Prince Etcheon and the Secret of the Ancient

Prince Etcheon and the Secret of the Ancient by Joann Arnold

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "Etcheon always believed he would live and die in his small village that he moved to with his grandmother, Granna Fela--safe, loved, and protected. But with Granna's death comes new information about Etcheon's royal heritage and destiny, which suddenly throws him in the middle of a battle against a wicked king. On the run from hideous beasts sent to kill him, Etcheon is saved by a mysterious girl, a tree with magical powers, and several amazing animals. With his new friends to protect and teach him Etcheon undertakes a journey that will challenge his abilities and define who he needs to become--a warrior-prince charged to save his people."

I really enjoyed this book. It is a little "Eragon," a little "Lord of the Rings," and a little "Harry Potter" all rolled into one. It has everything you want: love, war, wizards, magic, magical creatures, good vs. evil, mystery, and suspense. It is "clean" and very creative. Ms. Arnold has a fun imagination. At first it really reminded me of the story of "Eragon." A boy, who doesn't know who he is, needs to be schooled and mentored, and so is hidden away while he learns. As the story progresses it takes on a "Lord of the Rings" feeling with wizards and evil wizard creatures. Although it may have some of the elements of these books, it is very different and stands alone in its storyline. There are some twists and turns that surprised me, which made it a fun read.

I felt like I really knew the characters and thought Ms. Arnold did a very good job with their development. I wish we had gotten to know a little bit more about Granna Fela and Mr. Otherton, and how he fit into the kingdom. Did he live in the Hidden Kingdom? And which time period did Granna Fela come from? I also wish we had gotten to know Etcheon's parents a little more. Some of the time travel was a little confusing, especially with Etcheon's time frame. It took me a little while to realize how long he had been gone from his kingdom was much different than his age would suggest.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and easy read. I would recommend it if you are in the mood for a good fantasy story.

Rating: PG (Some death, some war scenes, no language and no "physical intimacy."

Recommendation: 9 and up. I am going to hand it over to my 9 yr-old after school. I know that he is ready, though, because he just finished the last "Harry Potter" and has also read all of "Fablehaven." If a child hasn't read those you may want to read it first. It fits in the same category as those books do. It is fine for some but may be too much for others. As always, I suggest parents read it first just to make sure it is a good match for your child. Thank you Ms. Arnold for saving me, I didn't know what to suggest to my son to read next!