Age
Appropriate For: 10
and up for mild violence
Best
for Ages: 10 and up
Description:
Lawrence and
Chester Stoning are twins, but like Jacob and Esau of old they have little else
in common. Lawrence is a realist, fascinated by the study of science,
mathematics, and history, while Chester longs for the knightly adventures of
chivalrous times past — hard-fought battles, gold-filled caves, damsels in
distress. When Chester’s impetuosity engages the unlikely pair as bodyguards to
a Spaniard and his beautiful ward Pacarina, the twins quickly realize that the
19th century calls for a chivalry of its own. Protecting Pacarina’s secret
leads all of them into the steaming jungles and dizzying mountains of Peru, a
foreboding territory made all the more dangerous by Lawrence and Chester’s
strivings against each other. Can the twins learn to trust God and work
together before it’s too late? Or will they fall prey to the mysterious schemes
of Pacarina’s enemy — an enemy they know nothing about?
Where
was this book when I was 11? I remember not being able to find any historical
adventures that were appropriate for me at that age. Every fiction book I could
read was either fantasy, mystery, or had romance. I hated fantasy, was tired of
mysteries, and disliked romance. That is why I read so many non-fiction books
in my tweens and teens.
Brothers at Arms is almost the opposite of every kid’s book
today. It assumes kids are not stupid; that they can handle big words like
‘foreboding’ and the like. This book also assumes that there are those of us
that enjoy books that are not centered around romance. It also is filled with
God honoring principles that are hard to find in most Christian fiction.
The
story itself was a page-tuner. It was one of those thick books (304 pages) that
you wonder in the first two pages how it is going to stretch out for that long.
Before you know it, you are reading the last page and wishing it had been
longer.
I loved
how the brothers interacted. Their relationship felt so real and was the source
of some of the biggest surprises for me. How it develops and the lessons they
learn were so much better than anything I expected.
The lack
of romance was refreshing for me. Now, there is a girl in the story, and at the
end of the book you get a very strong idea of what is in store for her and one
of the heros. However, unlike so many books today, there weren’t any real mushy
scenes, no kissing, no heart-stopping moments. You could read this to your
eight-year-old brother, and he wouldn’t roll his eyes. We need more books like
this.
I can’t
recommend this book highly enough. Just buy a copy today! If you enjoy
adventure stories that have little to no romance and lots of godly character,
this book is for you.
I received this book from the author in
exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive
review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
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