Sword of Soter on tour with Prism Book Tours
SWORD OF SOTER
SERIES: Sacred Armor Trilogy #2
GENRE: Inspirational Young Adult Fantasy
PUBLISHER: Elk Lake Publishing
RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2019
PAGES: 275
NEW KINGDOM. NEW FRIENDS.
NEW DANGERS.
NOT EVERYONE CAN BE TRUSTED …Karina, Tristan, Rashka, and Sam venture forth into the wilderness of Soter on the next leg of their quest to retrieve the Armor of the Creator. With the ancient evil already affecting the kingdom, nothing in Soter is what it seems—from what skulks beneath the canopies of the woods to what lies within the sleek white and gold of the capitol city to the people Karina and Tristan have known since they were children.
Danger lurks around every corner. Discerning who to trust is paramount to staying alive and discovering the location of the Temple of Soter. Yet, to Karina’s horror, Faramos’s reach finds them time and again. The longer they are forced to dawdle, the more people are affected by the growing panic in Soter, and the closer Faramos is to taking over the Three Kingdoms. Can Karina retrieve the information they need while Tristan keeps his brother at bay? Or will the entire quest disintegrate before they even arrive at the temple?
Other Books In This Series
Sword of Soter by Ralene Burke is an admirable sequel to Armor of Aletheia. Whereas in Armor of Aletheia the band of protectors and Queen Karina are rarely apart for long, we aren’t too far into Sword of Soter when we find them all going separate ways out of necessity. This understandably sets a different tone for this second book in the trilogy – the mood is a bit more troubled, friendships are tested like never before, and new players are introduced as doubt of their trustworthiness swirls through the once-solid group. In this sense, it reminds me a lot of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and how the mood shifts from book to book, how the fellowship is tested amongst themselves just as much as from any outside enemy, particularly in The Two Towers (also the second book in its trilogy).
The writing style feels like maybe it is geared for slightly younger than what the content lends itself toward, so I was a bit confused at times on which age level would best enjoy the story. I also felt like the characters weren’t quite as dimensional as they could have been – the plot is well-layered, to be sure, but oftentimes the characters seemed a little flat or their reactions didn’t quite make sense. Still, they kept me engaged in the story nonetheless, and I very much want to know how it all plays out in the third book.
Bottom Line: Armor of Aletheia and Sword of Soter present an action-filled allegory of faith set against the backdrop of good vs. evil, of magic to be avoided and Creator-given gifts to be embraced, of villains and heroes, of queens and elves, of priests and elders and dangerous creatures. As each character ventures in their own way closer to or further from the Creator, their quest for the Creator’s armor takes them to places they never thought they’d have to go and tests both long-held and newly-formed bonds. While some of the writing elements could have been more fully developed, the author has clearly drawn some intricate world-building and left some intriguing possibilities for the third and final book in the trilogy. A great choice for young adults, to entertain as well as strengthen their faith.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received via Prism Book Tours. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 3.5 stars / Enjoyed it!
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Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Whether she’s wielding a fantasy author’s pen, a social media wand, or a freelance editor’s sword, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to help everyone #SHINEBeyond their circumstances! Her fantasy novels are available on Amazon.
When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all-around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . . You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or at her website.
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One winner will win a prize pack that will include print copies of Armor of Aletheia and Sword of Soter, a plush blanket, a tumbler with candy, a journal, and a pen all inside a half-bushel basket inlaid with a gorgeous book print material.
US only
Ends November 6, 2019
This giveaway is hosted by Prism Book Tours, not RimSP
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What about you? What interests you about Sword of Soter?
Looks like an interesting read
it really is!
Thanks for hosting (and reviewing) Sword of Soter this week, Carrie! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Sounds really great
Great covers. Terrific review.
Thanks for the review. Interesting about the difference in content vs. writing “level” for perhaps younger readers. This happens quite often. I haven’t read this series, but I think I would like to check into it.