The Restorer's Son by Sharon Hinck

Sharon Hinck has a new fan in this reader/reviewer. I’m so glad I stumbled upon her Sword of Lyric series. Susan May Warren is right in her endorsement: Sharon has the ability to make you fall in love with a whole new genre.


Here is the back cover copy:

Plunged again into the gray world of Lyric and Hazor, Susan and Mark search frantically for their teenage son, Jake, as all signs hint that a trusted ally has betrayed them and threatens their son. Assassins and political intrigue, false leads, and near misses beset their path, which will lead them into the dark prisons of Hazor before the One's purpose is revealed.

Cast out by those he trusts and preferring to cross swords with the One rather than submit to His will, Kieran flees to enemy Hazor, only to find that the One knows no borders. Pursued by his calling, Kieran journeys to Sidian, where he finds a boy without a home, a king with burning questions, and a nation torn by darkness. As he embraces the tasks the One has set before him, this new Restorer learns that the One requires his all--perhaps even his life.

And now for my review:

Sharon’s writing is so insightful, you’ll gulp at the nuggets as they rise from the prose on the page. Yummy phrases and humorous situations will gather chuckles as you read. Then, the seriousness of the situation in Lyric will compel you to turn those pages to see what will happen.

At first, you wonder if Jake, the newcomer to Lyric, has the smarts (and guts) to last in this savage land. He is the previous restorer’s son. Suddenly, he has found the portal and transferred into the foreign land, without explanation or skills to survive there for long. In the meantime, the new restorer rails against the One he doesn’t understand. Because of his past pain, he just assumes the worst of the One and rather than ask Him about His ways or heart, this restorer denies Him access to his life. But the One needs him, so let the sword fight commence. I read and reread the scene of the restorer fighting with God. Not only did Sharon skillfully portray this male character’s POV, she also brought out the heart of the One and believably, insightfully, portray their battle.

Now for the best part, how God used this to coincide with a few scenes in my life. So many elements of this story match my own—the songkeepers and their lyrics, believing in the Verses, misunderstanding God’s heart (at times), and finding freedom in the single instruction the One gave the restorer: yield.

This is a beautifully written novel, a fantastic follow-up to the first book. My husband said, you don’t always expect the second book in a series to be as good as the first. Sharon surprised us both. We each enjoyed Book Two more than the earlier one (which is amazing given our enjoyment of “The Restorer”). I highly recommend “The Restorer’s Son.”

Here's her website so you can learn more about Sharon: www.sharonhinck.com and her other projects.