Young William is depressed. His beloved nanny, Mrs. Phillips, is returning to her home in England, and not even his parents can take her place in
his life. Before she leaves, she gives William a very special present: a scale model of a castle, complete with a lead knight figurine, which has
been in her family for generations. When the boy picks up the Silver Knight, the little man comes alive in his hand! It turns out that he is, indeed,
a real person, ensorcelled long ago by an evil man who stole his lands. Soon William is involved in a quest to help the Silver Knight reclaim his
kingdom from the clutches of the wicked sorcerer.
Review
This story was fairly quick to read, and I found it satisfying. In many places, it has the feel of a fairy tale or legend, with William as the
virtuous young boy who breaks spells and faces down evil. William learns about letting go and growing up, and there is a happy ending (hardly a spoiler.)
What more do you expect from a light read?
William is growing up, but it seems that his friend Jason is growing up faster. He fears losing his best friend, and he misses his friends in the
Silver Knight's kingdom, so he makes a return trip to the castle, bringing skeptical Jason along. All seems to be well in the other world, until a
plague of demonic rats descends on the kingdom. Once again, it's up to William to save the castle.
Review
This sequel to The Castle in the Attic was forced and unimaginative, but it was readable. Much of the plot relied on the standard "modern kid
dazzles rustic natives with modern gizmos" gimmicks, which I find trite in the best of circumstances. Just because the natives of the Silver Knight's
kingdom don't have mountain bikes doesn't mean they're stupid, but it sure comes across that way here. Another problem which I had with the plot was how
the adults acted like complete idiots. Many kid books have the "adult stupefaction" factor, but I thought this tale took it over the line into realms of
impossibility. Unfortunately, Winthrop left the ending wide open for a third book. Some authors just don't seem to know when to quit. Then again, perhaps
there's just a lousy contract involved here. Either way, the fairy-tale charm of the first book is pretty much absent here, leaving behind a very typical
story that does just what you think it will.
