Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

In this knightly training manual, Johnson draws from an array of folkloric traditions to tell of heroes confronting dragons, monsters, giants, wild beasts, and rival warriors. He catalogs renowned swords, shields, and steeds; magical artifacts; and notable warrior bands, plus plenty of cautionary insights: “Dragons have a name for a charging knight, and that name is food.” While Johnson acknowledges that knighthood is a dangerous occupation, his purpose is to provide not actual fighting instruction but handy tips for avoiding (or at least surviving) battles. Therefore, he privileges tales of strategic guile over blunt violence and slips in cases of bad behavior receiving just deserts. Along with introductions to familiar figures from Gilgamesh to Miyamoto Musashi, Sigurd to Iktomi, this companion to the Apprentice Academy series’ Sorcerers (2023) bursts with thrilling recitations of epic exploits from dozens of underrecognized Academy alums, like the Pomeranian Jomsvikings, the Kyrgyz national hero Manas, and Princess Saljan of Trebizond, who could fire arrows simultaneously from bows in each hand. Peterslund caps moderate bursts of spot art with a closing fashion show of historical armor styles.