The Secret of The Sword

by Sean R Bell, Nastassia Mkrtychan (Illustrator)

Overview

An ancient bloodline. A powerful enemy. A hidden sword with the power to save or destroy the Earth.

Ian Dekker is a twenty-five-year-old filmmaker and hockey fanatic living a happy life in Toronto, but little does he know his destiny is...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781525577635
Publisher:	FriesenPress
Publication date:	07/15/2021
Series:	The Grandfather Chronicles
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.52(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Sean Bell is a Canadian author. Growing up, his creativity and interests were encouraged by the loving relationship he shared with his grandfather. An avid reader, he has long been fascinated by epic narratives, fantasy literature, Arthurian legends, and powerful villains. Combined, these influences led to the writing of his first book, The Secret of the Sword, which is part of his forthcoming series, The Grandfather Chronicles. His imagination and dedication to nurturing family values has helped Sean in creating a world filled with magic that readers of all ages will relate to. He currently resides in St. Catharines, Ontario, with his dog Rocky.

Editorial Reviews

2021-06-04
A debut YA novel sees a Canadian hockey fanatic tasked with keeping the Arthurian sorceress Morgana from escaping her magical prison.

Twenty-four-year-old filmmaker Ian Dekker lives in Toronto. He has just successfully unveiled his first feature—a hockey biopic—when a letter from his grandfather’s attorneys calls him back to the family house in Montreal. Ian was close to his grandfather growing up. Now, 13 years after his grandfather’s death, Ian is charged with carrying on his legacy—a secret double life in which old magic is kept at bay. Through his grandfather, Ian is descended from the Pendragon family, the royal bloodline that gave rise to King Arthur and Morgana, the dark apprentice of the wizard Merlin. For hundreds of years, Morgana has been trapped in the hilted jewel of the sword Excalibur. Now, aided by the 17th-century witch Abigail Williams, Morgana is on the verge of breaking free. Ian is out of his depth. He is pursued by Morganian Monks (malevolent magicians) and has only his grandfather’s journal and a scattering of clues to guide him. Will his happy childhood memories give him the strength necessary to vanquish Morgana? Bell writes as an omniscient narrator and with an eye to exposition, leaving readers scant mysteries to solve. Ian is a virtuous character but not especially proactive. Much of what he learns is through information dumps. The story is fundamentally imaginative—successfully marrying Arthurian legend with modern-day Canada. But the characters evince no shades of gray. In Ian’s world, there are good and evil. The only ambiguity comes when the latter takes possession of the former. The plot moves quickly but is let down by less-than-slick prose and dialogue. For example: “Lorne drove into an underground parking garage that led to the destination Ian was headed to. The building above the garage housed these offices, and it was also connected to the aforementioned Underground City. The offices they headed for were a long way up, located on the 29th floor, and the elevator ride seemed to never end.” Although the delivery lacks flavor, the book has an underlying piquancy and is not without positives—most notably, Ian’s strong relationship with his mother. Younger readers may find the story engaging.

An inventive, wholesome adventure steeped in mythology but hampered by uneven prose.

Kirkus Reviews