The Sun Ray King Story

Anna-Marie Fournier, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with
the Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

The fate and interactions of four great kingdoms are the basis for this
adventure story. The Sun Ray King, who rules over the South Kingdom, is
handsome, mighty, and power-hungry. Oblivious to the protestations of
his counselors and subjects, he leads his army in an invasion of the
East and West Kingdoms. Just as he is about to proceed into the North
Kingdom, his counselors bring news that the North Kingdom’s old king
has recently died, leaving a daughter, Norda, to succeed him. Tales of
her beauty and intelligence are relayed to the Sun Ray King in hopes
that he will find marriage with this White Arrow Queen a more attractive
prospect than invasion.

Instead of making the journey himself, the Sun Ray King sends heralds
to the North Kingdom to propose marriage on his behalf. When an insulted
Norda refuses to accept his proposal, the King invades her land.
Norda’s troops triumph over the invaders. The Sun Ray King returns
home, where he falls prey to a debilitating and mysterious illness. The
only cure lies in the Miracle Life Saving Water of the Crystal Spring.
The source of the spring is in the North Kingdom. It is a disguised
Norda who brings the magic elixir to the South Kingdom. The Sun Ray King
is restored to vigor and in gratitude offers the
Once-in-a-Hundred-Years-Three-Wishes to the stranger from the North
Kingdom. The resulting wishes pit the Sun Ray King and the stranger into
an open and fair fight that will end the war between the two kingdoms
once and for all.

Ana Adamache has written a very readable medieval fantasy with a
hopeful and satisfying conclusion.

Jan Sovak’s beautiful illustrations, which are vibrantly colorful and
have a classic-European-fairy-tale appeal, greatly enhance the story.
Recommended.