A Compelling and Rewarding Boy's Own Adventure

This book was exactly as promised. A tale of daring, nobility, chivalry, friendship, and adventure. The feel is medieval. Think of an Arthurian romance, but without the Arthur trappings. Think of Aragorn and the men of Numenor without the Middle Earth deep background. Just think about how exciting it would be to take off across the Kingdom, with just your wits and a borrowed horse, on an errand of urgent purpose. That's what you get here.

Because it's in translation, and because it was written in spare and crisp prose to begin with, this book is as direct, forthright, and open as its hero. Scenes are well set and sufficiently described. Action and incident are always clear, but the story wastes no words on the unnecessary, and apart from the occasional breather to collect our thoughts we have a sense of immediacy and forward momentum.

This is thrilling stuff. It's not magicky or fantastic. In that regard I imagine it might be considered old fashioned. But honor and courage and friendship and steadfastness don't go out of fashion. Indeed, perhaps the most refreshing lesson from this book is that such strengths and virtues are exciting and underlie gripping adventure. Tiuri is a relatable boy hero for readers of all stripes, and his is just a fine and excellent hero's journey. A wonderful book.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

It’s been a long time since I’v read a story that manages to capture the spirit and emotions of an epic adventure, but The Letter For the King manages to do just that. It’s full of secrets, missions from strangers, and the feeling that you can accomplish anything, be anything, that you want to.

Tiuri is about to become a knight when he’s given a task by a stranger. He must deliver a letter to the king. And on his way to do this, he meets a wonderful and colourful cast of people - good and evil, who will help or hinder his mission.

It’s a very traditional fantasy tale, that encompasses a long journey and a naive and pure hero at the heart of it. The writing is simple, without any nuances or subtleties to the text, and the story itself follows a pattern that’s often repeated (good guy meets another guy at the right time and place, repeat), but it’s the message behind it that struck me more than anything else. It’s wholesome and light and welcoming. It feels homey and nice. There’s definitely a hint of the nostalgia about it that I miss in more modern fantasy stories. Tiuri is also developed enough that you care about his quest and want him to succeed. He’s the very definition of ‘pure at heart’ and his emotional development is nice to see unfold.

It’s not going to appeal to everyone, as the plot is simplistic, but fans of ‘old fashioned’ fantasy should give this a go.

I can't believe this book has only been recently translated to English. I think as a child, I would have loved this book. And I'm happy to hear Netflix is adapting it because it'll get more people to read this fantastic story to their child.

Really really enjoyed this book. I’m a sucker for old fantasy and quest/adventure type stories and this is just that.

The Letter for the King is a book I both enjoyed and didn’t. Some parts of it I found amazing, while others bothered me. I just had a very mixed experience with this book in general. Before reading this book I had heard quite a bit about it. Mostly from my cousin in the Netherlands, as she had to read it for school. Ever since hearing about The Letter for the King, I have been intrigued to pick it up as well. I must say that I’m very glad to have read this book, even though I didn’t end up enjoying it as much as I thought I would.

This story has the feeling of a classic adventure story about a brave main character, which is not surprising as the book was first published in 1962. Because of that format it felt very nostalgic to me, as I’m a fan on classic fantasy stories. I did have problems with the pacing in the story however. The story dragged a bit in places and some of it felt rather repetitive. While the story was fun I wasn’t compelling me to read it, I just couldn’t get into it completely for some reason.

I liked Tiuri as a character quite a bit. Despite having many positive aspects to his character, as you would expect in a story about bravery and chivalry, he was still flawed. He is very impulsive and his bravery can seem reckless at times. While I appreciated his character, sometimes it was hard to read about him. (I just didn’t completely click with him.) The friendships in this book were amazing to read about and probably my favourite aspect of the story. Though I must mention that there were quite a few characters in this story that completely annoyed me and I didn’t want to read about.

Overall The Letter for the King was an alright book in my opinion. It has interesting characters and friendship, but the story and pacing weren’t the best. This is one of those books that I would have enjoyed a lot more had I read it when I was younger. If the premise of this book sounds interesting to you, I would still recommend it! (It is a classic for a reason, after all.)

This book was wonderful! I'm a huge fan of stories like this so when I received an ARC I was ESTATIC! Plus it's being made into a Netflix original? What? That's fantastic! I felt like the author excelled with the plot, writing, and characters. 4 stars!

I had high hopes for this book, but it was overall fairly disappointing. The concepts were definitely well thought out, and I liked the premise of the book. However, there were many times when this book was just overly blunt and would flat out state things that the reader should have been left to find out on their own. This book, while having interesting concepts, was also somewhat boring. It took so long to get through, and I still don’t even understand many things just because they were bluntly stated in passing. I’m sure that there are people out there who would love this book, but it just wasn’t for me.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

the letter for the king (Tonke Dragt)

Title: the letter for the king

Author: Tonke Dragt

Translator: Laura Watkinson

Publisher: Pushkin's Children's Books

Publication Date: Tuesday, September 4, 2018! (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1782690818

Source: NetGalley

I always be interested in fairy tales from other lands.  This translation caught me eye because the author was born in Indonesia, imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp in WWII, and then moved to the Netherlands.  She published this book in 1962 and it won the Children's Book of the Year Award and was subsequently translated into sixteen languages.  Apparently it is also becoming a Netflix series.  So I had to know what the hype was about.

And sadly I have to say that I don't really get it.  The story follows a boy named Tiuri.  He was standing vigil on the night before becoming a Knight when he chooses to leave the chapel in order to deliver an urgent message.  What was supposed to be a simple task instead becomes a quest to deliver a message to a king in another land.

This book is a fairly straightforward and simplistic tale where the young squire is always meeting people at just the right time to help him and nothing bad really ever happens.  Tiuri is supposed to be 16 but comes across as being much younger.  His naivete seemed to make him more like ten or so.  He is honorable and makes friends wherever he goes.

Unfortunately there was no real tension and I was pretty disconnected from the story.  It was a quick read even though the time dragged when actually reading it.   The world building wasn't that exciting either.  With slow pacing and not much action, I was tempted to not finish this one.  I did finish it but didn't really like it and will not reread it.  I wish it had been better.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Pushkin Children's Books!

Goodreads' website has this to say about the novella:

When sixteen-year-old Tiuri answers a desperate call for help, he finds himself on a perilous mission that could cost him his life. He must deliver a secret letter to the King who lives across the Great Mountains - a letter upon which the future of the entire realm depends.

It means abandoning his home, breaking all the rules and leaving everything behind - even the knighthood that he has dreamed of for so long.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Tanke Dragt - Author

To buy the novella go to:

the letter for the king - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

I guess this book reminded me of those I used to read when I was younger. The kind for school, you know? That feel a tiny bit boring. Don't take me wrong, please, most of the time I love a good middle-grade book. But this one felt a bit too naive for my personal taste.
The writing style is neat, it doesn't use over complicated words to describe things. However, it provides very little for me to create a visual image with. Which means that the atmosphere is very weak. Still, the plot advances quickly. However, the intrigue didn’t particularly catch my attention, making it hard for me to keep my focus on the story.
Now, usually I can overlook these things if the characters are compelling. In this case, Tiuri (the boy the story follows) also felt very bland. He has a lot of ideas about honour and duty that feel a bit childish since he’s supposed to be sixteen. Honestly, I would have bought it if he had been portrayed as a younger boy, but it wasn’t the case.
Overall, I think the story would be much more interesting for a younger audience. It’s not a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t for me. I had to push myself a little to make it to the end, which wasn’t nice. I guess it wasn’t my cup of tea.

I’m always up for foreign literature and it’s been a while since I’ve read any fantasy, so I requested this title. Unfortunately, this book seems to be intended to the younger part of middle grade.

The language was too simple. This book was written in Dutch, by a Dutch author (who had resided in Indonesia during the colonial and WW2 era; bonus point for me to read this book!), so I don’t know whether the language is just like that in it’s original language, or is it just a matter of translation. Because frankly, at times, the language feels condescending to me. The pacing was too slow and the character annoys me. Tiuri, our main character is 16, had an experience as a squire for a knight and his father himself is a famous knight. Yet he acted like an inexperienced 12 year old, his first excursion to the real world. He is unbelievably naive and clueless on what to do. Considering the context of the characters, it’s hard to believe. Considering the target audience, it makes perfect sense. There is no action and even though the stake is high, there is no sense of urgency in achieving the task. There are a lot of children’s books that can still be engaging to adults, but this one is not one of it.

A beautiful novel that radiates pureness and sweetness through and through. A powerful message that unlocks powerful emotions and thoughts.

This is the story of Tiuri, a squire that finds the hard way that his destiny is very different than the one he had planned. On the eve of becoming a knight, Tiuri makes the choice of answering a call for help at the cost of everything he once knew. He must deliver a secret letter to the King who lives across the Great Mountains, a letter that will change the fate of an entire kingdom. Along his journey, Tiuri makes discoveries and new friends but he also realises that enemies lurk in the shadows ready to put an end to his quest and his life.

This old-school type of novel was a breath of fresh air; it brings up memories of childhood and the curiosity of reading books about knights and their adventures. The plot is simple and predictable but it doesn’t take any beauty from it at all. Colours and sounds come out of the pages and so do the characters and their journeys. You won’t be able to stop reading it.

The style of writing makes the book come alive as well as its characters. It’s the sort of story that leaves a strange feeling behind, nostalgia mixed with hopefulness and peacefulness. The vocabulary used is simple and easy to understand. The author takes the message across easily and makes you remember it without you even realising it. There are phrases that just get imprinted in your brain and messages that contain valuable life lessons. Moral of the story: the most important thing about a journey isn’t the end, it’s what happens in between the start and the finish line.

Most of the characters are male in this novel and all more a less the same age. Tiuri is a wonderful main character, the type you root for from the beginning. He is genuinely a pure soul with a kind heart that puts the needs of others before his own. He takes on this journey with an open heart and ends up being rewarded for it. In the end, Tiuri learns that the most precious of treasures aren’t things, but people and the moments he got to spend with them. An inspiring character in one the most moving books I’ve read so far.

An inspiring, beautiful book that will bring a smile to readers faces no matter the age. I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley, Pushkin Children's and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

I'm thrilled to see that this Dutch (children's) classic has made it into an English translation...doubly thrilled that it was published through one of my favorite publishers.

I managed to get this book from NetGalley for an honest review and I am so glad that I did choose this book to read. This book is put into a prologue and eight different sections which indicate where in the story the characters are as well as chapter titles to make the reader have some idea what the chapter they are reading about.



Prologue:

In this part of the book the reader is made to understand the past of Dagonaut also how the knights are appointed to the king and why there are five boys in a chapel just outside of the town who is doing a vigil.

This is a great way to let the reader understand how the following boys are where they are and makes the reader wonder which of these boys are going to be going on an adventure and how if they are so close to the king this would be a long book.



Part 1: A Mysterious Mission

After Tiuri hears a man calling for help outside of the chapel he goes to investigate and comes across a dying knight who asks him to take a letter to the King of Unauwen which Tiuri accepts to do. As he accepts he is told to tell no-one his secret and is given the knight's ring to show to the hermit who lives in the mountains as payment to help him cross. Not only this but he is warned to stay away from the black knight with the red shield and the red riders who ambushed and killed the knight.

This starts the adventure for the reader and makes the reader worried about what could happen to Tiuri and makes the reader wonder what is in the letter that he is being made to discover. It also makes the reader wonder why the red riders and the knight with the red shield is after the letter and if Tiuri who is unarmed will be able to go through with the adventure.



Part 2: The Journey Through The Forest

Carrying on from part one Tuiri takes the black horse in which belonged to the knight he had met and goes through a forest to find the source of the blue river that he has been told to locate. On his way he comes across a man called "Fool" who manages to bring Tuiri some food and promises to tell no-one that he had seen him as long as he comes back to tell him about Tuiri's journey when he returns. As Tiuri leaves the Fool he gets stopped by robbers who take his horse and want to take the ring that the knight had given him, however stop due to his courage for keeping the ring, not long after when hiding in a cave he sees four gray knights who are looking for him dead or alive! After a while Tuiri knows he needs to go on his way and comes across some monks in which take him to their monastery and give him a change of clothes and agree to keep that Tuiri was there a secret.

This part of the book I found really interesting and couldn't stop reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next. Not only this but I found myself getting scared for Tuiri and hoping that the gray knight's wouldn't catch him and if they were working alongside the black knight with the red shield that Tuiri was warned about. I was also glad to see what the book was going at a pace where it was not being delayed and kept the readers attention easily and wanting to not stop reading.



Part 3: Castle Mistrinaut

Tiuri goes to the castle of Mistrinaut disguised as a monk called Tarmin, however when the gray knights appear at the castle Tiuri gets captured because he has the ring that the black knight with the white shield. While captured the king and his daughter feel sorry on him and so give him a shield, weapon and some chainmail in order to protect himself after they find out that the gray knights are looking to take revenge on him. Tiuri manages however to prove his innocence to the knights and find out that the knights are there to keep the peace and that red riders who are enemy of both Dagonaut and Unauwin and from the land of Eviellan had told him a different story in which Tiuri was the bad guy. Afterwards the gray knights decide to go with Tiuri on his journey as they are also heading west.

The reader during this part of the novel is scared for Tiuri as he is captured and after not knowing wither the gray knights are going to kill him or not. As well as this the reader is happy that the king and daughter is there to help him and shows that some people are on his side and some people he is able to trust. Finally, as Tuiri goes with the gray riders it makes it pleasant and feel safer for the character as he has other knights to help and protect him along his travels.



Part 4: Along The Blue River

As the company get to an inn they meet a servant called Leor who is a spy for the red riders and admits that he has seen them and was told to get in touch with them if he sees Tiuri or the gray knights. Because of this the knights decide to tell Tiuri about why Eviellan are enemies of Unauwen due to the king having twin sons and the younger one not being able to rule the kingdom of Unauwen which made him angry and jealous. Tiuri also learns more about the knight with the white shield and how the gray riders came into being. The next day as they continue on their adventure the company get ambushed by red riders and people who the knight with the red shield paid to try and kill the company, due to this the knights and Tuiri decided to go different ways and a squire dressing like Tuiri to try and let him have an advantage.

This makes the reader glad that Tiuri made some friends who are able to look out for him and was able to save his life and have the letter fall into the wrong hands. Not only this but it is an important part of the book as you understand why the letter needs to be delivered and why there is such a feud between both Eviellan and Unauwen. It also makes the reader hope that with the gray riders going after the red riders that the journey for Tiuri will be easier and less dangerous.



Part 5: In The Mountains

Not long after leaving the company Tiuri comes across a man called Jaro who is also heading to the mountains and asks if they can travel together which Tiuri agrees to even though he does not feel he can trust Jaro. When Jaro almost dies on their travels however and Tiuri saves him, Jaro seems angry at Tiuri and continue to walk in silence. As the men arrive at the cabin in the woods and meet the hermit Manaures who Tiuri tells everything about his journey to and shows the ring that he was given as proof he is who he said and gets told that he will get a guide for over the mountains called Piak. As the night comes for the first night out in the mountains Jaro tells Tiuri that he is a red rider who was sent to kill him but after Tiuri saved his life he couldn't go through with it however to be careful of a man called Slither who scares even the red riders before leaving to go back down the mountains. That night Tiuri tells Piak all about his adventure and as they continue over the mountains the boys decide to travel together as friends.

This makes the reader feel glad that Tiuri was not killed by Jaro and also understand why he was so angry at being saved as the reader wonders what the knight with the red shield would do to him if he found out about the betrayal. Not only this but finding out that there is a red rider which everyone else is scared of scares the audience and wonders how bad he could be and what he might do to Tiuri if Slither catches up to him. However, the reader is happy that Tiuri now has a travelling companion especially as he is now going into the land of Unauwen which is unknown territory to him.



Part 6: The East Of The Rainbow River

As both Tiuri and Piak get over the mountains they head to the town of Dangria and while exploring the city before heading off to the Castle of Unauwen they get met with an old man who warns them not to go up the stairs of the town hall. As guards bring them into the town hall Piak goes to look around and after the mayor refuses to let the boys leave Piak runs away making the guards chase him and giving Tiuri a chance to go and hide. As Tiuri is hiding he decides to read the letter that he is sworn to protect and keep it in his memory so that the mayor would not be able to get the message. As Tiuri does escape the town hall he finds out that Piak has been captured and is in the dungeon and that there are people who are against the mayor and are going to help free Piak. As Tiuri and the town people go to the court house the mayor admits that he has no reason to be holding Piak and the town goes against him, meaning the boys can go free however they should stay in Dangria. Ignoring the advice to stay they head off to the Rainbow River which there is a tax of three old pieces each, not having the money however they wait till nightfall and risk going across on a boat which sinks when they were halfway across so tells Piak what the letter says incase anything should happen to him. As the guards collect the boys in the morning they are brought to the dungeon and after speaking to the keeper and tells him everything he can about his mission and is set free with Piak.

The reader at this part of the book is filled with worry for Tiuri and Piak as they are being kept by the mayor of Dangria and wonder if the red riders will get to him before he has a chance to get to the king. Not only that but with Piak being captured the reader is worried that he will not be able to be released in time.Also with the letter having been read and not having told the reader what it says it makes the reader want to know what is in the letter so much more and adds a level of mystery to the book. As the segment continues and they are in the water and you know that Piak can't swim the reader starts to feel sad not knowing if Piak will survive but feel glad that at least he has Tiuri there to be with him even if it all ends badly and that they both still have managed to create an amazing friendship on this troublesome adventure.



Part 7: To The West of the Rainbow River

Going through the woods that both boys find creepy they find the dead body of the messenger from Dangria shot through the heart with an arrow. Knowing that they should go forward they continue on a little further when they hear the sound of hooves approaching so decide to split up with Tiuri going forward and Piak going back to the nearest town to let them know about the dead messenger. However, when the approaching turns out to be Warmin from the toll guards who was told that after a mysterious man was looking for them decided to give them some security. Due to this Tiuri brings back Piak and they continue to go through the woods feeling safer if Slither does decide to come at them, this is when they hear that a farmer has seen Slither which makes the guards keep a closer watch on Tiuri and Piak. After approaching the Castle of the White Moon owned by Sir Ivan they are informed that Slither has been captured and that he is in their dungeons, at that moment there is also a message to the toll guards saying that they are needed back at the Rainbow bridge so decide to leave the boys since the threat no longer seems immanent however not until they have made sure that both Piak and Tiuri have armour and weapons. Being close to the end of their adventure the boys continue on and outside of the castle come across a beggar which they decide to give the rest of their money to only to discover that the man is Slither himself! It only takes a few moments for Slither to get captured however and the boys are escorted to the king of Unauwen. The day after Tiuri tells the king everything about his journey and the message in which was to be delivered he is brought to see Slither in the jail who tells them everything he has done to try and capture the boys, after there is a meeting with the kings men where he announces that the letter said that the king of Eviellan was going to try and kill his brother and not bring piece to the kingdoms. As the boys get gifted with rings from the king as well as swords which are sacred to the Unauwen family and Tiuri is told he can keep the horse which belonged to the black knight with the white shield they decide that it is time to head back to Dagonaut with another letter but this time one that does not have risk upon their lives.

This segment shows a lot of danger for both Piak and Tiuri and worries the reader that Slither is so close to them and that he has killed someone which could have been one of the boys. Not only this but when the boys meet Slither it is worrying incase the boys get injured and that they would not be able to protect themselves as they thought that Slither had previously been captured. This part of the book also does make the reader understand why the letter was so important to be delivered however and shows that without them the kingdom of Unuawen could have been in downfall and that all of the risk to their lives are now over and they can now go home knowing that they have done a great service and saved people's lives. Not only that but Slither is now locked up and unable to hurt them which makes the reader feel relieved.



Part 8: Back To The City of Dagonaut

Heading back to the city of Dagonaut Piak and Tiuri make stops at everywhere they have visited and decide to tell their friends everything about their adventure. As both boys make their way back to the mountains Piak decides to stay there due to missing it and says his farewell to Tiuri and says they will both see each other again soon. As Tiuri goes again on his journey he meets everyone he became friends with again such as the king and his daughter who helped save his life, the fool and some of the gray knights. When Tiuri returns to the castle he gets reunited with his family before seeing the king where he tells the story about why he left the vigil and everything that happened through the journey as well as giving the king the letter in which the king of Unauwen had given him. As Tiuri is told he will not become a knight he is disheartened however when the king of Dagonaut announces that there is to be a feast the next day Tiuri is surprised with being knighted however as a knight with a white shield so that he is a knight of Dagonaut and Unauwen. Wanting to complete the vigil so that he has went through the ritual he spends the night back in the chapel and the next day runs into Piak who missed him and wants to be his squire.

This is an amazing ending to the story and when the reader thinks that Tiuri wont make it as a knight and when he is surprised the reader is feeling so relieved and proud of Tiuri for being able to make it through such an adventure before becoming a knight and being a knight for both realms makes it even better as it shows that both kings acknowledge that he is to be a guardian. It also makes the reader feel surprised and proud when Piak returns to Tiuri and hope that he is accepted by the king and the friends and family in which Tiuri has. It also makes the reader want another book so that you are able to see more about what happens now that Tiuri is a knight.



Overall

Overall, this is one of the best books I have ever read and left me wanting so much more adventures from both Tiuri and Piak which I discovered there is a second book! This book brings so much emotion into it and everything that happens in the book is necessary for the story which makes it so much better. I would highly recommend this book you teenagers and people who are wanting an adventure story that they are able to read to their children as well as just enjoy by themselves. Definitely a book I feel needs to be read by everyone!

I first heard about <i>The Letter for the King</i> when I happened to watch bits of the film version (Dutch with subtitles) on TV some time ago, and when I noticed the book on NetGalley, of course I couldn’t resist putting in a request. My thanks to Pushkin Children’s Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this title. This was written by Dragt in 1962 and the translation I read is by Laura Wilkinson, published by Pushkin Children’s Books which according to the blurb at the back of the book brings out children’s books old and new, from different languages and cultures.

This was a lot like the book I last read (<i>Band of Soldiers</i>―teen heroes in times past, thrown into adventure and danger) but still a very different story, and of course in a very different place. Sixteen-year-old Tiuri with five other, slightly ‘older’ young men are about to be knighted by their King, the King of Dragonaut. The rules of the kingdom require that they spend the night before the ceremony locked up, in quiet contemplation, without food, water, or talk, and without letting anyone in or themselves out. But when a stranger knocks at the window seeking help, Tiuri breaks these rules not only opening the window but going out to the stranger’s aid. At first his task seems simple, to deliver a letter of importance to the stranger’s master, the Black Knight with the White shield, which Tiuri thinks he can complete and be back before the ceremony, though there will be some explaining to do. But when he finds the Black Knight with the White shield has been tricked and murdered, and the Knight, before dying hands over his task to Tiuri to complete, he realises what he must do will neither be quick nor simple. He must travel all the way to the kingdom of Unauwen to deliver the secret message to the King himself. Not only is the journey hard enough in itself, in pursuit of Tiuri are the Red Riders, responsible for murdering the Black Knight with the White shield, and also the Grey Knights who suspect Tiuri of the foul deed. Along the way, however, some misunderstandings clear up and he meets various people, in the forest and the cities he visits, who are more than willing to help him accomplish his task even if he can’t tell them what it is. But there are also dangers aplenty, and traps as many along the way, and Tiuri must avoid falling into these traps or being defeated (or indeed dissuaded) by the dangers if he wants to keep his word to the Knight and complete this task.

At a little under 500 pages, this is not a short read but one which was very enjoyable for me. It may not feel as fast paced as one would expect from an adventure story but keeps one interested throughout, for while one might well know that Tiuri will accomplish his task at the end, one does want to know how he does it, and what each adventure he falls into along the way holds for him. Tiuri is a likeable character, believable as a young lad out on an adventure, doing what his heart tells him, yet regretting the Knighthood that he has lost and may never get again, and the same can be said about his friend Piak, who also finds himself at one point having to decide between two things he seems to want equally. While we may not face those very same questions, the kind of decisions they are faced with and must take, and the lessons they learn along the way are relevant for everyone in whatever age and situation. (In fact there is quite a bit of wisdom hidden in there―no not the preachy kind). ‘Villains’ seem to lurk around every corner to bring young Tiuri down but they too are not all of the same shade, as one will see, and some can surprise one. The menacing ‘main’ villain of the piece though is only one shade and very well done. Tiuri may not have been made a knight at the start of his adventure, but his courage, loyalty, and even tenacity show that he is one even if he doesn’t have the title. I enjoyed the world of knights and kings that this book took me into (and incidentally, now I finally properly understand what a Knight errant is―no I wasn’t entirely clear so far). This was also one of the few books I’ve read (there must have been others, though honestly I can’t think of one at the moment) where the return journey (though obviously shorter than the adventure itself) is given some space and doesn’t pass by in a blur. In it, old friends are met again, some explanations given, and some promise of ‘romance’ (like in the Band of Soldiers) is seen. I also liked the artwork, which decorates the pages between ‘parts’ of the book, very much. This is a combination of shadows/silhouettes and something like the spray feature on paintbrush (sorry again for my terrible terminology describing this) but I liked the effect the artist achieved―oh I just looked and the illustrations are by Dragt herself, something I hadn’t noticed at the beginning. Dragt, incidentally, as Wikipedia tells me, is considered “the greatest Dutch female writer for children”. I look forward to reading more of Dragt’s books and also exploring Pushkin’s other titles. Four and a half stars.

Knights at night: Charming tale of a young boy's desire to become a true knight whose adventures on the night before he's knighted help him understand what it truly means to be a night. Thoroughly enjoyed this medieval story.

Neglected classic, loved by my daughter and myself. How it is that this has never been made into a film is beyond me!

This book is a coming of age novel about a nearly knighted squire on a quest to bring an important letter to the king of the neighbouring kingdom.
It's not a bad book, it's just plain boring. You never feel like you are in the center of the action or that the stakes are real and high. Where a re the women? Are they just allowed to be mothers, aunts, or possible love interests? Come on!
This book was originally published in 1962 and it shows, it really shows.

As long as you remember that fighting evil doesn't necessarily make you good! Good and evil are each other's enemies, but they are often found close together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC to review!

How far would you go for a promise?

4.5 stars. This is an old book, but a new edition will be released this year. I don't know when the last time I read such a solid quest tale was. The Hobbit? Percival? This is the story of a boy on the verge of being a knight, and the adventures he has as he tries to live up to the code of honour he aspires to. A promise is exacted of him, a promise that takes him halfway across the world and through the very jaws of death.

We are bombarded by modern literature that teaches us and our children to do whatever they wish, that there is no standard of good or truth to live up to, that if they want something to be right, it is. This mindset is destructive and faulty. Books like The Letter for the King encourage readers to aspire to goodness and nobility. I would not be surprised if this became a classic of sorts in America.

Not for me, this one. I do occasionally read children’s books, and can enjoy them, but this one didn’t seem to transcend the genre and offer anything meaningful to the adult reader. Didn’t finish it as I was soon bored. I’m aware it’s considered a children’s classic and has many fans, but I’m not one of them. Very ordinary adventure yarn.

I love Lord of the Rings and CS Lewis so I was looking forward to reading this. I found it quite slow to get into so be patient as this is a novel, original written some decades ago (and in a different language) and as such is of a different age. Especially suitable for the younger reader who enjoys reading and needs something else to get into.