Wolf soldier

Five young trainees must fight evil creatures to protect their land and people. The Keledan live behind a barrier created by the Rescuer, protecting them from the dark creatures and oppression that live in Tanelethar, the Dragon Lands. The Lightraider Order went beyond the barrier to save others but disappeared generations ago. One day, Connor Enarian, a shepherd boy and grandson of a Lightraider, receives an invitation to attend and revive Lightraider Academy along with four other young hopefuls. They train, learn, and strengthen their faith for weeks, preparing to defeat the goblins and orcs sneaking into Keledan. Following the Rescuer's will, they embark on a journey to stop an impending invasion. Once on the other side of the barrier, Connor realizes they must trust not only the Rescuer, but also a Lightraider spy, a talking silver wolf, and a young Tanelethar woman who might betray them all. Connor and his friends must lean on their faith in the Rescuer and follow his will or meet their demise. Inspired by the Christian fantasy role-playing game DragonRaid, the moral and religious teachings in the book are clear. With the initial focus on worldbuilding, the start of the book is a bit slow, but once readers get a handle on the names and terminology, they will find this an exciting, action-filled read. Connor and other main characters present White; Connor's friend Lee Trang is cued as Asian, and some secondary characters are Black. An engaging Christian fantasy. (map, author's note) (Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.