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.

The Grace Crasher by Mara Faro

The Grace Crasher is the ecumenical romantic dramedy that everyone who has ever had family members in split churches needs to read.

Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation By Fr. Josh Johnson

Fr. Josh addresses some of the common misconceptions people have about God and what getting to actually know him actually means.

Voice in the Storm By: Eric Thomas Ruthford

Four young teens find their voice in the storm while navigating the humorous social complexities of summer camp.

Shooting At Heaven’s Gate, by Kaye Park Hinckley

How does an ordinary boy become a mass murderer?

Breach! by Corinna Turner

Isaiah’s got a T-rex size problem, but this time, it’s not a dinosaur.

McCracken and the Lost Oasis by Mark Adderley

A swashbuckling adventure into Catholic history and archeology.

Comet Dust by C.D. Verhoff

A Catholic end-of days inspired by the private revelations of the saints.

Gapman by Karina Fabian

Earth has its first superhero—and a dragon’s taking him under his wing.

Julia’s Gifts by Ellen Gable

A story of love and God’s providence in times of war.

The City and The Dungeon by Matthew P. Schmidt

Who knew fighting monsters in a D&D dungeon could convince him that not everything can be attributed to a chance roll of the dice?

Nightside The Long Sun by Gene Wolfe

A groundbreaking classic that conveys the practical need for ritual and a Priesthood to a secular world.

I am Margaret by Corinna Turner

A dystopian nightmare that asks what you really believe and how far will you go to defend it.

The Tale of Patrick Peyton

How a humble, Irish immigrant brought Mary to Hollywood and then the World.

For the Pastoral Care of the Sick: July Books to Pray with Reading List

Use your recreational reading to foster an empathetic and Catholic imagination. A reading list to reflect on the sacrament of anointing of the sick, for them and their caregivers.

Doctors, Assassins, and Other Tyrants by Katherine Campbell

Kidnapped princes, delusional assassins, and a dim-witted unicorn. What could possibly go wrong?

The Phantom Phoenix

A humble phoenix rises from the ashes to clean up corrupt, 1920s Chicago in this thrilling superhero comic

The Lucky Diamond By Valinora Troy

An exciting Middle Grade magical fantasy quest, full of monsters, witches, and adventure

The Academy Saga: Book 1 By C.J. Daly  

A thrilling, yet clean, high school romance.

Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman

An intriguing story that will enchant with a sweet romance and take you on a thrill ride through the Gothic version of modern-day New York City.

How the Dragon Awards Could Uplift Catholic Fiction

If you don’t like current state of mainstream publishing and wish there were more widely available alternatives, this is your chance to help make that a reality.