Medieval Adventures for Boys
What if you were a champion jouster living in medieval England?
What if you’d trained your whole life for honor and glory—only to realize your people needed courage and justice?
What if stepping into leadership meant stepping out of your father’s shadow—and into danger?
Welcome to The Sword and Story Podcast—where we help Christian families find exciting, faith-filled books for their boys.
Our mission is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. Join us on a quest to discover stories that inspire our boys to grow into godly young men.
I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m an author, bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful, boys. I’m the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction and devotions for middle-grade boys.
Our guest author today is Given Hoffman.
Given Hoffman is an author of young adult suspense and adventure novels, a national speaker and a podcaster. She’s the author of the Marked series, medieval adventure novels for teens.
The Tournament’s Price (Marked series)
Medieval Adventure for Boys
In The Tournament’s Price, Prince Gage, second-born son of Edelmar’s king, has gained fame and fortune as an undefeated jouster. Knighted young, Gage is audacious on the tournament field but is daunted by his responsibilities of leadership. He’s always been content to follow his father’s and his older brother’s leading, but more is expected of him. Will he be able to prove himself capable? When a ruthless thief at a tournament makes Gage his next target, it changes everything. The lords of Edelmar thought defeating the blue-eyed thief would end their troubles, but Gage discovers the Blue Crow’s small group of rebels are just the beginning of what is brewing beneath the submissive bows and polite smiles of the common people.
More Books in the Marked Series by Given Hoffman
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
The Tournament’s Price (Marked series) by Given Hoffman
Laurie Christine: Our guest author today is Given Hoffman. Given, welcome to the podcast.
Given Hoffman: Thank you, Laurie. It’s so great to be here. I really appreciate the opportunity to chat about these books.
Laurie Christine: Before we dive into your books and your stories, could you introduce yourself to our listeners?
Given Hoffman: I started writing at a young age, though not as young as some writers. I began because I couldn’t sleep at night and shared a room with sisters who would not let me leave the light on. So instead of reading stories, I made up stories in my head. Eventually I started writing them down. I pursued publication, learned the process, and fell in love with storytelling—the joy of creating characters and sharing them with others.
That love led me from writing into selling books, speaking, and attending homeschool conferences. I grew up homeschooled, and it has been wonderful to remain part of that world by speaking on topics from communication to fiction writing. I now teach and do many things associated with storytelling and communication. It is a joy helping people communicate well with each other and seeing the impact of stories—how we are influenced by them and how we can influence others through them.
Laurie Christine: That is so fun. I have been enjoying learning about your books and your series. It is called the Marked Series and takes place in a medieval setting. Is it medieval England?
Given Hoffman: It is actually a fictional setting. It definitely has the flavor of England. When researching the medieval time period, any European country has its own flavor, but the titles and overall feel lean toward England. Within the fictional world, it is probably as close to England as it gets.
Inspiration Behind the Marked Series
Laurie Christine: What inspired you to write books about knights, sword fights, jousting, and the whole medieval era?
Given Hoffman: People often ask that. I am more of a seat-of-the-pants writer than an outliner, so I discover things as I go. I started with the main character separate from the setting. As he developed, I realized he fit perfectly in a medieval time period. I have always loved the medieval setting—swords, horses, knights. There is something intriguing about it that screams adventure.
I love horses and grew up with them, so the concept of running off on an adventure on horseback appealed to me. My main character trains horses, which became a big piece of the plot. The medieval setting is fascinating, and even in fantasy we see a lot of leaning toward it. My books are not fantasy—there are no fantasy elements in the Marked Series—but I wanted to bring that flair of swords and knights into a very real setting where readers feel they could experience it as a real person.
Laurie Christine: That is really unique about your series. Many books with sword fights and knights are set in fantasy worlds with dragons and elves. It is cool that readers can learn what life was like in a medieval quasi-English setting while still getting plenty of action and adventure.
Writing for Boys
Laurie Christine: Who did you write this series for? What is your target age demographic?
Given Hoffman: I previously wrote a standalone novel with boy and girl main characters that appeals to both sides of the young adult realm. With this series, I wanted to focus on a story that would really appeal to boys, because there is so little in the teen market written specifically for them.
I have no problem with books that appeal to both, but I wanted something very specifically for boys where they could relate to the main character. In the second book I introduce a female main character, but I still geared it toward guy readers so they can relate to her or appreciate her point of view.
Boys do read, but often they reach a point where there is nothing that interests them. They may turn to fantasy or adult books. I wanted to write something specifically for their age range, with a Christian perspective. Coming from the homeschool realm, my target audience includes homeschool boys. I aimed to create stories that honor where they are coming from and what their interests are.
Laurie Christine: There is definitely a need for books that grab and hold boys’ attention. That is my heart as well. I love what you are doing.
Given Hoffman: I love what you are doing with this podcast for that reason. It is a great place for people to come and find good books, because it is really hard to find them. There are very few authors doing this.
Laurie Christine: I am hoping that Christian families are inspired to buy your books and the books of the other authors I have interviewed. This will be a great resource for families to find the next great read for their boys.
The Story of The Tournament’s Price
Laurie Christine: Let’s talk about your story. The series is called Marked. There are three books currently, with more coming. We will focus on book one today. It is called The Tournament’s Price. Tell us about it.
Given Hoffman: My main character, Gage, starts out as a jouster. He has poured a lot into it and is at the top of his game. Then a challenge arises. Gage is royalty—we know that from the start—but he is the second-born prince. I wanted to explore a character who is not the direct heir but still has responsibilities and feels the tug and pull of his roles.
He does not like the attention of being royal or the weight of responsibility. A big part of the story is Gage figuring out where he fits—what his role is, what others expect of him, what he actually wants, and what is required of him.
He grew up in a Christian home, but unbeknownst to his family, he really does not believe it. Things that happened in his past influenced that. His journey involves events that shape how he thinks and feels, challenging him.
He finishes the joust and heads home. Then a huge event happens that alters his path.
Laurie Christine: I really like the theme of fitting in and figuring out one’s role. That is very relatable for teen boys—trying to find their way in the world, deciding what kind of man they want to be, and how to be a godly man. They are no longer little kids but not yet adults.
Wrestling with faith is also relatable. Through the teen years, kids who grew up in the church often start questioning what it means to be a Christian and how to make their faith their own. Seeing Gage wrestle with these questions will be helpful for readers.
Given Hoffman: He leaves the joust and ends up in an ambush that costs him a lot. It radically changes things. He had been pursuing becoming the lord of a manor and facing responsibilities he did not feel ready for. His father expects it, and he feels he should do it, but he fears making the wrong decision and being responsible for so many people.
He travels with a retinue of older knights who are almost more like protectors. The power dynamics are complicated—he is royalty but not the heir, yet people answer to him. He knows jousting, but does he know how to run a manor?
After the ambush, he abandons the path he was meant for and travels as a commoner for a while. He encounters an actual commoner and starts hearing different mindsets. Growing up in leadership, he now hears “them versus us” perspectives. This gives him a different view of leadership and lets him see his father in a new light.
They travel in another kingdom where he sees abuses of power that do not happen in his own kingdom because his father is a good ruler. His perspective shifts. He realizes that if good people do not step up, bad people will abuse power and harm others.
Laurie Christine: That reminds me of The Lion King, where Simba leaves his kingly role, lives as a commoner, and later returns to make a difference.
Given Hoffman: Themes of leadership run throughout. Often the people who want to lead most are not the best leaders because they seek power. Those who hesitate because of the weight of responsibility are often the ones who should lead because they truly care.
Gage processes this weight, its significance, and whether he should step into the role. People also challenge his beliefs about God and faith, forcing him to unpack positions he held without fully thinking them through or seeing other perspectives.
Laurie Christine: Here is the back cover description for our listeners:
“Prince Gage, second son of Edelmar’s king, has gained fame and fortune as an undefeated jouster. Knighted young, Gage is audacious on the tournament field but daunted by his responsibilities of leadership. He’s always been content to follow his father’s and his older brother’s leading, but more is expected of him. Will he be able to prove himself capable?
When a ruthless thief at a tournament makes Gage his next target, it changes everything. Defeating the blue-eyed thief was only the beginning of what is brewing beneath the submissive bows and polite smiles of the common people.”
The book includes discussion questions at the end that help readers think biblically. Readers praise the unexpected plot twists and well-developed, relatable characters.
Research and Authenticity
Laurie Christine: As you researched, have you ever done any jousting, sword fighting, or fencing?
Given Hoffman: I do a lot of research to make it accurate, but I have not done those things myself. I watched many videos, including the show Full Metal Jousting, which treated jousting as a full-contact extreme sport. It was fascinating to hear about real injuries, saddle positioning, and techniques.
We use different techniques today than they did historically. The angle of the lance matters—crossing over the horse’s neck reduces impact compared to straight on. Different woods were used for lances: hardwood for war, softwood for tournaments because breakage indicates impact. Tips on the lances also varied.
I had a lot of fun researching. I have not actually jousted or sword fought myself—my horse probably would have killed me if I tried, and I would likely injure myself or others.
Laurie Christine: My son is taking a fencing class in his homeschool co-op as part of a history of warfare course. It is hands-on with protective equipment.
Upcoming Books and Where to Find Given
Laurie Christine: Tell us the names of the three books in the series and what is coming next.
Given Hoffman: The first book is The Tournament’s Price, then The Rebel’s Mark, and the latest is The Healer’s Secret. The Healer’s Secret ran on Kickstarter this fall and will be officially published in early 2026. There should be about five books total in the series.
The first book features Gage as the main character with some perspective from the antagonist. The second book introduces one of Gage’s knights and the Princess of Kerrek from a neighboring kingdom. The third book continues with those three perspectives.
Laurie Christine: We are recording in December, but this will air in late February or March, so the third book should be available. I will include links in the show notes.
Where can listeners learn more about you?
Given Hoffman: My website is givenhoffman.com. If you type in “author Given,” I usually come up. You can find information about my books, events, podcast, and writing resources and tips there.
Laurie Christine: What is the name of your podcast?
Given Hoffman: It is a group podcast with four or five of us called The Young Exiles.
Laurie Christine: You also have a free ebook—a short story. Can you tell us about it?
Given Hoffman: It is a fun, short time-traveler story called The Suit of Armor. It is a family-friendly read about a woman who visits her uncle’s castle and accidentally gets transported into the medieval time period.
Laurie Christine: I will include a link in the show notes. You can also find it on Given’s website.
Given, it has been fun chatting with you and learning about your books. Thank you so much for joining us on the Sword and Story podcast.
Given Hoffman: Thank you so much, Laurie. It has been great.
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