Peter Last

THOUGHTS…

     The Prince Warriors is interesting, and wastes no time getting the story rolling. Fast-paced from beginning to end with just a moment of reprieve in the middle, it keeps the reader engrossed until the final words. It is allegorical in nature, similar to such titles as The Chronicles of Narnia, and specializes in addressing abstract issues like following the orders of God in a vividly literal sense. The topics touched upon in the novel are often overly simplified, easy for juvenile readers to digest but offering little to adults. Additionally, the story generally falls into halves with a new character discovering the same wonders in the second portion that the rest of the cast encountered earlier, making the reading a bit repetitive in spots. In the end, this story is not the strongest allegory, but its interesting setting, fast pace, and good use of allegory make it able to hold its own in this genre.

     The writing mechanics of the book are excellent. I did not notice any run-on sentences, awkwardly worded items, or other common errors. Though a few sentences are short or fragmented in a way which appears to have no purpose, such instances are few and do not detract from the readability of the volume. Overall, the novel flows well enough to allow a reader to lose themselves in the story.

     Character development is the weakest aspect of the novel. The story spans just a few days, but significant development is still seen. This is beneficial as it shows the impact of situations and decisions on the development of the characters, even if that development occasionally feels rushed. Unfortunately, in parts of the book the author seems to equate the youth of the characters with downright childishness and consequently they come off as caricatures of childhood instead of actual people. At other times, they act in ways contrary to their character simply to advance the plot. Additionally, the story is obviously written by an adult, and the dialogue occasionally struggles as it tries to mirror the words and thoughts of the age group of the cast. Because of these setbacks, overall character development is average but still has a few instances which shine.

     The Prince Warriors is a worthy addition to the marvelous world of allegorical fantasy tales. I would recommend it for younger audiences, and if I were ten years younger, I would no doubt be on pins and needles waiting for the sequel.