Swords Of The Six — by Scott Appleton

I just finished reading Swords Of The Six by debut novelist Scott Appleton, and wanted to give a plug for it.

The book is a young-adult fantasy story set in a mythical land where the forces of darkness are fighting a multi-millenium war against the White Dragon and his servants.

As book 1 of “The Sword of the Dragon” series, Appleton has written a brave introduction to the series and filled it with characters both imaginative and inspiring. Scott writes in his preface:

Take nothing for granted in the tale before you. There are foreshadowing of things to come. Things evil and things good. Victory is not obtained without sacrifice. Neither is heroism a word with which every warrior may be labeled. And sometimes the price of doing the right thing is higher than we are prepared to pay. It may cost a hero or heroine their blood. Or, it may cost them their very life.

The Story:

This is the story of the birth and early years of six sisters. Although they have the appearance of humans, they are actually the daughters of Albino, the White Dragon. They take as weapons the rusted, yet powerful swords of those who betrayed the Dragon in the past and shed innocent blood, and their task is to redeem the weapons in the fight against evil.

This is also the story of the origin of Ilfedo, who will become one of the main characters in the series, and what happens when he encounters the six sisters.

There is a lot to enjoy here:

• Vivid descriptions
• Sacrificial yet real characters
• Powerful allegories
• Twists and turns in the plot

It all adds up to a fun read!

Recommended Audience:

Anyone interested in fantasy will like this book. The Christian themes are subtle, although present, and provide clear examples of Christian duty and service to a loving and powerful God.

For age appropriateness, I would recommend this book for mature teens on up. (Their are some difficult but important issues dealt with at the end of the book, and a parent would want to show some discernment.)

Also, I recommend Swords Of The Six for that wide homeschool audience of voracious book-readers. As a homeschooling father, I know how hard it is to keep good books in front of your kids. This is one!

Scott was homeschooled himself, and this book is the first of many that will form an ambitious yet wonderful series of books that you and your kids will enjoy for a long time.

Flaming Pen Press:

Scott started up his own publishing company to print and distribute his books: Flaming Pen Press! Combining quality editing, professional typesetting, and stunning graphics, Swords Of The Six is a delight to the eyes and a proud addition to my bookshelf.

Make sure you check out Scott’s excellent blog, “The Flaming Pen“.

For another, more comprehensive review of Swords Of The Six, go to Phyllis Wheeler’s blog.