The secret of the Swamp King, book two in Jonathan Rogers' Wilderking Trilogy, is the continuing story of young Aidan Errolson, the boy who will be Wilderking. It opens with a thrilling hunt--this time for a wild boar. To make the hunt more exciting it has to be done feechie fashion. No weapons allowed. I was very happy to see Dobro Turtlebane in the opening chapter as well as my old friend Aidan. So, right away, I was drawn into the story, anxious to see what kind of trouble these lovable characters would get into.

This second Wilderking tale is packed with adventure and danger. Aidan's king sends him on an impossible mission. Along the way he meets with greedy plume hunters, snakes, wolves, feechies, and false kings. But for all the danger, the hilarity is constant. It amazes me that Rogers can write about serious issues while keeping us laughing at the feechies. Branko's feechie love song should go down in history alongside the likes of Oh Susanna and Oh My Darlin' Clementine. Rogers needs to set it to music. Here's one stanza:

She smells just as sweet as a mud turtle's feet.
Her hair is as soft as a possum.
Once I walked by her side,
but she knocked me cross-eyed,
It took me a week to uncross 'em.

The characterization in The Secret of the Swamp King is strong. Rogers gives us, once again, the quirky details that bring characters to life. The scenery is also painted well and as I read I got the distinct impression that the author loves God's creation, particularly the swamps.

As with The Bark of the Bog Owl, the first in the trilogy, The Secret of the Swamp King is more than mindless entertainment. Dr. Rogers gives us a boy loyal to his King. As Aidan goes into the Feechiefen, his friend Massey, knowing the boy is probably going to his death, tries to talk him out of it. He uses the argument that Darrow isn't king of the Feechiefen. In other words Aidan doesn't have to obey, way out there. Aidan answers, "Darrow may not be king of the Feechiefen but he is king of Aidan Errolson, whether I'm at his table or out here past the edge of civilization." Aidan, it seems, understands that the slave is to serve his master well, not only to win his favor when his eye is on him, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

In this volume, Rogers once again gives contrasting pictures and allows his readers to decide for themselves which way is the good and honorable way. He gives us Aidan who chooses to walk the trail God lays before him. Aidan who chooses to be thankful for what God has given him. On the other hand we have the false king who takes what is not his, who longs for a place God has not assigned him. Rogers also contrasts Aidan's proper submission to a God-given authority with the loyalty that foolish men, motivated by greed, give to the false king. Doing right even when it costs us dearly and doing wrong because we want to have life easy are contrasted. And clearly, Rogers shows us that doing right is the best course. Children can't miss it, though they won't be able to express it since it's not preached to them but woven into the story. The fools are the false and greedy people and the wise people are the ones who obey God even when it doesn't look like it will work out happily. This is the finest kind of sermon a book can give. One that doesn't feel like a sermon at all but feels like an adventure story full of characters and battles that enlarge your heart and make you want to live right.

This book has a little bit of a heartbreaking ending. I appreciate that Rogers doesn't paint us a phony picture of everything working out perfectly for the good guys. We don't always have temporal rewards when we obey God, but we still must obey. And obedience is a reward in itself. It makes it possible for us to live with ourselves. It makes it possible for us to maintain our relationships with other people and with God. Rogers shows all of this very clearly and there is no hint of sermonizing about it.

I don't give the story five stars simply because there were two tiny places where I felt slightly bored. I won't tell you where they are since you may not even notice them. But I can only give five stars to a perfect book and I can't say this one was perfect. Very, very close, though.

So I happily give it four and half stars. I am glad to find that Rogers didn't slack off with the second book. He remains my favorite new children's author.

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Copyright © 2005 Sally Apokedak