My name is Charlie. I should have done more when Billy disappeared underwater, and he's been gone for over a year. However, I could have sworn I saw him on Halloween, and I followed the vampire costume into the graveyard. I was surprised to discover it was actually the Prime Minister of Vampyreishtat
, or Monsterland
, and this place is where monsters were sent after World War II. The Prime Minister thinks Billy might be found in uncharted regions of this world, where horrific monsters roam wild. Franklin Prometheus reluctantly agreed to go with me, and he's already saved my life more than once. He's on a peace-keeping mission to avert a brewing war between the kingdoms of rival siblings. Franklin keeps saying he should take me back before it gets too dangerous, and I'm not ready to admit that he might be right. I must find Billy, and ogres, witches, mummies, werewolves, and war won't stop me.
At first glance, this book appeared to be a cutesy story about monsters, but it became more than that. I mean, a boy and his dog were lost in a strange world with many of the traditional eerie creatures like vampires, werewolves, and ogres. However, the dangers and attacks were a step up from cute, and there were serious conflicts going on in this world. The wild region was teeming with thieves and kidnappers looking to score large ransoms. Charlie's character was the main focus of the plot, but Franklin was the star. He was based on the Frankenstein monster, but he was much more graceful and intelligent than you would expect. He had the familiar size, strength, and stitches, but he had the honor, courage, and compassion of his former Ranger status. In many ways, I found myself comparing him to Halt in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Despite coming to Charlie's rescue on numerous occasions, Franklin had his own personal demons. He would go off alone to pray or roar out his rage as a way to soothe his soul. This book could probably stand alone, but it seems like a sequel might be on the way.
My name is Uncle Jack, and I've been thrown into a world of Concentrators, ley lines, aliens, and being hunted by the G.E.T. My niece Eleanor and I have a connection to the Concentrators that are sucking energy from Earth, and she has already shut down three of them. We headed to the Himalayas to shut down the main Concentrator that will hopefully end this new ice age, but Watkins, leader of the G.E.T., took us prisoner and said an alien ship has landed at Stonehenge. I don't trust Watkins after all he's done, but he teamed up with Eleanor to shut down the Himalayan Concentrator. Eleanor doesn't trust him either, but she believes we need Watkins to stop the intelligence in that alien ship. However, on our way to Stonehenge, Watkins learned he'd been fired by the G.E.T. right before we were shot down by fighter jets! My cracked ribs are hurting something fierce, but there's no way I'll let my niece finish this mission without me.
This book concludes the trilogy, and you need to read the first two books. The characters travels to mysterious locations on Earth make this an entertaining adventure. The series lands in Incan ruins, the Himalayas, the pyramids of Egypt, and Stonehenge. The least exotic setting was found in frozen Alaska in book one. Each book has its own antagonist, but we always learn there is someone above them. Different leaders run the G.E.T., and then we learn someone else is controlling it. In the end, the rogue planet is the key to everything. An unusual thing about Eleanor's character is her ability to display empathy and understanding for others, even her enemies. All of the main characters rightfully hate Watkins for his decisions and Preservation Protocol, but Eleanor can see that he truly wants to save the earth. She doesn't trust him, but she believes he has good intentions. In the same way, she is able to understand the motivations of others' decisions and us that information to make her own choices. Fittingly, Eleanor's character traits make the climax and resolution of the plot very understandable, although surprising.
My name is Eleanor, and the G.E.T. is searching for us all across the planet. I was able to destroy the Concentrator in Alaska and stopped it from sucking away the earth's energy and sending it to a rogue planet. However, we believe there are more Concentrators located around the world that must be shut down. These alien machines have caused another Ice Age that is slowly consuming the earth. The G.E.T. and UN have kept all this information secret from the public, and we're treated like terrorists. We've arrived in South America, but my mother is concerned about my connection to the Concentrators and the rogue planet. I don't understand how, but I'm able to sense, feel, and hear them. The G.E.T. has people everywhere, and they've captured Finn's father and brother. The rest of us are trapped under an island mountain, but we must trust the technology of an ancient culture to escape. How can our small group possibly succeed in saving the planet?
You need to read The Arctic Code before reading this one. It's nice to see the setting move to a warmer climate, as the characters don't need to wear all the heavy clothing from book one. G.E.T. is an energy company that plans to control the Concentrators and selectively decide which humans will survive, the Preservation Protocol. G.E.T. presents a formidable antagonist, and some "innocent" characters are manipulated into helping it. This situation makes readers question the motivations of new characters entering the plot. With fears of climate change in our world, this book creates a reflection of an alternative prediction for our future. It makes you think about treating nature with more respect and wondering if all the cultures in the world can unite to save it. It was clear in book one that Eleanor was different from other characters, and the mystery isn't cleared up in this book. She has a connection to alien technology, but it's not clear why or how. We also learn in this book that there are others in the world with similar connections. This book's resolution separates the protagonists once again, but I assume everyone will be happily reunited in The Rogue World, the last book in the trilogy.
My name is Asa, and my brother Rollo and I must constantly be on the lookout for Emperor Flood's spies and patrols. He's already killed our parents, the king and queen, but we just found out our baby sister Una is still alive! Flood's sister hates him more than she hates us, and she secretly took Una away. A former jailer has given us supplies and a ghost ship called Northseeker to help us find our sister. In addition, we've been enchanted with some magic that allows me to fly and my brother to breathe underwater. The quest will be dangerous, but we must rescue Una!
This book is very short, about forty pages including pictures. I read an ebook version and didn't realize it was so short when I started. However, the plot moved quickly and had some interesting aspects to it. I think it would have been much better if it had been more fully developed. The kids didn't really use their powers for anything meaningful, so I assume their magic will be a bigger factor in the sequel. Despite the dangers, the kids found their sister fairly easily. It would have been more entertaining if they had done more than hide from Flood's patrols and spies. Let the kids use their powers, their intelligence, or their determination to escape danger. In addition, it was difficult to develop the personalities of the characters while developing a plot in only forty pages. It would have been nice to be able to get to know the kids. My review is short as was the book. This story was good, but it could have been so so much better.
My name is Billy, and Benjamin Franklin has welcomed me to join my father and others as a member of the Philosophical Society. I didn't even know they existed, but these scientists secretly act as protectors of the colonies. The Society fears a war between France and England is looming, and the colonies will be the battleground. We're following legends and heading west on a flying ship to find the lost Welsh kingdom of Prince Madoc, and we hope to convince the kingdom to become our allies. I've seen people hiding in the shadows spying on us, we need to avoid French forces searching for us, there is a traitor among our group, and our leader is missing. My father has taken over, but I'm doubting his judgment. I once thought I wanted to be just like him, but I now find myself openly questioning his prejudice and leadership.
It seems I like the author's writing style, since this is the third book I've read that was written by Matthew Kirby. The other books were more science fictiony, while this one is based more on historical fiction. A major issue in the plot dealt with prejudice. Billy's father didn't trust any Indians and felt they were all untrustworthy savages. John's feelings were stressed to their limits when a half-Indian joined the group as a guide. Billy liked Andrew and didn't understand why his father distrusted the man. Many of his father's decisions were based on preconceived thoughts, and John ignored the opinions and ideas from others. John and Andrew presented a great contrast in characters, as the half-Indian did his best to ignore the accusations and bravely help the group survive. The author was able to evoke some contempt toward Billy's father which created an emotional connection to the story. A lesson learned in the end was "To err is human, to forgive divine." The plot built to an unexpected battle during the climax, a secret about Madoc's party was revealed, and the success of the mission was debated. It's been awhile since I've read a book that wasn't part of series, and this book was a surprising pleasure.
My name is Luke, and I had no idea why a twelve-year-old girl would want to stowaway in my plane headed for Barrow, Alaska. The temperatures drop to 200 degrees below zero, and your lungs can freeze while trying to breathe. Once we arrived, I found out Eleanor's mother works for G.E.T. and went missing while searching for sources of energy. I don't trust the company, and I'm surprised to find the owner up here in this land of ice. He was the one who predicted the arrival of this Ice Age, but his company's all about making money. I'm not sure how seriously they're searching for Eleanor's mother, and Dr. Skinner has been pressuring the girl to turn over her Sync. It's the only connection she has to her mother, and I know she's lying to Skinner about it. I suspect she's keeping more secrets, and she's reckless enough to try something crazy. I've already saved her life once, but I may not be there next time.
You immediately know this science fiction book will be different due to subzero temperatures in Arizona and the Ice Cap now covering most of the country. Eleanor gets secret information from her mother, and that becomes the basis for the whole plot. You're never totally sure what it's all about, but you know it could affect the whole world. The author's inclusion of missing cultures makes the plot interesting. There are characters from the distant past and technology that far exceeds what we should have on Earth. In addition, Eleanor's father is unknown; her mother always blames her questionable behavior on the Donor. Books with adopted kids or mysterious parents always leave open the possibility of unexpected surprises. Although Eleanor's parentage is never revealed, it's clear that her father's heredity is having a huge impact on the events. Eleanor mostly acted alone in this book, with some help along the way, but I'm going to assume there will be more of a team effort in the sequel. I'm curious to find out what happens next, so I've already checked out the next two books in the series.
My name is Gabe, and I have the power to control fire. The Eternal Dawn once again is trying to open a gate to Arcadia and bring back Jonathan Thorn. He wants to unite Arcadia, a magical shadow city of San Francisco, with our world and unleash the poison and deadly creatures into our world. My friends and I barely defeated a leviathan sent to destroy us, and we were forced to face it again on our way to Alcatraz. However, we unwittingly leaped into a trap! Now, I find myself lying atop a table, with a knife looming over my chest during a sacrificial ceremony. I don't know if Brett, Lily, Kaz, and Jackson will be able to help me. Brett's been behaving strangely, and he's ready to come to blows with Jackson. Those guys really seem to hate each other. But if they can't save me and stop the Eternal Dawn, who will?
I suggest you read the first book to understand how the five main characters came together. The tensions with Jackson continued in this book, but the author revealed more about Jackson's past to help Lily understand his behavior. The other characters had their own complications too. Brett's the leader of the group, and his behavior has been off. His decisions were questionable, and the conflicts with Jackson became extreme. Kaz had the most "normal" family situation, and his parents' concerns added an unexpected twist to the plot. It was understandable, but it wasn't necessary. Jackson's character became more prominent in this plot, while Kaz
seemed to take a lesser role. What will you like about this book? You'll enjoy the battles with strange monsters, and the conflict between the kids and the Eternal Dawn. Thorn is nuts, and that's not a good thing for a powerful leader of a cult. Part of the setting moved to Arcadia, just like in the first book, and that world is pretty strange. I'm still not totally sure how things work there. Characters were affected by the magick
, but it wasn't equal. Steve was affected physically but not mentally, while Aria didn't change as much physically but was mentally gone. Overall, it's an entertaining series, and I think you'll enjoy it if my description appeals to you at all.
