Thursday, August 1, 2013

Book Review: The Boy Colonel: A Soldier Without a Name

The Boy Colonel: A Soldier Without a Name
Buy on Vision Forum or Amazon
Age Appropriate For: 12 and up (mild violence, mild romance)
Best for Ages: 12 and up

Description: The year is 1836. A mysterious young English soldier known as the “Boy Colonel” commands a crack regiment in the snowy wastelands of Siberia. No one knows his history. No one knows his name. The Cossacks want him dead—but are they the only ones? It seems his worst enemy may wear an English uniform. The Boy Colonel strives to perform his duty, but when that duty becomes mixed he must decide which sovereign is greater — the king of England, or the God of the Bible. Treachery, intimidation, and deceit block his path. His choice of allegiance may mean the difference between life and death. Is he prepared to risk all to protect his loved ones?

Brothers at Arms was so amazing, I couldn’t wait to dive into John Horn’s other book The Boy Colonel. The description sounded fascinating and unlike any books I had read.

There were two things about this book that detracted from my enjoyment. Before I expound on what I did like about the book, I want to address them. The minor one was the fact our main character, as the title suggests, has no name. He goes by Nobody, which can be a bit confusing at times for a reader. A couple of times I had to reread a sentence or two in order to understand what was meant. Although frustrating at times, having no name is one of the most important elements of the book.

My biggest disappointment was with the romance. It was godly and I really appreciate what I think John was trying to say with the romance; that love isn’t all about feelings. Too often in our modern day culture, we put too much stock into how we feel. However, I wish there had been a little feeling involved. Also, I felt the misunderstanding Nobody and his betrothed wife have went on longer than necessary. It just didn’t feel very realistic.

With all that said, I did enjoy this book. The adventure, like in Brothers at Arms, was excellent. It kept me turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. The Boy Colonel gets into many perilous situations and with God and his ingenious way of looking at things, he finds his way out.

His moral stands, even if you don’t totally agree with all of them, are refreshing. The Boy Colonel is more interested with what God thinks and doing what is right than what others think. That is a message young (and old) people desperately need these days.

Some of the banter of the men under the Boy Colonel’s command was fun. I loved the French and the Irish man especially. They created many of the light-hearted moments of the book and made me laugh many times.

Historically, this book couldn’t have been better. John Horn obviously did a lot of research and put in quite a bit of information, but did it in such a way that you didn’t feel you were reading a textbook; it was just part of the story.

I recommend this book for those who love historical fiction, adventure, and characters that take strong stands for what is right.

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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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