Book Review: Gladius and The Bartlett Trial by J.A. Paul
- Paola Santana
- Mar 4
- 2 min read
Updated: May 15
Gladius is a 15-year-old boy who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime when he is sent on his Bartlett Trial - a coming of age challenge he must conquer alone to prove to his elders and fellow Wiggins he's no longer a boy, but a man ready to face adult responsibilities.
However, everything changes when he discovers what is lurking outside the protected life of his village: a tyrant threatening to destroy all he holds dear. Along the way he makes new friends and allies as they all ready themselves to fight against the threat and save their homes.
BOOK SPECS:
Number of Pages: 242
Format: Paperback
Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Trope: The Quest, Good vs. Evil
SHORT REVIEW:
J.A. Paul is a very engaging writer with fantastic descriptions of a magical world somewhere far away. His story reminds me of something in between Lord of the Rings (minus the scary bits) and The Never Ending Story. I also think this book would be wonderful in small illustrated volumes, maybe even a graphic novel.
But the thing I liked the most about it is that you can sit and read it with your children if they are of primary school age and older. The storyline is interesting enough to keep both generations engaged. That's a fairly hard balance to achieve as a writer.
HEART RATE:

FULL REVIEW:
Plot & Characters
Prose and plot wise, there are a couple of details the most avid reader might pick on. I found the language a little confusing as it flips from evoking a different era and place to very current English. On the other hand, this might be exactly what gives it its storytelling quality. There are also a couple of characters that do not seem to have a real purpose in the plot and, towards the end, the whole puzzle they are trying to solve almost feels irrelevant.
Having said all that, Gladius and the Bartlett Trial is the first of a trilogy, so maybe all these questions will be answered in future sequels.
Writing
I can see the boys loving this one! But don't worry, any girl with a sense of adventure and a little thing for romance will like it too. There is a magical storytelling quality to it. You could imagine sitting around a fire in a campsite telling this story to a group of children.
Talking about campsite... There are some really good survival tips here! I might just take it with me when I go outdoors from now on. Just in case I fall into rapids, dangle off a cliff, or get lost inside underground tunnels. I did actually learn some interesting survival skills while reading this book and I am willing to bet I will not be saying that very often!
OUT OF CURIOSITY:
All the adventures Gladius gets up to in this book are a little hint that Jason (J.A. Paul) is an "Action Man". Think boy scouts, kayaking and travelling. He also has three partners in crime, his sons: Jordan, Caden and Madden, which are the inspiration for his book.
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