A Templar's Gifts

March 15, 2011

This sequel to A Templar's Apprentice (2010) takes Tormod in circular journeys around Scotland without particularly advancing the plot. The truth o' yon Tormod's powers canno' be denied—or understood very well, given the brogue-laden prose, which lacks the accuracy for true flavor but is still thick enough to interfere with readability. Tormod is on the run with his new friend, the redheaded and equally magically gifted Aine. They skip from adventure to adventure, uncontrolled psychic abilities troubling them while they seek a Knight Templar with the gift of healing. Tormod's health suffers as his visions become worse. His travels, from discovering a village whose residents have been massacred by soldiers to a brief interaction with Robert the Bruce, are soon only interruptions; primarily his days are occupied by delirium, visions and out-of-control magical temper tantrums. At least his fever dreams are revealing the King of France's wicked plot against the Templars, but it won't do him much good as he wanders through the Highlands. A discombobulated traveling tale, best summed up in Tormod's own stream of consciousness: "Torquil. The Abbot. The Templar. Aine. Bertrand. The bairn. Cornelius. Visions. Dreams. Nightmares." (Fantasy. 9-11)

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April 1, 2011

Gr 6-9-This sequel to A Templar's Apprentice (Scholastic, 2009), the second in a planned trilogy set in Scotland in 1307, recounts the adventures of 13-year-old Tormod MacLeod, a poor boy with special powers who aspires to be a Knight Templar. His prophetic visions are increasing in intensity, making him disoriented and ill, often on the verge of collapse. Tormod leaves home in quest of a Knights Templar healer to save him. He soon meets Aine Cleary, a spunky orphan with supernatural powers of her own. King Philippe le Bel's soldiers, wanting secret information from him about the Holy Vessel (the first book's adventure), pursue the duo. Tormod is one of God's Chosen. His powers are formidable, but they physically deplete him. Much of the book finds the boy tired and sick, and there are many descriptions of bile rolling in the gut and such. These physical descriptions and Tormod's semiconscious state get tiresome and impede the progress of the plot. The interplay with Aine, whose visionary powers allow her to shoulder some of the burden of Tormod's visions, adds some engagement. This historical fantasy is steeped in the Catholicism of the times. The historical context, admittedly manipulated by the author, may well confuse readers unfamiliar with the early history of Scotland. While the author attempts to summarize the first book at the beginning, readers will want to be familiar with it before approaching this one.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

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