The Good King: A Medieval Thriller

The Good King is a retelling of the story of Good King Wenceslas, a Christian saint, as a story told by the brother who murders him. During the tale, Christianity is beginning to replace pagan gods, as virtuous rulers and consorts perform good deeds in the name of Christ. However, there are those who like the bloody, violent sacrifices, the sexual rituals, and the bloody raiding that accompanies them or merely lust after power. These strains and nasty men, push Boleslav, Wenceslas’s brother, to slay Wenceslas.

The description is beautifully written and evocative. However, The Good King is written to plainly show a picture of life in the dark ages, with explicit and sometimes unwilling sex and graphic violence to innocents, both young children and animals. Because of these adult scenes, I would only highly recommend The Good King to adults or teens who are ready to read adult novels with sexual components and enjoy historical fiction about medieval times.

I think public libraries should have a copy, however in the adult, not young adult, section. School libraries should not purchase this book. If you are an adult or teen prepared for a dark and cruel historical fantasy with all the gritty details, The Good King is the book for you.