The King's Fifth

Set against the exciting backdrop of the Spanish Conquistadors and their quest for land and gold, The King's Fifth takes us on an incredible journey to the uncharted corners of the map. The story is told through the memories of one young man whose fate became entangled with six others on the journey of a lifetime.

Esteban de Sandoval was just a young man trying to make a living. But his life changed drastically the day he met Captain Mendoza, a power hungry man with an insane lust for gold. Together the two land on the sandy beach of western Mexico. With five others, they travel the land in search of gold and riches; all the while, Sandoval maps out the country. But with winter coming and tempers rising, will this small band of explorers learn to survive together or will they kill each other before the snow ever flies? And what will become of the gold?

The King's Fifth is and excellant book, with wonderful descriptions of the country and its native people. Scott O'Dell has authored many fine books, but this one is steadily climbing to the top of this reviewer's list. I would suggest that younger readers research the history of the conquistadors before they read this book. There are many cases of brutality against the Indians in this story and young readers should know a bit about the bloody history of the conquistadors before reading The King's Fifth.

*****
RJ