By Darkness Hid

By Darkness Hid - Jill Williamson

Summary from Amazon.com (Sorry, I'm lazy today): Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan's owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince--more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan's head cause him to fear he's going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison--only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible.

Cons: 
I can't think of any at the moment...

Pros:
Jill Williamson's writing is beautiful, and the Christian messages are strong. I encourage all who love knights and castles to read this book and the following two. It's packed with action, fun characters, and life lessons for everyone. The first book will leave you dying to read the next two. I actually listened to this whole book and the second book on Jill Williamson's website. Unfortunately, I couldn't help but buy the third one after listening to the others. So, be warned. :) My siblings have all enjoyed listening to and reading these books. We still talk about them and laugh about all the funny parts and characters. You don't easily forget the characters. They stick in your memory like real people. The author did a wonderful job at making them like real people, with flaws, senses of humor, longings, and dreams. I would suggest this book to readers ages 12 & up.