It's a terrific mix of adventure
935614
I bought this to read it to my granddaughter, who is reading but still likes to be read chapter books. I decided to check it out first and couldn't put it down. I have already completed the second in the series. It's a terrific mix of adventure, fantasy and early-adolescent angst.
431408
While the book has many of the familiar elements of fantasy, it also contains an unusual twist.  The story is an epic adventure into another world, and it is an intriguing adventure.  It would make a terrific movie, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.  I highly recommend it.
593650
A fun adventure dusted with science and danger.
1349674
Sura the Kitsune is full of life and ready to take on the Ghosts, Demons, and Pirates of old Japan; and she's ready to have fun doing it.
This is a fun set of adventures that start out seemingly random but wind up cleverly and surprisingly well done.  Sura is self-indulgent, true, but she's also a loyal friend and genuinely caring person.  Her companions, two Samurai and a Rat Spirit, are accurate to Japanese legend and are definitely people rather than foils or props.
The three stories here are funny and cleverly done and very well worth the price.  As a matter of fact, I'm re-reading the story now and finding new things in it on the second time through.
A good first book and well worth reading.
557391
The Martyrs Blade is a very welcome addition to the fantasy genre. An engaging, wondrous adventure from start to finish. Manners incredibly deep knowledge and appreciation for the genre is evident on each page. He writes with an enthusiasm that is both infectious and inspiring.  That spirit is also reflected in his characters. Their witty, optimistic dispositions and larger than life personalities are a welcome change from the familiar stoic, brooding type characters typically found in these types of books. (Though, I will say, there were a few instances where their merriment and joking didn't quite seem warranted given some of the awful situations they found themselves in. But those were few and far between).
The author also does an excellent job pulling the reader inside the realm of Albyn, building a rich, living and breathing world. From majestic mountains and forests to dark and mysterious catacombs. Mythical temples and grand castles. The vivid and detailed world he manages to capture is definitely one of the strongest parts of the book. The variety and depth of the environments made Albyn feel like a character itself.
One small frustration I found as the book went on, was a certain tension that developed with the characters, (Im still not sure if its a good thing or a bad thing). But as the story progressed I found myself unsure which characters I should get attached to. As a good many of them don't make it to the end. In a way its fun because no one feels safe and every encounter seems more dangerous, but at the same time, it makes it difficult to become invested in the characters.
The only other small qualm I had was, while the author is excellent at world building, action sequences and unveiling the mystery of the deadly rituals, occasionally the dialogue does seem clunky and unnatural. A particular budding romance between two of the character will sometimes teeter on the edge between cute/ endearing and cheesy/ cringe-y.
However, these small criticisms are almost inconsequential to what is a fantastic debut novel, and an introduction to an epic, adventurous world and series, full of well written characters and environments that I look forward to spending more time with.
533542
Young Jason's at it again in book three of Violetta Antcliff's Adventures of Jason Foster. After grappling with criminals in book one and a ghost in book two, he's set for a magical adventure in book three that begins with a talking cat. Not that Jason believes in talking cats--he's quite sure someone's trying to fool him. But eventually he's convinced and finds himself wandering through curious lands of fairgrounds and mystical circuses in search of a magic lantern.

The mix of magic and adventure with everyday English life is delightfully convincing. Jason's never quite as brave as he'd like to be, and Wayne's not just his shadow after all. Clever touches of courage and amusing feline conversation (Zam doesn't like sardines) make this an interesting adventure for kids and an amusing tale to share with parents and grandparents too. Jason even shares the cat, and both boys share a longing to have their wishes fulfilled, in a very pleasing way.

Jason grows older convincingly in Violetta Antcliff's stories, month by month, just as a small child should. It will be interesting to see what next year has in store for him.

Disclosure: I was given a free copy of this ebook by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
933190
The Enchanted Skean by Vonnie Winslow Crist is full of adventure that will appeal to anyone who likes fantasy. The main character, Beck, encounters dragons, goblins, dwarves, and magic. He transforms over the course of the novel, from a weak, uncertain boy into a young man who takes control and wields magical power. He is joined by his friend, who is the faithful sidekick, who also becomes more certain as he faces more challenges experiences. I can see a number of young readers, especially boys, easily connecting to Beck and his friend. The adventure is fun as more magical creatures and elements enter the story. This book is action-packed with adventure. I definitely didn't anticipate some creatures, such as dragons and goblins, entering the story, but when they did, I was right there in the action and wanted to know what happens next. This ends with the potential for a sequel. When the next book is released, Ill be sure to read it so I can follow the adventures of Beck.
4635482
I just wrote my review of this novel's prequel, The Wizard Hunters, based around the premise that these books are more complex than they seem. Just as this book goes more in depth into the complexity, so I'll continue, in this review.
As I said, on the surface, these books are simply a great swashbuckling sort of adventure (quite YA-friendly, I might add; there's sex but it's fade-to-black, and the violence is realistic but not excessively gory), but it's the characters that make it worth following. And all of them are complex and rich and believable, even the unnamed ones who get a throwaway line in a background scene.

This book gives us a great deal more insight into Tremaine Valiarde, our intrepid heroine. It gives her a love interest, for one-- but a marriage of political expediency, and with a wonderful Wellsian twist: the husband is from a matriarchy and assumes that she will be the authority figure in the relationship. It's a fascinating logic experiment that yields phenomenal results of characterization.
 And this book contains the scene I love to use as an example of what Strong Female Characters ought to be, but never get to be: HUMAN. Tremaine is primarily a human character. She's set up to be a neurotic, bloody-minded person. In this book, she is presented with a desperate situation that catapults her into a leadership role she doesn't particularly want but knows she must take-- to secure it, she has to play a life-or-death game of chicken, and she does so with iron nerves, but believable irritability. (Over the course of about fifty pages there's a delightful little thread of consistency as she bites off each of her nails one by one, followed up later when her husband notices her doing the last one; in many of the scenes she otherwise seems utterly unmoved by the most horrifying things, but if you pay attention to her hands, you can see she's just shredded internally.) And later, she is presented with a choice: murder in cold blood to secure just a bare chance of saving not just her friends but probably her entire world, or spare an innocent man's life and ensure the death of everyone she loves?
The most important part of this is that unlike in many works of fiction, Tremaine doesn't just murder someone, feel on-screen guilt about it, and then move on. No, she returns to think of her hapless victim in tiny little realistic moments of self-doubt and post-trauma for the rest of the series; you know fine well that in the fictonal future, she still remembers the man she shot in cold blood to get a truck.
Like a real person would.
She's not some action superman. She's ruthless because she has no choice. She's her father's daughter, even if she doesn't understand him. And that's possibly the crowning touch to the whole little arc of characterization: she is continuing the same arc her father was on in Death of the Necromancer, when he overheard Inspector Ronsarde and Doctor Halle discussing him. Even then it is apparent; they think him some sort of cold-blooded psychopath, but in his moment of doubt, he knows he is only doing what he has had to do to survive.

Not just any author could make a connection like that, but that is how three-dimensional these characters are.
4878836
The Bad Times series is a terrific combination of science fiction, historical adventure and military action all rolled into one fast-paced novel. The first volume established the rules of time-travel for an odd mix of scientists, engineers and former Soldiers. Now cut off from their sponsor, the team must carve its own path, and that begins with a journey to the Mediterranean and a hunt for a long-lost treasure. That hunt lands the team in the middle of a different kind of warfare, and a desperate fight for survival. The story features some shocking twists and turns along the way, and makes smart use of its premise. One of the many things I like about the series is (perversely enough) that the modern-day explorers / fighters keep underestimating their ancestors. Considering the unforgiving world they lived in, we should give them a little more credit - and this series spells that out in spades. A heck of a fun ride - now I cant wait to read the third volume!
1388213
This is an exciting space adventure with a huge twist of pirate ships and seafaring adventure. . .just in space.

Jake's parents disappeared when he was a baby, leaving him to grow up under the care of his grandmother and somewhat strict uncle. On his twelfth birthday, he discovers a talisman with a note from his father. Determined to find his parents, he heads off into space with a ship and must face all sorts of adventures, dangers and excitement on his quest.

This is an delicious mixture of space and all things nautical. The idea of a ship sailing out into the galaxy grabs right away, and the descriptions make it easy to get drawn in and lost in the adventure. Jake's a brave boy with tons of determination, a lot to learn, and a good heart. He's a great character to relate to and cheer for. . .and inspire readers to dream of such adventures of their own.

The length and language make this a good fit for the upper end of middle grade readers, ages ten and up. The author uses nautical terms richly and whenever they fit the situation, considering everything takes place in space. This might be a little overwhelming to readers, although ship fans are sure to enjoy it. It's an enchanting weave of science fiction, fantasy and steampunk, making it hard to categorize, but a treat to read. The pacing holds tight and steady the whole way through, insuring a read that  The ending leaves off with tons of questions still open for the rest of the series, and it is an ending which leaves the reader wanting to know more and continue. That this was published in 2015, I'm hoping that the next books will appear soon, though.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the adventure so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
3144255
The paragraphing is often thin, so I thought the story might be as well. I thought, "Oh great, another It's a Wonderful LIfe copy." Glad to say I was wrong. It is a straight-forward story. Quick pace. Romance. Action. Haunting worlds. Moral ambiguity that leaves the reader in anguish, not just the characters. This could so easily have gotten silly, but it is a great adventure.
1570056
Plenty of action, fantasy and mystery--a little darker than I would have liked, but the adventures kept me fully engaged.
2348146
This is a great, fun read, full of mad adventure and foolish derring-do. It's about floating down the Amazon, but really, the best part is in the beginning, before they even get to the Amazon. They actually dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean and then hike over the Andes to find the source of the Amazon before they even get into the raft.

Hiking the Andes and finding the source was the most interesting part. By the time they actually get into the Amazon, most of the adventure is done, and Angus has to work pretty hard to generate some excitement.

Anyway, I loved it. I didn't give it five stars just because, well, because it's kind of thin. Not a weighty read, exactly.

But so what? Loads of fun. Great read.
3835030
Croggon creates a rich magical world gone awry in The Naming. Wonderful adventures maintain momentum throughout the story. Croggon pays attention to the details. It's easy to ride with her main character, Maerad, as she travels through lush or desolate landscapes and into ornate magic schools or simple villages. If you like world building to it's fullest, this is a wonderful adventure.

In some places the detail became too much for me, but that didn't distract from my enjoyment of the story. It's just my personal preference.
3050297
This is one of those books that I went into already salivating over the summary, and East to West doesnt disappoint on the creativity front. Its a great mix of Wild West and apocalypse, with a fair amount of sci-fi thrown in there. Its a delightful crushing together of genre, and the result is great worldbuilding and atmosphere, and an entirely unique tone.

The pacing is also excellent. I realize that hearing good pacing isn't necessarily something that tends to excite the masses, but it serves the issue so well here. Information is dropped along the way, certain things are foreshadowed and hinted at, and it all comes together in neat little stitches that hint at conflicts to come, and histories yet to be revealed. At each new turn, I was intrigued and engaged. It builds suspense expertly, and it managed to get across a lot of worldbuilding and exposition without ever feeling monotonous.
1350256
This is a fantastic middle grade/YA fantasy/adventure story, but fun for adults, too. There are fantastic new creatures, magic, and a wonderful new world to explore. The pace is great and the characters are wonderfully drawn. I was engrossed in the book and I can't wait for the next. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy adventure.
2137572
This is an adventure story, a heroic quest, a buddy book and a mock travel story to the imaginary Asian country of Panga. The hero (Francis) is a disenchanted writer looking to escape himself and instead falls into "partnership" with an African diabetic searching for his pirate grandfather's buried fortune. Through many twists and turns, meeting many fabulous characters, Francis' desired disengagement is challenged. I read the book "straight" - just for pleasure - though there are many who might enjoy some of the deeper ideas that run through it.

The novel is playful yet self-reflective. It's fun to read, drawing you into the characters and their lives and hopes. For the literary reader, it offers a lot more (and I would recommend the accompanying "Ludic Mode of Pangamonium," which is a full exegesis of the novel), with allusions to a very broad range of authors and writing.