Seeker: Book One of the Noble Warriors

Our family is always reading together *quality* fantasy literature. To us the most under-praised and under-publicized fantasy trilogy of all is "The Noble Warriors," in three volumes-- Seeker: Book One of the Noble Warriors, Jango: Book Two of the Noble Warriors, and Noman: Book Three of the Noble Warriors. It's about two teen boys (Seeker and Wildman) and one teen girl, (Morning Star), and it soars, with evocativeness and compassion and even tenderness, into their fantasy and magical civilization's politics, hypocrisy, authoritarianism, homeless underclass, gangs, wars, and above all these sensitive teen's heroism and their spirituality -- their engagement with each other, fraudulent cults, barbarous religion (including human sacrifice), peaceful (and magical) monasticism, and their true spiritual seeking. It touches seamlessly and coherently on so many deftly interwoven themes. It is absolutely action-packed entertaining, audaciously intelligent, adventurous, deeply reflective, much too-little known, and a simply stunning achievement.

In this Young Adult fantasy, Seeker dreams of becoming a Nomana, a Noble Warrior. Seeker knows that this is his destiny. Now he is sixteen, old enough to go before the Nom and offer himself, and hope that they accept him. Morning Star is the daughter of a sheepherder. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, Morning Star intends to leave the hills she's always known, and join her mother as a Nomana. She will journey to Anacrea to find her destiny. Wildman has never known his family, or even friendship, or loyalty, or honor. All he's ever known is survival at any cost. When Wildman encounters a Nomana, he knows he's glimpsed a power far stronger than his own, and a peace he never imagined. Wildman wants these things, and what Wildman wants, Wildman always gets. He too will offer his services to the Nom, though he doesn't really think of it in those exact terms. A stranger, more disjointed group could hardly be imagined. But through drastically unexpected circumstances, a group they become. As it turns out, they can all learn an awful lot from each other. Maybe they can even save Anacrea and the Nomana from the threat of their enemies--if they can survive their journey. A wonderfully, beautifully, frighteningly well-imagined world, full of strong and interesting characters. No one is one sided; Morning Star is strong but capable of vulnerability, Seeker is determined but still scared sometimes, and Wildman is primal but lovable. This is a story of strength and power. A story about friendship and loyalty and family. A story about faith and destiny. It's a story about life, and a story about people. It may not take place anywhere you could recognize, but all of the characters contain bits and pieces you see in other people and in yourself. The bad and the good. The best part is, it doesn't end here, this is only book one! Armchair Interviews says: Start with Seeker, then read Jango. You'll be glad you did.

Seeker (full name Seeker after Truth) has dreamed, his whole life, of becoming a Nomana, a Noble Warrior. A protector of the All and Only, the god who made all things. The desire to be one has only grown stronger since his brother, Blaze of Justice, became a Noble Warrior. Seeker knows that this is his destiny, never mind that his father expects him to become Teacher. Now he is sixteen, old enough to go before the Nom and offer himself, and hope that they accept him. Morning Star is the daughter of a sheep herder. Years ago her mother left them to become a Noble Warrior. Now, on her sixteenth birthday, Morning Star intends to leave the hills she's always known, and join her mother in service to the All and Only. Her only worry is leaving her father; she is his world. She's not too worried about being denied by the Nomana; after all her mother is a Noble Warrior. If that's not enough, there are the colors. The colors surround all people, and change a little based on someone's mood and intentions, but everyone has colors around them. Morning Star can see them, and has learned to read them. She will journey to Anacrea to find her destiny. Wildman has never known his family. He's never even really known friendship, or loyalty, or honor. He certainly doesn't know about the All and Only. All he's ever known is survival at any cost. In the midst of an attempted robbery, Wildman encounters a Nomana, though he doesn't know what that is. What he knows is that he's glimpsed a power far stronger than his own, and a peace he never imagined. Wildman wants these things, and what Wildman wants, Wildman always gets. He too will offer his services to the Nom, though he doesn't really think of it in those exact terms. A stranger, more disjointed group could hardly be imagined. But through drastically unexpected circumstances, a group they become. As it turns out, they can all learn an awful lot from each other. Maybe they can even help each other. Maybe they can even save Anacrea and the Nomana from the threat of their enemies. If they can survive their journey, they may even find their destinies. A wonderfully, beautifully, frighteningly well-imagined world, full of strong and interesting characters. No one is one sided; Morning Star is strong but capable of vulnerability, Seeker is determined but still scared sometimes, and Wildman is primal but lovable. Actually, I think Wildman is my favorite character. This is so many different stories all in one great book. It's a story of strength and power. It's a story about friendship and loyalty and family. It's a story about faith and destiny. It's a story about life, and a story about people. It may not take place anywhere you could recognize, but all of the characters contain bits and pieces you see in other people and in yourself. The bad and the good. The best part is, it doesn't end here. This is only book one. I don't know how many there will be, but I'm very much looking fo

Seeker is the story of three young people all searching for acceptance into the Novana Society, protectors of an ancient god. Seeker, The Wildman, and Morning Star eventually find themselves all thrown into the same boat together, and realize that only in working together can they help one another to achieve their dreams and save their creator. Seeker has it all, adventure, romance, mystery, magic (or whatever you choose to call it), everything that makes for a great fantasy read. Simply having all the right ingredients won't bake a great cake however, and it seemed as if Nicholson had the ingredients all wrong. What may have been a mediocre story was saved by strong character development and an outrageously awesome climax. Though the story seems to waffle on at parts, the way in which Nicholson brings all his characters together is ingenious. I eagerly await the sequel to this book.

On the island of Anacrea, Seeker turns sixteen, which means he is now a man. His father, the island's schoolteacher expects Seeker to follow in his footsteps replacing him one day, but the teen prefers to pursue the steps of his older brother, a Nomana "Noble Warrior. Thus he leaves his family to attempt to become a Nomana at the annual Congregation where candidates are selected. His dream is shattered when he is rejected and told to leave. Depressed he meets two other failures, Morning Star and Wildman, a girl and a river rat thief respectively. They commiserate with one another, but Seeker is stunned when he learns the Nomana has publicly exiled his hero, his brother. Needing to know why, Seek and his two allies begin a quest to learn the truth as he refuses to believe his sibling would betray his warrior monk peers. However, their mission turns dramatically dangerous as the trio learns the Nomana are in jeopardy from an insidious powerful enemy who wants them dead sacrificed off the walls of the great city of Radiance. This delightful first tale in the Noble Warriors series targets middle schoolchildren, but adults will also enjoy the coming of age saga due to the escapades of the lead threesome. Their characterizations along with that of several Nomana elders make this fantasy realm seem real. Their adventures turn the story line into an action-packed thriller from the moment the three teens meet and never slows down as they set out to prove they deserve being Nomana. Readers will enjoy trekking with the trio on their quest. Harriet Klausner