Sigmund, Brouwer. Chief Honor. Canada, Orca Book Publishers, 1997. 166.

“I face other guys who are taller and faster. At times, they skate almost thirty miles an hour. They fire a hard rubber disk at speeds over one hundred miles per hour at me, Joseph Larken”. Chief Honor by Brouwer Sigmund,  is about Joseph Larken who is a goalie that plays for the Western Hockey League (WHL), which is one step short of the National Hockey League (NHL). Joseph is a short and wide guy, but he has quick hands, and doesn’t feel pain. He was one of the best goalies in the league. Joseph is now not the only goalie on the team, since Lauren Cross joined. One problem is that the team doesn’t exactly want a girl on team. While Lauren is on this team she faces many problems, some bigger than she might have expected. Joseph has his own problems and even gets injured.  Even though Lauren is Joseph’s competition they end up working together.  There's another really big challenge at the end but you would need to read the book too find out what happens.

I chose this book to read because of the description on the cover.  I thought because I am a girl on a boy’s hockey team, I would relate well to Lauren and expected not to like Joseph.  As the story went along and, I learned more about both of them, I found that I liked both goalies the same.  It is possible that because the story is written from Joseph’s point of view it was easier to connect with him.

I really enjoyed this book, not only because it was about hockey and had lots of action and had many unexpected plot twists.  Even though this book was about hockey players, there were many different parts that didn’t relate to hockey that made the book more exciting and interesting.

I thought Sigmund did a good job with coming up with new adventures and problems too keep the reader wanting to read more. I recommend this book to anyone that likes sports, adventure or mysteries.  Boys and girls will both enjoy this story equally.