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The Letter for the King

(De brief voor de koning #1)

Tonke Dragt,

Laura Watkinson (Translator)

4.15 · Rating details · 6,520 ratings · 419 reviews

A young messenger. A secret mission. A kingdom in peril.

It is the dead of night.

Sixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day.

But, as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help.

A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen ac ...more

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Kindle Edition, 460 pages

Published November 7th 2013 by Pushkin Press (first published 1962)

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4.15 ·

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· 6,520 ratings · 419 reviews

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Mar 04, 2016 jv poore rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: buried-under-books, own-it-arc, middle-grade, legends-myths-fables, mystery, survival-stories

Upon discovering a character I admire and adore, I often aspire to become that character. Emulate a new role model, envision greater goals and dream of different worlds to conquer. In this case, though, I would never set myself up for that fall. Merely a human being, a perfectly plausible person; Tiuri is genuinely good. And kind. I believe that Tiuri is truly and actually, altruistic.

His epic journey to deliver a message of monumental importance took place many years ago. A mission that today c Upon discovering a character I admire and adore, I often aspire to become that character. Emulate a new role model, envision greater goals and dream of different worlds to conquer. In this case, though, I would never set myself up for that fall. Merely a human being, a perfectly plausible person; Tiuri is genuinely good. And kind. I believe that Tiuri is truly and actually, altruistic.

His epic journey to deliver a message of monumental importance took place many years ago. A mission that today could be as simple as “send”, was an adventure only for the courageous and strong then. Traveling alone, on horseback at best; stumbling through the forest by sheer will, hiding from the knights who considered him a murderer and a thief, at worst.

Tiuri is brave. No. Make that, bold—often foolishly so. Although, to be fair, no fault can ever be found. If ever there was a quintessential example of will power (aside from Frog & Toad “Cookies”, that is), Tiuri conveys it. Wise beyond his years he is also, oddly, naïve. A sincere listener, Tiuri ponders then proceeds. Complexly concurrent, he has an uncanny ability to act instinctively.

But I’ve buried the lead.

Tiuri should not even be embarking on this endeavor. Moments before he fled his kingdom, fleet on a stolen horse, with the furious owner following; Tiuri had been locked inside a silent chapel, reflecting upon the duties he would perform as knight to his beloved king; beginning at sunrise.

Tiuri’s abrupt departure meant sacrificing what he had worked towards his whole life (all sixteen years of it). His decision seems reckless and a bit ridiculous. But things aren’t always as they seem, and this cunning theme cuts through narrative cleverly guiding Tiuri as he encounters a plethora of peculiar people during his travels.

The Letter for the King reads like an instant classic. While the fiction is fresh, the feel is familiar. Mystery and intrigue magnificently merge with action and adventure, appealing to all senses. The colorful characters encountered keep loneliness at bay and Tiuri on his toes. 11-year-old-me would have read this book over and over and over.

This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore. ...more

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May 24, 2008 Annet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: dutch, have-to-read-again

Great childrens book, read it several times. Tonke Dragt's books are also read by many adults. Wonderful writer!!

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Sep 24, 2017 Maria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα αυτό το βιβλίο και ο λόγος είναι πως παρότι είναι 616 σελίδες δεν βαρέθηκα ούτε μια στιγμή. Η ιστορία του Τιούρι, ενός αγοριού 16 ετών που το βράδυ της αγρυπνίας του, πριν από το πρωινό που θα χριζόταν οππότης άκουσε μια φωνή βοήθειας είναι απλά εκπληκτική! Αφήνοντας τα πάντα πίσω του, παρότι ουσιαστικά ήξερε τις συνέπειες, γνώρισε τι σημαίνει κίνδυνος αλλά και αληθινή φιλία. Καμιά φορά δεν έχει σημασία ο προορισμός αλλά το ταξίδι. Υπέροχο βιβλίο που το συστήνω σε μικρούς και ...more

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Feb 27, 2018 Denise Bücherwunderland rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Ach war das süß 😍😍😍

Vorneweg
Dieses Buch habe ich schon einmal als Kind gelesen und es hat mich begeistert! Damals habe ich noch nicht so viel gelesen, deswegen heißt das wirklich was 😊.
Deswegen habe ich mir das Buch noch einmal gekauft (keine Ahnung wo das alte Buch ist 🙈) und habe es jetzt nochmal gelesen.

Meine Meinung.
Obwohl ich jetzt doch ein paar Jahre älter geworden bin, hat mir das Buch noch genauso gut gefallen wie damals!

Der junge Tiuri soll am nächsten Tag zum Ritter geschlagen werde ...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Kezia Olive rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, children-books

Oh, give me a sec to let my tears drop.

This book is beautiful. The story inside feels so real. It feels different. It almost feels like Tiuri, the main character here, sits across the room telling me the story himself, and help me learnt so much.
I won't forget this book, that is for sure.
I am glad I found this book in my school library a few days ago. This is beyond my imagination.
I had no expectation when I first saw this book. I thought to myself that maybe this is another freakish classic ta Oh, give me a sec to let my tears drop.

This book is beautiful. The story inside feels so real. It feels different. It almost feels like Tiuri, the main character here, sits across the room telling me the story himself, and help me learnt so much.
I won't forget this book, that is for sure.
I am glad I found this book in my school library a few days ago. This is beyond my imagination.
I had no expectation when I first saw this book. I thought to myself that maybe this is another freakish classic tale, written with so much art and deep thoughts and evil mixed in. But what I found is surprising.

After a few pages I realized how this book feels so pure and unreal but real at the same time. How this book did nothing but touching its readers and send them great values of life that they learn by themself.

It is a book for kids.. but it is an awesome book. Oh let me cry for a little bit more, for this book is beautiful.
I ridiculously love it, I learnt so much from it, gosh I just adore it.

It doesn't feel old or boring. It's awesome.
The characters are all males most of the time, guys that shared the same age with me right now.

The story is about a journey of Tiuri, a young man that ran away on the night before he could be the king's knight, for a secret mission given by strangers. On his journey he met a lot of people, become friends with so many people, and face so much danger. The story tells about how he discovered a lot of things about life, about himself, about the world.

Some sentences here punch in a huge impression in my heart, like the time when Tiuri finished his mission and a wise clown from the neighbour country told him a story of a guy who went on a journey to chase the end of the rainbow, for he believed that the end of the rainbow would be the most beautiful place on earth. However l, after the long trip he found nothing. He was disappointed, but then he thought about the journey he had, how he met so many awesome new friends, beautiful sights,and a lot of happiness, he realized that the rainbow is not the most important thing! Thee beauty and values he found in his journey, that is the most important.

This book is crazily awesome, I hope my son or daughter will read it one day and feel the same thing.
This book gave me a lot. One of the most inspiring book ever. :) I also hope you'll consider reading it too, even thou the cover of it might not look that interesting, haha. Happy reading, and God bless your journey :") ...more

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Nov 27, 2018 Justine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-read, bolen-books-kids-bookclub, read-with-my-kids

3.5 stars from me
4.75 stars from my son

I read this with my 10 year old son for the kids bookclub he belongs to through one of our local independent bookstores. It wasn't one I had previously heard of, although it is a Dutch classic, where it was originally published in 1962.

This is quaintly written old fashioned chivalric fantasy which would provide a nice entry to the genre for middle grade and young adult audiences. It's an older book, and reads that way, but it nevertheless has a simple appea ...more

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Jul 09, 2015 Ken rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2015, ya

As YA goes, this is a 5-star plot. It was written in 1962, apparently, and the new translation is coming on 25 August of 2015.

It's the story of a squire on the eve of becoming a knight who does NOT become a knight because he makes the fateful decision to answer a call for help. One thing leads to another, and before long, this kid is on a quest with unseen enemies all around him (but with unexpected friends as well).

It's sweet, actually. So old school it will remind you of the type of book about ...more

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Oct 11, 2015 Mathew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: being-yourself, childrens-literature, coming-of-age, disguised-identity, family, fantasy, friendship, identity, key-stage-2, kindness

First released 50 odd years ago in the Netherlands, this is a wonderful story of knights and adventures written by Tonke Dragt: why it took so long to be spotted over here (it's sold over a million copies) and be translated is beyond me.
From the outset, when Tiuri is tempted from his night's vigil out of the chapel by a call for help, I was hooked. There was something about Tiuri, the use of limited third person (wonderfully translated by Laura Watkinson) and the style of narrative that reminde ...more

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Jan 14, 2018 Jana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: meine-herzensbücher

GROSSER Buchtipp: Wer dieses Buch nicht liest, verpasst etwas! Das Cover ist zwar nicht sonderlich ansprechend, aber hey, don't judge a book by its cover. Und die Autorin hat für ihr Werk sicherlich nicht umsonst einen Preis erhalten. Also gibt dieser Geschichte eine Chance!

Inhalt: Ein unermesslich wichtiger Brief mit einer geheimen Botschaft, welche über die Zukunft eines ganzen Königreichs bestimmt. Jemand muss den Brief an den König überbringen. Diese Bürde wird dem jungen Schildknappen Tiuri GROSSER Buchtipp: Wer dieses Buch nicht liest, verpasst etwas! Das Cover ist zwar nicht sonderlich ansprechend, aber hey, don't judge a book by its cover. Und die Autorin hat für ihr Werk sicherlich nicht umsonst einen Preis erhalten. Also gibt dieser Geschichte eine Chance!

Inhalt: Ein unermesslich wichtiger Brief mit einer geheimen Botschaft, welche über die Zukunft eines ganzen Königreichs bestimmt. Jemand muss den Brief an den König überbringen. Diese Bürde wird dem jungen Schildknappen Tiuri aufgeladen und er stürzt sich in ein rasantes Abenteuer voller Gefahren, Täuschungen und Feinden.

Dieses Buch ist sooo soooo toll und ist ein richtiges Herzensbuch von mir ❤️ Ich liebe die Geschichte von dem Schildknappen Tiuri und kann mich in dieser Welt immer wieder verlieren, egal ob ich sie lese oder höre. Eigentlich bin ich kein Ritter-Geschichten-Fan, aber dieses Buch kann ich nur empfehlen. Ich fühle jedes Mal aufs Neue mit und kann nicht genug von diesem Abenteuer bekommen. Ein Ereignis überschlägt das andere und es wird wirklich NIE langweilig.

In dieser Geschichte begegnet man so vielen tollen Charakteren. Es spielen viele verschiedene Personen mit und trotzdem verliert man nicht den Überblick. Vermutlich liegt das daran, dass sie nicht allesamt auf einmal auftauchen, sondern im Laufe der Geschichte Tiuri begegnen und ihn aber auch wieder verlassen.

Das Setting ist genial. Es spielt in einer fiktiven Welt mit Könige und Ritter. Das verleiht dem Ganzen einen mittelalterlichen Touch. Die Welt ist sehr gut ausgearbeitet und mithilfe einer Karte im Buch, kann man die Reise von Tiuri genau nachverfolgen.

Über das Buch höre ich sehr wenig, dabei ist es für mich immer wieder ein Highlight!! Also greift zu dieser wundervollen Geschichte. Tipp: Das Hörbuch finde ich sehr schön gesprochen :)

"Ich habe hier einen Brief, einen sehr wichtigen Brief. Ich kann getrost sagen, dass das Wohl oder Wehe eines ganzen Königreiches davon abhängt. Ein Brief für den König Unauwen." (Seite 10) ...more

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Jan 30, 2016 Hannah rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: around-the-world-in-80-books, fantasy, ya, mg

This is a prime example of a book that needs an introduction. The original Dutch edition of The Letter for the King was published in 1962 by an Indonesian survivor of WWII Japanese internment camps and is considered to be a European children's classic. 50 years later, it was finally translated into English.

So how does it hold up? Poorly, when you consider how the English edition was marketed.

I found it on a YA shelf with a shiny cover promising the epic adventures of a 16-year old squire. Sound ...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Anita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: childhood, fantasy, dutch

My father has always faintly disliked reading. Too bad he got me as a daughter! Out of the countless of books that he read to me when I was small, this book and its sequel are by far the most memorable. It fed my imagination to no ends, spawning both great visions and one of the most terrifying nightmares I remember. Since back then, much has changed. My knowledge of the Dutch language might have become crippled, and my eyes feast on the pages of other fantasy masterpieces, but Tonke Dragt and t ...more

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May 21, 2018 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore added it · review of another edition

Shelves: english-translation, tonke-dragt, children-s-literature, young-adult, adventure, knights

I first heard about The Letter for the King when I happened to watch bits of the film version (Dutch with subtitles) on TV some time ago, and when I noticed the book on NetGalley, of course I couldn’t resist putting in a request. My thanks to Pushkin Children’s Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this title. This was written by Dragt in 1962 and the translation I read is by Laura Wilkinson, published by Pushkin Children’s Books which according to the blurb at the back of the book brings out I first heard about The Letter for the King when I happened to watch bits of the film version (Dutch with subtitles) on TV some time ago, and when I noticed the book on NetGalley, of course I couldn’t resist putting in a request. My thanks to Pushkin Children’s Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this title. This was written by Dragt in 1962 and the translation I read is by Laura Wilkinson, published by Pushkin Children’s Books which according to the blurb at the back of the book brings out children’s books old and new, from different languages and cultures.

This was a lot like the book I last read (Band of Soldiers―teen heroes in times past, thrown into adventure and danger) but still a very different story, and of course in a very different place. Of course, this was part of my theme reads this month, the Kings here being the fictional kings of Dragonaut and Unawen. Sixteen-year-old Tiuri with five other, slightly ‘older’ young men are about to be knighted by their King, the King of Dragonaut. The rules of the kingdom require that they spend the night before the ceremony locked up, in quiet contemplation, without food, water, or talk, and without letting anyone in or themselves out. But when a stranger knocks at the window seeking help, Tiuri breaks these rules not only opening the window but going out to the stranger’s aid. At first his task seems simple, to deliver a letter of importance to the stranger’s master, the Black Knight with the White shield, which Tiuri thinks he can complete and be back before the ceremony, though there will be some explaining to do. But when he finds the Black Knight with the White shield has been tricked and murdered, and the Knight, before dying hands over his task to Tiuri to complete, he realises what he must do will neither be quick nor simple. He must travel all the way to the kingdom of Unawen to deliver the secret message to the King himself. Not only is the journey hard enough in itself, in pursuit of Tiuri are the Red Riders, responsible for murdering the Black Knight with the White shield, and also the Grey Knights who suspect Tiuri of the foul deed. Along the way, however, some misunderstandings clear up and he meets various people, in the forest and the cities he visits, who are more than willing to help him accomplish his task even if he can’t tell them what it is. But there are also dangers aplenty, and traps as many along the way, and Tiuri must avoid falling into these traps or being defeated (or indeed dissuaded) by the dangers if he wants to keep his word to the Knight and complete this task.

At a little under 500 pages, this is not a short read but one which was very enjoyable for me. It may not feel as fast paced as one would expect from an adventure story but keeps one interested throughout, for while one might well know that Tiuri will accomplish his task at the end, one does want to know how he does it, and what each adventure he falls into along the way holds for him. Tiuri is a likeable character, believable as a young lad out on an adventure, doing what his heart tells him, yet regretting the Knighthood that he has lost and may never get again, and the same can be said about his friend Piak, who also finds himself at one point having to decide between two things he seems to want equally. While we may not face those very same questions, the kind of decisions they are faced with and must take, and the lessons they learn along the way are relevant for everyone in whatever age and situation. (In fact there is quite a bit of wisdom hidden in there―no not the preachy kind). ‘Villains’ seem to lurk around every corner to bring young Tiuri down but they too are not all of the same shade, as one will see, and some can surprise one. The menacing ‘main’ villain of the piece though is only one shade and very well done. Tiuri may not have been made a knight at the start of his adventure, but his courage, loyalty, and even tenacity show that he is one even if he doesn’t have the title. I enjoyed the world of knights and kings that this book took me into (and incidentally, now I finally properly understand what a Knight errant is―no I wasn’t entirely clear so far). This was also one of the few books I’ve read (there must have been others, though honestly I can’t think of one at the moment) where the return journey (though obviously shorter than the adventure itself) is given some space and doesn’t pass by in a blur. In it, old friends are met again, some explanations given, and some promise of ‘romance’ (like in the Band of Soldiers) is seen. I also liked the artwork, which decorates the pages between ‘parts’ of the book, very much. This is a combination of shadows/silhouettes and something like the spray feature on paintbrush (sorry again for my terrible terminology describing this) but I liked the effect the artist achieved―oh I just looked and the illustrations are by Dragt herself, something I hadn’t noticed at the beginning. Dragt, incidentally, as Wikipedia tells me, is considered “the greatest Dutch female writer for children”. I look forward to reading more of Dragt’s books and also exploring Pushkin’s other titles. Four and a half stars. ...more

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Aug 31, 2018 The Captain rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

I always be interested in fairy tales from other lands. This translation caught me eye because the author was born in Indonesia, imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp in WWII, and then moved to the Netherlands. She published this book in 1962 and it won the Children's Book of the Year Award and was subsequently translated into sixteen languages. ...more

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Aug 07, 2018 Christoph Segers rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasie, jeugd

Ik kan niet anders dan het volle pond geven. Tikkeltje verouderd, mist hier en daar wat vaart, maar ik kreeg kippenvel en tranen in de ogen toen Tiuri uiteindelijk voor de koning van Unauwen stond om zijn boodschap af te leveren. Zoveel heroïek lijkt niet meer van deze tijd te zijn, maar werkt nog perfect.
Leve Ridder Tiuri met het Witte Schild!

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Oct 27, 2013 Ellis marked it as reread · review of another edition

Shelves: gifted, comment-se-dit-otp, genre-high-fantasy, high-hopes, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, in-my-possession, less-queerbaiting-more-queer-dating, middle-grade, not-as-good-on-the-reread, oh-the-sass

This was a bit of a sad experience because The Letter for the King was one of my favourite books as a child, but I could tell during my reread that I wouldn't have been/wasn't as into it as an adult. I actually think this might be the rare case where I prefer the Dutch version. Part of that is definitely nostalgia-motivated, and it's not so much that you can tell this is an English translation as that it just reads very formal and literal in English, which I think might be less the case in the D ...more

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Dec 27, 2016 Anna Dijk rated it really liked it · review of another edition

altijd een geruststelling om te weten dat je favoriete jeugdboek nog steeds goed is :)

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May 13, 2008 lita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel-indonesian-translation

Alkisah hiduplah Tiuri, calon kesatria Kerajaan Baginda Dagonaut. Malam itu Tiuri musti melewati cobaan sebelum dilantik menjadi kesatria. Ia, bersama calon kesatria lain, menghabiskan malam dengan berjaga di sebuah kapel kecil di luar tembok kota. Sambil berpuasa, tidak makan tidak minum, mereka harus berlutut dan merenungkan amanat besar yang menanti mereka. Mereka pantang tidur, berbicara, dan mendengarkan dunia luar hingga pukul tujuh pagi saat mereka dibawa menghadap raja. Saat bertirakat, Alkisah hiduplah Tiuri, calon kesatria Kerajaan Baginda Dagonaut. Malam itu Tiuri musti melewati cobaan sebelum dilantik menjadi kesatria. Ia, bersama calon kesatria lain, menghabiskan malam dengan berjaga di sebuah kapel kecil di luar tembok kota. Sambil berpuasa, tidak makan tidak minum, mereka harus berlutut dan merenungkan amanat besar yang menanti mereka. Mereka pantang tidur, berbicara, dan mendengarkan dunia luar hingga pukul tujuh pagi saat mereka dibawa menghadap raja. Saat bertirakat, Tiuri mendengar orang berbisik memohon pertolongan. Tiuri yakin calon kesatria yang lain pun mendengar permintaan tolong itu. Entah mengapa, hanya ia yang tergerak. Tiuri kemudian membuka pintu kapel (yang jelas melanggar aturan bertirakat) dan keluar mengikuti orang yang meminta tolong ke tempat tersembunyi. Permintaan tolong dari orang misterius tersebut terkesan mudah: mengantarkan sepucuk surat.

Pertolongan yang harus dilakukan Tiuri sederhana saja. Tiuri hanya perlu mencari Kesatria Hitam Laskar Perisai Putih, dan menyerahkan surat yang dititipkan orang misterius itu padanya. Dengan teori tugas tersebut hanya memerlukan waktu beberapa jam. Tiuri dapat kembali ke kapel sebelum pagi hari, dan dapat mengikuti upacara pelantikan kesatria baru keesokan paginya.

Nyatanya, tidak semudah itu. Tiuri mendapati Kesatria Hitam Laskar Perisai Putih dalam keadaan terluka dan sekarat. Sesaat sebelum ia mati, sang kesatria meminta Tiuri untuk menggantikannya, menyerahkan surat yang ada pada Tiuri pada Raja Unauwen. Tiuri tidak dapat kembali ke kapel tempat ia bertirakat. Bahkan ia diburu oleh dua pihak. Pihak yang telah melukai dan membunuh Kesatria Hitam Laskar Perisai Putih, serta pihak berwajib yang menuduh Tiuri telah membunuh sang kesatria.

Kemudian, dimulailah perjalanan panjang Tiuri, menuju Kerajaan Baginda Unauwen. Bila negeri Raja Dagonaut terletak di timur Pegunungan Raya, maka negeri Raja Unauwen berada di barat Pegunungan Raya. Untuk sampai ke negeri Raja Unauwen, Tiuri harus pergi melewati hutan, menyusuri Begawan (sungai besar) Biru hingga ke mata air, menemui seorang petapa untuk dapat melewati pegunungan, lalu menyeberangi Begawan Pelangi dan Begawan Putih, hingga tiba di negeri Raja Unauwen. Akhir cerita tentu dapat ditebak. Tiuri berhasil melewati berbagai rintangan, dan membacakan surat yang isinya begitu rahasia di hadapan Raja Unauwen. Surat dibacakan karena dalam perjalanan Tiuri terpaksa menghapal isi surat rahasia itu untuk kemudian dibakar saat Tiuri terjepit dan hampir saja tertangkap oleh musuh.

Inti dari cerita buku ini adalah sebuah konflik. Raja Unauwen memiliki sepasang putra kembar. Sang kakak serta merta dinobatkan sebagai putera mahkota, sementara sang adik tidak terima. Sang adik kemudian menaklukan wilayah Eviellan dan mendirikan kerajaan di sana, serta mengobarkan perang terhadap negeri Raja Unauwen. Penguasa Negeri Eviellan kemudian melakukan tipu muslihat dengan mengirimkan kabar perdamaian dengan Baginda Raja Unauwen. Apabila telah berhasil merebut kepercayaan mereka, Penguasa Negeri Eviellan akan segera merebut kekuasaan Negeri Unauwen. Surat yang dibawa Tiuri, berisikan kabar mengenai tipu muslihat itu. Makanya, Tiuri terus diburu oleh pengikut Penguasa Negeri Eviellan. Tiuri harus mati sebelum bisa menghadap Baginda Raja Unauwen.

Ada begitu banyak tokoh dalam cerita klasik yang dinobatkan sebagai cerita anak terbaik di Belanda periode 1955-2004 ini. Selain Tiuri, ada beberapa kesatria yang sulit dihapal namanya. Mereka, yang tadinya menuduh Tiuri telah membunuh Kesatria Hitam Laskar Perisai Putih, melindungi Tiuri dari serangan jahat Pusu Pengendara Merah – pengikut Penguasa Negeri Eviellan. Adapula Menaures sang petapa, yang ternyata adalah adik Baginda Raja Unauwen. Lantas ada Piak, remaja yang membantu dan melayani Menaures. Piak kemudian ikut dengan Tiuri, dari menyeberangi pegunungan hingga tiba di negeri Baginda Raja Unauwen. Di akhir cerita, Piak kemudian menjadi pengikut setia Tiuri. - Entah mengapa, dalam cerita khayalan asal Eropa tokoh utama laki-laki selalu disertai seorang pengikut setia. Sebut saja Frodo dalam trilogi Lord of the Rings, yang memiliki pengikut setia bernama Sam. Atau Harry Potter, yang memiliki Ron Weasley - . Tentu saja ada tokoh jahat. Namanya Slugor. Ia ditugaskan oleh Penguasa Negeri Eviellan untuk membuntuti dan membunuh Tiuri.

Tiuri, putra seorang kesatria pengabdi Raja Dagonaut yang juga bernama Tiuri, tentu saja resah. Ia gagal menjadi kesatria justru sesaat sebelum ia dilantik. Namun, Tiuri telah menjadi kesatria bahkan sebelum dilantik menjadi kesatria. Ia telah dengan berani mengambil pilihan, yang ternyata begitu berarti bagi banyak orang. Atas pertimbangan tersebut, Baginda Raja Dagonaut melantik Tiuri, sehari setelah Tiuri pulang ke Negeri Dagonaut.

Ada begitu banyak pesan moral dalam cerita ini. Tiuri, yang lebih memilih untuk menolong orang lain yang sedang dalam kesulitan ketimbang memperoleh pangkat dan gelar kehormatan. Menaures sang Petapa, memilih untuk tinggal di pegunungan, hidup bersahaja jauh dari segala puja puji dan kemewahan dalam istana Baginda Raja Unauwen. Piak, pengusung persahabatan sejati yang begitu tulus.

Saratnya pesan moral yang termuat dalam buku ini, bisa jadi membuat “Surat untuk Raja” mendapat Prijs voor het Beste Kinderboek voor het Jaar 1963 (Penghargaan Buku Anak-anak Terbaik Tahun 1963) dan penghargaan Griffel der Griffels 1955-2004 (Kalam di antara Kalam 1955-2004, buku anak-anak terbaik sepanjang periode 1955-2004). Sang penulis, Tonke Dragt dianugerahkan Staatsprijs voor Jeugdliteratuur (Hadiah Negara untuk Bidang Kesusastraan Remaja) di tahun 1976.

Bila dikaitkan dengan keadaan Indonesia saat ini, sepertinya akan banyak yang tersindir. Orang-orang berlomba memperoleh predikat ataupun gelar tertentu, demi prestige di masyarakat. Padahal, ia belum memiliki kapabilitas yang cukup untuk menyandangnya. Hanya ada segelintir orang yang memilih menjadi Menaures – menjadi pendeta ketimbang penguasa. Karena kaum ulama pun, seperti berlomba memajang diri untuk bisa mereguk kekuasaan. Jarang sekali ada yang rela untuk dijadikan nomor dua, maunya berkuasa - seperti putra kedua Baginda Raja Unauwen.

Saya pun jadi berandai-andai. Seandainya Tiuri yang diserahkan Supersemar, apakah serta merta ia menunjuk dirinya sebagai penguasa, ataukah akan sama dengan cerita dalam buku ini: menyerahkan surat itu kepada “raja” yang sebenarnya?

Mungkin cerita setebal 518 halaman ini akan lebih nyaman dibaca dalam bahasa aslinya, atau versi dalam bahasa Inggris. Penterjemah sepertinya berusaha keras dalam menemukan istilah yang tepat untuk menggambarkan definisi yang ada dalam cerita asli, dan itu malah membuat pembaca perlu mengerutkan dahi untuk memahaminya – bahkan pembaca dewasa sekalipun, padahal ini buku anak-anak. Ketimbang menterjemahkan, akan lebih baik bila cerita ini disadur dan menggunakan bahasa anak-anak. Sayang sekali cerita seindah ini, dengan alur cerita yang begitu kuat, jadi sulit dinikmati hanya karena sang penterjemah kurang bisa berimprovisasi dengan bahasa Indonesia.(lits) ...more

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Apr 26, 2018 Alyson Stone rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, fantasy

Book: The Letter for the King
Author: Tonke Dragt
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC. Well, I guess it’s not really an ARC since the book was published a long time ago, but this is a new edition.

So, I have never heard of this book until now. I don’t know how it could have slipped by me, but it did. The Letter for the King has everything that a great fantasy needs. It has adventure, excitement, and well written characters. It i ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Monique rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018

Een klassieker die weer in het nieuws is. Tijd om zelf een mening te vormen dus! Geweldig knap om een boek uit 1962 tijdloos te laten zijn. Het genre is niet helemaal mijn ding, maar absoluut een goed boek!

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Dec 11, 2017 Vishy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Loved, loved, loved it! Longer review soon!

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Nov 23, 2018 Talitha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jeugdliteratuur, klassiekers

4.5*

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Jan 12, 2016 Ann Helen rated it it was amazing

Jeg kunne ønske jeg hadde hatt muligheten til å lese denne som barn, men den er nesten like magisk for voksne. En av de mest engasjerende barnebøkene jeg har lest. Gleder meg til fortsettelsen..

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Apr 23, 2018 Swati rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-in-translation, children-s-literature, classics, european, fantasy, favourites, fiction

When my friend and book blogger posted this glowing review of Tonke Dragt’s “The Letter for the King” last year, I was intrigued because it appeared to be all about knights and chivalry and adventure. Who doesn’t like the sound of that? A month or so ago, I found this book waiting to be reviewed on NetGalley, and my heart leapt! Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley, I got a copy, and I finished reading it yesterday.

The Letter for the King is the thrilling story of one boy’s battle against evil When my friend and book blogger posted this glowing review of Tonke Dragt’s “The Letter for the King” last year, I was intrigued because it appeared to be all about knights and chivalry and adventure. Who doesn’t like the sound of that? A month or so ago, I found this book waiting to be reviewed on NetGalley, and my heart leapt! Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley, I got a copy, and I finished reading it yesterday.

The Letter for the King is the thrilling story of one boy’s battle against evil, set in an enchanted
world of chivalry, courage and true friendship.

Says the book summary from Pushkin Press. I would say, thrilling is an understatement. As soon as I reached the last page, I was Googling to see if there is any way I could procure the sequel, “The Secrets of the Wild Wood.” I couldn’t wait to go on an adventure with Tiuri again.

The Letter for the King reinforces classic values like bravery, loyalty, and chivalry throughout Tiuri’s journey. But what makes the book rise above an average boy’s adventure is the fact that Tiuri is flawed despite having so many good qualities. He is impulsive, his bravery sometimes borders on foolhardiness, and his good heart sometimes comes in the way of his progress.

In most cases, though, Tiuri’s sensibilities save him from slippery situations. In fact, that’s the other aspect of the book. You would think that a story about knights set in the Middle Ages would have tons of action with swords and blood and gore. The Letter for the King barely has any swordfights and, in fact, hardly any skirmishes.

The entire book moves forward on the themes of intrigue, plotting, and little pockets of suspense. Every few pages, Tiuri comes up against an obstacle, and his fate hangs in balance for a while before it’s resolved lending the book a fairly predictable cadence. At times, due to this, it reads more like the tale of a solo traveller on a hike across the Camino rather than an action packed tale.

Friendship is another strong theme in the book. Apart from Tiuri’s steadfast friendship with Piak, the quick bonds formed with the various people he meets on his journey, and the strong brotherhood that the knights share are all admirably and beautifully played out. But in that sense, it’s one of those books that you would stereotypically first think of for boys rather than for girls with its lack of any other emotion and significant women characters.

Mostly, the principles in the story never go to the grey area, and there is not much ambiguity. People are either good or bad, Tiuri has either friends or enemies, and they all mostly stay that way.

Written in the traditional manner of a good, old-fashioned adventure, the tale of Tiuri the knight has long served as one of the most loved bedtime stories for children, and a popular fantasy among adults in The Netherlands. It has been frequently compared to The Lord of the Rings where we have Frodo going on a mission, very similar to Tiuri. But I think the canvas of Tolkiens’ epic is way larger, more complex, and much darker.

At over 500 pages long, this is one long adventure. But I never the felt the weight of time even for a second as Tiuri’s encounters kept me enthralled. ...more

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Sep 27, 2018 Anna || MyBookishDream rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-books, abandoned-series

Full review on my blog, MyBookishDream

The Letter for the King is a book I both enjoyed and didn’t. Some parts of it I found amazing, while others bothered me. I just had a very mixed experience with this book in general. Before reading this book I had heard quite a bit about it. Mostly from my cousin in the Netherlands, as she had to read it for school. I’m very glad to have read this book, even though I didn’t end up enjoying it as much as I thought I would.

This story has the feeling of a cla ...more

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May 24, 2018 Calzean rated it really liked it

Shelves: author-netherlands, junior-fiction, woman-author, fantasy

A simple tale of Tiuri, a 16 year old, who goes on a journey to delivery a message of great importance to a King in the land over the mountains. Along the way he is helped by various people, escapes from evil dudes, finds friendship and remains loyal and determined to complete his task.
This is a new edition of a Dutch children's classic which remains enjoyable in its simplicity, lack of fantasy and prose that takes the reader into another place and another time.

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May 24, 2018 Anton De Wolf rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wat een boek. Ik zou zelfs krachttermen als 'een heel erg goed boek' in de mond durven nemen.
Moest ik het niet net gelezen hebben zou ik het nog eens lezen, zo goed was het.

Nu terug grote-mensen boeken gaan lezen voor school, saai hoor.

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Feb 01, 2018 Dirk Schut rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

An amazing children's book. I really enjoyed reading it, though the concept of people being either purely good or evil is not something representing reality, it is a children's book.

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Dec 06, 2013 Marleen rated it really liked it

I received my copy from the publisher through Nudge. This is a work of juvenile fiction aimed at children aged 10 - 12

It is the night before 16 year old Tiuri is to be knighted. He finds himself locked in a chapel in silent contemplation of the honour and duty that will be bestowed on him the following day. When he hears a noise and a voice calling for help he knows he should ignore it. If he wants to become a knight the following day he can’t talk to anyone or allow anything to distract him fro I received my copy from the publisher through Nudge. This is a work of juvenile fiction aimed at children aged 10 - 12

It is the night before 16 year old Tiuri is to be knighted. He finds himself locked in a chapel in silent contemplation of the honour and duty that will be bestowed on him the following day. When he hears a noise and a voice calling for help he knows he should ignore it. If he wants to become a knight the following day he can’t talk to anyone or allow anything to distract him from his prayers. But the voice sounds desperate and is very persistent. Unable to ignore the pleas Tiuri opens the door to the chapel and finds himself face to face with an old man, begging him to go and find his master who is in desperate need of help. Although Tiuri is torn about leaving his vigil so close to the hour of his knighting, he also knows that if he already was a knight it would be his duty to offer his assistance. With reluctance and in the hope that he’ll be back in time for the ceremony, Tiuri leaves the chapel.

When he finds the knight who is the old man’s master, he is close to death. With his last breath he implores Tiuri to deliver a very important letter to the King of a far away country. It is a mission Tiuri won’t be able to talk about with anybody and a journey he’ll have to undertake alone.

Tiuri’s journey will bring him to places he’s never seen before, from dark forests to treacherous rivers, through dangerous towns and to imposing castles. Pursued by enemies who won’t think twice about killing him and unsure of whom, if anybody, he can trust, Tiuri faces an adventure that will teach him about honour and treachery. But in the face of danger he also discovers loyalty and friendship as well as the knowledge that while doing the right thing may not always be easy, it is the only course to take.

I first read this book when I was a child in Holland and loved it at the time. While most of the story-line had long since slipped my mind I did remember the opening scenes and, more importantly, how much I had enjoyed the book back then. When I discovered that this book had, at last, been translated into English I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, read it again and spread the word.

First published in 1962 ‘The Letter for the King’ won the Children’s Book of the Year Award in Holland, has been translated into sixteen languages and was made into a movie in 2008. Anybody reading this book will immediately understand why Tonke Dragt is considered the greatest Dutch female writer for children. This author combines a recognisable and endearing main character with a great adventure that is sure to keep youngsters engrossed in the story. More than that though, the author also manages to share some valuable life-lessons about loyalty, honesty and friendship without ever being blatant about it.

At times this story and the words used in it felt very simple and almost too innocent, even for the age group it is aimed at. But then occasionally I stumbled across little gems like the following:

“We may never see each other again, but each of us owes his life to the other, and that includes all that we might do in the future.” - Tiuri to the Jaro, the man who failed to kill him.

There is a reason this book was chosen as the best Dutch Children’s book of the 20th Century and now, at last, the English speaking world has the opportunity to discover the beauty of this story as well. My advice is to grab that opportunity with both hands and enjoy the experience.
...more

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Nov 02, 2014 Ashley Choo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is the first book I've ever read about knights that didn't include King Arthur, and I absolutely ADORED it. I've been obsessed with the retellings of the daring quests of the knights of King Arthur's round table, and this captivating adventure takes the crown.

On the night before he is to be knighted, Tiuri, our unlikely young hero, is entrusted with the huge task of delivering a very secret and important message to King Unauwen.
It is Tiuri's very first quest, he's being pursued by enemy kn ...more

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Nov 03, 2014 Bettie☯ marked it as wish-list · review of another edition

Shelves: published-1962, translation, holland

Description: The rule-book says that a young man who is to be knighted by King Dagonaut must pass the eve of the grand ceremony in silent vigil. However, Young Tiuri, son of the famous Tiuri the Valiant, breaks the rules - he opens the door to a stranger, who begs him to deliver a secret letter to the Black Knight with the White Shield. The letter is destined for the ruler of the neighbouring realm, King Unauwen, and concerns a matter of paramount importance. Tiuri accepts this dangerous mission ...more

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About Tonke Dragt

Tonke Dragt

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Tonke Dragt werd in 1930 geboren in Indonesië, en heeft daar het grootste deel van haar jeugd doorgebracht. In 1942 kwam ze met haar moeder en twee zusjes terecht in een Jappenkamp, en daar heeft ze ontdekt dat ze ze kon ‘ontsnappen’ door verhalen te verzinnen. Ze schreef en tekende in eerder gebruikte uitgegumde schriftjes en zelfs op wc-papier, want er was bijna niets. Samen met een vriendinnetj

Na de oorlog kwam het gezin naar Nederland. Tonke deed hier haar eindexamen van de middelbare school en ging naar de academie voor beeldende kunsten. Ze werd tekenlerares. Als de orde in haar klas verstoord dreigde te raken, begon ze altijd een verhaal te vertellen. En dan werd het muisstil. Ze organiseerde op school ook een spookverhalenschrijversclub, waar de meest griezelige dingen gebeurden!

In 1956 werd voor het eerst een verhaal van Tonke gepubliceerd, en daarna werden er steeds meer gevraagd. Ze kreeg het druk: overdag lesgeven en ’s avonds en vooral ’s nachts schrijven. In 1961 verscheen haar eerste boek: Verhalen van de tweelingbroers.

Een jaar later kwam De brief voor de koning, dat werd bekroond met de prijs voor het beste kinderboek van het jaar, een voorloper van de Gouden Griffel. Het kreeg ook een vervolg: Geheimen van het Wilde Woud.

De meeste kinderboekenschrijvers schreven in die tijd realistische verhalen, maar Tonke creëerde haar eigen werelden, zoals de Rijken van Dagonaut en Unauwen.

Het thema ‘tijd’ speelt vaak een rol in haar boeken. De hoofdpersoon van De torens van februari kan eens in de vier jaar, op schrikkeldag, naar een andere wereld reizen, en Torenhoog en mijlen breed speelt zich af in de toekomst. Het geheim van de klokkenmaker gaat over een tijdmachine – en vooral over de vraag wat er gebeurt als je daar niet heel voorzichtig mee omgaat…

Tonke houdt van poezen. Die geven haar de mogelijkheid een tijger te aaien. En tijgers intrigeren haar: Ogen van tijgers is niet voor niets geschreven!

Al haar poezen (en ze heeft er vele gehad) zijn op een bijzondere manier bij haar gekomen: aanloopkatten, eenzame katten als het baasje was overleden… Ze krijgen allemaal een naam die met een W begint. Wapperstaart, Woesti en Wicci de Winterpoes zijn de meest recente.

...more

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De brief voor de koning (2 books)

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Quotes from The Letter for th...

“As long as you remember that fighting evil doesn't necessarily make you good! Good and evil are each other's enemies, but they are often found close together.” — 4 likes

“What does he look like? Not big, not small, not short, not tall, not old not young, not dark nor blond. His eyes are the only thing that give him away; they’re as mean as a snake’s. We were all afraid of him. Sometimes we feared we might become as evil as him!” — 1 likes

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