Review by Booklist Review
Orin is a young warrior in training. He and his friends study under the tutelage of their teacher, Mr. Bruno, and work to protect their home, Millstone village. Legend has it that one day a champion will rise, a true hero who will unite warriors across the land and put a stop to the evil menace known as the Fiendlord and his army of monsters. One day, when Orin's village is attacked, he unexpectedly releases a burst of divine energy and comes to the realization that he just might be that champion of legend. During the attack, Orin meets Margo, a lorekeeper entrusted with finding the champion. Along with heartening themes of self-confidence and the importance of inner strength, Lide's action-packed page spreads, filled with cartoonish fantasy creatures and outsized emotional reactions, give the story a breakneck pace and energetic atmosphere sure to appeal to middle-grade fans of quest adventures. Additionally, there is a noticeably diverse cast of characters, which is an especially refreshing change of pace for a book in this genre. Lively fun for sword and sorcery fans.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this series opener, a new champion arrives. Orin is training to become a great warrior so he can help defend his community from evil monsters. One day, the village is attacked by two dreadfiends, who plan to turn it into a blight zone. The guards engage in battle, but all hope seems lost until Orin manages to destroy the creatures--signaling that he's the prophesied chosen champion of the goddess Draela. Orin is joined by new arrival Margo, a lorekeeper who wants to help him find the champion's sword and shield, divine artifacts that he can use to defeat the Fiendlord. Their journey takes them across distant lands, where Orin meets friends and fiends alike as he tries to save the world and find out who he is in the process. Reminiscent of role-playing and adventure games, this tale takes readers on a journey full of knights, spellcasters, and quirky evildoers. The expressive, action-packed panels are lighthearted and humorous, but this is also the story of a boy who's facing self-doubt and worries about being good enough. Readers see that not every problem has to be immediately solved with violence; whenever possible, Orin tries to find peaceful solutions. The cast includes fantasy races with green and blue skin, as well as humans with a range of skin tones. Brown-skinned Orin wears his hair in locs, and Margo has voluminous yellow hair and light skin. Funny, adventurous, and emotionally intelligent. (bonus material)(Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
