Knights Without Ceremony: Insurrection

New for 2025! The book, the first in a planned duology, is a coming-of-age upper middle grade novel that explores themes of identity, power, justice, and the quiet ways that boys begin to understand the world and emerge from the shadows of their fathers. On the surface, the novel is a fast-paced coming-of-age adventure story, a classic tale of knights, rivalry, and castle intrigue. The twist is that it’s also an allegory touching on the issues of authoritarianism, meritocracy, and racism. An early draft of the book received an excellent review from BookLife, a division of Publisher’s Weekly, where it was selected as a semifinalist for the 2023 BookLife Prize.

From the cover:

In the war-torn Kingdom of Gorum, Ettan, Drogue, and Kemo dream of becoming knights, but for more than the title and armor. For Ettan, an orphan whose father had been a castle servant and who is now stuck tending the King’s chickens, knighthood would mean an escape from poverty. Drogue, the son of the kingdom’s most powerful lord, might win his father’s approval. And Kemo, despised by some citizens for his dark skin, would finally feel accepted. But the path to knighthood is not as straightforward as they believe, and the three rivals each face tests far more difficult than the battle exercises on the training field. What they choose about putting honor and justice over personal gain—and whether to put aside their rivalries to do what is right—will determine who they become and will set the stage for a final battle for the kingdom.