Lion Warrior (Book Review)

Note: Lion Warrior is the third and final book in the Lightraider Academy series. Because of the number of characters and the amount of action in the series, I recommend not only making sure to read the books in order, but also reading the books in immediate succession. Now that the entire series is out, readers do not have to wait for future installments.

Scripture Connection

Through You we push back our enemies; through Your Name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame.

Psalm 44:5-7

Spiritual Themes

There’s a lot of excellent content, here! In the next section, I’ll be including a discussion on some of my favorite elements of the allegory. Here, I’ll briefly notate just a few of the themes I really appreciated.

• In battling darkness, we are to look to God for Him to master it on our behalf, rather than exploring the darkness to better understand how to master it. This is explicitly stated at the start of the book, and is also touched on, later in the story.
• Another element I bookmarked has to do with prayers for direction. Connor wonders, at one point, if he is praying for the Rescuer’s will, or “seeking [his] own understanding.”
• The above theme falls under the larger category of reliance. The novel, and the characters, explore the question of who they are relying on: themselves or the Rescuer. This theme has been present in each book in the series, as Hannibal consistently makes it clear that it is the Rescuer who is doing the rescuing, and the characters do not have innate magic or power. The theme plays an even larger role in Lion Warrior, in terms of overall plot development.

As someone who struggles with knowing the words to pray, I so appreciate when characters in books share their prayers on-page, and I especially appreciate this in the context of praying through the familiar words of Scripture.

Also on the line of allegorical elements, I appreciated the specificity of the foes. Characters are not battling darkness in a general sense. Rather, different creatures embody different temptations and vices. Greed, for example, is represented by stone trolls. Additionally, in having to engage with these creatures, the characters often encounter the siren song of evil. Oftentimes, these songs are specific to the hearer, playing on that character’s specific desires.

We also see, in these skirmishes with evil, the tendency of pride to pervert good desires. Lee, at one point, in his desire to win the battle, discards discernment for desperation. In that moment, his desire for power provokes an unwise response– even though he wants power so that he can win the battle. (While much more obviously sinister, I think of Nikabrik’s desire to reawaken the White Witch in Lewis’s Prince Caspian).

Connor, likewise, makes foolish decisions in his attempt to save the Keledan. What he wants is a good thing, and it reflects a good element of his character: his shepherd’s heart. (In the world of Lightraiders, Enarians are shepherds). But, Connor is seeking to do a job that is for the Rescuer, alone. (And here, I find myself contrasting Frodo’s individual quest for the ring with the Lightraiders’ quests, empowered by the Rescuer. Tolkien made it clear that his writing was not allegorical).

Hannibal writes books for boys, so it’s unsurprising that the romance element, while present, is very light. With that said, I was struck by how well Hannibal handled the romance. There’s a conversation two of the characters have about romantic interests, and it was so beautiful! Love is described very specifically as something the Rescuer arranges—exactly what I’m looking for in romance. Again, very small element of the story, but so well done!

Respectful Discussion / Content

There’s one scene involving a creature that was a little confusing for me. While I was able to interpret the creature as a metaphor for deceit, I was mildly uncertain as to its physical presence fitting in with the story. (It appeared because of deceit?) All in all, that fits with how a lot of the battles in the story go. I was just a little thrown off in this particular context. It’s worth noting, though, the creature did reduce the emphasis on a slightly more “grown-up” bit of content– brief references to an extramarital affair.

There’s a few brief discussions about the goal of rescuing and not killing the (human) Aladoth, because killing them would send them to “eternal separation from the High One.” A few sentences later, these same Aladoth are referred to as “the High One’s children.” I’m very wary of hell as a motivator for relationship with God (having heard a lot of that on my dad’s side of the family, growing up). What I do like is that Hannibal is emphasizing relationship, here.

Additionally, there’s a place where the characters are explaining relationship with the High One. It reads a lot like “the Romans Road,” which often feels shoehorned into Christian fiction. But, the paraphrase worked for me in the story’s context. On the note of relationship with the High One (also called the Rescuer), I think my one critique/desire would have been to see a more personal High One. But, I do so appreciate the huge emphasis on Scripture, which demonstrates how he is working in the characters’ everyday lives.

Lion Warrior features a few humans who are practicing sorcery and being used by the dragons. This is, of course, portrayed very negatively.

Recommendation Status

Hannibal is such a skilled storyteller and I delight in the opportunity to read and review his writing. While Lightraiders books are appropriate for boys and girls alike, I know I read somewhere that Hannibal writes to fill the gap in Christian literature for boys, and that delights me. God is the ultimate storyteller, and I’m so grateful for children’s books that He uses in the lives of children.

I recommend the Lightraiders series for young adults and adults, especially those with a strong penchant for fantasy and adventure.