by Landel Bilbrey

Today, as never before, a young boy's life is bombarded by subtle and not so subtle messages of how the world defines the 'successful' man. The purpose of Sentinel, City of Destiny is to share with boys, during their formative pre-teen years, some fundamental character traits that define the 'Godly' man. The allegorical story is about twin brothers, Jerol and Jarad, their quest through the land of Callow (Childhood) and their search for the city of Sentinel (representing true Manhood). In Sentinel they seek to earn the Mark of the Blade and become part of the King's court of Mettle. The Court of Mettle is an elite fighting force that stands watch over Terrenea (the land in which the story takes place). They are sworn to fight to the death in defense of King Deus (God) and his Kingdom of Light. To make it onto the King's court Jerol and Jarad must first find the four magical keys (Courage, Integrity, Service, & Vision) with which to unlock Sentinel's gate. Unfortunately, their archenemy Azrael (Satan) and his minions challenge the boys at every turn, seeking to prevent their entry into Sentinel (True Manhood). The story contrasts the boys' very different ways of dealing with Azrael's temptations and traps. In the style of Pilgrim's Progress, the brothers face many allegorical characters and situations that represent present day themes in young boy's lives: bullies, drugs, girls, music, peer pressure, video, etc. Hopefully, in the end, it will be clear to the reader; it is better to be like Jerol, who makes wise choices than Jarad, who makes foolish choices.