4 min read

A beefy arm stretched across his chest while also cutting into his windpipe. Whoever was holding him had to be huge! Tridan struggled, but his ars were pinned by the food sack.
Zoran shouted, trying to pull him free. A large fist struck him across the face and he plummeted to the ground.
Still unable to catch his breath, Tridan tried to cry out. Pain exploded in the back of his head, and a second later the world went black.

Secrets in the Shadows by Kaitlyn King is the suspenseful continuation of the More Than Conquerors series. With endearing characters, a twisting plot, and clear Biblical truths, it’s the perfect read for any Christian teen.

Plot

Warring Brothers, Manipulating Advisors, And Secrets in the Shadows.
Whispers of a silent civil war swirl through the halls of Endor.
In the wake of King Hadrian’s attack, Tridan and his friends are now being exalted as heroes. But can these thirteen-year-olds save the kingdom from itself?
As Prince Altholos’ coronation approaches, Prince Oliver starts his campaign to take his brother’s place on the throne. Noble families are forced to choose sides and covert battles rage throughout the land.
However the next generation of conquerors longs to do more. Can they bring peace to a castle where there are secrets in the shadows of every corridor?

This book’s setup is alluring. While Endor is at peace with its neighbors for a time, a war begins within its borders. Secret meetings in dark rooms and covert agreements make up the plot more than grand battles and unstoppable armies.

As the two princes wage their cold war, another prince and his friends are determined to stop it. Tridan is determined to keep his brothers from hurting anyone in their squabble. And this is where my believability gets stretched a bit.

Everyone one of Tridan and his allies’ actions are based on gossip and whispers they hear around the castle. To me, it seemed unrealistic that they would so constantly hear these confidential plans. Though, seeing as how many friends he has among castle residents, perhaps it would be possible.

Characters

While The Forgotten Prince centered on the characters Tridan, Emeline, Zoran, and Jazmine, Secrets in the Shadows follows them as well as a new generation of warriors.

The book jumps between multiple points of view as it follows the treacherous conspiracy. King expertly ties all their stories together into a cohesive whole, each character learning and growing along the way.

The protagonists are forever joking, as in the previous book. The constant sarcasm added a dash of realism to them I’ve seen few other places. Sure, they’re conquerors, but that doesn’t stop them from having a little fun.

However, I felt that sometimes it went too far. They joke and tease during one fight as lives directly in front of them are on the line.

I appreciated how the author isn’t afraid of flawed characters. Sometimes clean Christian fiction portrays everyone as the most virtuous church member imaginable, but this is not the case in Endor.

Theme & Content Warnings

Secrets in the Shadows covers a few themes. Working together is a significant thread, as is sacrificially helping others. Early in the book, Tridan realizes that being noble isn’t a status, but a set of actions, which influences his behavior for the rest of the story.

One non-Christian character goes through significant emotional turmoil following his near-death in The Forgotten Prince. One man eventually shares the Gospel with him in clear terms, and he is born again.

Characters quote Bible verses regularly, citing them for comfort and direction.

Few content warnings mar these pages. Several scenes take place in bars since one prince is a drunkard. Nearly every scene from his point of view includes at least one mug of ale. Other characters drink on various occasions, too.

Twice, the protagonists are involved in fights, and one mentions people dying. No blood or gore is present, though.

The corrupt Infinity Church is a constant presence, saying chant-like prayers and generally terrorizing the populace. They’re portrayed as obviously wrong and contrasted with Tridan’s faith.

Overall

Before concluding, another area of the story warrants attention—the world. It’s never a focus, but the land King created for the More Than Conquerors series is well-crafted. Between folklore, culture, and locations, it’s simply fun to explore.

In my review of The Forgotten Prince, I mentioned being confused with the noble families and their roles. But this book resolves that, giving a comprehensive list of each major character, their family, and their family’s function within society. This eliminated my confusion while venturing through the tale.

Secrets in the Shadows is a good book. If you’re looking for an adventure that will draw you in with enjoyable characters, keep you turning pages with suspense, and drop you off on a massive cliffhanger (I sure hope book three comes out soon…), this is the story for you.

Thanks for reading!

Categories: Review

Timothy Benefield

Timothy Benefield is a writer by day—and a writer by night. Were he to describe himself, the first thing he would want you to know is that he is a Christian saved by the grace of God. This means he strives to glorify his Creator in all his stories, weaving tales that convict, challenge, and inspire, as well as entertain. If he has anything to say about it, he’ll become an indie published author who touches lives all over the world. On the occasion you don’t find him writing, he’ll be drawing maps to accompany his worlds, consuming a good book, or spelunking in the infinite cave of knowledge.

2 Comments

CM · October 3, 2022 at 12:14 pm

Nice! Im very excited to read this book here soon!

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