Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: In the Hall of the Dragon King by Stephen Lawhead

Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

In the Hall of the Dragon King by Stephen LawheadIn the Hall of the Dragon King (Dragon King #1)
Stephen R. Lawhead
Thomas Nelson
Published on September 11, 2007 (Originally published in 1982)

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About In the Hall of the Dragon King
Carrying a sealed message from the war-hero Dragon King to the queen, Quentin and his outlaw companion, Theido, plunge headlong into a fantastic odyssey and mystic quest. Danger lurks everywhere in the brutal terrain, and particularly in the threats from merciless creatures, both human and not-so-human.

While at the castle, the wicked Prince Jaspin schemes to secure the crown for himself, and an evil sorcerer concocts his own monstrous plan. A plan that Quentin and Theido could never imagine.

In the youth’s valiant efforts to save the kingdom and fulfill his unique destiny, he will cross strange and wondrous lands; encounter brave knights, beautiful maidens, and a mysterious hermit; and battle a giant, deadly serpent.

My Review
I first read this book when I was in seventh grade or so and definitely in a high fantasy phase of reading. (I was also a huge fan of the Heralds of Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey.) While I don’t read too much high fantasy these days, I still enjoyed the medieval feel and scope of the story and Quentin’s character. I also liked that though the queen isn’t a major character, she doesn’t stay behind the castle walls waiting for things to be solved—she’s right there with the team on the adventure to rescue her king, and clearly is a strong woman unafraid of battle.

I also liked the way that Toli’s people, described as a gentle, reclusive woodland tribe, end up being powerful allies against a pretty fearsome enemy that Quentin and his team face. There’s something Tolkien-ish about that sort of reversal of power, if that makes sense? Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool.

The storytelling is what I would describe as more gentle. It’s not a book that will have you flipping page after page on the edge of your seat but more tells an interesting story with a focused plot and worthy cast of characters. To today’s teens it might feel a bit dated, but I think that actually works in favor of this genre whereas it might be a problem in others.

While there’s some magic content, the story also contains a strong mapping to Christian theology in its exploration of a god known as Most High who desires relationship with the characters and speaks through visions and signs. See the notes below for other information about content.

Fans of high fantasy or authors like Donita Paul and Bryan Davis will want to give this one a read.

Recommended for Ages 12 up. (True story… I was about 12 the first time I read this book.)

Cultural Elements
Most characters appear to be white, but Quentin befriends the brown-skinned prince of a woodland tribe named Toli. Toli voluntarily becomes Quentin’s servant, and tries to explain to Quentin how among his people, to serve is a great honor.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Quentin first serves a god named Ariel at a temple. But once he leaves the temple, he’s no longer eligible to serve the god anymore. He meets a forest hermit, Durwin, who serves another god, called the Most High, which maps to Christian theology. Quentin experiences a call and vision from his new god and commits his life to serve the Most High.

The villain, a necromancer, performs some dark magic, including controlling what appear to be dead warriors.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of battle scenes get a bit gory—they’re brief but sometimes intense.

Drug Content
References to drinking ale (like you’d expect per a medieval culture).

Review: Ember Falls by S. D. Smith

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Ember Falls (Green Ember Series #2)
S. D. Smith
Illustrated by Zach Franzen
Story Warren Books
Published September 13, 2016

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About Ember Falls
The stage is set. It’s war. Morbin Blackhawk, slaver and tyrant, threatens to destroy the rabbit resistance forever. Heather and Picket are two young rabbits improbably thrust into pivotal roles.

The fragile alliance forged around the young heir seems certain to fail. Can Heather and Picket help rescue the cause from a certain, sudden defeat?

My Place Beside You

My Blood For Yours

Till The Green… Ember Falls

My Review
I enjoyed the strong fantasy-esque voice throughout Ember Falls and found Pick and his sister Heather to be cool characters. I struggled with the sheer number of named characters in the story, though, and found it really difficult to keep track of who everyone was. I sometimes got Pick and Perk confused because of their similar names. Other times characters would be introduced by name without any indication of who they were or why their name might matter, if that makes sense.

The huge vocabulary of story-specific terms made the story feel like it had a definite place, but often terms were introduced quickly or one on top of each other and I never felt like I had a good sense of their significance or meaning.

Pen and ink drawings show various characters and scenes throughout Ember Falls. They added a lot of detail to the story as well.

I think the thing I found most difficult, though, was the lack of character descriptions. Without the illustrations to clue me in, I wouldn’t have known the characters were rabbits until the second chapter. Their movements and expressions don’t relate to rabbit movements or expressions. I kept wondering if they twitched their ears when they were nervous or had heightened hearing because, well, rabbit ears. Ha. No real mention of any of that.

I liked the themes of sacrifice and honor. Pick struggles through the story with the knowledge that his family has been enslaved by Morbin Blackhawk and the birds of prey. He longs to rescue them, but the mission would place the survival of the rest of the rabbit army, and its prince, in jeopardy.

Reading the first book in the series first might have cleared up some of my confusion. Hard to say. I found it hard to get a sense of what had happened in the first book versus what was true backstory, so I’m not really sure. If you’re interested in the series, I do recommend starting with the first book rather than with Ember Falls.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Characters are rabbits, wolves, and birds of prey.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to the fact that Heather and Prince Smalls are intended to marry.

Spiritual Content
Brief note that former heroes have become sort of saints in the eyes of the rabbits. An order of rabbits wears blue robes and appears to be some kind of spiritual group, but their beliefs are unspecified.

Violent Content
Battles with swords, some proving fatal. Wolves attack, biting rabbits. Birds carry small rabbits off to become slaves. Masters threaten slaves with death. No gory descriptions.

Drug Content
Emma uses tonics to treat the wounded, some she appears to have discovered herself.

 

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Review: Beauty by Robin McKinley

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Beauty
Robin McKinley
Open Road Media
Published on November 8, 2014 (Originally published October 25, 1978)

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When Beauty’s family falls on reduced circumstances, she, her father, and two sisters move to a remote village rumored to be near an enchanted castle. Beauty and her sisters face their new lives bravely, learning to do chores and care for their new home. One night, after a long journey, their father returns home with a magical rose and a chilling story. He has met the Beast and ruler of the castle and now owes a debt: either his own life or the life of one of his daughters. Ever practical Beauty decides she must be the one to take her father’s place. But her new life in the castle turns out to be far different than anything she could have imagined. Invisible servants tend her needs, and the Beast, who seemed terrifying at first, soon becomes dear to her. A family emergency forces Beauty to choose: stay in the castle and let her sister make a terrible mistake, or risk everything to return home and warn her.

Beauty is one of the first young adult novels I ever read, and I happened upon it totally by accident in a used book stall at a flea market in the mountains of western North Carolina. I’ve since read other fairytale retellings by Robin McKinley, and have never been disappointed by any of them. Beauty used to be one of my go-to reads for those awful days when I was too sick to read and absorb something new, but still longed to escape reality in a book. It’s been years since I’ve read it, and still I couldn’t stop reading until I’d reached the end of the tale.

The style isn’t my favorite—it’s a lot more narrative than the kinds of books I usually prefer, but the descriptions are so vivid and Beauty’s character so clearly drawn that I always get sucked straight into the story anyway. This is a definite must-read for anyone who adores fairytale retellings. You’ll recognize a lot of familiar elements in other fairytales retold that authors drew from McKinley’s style and way of reimagining things. (In fact, one of my newer favorite authors who writes reimagined fairytales, Kenley Davidson, draws some inspiration from McKinley’s stories, and I think it’s one of the things that first drew me into her work.)

If you’re looking for clean young adult fiction, this is a great choice. McKinley has other books you might be interested in as well: Spindle’s End, her retelling of Sleeping Beauty; Outlaws of Sherwood, her retelling of Robin Hood; and her fantasy duo, The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. I recommend them all.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white and straight.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A brief kiss and a few mentions of blushing or attraction.

Spiritual Content
A couple references to prayer. One character exclaims, “Merciful God.” The Beast’s castle is populated with invisible servants which Beauty often describes as a “breeze.” She begins to hear and understand them to be individuals as her time in the castle progresses.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Wine is served with dinner.

 

Review: A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue by J. A. Myhre

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue (Rwendigo Tales #2)
J. A. Myhre
New Growth Press
Published September 13, 2016

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About A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue
Eleven-year-old Kiisa had no idea why her parents would send her away to boarding school. She wondered why they couldn t all stay together in their beautiful African valley home. But no matter what she said they were firm: she must go, and she must go to this school.

As she said a tearful goodbye to her father, he whispered, For such a time as this. . . . Remember that phrase, and try to open your trunk soon. You ll find something unexpected inside. When Kiisa opened the trunk, she was astonished to find a small heap of black and white feathers that quickly unfolded into a little bird, a wagtail to be exact. Her surprise only deepened when the bird started to speak, My name is Njili. I am one of the Messengers, though a small one. I have been sent to assist you with the Rescue. Kiisa had no idea what she meant, but she would soon find out.

My Review
I liked the foreign setting of this story and some of the cultural details. Even though it’s set in a made up place, the author clarifies that some of the events in the story were based on things she witnessed while living in Africa serving as a doctor. I thought Kiisa was an interesting character and identified with her homesickness and her feelings of otherness at school.

While I liked that the author talked about prejudices girls face with regard to playing sports, I guess I found it odd that even though Kiisa was talented, she played for a while without being truly interested in soccer. I wondered if someone would do that when faced with all the teasing and pressure to quit that she must have faced. I also wanted that part to tie into the rest of the story somehow. It ended up being this sort of side vignette that didn’t really relate to the story’s major plot—the rescue Kiisa would need to perform.

Other elements of the plot seemed disjointed, too, or like they kind of came out of nowhere. I liked the idea of animals as messengers from God and found that to be an imaginative idea, but I expected them to mentor Kiisa in her faith as well as help her with the practical steps toward a rescue.

I liked Kiisa’s relationship with her family, her dad especially. The setting made me think a little bit of Katie Quirk’s A Girl Called Problem, also set in a small village in Africa. Readers who liked Escape from Sudan might also like A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Characters are African—takes place in an imaginary place in Africa.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Kiisa encounters Messengers, animals which speak to humans and are sent by God to help with His purposes.

Violent Content
Rebel soldiers with guns attack Kiisa’s school, taking one girl hostage. They set fire to the building where Kiisa and other girls sleep. A crocodile tries to attack two girls in the water. No graphic descriptions or details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Forgetting
Sharon Cameron
Scholastic Press
Published on September 16th, 2016

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About The Forgetting

What isn’t written, isn’t remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person’s memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn’t written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

My Review

The characters were well-developed, and fit together like pieces in a puzzle. Nadia especially was a unique heroine–she stood out from the crowd of cookie-cutter YA heroines, and made herself heard. I really liked her style of character. It was refreshing. Gray, on the other hand, was a little bit cliche in his “I’m a player but I love only you” style of character, but I liked him anyway. (It seems that everyone can’t help but like Gray.) Liliya–vindictive, nasty Liliya–was sympathetic, even though she made herself disliked from the beginning. And Genivee was an adorable little cinnamon roll.

One issue I had with the characters: Eshan. He wasn’t well-developed, so I was slightly annoyed at how much emphasis was placed on him, even though he didn’t contribute much other than being a plot device to get the main characters together. Also, I wasn’t comfortable with the fact that the author made him (minor spoiler) gay. I felt like it was unnecessary, and thrown in just for show, especially since his character was so little developed.

The plot was engrossing. I was continually mystified as it progressed, and was only able to say”Aha! So that’s explains it,” at the very end. Sharon Cameron did an excellent job in layering her plot, and I’m sure you all will enjoy it. Note: I had problems with her other book, Rook, because of the intense romance and…ahem…the stuff it led to. She did a lot better in this book, but there was still a good bit of romantic stuff. See the content guide below for details.

The world-building in this one was excellent as well. It developed along with the story, and surprised me a lot. I’m not going to say anymore because of spoilers–you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

Overall: I immensely enjoyed this read. It was complex, and developed layer upon layer, so you felt like you were there, discovering and learning along with the characters. The style of writing, atmosphere, and overall feel of the book reminded me a lot of Matched by Ally Condie, but slightly darker. I can’t really put my finger on what it was, but I kept thinking about how similar it felt while I was reading it. Fans of Ally Condie and Ashley Bogner will love diving into this book. 5 out of 5 stars!


Recommended for Ages 14 and up

Cultural Elements
One character is revealed to be gay. 

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None that I can recall.

Romance/Sexual Content
Heavy kissing and embracing, semi-detailed. Characters almost lose control and go ‘all the way,’ but it doesn’t get beyond kissing and embracing on a bed. Some mentions of unwanted/unexpected pregnancies. Mention of ‘dalliances.’

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
There is a lot of violence in this one. Torture, beatings, attacks, blood, wounds, burns by acid, etc. Not overly gory, but not good for sensitive readers either.

Drug Content
Trees in and around Canaan produce flowers, the pollen of which causes people to forget their pasts.

Review: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review and Content, Magical Realism, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Rithmatist (Rithmatist #1)
Brandon Sanderson
Tor Teen
Published on May 13th, 2013

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About The Rithmatist

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

My Review

I devoured this book. It has been a long while since I’ve read a book that fast, and it felt good. I loved the entire plot, the amazing world-building, the fantastic characters….I could go on and on. This book is definitely worthy of its five star rating.

The plot was thrilling. As an artist, the idea of chalk drawings coming to life was very intriguing, and it was exciting to see how Sanderson spun out the mystery. He did an excellent job of weaving in unexpected twists and turns to keep the mystery going until the very end. My only complaint would be that the mystery was wrapped up very quickly in the end, leaving me wondering if that really was the solution, or if there was something more in store. And it ended with “To be continued,” and some unresolved loose ends. Not cool–how am I supposed to survive until the sequel comes out?

The world-building was phenomenal. It was completely unlike any other setting I’ve ever read. It was based on the premise of “what if America was actually an archipelago of islands?” It also had some other twists in history, but I’ll let you discover them for yourself. Part alternate history, part fantasy, it had a familiar feel to it while still being original. It even had touches of steampunk–er, springpunk? And the magic of the Rithmatists? It was awesome. I loved how it was based on logical principles and geometric properties. I can’t wait to read more about it in the next book. One note: the Monarchical Church in the book seems Christian in nature at first, and is classified with other Christian denominations. However, from the little tidbits that were in the book, it seems more of a religion glorifying science, along with some ritualistic aspects that could become dark very quickly. I would be wary letting younger children read this book on their own–if they do, at least discuss with them the religious views the characters hold to, and how that differs from Christianity to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

The characters were great. Quite well-developed and life-like. My personal favorite was Melody–I loved her spunky, melodramatic personality, and all the hilarious comments she added. When I first started the book, it was a little hard to figure out whose POV it was from, but it became clearer within the first few pages. By the way, I kept wanting to call Joel “Joe” instead. Not sure why–I just thought it fit him better.

Wrap-up: This was a really fun, exciting read. It’s a blend of magical realism, alternate reality, and steampunk. I highly recommend it. Just a warning though: the explanation behind the origin of Rithmatist powers was hinted at, and it points to a rather dark theory. Some of the religious aspects, a fight scene toward the end, and the actual villain were very creepy and disturbing. Not for the weak of stomach.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Most characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Made up curses, like “dusts,”and “dusting,” were common phrases.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mentions of dress showing quite a bit of leg, a girl being pretty, etc

Spiritual Content
The Monarchical Church in the book seems Christian in nature at first, and is classified with other Christian denominations. However, from the little tidbits that were in the book, it seems more of a religion glorifying science, along with some ritualistic aspects that could become dark very quickly.

Violent Content
Most of the attacks are off page, though the end fight scene is very creepy. The wild chalklings eat off the skin and eyes of victims. One “historical” account of a chalkling attack is pretty disturbing.

Drug Content
None.