Series
Description
On the night of his final vigil before being knighted, Tiuri answers a request to deliver an urgent letter to a distant kingdom across the Great Mountains--a journey that will threaten his life and teach him the true meaning of what it is to be a knight.
Publication
David Fickling Books (2015), 528 pages
User reviews
LibraryThing member lunacat
Originally published in Dutch in 1962, this YA fantasy adventure was finally translated into English and published here in 2013, and is well worth the wait.
Tiuri, a sixteen year old knight in waiting is performing his final vigil before being knighted by the King the following day. During the
But then he hears something else. A plea for help. A plea he cannot ignore, and in opening the door he receives an adventure he could never have imagined, and one more dangerous than anything he has ever faced before.
Dispatched by the mysterious messenger to deliver a letter, it first seems an easy task, but when murder and a man-hunt quickly follow, he must escape from his homeland and everyone he knows in order to succeed.
This quote sums up the situation he finds himself in perfectly:
"He had to travel to a distant land to deliver an important letter, and all he had was the clothes on his back. And his tattered robe was far from suitable for such a long journey. He had no weapons, no money and no horse. People thought he was a thief. And what was more, he had dangerous enemies: the Red Riders and their leader, the Black Knight with the Red Shield."
A wonderful, epic adventure that takes the usual fantasy themes and skillfully weaves them into a charming and exciting novel with interesting characters and well written and easy to understand politics going on behind the scenes to add depth. The characters, both Tiuri himself and those he meets, each have their own personalities and internal struggles that make them interesting, and Tiuri's attempts to differentiate friends from enemies are certainly challenging. The constant threat that hangs over him is never far away and the suspense keeps you hanging till the last page as he tries to survive, and wonders what might be waiting for him at home if he does.
There are also lovely black and white illustrations at the beginning of every part that suit the atmosphere of desperation perfectly.
I was disappointed to discover at the end of this book that the sequel hasn't been released in English yet (although the story isn't left on a cliffhanger), but hopefully it will be soon.
"There was indeed sorrow in his eyes, but that seemed to be part of his character. It was the melancholy of a man who knows and understands a great deal, and so cannot be light-hearted."
"There will always be something that you miss, whether you leave now or stay here. All throughout our lives, we must keep saying goodbye."
Tiuri, a sixteen year old knight in waiting is performing his final vigil before being knighted by the King the following day. During the
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night, he and the other boys locked in the church are expected to fast and pray, and under no circumstances are they to open the door. He is expecting a test, a knock to see if they will relent, and when it comes all of them find it easy to ignore.But then he hears something else. A plea for help. A plea he cannot ignore, and in opening the door he receives an adventure he could never have imagined, and one more dangerous than anything he has ever faced before.
Dispatched by the mysterious messenger to deliver a letter, it first seems an easy task, but when murder and a man-hunt quickly follow, he must escape from his homeland and everyone he knows in order to succeed.
This quote sums up the situation he finds himself in perfectly:
"He had to travel to a distant land to deliver an important letter, and all he had was the clothes on his back. And his tattered robe was far from suitable for such a long journey. He had no weapons, no money and no horse. People thought he was a thief. And what was more, he had dangerous enemies: the Red Riders and their leader, the Black Knight with the Red Shield."
A wonderful, epic adventure that takes the usual fantasy themes and skillfully weaves them into a charming and exciting novel with interesting characters and well written and easy to understand politics going on behind the scenes to add depth. The characters, both Tiuri himself and those he meets, each have their own personalities and internal struggles that make them interesting, and Tiuri's attempts to differentiate friends from enemies are certainly challenging. The constant threat that hangs over him is never far away and the suspense keeps you hanging till the last page as he tries to survive, and wonders what might be waiting for him at home if he does.
There are also lovely black and white illustrations at the beginning of every part that suit the atmosphere of desperation perfectly.
I was disappointed to discover at the end of this book that the sequel hasn't been released in English yet (although the story isn't left on a cliffhanger), but hopefully it will be soon.
"There was indeed sorrow in his eyes, but that seemed to be part of his character. It was the melancholy of a man who knows and understands a great deal, and so cannot be light-hearted."
"There will always be something that you miss, whether you leave now or stay here. All throughout our lives, we must keep saying goodbye."
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
This is very definitely YA fantasy. Sometimes - Harry Potter for instance - a YA book has enough subtlety and depth, that adults can read it and get out something more than the basic story. This book doesn't. It is a very simple story, simply told almost one dimensional, without characterization,
A boy is holding vigil on the cusp of knighthood. Despite all strictures to the contrary he answers a knock at the church door, accepts a mission to deliver a missive to a knight a few hours away. When he gets there he finds the knight is dying and accepts the charge to carry the letter, contents unknown, to the neighbouring kingdom. Off he sets on his horse, and very unsurprisingly has lots of adventures along the way. There's no rhyme or reason for these adventures, no sense in the world building, just places and people the boy encounters. He's pursued by a faction who apparently know about the letter, despite not being able to wrest it from an aged squire, and not restrained from using deadly force. However Tiuri meets lots of people who are trusting beyond any reason, and willing to give vast amounts of assistance in time and resource without expectation of recompense. Tiuri also trusts such people immediately despite several warnings not to do so. On and On is goes, through forests, over mountains, and across rivers (several) until the totally expected ending occurs without surprise.
It does have a certain charm about it. A naivety of innocence and a simple turn of phrase - helped by a reasonably good translation from the native Dutch (the only very obvious quibble I found was "hoofs", when 'hooves' would be more normal). This was written in 1962 as was probably somewhat striking and contrasting to much of the fantasy around at the time, it's a much quicker paced story than the Hobbit for example, even though both are essentially stories about a long journey, but for modern adult readers this isn't sufficient to counter the trivial worldbuilding and flat characters. Contrary to the blurb from the FT, it isn't High Fantasy at all, there's no indication of any magic, or even non-human creatures whatsoever, it is instead set in a bucolic low fantasy world where even the farmers have easy lives.
Would recommend only for teenagers new to the fantasy genre, and even then there's probably better introductions than this.
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full of coincidences and ease without hardship or complexity in either the supporting cast or the worldbuilding.A boy is holding vigil on the cusp of knighthood. Despite all strictures to the contrary he answers a knock at the church door, accepts a mission to deliver a missive to a knight a few hours away. When he gets there he finds the knight is dying and accepts the charge to carry the letter, contents unknown, to the neighbouring kingdom. Off he sets on his horse, and very unsurprisingly has lots of adventures along the way. There's no rhyme or reason for these adventures, no sense in the world building, just places and people the boy encounters. He's pursued by a faction who apparently know about the letter, despite not being able to wrest it from an aged squire, and not restrained from using deadly force. However Tiuri meets lots of people who are trusting beyond any reason, and willing to give vast amounts of assistance in time and resource without expectation of recompense. Tiuri also trusts such people immediately despite several warnings not to do so. On and On is goes, through forests, over mountains, and across rivers (several) until the totally expected ending occurs without surprise.
It does have a certain charm about it. A naivety of innocence and a simple turn of phrase - helped by a reasonably good translation from the native Dutch (the only very obvious quibble I found was "hoofs", when 'hooves' would be more normal). This was written in 1962 as was probably somewhat striking and contrasting to much of the fantasy around at the time, it's a much quicker paced story than the Hobbit for example, even though both are essentially stories about a long journey, but for modern adult readers this isn't sufficient to counter the trivial worldbuilding and flat characters. Contrary to the blurb from the FT, it isn't High Fantasy at all, there's no indication of any magic, or even non-human creatures whatsoever, it is instead set in a bucolic low fantasy world where even the farmers have easy lives.
Would recommend only for teenagers new to the fantasy genre, and even then there's probably better introductions than this.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
16-year-old Tiuri is sitting the traditional all-night vigil on the eve of his knighting ceremony when he hears someone outside the chapel calling for help. He knows that if he leaves his post or even speaks to anyone before he's summoned at dawn he will forfeit his right to become a paladin of the
I loved this old school fantasy filled with knights errant, friendly townspeople, wise old hermits, and wicked spies. You never feel that Tiuri is in *too* much danger and each scrape he gets into is resolved quickly enough not to be frustrating while still being artfully-enough written to keep the reader's interest. The plot is fairly simple, but the characters are full and the pacing perfect. And Tiuru manages to be wholly honorable and brave without it being in any way obnoxious or saccharine. I could see this becoming a comfort read, easily.
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king, but he can't resist the call to aid. Thus starts his adventure across kingdoms, through forests, and over mountains, as he is tasked to take a secret and vital letter to the king of another land. Along the way he meets with people who show their kindness by helping him and with those who reveal their evil intentions by trying to stop his progress. And in turn, his task and the long journey to complete it reveals Tiuri to be a knight at heart if not in reality.I loved this old school fantasy filled with knights errant, friendly townspeople, wise old hermits, and wicked spies. You never feel that Tiuri is in *too* much danger and each scrape he gets into is resolved quickly enough not to be frustrating while still being artfully-enough written to keep the reader's interest. The plot is fairly simple, but the characters are full and the pacing perfect. And Tiuru manages to be wholly honorable and brave without it being in any way obnoxious or saccharine. I could see this becoming a comfort read, easily.
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LibraryThing member emhromp2
Reading this book was long overdue. I think the whole of my country has already read this book and now I see why. It is simply a brilliant tale for children. I wondered how a story about delivering a letter could be so long and so popular (and even get a sequel), but now I see.
The story is full of
The story is full of
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interesting heroes and anti-heroes. The writer must have done thorough research and the language she uses is timeless. A great classic for children! Show Less
LibraryThing member 4hounds
Oh, my gosh. How amazing. Another book I couldn't stop reading, and a reminder that fantasy doesn't have to feature cataclysms surrounding the missing heir or whatever...it can focus on a small story about a mostly peripheral character and still be incredible. This is all about a young knight-to-be
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trying to take a letter to the king of the neighboring kingdom, and all the obstacles in his way. I cannot wait for the sequel to be translated. Show Less
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
On the eve of being knighted by his king, sixteen-year-old Tiuri, son of Tiuri the Valiant, is keeping vigil in a small chapel outside of the capital city of the kingdom of Dagonaut. Forbidden from speaking, or opening the chapel doors to anyone during his night-long fast, Tiuri does both when a
Originally published in Dutch as De brief voor de koning, this intensely engrossing, utterly engaging children's fantasy is a delight to read. I devoured it, racing through its 500+ pages, and finishing it with an immediate desire to know more of Tiuri's adventures, by tracking down the sequel (thus far only available in English in the UK), The Secrets of the Wild Wood. I may have to order it from abroad... Tiuri is an appealing hero, goodhearted, rather innocent, and so determined to keep his word and to remain faithful to his principles as a knight. It is these very qualities which aid him on his journey, as his kindness and innocence win him allies, and his bravery in aiding others converts would-be enemies. This last, as exemplified through the story of Jaro, is particularly powerful. Although most online reviewers seem to love The Letter for the King, I have seen one or two who have criticized it for its simplicity. This, for me, is its strength and power. At its heart, this is the story about the letter of the law versus its spirit; about holding onto principles (knightly, in this case) even when it seems that the 'reward' we have expected for doing so disappears; about keeping faith and remaining true to our purpose, even in the face of danger. Simple? Yes, I suppose so - but what a rich simplicity such stories bring to us, their readers! Recommended to anyone who enjoys rollicking good adventure stories.
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mysterious old man comes begging for help. A knight in spirit, even if he is not one in fact, Tiuri is helpless to resist this supplicant in need, and soon finds himself involved in an epic adventure involving a slain knight, a mysterious letter that must be delivered to the king of Unauwen - the land on the far side of the Great Mountains - and a dangerous month-long journey through dark forests, across high mountains and over treacherous rivers. Determined to keep his word and fulfill his mission, Tiuri encounters many enemies on his quest, but makes many friends as well...Originally published in Dutch as De brief voor de koning, this intensely engrossing, utterly engaging children's fantasy is a delight to read. I devoured it, racing through its 500+ pages, and finishing it with an immediate desire to know more of Tiuri's adventures, by tracking down the sequel (thus far only available in English in the UK), The Secrets of the Wild Wood. I may have to order it from abroad... Tiuri is an appealing hero, goodhearted, rather innocent, and so determined to keep his word and to remain faithful to his principles as a knight. It is these very qualities which aid him on his journey, as his kindness and innocence win him allies, and his bravery in aiding others converts would-be enemies. This last, as exemplified through the story of Jaro, is particularly powerful. Although most online reviewers seem to love The Letter for the King, I have seen one or two who have criticized it for its simplicity. This, for me, is its strength and power. At its heart, this is the story about the letter of the law versus its spirit; about holding onto principles (knightly, in this case) even when it seems that the 'reward' we have expected for doing so disappears; about keeping faith and remaining true to our purpose, even in the face of danger. Simple? Yes, I suppose so - but what a rich simplicity such stories bring to us, their readers! Recommended to anyone who enjoys rollicking good adventure stories.
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LibraryThing member humouress
(translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson)
{First of 3 in Unauwen series. YA, fiction, fantasy/ adventure} (1962)
Tonke Dragt (according to Wikepedia) was born in Indonesia in 1930 and was interned in a Japanese camp during WWII, along with her family, which was where her writing career began at the
In the Kingdom of Dagonaut on Midsummer's Eve, while sitting vigil with his friends before they are due to be knighted the next day having met all the requirements for knighthood, Tiuri hears a plea for help. Even though he is not supposed to open the chapel door until morning, he does so and is sent on a secretive quest. He is to deliver a letter to the Black Knight with the White Shield at an inn in the forest but when he finds him the knight is dying, having been ambushed, so he charges Tiuri with delivering the letter to King Unauwen in the neighbouring kingdom over the mountains. Tiuri has no choice but to go, but he faces unknown dangers from the people who killed the Black Knight, all while not knowing the exact nature of his mission. Fortunately, as well as enemies, he makes good friends on his journey.
“Listen to me,” the knight said. “I must keep this brief, because I have little time. This letter is for King Unauwen and it is of the utmost importance. Now that I can no longer deliver it, you must do so!”
“Me?” whispered Tiuri.
“Yes, I know of no one who could do it better. You are perfectly capable and I have every faith in you. You must leave immediately. Enough time has been lost already. Journey westwards, first through the forest, and then along the Blue River, until you reach its source. There is a hermit who lives there, Menaures. Take this ring from my finger. When you show it to Menaures, he will know it was I who sent you. He will help you to cross the mountains, because you will not be able to do it alone. Once you are on the other side of the mountains, the road will lead you to Unauwen.”
This seems to be a classic of Dutch children's literature, given the number of times I've come across it. I thought that I had read it a while ago but forgotten the story but I can't find any record of my having read it on LibraryThing and reading it now didn't ring any bells.
I initially felt that the writing style was a little bit simplistic - he jumps on a horse and rides off, for instance - but it's possible that something got lost in translation; after all, Tiuri is sixteen years old and has been training to be a knight for years. I did notice frequent touches that hinted at more sophistication, which I appreciated; for instance, the jester at King Unauwen's court who is a well respected person both at court and in the city because of the information he can disseminate as well as for keeping the knights grounded.
“So, Tirillo,” called one of the knights, “you chide us for daring to think about the great deeds that we will perform. But are you not accompanying us when we ride out?”
“Most certainly,” replied the jester. “Someone has to keep an eye on you!”
“And which weapons will you be taking, Tirillo?” asked another in a gently mocking tone.
“His fool’s bauble to rap our knuckles,” said Marwen of Iduna, “and his jests to save us from pride.” Although he said this with a smile, he was clearly being serious.
“That’s right,” another knight agreed. “If we are to combat evil, Tirillo’s presence is required.”
The action did flow well; after all, Tiuri has an urgent message to deliver and so the entire book takes place within a month. I wouldn't have minded a map in my book. I liked the way the rivers were named for the colours they seem to embody (green, blue, white) especially the Rainbow River and I liked the way the inns were named (the Inn of the Setting Sun, for example - because all the windows face west).
The book reminded me of the children's hymn 'When a Knight Won his Spurs'.
Tirillo smiled. “That‘s right,” he said. “When King Unauwen gave it to me, he said, ‘One does not need to carry a sword and a shield to be a knight.‘”
“Yes,” said Tiuri. “Yes, of course.”
It was true. Why should a jester not be among the king‘s most faithful paladins? Tirillo was worthy of such a ring. He knew how to cheer people up when they were downhearted, and that was a gift few people shared.
3.5-4 stars (July 2021)
{First of 3 in Unauwen series. YA, fiction, fantasy/ adventure} (1962)
Tonke Dragt (according to Wikepedia) was born in Indonesia in 1930 and was interned in a Japanese camp during WWII, along with her family, which was where her writing career began at the
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age of thirteen.In the Kingdom of Dagonaut on Midsummer's Eve, while sitting vigil with his friends before they are due to be knighted the next day having met all the requirements for knighthood, Tiuri hears a plea for help. Even though he is not supposed to open the chapel door until morning, he does so and is sent on a secretive quest. He is to deliver a letter to the Black Knight with the White Shield at an inn in the forest but when he finds him the knight is dying, having been ambushed, so he charges Tiuri with delivering the letter to King Unauwen in the neighbouring kingdom over the mountains. Tiuri has no choice but to go, but he faces unknown dangers from the people who killed the Black Knight, all while not knowing the exact nature of his mission. Fortunately, as well as enemies, he makes good friends on his journey.
“Listen to me,” the knight said. “I must keep this brief, because I have little time. This letter is for King Unauwen and it is of the utmost importance. Now that I can no longer deliver it, you must do so!”
“Me?” whispered Tiuri.
“Yes, I know of no one who could do it better. You are perfectly capable and I have every faith in you. You must leave immediately. Enough time has been lost already. Journey westwards, first through the forest, and then along the Blue River, until you reach its source. There is a hermit who lives there, Menaures. Take this ring from my finger. When you show it to Menaures, he will know it was I who sent you. He will help you to cross the mountains, because you will not be able to do it alone. Once you are on the other side of the mountains, the road will lead you to Unauwen.”
This seems to be a classic of Dutch children's literature, given the number of times I've come across it. I thought that I had read it a while ago but forgotten the story but I can't find any record of my having read it on LibraryThing and reading it now didn't ring any bells.
I initially felt that the writing style was a little bit simplistic - he jumps on a horse and rides off, for instance - but it's possible that something got lost in translation; after all, Tiuri is sixteen years old and has been training to be a knight for years. I did notice frequent touches that hinted at more sophistication, which I appreciated; for instance, the jester at King Unauwen's court who is a well respected person both at court and in the city because of the information he can disseminate as well as for keeping the knights grounded.
“So, Tirillo,” called one of the knights, “you chide us for daring to think about the great deeds that we will perform. But are you not accompanying us when we ride out?”
“Most certainly,” replied the jester. “Someone has to keep an eye on you!”
“And which weapons will you be taking, Tirillo?” asked another in a gently mocking tone.
“His fool’s bauble to rap our knuckles,” said Marwen of Iduna, “and his jests to save us from pride.” Although he said this with a smile, he was clearly being serious.
“That’s right,” another knight agreed. “If we are to combat evil, Tirillo’s presence is required.”
The action did flow well; after all, Tiuri has an urgent message to deliver and so the entire book takes place within a month. I wouldn't have minded a map in my book. I liked the way the rivers were named for the colours they seem to embody (green, blue, white) especially the Rainbow River and I liked the way the inns were named (the Inn of the Setting Sun, for example - because all the windows face west).
The book reminded me of the children's hymn 'When a Knight Won his Spurs'.
Tirillo smiled. “That‘s right,” he said. “When King Unauwen gave it to me, he said, ‘One does not need to carry a sword and a shield to be a knight.‘”
“Yes,” said Tiuri. “Yes, of course.”
It was true. Why should a jester not be among the king‘s most faithful paladins? Tirillo was worthy of such a ring. He knew how to cheer people up when they were downhearted, and that was a gift few people shared.
3.5-4 stars (July 2021)
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LibraryThing member Belana
I watched the Netflix series the other day, and I enjoyed it. I went in search of the book, and found to my delight, that it is available as audiobook.
I didn't really expect the film to be exactly like the book, but I didn't expect it to be a completely different story. The film isn't even based
I didn't really expect the film to be exactly like the book, but I didn't expect it to be a completely different story. The film isn't even based
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on the book -- they only took the title and a few names, and wrote a whole new story for the series. However, I don't mind for once. I loved the book just as much as I loved the series. Matt Addis did a great job with the narration, and I have just bought the sequel now. Mind you, this is young adult stuff, so I guess not every adult will enjoy it, as the story is fairly simple (e.g. the villains always look ugly, and the knights and noblemen look wise and handsome, etc,) but I loved it nevertheless. Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
This is a long drawn out adventure, starting when Tiuri's vigil to become a knight is interrupted and he sets of to deliver a letter to the king of the country across the mountains. He is endangered several times and must show his courage, resolve and integrity at numerous points, impressing both
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allies and enemies. It’s all a bit much and takes ever so long to get through. Show Less
LibraryThing member greeniezona
This was a family bedtime story. We picked it mostly because we enjoyed the TV show, but as it turns out, this volume has almost NOTHING to do with the show. I mean, there is still Tiuri, and he is still charged to deliver a letter by a dying knight, but beyond that? Gone is the diverse group of
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kids, Tiuri acquires only a single companion, Pink, around halfway through. More of his interactions are with adults -- some treacherous, but some are also very helpful, with some appearing one way and then ending up the other. And no magic at all. Still, we enjoyed it quite a bit. The storyline is compelling, and Tiuri is made of perseverance and integrity. We will surely pick up the next volume. Show Less
LibraryThing member cmbohn
What a great book! I loved Tiuri. So many great characters. It is a big chunk for a children's book, but it's a fast and engaging read. If you missed this as a kid, I recommend picking it up now
Awards
USBBY Outstanding International Book (Grades 9-12 — 2016)
Vondel Prize (Winner — 2015)
Gouden Griffel (2004)
Language
Original language
Dutch
Original publication date
1962 [original: Dutch]
2013 [English]
Physical description
9 inches
ISBN
0545819784 / 9780545819787