes its goals brilliantly. If you are looking for YA fiction that will ennoble your child while also giving a few hours of literary adventure, I think you could hardly find a better book.
While it is easier to stand tall when you stand on the shoulders of giants, I will recklessly say that this book is even better than several of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books.
Set in the time of the Emperor Diocletian, the two protagonists (a young Cyrenian priestess of Moloch [or something like it] and a young Roman citizen who aspires to join the Legion though his father has died, leaving the family much reduced) are swept into political and supernatural events that take them on epic journeys which eventually collide in Rome The two young heroes slowly realize that their fates, and the fate of the world, depend on them helping each other to overcome the demons of their troubled pasts.
Along the way they encounter giants, rogues, and wonder-workers, all of whom Marshall uses to present a vision of the ancient world that both absorbs and renews the greatest legends of that time.
The prose is delightfully fluent and almost always compelling, with hardly a false note through the whole book (and I have very high standards).
Nothing is perfect in this life, but the book is -- mirabile dictu! -- nearly free from grammatical and typographical errors. So much YA fantasy these days is sloppily edited and hastily produced. I can only imagine that it is eroding the writing instincts even of the best readers among our children. This one, however, is a well-polished gem that you can trust not to harm your child's instincts for good English.
I don't often give five stars to things, but this is a rare case of a book that really sets the bar higher for everything else that comes after. If there is any justice in the world of literature, this book will be recognized as the best YA fantasy of the year. Marshall deserves rather more acclaim than Rowling received for her first several books.
I look forward to seeing where Marshall goes from here. He shows great promise in this book. I hope the muses continue to visit him.
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she was able to enjoy it. It is a historical novel about St
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2016
My 11 year old daughter and I recently read a book titled Sword and Serpent. It's not a book for kids, but since my daughter reads well above her level, she was able to enjoy it. It is a historical novel about St. George and the early church in the Roman Empire.The author of the book, Dr. Taylor Marshall is one of my favorite theologians, and my daughter and I like listening to his podcasts, attend his webminars, and I have read some of his other books (they were too difficult for my daughter).I was just selected to be a member of the launch team for his new book, "The Tenth Region of the Night. Sword and Serpent Book II", and I can't wait to get started!Here is an brief intro to it:"Just before daybreak and at the darkest moment (what the Egyptians call "the Tenth Region of the Night"), evil is thoroughly destroyed. As you read Book II, you'll see how this theological theme expands through the life of Saint George, Saint Helena, Constantine, and others...It has Saint George in it (as Jurian), Sabra, Saint Christopher (as Menas), Constantine, Saint Helena, and new to this novel is Saint Catherine of Alexandria (known by her Greek Egyptian name Aikaterina)."
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2016
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Amazon Customer
Early Christians in a pagan empire
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 24, 2019loopyloz
Brilliantly put together, I just couldn’t put it down!! I started with the paperback & on seeing how good it was quickly moved on to my kindle so I could read on all my devices. I absolutely loved it & will be ordering the next 1 asp..There was nothing to dislike & to be honest even if you are not of the faith the storyline still would be fascinating to you.A great read for all ages, after all it’s got Giants, Dragons & even Excalibur
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 28, 2018
FatherTF
I wasn't expecting this to be as good as I found it to be
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 2, 2018Martin Land
Really engaging tale of St. George.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 28, 2019
