Douglas Bond's Hand of Vengeance

Hand of Vengeance, Douglas Bond

Heroes & History Series

(P&R, 2012), pb., 190 pp.

Ages 8 and up

If you have read much on this blog you will know that Douglas Bond is one of our favorite writers. Books of his that we have read come up in conversation often and his visit to our home is a top memory for my older boys. So, we have been anticipating when this more recent book of his would come up in the reading schedule for school for my younger children. It did not disappoint.

As usual Bond sets the story amidst something historically significant. This story occurs in 8^th century Lindisfarne in England where the Gospels were being copied and illuminated. The Lindisfarne Gospels are beautiful manuscripts with significant historical importance and are now held at the British Library. Bond weaves the copying of these manuscripts into his story giving a feel for life in this time as monks do their work, a feudal society seeks to maintain order and they live in fear of Viking raids. In this setting Bond weaves a murder mystery with intrigue, romance, a Sherlock Holmes-type monk with keen points on justice and the gospel along the way.

We enjoyed this story with my 8 year old daughter begging us too keep reading. My 7 year old son was not yet ready to follow as well, which is why I’ve given the age suggestion listed above. The place to start with Bond’s books is the Crown and Covenant series or the Mr. Pipes series, but after those we commend this story to you as well. And we continue to anticipate every new book from Mr. Bond!