The Yeerks are gathering DNA. Since the Yeerks are not only collecting DNA of animals but of people too, they realize the Yeerks must have finally figThe Yeerks are gathering DNA. Since the Yeerks are not only collecting DNA of animals but of people too, they realize the Yeerks must have finally figured out that the Animorphs are not Andalites but humans. So the Animorphs are very much in trouble. They need to get their families to a safe place quickly, before it’s too late.
It has been a very long time coming. But after an army of filler stories, there’s finally another book that changes something to the status quo again and drives the overarching plot forward. After the revelation that the Animorphs are humans, the Yeerks take the fight against the Animorphs to the next level by targeting their families. And we quickly see that the final battle against the Yeerks has properly begun. This is the start of the climax of the whole series, and there’s no turning back now.
It’s also quite brilliant to let Tobias be the point of view narrator for this book. It could have been much easier to pick Jake as the narrator since his brother’s already under control of the Yeerks. But Tobias’s family has been a bit of a mystery for most of the series. So this story feels like a great way to fill in some blanks and give him some more emotional character development.
Finally, the Animorphs series is properly shifting gears. And I’m definitely looking forward to the finale now....more
Rachel is the point of view character and we once again get more than a glimpse at how her character deals with the David’s back and he wants revenge.
Rachel is the point of view character and we once again get more than a glimpse at how her character deals with the effects of the war. Her entire character arc revolves around the war affecting her psychologically and how she’s come to enjoy the violence. And here it’s once again shown how she’s willing to be the bad guy for the greater good. It’s the sacrifice she’s willing to make to win the war.
The David trilogy in the middle of the series was pretty good. But for me, it had a good and very conclusive ending. So it doesn’t feel necessary to revisit this character. Which, once again, makes this feel like just another filler story that keeps us away from the ending we’ve been building up to for quite a while now. But this is actually a pretty good story. The further exploration of Rachel’s character does make it worth the read, even though it doesn’t really add anything new to her character per se....more
The Ellimist doesn’t just meddle with the real life of others, he’s playing a game. And he’s lost many times before.
This reminds me a bit of the StargThe Ellimist doesn’t just meddle with the real life of others, he’s playing a game. And he’s lost many times before.
This reminds me a bit of the Stargate Atlantis episode The Game. It’s quite a strong story and it does give us some very fascinating world building on a whole other level compared to the actual series. The moral questions and the motives of the Ellimist are tackled here. As is said in the beginning by an unnamed Animorph: “who are you to play games with us?” That’s the question this book tries to answer. The character arc of the Ellimist is done really well. I love the importance of music in this story. The more real emotion in the song, the sadder it gets and yet it becomes a powerful symbol and motivator for endurance and hope in the face of hopelessness. Plus, it’s simply a nice treat for the fans to get an origin story for this important side character.
Though it does come at a cost. The thing is, other stories in the series mix the alien with the familiar. This one is completely alien, and for the most part not the kind of alien we’re familiar with in the series. Which already makes this story feel quite disconnected from the rest of the series. But what stands out most to me is that the Ellimist is like a god in the series. He’s an omnipotent entity who watches over the Animorphs. And the mystery surrounding him is a crucial part of his appeal for me. By fleshing him out more and showing who he is as a person, he is pretty much demystified. This hurts his appeal a bit in my opinion. The less we know about him, the more impact he can have in future stories.
I’m a bit of an outlier as most people seem to enjoy this one more than me. I do appreciate this as a standalone story though as there’s a lot to enjoy. And I like that this book is clearly signaling that we’re nearing the end of the series. Which has been a long time coming....more
Valeria is looking for the masked man who killed her mother but finds a whole other assassin in the process. The assassin isn’Pretty good debut novel.
Valeria is looking for the masked man who killed her mother but finds a whole other assassin in the process. The assassin isn’t what he appears to be and they decide to team up and find her mother’s killer. But the assassin has an agenda of his own. She quickly finds out that they share something which binds them together. A thirst for vengeance.
The story starts off hot with the brutal murder of Valeria’s mother but it quickly fizzles out. The thing is, to me, Valeria’s story is only truly interesting when she’s paired with her assassin partner as that’s when the main murder mystery plot is actually moving forward. The plot twist at the end is interesting and executed well, ending the story in a rather satisfying way.
The main character is fleshed out well, her assassin partner occasionally feels more like a caricature instead of a character at times to be honest. This is especially obvious in the dialogue, which could have used a little more editing.
A good idea with a lot of potential which got a bit lost in the execution at times but is kept afloat by a cool plot twist and a strong main character. The one thing to remember from her debut novel is that Shira Behore is talented. She has a lot of potential and I think the experience she gained here might help her writing evolve to a whole other level.
Merged review:
Pretty good debut novel.
Valeria is looking for the masked man who killed her mother but finds a whole other assassin in the process. The assassin isn’t what he appears to be and they decide to team up and find her mother’s killer. But the assassin has an agenda of his own. She quickly finds out that they share something which binds them together. A thirst for vengeance.
The story starts off hot with the brutal murder of Valeria’s mother but it quickly fizzles out. The thing is, to me, Valeria’s story is only truly interesting when she’s paired with her assassin partner as that’s when the main murder mystery plot is actually moving forward. The plot twist at the end is interesting and executed well, ending the story in a rather satisfying way.
The main character is fleshed out well, her assassin partner occasionally feels more like a caricature instead of a character at times to be honest. This is especially obvious in the dialogue, which could have used a little more editing.
A good idea with a lot of potential which got a bit lost in the execution at times but is kept afloat by a cool plot twist and a strong main character. The one thing to remember from her debut novel is that Shira Behore is talented. She has a lot of potential and I think the experience she gained here might help her writing evolve to a whole other level....more
A free Hork-Bajir has been captured by the Yeerks. The Animorphs quickly need to free him again before the Yeerks find out about the colony. The AnimoA free Hork-Bajir has been captured by the Yeerks. The Animorphs quickly need to free him again before the Yeerks find out about the colony. The Animorphs then face the biggest decision they've ever had to make. Will they continue to fight the Yeerks in secret? Or is it time to let everyone know that both the Yeerks and the Animorphs exist?
Jake is reading his ancestor’s journal from the American Civil War throughout the story. And we as the readers can see the parallels between the American Civil War and the war the Animorphs are fighting here against the Yeerks, with the freedom of the Hork-Bajir at stake. It’s a really strong concept. Though the two timelines don’t manage to work well together. And the storyline set in the past is simply a bit too boring.
Long story short: great concept, not so great execution. And unfortunately yet another filler story after a couple of strong and important installments for the series as a whole....more
This is a companion book to Terry Pratchett’s Snuff, in which Sam Vimes’s son reads this book by Miss Felicity Beedle, she’s an author in the DiscworlThis is a companion book to Terry Pratchett’s Snuff, in which Sam Vimes’s son reads this book by Miss Felicity Beedle, she’s an author in the Discworld series and she was also a character in Snuff.
Young Geoffrey goes to his grandmother’s house in Ankh Morpork. While taking a walk in his grandmother’s garden, a bird poops on his head. And it’s explained to him that this is a sign of good luck. Thus begins young Geoffrey’s fascination with poo.
It’s a funny little book, with of course mostly poo-related jokes and trivia. Like one man’s poo is another man’s compost. How poo can say something about a person’s or an animals’s health. Things like that. Nothing to go out of your way for. But it’s an amusing, lighthearted and silly little read to accompany the darker and bigger book that is Snuff....more
A man joins a very exclusive club for the rich to feast on human flesh.
Really well-written short story that quickly manages to hook you. It’s a strongA man joins a very exclusive club for the rich to feast on human flesh.
Really well-written short story that quickly manages to hook you. It’s a strong concept of meat becoming so rare and expensive that even the rich turn to human flesh. But it’s such a shame that the big twist at the end is completely spoiled by the title....more
Sierra gets a message from a friend who’s an archaeologist just like her. He thinks he and his team are on the verge of discovering something big in tSierra gets a message from a friend who’s an archaeologist just like her. He thinks he and his team are on the verge of discovering something big in the jungle. So she joins him on his quest to find the mythical city of gold, El Dorado. But then they find themselves walking through an ancient portal and they step into a whole other world.
The protagonist is likeable and easy to root for. The premise is strong. There’s some adventure and some mystery to keep you hooked. There’s a few interesting bits mixed in here about Incan, Mayan, … writing and calendars. The world building is good, though it does leave you wanting more.
There is a lot of telling instead of showing, especially in the beginning. On one hand, this is good as the protagonist is fleshed out well and the premise and setting are clearly defined from the start. But on the other hand, a lot of info dumping usually doesn’t make for an exciting reading experience. A bit more showing instead of telling could have helped here, to make the beginning of the story a bit more entertaining. Sometimes it also feels like the challenges the protagonist faces are overcome a bit too easily.
It’s a light and rather short read with an interesting concept. It’s mostly a character-driven story, though there’s also enough exploration, mystery, action and adventure to keep the pages turning. The author’s note at the end is also really interesting....more
Rabbits have evolved into intelligent, talking, human-sized rabbits. But people aren’t exactly very fr“It’ll take a rabbit to teach a human humanity.”
Rabbits have evolved into intelligent, talking, human-sized rabbits. But people aren’t exactly very friendly against these new immigrants. The Anti-Rabbit Party even wants to ship all the UK’s rabbits to another country.
To most people, all rabbits look the same. But Peter Knox is one of the people who can tell individual rabbits apart from one another. Which is why Peter is a rabbit spotter for the Rabbit Compliance Taskforce.
One day, a family of rabbits moves in next door to Peter. And it makes him see things from a new perspective.
You can’t exactly call this a subtle critique against Brexit, the refugee crisis and racism. More like a rant masquerading as a fictional story. And I have to admit that it does come across as a bit too in your face at times. A little bit more subtlety and a bit less black and white thinking could have benefited the story. Turning refugees into cute animals is a great concept to make them ironically feel more human and sympathetic. Still, I think it could have served the story better had there been no humans at all, so that all the characters are animals. To make all the characters feel like equals, no matter the difference in species. Though maybe that’s just me. The many pop culture references can also be quite good and funny with the added presence of the rabbits, though perhaps there might be a bit too many of them for my personal taste. And I’m also not a big fan of the ending.
At the core of the story is the protagonist’s character arc. Even though he’s not exactly anti-rabbit from the start, he’s still a voluntary part of the system that’s fighting against the rabbits. The protagonist is not a bad person. But it’s still made clear that the protagonist is at fault. By not doing anything about all the wrongs he sees in the world, he’s accepting the new status quo. While I do appreciate the sentiment of showing that it’s important to care about politics, it does feel a bit like finger-pointing at times. I think some more nuance could have been added to the story in that regard. And the motivation for the protagonist’s change of heart can also feel a bit problematic.
A book with an important message at its core. I like the concept, it’s well-written, and there are some good moments in here. It’s not a bad read but the execution of the concept just didn’t always work for me personally....more
I quite like Murdoch Mysteries the TV show, and I was curious to find out how it all began. This is the first book of the series that started it all.
AI quite like Murdoch Mysteries the TV show, and I was curious to find out how it all began. This is the first book of the series that started it all.
A young woman’s body is found in the freezing streets of Victorian Toronto. Acting detective William Murdoch is tasked with finding out who she is, who killed her, and why. And the deeper the detective digs for the truth, the more questions rise to the surface.
Since it’s a murder mystery, the plot is the core of the story. It is a very solid plot with a gradual and natural pace, and plenty of revelations that keep your eyes glued to the pages. Though I have to admit that I am a little bit disappointed by the ending, even though it is quite good. Also, I do understand why this is done but, I would have preferred it had there been only one point of view character.
One of the things that stands out is how well the setting is brought to life. You can tell the author really made an effort and did a lot of research to get even subtle little details right. You can also tell that the foundations of the characters most people will already know and love from the TV show are definitely here. But it’s important to note that they are different characters from the ones you’re used to seeing on the show.
There are some interesting differences between the original book and the TV show. The most noticeable difference is the general tone of the story, which is a bit darker here than the usually rather lighthearted tone in the TV show. The biggest difference in terms of characters is probably the absence of doctor Julia Ogden. Acting detective William Murdoch is also a grittier character, motivated by his desire to be promoted in this book. And there isn’t really any focus on new technologies like there is in the TV show.
While there are a lot of differences between the TV show and the original book, they both have their merit. If you like the TV show, it’s worth taking a look at the books that inspired it if you keep an open mind. And even if you haven’t seen the TV show, this book is still worth reading if you’re looking for a solid historical murder mystery story....more
An airplane full of mercenaries crashes on a snowy mountain where a pack of hungry wolves is awaiting them. And there’s also a mysterious building thaAn airplane full of mercenaries crashes on a snowy mountain where a pack of hungry wolves is awaiting them. And there’s also a mysterious building that draws their attention.
This is basically the first part of a book that’s been cut into six pieces. And I have to say it is a good start to a good story. It’s a strong first chapter. It’s the kind of story that immediately hooks you and there’s more than enough tension, action, and even some mystery from the start. But it does feel really light and short. It also ends before anything interesting can happen, which is a bit of a shame....more
Harbor’s mom dies and Harbor is left in the care of her very eccentric aunt who lives on a pirate ship turned into a home.
I didn’t know what to expectHarbor’s mom dies and Harbor is left in the care of her very eccentric aunt who lives on a pirate ship turned into a home.
I didn’t know what to expect from this story. It has quite a slow start, but maybe that’s for the best. Let’s just say that my patience was rewarded. There are multiple things tackled in this story. The obvious one is Harbor’s grief from losing her mother. But also how to move on from such a tragic event, with the help of her quirky aunt. Add in an interesting family mystery to unearth, and you have quite a good recipe for a strong slightly emotional character-driven story.
It’s a story that takes its time. Just as the aunt dances around Harbor’s pain to make her forget about it, the plot takes its time to dance around the core of the story and give us some subtle clues here and there about what’s really going on. But it’s ultimately a sweet and warm read about a rather dark and emotional serious topic, with a little bit of Christmas spirit and some pirate adventure sprinkled over it. The ending’s quite interesting too, though perhaps not for everyone. Overall, it’s a little gem of a story just waiting to be read by the right kind of reader....more
Commander Sam Vimes is forced by his wife to take a holiday with their son to the countryside. Sam Vimes is not looking forward to it at all, the feelCommander Sam Vimes is forced by his wife to take a holiday with their son to the countryside. Sam Vimes is not looking forward to it at all, the feeling you get from the start is that he’s not going on holiday but rather preparing himself for his own funeral. The cat quickly comes out of the bag as his wife is not only forcing him to come on holiday with his family, she’s also trying to make him eat healthy food.
The couple’s holiday then takes a dark turn when Vimes is arrested for a murder he did not commit. And Vimes wants to not only prove his innocence by finding the real killer, but also correct a great social injustice.
The focus of this story is primarily on Sam Vimes, with not that many scenes taking place in Ankh-Morpork. And you can see how far he has come as a character here. In his first book he was a lonely, miserable and drunk guy in charge of a handful of people basically pretending to be guards because they didn’t really do anything and they didn’t really care. Here, Sam is happily married. He’s a loving father and a man of status. He’s proudly in charge of the well-known watch that consists of multiple species, all individuals who respect Sam and look up to him, and would follow him into battle without a second thought. Because Sam cares for them and respects them just as much as they respect him. But Sam is an equalitarian and you can see that he still struggles with his status in society as a duke. So his wife tries to make him realize that he might no longer be a man of the people but he can still be a man for the people.
With the focus being so much on Sam Vimes, it stands out a bit that he is already at the end of his character arc. This is why it’s a bit of a shame that none of the other guards have come with him on his holiday, as adding even one other guard who could have some character development would have been welcome. Though we do get a bit of character development through the local police officer and even Vimes’ son, who still loves a good bedtime story. Though now that he’s a little bit older, he wants to read something more appropriate for his age.
It’s very interesting to note that a previous Discworld book tackled the crab bucket theory, where any crab trying to escape the cooking pot is dragged back down by his fellow crabs. This book now tackles another theory about human behavior but from a privileged perspective. And it’s interesting to note that it’s inspired by a true story. The trend also continues here as this is once again pretty dark in tone, possibly influenced by Terry Pratchett’s personal struggles.
The obvious possible flaw of this book is that the concept of this story feels very familiar. Since the concept at the core of this story has been done before in this series, and better. But this is a different and darker take on a familiar concept. And Sam Vimes is arguably the most fleshed out and interesting character in the Discworld series. Add in a solid murder mystery plot, and you’ve got another strong Discworld book worth reading....more
Wade Freeman and his family decide to ignore a hurricane evacuation order and instead move deeper into the Canadian wilderness.
But a team of scientistWade Freeman and his family decide to ignore a hurricane evacuation order and instead move deeper into the Canadian wilderness.
But a team of scientists there makes an incredible discovery. A creature that was supposed to be extinct seems to be alive and kicking. And it’s coming after them.
First things first, this is a story that knows exactly what it wants to be and doesn’t try to be something it’s not. The story is smart to take enough time to properly flesh out the characters though, making us care about them before dropping them into the wild. And as soon as we get there, the story grabs us by the throat and refuses to let go. This is very much appreciated.
The story starts kind of slow as we get to know the family and explore why they’re moving in the first place. Though all this takes place when a hurricane is starting to wreak havoc, so there’s already some tension and danger to be felt from the get-go. The writing is pretty good, definitely does its best to suck you into the story, establish the setting, and warm you up to the characters in the beginning. And though it may take a while, the story shifts multiple gears as soon as the titular Sabertooth tiger comes into play.
Overall, quite a good story. A slow but strong start to a promising series. Would rate this higher if it had a proper ending....more
Read very carefully, I shall post this review only once.
This is a book about Allo Allo, one of my favorite sitcoms. I always have a blast rewatching tRead very carefully, I shall post this review only once.
This is a book about Allo Allo, one of my favorite sitcoms. I always have a blast rewatching this show. It helps that Allo Allo has aged quite well and doesn’t feel as dated as other older sitcoms I’ve watched, though times have of course changed a little bit since this show was made. Anyway, when I came across this book, I couldn’t wait to learn more about the behind the scenes stories of this brilliant show.
This book starts out quite well, pinpointing a very important thing in the concept of the show from which it can draw so much of its brilliant comedy: conflict. For example: the café owner René Artois is both a coward who is forced to collaborate with the German occupiers to save his own skin, and a hero as he’s forced to become a key member of the local French Resistance.
The book also shines a light on other crucial factors that led to the series’ success. One of them being the casting of the leading roles. They were not casting actors as producer David Croft puts it, they were casting a family, hoping to make friends for life. He was looking for actors who could work well together as a team, rather than casting individuals who already had a big recognizable name to carry the show. Or as he describes it: he didn’t want to hire stars, he wanted to make them.
This book is a rather short and cozy trip down memory lane with some interesting anecdotes being told along the way, especially in the first half of the book. Another thing this book does well is including snippets of memorable scenes, which fans of the show will be glad to read. Though this book does have its flaws. Most of all, it feels like it’s missing something. Seeing as a lot of actors were no longer around when this book was written, this limits how much the author can say about the behind the scenes stuff and anecdotes of the people behind the iconic roles. Though I would hope that with some more research and some editing, this could have been a bit less obvious. And the second half of the book feels like it could have been left out entirely, except for the final couple of pages....more
Sophie’s grandmother was murdered, so she inherits her grandmother’s bookshop. She quickly finds out her grandmother had a magical secret. And that seSophie’s grandmother was murdered, so she inherits her grandmother’s bookshop. She quickly finds out her grandmother had a magical secret. And that secret was probably what got her grandmother killed. So now the killer might be coming after Sophie too.
The fantasy world building and the premise show potential. The mystery plot is good enough, considering the length of this story. There’s quite a bit of telling instead of showing in the beginning. But this does not overstay its welcome and helps get us toward the core of the story quicker. The characters all have potential but the story could have benefitted from fleshing them out a bit more, especially in the more character-driven scenes.
It’s quite straight forward in terms of plot, but solid. The characters show enough potential. And it’s a light and easy read, which is exactly what I was craving for. It’s quite short but it’s a solid cozy fantasy mystery story....more
When the baron dies, Tiffany Aching goes to Ankh-Morpork to find the Baron's son, Roland. But she realizes something is off. Something is stalking herWhen the baron dies, Tiffany Aching goes to Ankh-Morpork to find the Baron's son, Roland. But she realizes something is off. Something is stalking her and corrupting people around her.
From what I’ve read about this, Terry Pratchett had been living with his Alzheimer diagnosis for a while when he wrote this book. And it is said that this can be felt in his writing. Personally, I see no deterioration in his writing here. But there’s something else that is very noticeable. The story pretty much starts with Tiffany explaining to a man that he’s beaten his pregnant daughter so hard that she’s lost her baby. This immediately sets the tone for this story as it is much darker than previous installments. And I can understand how this story being so much darker can make this story much less to your taste than previous books in the Tiffany Aching series. But I actually quite like this change as it opens the series up to tackling more dark and serious topics.
The Tiffany Aching series features some of the strongest antagonists Pratchett ever wrote, and this book is no exception. The Cunning Man is a very different kind of monster as he corrupts people. But the Cunning Man only corrupts people who are open to being corrupted. And what stands out so much here is that a lot of people are open to it. That’s the core theme of this story. The Cunning Man is a representation of the wickedness normal people are capable of. This reminds me of a certain Doctor Who story where the people refused to be helped by the doctor because he looked different from them. The Doctor Who story unfortunately made the mistake of making the people completely unlikeable and not making the audience care about them, thus lessening the impact of the story. But in this story, that mistake is not made. The people who turn against Tiffany are all normal likeable people. And yet they turn on her simply because she is in some random way different from them. This makes the impact of them turning on her much more impactful. Because there’s always something you can use to alienate someone from the group. And it’s so easy to put the blame for something on someone who’s already alienated, to use them as a scapegoat. I will say that the monster in this story isn’t very scary. But that’s the point. It’s not the monster but the normal people who are scary. This is not a story about the extreme kind of evil that everybody knows is wrong. This is a story about the ordinary kind of evil that everyone is capable of if you allow yourself to be corrupted.
One of the things I appreciate in the Tiffany Aching series is how Tiffany grows as a person in each book. In her previous book for example, Tiffany entered puberty. Here, she has learned from those past experiences. Her growth as a character is very much on display here and fits the plot like a glove, particularly in the second half of the story.
The ending might not be as strong as it could have been. And it’s definitely a story that stands out more because it’s so different from the books that came before it. But it’s a good dark evolution of both the series and Tiffany Aching as a character. Definitely my favorite Tiffany Aching book. It’s a great concept done right....more
An anonymous tip brings the third doctor, Liz Shaw and the UNIT troops to Lewgate Docks, where something deadly is lurking in the water. While investiAn anonymous tip brings the third doctor, Liz Shaw and the UNIT troops to Lewgate Docks, where something deadly is lurking in the water. While investigating something peculiar in the morgue, the third doctor realizes there’s something wrong with time itself. And before the third doctor can make sense of what’s happening, the second doctor and Jamie suddenly show up.
Even though both the second and third doctor are present on the cover of this audio adventure, it’s important to note that this is more a third doctor story rather than a multi-doctor story. It takes quite a while before the second doctor and Jamie show up. It’s a rather standard third doctor story in terms of concept and plot, with a good mystery at its core that takes its time and slowly but surely intensifies as it steadily builds up toward a rather satisfying ending. It is executed really well, which makes for quite an enjoyable Doctor Who audio experience. And it feels like this story could have been a good fit in season 7, which was the writer’s intention. So job well done, I’d say.
The characters are done remarkably well and they’re actually the biggest highlight for me. Frazer Hines is the only original actor left, portraying Jamie. But most of the main cast members are played by family members of the original actors. And they really go out of their way to get the essence of the characters they portray right. Liz Shaw is played by the original actress’ daughter. And Michael Troughton voices the second doctor for the first time here, which was the role of his father. The latter doesn’t sound like his father just yet, but he does his best. And he grows throughout the story as he’s slowly getting more comfortable in his new role. With two doctors in the mix, you’d think they’d claim most of the time in the spotlights. But, surprisingly, it’s the chemistry between Jamie and Liz Shaw that stands out most here. The antagonists serve their role well here but they are a bit forgettable.
A strong third doctor story that’s only elevated by the addition of the second doctor and Jamie....more
Porter’s family guards the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael. Which means Porter has to sacrifice much of his free time training to be a Porter’s family guards the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael. Which means Porter has to sacrifice much of his free time training to be a gatekeeper. But he’d much rather spend his time playing football/soccer.
When his mom - the current gatekeeper - is not home, someone from Pericael knocks on his door to ask for help. Feeling responsible, he takes on the task of defending the villagers from an evil shaman hungry for power. But Porter’s not ready yet to face the many dangers that await him. Something happens and he quickly finds himself lost in Pericael with his cousin Ames.
It’s a fantasy story with great worldbuilding. Pericael is a very creative fantasy setting and speaks to the imagination. The plot is kept quite simple and straight forward but this is understandable, considering it’s a rather short story. It doesn’t take long for the story to hook you though, and it keeps you hooked with a fast pace and some great action scenes.
The characters are fleshed out well. The protagonist in particular is quite sympathetic and he has a strong character arc that sits firmly at the core of this story. It’s his growth as a person that drives the story forward.
I occasionally wanted more descriptions or explanations to immerse myself in the scene more and to understand the bigger picture better, especially in terms of the antagonists. This also sometimes reads more like a YA book rather than middle grade. This does not have anything to do with the content though, it’s more in terms of the wording and the writing itself.
Overall, it’s a solid, short and creative character-driven middle grade read....more
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