When wild Charlie Graham makes the first solid decision of his life and signs up to fight for the Protestant cause in the Thirty Year’s war, his main concern is to care for his brother’s motherless children, Jeanie and Hugh. To Jeanie’s delight, she is not separated from her little brother, now a page, but also travels to the continent. There her Scottish soul finds much that is difficult to understand, especially the despairing sadness of her new friend Fraulein Gertrud.
Hugh, on the other hand, is thrilled when his uncle enlists under the great king Gustavus Adolphus. Eventually, he finds Jeanie back and is welcomed into the Lubeling family where Jeanie and Fraulein Gertrud are guests. Gentle Jeanie’s earnest prayers, Jesuit treachery, and Hugh’s foolishness bring unexpected joy into their world despite the tragedies surrounding them.
The King’s Service moved me in many ways. First of all, the story itself was deeply satisfying. Furthermore, I was fascinated by the Jesuits’ struggle for the soul of a Protestant starved for beauty; saddened by the death of the great king Gustavus Adolphus; and comforted by Jeanie’s steadfast faith.
Writing from a strong Protestant viewpoint, turn of the century author Deborah Alcock accurately portrayed life in northern Europe during the early 1630’s. If you are looking for a fascinating and inspiring novel about the Thirty Year’s War, I highly recommend The King’s Service. This 180-page paperback, suitable for ages 12 to adult, is available from Inheritance Publications .
Disclosure I received a free copy of The King’s Service from Inheritance Publications in order to give you my honest opinion.
This is my 10th book in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.