Arken Freeth & the Adventure of the Neanderthals #1: SeaJourney by Alex Paul

My name is Arken, and I've earned my place on the SeaJourney by defeating Gate in a sparring match. I hope to become a respected officer during this training voyage, since commoners like me are rarely admitted to the academy. However, Gate is determined to kill me, and his angry glares are a constant reminder. He's much larger than me, and there are many ways to "accidentally" fall off a ship. I've made a new friend who happens to be an ambassador's son. He's even smaller than me and won't be much help in a fight. I'm stronger than others might suspect, and I'm probably the best archer on the ship. I hope my skills will be appreciated. Oops, I need to run! An alarm has sounded, and we need to report on deck. I never would have imagined our ship would play a critical role in a brewing war.

If you've read many of my posts, you know I'm leery of stories told from more than two points of view. Several subplots added confusion early in this book, as my mind couldn't make connections between them. Arken's story was the most compelling, and the book became much more interesting once Arken was the focus. He was the runt of the cadets but was determined to become a successful ship's officer. His small stature was due to his secret heritage, but it also endowed him with unusual strength. His father and grandfather privately trained him, so he was skilled in fighting and archery. The subplots followed a young neanderthal, a captain's efforts to capture a magical necklace, and each chapter began with journal entries written by a princess. The subplots weren't necessary. The neanderthals were a non-factor even though they were cited in the title. I have no idea why they were even in the book! Any information about the captain and princess could have been introduced into Arken's story to avoid confusion and disruption to his plot. In addition, the ending was very abrupt and left the book feeling unfinished. Despite these issues, Arken's adventure was very entertaining! The underdog allowed his virtues and abilities to shine, as he overcame deadly perils. I truly hope the book's sequel sticks to Arken's experiences without other distractions, and I hope the conflicts are resolved.