adventure

Book Review: The Traitor

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The Traitor
Michael Vey #9
by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 1 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Prisoner of Cell 25.

The Electroclan has to decide how to stop the Chasqui from destroying a town, free their friends, and deal with their friend who betrayed them.

I can’t pretend to know Evans’s motivation in opening this series back up again after a clear ending, but this book in particular made me feel like he doesn’t really care about the series anymore. The bad guy has (no surprise) turned out to be pretty much a slightly different version of Hatch. Multiple major side characters die, which might not seem like a big deal, but it’s quite different for this series. And the big kicker, to me, is that it appears that Evans completely forgot that he’d killed off an entire tribe of people way back in book #3. While, yes, the news that the Amacarra tribe had been wiped out could have been false, it has never been revealed to us that any (or apparently all) of them survived. Yet when they suddenly appear again in this book, no one is surprised, confused, happy, anything (except me). To me, that kind of huge continuity issue smacks of apathy.

Books 1-7 of this series have an overarching plot—the Electroclan trying to stop Hatch’s schemes and eventually bring down the Elgen. Whatever issues I had with those books, the desire to see the Electroclan triumph was basically what kept me going through 7 books. No matter what the real reason is that Evans continued the series after neatly wrapping it up, after only 2 books, I’ve lost my motivation to keep reading. I don’t care enough about the new bad guy, because he’s far too much like the old bad guy (plus, spoiler, he’s already stopped by the end of this 2nd book), and the new threat just doesn’t seem as globally dangerous. 

Rather than continue to complain about style issues, Evans’s weird pacing decisions, and other things that I’ve mentioned in multiple previous reviews already, I’m just going to say that this is the end for me, and be done with it. This is the last published book to date, but since it came out only 4 months ago, given what was left hanging, I assume at least one more is planned. I won’t put myself through the frustration of reading any further, though. As for recommendations, though I mildly enjoyed much of the first 7 books, I don’t know that I’d recommend this series, especially for adults. Teens are probably better able to overlook some of the shallow characterization and style issues I had with it.

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Book Review: The False Prince

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The False Prince
Ascendance #1
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
read by Charlie McWade

My rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Middle grade adventure

Street-smart orphan Sage is tagged as one of three candidates to pretend to be the king’s long-lost son, in order to prevent a civil war that would lead to destruction by the nation’s enemies. He’s not so sure he wants to be the prince, but the alternative is death.

By halfway through this book, I was really beginning to wonder what so many people saw in it. It was slow and not terribly interesting, with cliched characters and politics that caused the story to drag. Characters make terrible decisions, and Sage himself doesn’t seem to know when to quit while he’s ahead. Just the fact that nothing interesting seemed to be going on caused intrigue as I tried to figure out what kind of twist might be coming that would cause so many people to give the book 4- and 5-star ratings. Then came a twist, like I was expecting, but not quite what I was expecting. And to say much more at all would be a spoiler, so before I get into that, I’ll say that, though I did appreciate the twist and how it made me look back on the rest of the story in a different light, it wasn’t quite enough to completely redeem that first 75% of the book. Also, the narrator is fairly monotone, and while I do intend to continue the series with the audiobooks, it’s mostly because his voice is already so ingrained in my head as the voice of Sage, I’ll hear it either way, so I might as well listen to him reading it. Now, read on if you choose, but beware that at least mild spoilers are ahead.

What this book taught me is that I’ve become far too trusting with narrators. I’ve always known about the potential of an unreliable narrator, but I haven’t come across them often and certainly not one to the degree that this book has. What I took as other characters making incorrect assumptions or Sage being unnecessarily cagey was actually just the reader being kept in the dark. And the sad thing is that even when it started to be revealed to me that some things had been kept from me, I didn’t follow that through to the Big Secret. I made guesses about the Big Secret, but the only way I could see it being true would be if the author used a really cliched trope. When I began to realize that Sage was keeping secrets from the reader, I should have realized…but I didn’t, so the twist mostly caught me off guard.

My guess is that most of the readers of the age group this is intended for would be blown away by the twist and would learn a good lesson in being too trusting of a narrator in fiction (like I did). While I do wish that the first 75% of the book had been more engaging overall, I still recommend this book to kids around age 10-13 and to anyone else that is interested in the premise.

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Book Review: The Emperor’s Code

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The Emperor’s Code
The 39 Clues #8
by Gordon Korman

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Children’s mystery, adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Maze of Bones.

Amy and Dan Cahill are reeling over news of their heritage and take it out on each other. When they get separated, Dan and Amy will have to use the clue hunt to find their way back to each other. 

I really liked the fresh turn this story took with Dan and Amy’s argument. Not that it’s the first time they’ve argued, but the siblings being separated, having different experiences, and working the clue hunt from two different angles, is all new and interesting. The ways that they’re both trying to deal with what they discovered in the previous book about their parents, grandmother, and themselves, adds some realism and seriousness to the story. While there are still some outlandish situations, the climax in particular, I found myself enjoying the ride. I really want to see how Amy and Dan handle their ancestry and what it means for their role in the clue hunt, and I hope to learn for certain who can be trusted and who can’t. The clues themselves seem less important than the hunt to find them at this point, and I look forward to continuing the series.

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Book Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, the Graphic Novel

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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, the Graphic Novel
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series
by Chris Grabenstein
illustrated by Douglas Holgate

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Children’s adventure, graphic novel

Game-lover Kyle Keeley is desperate to win a spot in the overnight sleepover at the new, state-of-the-art local library. The library was designed by his hero, Mr. Lemoncello, who created pretty much every board game and video game Kyle loves. When the overnighter turns into a lock-in (literally), Kyle and his fellow 12-year-olds have to figure out how to escape.

I read and reviewed the original book (see review here), so this review is less about the story and content than it is about the graphic novel format. I was so excited to see that there was going to be a graphic novel of this book, because if there was ever a book (and series) that was crying for a graphic novel to be made for it, it’s the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library books. The amazing library and all of its high-tech features are just too big for the imagination (not that I’m saying the author didn’t do well describing it all in the original novel). Plus, puzzles that the kids need to solve are often shown in the book, and they fit in much better in a graphic novel. The characters are distinctly different, which helps when you’re talking about an original 12 kids that get pared down along the way, and Mr. Lemoncello himself really came to life for me in this format.

On top of all of that, there is a 11-clue rebus puzzle hidden throughout the first 46 pages of the book, which, knowing about in advance, forced me to pay close attention to the background while I read. In the end, I had to go back and look really hard for one I’d missed (and throw out one that turned out to not be a clue). Maybe I’m too old to send my answer and be in the running for the prize, but as a puzzle-lover, it was a lot of fun to work it out after I’d finished the book.

I don’t know if the rest of the series will follow this graphic novel, but I do know that I sincerely hope that Mr. Grabenstein will continue the main series, since the last book definitely set up more to come. As for this book, though, I think that fans of the series will enjoy this new format, but I’d imagine that the idea for it is more to encourage kids who don’t care to read regular books to pick up this illustrated version and enjoy the story. Since I had already read the original book, I can’t say for sure how the story will come across to a newcomer, but I think it would be a fun read for 8-12-year-olds!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s Books for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: Dragon and Slave

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Dragon and Slave
Dragonback #3
by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

In an attempt to help Draycos, the dragon-like symbiont that uses him for a host, track down who killed his people, Jack willingly sells himself to a wealthy slavemaster. Even though Draycos is a warrior brimming with power, Jack has to endure terrible conditions in order to keep his cover. But will it be worth it in the end?

Draycos and his unbending K’da warrior-poet ethics really shine in this book. Meanwhile, Uncle Virge, Jack’s spaceship’s AI based on his late uncle’s personality, is constantly trying to pull Jack the other direction—toward selfishness and greed. Jack’s inner battle to do good but also to accomplish his goal and save himself is a driving theme in these books. The intrigue and suspense, though, come from the question of who is working with K’da’s enemies to slaughter all of Draycos’s people, and that story takes a jump forward in this book. There are other questions left open, including one from the previous book, but it’s clear that this series is one long story that has to be read in succession. The books are short enough, Zahn’s writing style is easy enough to read (even for sci-fi,) and I’ve been enjoying the story so far, so I’m happy to keep going!

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Book Review: The Parasite

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The Parasite
Michael Vey #8
by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 1 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Prisoner of Cell 25.

Even though the Elgen have been effectively defeated and scattered, other threats have come out of the ashes of Hatch’s defeat. One of them is ready to strike and catches the Electroclan off guard.

Considering the obvious ending Evans put on the previous book, not just feeling like an end to the Elgen threat but an end to the Electroclan’s fight, a return to normal life, such as it could possibly be, I don’t understand why Evans felt the need to open it back up again. In the past, when authors or movie makers have done that, it’s ended up feeling like a rinse and repeat of the original arc. I can’t say yet if that’s the case here, because this first book in the new arc was only part of a story. I will at least say that the new bad guy isn’t as over-the-top sadistic as Hatch, at least not overtly. Maybe that will come. But in a situation like this, I feel that Evans maybe should have considered shifting the focus somehow, from Michael to a different lead, maybe someone we didn’t see much of in the previous books.

Whatever may or may not work with the re-opening of the series with the same characters, though, the writing style hasn’t changed, and it’s starting to bug me even more. Maybe because the characters are in college now, but it still feels like high school. For example, there’s a reunion scene near the beginning, and it’s absolutely vital that we know who is paired up with whom (I don’t care). I’ll be happy if I never see the phrase “we man hugged” in a book ever again. Taylor apparently okayed her twin sister to kiss her boyfriend as a test or bet or something…what girl would do that? People tell each other that they sound like Ostin (the genius of the group who tends to spout facts at length) whenever they state a single fact about something, and this happens several times (and comes across pretty derogatory). And conversations are still so forced and stilted and feel like everyone is just standing around in a circle waiting for their turn to speak. Not to mention that some of these people were vehemently fighting against one another until the very end of the previous arc, and now they all act like super close friends who have fought side-by-side together through a war.

A lot of my issues with the style were present in the other books, but the plot was interesting enough that I was willing to look past it and keep going. This book, though, spent so much time on unimportant details that it didn’t have time to tell a full story. At least in previous books, while there was an overarching plot and cliffhangers, at least one smaller story goal was tied up in each book. That did not happen here. By 8 books into a series, you shouldn’t need to resort to cheap tricks like telling only half a story to get people to come back for the next book. This book does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, with a plot twist involving one of the original members of the Electroclan, but I realized something unfortunate at that point—I don’t care enough about these characters to care much about that twist. Eight books into the series with the same characters throughout, the writing style is so shallow that I just don’t care if any of them live or die. There have been a few deaths along the way, and we’re told often about how the characters feel the losses, but we’re not really given any reason to feel that loss alongside them. 

Now, after a 2-star ending to the major arc before this and a 1-star start to the next one, I had planned right up to this moment to still read the next one, mostly because I don’t like to walk away this far in. But after writing this review, I’ve realized there’s just not that much about this series that I like anymore, and my reading time is limited. Now I don’t know if I’ll read the next, but I will at least say that if you’ve read the rest of the series and are wondering if you should continue with the next arc, I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially if you are bothered by any of the things I mention above. If not and you also liked The Final Spark, then you might just enjoy this book a lot more than I did.

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Book Review: The Viper’s Nest

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The Viper’s Nest
The 39 Clues #7
by Peter Lerangis

My rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Children’s mystery, adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Maze of Bones.

With both police and a storm closing in on the island where Amy and Dan Cahill just watched one of their rivals in the hunt for 39 Clues die, they first must escape and then try to continue the hunt. Next, it’s off to South Africa to follow the trail of a famous British statesman.

This is the 7th book in the series and the 2nd written by this author. His first book was when I first noted that having a different author for each installment in the series could be annoying, and I noted some glaring differences in this book too, mostly in the way of some of the main characters talking very differently than I’m used to. Dan talks and acts like a 4-year-old sometimes, and Nellie (Amy and Dan’s au pair) suddenly talked like a teeny bopper. I don’t fully understand the reason behind having 7 different authors write the 11 books in a series, unless it’s to get their names in front of people, thus promoting their own works, but I feel like it could have been done better. They should have compared notes more/better.

Still, with all of that being said, it did not diminish my overall enjoyment of the book or series enough to keep me from moving forward. There was still intrigue and some suspense, and a HUGE secret was revealed in this book. I’ve suspected this secret for several books, now, almost to where I didn’t see how it could work out any other way, but I don’t think it will be as obvious to most kids of the age these books are meant for. Instead, it will probably come as a pretty big shock, and it leaves us all unable to trust even more things that we’ve learned throughout this series. I also am sure that things about this book that frustrated me would probably not bother those in the demographic the book was written for. I still have another theory or two related to the big reveal from this book, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I’m right.

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Audiobook Review: Hangman’s Curse

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Hangman’s Curse
Veritas Project #1
by Frank Peretti
Read by author

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: YA Christian thriller

I’ve read this book many times in the past (see review here), but this was my first time listening to the audiobook. I wish there were an unabridged version, but it was worth listening to the abridged to be able to listen to Peretti’s own narration, which I very much enjoyed. I think the majority of what was cut out was character-building of the Springfields, whereas the main story seemed intact to me. While I certainly feel that the entire book is worth reading, if you’re considering the audiobook version of Hangman’s Curse, I still recommend it.

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Book Review: The Final Spark

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The Final Spark
Michael Vey #7
by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 2 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Prisoner of Cell 25.

After Michael’s sacrifice, the rest of the Electroclan tries to go on without him. Hatch and the surviving Elgen are still a threat to the world and need to be stopped.

I was so disappointed in this book. Evans built Hatch up to be just about the most sadistic bad guy in history, which is something that’s bothered me about the series, yet I was still looking forward to the downfall of him and his people. I had my ups and downs with the series up to this point, intrigued by the plot while actually not being a fan of the writing and characters, but as I came to what was meant to be the final book in the series at the time it was written, and certainly still the wrap-up to the books-long plot, it’s not a stretch to say I was looking forward to seeing some Elgen butt being kicked by some electric teens. But that is not what I got. Instead, the electric teens are sidelined (yet again), there’s lots of military strategy filler from characters we just met in the previous book as well as some brand new characters (who are all just about as sadistic as Hatch himself), and there’s even suddenly supernatural abilities from characters that aren’t electric or teens. The two “nonels” in the Electroclan, Ostin and Jack, get a chance to bond in this book, which is probably the only good thing that came out of it.

It’s pretty safe to say that no reader is going to go into this book believing Michael to be dead (sorry if that’s a spoiler), but Evans still could have done something less predictable to bring him back than what he did. Michael is barely even in this book and only shows up to be one of the most boring, lazy tropes in writing. And murder lots of people who aren’t even Elgen, who are just following orders. And not even bat an eye or feel bad about it later. The ending was not just unsatisfying, it was completely saccharine and unrealistic, not to mention leaving us without any wrap-up for several plots and characters. I would echo comments from other reviews that I’ve read that say it seems like Evans was bored with the series by this point and just wanted to get it through it without much thought, except that 5 years after this book came out, he started the series back up! And you know what the worst part is? I know I’m going to read the newer books. I don’t know why, but I just can’t seem to help myself with this series—I know it has major flaws, and I have a hard time deciding whether or not I’d really recommend this series (it’s ridiculously brutal for the age group it’s meant for and way too angsty for adults), yet I can’t seem to help but want to see where it goes.

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Book Review: In Too Deep

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In Too Deep
The 39 Clues #6
by Jude Watson

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s mystery, adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Maze of Bones.

Off to Australia to find more clues, Amy and Dan Cahill seek out a relative that isn’t involved in the hunt. As they travel around the country—and outside of it—they are trailed by other Cahills who are searching for the same clues. As one Cahill seems to be trying to help them, another Cahill has much more sinister schemes in mind.

I enjoyed the trip to Australia, both the more populated areas and the outback, and then to some islands of Indonesia. Though the Cahills, and thus us as well, are brief visitors to most of these places, they still gave me a chance to learn a little bit about somewhere I’ll never go. Plus, I was curious enough to look online at some maps of the islands involved, which gave me a nice visual. The story was similar in pacing, mystery, and intrigue to previous books in the series, and I didn’t notice any major differences in characterization either. Amy and Dan seem to be maturing, which one would expect, given when they’ve gone through so far.

I suppose it’s all on purpose, but I struggle a lot with a book series in which I truly cannot trust anyone except the two main characters. And more than that, even supposed deaths can’t be trusted in this series. This book in particular introduced a dangerous new character, (maybe) lost an existing one, and started to cast suspicion on someone that’s seemed trustworthy from the start. I do appreciate being given some insight into the death of Amy and Dan’s parents and assume more information about that will come in later books.

While I have had some frustrations with the series, and with this book in particular—for example, how do the other Cahills always seem to know where Dan and Amy are going to be? Sometimes it can be explained by saying they’re going to an obvious place to find clues, but randomly going surfing, spur of the moment, and being found by the Holts? Really? Who’s the mole in this outfit?—from past experience, I think they’re the kind of thing that kids won’t be as bothered by. There is a lot that I enjoy about this series, and now that I’m more than halfway through it, I’m pretty invested. I really do want to know what’s going to happen, especially since, as of this book, I have developed a theory and a prediction about the ending. It’s the kind of thing I feel like I should have been able to start guessing at sooner, but that kids of the age this series is meant for might not think of at all. I’m looking forward to seeing if I’m right!

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