TITLE: THE WOLF’S DEN

AUTHOR: Elizabeth R. Jensen

RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

Three young brothers forge their own paths toward knighthood as war looms in this fast-paced middle grade debut.

While tensions mount on the border of their homeland Etria, three young brothers dream of becoming fierce knights in service to their king. They share an intimidating legacy to uphold, as their grandfather—known as The Wolf, aptly taken from their family name, Wolfensberger—has shown his bravery in the past, his own military prowess enshrined in their historical legends. As they figure out their own strengths and weaknesses, from archery to magic, the three brothers take their own paths toward knighthood. But when war finally arrives on their doorstep and they’re confronted with real, sword-and-arrow wielding enemies, they learn that the cost of greatness is all too real, and their familial bonds can conquer anything.

Though Elizabeth R. Jensen's THE WOLF’S DEN takes place in a fantasy realm full of elemental mages and portal magic, it takes its strongest cues from medieval Europe, where young pages hope to one day become full-fledged knights. The three Wolfensberger brothers—Borus, the steadfast elder son; Kass, the rebellious middle child; Jules, the sensitive mage-in-training—live in the shadow of their cantankerous, no-nonsense grandfather. He’s a highlight of the novel, because underneath his gruff, militaristic exterior lies an unshakable protectiveness of not only his countrymen, but his young grandchildren. The boys’ parents and baby sister drop in and out of the plot, but are always a warm familial presence. It’s these bonds that hold the entire book together through its trials and tribulations.
It does take a bit to get into the novel’s style, as it’s more or less told in a sort of vignette format and covers a few years in the brothers’ lives. Because of this, some aspects of character development/ training happen off the page instead of being shown. Younger readers, however, will likely find the present tense narration engaging and easy to follow.

THE WOLF’S DEN deals with some heavy topics pretty well--like war casualties and the mental effects of battle--giving the novel plenty of high stakes. This vignette style lends itself to a “slice of life” chronicle, where the plot introduces a few different foes to the brewing threat of war on the horizon. There’s rumblings of spies with portal magic, and the boys battle against pirates, bandits, and an old enemy who’s returned to stir up trouble. While the brothers’ paths diverge, the plot becomes more complex, as Jules’ comes to control his unique magic, Kass learns through bloody combat that knighthood isn’t just for glory, and Borus excels at swordsmanship in his lessons at the training school. In all of this, they learn the value of teamwork, friendship, and unyielding loyalty. The plot culminates in a rigorous multi-day training exercise wherein the boys’ skills are put to the ultimate test and their loyalty to each other faces its most difficult challenge. How exactly they come together in the end is cleverly done, and especially satisfying after their separate journeys.

IR Verdict: A charming middle grade fantasy adventure, THE WOLF’S DEN offers an action-packed coming of age story with a medieval inspired setting and a likable cast of characters. Sword and sorcery abound in a captivating first installment.

RATING: 5 stars (out of 5)

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers’ Favorite

Becoming a knight and fighting for your country represents honor, prestige, and loyalty. In The Wolf's Den: Book One of the Three Brothers Trilogy by Elizabeth R. Jensen, brothers Borus, Kass, and Jules must show their grandfather Wolf that the training they've received will provide the skills needed to be knighted and fight for Etria. This book reflects the art of war which involves strategies, trust, and choices. It had always been the strong desire of each boy to be a knight, to fight, and be a hero like their grandfather. Despite all the lessons learned throughout their childhood, they would each embark on different paths to become a knight. Will these choices help them achieve success or lead to their demise? What impact will their decisions have on Etria?

Despite how close-knit the brothers are in The Wolf's Den by Elizabeth R. Jensen, it was intriguing to learn how they develop their skills and the choices they made. I loved the care Wolf took in evaluating each of his grandsons while encouraging them and strengthening the way they used their skills to prepare for war. Despite the boys being inseparable and understanding what it takes to be a knight, it's their journeys that will determine whether they will present a united front or fall apart and lose the war. If you enjoy this book, Elizabeth has more to come with the follow-up titled The Hawk’s Flight: Book Two of the Three Brothers Trilogy. Enjoy!