Merlin's Immortals #1 The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer*

A friend of mine told me how much she loved Sigmund Brouwer's Winds of Light series as a teenager.  Unfortunately, this series is no longer available in the library or to buy new.  Mr. Brouwer, however, twenty years later, republished this series and called it Merlin's Immortals.
Since we are learning about the Medieval period in history, I was excited to read book #1 to my sons.  They absolutely loved it (especially my eleven year old)!
Thomas has been raised in monastery.  When his nurse Sarah dies, he endures abuse from the gluttonous monks.  Little do they know how Sarah has taught him to read and trained him in other arts.  On a specific night, Thomas escapes the monastery and begins an exciting adventure to find Magnus.  Along the way he meets interesting people, all with mysterious pasts.  Whom can he trust?
This book's plot was so compelling that we would read many chapters at a time.
Very suspenseful!
Points to discuss/warnings: Thomas does not care for God and he makes that known.  By the end of the book, however, he is beginning to understand God differently.  He is attracted to Isabelle, a lady traveling with them, imagines kissing her and her being near him.  Violence/fighting.
The library has this book categorized as "Young Adult".
This book gives the opportunity to discuss many topics-outward appearance, deception, relationship with God.

**Highly, highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library, but I am buying this book and books #2-3 in this series.  Unfortunately, the fourth book (and final one) was only published electronically.