My name is Owen, and something unboring finally happened in my life. Bethany disappeared outside the school cafeteria, and I picked up a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory she dropped. Later, I was returning it to the library shelves when Bethany stepped right out of the pages with chocolate-covered fingers! Her father is a fictional character, and she's been jumping in and out of different titles trying to find him. I knew a story containing a finding spell, so I offered to help. However, I didn't tell Bethany about my secret motive for entering this book. She said I shouldn't talk to characters or change the story, but I was determined to save the Magister. How could I have known how quickly things would get out of hand? Bethany would probably say it was easily predictable.
The majority of the plot evolved from Owen's secret reason for choosing that specific book. He had grandiose ideas of what would happen, but his plans went totally wrong. The plots alternated their focuses between Owen and Bethany. The Magister felt characters in books were enslaved and wanted to rectify the misdeed. This was the focus of Bethany's "real-world" plot. Owen was stuck within the pages of a book and found himself at the center of a fictional conflict between magic and science. He was looking for an adventure but ignored Bethany's call for caution. Once again, why can't characters heed the warnings they are given? Answer, because then we wouldn't have interesting conflicts for books. It was curious how Bethany was forced to deal with the seriousness of Owen's mistake, while Owen was having the time of his life. Some people are so self-centered they can't see how their decisions adversely affect others. Kiel was an apprentice to the Magister and supplied levity to the events. He was a fun-loving, confident mage who managed to "annoy" Bethany and a human/robot girl named Charm. Overall, this was an entertaining book that mixed adventure and action with zany twists. The sequel will continue Bethany's search for her father, but who knows which books will form the setting? Give it a shot.
My name is Ash, and the government thinks people like me are a threat to the Balance. Illegals have specific abilities like speed, flying, firestarting, and altering memories. My ability is Sleepwalking, but I can’t use it unless I’m asleep. Chief Administrator Neville Rose at Detention Center 3 wants to learn about other Illegals in my Tribe, so he’s hooked me up to his interrogation machine. All Illegals have heard terrible stories about it, and I'm afraid of what Neville will do. The machine probes my mind for memories, and I’ve been trying to fight back as best I can. During the questioning, my thoughts drift to important moments in my past, and I’m struggling to keep them secret. I fear I’ve revealed the Serpent’s identity or his imminent attack. Have I doomed all the Illegals I call friends?
The title threw me, because I couldn't figure out how an entire book could be about an interrogation. However, much of the plot described past events in Ash's life in order to explain the current situation. The early "reality" was significanlty altered once she regained some memories, so much of my time was spent reassessing my thoughts. This literary strategy was intriguing, but I kept wanting the present conflict to move along. It was my own personal taste, and other readers might not have any concerns. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. Most of the characters were in their upper teens, but there was nothing overly mature in the plot. Yet. Two characters had feelings for each other, and I won't be surprised if their relationship develops some intensity in subsequent books. The underlying conflict of government versus society is common, and a rogue government official amps up the problem. Selecting a social group for persecution is not uncommon either, unfortunately. Overall, the book was interesting and had creative elements, and I think you might want to give it a shot.
The king of Arden had my father and sister murdered four years ago, and I've vowed vengeance against him. My name is Ash, and I've inherited my father's magical ability. My healing power's have gotten stronger, but I've also learned the darker uses of herbs and magic. Although I've mostly worked with animals, I've discovered an extraordinary talent for helping humans. It's attracted the attention of the king, and I'm closer to getting my revenge. However, he's ordered me to save a prisoner named Jenna who stabbed herself in the stomach to avoid capture. No one is sure what makes her so special, and that includes Jenna herself. There are powerful undercurrents growing across the realms, and I seem to have found myself right in the middle of them.
The plot follows two storylines that alternate between the main character Ash and Jenna, a mineworker with a magemark hidden on the back of her neck. The pair share a hatred for the king of Arden, and they develop a close bond. I try to find books for middle grade readers, but this one is more appropriate for teens. It doesn't have any sex, but it comes about as close as possible and gets fairly intense at times. The mystery of Jenna continues throughout most of the book. Even though she wears the magemark, she's not a mage. She has some abilities that include rapid healing and foretelling futures, but there's something else hidden within her. Some clues are presented along the way, but I'm still not 100% sure about her powers. Ash's motivation in the whole book is to kill the king. That's a bothersome goal in a book for young readers. Despite that focus, Ash's character is basically a good person. He's willing to treat anyone in distress, and he's especially sensitive to the treatment of animals. Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend it for a teenage audience. However, I probably won't read the sequel, since it doesn't fit the middle grade theme of my blog.
My name is Bud, and my best friend Tom is the most brilliant eighteen-year-old scientist in the world. He was in charge of a Jupiter rocket responsible for collecting valuable information about the largest planet, but a missile diverted its landing and crashed it into the ocean. We're certain the Brungarians are behind it, and we now find ourselves in a race to recover the spaceship first. While searching for remains, we were forced to dodge torpedos from an unseen submarine. The enemy is able to hide their ships from detection, so they can attack or evade us at any time. Tom has taken on the challenge, and I have no doubt he'll think of something. But the dangers of the hunt are only getting worse, and time may be running out.
I absolutely loved this series back when I was young. Despite the "ancient" copyright, the story's concept withstands the test of time. The main characters being a little older is a non-issue, since life was much simpler back then. The boys have girlfriends, but they go on simple dates, including a squard dance! The plot moves along "swiftly", which makes the book a quick-read. Events sometimes progress without detail, and it's very noticeable when compared to today's novels. It probably would become a four-hundred page book if it was published now. The time span of the story isn't clear, but the quality and quantity of Tom's inventions is remarkable. The turnaround time between an idea for the hydrolung to its production is a matter of days. Most of Tom's inventions this time concern safely navigaing underwater and detecting other ships. Overall, it was fun to read a story from my youth, but it will probably appeal to a select audience of today's readers. Finding a hardback copy may be impossible. I downloaded my copy free from the Project Gutenberg's Ebooks, a source I'd never used before. Give it a shot if you're in the mood for a quick, entertaining, science-fiction novel.
My name is Rhia, and I must guide Merlin as he wields the Flowering Harp to revive the lands across Fincayra. I lost track of him along the way but discovered he summoned his mother and delayed his vital quest. He doesn't fully appreciate that the survival of all living things in Fincayra is riding on his time-sensitive mission. Rhita Gawr will return looking for vengeance. Now, Merlin’s mother is dying, and he is determined to venture into the Otherworld Well to save her. He read the runes within Arbassa's trunk, and they told the story of The Seven Songs. He must retrace his grandfather's footsteps, but the cryptic song lyrics leave us guessing about the journey’s path. There is a likely chance we won't survive the quest, but I agree that we must do everything we can to find a cure for his mother.
Once again, Merlin doesn't perform the powerful magic you might expect. He's only recently discovered his abilities and doubts he possesses much of it. Rhia tells him as much when he tries to boast about his power to heal nature. Merlin was fairly modest in the first book, but this sequel presents a much more arrogant character. He gets frustrated when others downplay his importance and ignores the repeated pleas and warnings to resurrect Fincayra as quickly as possible. He discounts Rhia's intuition and gets the group into further danger. The word hubris was used to describe Merlin more than once, although he recovers some humility once the problem escalates. The plot settles into a pattern of trying to solve seven situations where Merlin must find the soul of seven songs. These discoveries result in seven lessons in life, and they must unfold in the order they are presented. No avoiding or skipping! A jester is added to the cast of characters, and he provides "humor" to the story. Actually, the character is the opposite of funny, but that's where the playfulness comes in. Overall, the series is slowly presenting Merlin's evolution as a wizard, and I assume he'll become a little more powerful in the sequel. Prophecies share hints of the future, but the uncertainty creates the tension and suspense.
My name is Damon, and I've volunteered to investigate the rumor of humans, including wizards, trespassing on the dwarven lands of Kal-Thax. Something mysterious emerged from a strange fog and has destroyed three villages, and magic may be behind it. I ventured to the top of Steepcliff where I found three wizards preparing to build some kind of structure. They tried to cast spells at me, but my hammer crushed the head of the first. The third one was curious about how I was able to withstand his magic, and I must admit it stung a little. However, he seemed to think his spells were real. I decided to keep this wizard to study his magic, as it may be helpful against the growing army of humans. I'm sure the wizards in charge will resort to trickery, and I plan to be prepared.
This book could be read alone, since it took place about ninety years after the first one. I might actually recommend you skip the first book due to its meandering story. Dwarves lived for hundreds of years, and Damon was a newborn in the last book. The plot in the second book was more focused, so it was easier to follow. Once again, the land of the dwarves was being invaded, but the wizards and their magic presented a new threat. However, the dwarves' response to the spells presented a new challenge for the wizards. It also added a bit of humor to the story. The whole conflict centered on the humans' invasion into Kal-Thax, and the dwarves' efforts to defend themselves. There was another serious issue with a dragon, but it was forgotten for large periods of time. It wasn't really needed in this story and could have been the center of another book. Dwarves were the focus of the story with humans being the minor characters and antagonists. Be forewarned that there were many unusual dwarf names to remember. Overall, this series has been entertaining, the second book more than the first, and I recommend lovers of dwarves give it a shot.
My name is Micah, and I've suspected for awhile that something was wrong with Zed. I know I've treated him like crap, but he was behaving stranger than normal. Then, he appeared in my dream and told me what was going on. A witch named Makiva took over his body, and she was responsible for the massacre in the town square. I don't think Zed fully knows what she's planning, but he wanted me to exorcise her from his body. Unfortunately, I tried but wasn't powerful enough to free him from her control. To Liza and Brock, the exorcism looked like I was bullying Zed again, so no one will trust anything I have to say. They don't know what I really think about him. Everyone in Freestone fears a repeat of the Day of Dangers, and I'm beginning to suspect Makiva is trying to summon it again.
You should read the previous books in the series to fully understand the background story of this trilogy. I never imagined I'd use Micah's point of view to share the teaser. He was a pompous, arrogant character and hard to like. This book showed there was more depth to his character hidden beneath his cocky exterior. The previous books have described a growing bond between the new Adventurers, but their unity was in peril. Makiva's efforts and characters' secrets eroded the harmony. The fun twist to the plot was how Zed's soul was a character but had no influence over how Makiva controlled his body. His etheral spirit observed everything going on but wasn't able to communicate with any other characters, except for Micah. Dark magic was abhored by the king and all the guilds, so Micah couldn't tell anyone about Zed without risking his life. Unlike the previous two books, the third one took place within the walls of Freestone. The characters seemed to venture into all kinds of previously unvisited nooks and crannies, while trying to resolve the conflict. It took them quite awhile to fully understand the real problem, so the suspense was able to slowly build. Overall, I really liked this series and recommend you give it a shot.
