Need a Hero? You've got one in Sir Michael Sevenson. Although there hasn't been a knight errant in over two hundred years, this young noble has decided to revive the trade. He's found himself a reluctant partner in Fisk, a clever rogue who has been given the choice of serving as Michael's squire or going to jail for a very long time. Now Michael and Fisk are on a quest to right wrongs, protect the innocent, and make the world a happier place. It's not going to be easy. On their first attempt at rescuing a damsel in distress, they break a lady out of a tower, only to discover she was there for good reason: awaiting trial for poisoning her husband. Now the would-be heroes must find Lady Ceciel and return her to justice or be condemned themselves. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

This first installment of the Knight and Rogue novels, a planned heroic fantasy series, chronicles the misadventures of a sarcastic 17-year-old ex-con and his idealistic employer, who is just one year older. Sir Michael Sevenson is a knight-errant, although, as the narrator puts it, that kind of romantic idiocy hasn't existed in more than two centuries. After Sir Michael saves the narrator, Fisk, from a lengthy jail sentence by hiring him on as his squire, the unlikely duo rescue an imprisoned damsel in distress from a tower only to discover that they've freed a woman suspected of murdering her husband. To make amends, Sir Michael and his wily squire set out to capture the villainess and bring her back to trial. Bell (The Goblin Wood) fills the ensuing realm-spanning journey with magic-filled adventure and moments of downright hilarity, especially scenes involving Tipple, the alcoholic horse. While some serious shortcomings mar the narrative characters aside from the two protagonists are essentially flat, and the world-building aspect is practically nonexistent the fast-paced action and well-developed friendship between Sir Michael and Fisk make up for any inadequacies. Ages 12-up. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 8 10 Longing for adventure, 18-year-old Sir Michael declares himself a knight errant (although the book has a medieval-era setting, no one has heard of such a thing in many years and the idea often gets him laughed at). Fisk, 17, is his indebted and unwilling squire. After rescuing Lady Ceciel from her prison tower, they learn that she is not a damsel in distress, but rather an accused murderess. Their attempts to bring her to justice result in her comeuppance and in the teens' tightly forged friendship that will clearly lead to further adventures. The novel is brimming with saved-by-a-hair escapades and fast-paced realistic action, told alternately from each teen's point of view. Their world is filled with "magica," a gift that allows its possessor to perform extraordinary tasks. In fact, while Michael and Fisk's bravery and wits frame their approach to the problems they incur, it is magica that enables them to escape their would-be dire fate. Nevertheless, the underlying messages could not be more real: the importance of truth, the value of friendship, and the need for staying true to oneself. Delivered skillfully, these ideas are sure to leave their mark on readers. Unusual and invented vocabulary is employed throughout. Like Bell's The Goblin Wood(2003) and The Wizard Test (2005, both HarperCollins), this well-created fantasy is a great read with worthwhile moral issues pertinent to its intended audience. Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

This enjoyable novel from the Knight and Rogue series seamlessly combines fantasy, mystery, and adventure, but Bell's most notable accomplishment is the two main characters: the knight and the rogue. A young knight errant in a society where that occupation has not been viable (or anything but laughable) for a couple of centuries, Sir Michael approaches the world in an honest, straightforward manner. His page, Fisk, an admitted con artist who has learned through hard experience that a sideways approach often works best, looks upon his master's heroic exploits with terror, exasperation, irony, and grudging admiration for his courage. From chapter to chapter, the narration alternates between the two and makes their differences apparent from the start. Each has his secrets, some of which are revealed as they work to free an imprisoned lady, and later, having learned that she was accused of poisoning her husband, attempting to recapture her. With an undercurrent of wry humor and narration that leaves some things unsaid, this intelligently written novel will challenge and reward readers. Phelan, Carolyn. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.