Isle of Swords
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review, Scary, Seafaring
Tags: pirates, Wayne Thomas Batson
Our rating: 
Isle of Swords (Hardcover)
by Wayne Thomas Batson
ISBN: 1400310180
Price: USD 11.55
27 used & new available from USD 6.24
It all starts when Declan Ross, captain of the William Wallace, and his headstrong daughter Anne take on a badly injured boy who has no memory of his previous life. As time goes on, the truth about a great treasure, long believed lost, is revealed. Hidden by a mysterious order of monks, this treasure must be reclaimed—and Declan Ross is the one to do it. Perilous dangers await in the journey, and Bartholomew Thorne, the most dreaded pirate on the high seas, is determined to find the treasure first. So begins a deadly race to the Isle of Swords with more at stake than first meets the eye.
Despite a few flaws, I was quite impressed with this book. A great page-turner, memorable characters, and many intricate subplots. I debated whether to mark this for ages 13+, like the other Wayne Thomas Batson books we’ve reviewed, or to bump it up to 15+. I will leave it at 13+ with a warning: Bartholomew Thorne is not a nice fellow, and he does not treat his prisoners kindly. Nothing was overly vivid, but it had me grimacing on several occasions. So do take that into consideration.
Also, I was under the impression that Isle of Swords was a stand-alone book. Be forewarned! I raced through the climax right to the end where the story is left at a cliffhanger. While the main plot is resolved, many mysterious puzzles are left unsolved. All that to say, I’ll be watching for Isle of Fire, the sequel.
(13 votes, average: 4.77 out of 5)
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Ananomys said:
Is there a sequel to this book,? What happend to thorn? I NEED to know!!!!
Jordan said:
I believe that the sequel Isle of Fire is still being written. You can always search around the author’s site to learn more.
Wayne Thomas Batson said:
There absolutely is a sequel. Isle of Fire should be out late spring 2008.
Thanks for the kind words!
-Wayne Thomas Batson
Shandra said:
This book was awsome. I couldn’t put it down. What happens to everyone?? What happens to Thorn?? I need to know!!
Is there a sequal?? I need answers, its driving me crazy not knowing.
Thank You for reading this. Please Reply.
-Shandra
Ruth said:
Yes, Shandra, there is a sequel! Seems to be the most popular question! :-) Isle of Fire will be published late spring of this year. Edit: It looks like the publishing date has been bumped back to August, 2008.
eman said:
Well, the sequel is going to come out, but it seems he is having a hard time with the title. he said maybe torrent of fire.
Anonymous said:
Heyyyyyy!!!! Im back!!!!!!!!! Y has the sequel not come out yet????
Anonymous said:
Hey all my peeps!!! Why hasn’t the second book come out?? I loved the first one! Or has it come out yet?
Jordan said:
According to Wayne Thomas Batson, Isle of Fire is available for pre-order on Amazon. It will be released in August of this year.
Wayne Thomas Batson was kind enough to offer a signed copy of Isle of Fire as a prize for our Incredibooks Summer Read-a-Thon. You might want to check it out.
Andrew said:
Not to spoil the new book, (i’m not even sure this is IN the new book) but when Sir Nigel excuses himself from the meeting, he goes and helps thorne escape. Earlier, Nigel is revealed as scully’s leak in the british navy
Kendall said:
I fell in love with this book from the first sentence. I’ve read it three times and will read it again in order to prepare for Isle of Fire. I adore the whole “pirate genre”, but it’s so hard these days to find something clean and well-written in that area. Wayne Thomas Batson more than delivered a book I could read without cringing, and still not put down. So intense it made me jump… So vivid it made me see what was going on like a movie in my head… So emotional it made me cry. Please read it, you won’t be disappointed.
Nathan said:
Isle of Swords is a great pirate novel, one of the best I’ve seen in a while. It is a fast-moving storyline, so prepare yourself for a wild ride.
cameron said:
This book is so good I loved it I read it all in one day because I could put the book down it just caught my attention. This is a spectacular tale of the high seas, coming of age, and courage. The main characters are pirates. A young boy wakes up to the waves crashing with the question what to do? He does not remember a thing of his past? Find out what happens to this boy…
jconn said:
I loved Isle of Swords! I can’t wait for Isle of Fire to come out! Speaking of which, there’s a “treasure hunt” with tons of prizes at Mr. B’s blog, enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com. Check it out!
Alexandria said:
Isle of Swords is an amazing book written by the mastermind author Wayne Thomas Batson. It’s about pirates, a topic that I have found to be handled strangely in other books, but the author weaves a believable but still spellbinding tale. I love the spirituality in this book, as well. It isn’t too in-your-face but can be greatly appreciated by believers, and unbelievers might get curious about God. It doesn’t justify the horrible acts of pirates, which I have found to be a problem elsewhere, and doesn’t have objectionable content besides some violence which is not explicit. This book is great for about middle school students to adults.
Brock said:
Isle of Swords
Wow! I first picked this book up back in Borders in Illinois with no idea that Mr. Batson was a Christian author. What an awesome story that had lead to so many questions.
The story begins with our future hero awakening on an island with no memory of who he is and how he got there. He is beaten and bruised. The only thing he has for information is a pouch that holds a shock of hair, a small cross, and a large green jewel. What a great time to write about Pirates, when so much attention is being paid to those who ruled the high seas. In the likes of Pirates of the Carribean, another great story interweaving aspects of Christianity into a world of excitement and adventure. I can not wait for the sequel to hit bookstore shelves.
Shyeloh said:
Isle of Swords was a suspenseful novel that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The story begins with a lad of about 17, horribly injured and alone, wakening on an island with no reccollection of who he is or how he arrived there. He is rescued by fiery Anne Ross, who longs to be a pirate like her father, Captain Declan Ross of the William Wallace. With the ruthless Captain Thorne chasing them down, the crew of the Wallace sails to an island home to a special order of monks. They are given a map to perhaps the greatest treasure the world has ever known. But Thorne wants the treasure as well, and will do anything to get it.
bensny said:
This book is simply a masterpiece!
jon m. said:
Isle of Swords is a remarkable book that takes you on a journey through the high seas with excitement at every turn. With adventure at your side and an outstanding, unforgettable plot, you’ll be thrust into a book that you won’t want to put down!
Lindsay W. said:
Isle of Swords is the best pirate adventure I have ever read!
Mr.Batson is a terrific story teller!
Even from the first page, I was tossed into the high seas. With excitment and mystery in every page, you will not be able to put this story down!
Nate Turton said:
Unlike many other pirate stories, The Isle of Swords is a book about a pirate who is good-hearted in nature. While piracy is, in nature, stealing, thievery, and malevolence, DeClan Ross goes about it with class and dignity. He hunts to support his family and he never takes another man’s ship (although sinking it in the midst of battle is not beneath him). It might seem funny to say, to one never having read the book, but DeClan is a pirate of integrity, who is likeable and a great father to his daughter, Anne. The struggle of watching his daughter grow is as plainly evident for him as it is for all of us daddies who have or are watching our daughters become young women. The battles into which he leads his crew, and the cunning defense of his ship against The Butcher, are fast, furious, and wild. The adventure rarely stops in this action-packed story.
As such, the female protagonists, Anne, is a spunky teen who always seems to feel as if she has something to prove…whether she needs to prove it to herself or to her crewmates is not entirely made clear, but that is what makes it easy to identify with her. There are lots of young people who aren’t sure for whom they are living, or what they are representing by their daily actions. Anne’s character will go a long way in helping youths, especially girls, with the struggle to find an identity of their own. I have a feeling that as the series progresses, we will see Anne become a force to be reckoned with in her own right.
Spiritually, there are two very strong points to the book. While there are several lessons to be learned about the basics of faith, and all that, Padre Dominguez will leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads the book. He’s tough, yet compassionate. He’s aloof, yet involved. And most importantly, he teaches the Scriptures by simply living his life. He is one of my favorite characters in literature. The second lesson, and one that is much more broad in its delivery, is the example that not everyone learns or accepts Faith in the same way. There are no mass conversions in the story, but a subtle seasoning of people pondering what Dominguez speaks about. The seed is planted in the characters of the book and between the lines you can see it start to grow roots. This message is amongst the most important in the book as it is The Great Commission in the essence of what Faithful are called to do.
Age recommendations:
Children reading the book alone: 12 years
Children reading with a parent: 9 years
Faith affirming/spiritual message (1-10):
8 – This book sends a clear message about the important of strong character. There is a clear mission that the must be undertaken and the stakes of it test the limits of the individuals’ faith.
Overall Rating (1-10 scale):
10 – Well-written pirate stories written in modern pen are few and far between. Pirate stories that support spiritual growth and challenge the reader to examine themselves as the characters do are next-to-impossible to find. With the thrilling adventures set forth within, the book is a great read.
Would you find this in my personal library?
ABSOLUTELY! It has a permanent place in my bookshelf.
Would you find this in my classroom library?
Yes. Children of all ages will find this book addicting and enjoyable. It is a well-spun yarn that challenges readers on many different levels.