I just love it when I can find a book that lets me really escape into another world. Those books for me, as the cynical adult reader I have become, are rare treats indeed. Alastair J Archibald has achieved that for me with his latest book, The Dark Priory.

I hold myself back from saying too much, so I do not give too much away to spoil it for anyone else. I will however say this. I strongly recommend that you get all of his books and read them in order. If however, this is the only book you get, you will not be disappointed as it can stand alone as well.

What do you do with a character that had to be tortured in order to release the power within him and yet, he is still a sweet young youth? His power is one that makes him a weapon. Before anyone should dismiss that thought, I want you to think a moment. What is it we do to our youth when we send them to boot camp and off to war to kill, maim and destroy in the name of victory or defeat? Do we not do the very same?

With The Dark Priory, you actually get some answers to that question, not pat ones, not easy ones, but thoughtful ones. In the meantime, you have a child forced into manhood while very young, grappling with young love, forbidden love, a quest to redeem the family name, (something that is more important to European cultures than our American ones, but still noble), a fight to simply stay alive, plus deal with the fact that his work invariably causes death and destruction and yet, also does some good. A gritty good read with teeth that will keep you up all night and glue you to the computer page, even when your eyes get tired.

Reviewed By: Nancy Louise
© January 2010