Guardian of the Gauntlet is based on the Parable of the Talents.
Camari and Mila, two princesses from the cold and remote kingdom of Harroway, are fascinated when their friend, Prince Denir of the kingdom of Thalon, shows them a special gauntlet, which is capable of great deeds when worn by one who believes in a higher power.
One day he turns Camari invisible – but doesn’t have a chance to reverse the spell before he is called off to war. To make things even worse, Bogwina, an enchanted bog witch, and a wicked magician named Mecandel conspire to steal the gauntlet.
With Prince Isryk of Bredin as her guide, Camari’s journey takes her through the through the wetlands of Fremil, and encounters many awful creatures along the way.
After an arduous journey, Camari at last discovers that she has been given a great gift by her higher power.
Read an excerpt from Guardian of the Gauntlet:
“What’s that?” asked Mila.
“It’s the Gauntlet of Galilee. My father gave it to me last week on my twentieth birthday. It’s always given to the second born, but my father was an only child, so he had it. This isn’t just an ordinary gauntlet, either. It has special powers, which can be controlled by the mind. And not just anyone can do it. It takes a strong belief, both in yourself and in a higher power, and concentration. The gauntlet is merely a vessel through which the belief works. Without belief, the gauntlet is powerless.”
“And of course you have all that,” said Mila, challenging him.
“I’ll show you,” he said. He lifted his hand toward the sky and closed his eyes. A white streak of light shot from the gauntlet and into a cloud. Snow began to fall from the cloud.
“Ooh, it’s snowing,” Camari announced with surprise. She stepped beneath the cloud and held her hands out to catch the flakes, which melted before she caught them.
Julie P. says
Guardian of the Gauntlet is an imaginative story and fun to read. A real page turner! This children’s fantasy reminds me of when I read the Chronicles of Narnia books.
Red City Review says
Guardian of the Gauntlet by Lenita Sheridan
Opening with a verse from Matthew 25, Lenita Sheridan’s Young Adult fantasy Guardian of the Gauntlet highlights the importance of personal convictions guided by faith. At the center of the narrative is the charming Prince Denir of Thalon, and the magical powers afforded to him through a gauntlet glove. While roaming the kingdom of Harroway, Denir comes across two admiring sisters, but of course, only one will prove to the ideal match. Once Denir recklessly and willingly makes one of the girls disappear (at her request), the mischievous Mecandel and witchy Bogwina attempt to swipe the coveted gauntlet. However, one can only utilize the powerful glove through a perfect fit. When a teenage boy named Isryk jumps into the picture, all of the characters must come to grips with reality and let go of their secret fantasies…at least a little bit.
The characters of Guardian of the Gauntlet are well rounded for the most part, and author Sheridan infuses bits of romantic dialogue with a touch of comedy. It’s a fun read, so much so that one may desire a more complete description of the magical settings themselves. The narrative’s emphasis falls primarily on the inner desires of young Camari, while an important character like Denir appears more like an idea than a fully realized Prince. Early on, he makes a girl disappear but doesn’t have the intelligence to return her to her natural form before rushing off to battle. Naturally, the two younger girls continue to swoon over him. The story takes a sharp turn for the better, however, once Camari teams up with a bumbling guide, and the inherent message of appreciation comes shining through.
Jane Blythe says
This book was very descriptive, particularly about the landscape and creatures who live in it, I liked that as it made me feel as though I could imagine it in my mind, however sometimes the placing of some of the descriptions got a little in the way of the flow of the story. I didn’t quite like the character of Prince Denir, he was a little too condescending and insensitive for my liking, however I liked both the princesses, particularly that they both doubted themselves for entirely different reasons. I would love to learn more about the history of the Gauntlet and hope that the author covers that in another book, I particularly liked that the Gauntlet wasn’t magical but that it was powered by belief in a higher power. I’d also like to see the relationship between Princess Camari and Prince Isryk develop in another book, I kept wanting to say to Princess Camari to forget all about Denir because Isryk is so much nicer! Overall I thought this was a great book for kids in the 8-12 age group and would definitely recommend it to others.
Jane Blythe says
Book II
This book does a good job of following on from the first in the series, it gave just enough information to let you know what had happened in the first book without going into too much detail and giving too much away. I didn’t like this one quite as much as the first one, perhaps because I felt like everything was a little too easily solved, in the first book Princess Camari had to work hard to get the Gauntlet to work, or to overcome obstacles another way and this time around it felt like the Gauntlet solved everything so quickly and easily. Other than that I still thought this was a great read for 8-12 year olds, again I thought the descriptions of the creatures and landscapes were beautifully done, Lenita Sheridan obviously has a fabulous imagination and has created a wonderful, magical, mystical world, with so many interesting things but it is also not too overwhelming for kids. I enjoyed seeing Princess Camari work with Prince Isryk again, and hope to see her start to return his obvious affections for her in the next book!
Ava Kingsley says
Hi Lenita,
Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book III immediately draws readers into a richly imaginative world where adventure, friendship, and high-stakes challenges intertwine. Camari’s journey west, navigating allies and adversaries alike, creates a narrative filled with tension, exploration, and character growth, while Isryk’s wedding serves as a central anchor that ties the story together. What stands out is how the final installment balances epic quests, diverse characters, and intricate relationships in a way that gives the trilogy a satisfying and emotionally resonant conclusion.
Stories like this naturally connect with readers who enjoy epic fantasy adventures, character-driven quests, and stories where moral choices and personal growth are at the forefront. I’m currently connected with around 300 Reading Circles, 200 Fantasy & Adventure groups, and 150 Pages & Conversations communities where readers actively discuss and recommend books that explore magical worlds, perilous journeys, and richly developed characters. A story like Guardian of the Gauntlet, Book III tends to spark lively discussion and engagement in these spaces.
Would you be open to learning how stories like yours naturally find their way into reader communities that love discussing and recommending them?
Warm regards,
Ava Kingsley
Jon paul says
Hello Lenita, your Guardian of the Gauntlet series, beginning with Book I on May 20th, 2013, has created a vivid and imaginative world where faith, courage, and adventure collide. Princess Camari’s journey through the Wetlands of Fremil and the challenges she faces alongside Prince Isryk capture the imagination of middle-grade and young adult readers, offering both thrilling escapades and meaningful lessons grounded in biblical parables.
Readers are searching for stories that allow them to step into worlds beyond their own while learning about bravery, faith, and the consequences of belief. They want adventure, characters they can root for, and magical settings that spark wonder. Even books with rich worlds and strong moral themes can struggle to reach the right readers if alignment with these searches is missing.
Your series’ strengths are clear. Book I, Book II on December 13th, 2014, and Book III in late 2015/early 2016 provide clean fantasy with Christian allegorical elements. The creative world-building, imaginative flora and fauna, and faith-guided narratives offer readers a unique experience that has earned comparisons to The Chronicles of Narnia, while still maintaining your distinct voice and vision. Readers describe your books as “page-turners,” “beyond wildest imagination,” and deeply engaging, showing the lasting impact of your storytelling.
In the broader Christian middle-grade fantasy market, your series competes with beloved classics and current indie releases, yet it faces the challenge of standing out in a crowded online space. Many readers may not know that your books exist despite their quality, simply because indie authors often have fewer touchpoints in search results and recommendation engines.
Your readers already exist in online communities for Christian middle-grade fiction, Amazon bestseller lists for faith-based fantasy, and Facebook groups for young readers and parents seeking clean adventures. When a book aligns with the way these readers search and talk about stories, it appears naturally in their path. Without that alignment, even thoughtful and imaginative series risk drifting unnoticed.
I work with authors to understand why books that are creative, high-quality, and deeply meaningful sometimes fail to reach their ideal audience. My work focuses on market research, reader search behavior, and post-publication alignment. I approach this from the perspective of authors who juggle both creative work and visibility challenges, helping them see why stories like yours sometimes take longer to be discovered despite their impact.
Even with awards, online engagement, and your dedicated street team, it is easy to feel caught in a cycle of effort without wide visibility. Book Visibility Mapping can reveal where readers seeking imaginative, faith-guided middle-grade fantasy are active, how they describe the stories they want, and whether Guardian of the Gauntlet is appearing along those paths. As you wrote, “The gauntlet is merely a vessel through which the belief works. Without belief, the gauntlet is powerless,” and proper alignment ensures that belief reaches the readers who are searching for it, helping your imaginative worlds come alive in more homes and hearts.
Replying will give you a clear perspective on where your ideal readers are active online, how your series currently appears in those searches, and whether there is a visibility gap that is limiting discovery. This insight will allow you to see where your efforts are making an impact and where opportunities exist. Would you like to explore that alignment and see how your worlds could reach the readers who need them most?
Jon paul
Market Researcher
*“Most limitations are not real; they are simply unexamined.”*