This is the follow up book that continues the story of The Sorcerer of the North. I've liked the previous books in the series a little better than these two. Will, the main character is growing up, maturing. He's figuring out how to handle life and difficult situations without his mentor Halt to lead the way. In men's development literature, one of the themes is how we men may have a mentor that teaches us about life. But at some point we have to go our own way. We have to make our way in life on our own. We have to find out if we have the right stuff to face the trials and circumstances that life throws at us. Sometimes the break with the mentor is fraught with pain and awkwardness. Not so with Will and Halt. Will takes his training to heart, not only asking himself what Halt would do in this circumstance, but also, what does he need to do now that he's making his own choices and decisions. These two books are not only about battling an evil character, but about growing up--about becoming a man.