I had a little trouble at first with the manner in which Batson constantly shifts the point-of-view from which the story is being told. Hearing from half a dozen different characters who I barely knew was a bit confusing and frustrating. However, as the story progressed, I quickly lost sight of the point-of-view changes and lost myself in the story.

“The Isle of Swords” is first and foremost an action and adventure story populated with memorably quirky characters. Secondly, it is a tale of what is really important in life—not the adventure, but those family and friends who share it with us. The message is smoothly interwoven into the story with the same skill Batson has shown in his Door Within trilogy. Nearly every reader should be enthralled by this fast-paced story set on the high seas.

Mr. Batson, with his simple, yet fast-paced writing style, knows how to spin an amazing tale! Whipped half to death, a teen wakes on an island with no memory of who he is and how he got there. A pouch he clutches holds a shock of hair, a small cross, and a rare green diamond pirates would kill for (and do). Declan Ross, captain of the Wallace, and later the Bruce (and what a battle it was!), wants to free himself and his somewhat annoying and headstrong daughter Anne from the piracy business forever. But when he crosses with the notorious, blood-thirsty pirate Bartholomew Thorne, things get ugly for him and a friendly order of monks… who hold the last (um… maybe not) map to the long lost treasure of Constantine located on the volcanic Isle of Swords. 115% percent, absolutely incredible!

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.