Book Review: "The Hand that Bears the Sword" by George Bryan Polivka

Not how I would want my honeymoon to turn out

Packer and Panna Throme are supposed to be basking in their new marriage and enjoying their honeymoon. Unfortunately this is interrupted by Packer being summoned to help fight the Drammun and defend Nearing Vast. Whisked away from his beloved, Packer must spend months aboard the Trophy Chase fighting the pirate Scat Wilkins. Meanwhile Panna refuses to stay at home twiddling her thumbs. She finds herself having to fend off the two faced Prince Mather who has sold his allegiance to the Drammun. And then there is someone who was thought to be dead, who is plotting their revenge on the Thromes....

I think I might have to rethink my views on fantasy fiction. This series has gotten me hooked on the idea of different worlds and realms. I enjoyed the first book in this series and I was thrilled to continue the adventures of Packer and Panna in the sequel. Once again Panna is my favorite character. She is such a strong female character and a wonderful role model for young women. Even though she loves Packer and respects him, she doesn't want to be left at home waiting. Her experiences with the prince showed just how well she's able to take care of herself in tough situations. The contrast between the crown prince and his brother are very apparent throughout the story. One has given in to the dark side, selling not only himself but his country as well. Meanwhile the other has gone against his brother and tries to do what is right and protect his country from evil.

There's also a surprise return of a character thought to be dead. This character is again, another one of my favorites, and they once again never cease to amaze me with their back story. There's lots of sword fighting in this story with plenty of battle fights to satisfy the adventurous reader. The firefish also makes another memorable appearance as the reader once again gets to see the story from its point of view. The best part of this book is how detailed the author describes everything. Even though this is an imaginary world, the story is written so well that one can see themselves fighting along side Packer. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this wonderful trilogy.

The Hand that Bears the Sword by George Bryan Polivka is published by Harvest House (2007)