Entries Categorized as 'Fantasy'
Sarah Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, All Ages, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Carol Kendall, Minnipins
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Five years after the invasion of the Mushrooms, a new problem has arisen. The Watercress river, flowing through the valley of the Minnipins, has changed direction and begun flooding the towns. Five unlikely heroes, Glocken, Silky, Scumble, Gam Lutie, and Crustabread, are commissioned by the five old Heroes to journey outside the valley and find the source of the flooding. With them goes the ancient Whisper Stone, which has been passed down through Glocken’s family for generations, and contains the secret for finding the legendary Whisper of Glocken, a bell now known only in pretend-stories.
This was an interesting read, but I don’t like it as much as its prequel. Some important parts of it seemed a bit vague and confusing, and sometimes I’d get turned around and couldn’t figure out exactly where the main characters were. It’s also more strange than the first book, because the Minnipins spend most of their time outside the valley, where they meet strange creatures and plants, and even full-size humans. Overall, not as good as The Gammage Cup, but it might be worth reading just for the sake of reading it.
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Jordan Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Christopher Hopper, elves, spiders, The Berinfell Prophecies, Wayne Thomas Batson
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Seven teens discover that they are the lost Elven lords from Allyra. They all have a special gift or ability. Now, with dangerous minions of the Spider King pursuing them at every turn, and mysterious Elf Sentinels trying to protect them, the teens must decide if they will stay on Earth or go home to Allyra.
Okay, right out of the gate, let me say that this is a good fantasy novel. Lots of exciting action, creepy bad guys, mysterious good guys and a parallel universe to boot. Unfortunately, Curse of the Spider King has no fewer than seven storylines running at a time, which makes for a very confusing time trying to keep track of everybody. Also, six of the storylines retread most of the same basic material six times. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t read this one. It’s really quite worthwhile. However, based on the ending of this one, I’m looking forward to book two, where the seven storylines will hopefully merge into a more manageable number.
(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Sarah Posted by Sarah
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Brian Jacques, Redwall
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Buckler, a blademaster hare from Salamandastron, is sent to Redwall Abbey to deliver new bell ropes to the Abbess and is caught up in the adventure of his life. Vilaya the Sable Quean, along with her captain Zwilt, plan to take over Redwall Abbey by kidnapping their Dibbuns and holding them hostage. But Buckler has a score of his own to settle with Zwilt and leads the inhabitants of Redwall to stop the evil vermin horde.
I’m afraid I wasn’t particularly impressed with this book. It’s pretty stereotypical Redwall, without enough new things to make it feel original. Two of the characters (including a warrior mole!) are introduced later on in the book and assume important roles, which felt a little last-minute to me. I would say that big Redwall fans might want to read this, but The Sable Quean is not a must-read.
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Ruth Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Bryan Davis, Dragons, Starlighter
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Dragons from another world who kidnapped humans into slavery? Jason Masters has never held much regard for the old myths, but when his temporary promotion to castle guard takes an unexpected turn, he discovers more than enough evidence to sway his views. In danger and determined to solve the growing mysteries, Jason sets out with a few others to find the hidden portal and rescue the captives. Meanwhile, Koren, a slave girl on the dragon planet, discovers that her unique storytelling ability is very powerful—and very dangerous. Events propel her into a tangle of intrigue, dragon secrets, and prophecies. Her desire to help the slaves is strong, but it could come at great cost.
Excellent start to a brand-new series! I’ve been looking forward to Starlighter for some time, and the combination of Mr. Davis’s familiar writing style with new characters and a new story was delightful. The pacing was good, and I enjoyed the “double fantasy” feel with both Jason’s world and the dragon world. Worthwhile for fans of Bryan Davis and newcomers alike. Can’t wait for the next book!
(2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Ruth Posted by Ruth
Categories: Advanced Readers, Fantasy, Fiction, Review
Tags:Susanna Clarke
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There has not been a practical magician in England for several hundred years. So the people are astonished when Mr. Norrell, a small, quiet gentleman who has been studying the subject for much of his life, proves that he is, in fact, the next great magician. More than that, he intends to restore magic to England and even aid the country in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte.
In the midst of this rises a second magician, the young and dauntless Jonathan Strange. Strange has an uncanny knack for magic, and despite some rather grave differences of opinion between the two of them, Mr. Norrell takes him on as a pupil. Perhaps their most serious disagreements are about the Raven King, a mysterious figure in history who was responsible for much of the magical foundation. As time goes on, Strange becomes more and more intrigued with the Raven King and the more perilous forms of magic, risking not only his partnership with Norrell but everything that he holds dear.
If I do not restrain myself, I’m going to gush about this book. Problem is, if I force myself to slow down, I’m left speechless. This novel is 782 pages long, and I was enthralled to the very last one. It is incredible. The writing style itself is so beautifully similar to that of Jane Austen and other writers of that period, I could scarcely believe this was such a recent publication (2004). It is intricate, delightful, terrifying, and captivating. I have never come across anything quite like it. The antagonist alone was one of the most uniquely and well-done characters I’ve read. Everything is brilliant, right down to the use of footnotes to enhance the story and add to the seeming reality.
Now, all that to say… I don’t feel that I can go about recommending Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell to everyone. My one single—but substantial—reservation about this book is the heavy involvement of magic. I do not mind magical things in fantasy realms, but this particular story grounds magic firmly in reality, in Europe, in the 1800s. Given that Susanna Clarke is not a Christian author, it creates some gnarly situations. So, is this book for you? I cannot say. You will have to do your own research and choose for yourself.
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