Genre

Young Adult, Fantasy

Audience

Teens

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2022

Themes

Identity, Friendship, Adventure, Good and Evil, Birthright

 

Reviewed by

Tiffany Buck

The peaceful land of Bonvida is threatened when the wicked warrior Luvanasis escapes the dark realm of Calsirv. Luvanasis brings his hideous army of Arcods with plans to rule over the land. Only one person can defeat Luvanasis: Atticus. He is the grandson of the great Desmond who once wielded the sword that protected Bonvida from the darkness.

Atticus is unaware of his legacy and the battle that awaits him. He and his mother were brought to Bonvida from Calsirv by good warriors as an infant, after the death of his father. Atticus grew up on a farm with his adoptive parents and sister. Meanwhile, his mother lives in exile watching over the sword of Desmond. On his eighteenth birthday, Atticus finds his mother, Lavender. She tells him his destiny and gives him the sword. Before Atticus battles Luvanasis, he must gather the shards that give the sword its power.  

On his own, Atticus feels the weight of his destiny holding the sword of Desmond. Like any teen, he craves adventure, but the task he’s been given seems impossible. Bonvida is being torn apart by the Arcods. Not to mention he has no idea where to find the shards. Thankfully, he finds others who believe in the mission and agree to travel with him. The first one to join him is his adoptive sister, Daria. Joining her is Prince Victor of El-Valr, Barlos, an army commander, Lena from a sea colony, Meg, the youngest in the group, and Zane, a scholar. Similar to The Lord of the Rings, the travelers trek across the dangerous terrain of Bonvida in search of the shards. Each traveler has a unique talent that advances the quest.

By far the most intriguing traveler is Zane. He has studied all the prophesies. He is the only one that knows where all the shards are hidden. Always at Atticus’ side, he tells Atticus something quite unsettling. Luvanasis has a descendant who opened the gate to Bonvida for him.

Author C.D. Smith has created an adventurous fast-paced fairytale for teens about the importance of identity with a raging battle of good and evil in the backdrop. Atticus finds his true identity a lot to take in. Does he have what it takes? This makes him remarkably like each of us created by God. How many of us ponder the fact that we are sons and daughters of the king made for greatness.

A sequel to Bonvida’s Adventure is forthcoming The sequel titled Bonvida’s Quest for Light was released Friday September 15th. I am hopeful the author will give the readers a bit more detail on Bonvida and Calsirv. In the story, there are a few creatures/beings the adventurers come across traveling through the regions of Bonvida. They are named but never described. Who and what are they? Of course, any reader would be most curious about the dark descendant. Who is he? Is he one of the travelers? 

I recommend this book to all teen fantasy lovers. Readers will find the characters quite enjoyable. Atticus is overwhelmed by his destiny and yet he perseveres. His adoptive sister, Daria is a young woman of virtue as well as a good fighter. Prince Victor leaves everything behind to follow Atticus. These characters and their values shine through the pages. A prince and a sibling could be quite jealous over Atticus being the chosen one. They aren’t though. They believe in him and help him every step of the way.

Desperate Forest: The Forest Tales Series, Book 1 By Cece Louise

This RomCom fantasy adventure explores a princess discovering the realities of life outside of her kingdom and what true love is really made of.

Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon By Corinna Turner 

A human-sheep hybrid’s friendships with a friendly vampire and a very angsty house-wolf are tested in this story that explores nature versus nurture. 

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

Secrets Visible and Invisible, An Anthology 

Tales of courage, compassion and virtue in compelling and naturally engaging Y.A. short stories.

Lord of the Rings & the Eucharist by Scott L. Smith

What do trees have to do with Bread & Wine?

Books to Deepen Your Lent

Whatever your needs or tastes these books explore the Lenten themes of repentance, confession and renewal.

The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Air Balloon by Corinna Turner

A wolf, a lamb, an air balloon—what could go wrong?

Mark’s Noble Quest by Katherine Campbell

Can a twenty-first century guy survive an Arthurian quest—and keep his true love?

Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs by Corinna Turner

A series of dino adventures that has been doing better what the mainstream Jurassic Park series only recently attempted.

Leaf by Niggle…by J.R.R. Tolkien

Leaf by Niggle isn’t nearly as well-known as LOTR and The Hobbit, but it is as beautiful and moving in its own way.

Nephilim Corruption by Ann Margaret Lewis

Jedi Adventure meets Christian Epic

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson

Discover the far deeper, more salvific tale that Disney turned into romantic fluff.

Demons are Forever by Declan Finn

Marco flees from his fears of hurting Amanda by taking a job to train Vampire Hunters in San Francisco. Should be a quiet job right?

Shadows: Visible and Invisible By Catholic Teens Books

Bringing the holy back to All Hallows, these short stories entertain & remind us of the mercy we all rely upon.

Roland West Loner by Theresa Linden

When his evil brothers lock Roland up in a dungeon he finds a locked box hiding a mysterious treasure.

Christmas Books to Curl up With

Get into the Advent spirit with stories that entertain and don’t water down the holiday.

Brothers by Corinna Turner

To fulfill his dream and become a priest, a young man must sneak across borders and find his way to freedom.

Where to begin with J. R. R. Tolkien?

Beyond the adventure, the way to read The Lord of the Rings is not as an allegory but as a meditation on the human Story we are each caught up in, and in which we each have our part to play, our temptations to resist, and our task to accomplish.

McCracken and the Lost Oasis by Mark Adderley

A swashbuckling adventure into Catholic history and archeology.

The Boy Who Knew (Friends in High Places: Carlo Acutis) by Corinna Turner

Faced with his death, a fifteen-year-old learns how to live through the wisdom of Blessed Carlo Acutis.