I have no doubt that Karen Hancock will soon be a widely acclaimed author within the Christian action-fantasy fiction genre. Her series, known as the "Legends of the Guardian-King," includes at least four novels that I am aware of. Return of the Guardian-King is book four in this series, and though I had not read the first three books, I didn’t feel I was missing anything in the plot or character’s development. By this I mean that Return of the Guardian-King reads like a standalone book – there are no unfair cliffhangers at the end, either, which some authors use as a ploy to get readers to purchase the next book. I could certainly tell the story was going to continue, but it has a genuine conclusion that would satisfy readers.

Karen Hancock’s first novel, Arena, was also embraced by readers and writer’s organizations. The author holds university degrees in biology and wildlife biology and has had her watercolor art in a number of national juried shows. She resides with her family in Arizona where she participates in events such as helping to clean sea birds after an oil spill. It wasn’t until I visited her website (www.kmhancock.com) that I found out the series is actually a Christian fantasy fiction. While in hindsight I can see how that makes sense, I didn’t feel like there was religious intent behind the tale when I was reading it. I did see, however, a definite resemblance to Odysseus and the Odyssey.

The main character of the Return of the Guardian-King, Abramm Kalladorne, is traveling incognito with a few others who know him only as Aleric. Little do they know that he is actually the King who was recently rescued from a terrible public death: burning at the stake. He is desperate to return to his beloved wife, Madeleine, and is tested time and time again by his adventures. Terrible battles await the populace while the hungry travelers attempt to sway the malevolent force that threatens them all. Madeleine has her own challenges including wading through rumors, diplomatic dealings with royalty and the constant pressure to remarry – as is her duty.

The first three books in the "Legends of the Guardian-King" series have won numerous awards and bestselling lists within their genre. Map lovers will also enjoy the two one-page maps in the first few pages of the book.