Saturday, November 30, 2013

Alicia Willis:In Search of Adventure

In Search of Adventure: A Tale of Courage and Devotion (The Comrades of Honor Series, #2)
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Age Appropriate For: All Ages

Best for Ages: 12 and up

Description: Enter In Search of Adventure, the thrilling second installment of The Comrades of Honor Series! Packed with action at every bend, this tale takes up the story of Nathaniel de Lance, once the page of Sir Robert. Now a young man and belted knight, Sir Nathaniel takes young Kenneth Dale for his squire, a boy left destitute by a stroke of ill-fortune. Quickly learning to trust and care for each other, Sir Nathaniel and Kenneth become fast friends, little knowing how much they will need their mutual comradeship. Taking advantage of his liberty as a knight, Sir Nathaniel leaves his boyhood home to visit old friends. The small journey quickly takes an unexpected turn, however, and climaxes into a perilous adventure. Old enemies revisit the scene, creating hazards that require all of Sir Nathaniel’s strength and valor to overcome. Trapped in a hostile country, the question arises: Will he ever return? Join Sir Nathaniel and Kenneth in their rousing adventure and witness the perils that strengthen their courage. Their friendship is extraordinary – but will the rewards of their devotion be greater still? A novel of adventure, comradeship, and suspense, as a valiant knight seeks to overcome his merciless foes and retain honor in a hostile land.

I tend to make a bad habit of underestimating certain authors. I don’t think I will ever underestimate Alicia Willis again. When she asked me to review her upcoming book, I agreed, having loved her last book. To Birmingham Castle had been so good that I thought In Search of Adventure couldn’t possibly be as good. I also thought it was likely some events would be reminiscent of the last book. Was I ever surprised!

In Search of Adventure was even better than To Birmingham Castle: A Tale of Friendship and Adventure. Both stories were set in the same time period, had some of the same characters, and were full of adventure and good morals. That is where the similarities end. Nothing felt repetitive, or old. It kept me tuning pages until the last one, and left me eager for the next book.

Not only were the events different, but the characters themselves were different. Alicia does an amazing job of giving each character their own personality. Nathaniel is strong and kind, but can be too easily angered or annoyed. Kenneth is faithful and compassionate, yet sometimes says the wrong things or shows a lack of respect. Each character was well developed in such a way readers will feel like they are friends.

Historically, Alicia’s books are some of the best researched I have ever read. Indeed, my own upcoming historical fiction looks very poor in comparison. Not only does she write in a language that feels period correct, she puts historical details seamlessly into her story. I have only read two or three other authors that come close to Alicia’s level of research.

I have to say one of the most refreshing parts of the book was the romance. Especially girls are bad about dreaming about the perfect romance and then writing every romance that way. Oh, they change a few things, but really it is the same thing over and over. Whereas in To Birmingham Castle the romance develops slowly over time, in In Search of Adventure it proceeds much quicker.
I highly recommend this book to those who like books set in the Middle Ages, adventure, high moral standards, and well researched stories.

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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.

Other books reviewed by Homeschool Authors by Alicia Willis

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