The Sorcerers Ring #1: A Quest of Heroes by Morgan Rice

My name is Thorgrin, and all I wanted was to become a member of the King's Legion. I wasn't invited to join like my three brothers, so I ventured to the king's castle on my own. Once I arrived at the Legion's training grounds, I proved my worth and became squire to the kingdom's greatest knight, Erec. The king's youngest son Reese and I have become best friends along with another boy named O'Connor. I was as shocked as anyone when I summoned magical powers to save Erec’s life during a joust! Now, things have gotten more complicated. I've become a hero for doing nothing special, the kingdom is facing a possible invasion, and the king's daughter has taken a liking to me. However, the queen and another boy have vowed to make my life miserable if I don't stay away from Gwen. The king and Erec sense that I'm different from others, but I don't know if that's a good thing or bad. 

I sometimes find gems when I randomly select titles to read while toiling through my gym workouts. This book has the underdog main character, action, devious scheming to gain power, and loyal friendships and bravery to overcome all evil. Thor's character changes immensely and quickly, as he went from sheep shepherd to hero. The relationship with Gwen is especially confusing for him. Despite Thor's virtues, he receives mixed feelings from other characters. The Legion recruits are angry and jealous, while the guards and trainers make it clear he won't get any special treatment. In contrast, Reese and O'Connor immediately become his friends, and later, a bully has a change of heart and joins Thor's group. Thor's brothers were missing from the story as the book progressed. I found myself wondering about them. The plot contains a feud that's been going on for centuries, and the king is doing all he can to maintain the peace. It seems inevitable that a war will break out, but it doesn't start in this book. Nevertheless, the threat of violence is always lingering in the background. The author hints at people living outside the Ring and gives the impression they're violent savages. They provide a basis for future problems, I imagine. In addition, Thor is told his mother came from a far-off land, so that adds a little mystery to his character. The plot has some suggestive moments and bit of hearty drinking, so it's probably more appropriate for tweenage readers. I've also discovered there are over a dozen books in the series!