WARNING: DO NOT read the 2002 edition with the brown-haired boy on the cover. It has been badly edited and "sanitised" for children, to the point that many parts of the story no longer make sense. Find an older edition of the book, if you can. 
 Bentley Ellicott is the stuff of legends. You wouldn't know it to look at him, though. To most of the people who know him, he appears to be a fairly ordinary eight-year-old boy growing up in small town New England. Perhaps a little more thoughtful than most, perhaps a little peculiar. But Bentley has a secret: he was born to be a hero. The same heart that belonged to Gilgamesh, King David, King Arthur, and hundreds more throughout history, beats in his breast and whispers to him about his destiny. One day, he will become a great warrior against evil, in a struggle which may cost him his life and all he holds dear. That doesn't bother Bentley, though. He knows that all the great heroes of legends were grownups. It will be years before he will be called upon to fulfill his destiny. Or so he thought. 
 This has been one of my all-time favourite books since I was in high school. I've lost count of the number of times I've picked it up, read the first page, and been unable to put it down again. I've also lost count of the number of copies I have bought and given away to friends over the years. I love Bentley and his best friend Slally (I especially love Slally; she's such an awesomely fierce little girl). I love wise old Dumbledore-ish Dr. Kreistein. And I love the way the lives of the residents of Stonehaven interweave to tell a tale out of legend. This is a fantastic book.