“Warriors of the Black Shroud,” by Peter Howe, Harper Collins, Jan. 31, 2012, $16.99 (ages 8 and up)
When 11-year-old Walker Watson meets the red-headed, sword-bearing Prince Edward, he thinks the guy is off his rocker. Edward claims to be from the Kingdom of Nebula. He is searching for the Chosen One, a person from the Outerworld who will become the next king. And Edward believes Walker could potentially be that next king.
It isn’t until Edward transports Walker to the kingdom that glows with light that Walker realizes the prince was telling the truth.
But all is not light and happiness in Nebula. The Warriors of the Black Shroud and their evil master are attacking neighboring kingdoms. And soon, Walker and his friend Frankie find themselves in the middle of the deadly conflict.
“Warriors of the Black Shroud” is a short adventure novel in the vein of good vs. evil. There’s magical creatures — warriors ride unicorns — and sword-fighting. There’s not much depth to characters other than Walker, Edward and Frankie, but any more development would probably have made this middle-reader tale cumbersome.
While “Warriors of the Black Shroud” is fast and entertaining, it doesn’t feel particularly original. That’s not to say it’s a direct copycat of other novels, rather it feels familiar. “Warriors of the Black Shroud” should appeal to boys looking for a hero in the rough.
