The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow is a remarkable tale told in the style of an old Norse saga. It is the story of the Soursop family who live right on the western coast of newly Christianized Iceland around 1010 AD. Rolf, the son, is fine in all the ways a father could desire: courageous, agile, thoughtful, loyal and strong. He is also very good with a bow and arrows. His father, Hiarandi, is named the Unlucky because his fortunes have dwindled and he has lost numerous legal battles with his neighbors.

One night, while a storm rages, Hiarandi's wife convinces him to light a beacon fire to help a ship which is foundering off the coast. This is not the normal practice of the time as the coast dwellers have come to rely on the booty from wrecked ships. His actions set off a chain of events which eventually lead to his own demise. The owner of the ship is Hiarandi's brother, Kiartan. Instead of thanking Hiarandi, Kiartan steals from him and leaves him to answer for a crime that Kiartan commits.

At the "Althing" meeting, Hiarandi's covetous neighbor, Einar, charges Hiarandi with the blood debt for Kiartan's crime. Einar wins a lesser judgement against Hiarandi, however, and Hiarandi is sentenced to remain on his own property for one year, that is, not to step off it more than one bow's-shot distance. Just before the year is over, Einar's men convince Hiarandi's only remaining thrall to run away. Hiarandi chases him to within one bow's shot distance but Einar's men are waiting and kill Hiarandi. Rolf, who witnesses the whole incident, kills one of the attackers and wounds several others. Einar claims that Hiarandi stepped out of bow shot distance from his property and so his death was legal. Although his own bow shot falls some feet short of the distance, Rolf insists that someone could be found to shoot the distance and prove his father's innocence. So he travels to seek someone who can shoot better than he. Along the way he wins the loyalty of many influential men and warriors who take up his cause, but none can shoot far enough.

Finally Rolf is outlawed for the death of Einar's man and he and his cousin flee Iceland. Einar gains Hiarandi's property and lives in the house which should have been Rolf's. While at sea, Rolf's ship is captured by Vikings and he and his cousin are taken captive. The Vikings are then defeated and captured by Orkney men. Rolf and his cousin are unlawfully made thralls of the Icelandic foster son of a thane of Orkney. This boy, Grani, lacks all the virtue Rolf possesses yet Rolf is able to teach him many things. They survive a Viking attack together and travel to warn the Earl of Orkney of the Viking invaders, becoming friends along the way. In all this adventure, Rolf acquires the bow from the burial mound of a Viking warrior.

Grani frees Rolf from his thralldom but as they return to Iceland, Grani reveals that his birth father is Einar. In his pride Grani will not ask Rolf forgiveness for all the wrongs he has done him since his capture so they must go to shore as enemies. Their ship crashes off the coast and Rolf rescues Grani bringing him to Einar's house. After escaping capture, Rolf disguises himself as a woman and lives a few months at his mother's dwelling up the hill from Einar and Grani.

At a harvest feast at Einar's house, in a marvelous scene, Rolf arrives disguised as the woman and shoots the Viking bow the distance to where his father fell, thus proving his death unlawful. Einar must forfeit the property and live up the hill at the dwelling where Rolf's mother had been. Rolf sends Einar and Grani trouble after trouble until Grani's pride finally breaks and he begs Rolf's forgiveness. Rolf immediately forgives him and they are restored as neighbors and friends and the unlucky curse on the Soursop line is ended.

Although this adventure is the story of Rolf's steadfast victory over his evil circumstances, it is also the story of the maturation of Grani. He begins as a self-indulged, selfish and wrongfully proud boy and he grows into an honorable man. All along the way he can see that Rolf is in the right, but he cannot bring himself to admit it to Rolf. Finally his will accepts what his heart knew all along. The last chapter of the book is drawn masterfully to this conclusion and is as satisfying as the scene where Rolf's bow shot vindicates his father.

There is much more to the story than this summary can cover. It is full of details of Icelandic and Orkney life and of the legal system to which the people are bound. The fact that it is written entirely, flawlessly as a Norse saga lends it authenticity and makes it a joy to read.

Recommended for grades seven and up

I have to be perfectly honest. I didn't expect to like this book. The idea of an overtly Catholic fantasy-adventure story trying to make it's way into the genre dominated by Harry Potter? Well... I skeptically picked up the book and read four or five chapters the night it arrived in the mail. It seemed interesting but things didn't seem to be making much sense yet. I picked it up again the next day and the plot thickened. A few more chapters and I was hooked. At about 10 pm I was planning on putting the book down to get ready for bed (no it didn't take me all day to read it – I do have five children!), but I decided on a quick sandwich first and, naturally, a little more of the story. Suddenly it was 12:30 and I was just finishing up the last chapter. I guess I'd have to give it two thumbs up.

Now for a little of the plot.... Danny Mago is a small, quiet 16 year old who is mercilessly picked on by his schoolmates, but recognized by his teachers as having remarkable artistic abilities. Knowing that his widowed mother is struggling to financially support Danny and his handicapped sister Angela, the deputy headmistress of his school offers him a job helping out on the grounds of the nun's convent and working as artistic assistant to Mother Madeleine, a renowned local artist. In cleaning up and cutting back overgrown portions of the convent grounds, Danny discovers an ancient elevator through which he visits some interesting historical characters. Soon he becomes involved in a contest to plan a backdrop to the altar of the new cathedral and a strange Turkish girl searching for an ancient painting of Our Lord (the Mandylion – rhymes with pavilion, not dandylion). Throw in an ancient Maori cloak and some mysterious trips courtesy of his guardian angel, and the result is a rather enjoyable, occasionally hair-raising, adventure story in a Catholic framework with a New Zealand setting. (There are interesting artistic sub-themes as well.) The author has included a glossary of New Zealand terms and an overview of some of the religious references. My two year old highly enjoys just hearing the words in the glossary which sound very funny to her – aniwaniwa, kohekohe, tiki, etc.

The author has a humorous writing style that should be appealing to modern readers. Leo Madigan, who has also authored a number of books about Fatima, skillfully interweaves a Catholic way of looking at things, but never at the expense of a good story. I especially like the sub-plot concerning Danny's sister Angela, who is seriously disabled. Her relationship with Danny is beautifully portrayed (they communicate with each other using their own system of sign-language, he confides in her during difficult times). Also, unlike a number of stories with crippled heroes who are cured in the end (like If All the Swords in England and The Hidden Treasure of Glaston), Angela's part of the story wraps up happily even though she is not completely cured of her malady. I appreciate this unique angle, especially for those who are dealing with such difficulties every day for the rest of their lives. There wouldn't be much hope for these much-beloved souls if happiness depended on a miraculous physical cure.

I hope you and your children (best for ages 12 and up) enjoy the story as much as I did.

When I was in school I learned that great authors will put more in their stories than you read at first. C.S. Lewis is a not only a great storyteller but a great author. And I've only had a first reading of this story. But the very few extras that I have glimpsed are only a beginning to the layers and meanings and truths forged into this incredible tale.

A hint and a warning: Lewis has added a bare two pages to tell us that the ancient Greek myth of Psyche was his inspiration – and he even gives us that story in a small nutshell. But it is for good reason that it is at the end. Don't read it before you take in the real text. He has altered it and added to it – for the better! Don't misalign your expectations for this book which stands on its own very well.

There are two daughters of a mean old king in a barely civilized fictitious land. Their mother has died. The older daughter, Orual, is but a child observing. The king marries another wife for another political link but more so for a son. But this young mother, dying at delivery, produces only another baby girl. Orual takes it upon herself to become the baby's new mother. And baby Istra is a remarkable beauty. Orual has learned from their Greek slave/tutor that Istra means Psyche in Greek. As she grows she only becomes more beautiful – for she is bright and meek and kind as well.

But the king gives no heed, much less love, to his daughters. He can be brutal. Moreover, this barely civilized country has a temple to the goddess Ungit. Her statue is a relatively formless rock. It smells of the blood of the sacrifices. The priest of Ungit's temple does not exude a brighter picture.

And the daughters grow up as best they can with the greek slave as their tutor, no mother and a king who is mostly absent from their lives but for the rare times that he frightens them.

Then troubles come from the most unexpected quarters. And Orual leads us through her trials and attempts to cope. She tells the story to us because she wants to show how bad the gods are to mortals. They are unloving, unjust and unkind and yet still meddling and mischievous. The book is intensely psychological amidst the modest amount of action and adventure. It can be dark in how the reader is drawn through her justifications and feelings of twisted love and of hate. And yet it is still a pleasure to read.

I am at a bit of a loss reviewing this since I have only read through it once. It seems that Orual begins telling the story as one with a long harbored and even infantile grudge – rooted, as it is, in her childhood. And as she tells it, not only does the story unfold, but her own character begins to change. It is masterful how Lewis has written this to REALLY look like a book that was written by Orual – especially how the writing itself changes as the writing of an autobiography must change the writer herself.

And again, I believe that C.S. Lewis, with the help and constructive criticism of the Inklings, has written much more into this than I have yet read. They would have already known the tale of Psyche. They would have reviewed his material for inconsistencies, opportunities and those little literary blasphemies to the original story that would otherwise offend. I can't wait to read it through a few more times.

It is not a 'read aloud' book. In fact it should be read by the parent as well as the high-school aged child so that meaningful discussions can take place. An impressionable youngster does not always have the circumspection to keep him from empathizing so much... from becoming an Orual. And yet this is a must read. It may be a good gateway book to the darker Russian novels. One reason for this is that Lewis himself makes it very clear in the end that the one true God (not the Ungits of the 'world') really does care. How He so loves and respects us that He preserves our free will even at the cost of mystery, frustration and evil in the world. Which leads to another warning: Finish this book! Don't put it down in the middle or you will entirely miss the great changes which reveal so much about Orual's growth and destiny.

Here's a little 'taste' of the story...

If anyone could have seen us at that moment I believe he would have thought we were two enemies met for a battle to the death. I know we stood like that, a few feet apart, every nerve taut, each with eyes fixed on the other in a terrible watchfulness.

And now we are coming to that part of my history on which my charge against the gods chiefly rests; and therefore I must try at any cost to write what is wholly true. Yet it is hard to know perfectly what I was thinking while those huge, silent moments went past. By remembering it to often I have blurred the memory itself.

I suppose my first thought must have been, "She's mad." Anyway, my whole heart leaped to shut the door against something monstrously amiss – not to be endured. And to keep it shut. Perhaps I was fighting not to be mad myself.

But what I said when I got my breath (and I know my voice came out in a whisper) was simply, "We must go away at once. This is a terrible place."

Was I believing in her invisible palace? A Greek will laugh at the thought. But it's different in Glome. There the gods are too close to us. Up in the Mountain, in the very heart of the Mountain, where Bardia had been afraid and even the priests don't go, anything was possible. No door could be kept shut. Yes, that was it; not plain belief, but infinite misgiving – the whole world (Psyche with it) slipping out of my hands.

Whatever I meant, she misunderstood me horribly. (Till We Have Faces, from Chapter 11)

There are a plethora of resources for you to find out the plot of this book out on the web and in the bookstores (eg. Cliffs Notes!!). Many contain "spoilers". And this is OK — after all it's a classic. Moreover, the book is good even if you know what is going to happen. I had the enjoyable luxury of reading this book without having run across the spoilers and with no real knowledge of the plot. I was not required to read it in school — oh happy fault.

The story is about slavery in America. It follows the lives of two slaves in detail, Eliza and Uncle Tom, and introduces us to a great many more slaves and masters and their stories. The two belong to the same master in Kentucky. When the master falls on hard times (from his own inability to manage his estate) he ends up making a deal to sell these two — despite the fact that both of them are rather dear to him and his family. Getting wind of this Eliza decides to run for safety with her son while Uncle Tom allows himself to be taken away from his wife and young children. Eliza risks her life to save her child — running across the ice floes of a partially frozen Ohio river to escape — then finds her way along an underground network. (I won't tell you how her story comes out.) Uncle Tom is sold and resold. He is steadfast in his faith throughout — though not unchanging. Moreover, he affects those who he meets along the way.

This book is written in a very foreign style — at least to the modern reader. Chronologically Mrs. Stowe's style fits somewhere between that of the crafters of the Constitution and that of Mark Twain. But it is not so easy to put it into any other category. Her own narration is a bit archaic, overtly Christian, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes patronizing, and yet very broad minded. She calls you "gentle reader." She says "now don't you think that is fair?" when she expects you to come to the opposite conclusion. And yet she sees clearly through all the haze of the issue — i.e. the "shades of grey" everyone loves to talk about when they can't bear to say right vs. wrong. And she does more: she presents us with characters who take various positions on the slavery issue. Not just "it's right" and "it's wrong" but a wide variety of views. She allows them ample voice and reason to discourse their whole argument; she does not make them straw men; she does not mitigate or twist their ideas; she lays out the best cases for and against — and from several different angles. In the midst of this she demonstrates the effects on the PEOPLE who are subjected to the system — those who are the masters as well as those who are the slaves. It is incredibly revealing to have the whole gamut — the entire conversation — all in one accessible story. And it is incredibly convincing!!! Which is why, as legend has it, Abe Lincoln, when introduced to her for the first time declared, "So you're the little lady responsible for this big war."

This book ought to be read for a lot of different reasons.

1) Arguments aren't just fights. When properly done they are tools to get at the truth. This book shows how to argue in the best sense. Reasonable people may have views that are wrong — and can be changed by convincing. (Admittedly, most of those in this book are not, ultimately, convinced — but some are — it's good to see).

2) Style! You have to get a taste of this style of hers. It is a peculiar dish that we rarely see set before us these days (how much early 19th century do you typically read?!).

3) Faith. Uncle Tom has faith in God. It grows stronger and better through his trials. And, it has effects on those he meets and deals with to different degrees and in different ways. (That's realistic.)

4) It shows us that a story can be an extremely convincing form of persuasion.

5) There is a lot revealed about the fundamental nature of man and his free will by exploring the effects of stifling that free will via enslavement. Her characters vary wildly in their reaction to the invisible wall between master and slave. The slaves will react, contort and re-form (or de-form) themselves to this unnatural order. The slave owners must likewise be ignorant or somehow justify their actions. To the author's credit we see that the justification is sometimes wicked or perverted and sometimes just well-meaning but ultimately flawed reasoning.

6) One thing that kind of percolates up from 5) is that there is a difference between the will and the intellect. Philosophers have argued about this for millennia. Many people believe that if someone knows what the good thing is they will naturally want to do it. But knowing and doing ARE different. And some may know what is good but not do it. Some may even want to do what is not good and through an underhanded twist of the will convince themselves (and really THINK they know) that the bad is good. The sooner a person can grasp the difference between the intellect and the will the more they will be able to direct their own thoughts and actions maturely, profitably and honorably.

7) Believe it or Not! This book has some incredible (as in not believable) events. However, Mrs. Stowe, it turns out had done a lot or research. Most of the events were gathered from real events. Even the more incredible ones such as Eliza crossing the river. — Don't try that at home!!!

Age level: At least High School Freshman +/- a year. Kleenex required.