A Draw Of Kings

Martin’s hands moved to lower the heavy gold circlet, but reticence filled him. Almost he gave the order for a final cast, for some question that could tell him what to do. “Archbenefice,” one of the benefices called, “why do you wait?” Why did he? He faced four hundred men. “Perhaps I am weak or old, but I desire a sign. The cast of stones failed us because we did not know the question to ask. Do we ever? If Aurae is knowable, how do we begin knowing Him? I hold this crown, and some misgiving tells me the time is not yet. Something restrains me. Is this Aurae?” He shifted, uncomfortable iin robes that suddenly felt too tight. No one answered. Martin waited. A distant clash of steel sounded.

Book:A Draw of Kings, Staff and the Sword Sword Series #3  by Patrick Carr, Bethany House Publishers, 2014

Genre: Fantasy/allegory

Target Audience:

Subjects: Good vs. evil, Holy Spirit, sacrifice, trust in God, love between man and woman, prejudice,, humility

Summary: The fulfillment of prophecy is here. The king has died, the veil has fallen, the enemy is on the doorsteps. And the church is filled with doubt in the time the country needs it most. Either Errol or Liam must die – but which one? How can they know Aurae’s will? What if they crown the wrong one and send the right one off to die? And if that’s not bad enough, they are having to turn to the very people they have made enemies of for help. And the people who should be on their side are instead enemies with a political agenda that Adora is right in the center of. The time has come for all to be decided once and for all, but does the church have what they need to decide?

Notes: Third and final in The Staff and the Sword series, A Cast of Kings deals with the consequences of the truth revealed. When the church learns of the existence of the book (allegorically – Bible) they send Errol off to find it and bring it back, desperate to know the truth about their deity. Then begins battles in many ways on many fronts. There is the battle for Adora who the strongest political figure in the kingdom wants to take for himself to secure the throne. There is the battle with the exiles – prisoners and others the church kicked out of the kingdom, there is the battle with Morgols – the sort of nomadic people specializing in horses that could bring more people to the battle against evil, there is the battle against the Merakai, those who hold the Book in their possession, believing they need it. The church has never held a favorable view towards any of these people and yet they now have to beg for their help in fighting the enemy. It comes down to not a battle fought with swords and men though, but ultimately a battle within the church to know Aurae’s will and follow through on it. This is what determines who wins the war.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.