The Secret of the Swamp King, Volume 2

Once again Jonathan Rogers has given us a lively romp--a "please-one-more-chapter-even-though-it's-two-o'clock-in-the-morning" romp. My husband even had to turn off the TV and come listen to the story when he heard the feechiefolk talking. We all love those he-feechies, she-feechies, and wee-feechies. (They can't help it that they stink. You'd stink, too, if'n you lived in a swamp.) I can't agree with those who have posted ahead of me, saying the second book is better than the first. The joy of our first meeting with good and loyal Aidan and the . . . um . . . surprising and endearing Dobro would be pretty hard to top. The second book is surely no let down, though. It is simply the continuing story of two kids we came to adore in the last book. They are still as loveable as ever. Still loyal and good and true. Still getting into and out of scrapes in hilarious ways, and all the while reminding us, by how they live, that God is merciful and serving him is a reward unto itself. This book had the same laugh-out-loud moments as the first but this one, I think, had more sad moments than The Bark of the Bog Owl. Aidan is growing up and facing the world as it is and not as he hoped it would be. It is heartbreaking at times and yet there is beauty in Aidan's strength and in his resolve to do the right thing . . . for the feechies, for his father, and for his king. He is truly a hero. Masterful work, Mr. Rogers, hurry with the next one.

The epic of the Wilderking continues with book two of Rogers' fantasy adventure trilogy. A growing flame of jealousy ignites in the heart of Corenwald's King Darrow against the secret boy-king, Aidan Errolson. Since Darrow is raising Aidan in his own Tambluff palace, he's watched the thick-as-kin friendship develop between blood-prince Steren and our hero -- whose destiny is foretold in the ancient legends. Scene after scene, the novel reads like watching a fast-paced action film. Aidan's deepest desire is to please his majesty, yet Darrow's jealousy turns to rage when Aidan captures a wild boar and impresses the court with his hunting skills. The king schemes to send the brave teen hero on an impossible quest, one that will lead him to the heart of the Feechiefen Swamp. Ah...he thinks. Aidan will never survive. Keep turning the pages. Away from the civilized world, Aidan returns to the swampy environment readers loved in book one, THE BARK OF THE BOG OWL. The plot spirals around a mind-boggling mystery. Why have the swamps become so dangerous? A new band of unfriendly feechies terrorizes the landscape. Where did they get their cold-shiny weapons of steel? The peril of Aidan's quest increases. Rattlesnakes! Man-eating `gators! And kidnappers haunt the swamps. Will Aidan discover the source of the new evil and return alive from his journey? One of the most delightful aspects of the book is the laugh-out-loud hilarity of the feechie dialogue and backwater culture. Kids will love the ick factor of feechie hospitality - (Ever been offered a bowl of wiggling grubs?) Parents will love the strong character that drives Aidan to go beyond his own strength...in a book that reveals the hidden source of our hero's devotion to uncovering truth. Wilderking fans will be impatient to journey toward what lies next in book three.

"The Secret of the Swamp King," Jonathan Rogers' second installment in his Wilderking Trilogy, is definitely a landmark in Christian children's fiction. Captivating, easy to read, and written in a style that is neither choppy nor lame, this book is a must read for the young fantasy reader...and anyone who wants an exciting read. While the story follows the basic life of the biblical character David, the world and many of the characters are, without a doubt, Rogers' own. Corenwald is bound to sound like home to the native Georgian and pour memories into the minds of those of us who've visited that beautiful state--whispers of the author's native state flood the story, making Corenwald wild yet not forbidding, unknown yet familiar, and undoubtedly American. Rogers has spun a beautiful tapestry of many colorful threads. While the first book in this series, "The Bark of the Bog Owl," was also a good read, this was even better. Fans of the first book will be more than satisfied--they'll be delighted!

This book is SOOOO good! I actually like it better than the first in the series. Aiden and Dobro are such awesome friends, that it makes you wish you could be one of them. I like it how they stick together and stand up for one another! I especially like the part where Aiden's in the cage and Dobro tells him "I'm gonna get you out of there!", but of course he can't cause it has a metal lock. Later on, in battle, Dobro gets thrown against the cage by an enemy and it breaks the cage. Dobro looks at Aiden and says, "I told you I'd get you out." It's so adorable. I posotively LOVE this book! I HIGHLY reccomend it!