I’m not really sure where the week went. I meant to get a post up Monday or Tuesday, and I blinked and suddenly it was Wednesday.

I will confess – I have not finished reading this book yet. Serves me right for signing up for a blog tour right before NaNoWriMo starts. I’m working on it, though!

It’s not like I didn’t nearly memorize the original series as a kid, either, if you recall my posts from the last time Brouwer’s books were featured on CSFF. (Blast to the Past, The Orphan King, Fortress of Mist – all still on my old blog.)

But, onto the current book!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in cooperation with the CSFF Blog Tour.

It should be obvious that I’m enjoying reliving my childhood through these books.

It was nearly a ritual.

Mom would take us kids to the local Christian bookstore often. That was where we found these books, or at least the first couple ones, and we’d browse. For a while. Possibly hours.

We’d usually take home one (or two) books, and that was when the ritual would really begin.

We’d gather our projects, or our schoolwork (we were all home-schooled), and Mom would read to us. For hours.

And that’s how we worked our way through the entire series. It was pure torture when we had to wait for the bookstore to special order the last half or so of the series. Torture.

I, at least, obviously survived.

Something about these books struck a chord with me very early on. I don’t know if it’s because I identified with Thomas because he was primarily raised by his mother (though our, er… paternal issues are vastly different), or because we just think alike quite a bit of the time.

What I really love about the books now, though, is that we get to see more from the antagonists. The stories were – and still are – very black and white in some respects, but there wasn’t much in the way of motivation for the bad guys. I like getting to see a glimpse into Isabelle’s head, and seeing how much she truly began to fall for Thomas. Yet she fails to comprehend that if Thomas were to choose the Druids, the things she admires about him would likely be pushed to the side and forgotten. He wouldn’t be that Thomas anymore.

But holy cow, I’d forgotten how much happens in the third book. From Magnus, back to the monastery, to York, and then to the Holy Land… it covers quite a span of time, as well, and finally things begin to settle in for the final showdown. Even though it’s still quite a way off.

As this is a blog tour, don’t forget the other participants!

Red Bissell
Beckie Burnham
Theresa Dunlap
Emma or Audrey Engel
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Nikole Hahn
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Jennette Mbewe
Amber McCallister
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Jojo Sutis
Steve Trower
Phyllis Wheeler
Deborah Wilson
Rachel Wyant