Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers (#1)

If you’re looking for a book that captures the heart, hope, and wholesome adventure of the Chronicles of Narnia but has a storybook quality all its own, you would enjoy Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers. The prose of this book is definitely one that begs to be read aloud, with funny voices and all, as a bedtime story for the kiddos. If I was still teaching, this would be a book I would recommend to my students!

Action/Adventure:

In this novel, we follow Jackson Swift and his friends, Lily and Fluff, as they embark on new adventures in a world they no longer recognize. Their homeland, Lepunia, has been taken over by a ruthless badger and his coyote minions who want to rule the kingdom’s wealth and abundance. Jackson and his friends travel across Lepunia and even other kingdoms in their quest to restore their homeland.

The novel switches between the perspectives of almost all the characters but in such a way that is seamless and very reminiscent of a fairytale. Certain switches confused me, but only because some names were so similar, but it was great to see the perspective of the young characters, the parents, neighboring kingdoms, and even the ruthless badger himself, Brand.

Religion/Magic: This novel is not a Christian novel, but the way the characters pray and call out to the Swiftness was reminiscent of allegory, in my perspective. Additionally, certain aspects of the book are magical. For example, there are legends of Jack Frost, a rabbit that brings the winter season, and we even get his origin story as a chapter. We also get another chapter later a second fairy-tale-like deviation from the plot. I really enjoyed these, since it made the world come alive all on its own, with depth that I wasn’t expecting.

Another magical aspect of this world would be a legendary weapon. It is said that it can only be used for good, lest it loses its power, and when it is used in the novel, it takes on qualities beyond a regular weapon. For example, in one scene it is able to strike a metal object with such momentum that the object heats, becoming red-hot, and shatters.

Content:

The adventures of Jackson and his friends, though full of hope and determination, are not without some perils! Early on, a few of family members are lost in the invasion (some off-screen, some on-page with one-sentence description; for example, “Brand spun around and brought the hammer end of his weapon down on the back of [his] head with a terrible crash”). The enemies are cruel and ruthless, and being predators, they make comments about eating the fallen (only ever talked about, never shown). Main characters also kill enemies to defend their homes. There are about a dozen moments of tension when the main characters are escaping or battling the enemy.

We also get relational insight into a parent’s disappointment in his son’s choice of profession, since he believed his son could do much more with his life, but this is later used as a point of encouragement and motivation.

Final Thoughts:

I really adored this book, and it felt like one that I would love to read out loud to my kids some day. It really had the quality of a storybook that you could read together as a family.

The illustrations were gorgeous, and altogether add to the storybook feel of the novel. Many times I was tearing up in the second half of the book, just seeing the way the characters faced their stakes with honor and nobility, trusting the Swiftness with their lives.

Lepunia feels like such an instant classic to me. It’s definitely a great read for ages 7/8+, with themes and adventure that will capture the attention of older readers as well, including an adult like myself!