I received this book not knowing that it was geared toward young adult. I enjoyed reading it and think it would be greatly appreciated by young adults. There is magic as well as lots of adventure. I found it to be a very interesting read.
Many thanks to Amazon Crossing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

We'll written. Some plot issues but still above average there.

I gave it three stars as this book was certainly more suited to a young adult readership.

It is set in the midst of the Thirty Years' War - a period in which the famed Black Musketeers were active. Fredrich von Lohenfels recounts his days as one of the Musketeers to his young son Lukas, who has trained in the martial arts.

When the Inquisition arrives,Lukas' mother is taken by the Spanish allies of the Kaiser to Heidelberg as a suspected witch. What Lukas does not know, is that the Inquisitor - Waldemar von Schonborn - needs both Lukas and his sister Elsa to locate a mysterious Grimoire.

Following the death of both parents and the capture of his sister, Lukas flees his enemy and joins a band of urchins then a travelling troupe of entertainers before joining the army of General Wallenstein and his Black Musketeers in Bavaria. Here the story picks up and cannons towards its conclusion.

The author portrays the hardships and realities of war, the horror of battle, and the religious persecution of the times convincingly. Whilst a little slow in places - no doubt to add a little background to events - it does finish off nicely. I would be interested in a follow up (as this is obviously one in a series).

Oliver Pötzsch continues to be one of my favorite writers. His ability to weave together a tale that is captivating amazes me every time I open one of his books.