Recap:

Last month, I shared an incredible project called Project Vortex by Michael Ciccerelli-Wash. Project Vortex beautifully incorporates the original story characters while introducing new characters that enhance the main characters’ development. The conflicts and situations seamlessly intertwine, showcasing Michael’s true talent for storytelling. Despite the large cast and multiple political systems, the information is presented in a way that keeps readers engaged and able to follow the storyline. If you are a fan of superhero narratives and coming-of-age tales, Project Vortex is a must-read.

Introduction:

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders is a YA medieval historical fiction by Eric Westergard. It has won The Historical Fiction Company’s 5-Star Highly Recommended Award in 2022, the Literary Titan Gold Award in 2023, and the Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Seal in 2023.

I found this book through meeting Eric at the LTUE 2023 Writer’s Conference! He is an awesome person and a great writer to talk shop with. He was just preparing to publish Time Marauders at the time, and I told him to reach out when it was ready for a review. It’s awesome to be able to meet and know the author a little better and to see their work come to life!

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders is one of the few novels in a long time that drew me in so much that I was reading it in any spare moment I could. With engaging characters, a great storyline, and a different type of magic, I was hooked from page 1.

Summary:

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders is about Will Donovan, a sixteen-year-old boy who is considered an outcast due to the trials he has faced in his life. However, everything changes when a power-hungry man tries to obtain the magical Soul Scepter, which only Will and his uncle can use. As a result, they are transported to the year 1345 where Will must survive in Medieval England and uncover the secrets behind his abilities.

Set in England in 1345, Eric found a great way to use history to reflect current issues with the “Us vs. Them” beliefs that so many in our world fall victim to. Using his military background, you’ll find that the “what if” types of questions asked will pull you further into the story to find out what could have happened if certain things were introduced earlier in society. And if you love themes of friendship and how those can change and be formed, Eric does a great job of contrasting the different character relationships and how they impact the story.

Analysis and Evaluation:

The greatest strength of Soul Scepter: Time Marauders is the use of delayed gratification. By this I mean that Eric does a great job at revealing only the pertinent information for the reader to understand what’s going on. The reason it hooked me on the first page was the interactions between Will Donovan with the other boys. The information was incomplete, but it piqued interest and invited readers to explore. Eric went one step further and created more questions every time he produced an answer for the readers and the character.

Eric handled the pacing well, especially for a story with a lot of history behind it. Writers often struggle to avoid info dumps when writing about historical settings because readers are not familiar with the timeframe. Eric taught the readers and characters using relevant information and the character’s voice. By creating intervals of action between conflicting worlds, Time Marauders provides a unique perspective on the time frame and how far our world truly has come from 1345.

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders brings to light the way media and the actions of parents impact the young adults of the target audience. It offers a way for someone who may feel ridiculed to see their differences are their strengths and the “sins” of their parents are not a burden for them to carry. Soul Scepter: Time Marauders also shows how belief systems drive a sense of good and evil. And in the end, it’s what the characters’ truths and beliefs are that define their actions in the critical moments.

Personal Response:

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders was gripping with its unique scenarios, magic systems, and characters. Coming from a military background, I appreciated the details about the Humvee and all the military tactics used or referenced. Another thing that Eric did great at was depicting what it’s like to be the child of a military family. Will Donovan shows many of the traits that are instilled in kids who grow up military, but he’s a little different because of the history of his family.

This book made me feel like I’d joined Will and his friends on their adventure back in time. And I probably would have made way more mistakes than they did, but it was good to see them try to keep from tainting the timeline too much. I laughed at certain points and cried at others. I’m an emotional ****, and I love it when I get so invested in the story that I connect with the characters.

Conclusion:

Soul Scepter: Time Marauders is an amazing YA medieval historical fiction that will draw you in from the first page. With the unique challenges and diverse characters, you’ll find yourself relating to at least one of them. Watch for the history and learn as you’re entertained by the fiction. Soul Scepter: Time Marauders would be a great book for anyone who loves time travel stories, especially to the medieval times.

If you, or someone you want to find a book for, is a younger reader, then people interested in the military, military history, and fantasy are going to be the ideal readers. You won’t need extensive military knowledge, but having the background does add to the story.

With every book recommended, or review asked for, you’re always hesitant to start. Most of the time these are people you know or have met and built some kind of friendship with. Soul Scepter: Time Marauders was such a powerfully written book that I don’t regret reading any bit of it. I look forward to adding the hardcover book to my library and watching for the next Westergard book to release.

If you want to buy the book for yourself or a reader you love, go here. As always, leaving your own reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other site you use for books, helps authors like Eric Westergard immensely. And don’t forget to add your own feedback to my review below. I’m always working towards giving my readers, and all bookworms, a better product with each post.

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