My name is King Mendenbar, although I find most of the royal rituals stuffy and boring. It appears a dragon has burned away part of the Enchanted Forest and sucked away the magic in that area, but the Dragon King's cook/librarian (don't tell anyone that Cimorene is really a princess) says the scales I found are from a traitorous dragon who was turned into a toad. She also informed me the Dragon King is missing, so I'm accompanying her during her search through the Enchanted Forest. It wouldn't look good if she died in the forest I rule. It's looking more and more like the Council of Wizards is trying to start a war between the dragons and myself, but I can't figure out why. Cimorene and I have been joined by a magician who knows quite a bit about spells, but even he is confused by the magic going on here. The power emanating from my sword may attract wizards from all over, but it may also be the key to stopping their plans.
Although this book is the second in the series, I have not read the first one yet and didn't find it to be a problem. Cimorene's character reminds me of Dragon Slippers, as both princesses are annoyed by the thought of being rescued from dragons by princes. She adds her own wisdom and abilities in helping Mendenbar. The plot is fast-paced and adds in some mystery and humor to make it very entertaining. The author includes references to familiar fairy tales, but it's not done in a cutesy, distracting way. For example, Rumpelstiltskin is depressed due to his curse of spinning gold and taking first-born children from royalty, but Mendenbar thinks of a way to solve the problem by opening a boarding school. Soapy water with a bit of lemon is a great weapon in fighting wizards. As I read what I've just typed, don't get the impression this book is just a silly, goofy story. Most of the book tells the tale of an exciting adventure, and I recommend you give the series a shot. It's a fun story!
My name is Sophie, and I am the Last Storyguard. Inquisitor Prigg is the architect of the No Nonsense movement and is burning anything he considers a waste of time (like books!). A blindfolded boy named Peter Nimble brought me The Book of Who, but all four books in the set together may give me the power to stop Prigg and save the world (that's what the Professor said). However, Madame Eldritch, an evil woman with a knowledge of spells, has discovered the truth of the books and is competing to get them first. I was able to stop her once with the help of Peter and Sir Tode, but we must now escape a horrifying menagerie and a deadly swamp bog. She has an unstoppable creature doggedly pursuing us, and she's willing to kill for the books.
This book is the sequel to Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, and it might help to read it first, but probably isn't necessary. The first book will help you understand Peter's character better. He lost his eyes as a child but has magical green eyes now that allow him to see. However, he prefers to wear a blindfold and use his other senses, because it makes him feel more like his real self. He's an amazing thief and fighter, and his actions border on magical. Sophie is the reluctant hero but has no idea what makes her special. The Book of Who has chosen her for some reason; perhaps it's because her deceased mother was once a Storyguard herself. Sir Tode is a wonderfully loyal and determined partner who is cursed to live forever as a horse/cat/knight. The embellished tales of his feats are amusing. The book provides plenty of action and adventure as the trio travel across the country. Magic portals and unconsciousness help them cover distances more quickly, so there aren't wasted pages describing their time between stops. I'm looking forward to reading book three in the series.
My name is Goldie, and the Blessed Guardians have imprisoned my parents and have been hunting me for weeks. I've found refuge in the Museum of Dunt, but I'm sure you won't believe what I'm going to tell you. Its rooms shift around as it gets upset, and that's been happening more and more recently. The caretakers sing to calm the museum, and they're training me to join them. I've learned when to steal, how to pick locks, and three ways to become invisible. However, the Blessed Guardians are becoming more aggressive in the museum, and it's getting more angry. If we don't find a way to stop them, the museum may open the Dirty Gate. The gate holds all the evils in the world (war, famine, and plague), and they may soon be unleashed on mankind.
It takes an imagination to read this book due to the life of the museum. Characters new to it weren't sure where they were going and ended up walking in circles. As a reader, this made it difficult to picture the setting in my mind. I enjoyed Goldie's interactions with Toadspit, an antagonistic boy who was asked to train her. They bickered like brother and sister but eventually became effective allies. The book presented an interesting message about society and young people. Children were chained to their parents until being separated during a formal ceremony, and independence in their young people was taboo. Parents were punished, and children were retrained. This culture was designed to protect the kids, but it actually resulted in adults who lacked courage and couldn't adapt to change. Broo was an engaging character, as he could appear as a cute little dog but could quickly change into a huge, vicious beast. He wasn't able to control the changes, so his reactions to situations were unpredictable. I plan to start the sequel tomorrow.
My name is Raffa, and animals are being trained to attack Afters living in the slums. My uncle is the one who discovered how to create mixtures using the red vines, and he believes he's doing something good. I don't know if he realizes his creation is being used to attack humans. I've created a mixture to counteract the effects on animals, but I don't know how to get it into them. The Chancellor has guards searching for me everywhere. I've discovered my parents' home burned to the ground, and don't know if they're alive or dead. Trixin doesn't want to get involved, but her brother Jimble and his friends have proven to be a tremendous help. He's willing to do whatever I need of him, but Trixin will kill me if he gets into serious trouble. The animals must be cured and freed tonight, or it may be too late.
You should read the first book in the series to fully understand the red vine, and Raffa's history with the problem. I've enjoyed how Raffa and Kuma have worked together, although Raffa spent the second half of the book alone. Characters helped him, but he was mostly independent. An entertaining aspect of the story is his relationship with a bat named Echo. The red vine enables Echo to speak in very short phrases, and he mostly acts as Raffa's lookout. He's very innocent and communicates literally. This creates some miscommunication, since Raffa isn't always able to foresee things from the bat's viewpoint. The plot doesn't have a great deal of action, although it has its moments. The most engaging part of the book is found in the conflict. Most readers will probably have an issue with experiments being performed on innocent animals, and Raffa even has second thoughts about the effects on his friend Echo. The series continues in the sequel Beast of Stone.
My name is Goldie, and Toadspit and his sister Bonnie have disappeared; I know they've been kidnapped by Harrow, but I don't know why. I've traced them to a city called Spoke where they're holding a befuddling celebration. For the next few days, everyone in the city must lie when they are speaking. A fortune-telling mute boy has been very helpful, but I suspect his friend will probably rat me out as soon as he gets the chance. I must learn to listen to the little voice in the back of my mind, and recent events have led me to believe it is the voice of a warrior princess who died five hundred years ago. However, it scares me. Ever since the Big Lie, the the wolf-sark, a powerful thirst for fighting, has almost overtaken me, and I'm not sure I can control it.
You need to read the first book. I like how the story is told through Goldie's eyes, and this book offers some new insights into her thinking. A little voice has offered advice in both books, but it takes on more of a personality in City of Lies. It also created a little confusion in the middle of the plot for Goldie and me. During a Big Lie, it wasn't always clear if the spoken words came from her or from the princess. Not a big problem, but it was something to note. The festival also offered a challenge for readers, since I had to remember to think about the opposite of whatever characters were saying (everyone was lying). Mouse was an admirable character with a caring heart, but it was clear that his partner couldn't be trusted. They made an unlikely pair. The ongoing conflict concerns which character will rule Jewel, the Protector or her brother the Fugleman. Even though most of the plot took place outside of Jewel, this conflict was driving the events. I'm enjoying the series and looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
My name is Goldie, and we must stop the Fugleman and his terrifying control of Jewel. Toadspit and I were able to create problems between the Fugleman's Guardians and his mercenaries by stealing the mercenaries' payments, but the Fugleman has imprisoned more children in retaliation. We created the Hidden Rock to start a rebellion, and some parents are finally willing to do something more than cry and moan about their lost children. However, the spirit of an ancient warrior princess buried within me is trying to take control of my thoughts. She gives me useful ideas to fight the Fugleman, but she wants to erupt into a fury of rage and killing. I was barely able to stop myself from slaying my best friend. All of this turmoil is causing the pressure in the museum to reach a boiling point. If we can't stop the Fugleman, the museum will release the vicious armies and plagued rats hidden within its walls, and they will kill everyone in Jewel before they are done.
This book is the conclusion of a trilogy, and you need to read the other two books first. The ongoing conflict is the Fugleman's drive for power and his use of children as pawns. The trilogy began with all children being chained to their parents until the Separation, but they're now being sold to slavers. While Goldie leads the rebellion, she is keeping her internal battle with the spirit of the warrior princess a secret. She's afraid her friends will think she's lost control even though she is very close to that point. The plot contains plenty of action and suspense, as Goldie and Toadspit face the Fugleman, mercenaries, and slavers. Their plan to cause a rift between the Fugleman and his mercenaries is ongoing and successful, and I enjoyed their trickery. However, the Fugleman becomes more ruthless in response, and the head mercenary accuses him of having no honor. While the trilogy may not be for everyone, I found it very entertaining.
My name is Alfie, and I am the king of Great Britain. Seriously. I thought my father had a boring, useless job until he was killed and I took over the thrown. You're one of the few people in this world who now know my role as king also makes me the Defender. For the past five hundred years, amazing powers have been passed along to the next heir in line for the throne. Even with these powers, how am I supposed to defeat the black lizard that killed my father? The king couldn't do it, and the lizard is getting stronger and is slowly becoming a huge dragon. I must find the remaining hidden pieces of the original Defender's crown, but the lizard is becoming more powerful by the two pieces he's already collected. Why couldn't my younger, more athletic, charming twin brother have been born ten seconds before me? A screw-up like me shouldn't be ruling Great Britain and surely can't be the Defender of the Realm.
Wow, what a surprisingly fun story! Alfie is another reluctant hero, but this time he is thrown into the role of king. While the king doesn't hold much power, Alfie's role as Defender must be kept top secret. He has several adults to advise, train, and support him, but a young girl inadvertently discovers the secret and creates a security problem for them. She becomes a cohort in defeating the increasingly powerful black lizard. The plot is full of adventure and action, as Alfie is an impulsive young boy who doesn't always consider the consequences of his actions. He likes the idea of becoming a superhero, but he lacks self-confidence, which becomes an issue. An interesting twist is found with Alfie's twin, as abdicating the throne (giving it up) is an option. I suspect the twin will have an even larger role in the sequel. This book is fast-paced and easy to read, and I can't think of anything I dislike about it. I recommend it to followers of my blog.
