By William Nicholson
Harcourt Children's Books
Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Cassette (Unabridged), Audio CD (Unabridged) and Audio CD (Abridged) Editions

Seeker After Truth wants one thing. He wants to be a Noble Warrior -- a member of the monastic order known as the Nomana. His father, however, wants him to follow in his own footsteps as a schoolmaster.

While visiting the garden sanctuary of the Nomana, Seeker discovers his brother Blaze being “cleansed” in a mind-erasing torture reserved for the worst criminals. The Nomana claim that he is part

Seeker Excerpt Out through the arch they came, walking slowly, their badans over their heads, pair after pair after pair. In the light of the dying sunset, and in the flicker of the torches’ flames, their pure white ceremonial clothing took on a warm reddish glow. The Nomana came out of the Nom singing, to present themselves to the people they served. Seeker looked for his brother and trembled for the coming disgrace. In this light, and with the head-coverings shadowing the faces, it was impossible to tell one from another. More and more flowed out through the Pilgrim Gate, venerable sages, famous fighters, and youngsters who had only just won their badans. The chant grew stronger and stronger. ©2006 William Nicholson Published with permission from Harcourt Children's Books

of a plot to destroy their island home of Anacrea.

Seeker defies his father and applies to the Nomana. He hopes to understand and avenge his brother’s dismissal but he himself is rejected. He joins two other failed hopefuls -- a shepherdess named Morning Star and a former pirate known as the Wildman -- on a quest to find and destroy the plot against the Nomana. Then the order will be obliged to accept them.

To the north of Anacrea lies the empire of Radiance where an ancient evil moves those in power to destroy the Nomana. Soren Similin, secretary to the king, leads an effort to create the most powerful weapon the world has ever known.

He discovers a way to charge water with the power of the sun. Exposed to air, the liquid releases a tremendous explosion. The only way to sneak such a weapon onto Anacrea is to hide it in the blood of a man.

A volunteer must be found who hates the Nomana enough to give his own life for their destruction. Seeker, Morning Star and the Wildman face obstacles at every turn and their differences threaten to tear them apart. Do they have the strength to overcome evil and save Anacrea?

Bookworm's Briefing
The name Nomana (no mana) appears to be an attempt to distance Seeker from Eastern Mysticism, yet the Nomana claim secret powers and knowledge of mysteries. Even though the book seems to espouse the One God of the Bible, one sometimes wonders about its loyalties.

William Nicholson also wrote the screenplay for Shadowlands about author C.S. Lewis. Lewis’ Shadowland concept, that the present world is only a fore-type of things to come, is evident in Seeker.

Characters’ names, and what these names tell us about them, is similar in style to John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress. Sadly, in spite of an apparent influence by masters of the genre, Seeker lacks the charm of Lewis and the spiritual significance of Bunyan.