Who Comes to King's Mountain is a rare book, for it portrays the conflicting emotions of the Ulster Scots or Scots Irish settlers of the Appalachians over the coming of the Revolutionary War.
The details are authentic and fascinating, but I couldn't give it a higher review because the writing is somewhat wooden and may lose YA readers.

This book is an excellent way to introduce kids (of all ages) to the brutal realities of war. It also is wonderful because it portrays the reluctance of ordinary people to get involved with war; as with the Civil War, there were individuals who would rather stay at home than fight for a cause with which they could not identify.

The character of Alec is well crafted and one with which young readers can identify. The themes of the book involve issues that adolescents are dealing with themselves. Alec is searching for identity and an authority figure to whom he can look up to and respect. He uses his wits to get out of sticky situations and rejects violence as a means to better his own situation.

Although this book is long for an average young reader, I highly recommend it. As an adult, I value the message (war is not always glorious, violence is not always the answer to problems), and so will young readers.