My name is Cole, and my quest to help Mira and save Destiny has carried me into the echolands. I've been told to avoid making deals with other echoes, but I've already screwed that up with disastrous results. All of my friends have been captured. An evil torivor named Nazeem is controlling echoes to help him escape from a prison, so he can control the echolands and the Outskirts. He seems to have a special interest in Destiny, but I'm not sure why. I'm starting to hear the song of the Other and feel its pull, but I must fight it. I'll be lost forever if I give in. My own power is mangled and useless, and I don't see any way that my quest can succeed. However, I can't give up on saving the princesses and my friends, or everything in existence will be lost. No pressure there!
I recommend you start with book one, or things won't make any sense. An unexpected treat in this book is the introduction of Ferrin and Drake from Mull's Beyonders series. Harvan is an entertaining character, as he's an adventurer and storyteller. Yes, he's helping Cole, but it seems he's mostly in it for the tales he'll be able to exaggerate later. I can't say that I fully understand the concept of shaping and how things work in the echolands, but it hasn't kept me from enjoying the plot. There are different kinds of echoes, and none of them can lie. However, seemingly harmless agreements with them can be twisted into major mistakes. Echoes never get tired, and they don't need to eat or breathe. Consequently, this keeps the plot moving, since the characters never need to stop for rest. A mysterious horse, Cole calls it Thunder, pops up several times to save the day and is a key element in the events leading up to the climax. This book will make you think and use your imagination, but it's worth it!
My name is Stig, and I am first mate aboard the Heron. I don't know how we survived weeks in that massive storm on the Endless Ocean, but Hal's smartness always amazes me. The land we've found has plenty of food and shelter, so we'll wait until the winds change before trying to find our way back to Skandia. Lydia and Thorn found claw marks on tree from a bear that's three meters tall! There's also evidence of people spying on us. We have no idea if they're friendly or dangerous, so we're on guard at all times. I've just been awakened from my sleep, because Hal needs me at the palisade. It seems an old man and two armed warriors have just shown up outside our defenses.
This book captured the magic of the acclaimed Ranger's Apprentice and the other books in the Brotherband series, but it lacked a little of the adventure and intrigue. The beginning of the book had the adventure of surviving a massive storm on the ocean, but I found myself losing interest. It's hard to keep things interesting when the characters, setting, and problem don't change, which is what happened when the characters were battling Mother Nature. Once they found land, they needed to survive for weeks, but a significant problem wasn't presented until a huge bear showed up. The threat of the Ghostfaces was hinted at mid-book, but they weren't an actual problem until later on. The action built up to final battle, but even that wasn't much of a contest. I found this plot lacking when compared to other outstanding books by Flanagan.
My name is Annie, and I am a Stopper. I lived with twelve different, horrible foster families, but I've escaped to a town called Aurora with Jamie. Jamie was going to be eaten by his troll father and grandmother, but I don't think he'll become a troll himself when he turns thirteen. I guess we'll soon find out for sure. Aurora is a town of magical creatures and non-magicals who don't fit in. The town is now in danger because the protective lawn gnome was stolen, and the Raiff's minions can now enter it. The townspeople were overjoyed to see me arrive to save Aurora, because they see me as a savior. They seem to think I have some great power to protect them, but I'm just plain old Annie. The Raiff was banished from the town, but I can see why everyone is terrified of him. He's appeared to me in reflected images, and I'm afraid he'll find some way to escape his prison. With the Raiff's monsters closing in on me, I hope the people are right and I discover my talent in time.
This book will appeal to lovers of strange creatures and magic; that's what Aurora is all about. I didn't like reading the early chapters, because they described the unhappy home lives of Annie and Jamie. It was necessary to develop the plot. The plot wasn't overly creative or unique, but the story was solid. Annie needed to discover her special power in order to save the town. The antagonist was able to control his creatures but never actually appeared in person. I was surprised when the town was attacked and almost everyone was easily frozen, including the Stopper protecting them. I enjoyed the playful banter between the helpful elf and dwarf who were always trying to outdo the other. The dwarf was amusing, as she was constantly boasting about her great deeds and bravery, but then fainted when things got too stressful. Overall, it was a fun book to read.
My name is Toli, and the king has blamed me for the kidnapping of his son. And he's right, I should have protected him better. Now, the king has lost all hope, and he's in danger of losing his throne. I've learned the kidnapper is Nimrood; we should have made sure he was dead when we had the chance. He is demanding the king's sword as ransom for the prince's safe return, but the sword has disappeared. However, the king's greatest threat may come from within the kingdom. His faith and devotion to a new God Most High has frightened many of the townspeople, and they may rebel. I must do what I can to help save the prince, the king, and the kingdom, or I must die trying.
As with the previous books, this one has a strong spiritual aspect to it that may turn off some readers. It will probably appeal to more mature readers. The king's faith in a new god is a driving force for many of the characters. I found the descriptions of their struggles to understand the god's motives and beliefs to be a distraction from the plot. It kind of stopped the flow in its tracks. I'm not anti-religion or anything; I'm just reacting as an avid reader. I enjoyed the loyalty of the king's close friends, as they maintained faith in him even as he lost faith in himself. Much like the first book, an innocent young boy displays great bravery to become a hero. The boy in the first book became King Quentin. The plot had its moments of action and suspense, and once again the climax involved a giant battle. Most of the characters live happily ever after.
My name is Eryn, and my brother and I are not allowed to meet our stepsiblings! Isn't that unbelievable? Our mom says it's because we're so different, and Nick and I have now found out she wasn't exaggerating. It started with a snow day. Okay, so Mom never said we weren't supposed to pick the locks on the bedroom doors down the hall, so technically we didn't disobey her. We figured out where our stepsiblings live and decided to check them out! Now, our lives have been turned upside down. I don't know if I can handle the truth about Jackson and Ava. About Mom. About ourselves and everything else! What happened to everyone? How can anyone in their right mind expect two sixth graders to save the future of the entire human species?
I'll try not to give away the secret in the whole plot. I think I'm looking forward to the next book more than this one, as the author ends things with dramatic reveal. Haddix always writes good stuff, and she lets readers know right away that something is not right about the stepkids. Once Eryn and Nick figure out what's going on, things get real interesting! The problem blows up way beyond their little town. I enjoy looking for clues, and the book reads kind of like a mystery. However, I wasn't ready for the truth about the world that was revealed near the end of the book. I never read I Robot, but my impressions of it seem similar to Under Their Skin. Once again, Man's advancements in science and technology may ultimately result in the end of civilization!
This is the first book in a series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. Steel Trapp is the name of a teenage boy with a photographic memory and a genius mind. While on his way to an invention competition in Washington, D.C., Steel notices a briefcase left behind on the train, and this begins his adventure. He discovers a photograph of a kidnapped woman and doesn't know who to trust with the information. Obviously, not the police! Steel is joined by a runaway genius from Chicago, and together they help solve the mystery and espionage. Steel's FIDOE, a scent-tracking robot, and his dog, Cairo, are very helpful in stopping Chicago gangsters from funding terrorists with American money.
This was an entertaining book, and I enjoyed the concept of the plot. Steel's photographic memory was almost a superpower, but he was basically a normal, frightened kid. Of course, he was unaware that his father was actually an undercover FBI agent working on the same case. The reader knows this information about the father early in the book, so I'm not really giving away a secret. It always amazes me in these books how the teenager manages to rationalize why it doesn't make sense to contact the police when they uncover criminal activity. Do our own teenagers lack the drive to be heroes, or do they have common sense? :o)
My name is Archie. My parents look for signs that Mangleborns might be escaping from their underground prisons, and the Swarm Queen is gaining power. I barely escape her mind-controlling bugs, but my parents weren't as lucky. In the past, a League of Seven has always appeared to stop the Mangleborns, and I wonder if they have again. My new companions, Hachi and Fergus, may be the warrior and tinker, but does that mean I'm the leader? We are searching for Septemberists who might be able to help, but the minds of everyone we've found has been taken over by the bugs. In my dreams, the Swarm Queen called me Jandal a Haad, but the Great Bear turned on his friends. The Great Bear's coat has saved my life, but am I actually a Mangleborn, destined to kill Hachi and Fergus?
This book mixes Native American heritage with elements of technology and modern culture. The characters come from various tribes, and the book mentions cities and history that are similar to what we know. Lektricity is a bad thing, and the characters are trying to keep it secret. Edison, the main antagonist, tries to harness its power to free the Swarm Queen. However, he experimented on Fergus, and the boy has now become a conductor. Archie's visions create an internal conflict. He wants to lead his friends, but he's afraid he may lose control and become a monster. The author has managed to weave a clever tale that is both familiar and imaginative. Three kids band together to fight a rising evil, but they're also trying to suppress everything related to electricity. Ironically, one of Fergus's abilities involves controlling it. I'm already planning to read the sequel!
