The Black Star of Kingston (Tales of Old Natalia: Book 1)

Whitson Mariner is the king of the displaced rabbits of the Golden Coast. They are now living near Ayman Lake in the lands called Natalia and time has moved on. Whitson, married to Lillie, has a son called Prince Lander. Lord Grimble is causing trouble, wanting to clear-cut one of the glades for winter fuel against Whitson's orders. Why the discord? Jealousy! Lord Grimble wanted to be king. It is time to share a secret with Lander and give him a gift. Fleck, son of a coal miner, is now out of a job and feeling uneasy not only wondering what is in the mountains across the lake but also realizing that the rabbits need coal for heat. Fleck's father, Blackstar, had given his life to allow the younger rabbits to escape after the invasion. Now with his father's coat, Fleck, after an audience with the king, is given permission to search for coal and secure the top of the mountain from possible attack. He is now known as Captain Blackstar and is the founder of the Blackstar Star Company The vow to king and each other: "My place beside you! My blood for yours!" What happens when one of the crew accidentally shoots an arrow towards an approaching "stranger" (Whitson) and Fleck protects him by taking the arrow himself? The rabbits feelings are very intense with genuine concern for their lost comrade at one point. Fleck is depicted as a very caring captain. Nice to read. "Terrors and flames, ruin and rage, hatred from on high!" "Coming, coming, coming........." Massive monsters? Hideous shrieking? Sweet illustrations are sprinkled throughout this very well-written book. On the Kindle there is a linked index so easy to get to whichever of the 19 chapters you want. Excellent examples of true loyalty in the face of great adversity. A good amount of suspense also. This story, at 160 pages, is a good length for youngsters and the story-line keeps your attention at all times. IMPORTANT to note that this is a stand alone book. It is not part of a series so you do not have to read the next book to read what happened! The epilogue does mention a different book about King Whitson but as far as I can discover this book has not yet been written at time of this review. (Oct 2016) I purchased this book at the full prevailing price. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. Great for older independent readers or as a read aloud for the entire family. Thanks, Liz

So after I read The Green Ember and loved it to pieces, I began to try to stretch my Amazon money to buy a paperback copy of its prequel. The author, S.D. Smith, had done such an amazing job with his other story that I wanted more, more, more. ; ) And why not buy paperback while I was at it? While I was still in the stretching process, The Blackstar of Kingston became free on Kindle. Oh the temptation to pick it up! Then I found out Mom had picked it up. Oh the temptation to read it! Don’t ever look at the cover, table of contents, prologue, and first chapter of a book if you intend to wait on reading it. Confession: I read it in a day and a half. The Setting: Again set in the fantasy world of Natalia, this book has a lot of the same feel as its sequel but a whole new dimension of its own. Instead of a broken kingdom with a lost king, this time it is the beginning of a kingdom being carved out in a new land. And again, it’s so awesome that the characters are rabbits because it makes action and danger so different. This time it’s not just rabbits with swords—some of them have bows too which is good because they are being attacked from above! (And the rabbits look really cute with them in the pictures, but that’s beside the point.) The Story: This book was a lot shorter than The Green Ember which naturally made it more fast-paced. While it lacked the fabulous mystery of its sequel, it made up for that in brilliant action and inspiring moments. (I underlined so much in some places because I seriously couldn’t read a page without finding some gem!) ; ) The main lessons of the book were probably loyalty and hoping for the future. I loved reading about Heather and Picket’s heroes of old, finding out the significance of the green ember, and having something more to read about Natalia. ; ) The Characters: I loved Fleck Blackstar. He was loyal, passionate, cautious, and heroic. Definitely one of the best rabbits ever. (He invented that really cool pledge!) Humble King Whitson Mariner, Massie, Burnley, and Gavin were also huge favorites of mine. And little Prince Lander is pretty cute. ; ) The Concerns: Parents should have caution in considering this book for younger readers because of some intense un-graphic action. (Seriously, birds of prey with blades strapped to their feet and torches to set your ships on fire is really scary when you are a rabbit!) Other concerns include a young child/rabbit in danger, a destroyed town, and a rabbit who is so scared he is going crazy. So, that’s the prequel I was longing to read. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to decide which book is better because this one is an action-packed story of their inspiring history and the sequel is a complicated, surprising mystery full of hope for the future. To make this decision even worse, the author is coming out with another book this spring. (I seriously cannot wait to see what happens to my most favorite rabbits ever!) Sigh.

"My place beside you, my blood for yours. Til the Green Ember rises or the end of the world!" After reading The Green Ember, I added every other book written in the same world to my TBR list. This was the first one I have read since The Green Ember, and it is just as good. Set a century before the events of The Greem Ember, we are introduced to new characters who belong to a community that has been displaced, and are struggling to find their place to thrive. With resources running low, King Winston authorizes Fleck to head up a crew and sail across the lake to find coal to mine and perhaps protect them from whatever might be in the mountains. Though a shorter story, Smith did a wonderful job with the writing. I was immediately drawn into the story and cheering for every rabbit. From a somewhat benign storyline - go and find a mine - Smith has built a legend, and this is definitely a story that I will return to. While part of me wishes the story had been longer, if only to stay with the characters and the world for longer, at no point did the story feel rushed - well, okay, maybe during the action sequences, but they're supposed to be rushed - or as if parts were being skipped. I definitely look forward to reading or listening to more of Smith's books in The Green Ember world, whether it's in that series or this one. As with The Green Ember, I listened to the audiobook. This one was narrated by Eric Fritzius, who did a wonderful job. His soft voice had the tenor of both a father reading a story to his kids at bedtime and a bard who has gathered the young townsfolk around to recite the tale of the town hero, and I definitely enjoyed it. When I return to this book, I will definitely listen to it, and I hope I have the opportunity to listen to the other Tales of Old Natalia as I continue to explore the world created by Smith.

I can't really decide how many stars I want to give this one. Some things are just lovely and profound, such as: "You don't seem afraid, Captain Black Star!" he said. "You're smiling." Fleck realized that he was, and now the prince was smiling too. "I am afraid," Fleck said, tenderly touching the prince's head, "But I keep on loving what's on the other side of this fight, and that will have to make me brave." The moment when the pledge is first said was so touching: "My place beside you, my blood for yours, 'till the Green Ember rises, or the end of the world." It really packed an emotional punch. The plot, however, felt unresolved and somewhat unsatisfying. In essence, the rabbits set out to do something, are violently attacked, many are killed, some do heroic things to save others' lives, and then it suddenly ends. Nothing is really accomplished. It is a prequel, ostensibly telling the story of a legend the children in the Green Ember know, so I can forgive it a little bit, but I would have preferred a more complete story arc. It is also quite violent. Many characters you love are killed, and battle is described in detail and with powerful descriptions of emotions: fear, desperation, grief. It is well written, and I think will appeal to children who crave adventure, danger, and courage, but I would not read it to a young or sensitive child. I feel like S.D. Smith has SO much potential as an author. His prose is beautiful, you care about the characters, and his world is interesting. The lessons about character, bravery, self-sacrifice, etc are beautiful and so necessary in children's literature. Pacing and plot mapping seem to be his main issues (the other book in the series, Green Ember, while good, took far to long to get to the gist of the plot). I hope Smith publishes more books, because I suspect his masterpiece is still coming.

I am going to venture to guess that Chesterton would have liked this book. Not because it is the most well written book. Not because it is the most artistic book. Not even that it is the best book of his offerings. But Chesterton and his wife Frances would have loved how much this book loves children and the fiction that feeds their souls. S.D. Smith is remarkable. He is not the most complex, elegant or flashy writer I have loved but he has to be one of the most humble and honest storytellers I have come across. His writing style is beautiful. I see much CS Lewis in his writing. His stories come from a love of his audience and a skill honed by the classic authors who nourished his soul. And this absolutely works. This is a story which bears the hallmarks of a love of Middle Earth but not the same intention or mission. I think that the Lord sent JRR Tolkien into his time and place to create Middle Earth to answer the need of that time. To inspire the readers of post-war Europe who were complicit in the eradication of the Shire and the values that dwelled there. In SD Smith's books we see a related but different passion. His stories speak to the hearts of those of us who are watching the culture crash into our values and rage against the virtue of our children. His stories are told from a more tender point of view and therefore take up residence in the moral imagination of the children of this era and inspire them to love what is lovely, good and beautiful. Black Star is smaller/shorter than The Green Ember and has a different feel. It is less developed than the Green Ember and the characters are not quite as well drawn. That said, the story arc is really engaging and very powerful. This is, without a doubt, the kind of book which will support the good we are trying to do in our homes. It is the kind of story which lives in the imagination and continues to whisper truth to the readers long after the book has been returned to the shelf. Bravo, Mr. Smith. Bravo and many thanks.

The Black Star of Kingston is a riveting story that resounds in the heart of every young person who loves adventure. This is a timeless story that portrays the themes of bravery, love, loyalty, kindness and adventure. This easy-to-read story brings forth the real life troubles and solutions of the heroic characters. Let your little one grow up. Let them enjoy the realm of adventurous stories. This story calls your child to aspire to these characters' qualities. The wording is wonderful, the setting captivating, and the characters heroic and brave. Your adventure-loving child will find satisfaction in this work of art. He will only be longing for more by S.D. Smith. Join the group of children and teens who pledge: "My place beside you, my blood for yours, till the Green Ember rises or the end of the world." And for now, my friend, goodbye. Remember, we are in this together. "The Green Ember burns, the seed of the new world smolders. But a fire comes first. Bear the flame." "I am afraid. But I keep on loving what's on the other side of this fight. And that will have to make me brave." - Fleck Blackstar in the Black Star of Kingston. - Review by Eliana, 9 years old (Supervised by mom)

If you enjoyed the Ember series then you owe it to yourself to check out this book. This takes our bunnies back in time to the beginning of the Kingdom, the Ember, the Crown, and the first encounters with the evil birds! Boo! Hiss! The bunnies have just fled and arrived in Natalia, and they have yet to meet the raptors. The rabbits are trying to mine for coal to keep warm during the impending winter. Alas, the coal mines are very close to our villains. Those who have read the previous books with start to have apprehensions as the characters move closer and closer to known and certain doom. The characters are great, and it was super interesting to hear the origins of many of the customs and traditions that we all read about the in Ember series. I give this wonderful book my highest recommendation.

I enjoyed this book! It is a shorter novella. Another great addition to the Green Ember Series. I have fallen in love with this series. Can't wait for the next one. Geared towards 8-14 year old boys. But girls will enjoy it too. And I wouldn't put an age limit on it either. All sorts of ages will enjoy them. My 8-year-old nephew, his dad and myself love them! Highly recommend the series! Read in publication order :) It seems hard to find good books boys will enjoy, so I'm grateful for this series! Beautiful stories about courage and bravery. Clean! Language/profanity: none Sex/innuendo: none Gore/Violence: Several fight scenes, but not graphic in description, very mild. Blood and wounds mentioned, but mild. Dark/Creepy: none