Walter Gurney is a 17-year old orphan whose father was a missionary in India. As Life in the Eagle's Nest opens, Walter is awaiting word from relatives in England as to what he should do now that his father has died. As so often happens, God answers his prayers in a way he didn't anticipate. When the dashing adventurer Dermot Denis hires young Walter to be his guide into remote Afghanistan, neither has any idea how the trip will unfold. Dermot dreams of the adventures to come, and Walter imagines evangelizing the lost.

Life in the Eagle's Nest is a physical and spiritual journey. The unlikely duo encounters wild animals, difficult terrain, and the dangerous Pathan Afghans before ending up in the Eagle's Nest as prisoners. Walter holds fast to His Father in the face of threats, mockery, uncertainty, and temptation. On one such occasion, the author points out, "One who habitually looks to the fiery cloudy pillar for guidance, finds that it gives light in the darkest night of trial, shade under the fiercest glow of temptation. All that the Christian holds most dear is beyond the reach of robbers; he can never lose his all."

This easy-to-read paperback novel is appropriate as a read-aloud or as a read-alone story for ages eleven and up. The replicas of drawings included in the text add interest and depth to the characters and the setting. Life in the Eagle's Nest would fit in with studies of history and geography, Christian character, or literature.

Pros: The story and lessons of Life in the Eagle's Nest can be applied to many different settings, even homeschool classrooms! The book does not take long to read, but the impact is long lasting.

Cons: I was expecting to learn a bit more about the country of Afghanistan. Plus, the ending seemed abrupt, but perhaps that was intentional, prompting the reader to absorb the instruction offered.

I will certainly encourage my children (and others) to read Life in the Eagle's Nest. We each have our own life to live for the Lord, and Walter Gurney's devotion and choices for God are worth studying and remembering.