Review: Finnian and the Seven Mountains, Vol. 2 by Philip Kosloski
Return to the 9th century A.D. and the search for the Sword of St. Michael!
Long ago, in the very far past, a man named Jonah is catching some Zs beneath a tree when the LORD wakes him up. The LORD has a mission for Jonah: go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people that if they do not repent, within three days, their city will be razed. Why does the LORD want him to do this?
The king of Nineveh has appealed to the god Basmu for power to conquer the neighboring cities. Basmu has promised him this power if he slaughters the youngest children in the city, which would include the king’s own newborn son! Unable to back down, the king orders all the youngest children brought for sacrifice, weeping as he does over the coming loss of his own child.
Jonah, of course, wants nothing to do with Nineveh. The LORD didn’t even tell him explicitly why He wants Jonah to go and preach to them. He simply vanished after whacking Jonah on the head with His staff! Well, forget this. Obviously, there has been some mistake. Time to hightail it Somewhere Else. Anywhere else.
What does Jonah’s mission have to do with Finnian’s quest, as seen in Volume 1? To answer that question, readers need to return to the 9th century A.D. Specifically, 9th century Italy!
The Story
Last time readers saw him, Ragnar was headed to a secret location to find a Necromancer who could give him what he needed to claim the sword of St. Michael for his dragon overlord. If the blade is remade and given to someone who uses it for God’s purposes, then it will undo all the evil that Ragnar as well as the Necromancer have declared they will serve, and which they rely upon for their power.
The Necromancer agrees to give Ragnar what he seeks – an army of undead warriors that cannot be killed. But first, he must be certain there is no “stain of goodness” left on Ragnar’s soul. Anyone who has even the slightest remaining bit of goodness in him cannot lead this undead army!
Meanwhile, Finnian and company head to Monte San Angelo on the eastern coast of Italy. They seek the next piece of the sword of St. Michael, accompanied now by a mercenary who was employed by the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel in France. Known as Pierre, the mercenary helps the company land and complains about Brendan’s pet puffin Pica being hungry. Merewyn jokes that Pierre is probably the one who is hungry….
Entering the monastery of Monte San Angelo when they hear that a piece of the Sword of St. Michael has reportedly been discovered, the band of heroes runs into Shannon, a redheaded lass from Ireland. As it turns out, Shannon is Brendan’s younger sister, and she came to San Angelo at the behest of a mysterious voice. When Finnian shows her the sword shards, she brings him to meet the abbot – who declares that Finnian is carrying forgeries!
After being thrown out of the monastery, the group finds the real piece of the sword at Monte San Angelo. They then sail to Greece, where they meet Roman (Byzantine) soldiers preparing for combat. After persuading the captain of the Roman guard that they can recover the next piece of the blade, the captain allows Finnian and his friends to pass, provided they take his towering slave Demetrius with them. Wielding an axe at least as tall as he is, Demetrius soon proves his mettle against the Drekings, who are now reinforced by an army of the dead.
But when a last-minute betrayal leaves the group playing catch up, will they be able to stop Ragnar in time? And are those who serve evil truly bereft of all goodness? Or is there some good in even the worst human on the planet?
The Characters
Finnian and Merewyn come into their own as the tale progresses, with Finnian shedding his callow tendencies as he assumes responsibility for leading his team safely through the mounting challenges they face. Ever at his side, Merewyn finds herself helping to keep the peace between members of the group as it grows to accommodate new members. The two make a great duo and are clearly on the way to becoming a couple.
Pierre is a grumpy teammate while Shannon brings some lighthearted spunk to the team, adding depth to Brendan’s background as he grows into his role as Finnian’s spiritual as well as physical navigator. For his part, Demetrius brings a ferocity of spirit in addition to strength to the group dynamic. Stoic but loyal, when the Drekings make themselves his enemy, he is eager to aid Finnian in his quest.
By far, the greatest character growth is seen in Ragnar. Presented as a one-dimensional villain initially, the Viking king’s backstory is finally revealed in this volume, showing his motivation for swearing himself to Jormungandr so long ago. Is it possible that he can be redeemed? Or will he succeed in dragging the world deeper into darkness and misery?
The World
The world expands from the familiar territory of 9th century Ireland, England, and France by moving to Italy and eventually Greece. Following real history and the known Viking raider routes, as well as Byzantine civilization in the 9th century, the collection fleshes out Finnian’s world beautifully. It also takes readers on a fantastic (literally) dive into a re-imagined version of Jonah’s story, which is worth the trip and thought-provoking in itself!
Politics
Demetrius is a slave. This may bother some readers, even though he is freed before the book ends. Other than that, there are no politics to speak of in the narrative.
Content Warning
Basmu is not a nice deity, and the topic of human sacrifice is broached. Monsters appear, near-death experiences befall our heroes, and while the undead army is on par with a Ray Harryhausen film, some kids may not like seeing skeletons. Overall, it is PG-13 material, but these are things to keep an eye on.
Who is it for?
Anyone who wants a good Biblical adventure will wish to pick this collection up for the story of Jonah, especially if they wish to introduce children or even adults to the Old Testament. Christians and Catholics searching for something “clean” for their kids to read that won’t offend their faith should purchase it as well, or at least request that their libraries buy a copy for the shelf. History enthusiasts hoping to encourage an interest in the Bible as well as history would be wise to buy the collected tales of Finnian for their children, charges, or nephews or nieces. Finnian will appeal to boys but for those trying to get their girls to read, his adventures will hold intense appeal, especially where the romance between the two leads is concerned! Budding artists or those who love beautiful art will also want this collection in their personal library.
Why buy it?
It is good, clean fun in a beautiful package. The story is well-considered, the adventure is intense, and it is all tastefully rendered in the artwork. Who could turn that bargain down?