The Light of Eidon (Legends of the Guardian-King, #1)

book 1 Of Legends Of The Guardian King Which Follows The Life Of Abramm Kalladorne In His Turbulent Search For Truth And Self--a Search That Will Transform Him From A Sickly, Head-in-the-clouds Youth To A Legendary Hero Of Strength And Courage. Set In A World Of Swords And Cloaks, Of Glittering Palaces And Mystical Temples, Of Galley Ships And Ancient, Mist-bound Cities, His Journey Illustrates How God Pursues And How He Uses Suffering To Mold His Children Into Something Greater Than Was Ever Thought Possible. Written By Karen Hancock, The Acclaimed Author Of Arena. rebecca Barnhouse - Voya when He Was Thirteen, Prince Abramm Renounced Any Claim To The Throne Of Kiriath And Entered Holy Orders. But At Twenty-one, Just As He Is To End His Eight Years Of Preparation By Taking His Vows, He Is Kidnapped And Sold Into Slavery By His Brother And The High Priests Of Abramm's Own Order. With The Help Of Meridon, The Captain Of The King's Guard Who Accompanies Him Into Slavery, Abramm Not Only Survives But Turns From A Weak, Bookish Prince Into A Powerful Warrior, A Good Thing Because He Spends The Next Two Years As A Gladiator. As He Continues To Win In The Arena, Legends Develop Around Abramm And Meridon: Could They Be The Deliverers Of Whom The Prophecies Have Spoken? Abramm's Struggle With His Faith Keeps Him From Accepting His Own Role In The Prophecy. He Violently Rejects The Terstan Religion That Meridon Practices Even As He Is Drawn To It. The Resolution Of Abramm's Inner Battle Mirrors The External War Between The Oppressed Masses And Their Evil Rulers. The Terstan Religion Is A Clear Proxy For Christianity, And Readers Who Enjoy Their Sword-and-sorcery With A Strong Allegorical Component Might Like The Exciting Fight Scenes And The Hair-raising Escapes. Characterization, However, Especially Of The Two Females In The Book, Could Be Much Stronger. Libraries That Include Christian Fantasy Titles Might Want This Book, Although Some Readers Could Be Put Off By The Violence, Mild Sex, And Magic That Both Good And Evil Characters Practice. Voya Codes: 3q 2p S A/ya (readable Without Serious Defects; For The Ya With A Special Interest In The Subject; Senior High, Defined As Grades 10 To 12; Adult-marketed Book Recommended For Young Adults). 2003, Bethany House, 432p., Trade Pb.ages 15 To Adult. Abramm has dedicated the last eight years of his life to becoming worthy to touch and tend the Sacred Flames of Eidon, and he expects to be blessed for his devotion and sacrifice. But on the eve of taking the vows that will irrevocably separate him from the life he was born to--as Abramm Kalladorne, fifth son of the king of Kiriath--he is betrayed by his spiritual mentor and sold into slavery by his brothers. Swept along by the winds of a new destiny, Abramm is forced to compete as a gladiator. When the oppressed masses rally around his success, he discovers his suffering has molded him into something greater than he ever though possible--to serve a purpose he never imagined. Set in a world of swords and cloaks, of glittering palaces and mystical temples, of galley ships and ancient mist-bound cities, The Light of Eidon is the first volume of an epic series, LEGENDS OF THE GUARDIAN-KING. On the eve of taking the vows to become tender of the Sacred Flames of Eidon, Abramm is betrayed by his spiritual mentor and sold into slavery by his brothers, where he is forced to compete as a gladiator and serve a purpose he never imagined This fantasy series follows one man's quest for truth in an unforgettable and extraordinary world.